Chapter 120: Tense Buffer Time
“It’s not about giving up on them,” Team Leader Wu said. “They still have three days to consider.”
“Three days is too short.” Nie Xuan didn’t hesitate to say. “Even if we expect the Super Item to attract players from other zones, it won’t happen this fast.”
Team Leader Wu sighed. “Can the world today still be treated like the world of the past?”
“The wormhole point we belong to is designated E27. There’s already evidence that other wormhole points exist. If these wormhole points can cross over to each other in the future, then the storm caused by this Super Item could affect the fate of the entire world.”
“Humanity won’t see a young tiger as a threat, but they’ll still lock it in a cage, slowly tame it, and grind away its wild nature. If a young tiger eats a human while growing up, killing it becomes an inevitable choice.”
“Right now, we are that young tiger.” Walking over to pat Nie Xuan on the shoulder, Team Leader Wu said, “You need to understand. Go prepare.”
Nie Xuan watched him leave in silence, then sat down at the conference table, his face dark as he stared at the door.
“Captain Nie!” Sima Xiao’er, with his red head, hurried over. “The announcement you mentioned is ready. I can post it on the forum.”
“No need.” Nie Xuan stood up and walked out of the meeting room, quickly entering the elevator.
“Did the higher-ups have other arrangements?” Sima Xiao’er followed behind him. “Aren’t we looking for that player anymore?”
“There’s no time.” Nie Xuan pressed the button for the second basement floor. “Don’t bother searching for that player anymore. He’s not a player from Zone 014.”
Sima Xiao’er opened his mouth to ask how he knew, but seeing his grim expression, he swallowed his words.
The elevator soon reached the second basement floor, where the institute stored its items.
After stepping out, Nie Xuan gestured for Sima Xiao’er not to follow and said to him, “Go to the logistics department first thing tomorrow morning and get a ticket to enter the game. After you obtain a return ticket, don’t rush back. Stay as long as you can.”
Sima Xiao’er looked completely bewildered, but before he could ask why, Nie Xuan turned and walked away.
The elevator doors closed, and the fluorescent lights in the corridor flickered on. Nie Xuan stopped in front of the identifier at the entrance. After confirming his identity, he spoke: “Nie Xuan, head of the Ting City branch of the Vanguard Players, requests C-level special item ‘Murderer’s Finger Covers’.”
*
“Looks like the only option is to hide in the game,” Huang Junjie said. “If you get a return ticket, at least until the next instance deadline arrives, players can stay in the game.”
“Do we, as E-level players, need to hide too?” Yuan Yao frowned. “Entering the game is very risky, and clearing it doesn’t guarantee a return ticket. Without a return ticket, you can’t come back.”
“You have extra tickets on hand. If you really can’t hold out, just go straight to the next instance,” Huang Junjie said. “That’s not a bad way to buy time.”
“Can we hide in some deep mountain forest or a place no one knows about?” Yuan Yao asked hopefully. “I want to take my parents with me.”
“That’s feasible too,” Xu Huo nodded. “Go hide in a small city with fewer people.”
“Then I’ll make a call and go hide in my hometown.” Yuan Yao got up and went to the balcony.
“Are you really planning to hide in some remote place?” Huang Junjie looked at Xu Huo. “Players from other zones might hunt players from Zone 014. Nowhere is safe.”
“The number of players from other zones is limited after all. Using a ticket gives a few days of instance buffer time. If we can completely solve this problem in a short time, maybe we can turn the tide.” Xu Huo glanced at the time.
Completely solve the problem?
Unless they handed over the player along with the Super Item.
Was that possible?
“Being targeted by players from other zones is only a matter of time. I’ve come to terms with it. Just trying to protect myself is enough.” Huang Junjie couldn’t help scratching his scabbed face.
Xu Huo looked at him. “Has the white scab on your face fallen off?”
Huang Junjie nodded, then went into his room and brought out a paper box. “Like you said, I didn’t throw away this scab. Will it be useful?”
“They’re all products of the game. Maybe they’ll come in handy someday.” Xu Huo took the box.
Huang Junjie looked thoughtful.
At that moment, Yuan Yao returned to the living room. “Brother Xu, I have to go.”
“I don’t have much ability, so I can only hide away. Brother Xu, you’re so strong, entering an instance shouldn’t be a problem. Huang Junjie is right—the game is definitely safer than outside.”
Xu Huo gave him two bottles of P0 agent. “Be careful.”
Yuan Yao accepted them without ceremony.
After he left, Huang Junjie also prepared to take his leave. “Xu Huo, see you around if we get the chance.”
No sooner had they left than the door lock clicked again.
Earlier, Yuan Yao and the others had left in a hurry, and no one had mentioned the Painting Woman’s whereabouts. But she had taken the keys, so she was probably out shopping—her current favorite activity.
Hearing the door open, Xu Huo turned around and first saw Yu Qingqing’s face.
He frowned slightly, but she said cheerfully, “Bet you didn’t expect me to come back, did you?”
Just then, Yuan Yao sent a message: “Brother Xu, forgot to tell you earlier—your cousin came. She went shopping with Li Chun. They should be back soon.”
Xu Huo put down his phone, glanced sideways at the Painting Woman, who was carrying large and small bags with a look of grievance, and then said, “I’ll call your aunt later.”
Yu Qingqing pouted her red lips and sat down opposite him, huffing. “I even bought you clothes, and this is how you treat me?”
“Hey, you! If you want to be my cousin-in-law, hurry up and do something,” she ordered the Painting Woman.
The Painting Woman quickly put the bags on the sofa, precisely picked out a set of men’s clothing, and held it up, looking at Xu Huo with a hint of ingratiation, her sparkling eyes seemingly asking if it looked good.
Xu Huo only glanced at it. “A suit and tie in this hot weather? Are you out of your mind?”
“You’re the one who’s out of your mind!” Yu Qingqing said irritably. “Do you have any idea how expensive these two outfits are?”
“I don’t lack clothes. Just give me the cash instead.” Xu Huo picked up the box containing the white scab and headed to his room. “Li Chun, come with me.”
Yu Qingqing glared at him angrily, kicked off her shoes, and ran to the bathroom.
The Painting Woman entered Xu Huo’s room, looking shyly at him, her big eyes blinking with a sparkle.
Xu Huo stared at her for a second. “Did you get some minor facial adjustments?”
The Painting Woman twisted uncomfortably, then took out her phone and typed: “My old face wasn’t pretty.”
“No need to be too pretty.” Xu Huo pulled two aluminum cases from under the bed—leftovers from when the Special Affairs Bureau had delivered things last time.
“Being too pretty attracts too much attention.”
Something in that sentence seemed to strike a nerve with the Painting Woman. She blushed and nodded, then her features subtly shifted again. Overall, she looked similar to before, but not as striking.
Seeing that Xu Huo wasn’t looking at her, a hint of disappointment flickered across her face. She then leaned against the desk, watching him take things out of a leather case and put them into the aluminum cases.
Besides one POT and one P1A injection each, there was also a piece of black metal brought out from Decibel Town, a bottle of soil, a piece of cloth covered in slime, plus some of the white scab.
But the black metal was taken out again after being put in.