108. You Okay, Li Aozi?
While Omega Energys may be tough to master, the firearm system in "Star Abyss" is even more complex for ordinary players with little common sense.
So many people can't tell the difference between magazines and clips and get confused when the items they bought don't fit into the mag well.
Some don't realize they need to rack the slide after reloading, only to get shot down by an enemy's burst.
Others can't distinguish between 0.45 CAP, 7.6239, or 5.5645 rounds and end up loading the wrong ammo, unable to fire.
Many have no idea about the pricing of PS, PB, BT, and BS rounds, blissfully unaware of just how many Debes they blast away with each mag.
And there are even people who, not knowing what attachments to put on a Picatinny rail, end up fitting five tactical flashlights to a single rifle.
By comparison, Omega Energys only take around four to five hours to get started with.
[Gravity], as an Omega-tier Omega Energy, is easy to learn but difficult to master.
Even a middle-schooler knows that five times gravity could crush a person—what's hard about that? It's just a flick of the wrist.
Although the [Mutant] Path has a high barrier to entry, the core problem lies with the low growth potential of the [Charisma] attribute, the unstable means of acquiring rare Omega Energys, and the overly random mutation options.
These problems do exist, but they're inherent to the [Domination] Path.
However, since Li Aozi arrived, those problems are no longer obstacles.
Whether in Triangle Town, Abyss Heavy Industries, or even the Grand Republic, Li Aozi handed over the blueprints for jewelry and potion recipes. By now, he's been away from Azure Star for four months; theoretically, these items should be widely circulating by now.
As for issues like mutation direction or Li Aozi's escape to outer space—they're real, but not particularly impactful.
Once Earlgar City's reputation rises, the landmarks along the Path will naturally attract droves of players.
By then, everyone will understand the true meaning of the Path.
Other claims, like escaping or scamming people, don't bother Li Aozi at all. In fact, he finds them somewhat amusing.
What, are you mad because I look good?
Say what you will, but at this moment, the players under Li Aozi's leadership on White Candle Star are out in the rough mountains and rivers, locked in visceral combat against goblins—real-life Goblin Slayer stuff.
Li Aozi could tell that this guy, frustrated by his inability to get the hang of the [Domination] Path, was now making up excuses to vent, writing a long-winded post to criticize him. The rant was full of sharp digs and inflammatory rhetoric, rallying other players unhappy with their gameplay to join in.
Although a few [Domination] players tried to clarify things in the comments, their voices were drowned out by responses like "Look, he's panicking," "Lol, Li-fanboys malding," and "Classic, absolutely classic."
Li Aozi shook his head and chose not to engage.
Before long, these folks would realize their mistake. For now, those mocking [Domination] players as clowns would come to understand: the real clown was themselves all along.
But setting aside the noise and chaos aimed at him and the [Domination] Path, Li Aozi had also picked up on some intriguing news.
"David Lin's reforms have been remarkably smooth, and he's essentially purged all of Ex-President Mai Dewei's power."
Using anti-terrorism as a pretext to cleanse the old regime, sealing the borders, and leveraging anti-monopoly measures to dismantle powerful conglomerates, while propping up newly loyal companies to carve up the market—David Lin acted decisively, orchestrating a grand whale fall, stripping away the cumbersome corporate structures from the Mai Dewei era and replacing them with genuine industrialists and rising capital.
David Lin's slogan was cold but realistic:
"Capitalism knows no gender."
The implication was clear—in the face of national and cultural destiny, any issues about gender were laughable.
The youth were given opportunities to fully spread their wings. By abolishing marriage, gender distinctions began to blur and vanish. Frost-Plated used rapid economic development and upward pathways to give its people the chance to chase happiness and wealth.
Even as a reincarnator, Li Aozi couldn't help but marvel: David Lin truly understood Frost-Plated.
Originally, Li Aozi assumed that once tech restrictions were lifted, unemployment would soar. But after browsing the narrative threads on the forum, he found that David Lin had handled the unemployment issue in a straightforward yet effective manner.
As soon as David Lin took office, he abandoned the previous "advancing cities" strategy, opting instead to ease relations with Tianhuan and sign a non-aggression pact with Red Arrow, officially abandoning claims to Earlgar Coast.
Shortly afterward, Frost-Plated made a swift strategic pivot: abandoning the surface and turning underground.
Huge numbers of tunnel boring machines were manufactured and deployed to excavate the continental shelf. Frost-Plated began focusing on developing underground cities and geothermal energy—in the event of further Calamity expansion, they'd at least be able to hold out fifteen years longer than the other three nations.
Those regular folks who lost their jobs due to new technologies? Frost-Plated's military conscripted them to build the underground cities.
Li Aozi couldn't help but wonder—where was David Lin getting the funding for all this infrastructure? Building an underground city is more than just digging a hole; without handling waste heat properly, you're effectively digging your own grave.
He soon found out.
"The Grand Republic's war has ended, and its colonies have joined Frost-Plated as part of the federation. The Republic era has officially concluded."
Through his iron-fisted methods, David Lin allowed all the republics to enjoy the same benefits as Frost-Plated's core provinces. Thanks to years of cultural propaganda, it was easy for the colonies to develop a sense of cultural unity with Frost-Plated.
The Law IV apparatus was reactivated, though it was repurposed—now it served as a human rights protection body, doubling as a cultural integration promoter for former colonial states.
