Chapter 159: The Path Not Taken

Chapter 159: The Path Not Taken

A few hours before, a Platy walked into an outpost that was made last minute with wooden logs.

Wearing a wool coat and a tricorne on their head, the Platy smiled as they entered the outpost.

Then a Platy soldier saluted and began moving their yellow bill, saying, “Commander Golt, you’re back.”

"How is the operation preparation going?"

"The slaves are winding the rubber of the Helix Wings."

Golt Tebari of the Fabirang Union nodded and looked toward the inner outpost. Inside, there were wooden axles with rubber cords wound around them, and connected to those rubber cords were pulleys. Rakshasas tied with rubber chains were winding the pulleys connected with rubber. Then the rubber cords around the pulleys were wound around wooden axles, which would then be attached to the flying instruments called Helix Wings. Once the rubber cords were released, the Helix Wings would carry two pilots and rocks that would be used to deliver deadly attacks to enemies on land.

‘The Helix Wings are the main units of the Fabirang Union. Our union will make new history with these Helix Wings on the new continent.’

The Fabirang Union had escaped from the eastern continent and had yet to find their way to the continent where Black Scale was. Lacking a reference point, they referred to the fourth continent simply as the new continent.

In the Fabirang Union’s perspective, it was fortunate for them that the natives on this new continent were very uncivilized. As soon as the natives saw the flying Helix Wings, they didn’t know what to do and struggled to regain composure at the downpour of rocks. By using airborne attacks to disorient the enemies and attacking the enemy’s main forces with saw blade tanks, they were able to conquer many native tribes. Golt was particularly satisfied with the species called Rakshasas.

‘They wind all the rubber that I need to wind in less than half a day. If we can capture more Rakshasa slaves, conquering the new continent will be easy.’

Rubber power was fundamental to the Fabirang Union. The rubber cords with tremendous elasticity could be wound up to the limit of their support, and the energy was used to move machinery automatically. However, the problem was that winding these rubber cords made from Doodooba trees required tremendous strength and time.

To make a Helix Wing fly for about three hours, they had to wind the rubber without rest for at least a day and a half. This meant that preparations for one Helix Wing to take off had to begin at least two days in advance, and at least three people had to take turns winding the rubber.

Moreover, if there were any mistakes or accidents, or if the axle used to wind the rubber got damaged due to wear and tear, not only did the rubber have to be wound again from the start, but those that got hit by the fiercely unwinding rubber cords would either die or get injured.

‘But by enslaving the Rakshasas, us Platys have been able to focus only on combat.’

Golt believed that rubber energy had tremendous potential. Unfortunately, the Fabirang Union had been driven out of their home continent before they could even see its full potential.

‘At the end of the day, rubber power requires slaves. It was difficult to find such slaves on the old continent because of various restrictions and high prices. But this new continent is different. With just a little effort, free slaves can be obtained.’

Golt envisioned advancing the rubber power technology through these slaves and discovering new technology, preparing for the day when the Fabirang Union would challenge their old continent again. However, Golt noticed the presence of intruders on this continent that would become their new base.

‘The Folded Wing Golden Bird was correct. There are species beyond those mountains who aren’t natives.’

Golt’s subordinates had observed the foreigners from a distance, so they couldn’t identify exactly who they were. However, the Platys had known about the far western continent, also known as the third continent, since their time back on their old continent, so they were able to guess that these intruders were from there.

‘But they haven’t found flying things they could ride, so surely they don’t have this sacred rubber power technology. Or perhaps, unfortunately for them, they don’t have any Doodooba trees on their continent.’

That was a very fortunate thing. If the intruders didn't have rubber power technology, in Golt’s opinion, they would be nothing more than primitive beings.

‘This might be an opportunity.’

Since arriving at the new continent, Golt hadn’t had many opportunities to show their abilities within the union. And capturing slaves through aggressive occupation wasn’t enough to earn high authority.

‘Orders for attack haven’t been made by the triumvirs yet. But what if I ambush the enemies first?’

The Helix Wings could only carry the weight of two pilots, a rubber power axle, an additional power axle in case of an emergency, as well as a load of rocks to be used for attacks.

‘But once the emergency power and rocks are used, there would be enough room to capture those outsiders. If I then extract information from them, my position in the Fabirang Union will become more secure.’

Golt said, “Hurry a little more. I will participate in today’s operation too.”

“You will too...?”

“Yes.”

The Platy soldier saluted and said, “It is an honor.”

