# Chapter 1128: An Old Friend Says Hello
"It's Brother Xu!" Before Team Leader Wu could speak, Sima Xiao'er blurted out the answer without taking a breath, "Brother Xu is back! He's come to our safe zone!"
Upon hearing this, Team Leader Wu couldn't suppress the upward curl of his lips. Although Xu Huo's hometown was in Jing City, his usual residence was Ting City. When he first emerged, he was already a representative player of Ting City, not to mention his later selfless contribution of detoxifying fungi, his great merit during the attack in Jing City, and his direct assault on Country Y. Not only did he vent their frustrations, but he also raised domestic morale to an unprecedented high—if someone stabs you in the back and you don't retaliate, you can only swallow your anger; but when they draw a knife, you immediately pull out a gun—that's what true deterrence means!
It must be said that the attack on the Country Y safe zone immediately following the Black Rain incident suppressed those foreign forces that were itching to make a move, creating a relatively stable external environment for Country X. After all, even Country Y, the leader of Zone 014, had been subdued. If others wanted to stir up trouble, they first had to consider whether they could bear the consequences of retaliation.
Xu Huo hadn't returned since the Country Y safe zone incident. Several months had passed now. Not only Team Leader Wu, but even Minister Fan and others were eagerly awaiting his return.
"Good, good, good!" Team Leader Wu hurriedly got out of the car. "If he's here, he must have something to discuss with me. Haha, Team Leader Chang, Team Leader Jiang, let me have someone take you to the meeting room first. I'll be right back."
Team Leader Chang quickly stopped him, not slowing his pace at all. "Together! Together!"
Jiang Qiao pointed at the warning light on the door. "If Xu Huo came to visit, why would there be a Level 2 alert?"
Team Leaders Wu and Chang paused for a moment but didn't stop walking. They asked Sima Xiao'er about the situation as they went. Soon, the players who came to greet them explained what had happened. Upon hearing that Xu Huo had returned injured, Team Leader Wu exclaimed, "What are you standing around for? Why haven't you sent in medicine? Call the medical team!"
"Our people have already been there, but when the door opened, no one dared to go in," the player said with great difficulty. "Team Leader, you'd better go check the control room."
At this point, Team Leader Wu couldn't care less about Team Leader Chang and the others following behind. He ran into the control room and found that the enlarged screen showed the detention room. He couldn't help but ask, "Why did they let him in there?"
"That's where Xu Huo appeared," technician Sun Tong explained. "And when he came out, he was already in this state."
Looking at the black liquid that looked like blood but wasn't quite blood surrounding where the person in the screen was sitting, Team Leader Wu's eyebrows jumped. He quickly pressed further, "What are those clumps of stuff?"
"They should be some kind of fungal filaments," Sun Tong explained. "And this footage is from half a minute ago. He's already covered the monitor and told us not to open the door anymore."
"Doesn't he need support?" Team Leader Wu put on his headphones and signaled Sun Tong to connect to the detention room. Then he said, "Xu Huo, whatever you need, just say the word. The Special Defense Department will get it for you. Have you been poisoned?"
"Team Leader Wu," Xu Huo spoke slowly, "I'd like to borrow a place in the Special Defense Department to rest for a couple of days. I'll leave after that."
"You misunderstand. The safe zone is also meant for players to rest. But your injuries are serious and you need medical support," Team Leader Wu said. "I've already sent people to get medicine. Just hold on a little longer."
Xu Huo seemed in the mood for small talk. "Ting City has a safe zone now too?"
"The whole country has been building safe zones for the past three months. Ting City hasn't fallen behind," Team Leader Wu paused, then added, "After you left last time, the Special Defense Department has properly settled your family. No one will find them again."
"Normally, with your great merits, you should receive a public commendation. But for their safety, we've kept your identity confidential externally. We've only recorded your merits, but you won't miss out on anything you're entitled to. You can also make any requests, and the Special Defense Department will find a way to fulfill them..."
He paused briefly before asking cautiously, "Can you hold on?"
Xu Huo let out a low laugh. "Don't worry. I won't die yet."
That was good.
Team Leader Wu patted his chest to comfort himself, then turned around and told Sun Tong to pass the message to Minister Fan, and also ask him for antidotes and top-tier medical teams—the best resources were now concentrated in Jing City and could only be obtained through allocation from the Special Defense Department Headquarters.
But it wouldn't take too long to get from Jing City to Ting City. A fighter jet could fly over, and with a player sent to pick up the supplies, it would only take one or two hours.
Seeing Team Leader Wu cheerfully chatting with Xu Huo, as if afraid he might die the moment he finished speaking, Dai Wenqian behind him lowered his voice and said, "Team Leader Wu is exaggerating too much. No matter how powerful Xu Huo is, he's only a D-level player. Even if he's risen to C-level, he's barely touched the threshold of an advanced player."
The Special Defense Department already had quite a few C-level players, all of them skilled.
The props, potions, ores, and other resources the Special Defense Department now possessed were worlds apart from three months ago. At the very least, the nationwide Special Defense Department material transport system was fully operational, allowing for allocation at any time and basically meeting the needs of each branch.
"After all, he's someone who has rendered meritorious service to the country," Team Leader Chang said, still with that amiable demeanor. "Last time he brought back the detoxifying fungi. I wonder what surprise he'll give the Special Defense Department this time."
"Team Leader Chang, you say that, but the Special Defense Department can't pin all its hopes on a single player, can it?" Jiang Qiao smiled. "Players are also citizens of our country. When they encounter difficulties, we should help them. We can't learn from Country Y's approach, where even sentencing depends on one's contribution to the nation."
In other words, rushing to help only because there was profit to be gained was a bit disheartening.
Team Leader Chang's expression didn't change. "Xu Huo is a player from Ting City. Let's see how Team Leader Wu handles it."
He glanced backward as he spoke.
Dai Wenqian left the control room, went outside, found a staff member to guide him, and headed toward the detention room.
"What are you doing here?" Sima Xiao'er and several former Ting City Special Defense Department players were guarding the door. They blocked him. "This is still a restricted area. Please leave immediately."
Dai Wenqian didn't force his way in. He crossed his arms and said, "Have you seen what's inside? Besides the poison, does Xu Huo have any other injuries?"
"What business is that of yours?" Sima Xiao'er scowled and shooed him away. "This is Ting City. Go cool off somewhere else!"
Dai Wenqian let out a scornful laugh. "I'm here following Team Leader Chang. It's an assignment from higher-ups, so I can't refuse. But Xu Huo and I are old friends too, so I came to say hello."
"Brother Xu said he won't see anyone," Sima Xiao'er and his colleagues blocked his path and notified others to come and escort him away.
"Don't be like that," Dai Wenqian stared at the door. "He might not want to see you, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to see me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the originally sealed door suddenly opened, and he bypassed the three players, slipping into the detention room!
(Chapter End)