First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 87
Chapter 87: Bounty
After the competition ended, Lian Sheng didn't immediately log back into Sanyao. While browsing the homepage after posting, she discovered the alternate dimension of the forum.
The neighboring section was filled with bounty request posts where the reward coins could be directly converted into star currency in the backend.
This place was practically... heaven!
Truthfully, Lian Sheng wasn't short on money. Lin Lie was extremely generous with her. Due to work commitments keeping Lin Lie away from home often, she left Lian Sheng a substantial weekly allowance.
Lian Sheng wasn't someone who enjoyed spending money, and neither had the original owner been, so she'd accumulated quite a bit. Additionally, the original owner's major had been materials engineering, and she'd participated in many projects with professors, earning proportional commissions. The models made for coursework had also sold for good money.
The funds in Lian Sheng's current account were already enough for some people to strive for their entire lives.
But poverty... becomes a habit. No matter the circumstances, she loved the thrill of making money. Now, with abundant opportunities right before her—should she earn it? Yes!
Lian Sheng did some preliminary research.
Here, users could post all kinds of tasks. As long as the price was right and the requirements reasonable, someone would always fulfill the employer's needs. Thus, Sanyao's bounty section was exceptionally lively.
In this section, Lian Sheng could clearly sense this world's preferential treatment toward technical workers.
Over sixty percent of the posts were requesting data analysis.
Sanyao actually had quite a few genuinely skilled data analysts, but the top experts weren't very active. Most were military academy students looking to practice, because conducting a proper data analysis was too mentally taxing.
A complete personal data analysis report—like the one Hundred Meter Flying Dagger had previously done for Piaoqi Great General—required a separate mech model, movement analysis, weakness assessment, categorical comparisons, data support, and finally, suggestions. Without observing dozens to hundreds of match videos, one couldn't gather sufficient data. And for ordinary people, a single match lasted anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour.
It demanded that analysts have combat experience, ample patience, sharp insight, and professional technical skills. Those capable of this wouldn't stoop to hustling for bounties on Sanyao.
Of course, Hundred Meter Flying Dagger was an exception. His modeling speed alone was beyond ordinary people's capabilities. As a former vice commander with years of expeditionary experience, he could look down on most. A simplified report took him just two days.
The prices offered in data analysis posts kept climbing higher. Occasionally, a few requests for technical guidance would float by, but their rewards were rather pitiful.
Lian Sheng flipped through them but couldn't find anything she wanted to do.
Technical guidance was too risky because the poster could refuse payment if unsatisfied with the instruction. Analysis was much more reliable. But to demonstrate your capability, you first had to record a combat video as reference. It was all too troublesome.
She thought her insight was decent—why couldn't she do analysis?
Lian Sheng found a post and left a comment.
Piaoqi Great General: "Need technical analysis? I can give you manual post-combat analysis. Direct contact ensures accurate and concise conclusions. Most importantly—instant results."
The poster quickly replied: "Wow! It's Piaoqi Great General! The real deal! I heard you won your match today!"
Piaoqi Great General: "Just say yes or no."
Poster: "But you're just a military academy student. I'd prefer someone more experienced to guide me."
Piaoqi Great General: "More experienced doesn't mean they can beat me. What's so impressive about having taken more dumps over the years? It's all about skill."
Poster: "..."
Poster: "I want detailed analysis. Most of the payment is for modeling analysis. For your kind, I'll have to discount it."
Piaoqi Great General: "How much?"
Poster: "Keep the change."
Piaoqi Great General: "..."
Piaoqi Great General: "1,600?"
Poster: "600."
Piaoqi Great General: "..."
Wasn't that the change of the change?!
Lian Sheng snorted, thinking this person was utterly unreasonable. Was that all she was worth? She pressed down hard on her optical computer.
"Deal."
After finishing his meal, Hundred Meter Flying Dagger rubbed his hands together and returned to his desk. He pulled up his previous analysis post on Piaoqi Great General for a third update.
"Hundred Meter Flying Dagger reporting live!
Many of you probably already know I participated in the 10,000-player battlefield this time, with Piaoqi Great General as my opponent. Unfortunately, we never directly faced off—what a shame.
Through this match, I finally understand that perhaps Piaoqi Great General's greatest strength isn't sniping or close combat, but command. She's a rare talent who can serve as both main combatant and commander.
Though Brother Dao ultimately lost, I thoroughly enjoyed this match. At the same time, I hope for another opportunity like this in the future where I can be invited again. My two Bulb brothers and I would gladly join for free."
A flood of admirers instantly appeared below.
"You're also a rare talent who can serve as both technician and commander, Brother Dao!"
"Invite me next time too! God, the points from one match could last me half a year!"
"Strongly urge Sanyao to relax qualifications for large battlefields! Give us civilians a chance! Brother Dao, take the lead in advocating for this!"
"If qualifications are relaxed, won't high scores become commonplace?"
"Aren't high scores already commonplace in military academies?"
"If you had military academy standards, high scores would be commonplace for you too!"