Golt was one of the nobles who commanded the Fabirang Union’s retreat to the new continent. Thanks to the successful operation, Golt was considered an idol by certain soldiers.

As Golt casually accepted the salute, the Platy soldier used a whip to get the slaves to work harder. Golt believed that the operation would end successfully.

‘...Surely, it should have gone that way...’

With only two unit losses, they successfully crossed the mountains, and Golt considered it lucky for them to encounter a small fearless enemy unit. However, when the pride of the Helix Wings, the dropping of the rocks, failed, Golt became petrified.

"...How do they have such tough and sturdy shields?"

Of course, Golt was a noble of the Fabirang Union, which was considered a civilized nation, so Golt knew that there could be shields strong enough to block stones. However, Golt never thought that beings who hadn’t discovered rubber technology would be the ones to possess it.

Golt eventually confirmed that not much damage had been done to the enemies.

"This won’t work. Retreat!"

Golt turned the control lever, relieved that the enemies hadn't shot any arrows. But at that moment, there was a thunder-like rumble, and the axis of the Helix Wing was damaged.

Golt couldn't figure out what had happened exactly, but knew it was an attack from the enemies.

“Commander Golt!”

“...Darn it!”

The rubber violently unraveled. It then snatched the co-pilot sitting behind Golt and threw them far away, and then it began to damage the remaining body of the Helix Wing.

“Shit!”

Golt crouched down to avoid getting caught in the rubber and held tight onto the control lever to somehow land. They endured until they lost consciousness.

***

Lunda, who had been watching the whole fight, looked at something else then with astonishment.

“What is that?”

Wisdom replied, “It’s the path we didn’t take.”

Then she looked at Sung-Woon as if asking him what that meant.

So Sung-Woon replied, "It means technology can develop differently. The usual builds in The Lost World may differ in what comes earlier, but they all tend to follow similar technological developments. However, there can also be plays that take a different approach."

Lunda summarized what she just heard.

“So...you mean...while we were developing steel and gunpowder, those guys created rubber-powered technology?”

“Yes.”

“...Why?”

Wizdom replied, "It's not surprising for technology to develop differently. For example, even on Earth, completely different patterns of technological development emerged after a certain point. Technological progress requires interaction. That was the primary way through which certain technologies spread to other countries. For example, the Aztec Empire is famous for not inventing the wheel spokes. Beyond that, they never properly used wheels and didn't feel the need for wide roads. On the other hand, with obsidian knives, they advanced in medicine to the extent where they could perform surgery, which not even the people of medieval Europe had attempted.”

As the other players listened attentively to his words, Wisdom slightly waved his hand.

“Well, aside from that, Rubberpunk was initially known as a speed build in the early stages of The Lost World because rapid scientific technological development was possible."

Lunda then raised her hand and asked, "Um, Wisdom. Then can they create something other than flying things with that?"

"Due to the need for manpower to wind up the rubber as well as materials that can withstand the tension of the rubber, it's not possible to create highly advanced tools. However, they can still use gears. Even those helicopters have quite complex structures. It's also possible to make cars, automated dolls that carry out simple actions, and primitive calculators.”

Crampus then said, “Come to think of it, I think I've seen a video once."

Lunda asked, "What kind of video?"

"Demonstration of computable technology in The Lost World...was the title, I think. The video showed various odd ways to make a computer in the game, and I think rubber power was one of them.”

“Is there really a need to go that far with rubber bands...?”

Wisdom said, “Theoretically, it’s not that far-fetched.”

Then Sung-Woon said, "Unfortunately, it seems that the player who rules over those guys—or more precisely, those Platys—hasn't reached that level yet. If those Platys were smart enough, they wouldn't have carried out an attack like that."

Crampus then asked, “So why did the opposing player make a mistake?”

"They might have made a mistake just because they’re managing a wide area. Or they could have been quite confident, as such attacks had worked well for them before."

“Are you saying that it might be the main meta of the first continent?”

Sung-Woon shook his head.

“That would be better. Then we would order Black Scale to build sailboats and go to the first continent.”

“So it’s not?”

Sung-Woon nodded.

“In my opinion, I don’t think that’s the case unless something extremely odd had happened. Rubberpunk was completely abandoned because those rubber cords waste a lot of human power and resources, and the technological completeness is low, which lowers the win rate too. They also require special resources, the Doodooba trees, which will necessitate a strategy that focuses on transportation. So my guess is that it got dropped in the fight for power on the first continent...”

Sung-Woon saw Vasen and the Pangolins run toward the flying wings that had fallen.

“I guess we’ll find out now.”