- Yes, sure. If there are enough forces to capture and hold new territories, then why not? All nodes differ in climate, landscape and valuable resources. Often, vital resources are not in your territory, but are in the territory of an adjacent cell, and expansion is simply necessary for further development. Our Human-3 faction currently holds five cells. Moreover, we captured the fifth just four days ago, which allowed us to introduce even more people into the game that distorts reality. You are the very replenishment that our faction introduces into the game.
The people in the hall murmured, began to exchange glances. And the bespectacled man again climbed up to the speaker with another question:
– Is there a strict formula for how many people a faction can nominate, depending on the number of these same “nodes”?
Ivan Lozovsky again reacted quite positively to the question asked and answered it in great detail:
– Yes, of course, we figured out this dependence a long time ago. It is not so much the number of nodes that is important here, but their level of development. So, each node of the first level allows the faction to bring eighty-seven people into the game. Each node of the second level allows already two hundred and sixty one players. The node of the third is seven hundred and eighty-three people. We do not yet have the fourth level of development, although such a well-developed cell would allow us to introduce as many as two thousand three hundred and forty-nine people into the game. In total, we have one node of the third level - our “Capital”, it is in the center of it, about a kilometer west of our main base, that all newcomers appear when they first enter the game. In addition to the developed and well-fortified "Capital", we have three nodes to the south. Two second levels: "Yellow Mountains" and "Jungle", and one furthest first level: "Antique Beach". Plus, to the east of the capital, the Eastern Swamp cell, just captured from the goblin, has appeared, there is now an active construction of roads and fortifications. Thus, the maximum number of players that our Human-3 faction can bring into the game is one thousand four hundred and seventy nine.
So, so ... I did not understand the phrase about some "goblin", but since none of those sitting in the hall were surprised by these words and did not focus their attention, it means that the speaker has already talked about them today. But my attention was caught on something else: since my serial number is 1470, and only 1479 players are available, it means that our faction has already used almost the entire available limit! And until we capture new territories or rebuild existing "nodes", there will be no reinforcements. So that's what the diplomat meant yesterday when he said that we won't need the sixteenth "corn" anytime soon!
The introductory lecture continued, although then highly specialized topics were discussed, such as what resources are needed to build certain facilities at the base, how many people can fit one laboratory, and what bonuses apply to the scientific or production team depending on the skills of the team leader. This concerned me and my Prospector little, and, to be honest, I even got a little bored and could hardly endure it to the end. In addition, I was terribly hungry - it's scary to think, the last time I ate a day ago, even before the final of the online tournament!
***
At breakfast, our group of six people took a separate table. And if Irishka and Masha kept trying to find out the right way through the maze, then Denis frankly tried to piss me off with his idiotic comments about my changed appearance. I categorically refused to give advice to the girls, not wanting to spoil their opportunity to receive a bonus. He frankly ignored the dispersed "gopnik", which made him even more pissed off.
We were just finishing breakfast when the same girl from the First Legion, whom we first met under the Dome yesterday, came up to our table. She thought for a second, looking around at all six people sitting at the table, then confidently fixed her gaze on me:
– Mosquito, since you are already in the game, you have been included in the duty schedule. You will go at ten o'clock with Kisly's group to the Antique Beach. Usual four hours of patrolling the border.
To say I was surprised was to say nothing. Well, what of my level 4 Prospector is a border guard when he can’t even deal with a flock of flying bugs yet?! As if reading my mind, she added:
“Usually the First and Second Legions patrol the border, but we've been pretty busy all night, and the fighters are on vacation now. Therefore, our usual work today is carried out by other detachments. Antique Beach is a calm place, the best place for a beginner to look around in the game. In addition, the group leader Sour is an experienced player, a level 40 Heavy, so he will explain everything and protect in case of emergency.
