Returning to the Core City / The Crisis of the Intelligent Machines?

Of course, as we all know, ceilings are meant to be broken. Above mortals, there are colossal Great Beast and even more mysterious Beast Lord.

In addition, there Demons, enemies of civilization, beyond the realm, and in the deep sea, there are Seaborn and the sneaky Abyssal Church.

In fact, Bai Ye in his previous life received an interesting piece of news: above the dome, there seemed to be an unknown entity quietly watching over this land.

Although the authenticity of the last message could not be confirmed, Bai Ye still felt a sense of crisis, as there was a ticking time bomb like the Firstborn inside him.

Although it is indeed currently sealed away by the game system, no one knows what will happen next.

'Players, oh Players, hurry up and level up...'

Bai Ye muttered to himself as he walked along the road.

Early-stage Players are indeed weak. Although they have various clever tricks and ingenious ideas, their raw strength is still insufficient. Although they can defeat indigenous armed forces with similar or even superior strength by relying on strategy and clever cooperation in local conflicts.

However, in regular legion-level warfare, the Players would absolutely suffer a crushing defeat.

The indigenous people are not only individually powerful, but their faction also includes various elite monsters and war machines. This is Players cannot currently contend with.

All the measures Bai Ye is currently taking are aimed at enhancing the Players as much as possible, and accelerating their development and growth. If the Players are too weak, their impact on this land is relatively limited. In order to enable the Players to play a role as soon as possible, Bai Ye has put in a lot of effort.

While pondering, Bai Ye accompanied Skadi and Specter on a shopping trip.

Specter bought a variety of obsidian stones, in different sizes. This type of stone isn't very hard, making it suitable for carving.

Bai Ye bought Skadi a red orca plushie. Although she didn't know why there were plushies based on this animal on land, it looked very cute and was perfect for Skadi.

When Skadi held up the red plush pillow, she turned to look at Bai Ye with a bright smile on her face.

The Specter was stunned.

"What's wrong?" Bai Ye asked, puzzled, seeing the nun standing still.

"I've never seen her laugh like that before. What did you do to make Skadi laugh like that..."

Specter looked at Hoshiguma with a look of amazement.

Chapter 8 Return to the Core City

Skadi really liked Bai Ye's gift, but Bai Ye didn't know that this was actually the first gift Skadi had ever received in a real sense.

That night, Bai Ye and Skadi fought again. The next morning, Bai Ye found that Specter was behaving strangely again, much like the previous subtle atmosphere.

However, Bai Ye didn't pay attention to such a trivial matter.

After he left, the nun breathed a sigh of relief and shredded the sheets.

After a few days of rest, and having even learned underwater combat, Bai Ye's goal can be considered achieved.

Although he had conveniently resolved another crisis and saved a city, Bai Ye didn't care.

There are still some things to take care of, but he no longer needs to handle these personally. These include facilitating cooperation between Rhodes Island and Siesta City, treating the city's infected, and establishing offices and Players stations...

These matters will be handled methodically by the employees of Rhodes Island and Bai Ye Corporation.

Bai Ye didn't enjoy strategizing from the base camp. Instead, habits formed during his time as Players made him more inclined to run around and charge into the most difficult situations. His first speech upon joining the External Operations was a failure, proving that he lacked the talent in this area.

However, the entire External Operations is quite united and respects Bai Ye a lot because he always takes the lead and keeps improving the benefits for field operations personnel.

With a unified goal, a promising future, and good compensation, there's no worry about disunity. Although Bai Ye isn't exactly a competent manager, he's actually doing a pretty good job.

If he were truly that bad, Dr. Kal'tsit would have replaced him long ago.

"We're preparing to return to Rhodes Island, and then Talulah March. What about you?"

Before leaving, Bai Ye also met with Swire and Chen.

Swire changed out of her uniform and finally looked like a tourist, while Chen stopped wearing her swimsuit.

Bai Ye was quite puzzled by the sudden appearance of these two in Siesta. He couldn't figure out what they were there for. Bai Ye had a feeling that they must have some other purpose, and they seemed to have Mars- like momentum, but they backed down at the last minute.

