Chapter 92

Watching the prompt characters gradually appear and then slowly disappear,

the shrill alarm sound was still echoing, and Song Yang hadn't reacted yet:

"What's the situation?"

"Triggered a hidden plot?"

Others trigger hidden plots at the start, but he actually triggered a hidden plot while going about his daily routine.

The friends in the live stream room were also flooding the screen with question marks.

As the alarm continued.

The captains on the ships were already in a panic, because some ships were still on the periphery and were definitely the Empire's primary attack targets. Once their own ships were destroyed, they would likely lose everything.

"No!"

"My ship!!!"

A captain who had just been gathered in front of the map looked at the rising flames outside the window and grabbed his head in a breakdown,

for it was his cargo ship that had been torn apart by the torpedo.

Song Yang looked out the window, at a loss.

This wasn't like being on land where you could run or hide.

Once the Empire blew up the ship on this vast ocean, there was only one way to die.

Boom—!

Another loud noise, and an orange-red fireball rose, illuminating the night sky.

Through the brief illumination.

One could clearly see submarine periscopes emerging one after another on the distant sea surface, as if watching this place coldly and ruthlessly, before immediately diving back underwater and disappearing.

Song Yang and the friends in the live stream room froze.

They seemed to understand why this thing was called "Wolf Pack Tactics".

It really was like a pack of hungry wolves staring at you.

Song Yang found a corner, put on a life jacket, and then hid by the window, watching the escort fleet outside fight against the Empire's submarines. The searchlights on the escort fleet were urgently scanning the sea surface.

The rapid-fire guns on the ships were attacking various parts of the seawater, as if fighting against the air.

But judging from the occasional explosions rising from the sea surface and the violent shaking of the escort ships, the confrontation under the sea seemed even more intense. Just as Song Yang was concentrating on live streaming the situation outside,

Slap!

His shoulder was suddenly patted, scaring him into a shiver. He turned his head to look.

He saw that the British Federation captain also had an awkward expression and spread his hands:

"Don't be nervous. I saw you watching so intently, I thought you were very brave?"

Song Yang was also a bit awkward:

"No, I was just too engrossed."

"Is there anything wrong?"

The British Federation captain sat down next to Song Yang and said with a smile:

"You can call me Rolf. Nothing, just haven't seen a young man as brave as you in a long time."

"These guys, losing a few ships and they look like they're dying, really..."

Saying that, he shook his head.

Song Yang couldn't help but be speechless.

The ship they were on now belonged to this British Federation captain. Unless the outer ships were all blown up, it wouldn't be his ship's turn to be blown up. No wonder he was making these snide remarks.

This guy is a bit dark-bellied.

However, Song Yang himself was a player and had no concept of these losses.

Seeing that this British Federation captain Rolf was calm and composed, Song Yang asked curiously:

"Do these Imperial submarines often attack ships?"

Rolf glanced at Song Yang strangely:

"Is this your first time doing business?"

Song Yang made up a story:

"I'm out with my uncle this time."

Rolf nodded:

"So that's how it is."

"It depends on luck. However, recently, the number of Imperial submarine attacks on cargo ships has been increasing. Before, they would let neutral ships go, but now, as long as it's a merchant ship, it will be attacked by them."

"This might be their final madness."

Song Yang didn't quite understand and asked:

"Really?"

"I see the Empire fighting all over the world now."

The friends in the live stream room were also curious; why did this NPC have a different view of the Empire than other NPCs?

Rolf stood up, pulled the map from the table, and then pointed out the Empire's original location:

"Look."

"This part is the Empire's original area."

Then he drew lines across Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic:

"This is their current area; it has expanded several times over, right?"

"The biggest taboo in business is to be impulsive and bet all your capital on one product."

"And that's the situation with the Empire right now."

"They have such a small land area, yet they want to rule the whole world. The population alone is a fatal flaw."

"Just wait."

"They will collapse sooner or later."

Song Yang was thoughtful, then looked at the comments in the live stream room and asked:

"Have you been to the East? How is it over in Asia?"

This was a reminder from the friends in the live stream room, because so far, there had been no news from the 【Asian Battlefield】 and 【Pacific Battlefield】. If he could find out from this NPC, it would be great.

Rolf thought for a moment and said:

"Asia, huh..."

