Chapter 1291: A Place Unsuitable for Action
Without either admitting or denying it, the other party only said this ambiguous sentence before ending the topic, but he added another sentence, "Obtaining anything comes at a price. Those things that don't require payment in the short term often demand double the price as time goes on."
Xu Huo wasn't sure if he was hinting at the items gifted by He Pu, but after saying this, the man disappeared from his seat.
Estimating that finding him again would be impossible, Xu Huo returned to Yongxing Hotel.
It had only been a little over two months since he last used the Perfect Evolution Potion, and at that time, there was a brief period of digestion after the injection, so he temporarily had no plans to inject P3S.
"Sir, someone is looking for you outside," the hotel staff contacted him.
The person who came was Chen Chou. He had come out of the Instance Dungeon, but his injuries wouldn't heal anytime soon, so he arrived in a wheelchair, one arm still in a sling.
The moment he saw Xu Huo, he put on a fawning smile. "Brother Xu, it took a bit longer than expected, but don't worry, I've already found the right people. Whether it's buying props or weapons, no problem..."
"Is everything alright at your place?" Xu Huo said. "The incident at Yongxing Hotel a couple of days ago was quite big. Quite a few places in Fresh Flower City were affected."
Chen Chou was stunned for a moment before saying, "They were lucky."
Xu Huo placed his prop, "Dead Heart," on the table and gestured for him to take it.
Chen Chou looked at him in disbelief, swallowing involuntarily as he reached out. He even tested the waters midway, and only when he was sure Xu Huo really intended to return the prop did he hurriedly take it back. The moment the prop disappeared from his hand, his entire facial expression relaxed.
Xu Huo sat down across from him and said with a smile, "No need to be so nervous. I said I'd return it, so I will. Besides, there's something else I need your help with."
Chen Chou quickly said, "Brother Xu, just say the word. If I can do it, I absolutely will!"
"I want to kill someone." Xu Huo poured him a glass of water. "You live in Fresh Flower City. Do you know where Han Yi frequently goes?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Chou nearly dropped his water glass. He instinctively lowered his voice. "The person you want to kill is Han Yi?!"
"Is there a problem?" Xu Huo looked up.
"Do you know how many Advanced Players are around Han Yi?" Chen Chou kept his voice low while instinctively glancing around the room, speaking rapidly. "He has a high status in the Han Clan. He's being groomed as a key member of the third generation. Not only are the people around him all formidable, but he himself is a B-rank Player. You wouldn't... why are you trying to kill him?"
"Human Head Fireworks." Xu Huo spat out four words.
Chen Chou clearly knew the inside story. He was silent for a moment before saying, "There are plenty of people who want him dead. It's not like no one has tried to make a move when he goes out, but none have ever returned... Someone like him will eventually die at someone else's hands sooner or later."
"It's worth a try." Xu Huo said. "Do you know the places they frequent?"
Unlike young members of the clan like Han Ao, who weren't valued by the family, Han Yi's itinerary was mostly kept secret. When necessary, he would even set up decoys to cover his tracks. And with Advanced Players having all sorts of methods, screening them one by one would take too much time.
"I mostly deal with unimportant people from those second or third-rate families. I can't reach someone at Han Yi's level. But I once heard someone mention that he really likes going to Paradise Little Lake to look at pets."
"Paradise Little Lake?"
"A semi-abandoned district." Chen Chou explained. "In the game, there are actually many districts that don't issue tickets. Some have no resources and aren't suitable for Instance Dungeons, some have had their resources completely drained and were eventually abandoned for various reasons. Several cities in Zone 001 have set up entertainment areas in these districts. All you need to do is apply for a Space Teleportation Portal."
Fixed Space Teleportation Portals aren't just for going wherever you want; they must be approved by the game, and such applications aren't easy.
"Is Paradise Little Lake a property of the Fresh Flower City government?" Xu Huo said.
Chen Chou nodded. "I heard the fee for a single visit is quite high."
There wasn't much information about Paradise Little Lake on the Message Collection Terminal.
Seeing his actions, Chen Chou hesitated for a moment before saying, "Are you really planning to go? The pets Han Yi looks at aren't real pets, but large Xenomorphs. The place itself is probably very dangerous. He goes there with quite a few Advanced Players..."
The implication was that there was no need for him to take such a risk.
"You're right. This really isn't a suitable place." Xu Huo nodded. The more open the space, the more room other players have to maneuver. On the contrary, a densely populated place like Fresh Flower City would be more suitable for making a move.
Chen Chou opened his mouth as if to say something, then swallowed his words and changed the subject. "I know where Paradise Little Lake is, but I don't know anything else... Sorry, Brother Xu, I wasn't much help."
Based on the address Chen Chou provided, Xu Huo looked at the street view around Paradise Little Lake. After a moment's thought, he put away his Communicator and said to Chen Chou, "How about we go find some of your old friends tonight?"
Chen Chou's expression stiffened for a moment.
Fresh Flower City was huge, with plenty of places for entertainment. Just outside the city center, a leisure and entertainment district had been particularly lively these past few nights. The crowds that usually gathered in the city center had shifted here. Flashing lights and restless noise had turned this place into something completely out of place with Fresh Flower City.
The main crowd here, besides residents of the Directly Administered District and Outer Zone Players, also included those residents who usually wore uniforms during the day but had now changed into ordinary clothes, mingling and laughing with the players.
They were used to seeing someone like Chen Chou, injured and looking for fun. When they entered the bar, the waiter even made room for them.
"I'm looking for Brother Le," Chen Chou said.
"Brother Le is in the private room on the second floor, number three." The waiter pointed to the elevator before going to attend to other guests.
Downstairs was a chaotic scene, men and women rubbing against each other. Someone even came over to invite Xu Huo, but backed off after seeing Chen Chou beside him.
Chen Chou was used to it. He walked expressionlessly through the crowded crowd and only spoke after entering the elevator. "I can't say my looks are bad. At least when I go out, I'm definitely not going to be harassed."
After saying this, he let out two awkward laughs.
The air was silent for a moment, and then Xu Huo's voice slowly rang out. "It doesn't matter if you're ugly. At least you have a beautiful heart."
Chen Chou was at a loss for what expression to make in response. In the end, he twisted his face into a very ugly smile. Just then, the elevator door opened, and a half-drunk man was about to walk in with a female companion. Catching a sudden glimpse of Chen Chou, he pulled his foot back. "Oh, it's you! Scared the hell out of me this late at night!"
His female companion was even more dramatic, patting her chest. "Seriously, you scared my heart, pounding away!"