Chapter 13: Chapter 10: Burning Through the Funding
The sky was gradually darkening, on the main street of the Abandoned Area.
The broken street lamps on either side flickered on and off, usually making the street hard to see, but now the area had gathered over a thousand people, each either holding a flashlight or wearing a glaring searchlight, illuminating the street brightly.
On the street, both parties were positioned separately. On one side were vagabonds of the Human Race, each over 2.2 meters tall, and on the other side were members of the Crystal Race, standing over three meters tall, with gemstones embedded in their foreheads and muscles like steel. They were less than twenty meters apart, each holding swords, sticks, and glaring menacingly at each other, evidently ready to start a fight at any moment.
"Hou Fei! You’ve crossed the line! This is the living area that belongs to us Humans!"
A one-eyed middle-aged man from the Human vagabonds, standing over 2.4 meters tall and holding a Silver Spear, stepped out, cracking the concrete ground beneath him, making everyone present gasp.
To crack the concrete with one step, such Strength was either that of a quasi-Martial Artist or very close to the pinnacle of Martial Artist Apprentice.
"Heavy Spear Qin Mu! I never expected you’d be living in this area." Hou Fei, a young man from the Crystal Race over three meters tall with three blue gemstones on his forehead, walked over, seemingly indifferent as he spoke casually.
"However, Qin Mu, you should be aware that recently the Half-Scale Race has produced several Genius Martial Artists, expanding their gangs and occupying several decent abandoned areas, leaving many vagabonds homeless."
"Your abandoned area here is not small; even if you give us half, it would be enough for you to live on."
"Get lost! You shameless lot! You want a place to live, and don’t we also want a place to live?" exclaimed Qin Mu, the holder of the Silver Spear, in a stern voice, "This area has been a place for the Human Race to live ever since Chasing Light City was founded. Before, none of your races cared for this place, but now you have the nerve to come and take it!"
"If you want a place to live, there are plenty of other areas in the Abandoned Area. You can go there right now, and no one will fight you over it!"
On the main street, with the two speaking, the atmosphere became even more tense, and the number of people on both sides grew close to over two thousand.
"Heavy Spear Qin Mu?"
"Have the Genius Martial Artists of the Half-Scale Race had such a significant impact?"
Lin Qi, who had just arrived, heard the words of the two and couldn’t believe that the one-eyed uncle earlier was so famous. He also gained a deeper understanding of Genius Martial Artists.
Previously, Lin Qi thought the emergence of those in Chasing Light City would only affect higher-level interests, like having peripheral races pay more rent, but he hadn’t imagined it would also affect the Abandoned Area.
As Lin Qi marveled at the influence of the Genius Martial Artists, Fang Zhen, dressed in a dark gray t-shirt behind him, and two companions seemed like curious children, filled with wonder at the scene before them.
"Holy...! Such a huge scene! So many NPCs! I’m amazed there’s no frame drop; this technology is simply incredible!" Twilight of the Gods was lost for words at the grand sight before them, with such detailed imagery.
As virtual technology advanced, although virtual reality was becoming more realistic, it also brought a significant issue.ᴛhis ᴜpdated by ɴoᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt
Scenes that were too grand, especially those with over a thousand participants, tended to experience frame drops. Various companies have invested considerable manpower researching this issue, usually reducing quality, yet frame drops would still occur.
But now, with the Descent of High Martial involving a crowd of over two thousand, not only was there no frame drop, but the virtual reality had not diminished even slightly. It was simply astonishing!
"Dust storms with thousands on screen, and there’s no frame drop?" Fang Zhen looked at over a thousand people, each with different actions, and at the dust storm suddenly arising, with each grain of sand striking the crowd clearly, his jaw dropping. "So real! This imagery is sheer art! Each frame is art!"
As a professional gamer, Fang Zhen had seen many dusty environments in the Mecha Continent game, fully understanding the significant challenge it posed for virtual gaming.
Normally, battles involving over ten participants would cause the particles of dust to blur, making it extremely challenging for gamers in combat to see and judge clearly.
But now, with thousands in the scene and a dust storm, Fang Zhen could distinctly feel the grains of sand scattering on his body, and the immense costs it must have taken to optimize the system to this level.
"No impact?"
Wushang, upon witnessing this scene, immediately grabbed an Alloy Shovel and began digging into the concrete road underfoot, becoming increasingly excited and thrilled.
There really is no impact!
The control over her body had no influence, or rather, she felt no impact whatsoever!
This technology is simply Black Technology!
The actions of Fang Zhen, Twilight of the Gods, and Wushang instantly drew incredulous gazes from many of the vagabonds who’d arrived.
As people of Blue Star, the three were in a world where their stature was lesser even than middle school students, and two of them were acting almost possessed, while the woman kept digging frantically.
The scene looked bizarre regardless of how anyone viewed it, completely clashing with the tense atmosphere.
"Where did these three kids come from? Where are their parents?"
"These three kids are all wearing dark gray t-shirts; could they belong to a gang?"
"Nowadays, you find all kinds of parents, letting their kids join a gang. What a pity. They’re holding shovels and wearing the same clothes, so they must belong to the same gang, but no Human Race gang I know uses shovels, unless it’s a newly formed gang?"
The vagabonds quietly discussed the seemingly odd behavior of the trio, prompting Lin Qi to step forward and distance himself a bit.
Although Lin Qi could understand Fang Zhen and the others’ intentions, their behavior was hard to bear.
Meanwhile, on the main street, after a long look between Heavy Spear Qin Mu and Hou Fei, they both let out a helpless sigh.
"Qin Mu, let’s not waste words. According to the old rules of Chasing Light City, do you intend for a group battle or a duel?" Hou Fei, drawing lines on the ground as the people of the Crystal Race all looked at Heavy Spear Qin Mu.
"How do you intend to conduct the group battle? Or the duel, who against whom? What’s the format?" Heavy Spear Qin Mu was not surprised at this.
The territorial disputes in Chasing Light City among vagabonds, when both sides had similar numbers and strength, would make a rule allowing a fight that ultimately decided territory ownership.
Firstly, this reduced casualties.
Secondly, it made both sides accept the outcome.
"The group battle involves both sides fielding one hundred people, the side that falls completely admitting defeat. As for the duel, just you and me, using weapons, till one backs down!" Hou Fei suggested, "I propose a duel."
"Fine! Then a duel it is! Might as well see if the Wilderness Crystal Bear is as formidable as they say!" Heavy Spear Qin Mu nodded in agreement.