The girl with the number "343" on her jacket turned around and left. I directly felt how the attitude of my acquaintances changed, some kind of respect and even envy appeared. After all, they haven’t even seen their virt-pods yet, and I’m already a full-fledged player who is given instructions and who the faction is counting on. Breakfast soon came to an end, and I said goodbye, getting ready to go to the "Corn".
- Cyril, tell me in the evening what kind of centaurs they are? - Masha asked me, and in a confident voice I promised to tell her everything, while trying not to betray my bewilderment.
What other such centaurs? Although the name "Antique Beach", where I was sent to patrol the border, really evoked thoughts of centaurs, minotaurs and other ancient Greek mythical creatures. Do they really exist, and I will see them with my own eyes today?
This time I did not fall from a height, but normally appeared standing on a flat surface. Although the place turned out to be exactly the same - the tent of the Geckho diplomat is very close, but by the way, the alien diplomat himself is talking with Ivan Lozovsky. It was somewhat unusual to see the morning speaker not in a strict business suit, but in a spotted camouflage camouflage coat, thrown over heavy armor, and with a sniper rifle on his back. But the 80th level of Ivan Lozovsky involuntarily inspired respect.
I moved closer to the communicating diplomats of the two races.
– Kento duho Mosquito! – the hairy giant greeted me with a slight bow.
– Kento duho Costa Dykhsh! I echoed back to the Geckho diplomat and bowed as well, causing him to burst into barking laughter.
Cosmolinguistics skill upgraded to level 3!
Ivan Lozovsky gave out some long phrase in the Geckho language, addressing the representative of the overlords, but I did not understand anything, I only made out my name repeated a couple of times. Costa Dykhsh, obviously justifying himself, answered something in his own language. And then he pointed to me and repeated again in Russian:
- I did not impose anything. Mosquito himself wanted to learn the Gekho language and even insisted on it, although I initially refused him.
- What use is he in this skill? To learn a foreign language, you need to talk with its native speaker. And how will Mosquito be able to do this if he is a Prospector and spends almost all his playing time climbing rocks and swamps in hard-to-reach places?
The diplomats again switched to a foreign language and argued for about three minutes. I even seem to have caught a couple of swear words in the Geckho language. And then he completely received the next level of the Cosmolinguistics skill:
Cosmolinguistics skill upgraded to level 4!
Finally, Ivan Lozovsky stopped the argument and turned his attention to me, critically examining the civilian clothes and my bare feet:
- Mosquito, blow to our base, you need to get normal equipment. But wait… You won’t get through the forest for another hour. I'll call the driver now.
He took a walkie-talkie from his belt and ordered someone:
- Zheltov, drive your starship to the center of the first node to the furry's house. We need to throw one little man into the capital.
In response, a vile crackling and barely legible words were heard from the radio, something about three minutes.
- "Mokhnatika"? asked Kosta Dykhsh, showing his teeth, which, as I have already found out, meant for the Geckho not a threat at all, but an imitation of a human smile.
- Well, what else to call you informally, if you are offended by the "Wookiee", the "Yeti" or "Bigfoot" too? Ivan Lozovsky chuckled.
– Yeti and Wookiees are completely different races, and fictional ones. The use of such terms by people in relation to the Gekkho people speaks of misunderstanding or insufficient knowledge, ”Costa Dykhsh answered very seriously, but then he either barked or coughed through clenched teeth. - "Mokhnatik" describes well, correctly the appearance of the Shikharsa people.
I tried not to be surprised by such completely unofficial, but rather friendly or even familiar communication between the two diplomats. And this despite the fact that Ivan Lozovsky himself taught us that with all representatives of the Gekkho race one must behave with the utmost respect and almost obsequiousness. But Kosta Dykhsh was not indignant, but rather, on the contrary, he was pleased, which means that our diplomat was bent on the right line of conduct.
