Chapter 9: Hot City
Under the night sky, a military green jeep drove along a gravel road. This jeep had a strong sense of age, the traces of vintage cars not yet fully evolved away.
With a crackling sound, the tires crushed over stones, and one pebble disappeared into the wheat fields of the wilderness.
Inside the jeep, Su Xiao sat in the back seat. A woman wearing a short skirt and a black military jacket sat in the back seat as well, her hand always near her waist. This woman was also a member of some special unit, responsible for protecting Lai Zong's safety, serving as a small secretary in daily life, providing all-around services.
Compared to the Killing Unit, the special unit this woman belonged to was relatively gentle, not like the Killing Unit, which had a mortality rate of over 73% during training.
Originally, this woman should have been driving, but the slightly chubby diplomat stopped her from doing so, sternly demanding that she sit in the back seat. Now, the slightly chubby diplomat was driving, and Lai Zong sat in the passenger seat.
Su Xiao rolled down the car window, and the cool night breeze brushed against his face, stirring his black hair.
When leaving Gakbak Prison, Su Xiao received a war branch mission. The trigger conditions for this mission were neither simple nor too difficult—he had to leave Gakbak Prison by legitimate means within 12 hours.
[War Branch Mission: Eliminate Spatial Coordinates.]
Difficulty Level: Lv.???
Mission Brief: Find the 'Secondary Spatial Coordinates' set up by the Sanctuary Paradise contractors. If the 'Secondary Spatial Coordinates' are fully activated, the Sanctuary Paradise contractors can detect whether the 'World Core' is located within the territory of the Geya Alliance.
Mission Info: Sanctuary Paradise contractors have colluded with some officials within the Geya Alliance capital through the Sun Kingdom's secret agents. The Hunter must identify these officials and use them as clues to locate the 'Secondary Spatial Coordinates' and ultimately destroy them.
Only Known Clue: In 3 hours, a spy from the Sun Kingdom will meet with a traitor within the Geya Alliance at the Jegang Grand Theater.
Mission Time Limit: The Secondary Spatial Coordinates have formed 2%, estimated to be fully activated in 84 hours.
Mission Reward: 50 Reincarnation Paradise Merits.
Mission Penalty: All Attributes -10.
...
The mission content was simple: find the 'Secondary Spatial Coordinates' set up by the Sanctuary Paradise contractors and destroy them.
Although it seemed simple—just finding a set of Secondary Spatial Coordinates—it was actually very difficult to execute.
This mission involved two major nations: the spies of the Sun Kingdom, some traitors within the Geya Alliance, and the Sanctuary Paradise contractors lurking in the Geya Alliance capital, Hot City.
Once that Secondary Spatial Coordinate was formed, the Sanctuary Paradise contractors could determine whether the World Core was located within the Geya Alliance's territory. This would be a significant disadvantage for the Reincarnation Paradise side. If everyone had originally been on the same starting line, the formation of the Secondary Spatial Coordinates would put the Sanctuary Paradise side far ahead.
Su Xiao had three days of free time, which wasn't too tight. Coupled with his identity as a member of the Killing Unit, this made things more convenient.
After Su Xiao completed this mission, he might have to go to the battlefield—a hot weapon battlefield. If he wanted to earn Reincarnation Paradise Merits, the battlefield was more reliable.
As for the use of Reincarnation Paradise Merits, rare resources like True Attribute Points and Soul Crystals (Large) could be obtained through them. Moreover, when settling world merits, some rewards that couldn't be obtained through conventional channels would also be given.
Su Xiao still vividly remembered the rewards from the Third Rank World Battle. He had reached the Fourth Rank so quickly largely thanks to those rewards.
The only known clue was unreliable. The Sun Kingdom spy and the Geya Alliance traitor were supposed to meet at the Jegang Grand Theater in three hours.
The so-called Grand Theater wasn't for stage plays but was the cinema of this world, showing black-and-white films. Although the Geya Alliance was in a time of war, the citizens here were already used to it. This country spent most of its time at war, either invading others or suffering retaliation from invaded nations.
Su Xiao didn't know the scale of the Jegang Grand Theater. A venue for a few dozen people would be manageable, but if it were a venue for a hundred, it would be troublesome.
Anything that could be called a Grand Theater in Hot City, the Jegang Grand Theater could accommodate up to 2,600 people!
Su Xiao wasn't yet aware of this information. He sat in the bumpy car. Due to the driver's nervousness and the barely functional suspension system, the journey was even more jarring.
Twenty minutes later, the old-fashioned jeep drove onto a highway, expected to arrive in Hot City within an hour.
...
Squeak~
The military green jeep stopped on a bustling street. Traffic was jammed—no, the car was blocked by the crowd.
Originally, the slightly chubby diplomat wanted to push through the crowd and drive into the center of Hot City. But as soon as the car squeezed into the crowd, a series of dull thuds came from around the vehicle. The civilians brushed by the car were exceptionally fierce. Some punched the car, others kicked it. It seemed that if they drove any further, the enraged populace would smash this car with the Foreign Ministry license plate.
"I can only take you this far."
The slightly chubby diplomat tilted his head, expressing helplessness.
Su Xiao pushed open the car door. His action accidentally knocked over a man in his sixties. The old man turned and glared at Su Xiao, brushed the dust off his clothes, and walked away.
Though fierce, the people of Hot City were also enthusiastic. So enthusiastic that just five minutes after Su Xiao got out of the car, a woman with a swaying hourglass figure and a 36D bust approached him, offering a quick rendezvous. In return, Su Xiao would have to pay her 200 Langke afterward.
Su Xiao politely declined the streetwalker's business and asked a passerby for directions to the Jegang Grand Theater before heading straight there.
When leaving the prison, Skain had given Su Xiao 30,000 Langke, roughly equivalent to 90,000 RMB in purchasing power.
It was around 9 PM. The streets of Hot City were lit by streetlights, and there were many pedestrians. As Lai Zong put it: "Nightlife has just begun, of course it's lively. This is Hot City, the capital of the Geya Alliance. Did you build your Killing Unit in the mountains?"
Lai Zong was not only aloof and severely germophobic but also unexpectedly sharp-tongued.
Su Xiao had changed back into his original clothes. He moved through the crowd on the street, completely inconspicuous. Hot City had too many ethnicities, and their clothing varied slightly. As long as he wasn't wearing medieval armor, he wouldn't attract much attention.
It had just rained in Hot City, so walking on the street occasionally meant stepping in puddles. If he entered those pitch-black alleys, he would surely startle pairs of "lovebirds." This city was too open, and with the hot weather, the attire of Hot City's women was predictable.
The further Su Xiao went, the more pedestrians there were on the street. Under the guidance of a helpful child, Su Xiao found the Jegang Grand Theater.
Standing in front of the main entrance of the Jegang Grand Theater, Su Xiao watched the crowd flowing in and out, and his head began to ache.
Several large posters were plastered in front of the theater. Tonight's program was diverse: three movies, and a stage play in the late-night side show.
Su Xiao glanced at the movie showtimes under the posters: "Twilight Season Year": 8 PM to 9:58 PM, "Rose Diary": 10:20 PM to 11:30 PM.
Entering the theater, Su Xiao spent 500 Langke to buy 20 tickets for "Rose Diary."