Ethnic and racial distinctions were being erased, while a cultural loyalty to Frost-Plated grew ever stronger.
It was clear that Frost-Plated was transforming into a massive civilization.
This was David Lin, the Lion of Frost-Plated, who in just six months had brought monumental changes to the nation.
Li Aozi wasn't surprised by this outcome.
"A guy who can max out the secondary class [President] to level 60? Nothing he does will ever surprise me."
On Azure Star, only three characters had a max-level [Identity Class].
Rudolf, the Crown Prince of the Red Arrow Empire.
Galicia Juan Pedro, Prime Minister of the Zhengxu Democratic Republic.
David Lin, President of the Frost-Plated Federation.
Of the three, David Lin's backing was the [Military], while the other two were respectively supported by the [Civilians] and the [Intelligentsia].
It wasn't hard for Li Aozi to imagine just how quickly Frost-Plated's military prowess would improve in the coming years.
Assuming, of course, a civil war doesn't break out...
Li Aozi wasn't too optimistic about Frost-Plated's future. Though David Lin's rise and subsequent reforms had gone smoothly, risks still loomed beneath the surface.
Forums were a godsend—allowing Li Aozi, millions of light-years away, to keep tabs on what was happening on Azure Star.
Without them, his only means of staying informed would be through the White Obelisk.
He glanced at the development of Xinshou Village. Thanks to the players' 007-style, round-the-clock work ethic, the village's GDP finally broke even.
It hit -25 Dina.
This was because one player, after learning some Tanasian, got scammed by a local villager during an exchange, losing the team's entire 25 Dina reserve.
"Whoever said 'city life is too much, I want to go back to the countryside' should try coming to White Candle Star! These villagers are seriously devious! I'm never trusting 'simple and honest' villagers again!"
Li Aozi chuckled as he read the heartfelt complaint left by that player on Xinshou Village's message board.
On White Candle Star, the average inhabitant was at least Gamma-tier, whereas these bipedal apes from Azure Star had now found themselves knocked down to the level of scatterbrained rats.
Still, he needed to address the village's GDP issue. With profits this low, even his compatriots from Azure Star would shake their heads in disapproval.
The goblin eradication campaign was going poorly. Players could only die three times per day, and any attempt to push deeper resulted in a full wipe.
Li Aozi hadn't anticipated this setback.
Goblins might only average level 20, but they were big, numerous, and resilient. Each goblin was over two meters tall, and out of every five, one was a spellcaster, capable of casting pseudo-spells.
Most importantly, goblins reproduced like crazy.
Based on recon conducted by scouting players, the goblin nest produced a new batch of what they called "gas goblins" every five days. These were small, weak, and pure cannon fodder.
However, if any gas goblin managed to survive a battle, it would quickly grow, becoming a full-fledged, muscular goblin in just two days, reinforcing the goblin main forces blocking the players' advance.
While players used leased Omega Energys to battle the goblins, casualties were still high.
Rather than getting wiped out, losing characters, and having to start over, players opted for a trench warfare approach—building bunkers.
More accurately, they built rest camps. Dying twice meant returning to rest and waiting until the next day, when their revival opportunities reset, before pushing forward again.
One side was an undying legion; the other, an endless horde. The players' stubbornness kicked in.
Fine, you want to use swarm tactics? I'll use swarm tactics too!
This way, one stronghold at a time, progress was slow but steady, with the front line advancing at roughly a meter a day.
Li Aozi thought for a moment, then set up a task called "Construct Village School". Once the building was completed, he intended to place the "Interstellar Commando Training" that he had previously acquired from the Vanlenkov Autonomous State into it.
In the facility [School], the villagers could learn skills and knowledge without any cost.
Originally, he planned to make it something under his name, requiring players to pay experience points to learn. But now, with the unfavorable war situation, he had to lend a hand.
He still had to provide some benefits to the players; otherwise, the "piggies" really wouldn't be able to push forward.
Before going to bed, Li Aozi casually checked the interstellar news. Verrazzi Company had fully withdrawn from Vanlenkov and redeemed 'Silver Armor' Nephthys Cleopatra.
He contacted Nikita, who informed him that the procedures would soon be complete, and in about a week they would be able to leave Vanlenkov.
Nikita also mentioned that the mercenary group that had left the Autonomous Region was also returning soon; currently, there was no war in Vanlenkov.
As for the future, that remained uncertain.
Li Aozi remembered the [55-Pandora 'Disaster Event' Record Report] he had obtained earlier. When he opened it, he found that it was still encrypted by Liuer.
So he consulted Mr. Liuer, intending to understand what had happened back then—who knows, maybe he could uncover some side quests.
"Mr. Liuer, are you online? I want to ask, what's the password for the [55-Pandora 'Disaster Event' Record Report]?"
A moment later, Liuer replied with a single sentence:
"Not here, buzz off."
Li Aozi immediately turned to the file and entered the password: Not here, buzz off.
[Password Correct]
"Thank you, Mr. Liuer," Li Aozi said, rubbing his hands eagerly. "Alright, let me see what kind of incident the Life Commune experienced back then!"
He opened the file, and what greeted his eyes was a pitch-black screen. Then, a line of striking yellow text appeared:
[Oppose Narrative Hegemony, Long Live Free Ascension!]