A strange rumble and whistle was heard from afar, and soon an amazing structure flew from the side of the forest - a set of bent metal pipes welded together, to which four chairs and either a steering wheel or a steering wheel were attached. In some ways, the car resembled a racing buggy, only instead of wheels it had three cast metal pancakes, located horizontally and not touching the surface. This makeshift structure was run from head to toe by a young red-haired guy in an old-fashioned racing helmet and leather overalls, covered in fresh mud.
Dmitry Zheltov. Human. Fraction H3. Starship Pilot Level 28
Starship pilot? Was it not about him that Tyulenev spoke to me today? I suspect that there was no starship in the faction, and the guy began to work as a racing pilot ... but what is it, by the way? The strange unit did not touch the ground and hung in the air at a height of ten centimeters. It doesn’t look like an air cushion, it doesn’t look like magnets either. Apparently, some kind of homemade antigrav?
Ivan Lozovsky pointed out to the pilot at me:
- Deliver the newcomer to the base, immediately to Vasiliadi in the warehouse. Tell the caretaker, let Komara equip normally, as he will soon go on patrol. But then don't go too far yourself. There will be many flights today, and now a large group of newcomers will go through the labyrinth. Fifty people.
The red-haired guy whistled in surprise, then pointed to the seat next to me. I did not force myself to beg and immediately jumped on this unit, which caused the car to suddenly move to the side. The pilot, sharply tilting the steering wheel in the opposite direction, managed to catch the balance and level the flying buggy:
- Eee! Be careful! You can't see, we're hanging, not standing. Here you need delicacy and even tenderness in handling. By the way, be sure to buckle up, otherwise there is a risk of flying out when cornering. And take a helmet back there, it might come in handy.
– Is it because of your class in the game? – I said, hoping very much that I would not offend the driver too much with this sensitive question.
- And because of what else ... I myself am from the Mozhaisky Military Space Academy. He graduated with honors from a special course in piloting controlled near space vehicles, successfully passed a tough selection before being sent here under the Dome. And when choosing from two possible professions: "Starship Pilot" or "Heavy Robot Operator", of course, he chose the first one ... Who knew that we do not have starships in our faction and are not expected to?!
Dmitry distinctly gritted his teeth and, without warning, tilted the steering wheel, which caused the car to jerk forward sharply from its place, my back was firmly pressed against the chair.
- Are you in a hurry? Do you mind if we drive around the forest? the pilot asked, not turning his head towards me and maneuvering between bushes and stones at great speed. “It’s just that today I almost got stuck in a stream that has overflowed after the rain, and the two of us will definitely sit on our belly. The batteries are dead, the power of pancakes is not enough. You will need to recharge at the base ...
Cartography skill upgraded to level 4!
It was only then that I noticed how unexpectedly fast the progress bar was filling up. Another minute, a maximum of one and a half, and there will be a fifth level of the character. There is an active use of some skill. Cartography? It looks like that - on a dark unexplored map, when we moved, a trail was drawn in the form of a light stripe. From a buggy racing at high speed, Cartography swayed many times faster than when moving on foot.
Cartography skill upgraded to level 5!
The Scan skill has been upgraded to level five!
Level 5 reached!
Received three free skill points! (6 points accumulated in total)
Oh, so ride at least a couple of hours, so I would raise the level of the character! But, unfortunately, we have already arrived ... After another sharp throw of the car to the side, we went around some sparse grove, after which I saw a high reinforced concrete wall with watchtowers. In front of it were rows of barbed wire, trenches and prepared firing points for heavy equipment. Our flying car slowed down, entered the bridge over the river, and then stopped near the open gate.
Dmitry Zheltov took off his motorcycle helmet and took his hands off the steering wheel. I also followed his example and took off my safety helmet. A security guard armed with a machine gun approached us and pointed some incomprehensible device that looked like a video camera at us. At the same time, his partner meticulously examined the image on the screen of his tablet. Apparently, in this way we were checked on some kind of scanning device. And we patiently waited until the command of the sentry was heard from somewhere above:
- Everything is fine. Drive through!
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