"I've been to Southeast Asia. The fruit there is not bad, but it's easy to spoil during transport."

"Asia is also experiencing war, and the situation is no better than Europe right now."

"This damn world, there isn't a single place that isn't fighting."

Listening to Rolf's words, Song Yang's eyes widened.

No better than the 【European Battlefield】?

Hiss, the situation on the 【European Battlefield】 is being live streamed in all rooms, and there are videos on the Polar Star official website. As a result, the 【Asian Battlefield】 is no better than this? Is this "Earth" mainly about human elimination?

Song Yang was just about to ask for specific details.

Boom!

A huge fireball rose on the ocean, along with the sound of steel tearing. Watching the ships slowly sinking into the ocean and the crew members crying and jumping into the ocean from the decks, Song Yang couldn't help but click his tongue.

Another one gone.

Rolf next to him said with a smile:

"Don't worry."

"I've already called for Federation support."

Song Yang was confused:

"Is this your confidence?"

"But Federation support will take a while to arrive, right?"

Rolf smiled mysteriously:

"Of course not."

"My confidence is... before the ships of those guys on the outside all sink,"

"it won't be our turn to be blown up."

Because it was organized by the Federation, the ships in the core area were British Federation ships.

While the ones on the periphery were ships from small countries...

Black lines flashed across Song Yang's head. So that was the source of his confidence. He shook his head and asked:

"Can you tell me about Asia?"

Rolf was very surprised:

"Do you want to go there to do business?"

"Reselling fruit is hard-earned money."

"Maybe if it rots, you'll lose a whole ship."

"I don't suggest you..."

Song Yang hurriedly raised his hand to interrupt:

"No."

"I just want to ask about the situation there."

"Before considering whether to go."

Rolf said:

"Alright, but I don't know much either."

"The main battlefield in the East is in..."

And outside.

Allied aircraft formations were sweeping across the Atlantic, flying toward here without a moment's rest.

The next day.

With the expansion of the real-time map on the Polar Star game official website, players also discovered a new battlefield: 【Atlantic Battlefield】.

Looking at the map now.

In Europe, the Empire is attacking the Soviets; in Africa, the Empire is besieging 'Tobruk', and the Allies are constantly retreating; in the Atlantic battlefield, centered on maritime transport, the Empire's "Wolf Pack Tactics" are hard to contain,

and the Allies are suffering constant losses.

Judging from the scope of the map.

Except for the 【Asian Battlefield】 and 【Pacific Battlefield】 that haven't lit up yet, the Empire seems to be at war with the whole world.

However, the remarks of the British Federation NPC captain Rolf last night also sparked discussion.

【They have such a small land area, yet they want to rule the whole world. The population alone is a fatal flaw.】

Although the Empire is in full swing, this NPC's remarks also resonated with many players. After all, the NPC was right; population is a fatal flaw. People die when they die, and they can't be resurrected.

So it's either the Empire occupies the world before its army dies out, or it's worn down to death by the countries of the world.

The discussion about the Empire slowly shifted from whether it could win to the major battlefields, as well as the various information obtained when the streamer Song Yang communicated with the NPC Rolf last night.

Things like the "Lend-Lease Act", the Eastern battlefield, and some things in the Pacific all filled in the worldview. Players also realized that the unlit 【Asian Battlefield】 had a level of cruelty no less than this side,

it's just that it's unknown when it will open.

Two days later.

Polar Star Game Company.

In the office.

"Open for agency?"

Zhao Ming sat on the sofa, took the data handed over by Shen Qinghan, flipped through it, and said:

"It won't affect the overall operation of the game, right?"

Shen Qinghan said:

"No."

"It's just an agency right. If you want, all decision-making power is still in your hands, including game updates and releases. These agents are just setting up servers in other Federations to maintain operations."

"You can also collect player feedback from their side."

Zhao Ming was a bit confused:

"Can't we do that ourselves?"

Shen Qinghan rubbed her temples:

"We can, but doing it this way can save some trouble, and it can also help us get to know and win over the forces of other Federations."

"The current popularity of the game and the things contained within it have already been seen by many people."

"Although players are only experiencing the plot and reducing their war-like thinking, 'World War II: The Rise of the Empire' is also very good for training official soldiers."

"Now, some people have already seen this potential and want to enter Polar Star Game by way of buying shares."

