Chapter 1550: Capital Safe Zone
Xu Huo smiled. "Easy to say."
He stuffed Jin Zi into a prop and immediately used the "Head-Tail Connecting Ring" to leave, quickly relocating to a small city not far from the Capital Safe Zone.
There weren't many outer zone players in this small city. Most of the troublemakers inside were local players or black forces, with traces of looting everywhere, though the vast majority of people were still alive.
Xu Huo released Jin Zi and the several players protecting her.
Despite her young age, Jin Zi was very familiar with the situation around the capital. Just by looking at the street scene, she accurately stated their location, then said to Xu Huo, "I can't deliver the prop I promised you, but I know where the command room is."
"In the current situation, my grandfather and the others are definitely on the front line of command. Even if they're taken away, they won't be far. The outer zone players controlling the combat base likely have the command room as one of their targets; they won't go far for it. So the command room is probably where Uncle Wang works every day."
"You must have another purpose for going to the command room. I can convince my grandfather to cooperate with you, on the condition that you rescue my grandfather and the others."
"You're very clever, knowing how to bargain for favorable terms," Xu Huo looked at her. "But you've seen the situation at the combat base. A few words and players can find you. The situation inside will only be more dangerous. It's very difficult to take people out."
"Besides, the fact that your family hasn't escaped yet might not be because they can't leave."
As core figures holding power and secrets, Jin Zi's family must have long prepared evacuation plans. Even if they couldn't become players, using container props to take a few people wouldn't be a problem. They shouldn't be unable to leave.
Jin Zi understood this perfectly. Her face darkened. "Then force them to leave. That's my only condition."
The several players beside her hesitated, glancing at her expression several times, but ultimately said nothing.
"I'll do my best." Xu Huo nodded, signaling her to draw the location of the command room.
The premise of negotiation was Xu Huo keeping his word, but Jin Zi had no way to ensure he would. She could only hope for his conscience.
Taking out the layout map she carried, she quickly circled the command room and her family's location, handed it to Xu Huo, and also told him a set of codes to ensure her family would trust him.
This time, Jin Zi didn't plan to go with him. After he released resident 017 from the "Staff Dormitory," she said solemnly, "Our family can't all die in Zone 017. If we ever meet again in the future, I will repay today's kindness no matter what, whether or not you save my family."
After a brief silence, she added with a plea, "I hope you can look after Meng Cun."
With only these simple words, Jin Zi deeply bowed to Xu Huo.
For Jin Zi, besides family and friends, she also had to bear the weight of her country. In the face of bloody reality, any promise or comfort was pale.
Xu Huo changed his face and clothes and returned to the Capital Safe Zone.
Thanks to the standoff between player factions, the city barely maintained peace. Many players were watching near the combat base. Of course, super players couldn't be ignored, especially the Box Carrier and Lawrence Li being so close to the Capital Safe Zone; they could come over at any time.
After circling the combat base once, entering wasn't difficult, but some areas fell under the monitoring and control range of players, making them easy to spot.
Choosing a suitable position, Xu Huo first expanded the range of his spiritual world to its maximum at the edge of the combat base, then transferred some players from outside into it. Once the two groups inside and out started fighting, he fully infiltrated the combat base.
The government personnel working inside the base had been gathered and imprisoned, so most places were empty. According to the circled location on the map, he found the command room.
The main part of the command room was underground. Above ground was a large lounge, where many players were now sitting or standing. They had reached a consensus and didn't interfere with each other.
Some players only wanted to know the whereabouts of the super prop, so they focused on the various messages gathered through the command room's information channels.
Other players felt it was a waste to just guard here, so they dragged out many government personnel and coerced high-ranking officials into using props to ransom them.
"Bang!" A player with a scar on his forehead killed the person kneeling before him, then said to several elderly people standing nearby, "Look, look. For a few props, they can even sacrifice such precious lives. Truly cold-hearted."
The elderly people were angry but helpless. The command room had been taken over. Although their people were still working, after several weapon launches, these people had left only a few operators, gathered everyone else together, and demanded the government use props to exchange for the hostages.
Everyone left in Zone 017 knew the current situation. The elite players who could be arranged to leave had already left with supplies. Those remaining were prepared to die for their country. Not only were there not enough props to ransom people, even if there were, they wouldn't and couldn't make the exchange.
But these people were well-versed in this tactic. They killed one after another in front of everyone, causing many to break down psychologically. The scene was momentarily ugly.
The outer zone players didn't seem to genuinely want a one-to-one exchange for props either; they were more using this method to pass the time.
Perhaps sensing their intent, the government personnel became even more angry and helpless.
"A bunch of eliminated trash, still stubborn." A player covered in tattoos and wearing a large gold chain lifted his head from a woman's chest, grinning as he grabbed someone, pierced their head with his finger, and kicked the corpse over to the elderly people after the person died.
Most of the elderly people's close relatives had already been killed. Some bodies had been dragged out, some remained here. The players had used props on these elderly people, forcing them to keep their eyes open, watching the deaths of their relatives and subordinates.
"Brothers can't come all this way for nothing. You should at least show some sincerity, so we can leave," the tattooed man said in a strange tone.
When no one responded, he reached through the crowd and grabbed a young woman.
"Even if you kill everyone here, you won't get a single prop," an old man spoke up. "You know the situation around the capital better than we do. Many players died when the Paper Servant Master passed through. I believe the Box Carrier and Lawrence Li won't be any easier to deal with."
The command room had been monitoring the Box Carrier's movements, so the players present also knew that the fight between the two super players had already destroyed eight cities. Only two or three more cities stood between them and the Capital Safe Zone.
The tattooed player stepped forward and kicked the man over. "Who do you think you are, daring to threaten me?!"
(Chapter End)