Chapter 1054: The Middleman
A not-small defensive item appeared in the center of the smoke, looking like a shipping container from the outside. Even after being hit by artillery shells, it showed no marks. Just as the Pigtail Player called for others to look, the door of the defensive item opened, and a figure flashed past. The next second, three consecutive explosions sounded from the direction the shells had come from. As blazing flames fell, the Pigtail Player and the others realized the aircraft had been destroyed!
Zhou Yuanzhu and the others quickly retreated. She said, "No wonder we didn't sense them even this close. The other side is probably not weak. While they're fighting, we should leave quickly!"
Leaving was certainly the plan, but some among them had their eyes on the items left behind in the distance, especially when they saw that the ones standing inside were just two ordinary people.
Chi Minghong had already opened the door and stepped out. She raised her hand to block a slashing blade, then turned and slammed the door shut. "This old lady will spar with you today!"
Both sides were now fighting, but Xu Huo's side was clearly making more noise. Being in the forest gave him two advantages: first, the aircraft outside couldn't move smoothly through the trees, and entering would actually slow down the players; second, this was a forest.
The arriving players wore Government Hall uniforms. It was unclear if they had followed Zhou Yuanzhu's group, but their numbers were troublesome.
"Ding!" With a crisp metallic sound, a burst of flame erupted from a nearby tree, followed by a second and third. The clanging sounds echoed densely and continuously through the forest, and more and more fires ignited from different places, quickly spreading into a continuous blaze!
The flames formed a barrier, but it could only delay the government players slightly. Given the technological level of District 002, even without items, the protective suits equipped by players were enough to withstand this level of fire. However, the forest was adjacent to Snow City, and if the fire grew too large, it would be problematic.
It wasn't just the fire issue. The burning trees released an unpleasant odor. Though not toxic, the strong smell was enough to cause physical discomfort.
Xu Huo didn't actually intend to burn down the entire forest. Seeing that the situation was about right, he stopped. The interference with the Space Teleportation Item seemed to have loosened somewhat. He used "Destination Arrival" to return to the shelter, and took the opportunity to kick away a player who was about to ambush Chi Minghong from behind.
Chi Minghong forced back the person in front of her and turned around to ask, "What's the situation outside?"
"Government Hall people. Not sure if the Dong family called them." Xu Huo put away his item. "But we can't stay here. Let's leave first."
"Where to now?" Chi Minghong said. "How about leaving Snow City? It looks like District 002 won't lift the defense restrictions anytime soon. It's hard to hide with people in tow."
"I know a safe place!" Zhou Yuanzhu called out from not far away. "If you trust me, follow me!"
"We've only met by chance, and I even trimmed your nails for you. Asking us to trust you just like that is a bit much, isn't it?" Chi Minghong said.
"Precisely because we've met by chance, with no past grudges or recent enmities, I have no reason to scheme against you, do I?" Zhou Yuanzhu glanced at the child and woman beside them. "You're running for your lives but still bringing along women and children. You can't be completely evil people. Doing a little good within my ability—as a player, I still have that much conscience."
"Follow her." Xu Huo said to Chi Minghong, then picked up the boy.
Having no better place to hide, Chi Minghong had no choice but to follow.
Zhou Yuanzhu was not slow. She led them through the forest to an abandoned wooden cabin. Such cabins, used by hunters for rest, were common in the forest, but no one had been to this forest for a long time, so the cabin was dilapidated.
Zhou Yuanzhu walked straight in, pushed aside the chairs and other items placed in the center of the room, and pulled up several floorboards, revealing a square metal object buried underground.
"This is the entrance to an underground passage," she explained. "There are many such underground passages in District 002, all meant for those who can't be seen in the light. Through this simple teleportation device, we can be sent to an underground passage a few hundred meters away."
"This kind of item can only be used with a specific soil structure—a one-to-one match. It won't work anywhere else. Fortunately, there's one nearby. We can take the underground passage back to Snow City. The safest place is the most dangerous place. The Government Hall people would never expect us to go back."
Xu Huo exchanged a glance with Chi Minghong. The latter said, "You're not a newcomer, are you? Otherwise, how would you know about this passage? Where exactly does this passage lead?"
"What reason would I have to lie?" Zhou Yuanzhu said. "You can check this kind of teleportation item through Under Dimension right now. Its maximum range is only a few hundred meters, and the main direction of teleportation is downward, not horizontal. Under the current circumstances, going underground is the safest option, isn't it?"
"I paid a high price for this underground information. The Government Hall probably doesn't know about this route."
Chi Minghong checked the information right in front of her, then nodded to Xu Huo. Xu Huo didn't say much and agreed to use this teleportation passage.
But at that moment, the boy circled behind him and wrote "lying" on his back.
Of course, Xu Huo knew Zhou Yuanzhu was lying. However, he was very interested in the history of the Holy Sword Society and the information about Dr. Wu that she had mentioned, especially the information about Dr. Wu. It was worth the risk to go.
The child's protest was ineffective. Xu Huo tucked him under his arm and followed Zhou Yuanzhu.
After passing through the teleportation array, they found themselves in a rather unsanitary underground passage. It appeared to be an abandoned groundwater pipe, filled with a stale, musty smell. But if one paid close attention, it was clear that this passage had more visitors than just their group.
"The closer we get to the surface, the quieter we need to be. This pipe leads out to a residential area. Players will be on duty there day and night." Zhou Yuanzhu led the way, occasionally turning back to give them instructions.
Chi Minghong patted her on the back. "Go ahead boldly. We won't ambush you. We're counting on you to find us a good place to rest."
Zhou Yuanzhu didn't mind having her thoughts seen through. She just nodded and continued leading the way in silence.
The exit was an underground garbage chute. She pushed aside the low cart placed below, along with the garbage on it. After all the trash above the chute had fallen down and cleared the passage, she used an item to climb up.
"I haven't used such a primitive escape method in a long time," Chi Minghong remarked.
Zhou Yuanzhu chuckled softly. "The lower the profile at times like this, the better. It's best not to use items. That way, even if someone finds us, they might just think we're poor people from out of town, driven to the edge of the city by the urban guards, surviving by scavenging in the underground."
(End of Chapter)