"So I'm under a lot of pressure here."

Zhao Ming was a bit surprised:

"Is your family not effective, Senior?"

Shen Qinghan rolled her eyes:

"Family is family, and I am I."

"And... there are idiots in the family who want to get involved."

"But those idiots have already been turned away by me."

"Don't worry about them coming to harass you."

"The trouble now is that other families all want to get involved. Once they get involved, the game might be restricted in various aspects in the future due to differences of opinion."

"That's why I asked you to pick agents in other Federations. They won't participate in any aspect of the game,"

"but if you have any opinions or ideas, they will definitely stand by you."

"Because they are dying for those idiots to go too far and drive you away from the Great Xia Federation."

"But if you really run away, those idiots might get a beating; hurting their muscles and bones is inevitable. This is also quite good."

Listening to Shen Qinghan's words, Zhao Ming was also a bit strange:

"You don't object to me going to other Federations?"

Shen Qinghan was a bit surprised:

"Why would I object?"

Zhao Ming understood a bit. The concept of a federation system and the country-as-home-and-world doesn't seem to be that deep here. However, he was too lazy to change places; it's the same wherever he stays.

It's just that he has to solve those 'idiots' first...

Looking at the data in his hand, Zhao Ming said:

"I don't know much about it either. You choose, Senior."

"Anyway, I support you."

"By the way... doesn't the Federation care?"

"Didn't they just give us a reward a few days ago?"

Shen Qinghan sighed:

"These are all normal commercial behaviors. Many individual companies participating in the 'Anti-War Competition' will accept capital injections from large companies after achieving results. It's a voluntary matter; how can the Federation manage that?"

"Those guys won't force you, but they will apply pressure from all aspects."

"It's me who's dealing with it now; they don't dare to move you for the time being."

"After all, everything in the entire game is designed with you as the lead. The value is the game itself and the subsequent dungeons."

"Rather than offending you, it's better to offend me."

Zhao Ming thought for a moment and said:

"Since the value is the game."

"Then wouldn't it be better to increase this value?"

"Big enough for the Federation to stand up for you."

"Forget about the other forces on this list; if you want to pick, you have to pick the official ones. Wait for me a moment."

After speaking, Zhao Ming came to the computer.

He started to pull up the data organized by the AI and redeemed some 'modern warfare' CGs, handing them to the local photonic supercomputer for cluster rendering.

A few minutes later.

A prompt popped up on Shen Qinghan's phone; it was a virtual projection file.

Zhao Ming walked over and said:

"Take a look at this."

Shen Qinghan placed her phone on the coffee table and clicked on the virtual projection file.

The next second.

A virtual projection of about 15 inches that could be clicked popped up above the phone.

In the projection.

There were three labels from top to bottom, written respectively:

"World War II: The Rise of the Empire"

"World War I: The Twilight of the Empire"

"Earth OL: Modern Warfare"

Shen Qinghan looked at these labels and understood:

"Are these subsequent game DLCs?"

Zhao Ming said with a smile:

"No, each of these is a separate game."

"It's just that 'World War II' was released first, so the order should be swapped."

As he spoke, Zhao Ming clicked on "World War II: The Rise of the Empire" in the projection, moved it below "World War I: The Twilight of the Empire", and said:

"This corresponds to it."

"Actually, the entire game series is the war history of 'Earth'."

"From the twilight of the empire during 'World War I', which caused the collapse of the imperialist systems of European countries,"

"to the rise of a new imperialism during 'World War II'."

"Then transitioning to 'Modern Warfare', these are all games that will be released later."

"As long as you show the value within them, big enough for the Federation to ignore, then your troubles, Senior, will be solved."

After speaking, Zhao Ming clicked on 'Earth OL: Modern Warfare'.

What came into view was a row of videos, but except for the first one, the other videos were black.

Zhao Ming clicked on the first one, and the virtual projection immediately started playing.

The screen showed a huge circular conference hall. As the screen flowed, an official marked as the American Freedom Federation opened the microphone in front of him, took a glass bottle containing a white powdery substance from his pocket, and said to the microphone:

"This is the proof that he possesses weapons of mass destruction. Once the chemical substance in the bottle leaks,"

"it can cause tens of thousands of deaths in a short period of time. I absolutely cannot tolerate such a thing happening."