"Why is Brother Dao's post full of 'commonplace'?"
Further down, the tone suddenly shifted. A group of people began pleading.
"Please, fabulously wealthy Brother Dao, take our general with you to earn money! It breaks my heart!"
"Our great general is dirt poor—she's currently in the neighboring section teaching people how to use mechs. Brother Dao, give her a leg up."
"I saw it too—my god, one gold coin for a chat session. My god, is this how a top player should live?"
"Really? One gold coin for a chat? I'll buy a year's worth!"
"I thought top players existed on a higher plane, not mingling with us common folk. Then I realized it's true—she's probably living in the gutter."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger, chewing on a snack bag, paused.
Short on money?
Then he chuckled in understanding. Everyone went through phases like this.
After finishing the post, he went to the neighboring section to look for the general's trail. That post was currently quite popular too.
Lian Sheng had already logged into the equipment, fought a match with that brother, then logged back out to analyze the video for him.
First match:
First two minutes: Looking around aimlessly at inappropriate places, unable to identify good cover positions, and stepping into danger zones without scouting the environment first. Combat awareness: zero.
03:01: Ambushed—turning speed too slow. Posture distorted, knees unnaturally bent, lower body unstable, resulting in being flipped over. Combat awareness: zero.
03:03: After falling, first reaction wasn't to defend, counterattack, get up, or grab a weapon, but to stare blankly at the opponent. Combat awareness: zero.
Conclusion: Please be self-aware about getting instantly killed. Signed, your 600-coin employer.
Second match:
First three minutes: Took cover behind the nearest object without checking surroundings or sightlines for danger. I truly don't understand this behavior. Combat awareness: zero.
05:15: After being ambushed yet remaining unharmed, first reaction was to jump behind another piece of cover instead of counterattacking. Again, I truly don't understand. Combat awareness: zero.
05:36: With the opponent already in close range, still carrying a cannon instead of switching to close-combat weapons... you get it.
05:37: Used neck to block my sword. Fatality.
Conclusion: As above.
Third match:
All as above.
Piaoqi Great General said: "Analysis given. Guidance might truly be impossible. Another discount—give me 300."
Poster: "..."
Poster wailed: "I beg you, don't be like this! I'll give you the full 1,600, just give me another chance! I was wrong!"
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger: "..."
Seemed like a glorious battle.
Piaoqi Great General said mercilessly: "Pay up."
Poster: "Fight me one more time! I'll study properly this time!"
Piaoqi Great General: "Pay first, then we talk. 200—that's my final offer."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger suddenly appeared in the comments: "You should work on leg strength. Study more theory on positioning. Improve reaction time through actual combat. Fighting the general won't help—you'll just get instantly killed without learning anything."
The poster immediately grew excited and tried latching onto Hundred Meter Flying Dagger instead, who promptly called Lian Sheng out of the post.
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger sent a friend request to Piaoqi Great General, then private messaged her.
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger asked: "You short on cash?"
"I'm not short on money," Piaoqi Great General said. "But I enjoy making money."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger laughed: "Hahaha, I thought you were broke and wanted to bring you along."
Great General: "Bring me along how?"
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said: "I run a studio specializing in this kind of guidance. Three of us total—one technician (me) and two Bulbs (you've met them). They do live combat analysis like you just did. One's vanguard, one's recon—we're missing a sniper. Want to join? Oh right! With you, we could even start a command class. Sounds great. [Smirk]"
Great General: "Also discounted?"
"What discount? You mean pay?" Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said. "We base salaries on skill. First, register with the studio. Clients with relevant needs will contact you for jobs—earnings are commission-based. Flexible hours, mostly recording combat videos on Sanyao for me to analyze. If you're joining, you'll need to pass a test—fight Bright Bulb once, and he'll determine your base pay."
Lian Sheng paused—this sounded like an excellent opportunity.
These three seemed to be former Expeditionary Force members with rich combat experience and deep mech knowledge.
The match highlights hadn't been released yet, so she hadn't seen their combat skills, but her roommate had described the two's performance in detail. They were likely formidable.
Her Sanyao arena matches so far had been against mediocre opponents—little gain beyond points... no, even the points weren't substantial. Chances to spar with experts like the Bulbs were rare, and she might even receive their guidance.
Plus, she wanted to know just how wide the gap between them was.
Great General immediately said: "I'm available now."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger: "Not now."
Great General: "Why?"
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger: "Bulb's rented himself out. Wait till he's back. But you can come observe first. Brother Dao's loaded now."
Great General: "General Lian's also loaded now."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger: "Heh. So? Want to sign the contract now?"
Great General: "Sign."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger swiftly sent over the contract, then opened his contacts to look for Zhou Shirui's name.
Zhou Shirui was practicing modeling when a string of notifications buzzed in.
Elder Brother: "Little bro!"
Elder Brother: "Bro! My bro!"
Zhou Shirui: "What?"
Elder Brother: "Join my studio!"
Zhou Shirui: "..."
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