Chapter 1552: Asking for Help from Outer Zone Players
"I don't want to die..." someone sobbed.
These words seemed to tear away the false bravado everyone had put up, and even the Jin family members could no longer maintain their earlier composure.
"Mr. Yu, a word in private," Jin Zi's grandfather said to Xu Huo.
Xu Huo followed him into the next room.
When they came out, Jin Zi's grandfather revealed his predicament.
It wasn't that they were unwilling to arrange for so many people to leave, but that they truly had no way to take that many with them.
The number of players in a country sounded large, but most of them couldn't bring people along. First, the number of container items was far from sufficient. Second, there were too many E-level players. Even if they brought people, they could only enter instances directly and couldn't send them to other districts.
Additionally, container items had restrictions. One, they couldn't hold enough people. Two, the duration was too short. Even if all the D-level players shuttled back and forth between District 017 and other districts, the number of people they could carry was extremely limited. Moreover, return tickets were also in short supply.
So the government had allocated its limited resources, prioritizing the survival of elite players and talented individuals. As for government personnel, some who had players in their families might be able to leave, but the vast majority had no chance. The higher-ups just hadn't said it outright.
And those who left weren't necessarily safe either. Ordinary people were at the bottom of society in any district. If their numbers were small, it was manageable, but once they became numerous, the district government would definitely intervene. Proper resettlement was almost impossible; not being slaughtered or squeezed dry of every last bit of use value was already a good outcome.
District 017 now didn't even have many high-level players. A large group of inexperienced D-level players, even if gathered together, would only be prey for others.
So for the people of District 017, whether they had been high-ranking officials or wealthy businessmen, elderly or children, staying was hell, and leaving wasn't necessarily heaven.
"We cannot abandon our country," Jin Zi's grandfather said with a firm expression, but then he relaxed slightly. He looked toward the living room separated by a door and said, "But they are still young. It's too pitiful to let them die alongside old men like us..."
The old man began to bend his knees, but Xu Huo grabbed his arm. "No need."
Jin Zi's grandfather's eyes were filled with tears. "We didn't do well enough. District 017 wasn't strong enough. If it had been a little later, just a little later, perhaps more people would have survived... So many people, so many children... Just last month, five thousand six hundred and seventy-three children were born in the capital safe zone alone..."
In the face of disaster, any number was shocking.
"Have you had any contact with the Holy Sword Society?" Xu Huo asked. "Not the one currently running around killing people in District 017, but the one before the split, the one with the watch face in their sword pattern. They still have some bottom line in how they operate. They're also cultivating players and should be very willing to take in the children of District 017."
Jin Zi's grandfather thought for a moment. "There have been a high number of disappearances recently, with schools being the hardest hit. I don't know if the Holy Sword Society is involved. If what you say is true, it would actually be a good thing for those children to be taken away by them."
He paused and then added, "I can issue a nationwide notice, telling people to actively contact the Holy Sword Society. Save as many as we can!"
He was about to head back to the command room, but the command room's system had already been destroyed. Moreover, issuing such a notice now wouldn't mean much. The people of District 017 could no longer avoid risk. So the ones to notify weren't the people of District 017, but the outer zone players.
"Release a public video, pleading for conscientious outer zone players to take people away," Xu Huo said. "Don't make it too sentimental. Leave the initiative to the outer zone players. Not everyone who comes is utterly evil. Some will be willing to do a small favor."
"Will anyone really be willing to listen to our plea?" Jin Zi's father couldn't help asking.
Giving up immediate benefits to do a good deed with little return? Not just players surviving in a brutal game environment, even ordinary people might not be swayed.
"Besides, some players capture people for other purposes..."
"The kind of person you're talking about will abduct living people no matter what you do," Xu Huo interrupted him calmly. "Understand this clearly: District 017 has no choice."
"Every person we convince is a gain."
That was the reality. All they could do was hope for one or two lifebuoys before the great ship of District 017 completely sank. There was no other way.
So next, Jin Zi's grandfather made arrangements for the remaining personnel at the operations base. Except for himself and a few elderly people who refused to leave, everyone else was to be taken away by Xu Huo.
At the same time, the plea video recorded by Jin Zi's grandfather alone was sent out through the network channels that hadn't yet completely collapsed.
"I am Jin He from Country L, currently in the capital safe zone, asking for help from outer zone players on behalf of the entire nation..."
Xu Huo leaned against the window, listening to the plea message playing on a loop from the video, watching the sky gradually darken, and waiting quietly.
*
"...No matter what your purpose is, the world will repay your kindness..."
A phone thrown on the ground intermittently played Jin He's voice. A meter away, Xue Lang, sitting on the edge of a high floor of an unfinished building, was looking at messages sent to him on his communicator:
"Super item has been obtained by a black-clad female player, age between 25 and 35, a Super Evolver, skilled in space power, capable of rapid self-healing..."
Before he could finish reading, he burst out laughing. He turned to the black trench coat woman sitting on a wooden crate, bandaging her wounds. "Isn't that describing you? Did you snatch the super item?"
The black trench coat woman had already wrapped her entire chest. She moved her shoulder, which she had just reattached, and didn't even lift her eyelids. "Whether it's me or not, don't you know?"
"True," Xue Lang said sarcastically. "You can't even handle a decrepit old man without ending up like this. How could you possibly have a share in the super item?"
Only then did the black trench coat woman look up at him. "Don't forget, I'm helping you out on this trip, Xue Liang."
Hearing him call her by her real name, Xue Lang's face darkened. "Don't forget, your hands aren't clean either. If you don't want the doctor to find out, you'd better do your job properly. Chang Bei."
Chang Bei stared coldly at him. "We both hold leverage over each other. No need to bring it up every time."
Xue Lang waved the communicator in his hand. "Look at this viciousness, you know it's that bastard Xu Huo's doing. The doctor's task isn't finished yet. Go clean up the mess yourself."
Sensing the subtle evasion in his words, Chang Bei stared at him. "You don't think he's looking for me, do you?"
Xu Huo's stated target was indeed Chang Bei, but in reality, he was trying to find Xue Lang through her.
"Got beaten by him last time, and now you're scared," she deliberately jabbed at Xue Lang's sore spot.
Xue Lang raised his hand and waved. A space ray sliced horizontally through that floor, just barely sweeping past Chang Bei's tilted head.