It's quite amazing.

They probably found the culprit... Bai Ye didn't pay any more attention to it.

His thoughts are now drifting to the Core City Chernobog.

"We're also preparing to return to Lungmen. By the way, Bai Ye, I need to borrow someone from you, is that alright?" Swire replied.

"Who?"

"Miss Skadi." The little tiger took a liking to Skadi at first glance.

She then explained the reason.

There was no other purpose than for Swire to help Bai Ye sign a contract elsewhere. Although she was quite confident in her own strength, she also knew that this was not the time to show off.

Especially when the opposing side has a large number of people and wants to double-cross you, it's safest to bring a super fighter.

Swire was unaware of Skadi's identity as Abyssal Hunter, but she had witnessed the girl's power firsthand—power far exceeding her own and Chen's.

Of course, the girl also wanted to go out with Skadi and find an opportunity to subtly probe about things she was interested in.

She didn't find any opportunities during her trip to Siesta.

Bai Ye was taken aback by Swire's request.

This guy actually tried to steal my wife away?

However, she's right. Running around all the time is quite dangerous. Swire indeed very strong; she can subdue petty thieves with just lipstick. But that's only at the "capable of fighting" level. Compared to true powerhouses, she's still much weaker. Having Skadi protecting her makes things much safer.

"However, will your job as a police officer... be affected?" Bai Ye was a little worried about this.

Don't let this kid follow him and run around like him, only to end up getting fired by the Guards Bureau.

"Don't worry, I was recently transferred to the business department, so I can take care of things for you," Swire explained.

Bai Ye was finally relieved.

Ironically, the person who helps him manage his business is actually a policeman... For Swire, it seems that doing business is just a job, while being a policeman is his hobby and life.

"Where are we going?" Skadi asked from the side.

"Lungmen, Ursus, Columbia ..." Swire the areas currently covered by Bai Ye's business.

"Okay, the doctor should also have a few tasks. Once we complete them, we can get some valuable information." Skadi nodded.

Like Bai Ye, she has to get down to business after she's had her fun.

However, this time she wanted to exchange it for Rhodes Island's treatment of Specter. Although Bai Ye was perfectly capable of helping, Skadi believed it was a matter for the Abyssal Hunter themselves, and it was clearly unacceptable for her not to contribute.

In some ways, Skadi is quite stubborn.

And so, Bai Ye, Specter, and Skadi were temporarily separated.

Bai Ye and Specter went directly to the Core City of Chernobog, while Skadi followed Swire.

Chief Chen, now alone, returned to Lungmen and resumed his work as a policeman.

"It's been a while since I left..."

Although Bai Ye left the Core City of Chernobog, the Marquisate of Talulah has been undergoing extensive construction.

Countless Players are just cheap labor, especially Players who have just started playing. Without joining a guild, leveling up is quite difficult for solo Players. This game is not very Players- friendly right now.

Originium Slug are basically wiped out by Players after they finish breeding, and some even venture deep into their nests to wipe out the entire brood. Wherever there are Players, Infected Creatures are virtually extinct.

However, this land is not a real game; monsters cannot spawn and resurrect indefinitely, so new Players cannot find low-level monsters to level up.

Unless they are willing to venture deep into the wilderness, the wasteland near the starting village and Mobile City has been thoroughly looted by Players, leaving not a trace.

In this situation, the only way to level up is by doing quests. And tasks like moving bricks and building buildings don't require combat power, so newbies can easily do them for a few days, accumulate experience and Lungmen Dollar, buy a set of beginner equipment, learn some skills, and go to do easy dungeons.

Thanks to the Players' tireless efforts, the construction of the Talulah March was like a rocket launch. In just over half a year, the Rhodes Island branch had already been completed, and the Adventurers' Association headquarters that Bai Ye had been longing for was also finished.

Chapter Nine: The Machine Crisis?

The teleportation panel is now online, making our operations even faster.

The system notification sounded in the Players' ears, and the Players surrounding the teleportation crystal array finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This is a remote little town in Laterano. Although it can be considered Mobile City, it only has a population of about 10,000. Compared to the huge mobile city-state, this town is just a single plot of land.

However, this did not hinder the Players's development of this area. After collecting enough Originium, the Players successfully lit up this place on the map and built a teleportation crystal array here.

From now on, this place will be discovered and explored by more Players.

However, for these Players who built the portal, the most important thing right now is naturally to go to the Players city— the Talulah March, the Core City of Chernobog.

This is a legendary city, which was previously just a special block in Chernobog, the location of the command tower.

However, with the help of Bai Ye, Talulah, the leader of the Reunion Movement, successfully seized the Mobile City and transformed it into a city belonging to the infected and the Players.

From then on, it became a shining gem on the Players map, its importance comparable to the Turkey Grounds in Dark Souls 3 or the Grand Blessing of the Round Table from the Old Man's Ring. Many new Players even chose it as their starting point based on guides.

"The changes are too drastic!"

Bai Ye left the Core City after the 2.2 version update, and it has only been about a month since he returned.

However, when he piloted the aircraft back here again, he almost thought he had come to the wrong place.

The changes are too obvious.

In the past, Chernobog's Core City was used as the city's central area, belonging to the Upper Town. Its architectural features include large land area, fewer floors, a more classical appearance, and ornate exterior decoration.

Now, most of these buildings have been demolished and rebuilt, while the Players area is now a vibrant and thriving place, a place where everything flourishes.

In addition to the original Core City, Talulah also gathered Players to collect resources, creating a second mobile city-state.

Of course, this plot of land is still just an empty shell. Neither the underground industrial base nor the above-ground facilities are completed. However, the framework has been built, and it is only a matter of time before it is filled in and improved.

"That's terrifying speed..."

Just as Bai Ye predicted, the Players' enthusiasm for infrastructure and their speed in getting started were terrifying. They seemed to be keen on building infrastructure and even wanted to create "spectacles".

Currently, over 90% of the renovations in the Core City were completed by Players. The endless manpower and vast resources transformed into wealth have created this miraculous city.

"With so many outsiders, won't there be conflicts between the natives and the undead?" Specter, who didn't know much about the history of the formation of the Core City, was a little puzzled.

"Of course not, this city only has the undead and the infected... These people have always been discriminated against, and now that they finally have a group of people who won't bully them, the infected are overjoyed..."

"Moreover, it was the undead who helped the infected conquer this city. Under the agreement, the undead will permanently own the right to use half of the city's land area. They can also freely enter and exit the other half, except for some important areas, where they can move freely without hindrance."

As Bai Ye explained, he piloted the aircraft to land.

The Mobile City naturally needed to be expanded. In addition to the undead, a large number of infected people poured into the Talulah March, which did have a certain impact on the city.

In fact, because Talulah didn't have enough manpower at the beginning, it caused some minor chaos.

Later, inspired by Bai Ye, Talulah also began to recruit Players to solve some grassroots administrative problems, such as searching and verifying infected people entering the country.

Of course, not just anyone can hold a position in the Core City —requirements are placed on reputation and contribution.

This tactic has now become standard practice. Whether it's Lungmen, Rhodes Island, or the Core City of Chernobog, they all use it exceptionally well, and there's even a trend of expanding it to other regions.

Bai Ye felt that he could use these places as examples to write a book and promote this approach.

Welcome back, Manager Bai Ye.

A cold voice echoed in the aircraft's cockpit, and at the same time, the hangar doors slowly opened automatically.

"Huh?"

Bai Ye couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

That's a bit strange.

The hangar where Bai Ye was located was within the factory grounds of his own company, Nanba Heavy Industries. It was not in the same area as the Rhodes Island branch building, and should theoretically be outside the signal coverage range.

However, the voice Bai Ye just heard was clearly the voice of Luna, the Rhodes Island intelligent terminal system.

Bai Ye opened his personal terminal and discovered something quite absurd—Luna's coverage was no longer limited to the Rhodes Island branch; it had even taken over most of the affairs of the Core City.

In other words, the entire city is currently under Luna's overall planning and control.

Luna built a brand new server room beneath the command tower in the Core City, and constructed a more powerful computing array.