Chapter 1815: Standing Against Me
The reason was simple: the Safe Zone had grown significantly stronger and no longer wanted to maintain a stalemate with the Small City. Instead, they intended to completely turn the Small City into a granary, leaving some players behind to help them raise people.
As for Tian Min and Lin Na, who had been captured, they were still alive but had suffered some torment.
No one asked for details. Not just female players—even male players, once captured in Zone 010, could potentially face assault. In the eyes of those currently living in Zone 010, gender and species didn't make much difference.
The white-haired player immediately notified the buzz-cut player, who had led people away, then collected the bodies—these corpses couldn't be used to exchange hostages; the Safe Zone wouldn't abandon Tian Min and Lin Na for them.
"To prevent the Safe Zone people from launching another sneak attack, no one sleeps tonight. We'll stand guard." After arranging things, the white-haired player found separate lodging for Xu Huo.
However, Xu Huo didn't plan to stay in the Small City any longer. He intended to head to the Safe Zone that very night.
The white-haired player immediately handed him a detailed map. "The Safe Zone is much larger than our place. There's another Small City ahead acting as cover, and the Safe Zone's real stronghold is further inside."
Looking at the map, the distance between the two cities wasn't great—at most half an hour by ordinary transportation.
The Safe Zone should have received the news by now. The question was how their negotiations with the Small City players were going. If they had clashed, the outcome would likely already be decided.
Hoisting the short man, Xu Huo set off toward the Safe Zone.
Along the way, he asked about the Safe Zone's situation. The short man answered everything without reservation, even mentioning that the cannibal players in the Safe Zone had been constantly trying to create people, for which they would capture ordinary people from other zones.
However, people in Zone 010 couldn't reproduce—not even players could. So they relied on outsiders pairing with outsiders. But perhaps due to Zone 010's environmental influence, outsiders could conceive but couldn't carry to term, and they struggled to adapt to the climate, living short lives.
"So the main use of those outsiders is still as food rations..." The short man's voice grew quieter as he spoke, cautiously glancing at Xu Huo. Not seeing any change in his expression, he continued, "Actually, I think the best option would be to move to another district. It's much better than Zone 010."
"Then why don't you leave?" Xu Huo asked. "You could take your uncle and just get a Non-Player Ticket."
"My uncle doesn't want to leave." The short man sighed. "I really dislike those Safe Zone people too, but if I don't obey them, I'll only end up dead."
"I got sick before, and a lot of people were waiting... My uncle saved me. I can't leave him alone here."
"So I plan to leave after he passes away. By then, I'll definitely be an Advanced Player, and I'll be able to make it in other zones..."
At this point, the short man added with a hint of mockery, "Do you think those cannibal players don't want to settle in other districts? Unfortunately, the districts they can go to have already merged with the game. Those places have their own Advanced Players too. How could they let them form gangs and claim territory? If they left, they'd just have to slink back in shame! They think they can act like big shots in Zone 010 and still be big shots outside!"
Before he could finish his bitter tirade, the communicator in his pocket suddenly rang. The short man jumped, fumbling to pull it out. Seeing the name "Brother Lou" on the screen, he turned to Xu Huo.
Xu Huo reached over and took the communicator, pressing the answer button.
He didn't speak. The other side was silent for a few seconds before finally saying, "Is Gao Dawei dead or alive?"
"Alive, so what? Dead, so what?" Xu Huo asked lightly.
"If he's alive, send him back. One for one. If he's dead, you can wait to collect the bones." The other side said.
"Bones?" Xu Huo feigned surprise. "You're not keeping them to gnaw on?"
The other person's breath suddenly tightened, followed by a cold laugh. "I hope your mouth is just as tough when you see the bodies."
"What's the use of all this talk? How about we pick a place and settle it one-on-one?" Xu Huo said. "Or you name a place, and I'll come find you."
The other person took this entirely as a provocation and said angrily, "Come if you've got the guts!"
The communication cut off.
"Your old buddy has quite a temper." Xu Huo tossed the communicator back. "He wouldn't say where, but you should know, right? Where are they most likely hiding?"
The short man, Gao Dawei, gave a detailed account. "If they fought with Liao Xiaohui, win or lose, they'd fall back to the Stone Forest. I told the Small City people earlier too—there are traps set up in advance at the Stone Forest. But since Liao Xiaohui knows about it, the Safe Zone will definitely change locations."
"Beyond the Stone Forest is a stretch of desert where poisonous insects roam year-round. The Small City probably doesn't know about this. Without precautions, it's easy to get caught."
Having lived there for years, it was impossible not to have defenses against poisonous insects. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be a problem. But since the Safe Zone considered that place a backup plan, they likely had other arrangements.
Xu Huo found the location Gao Dawei described, but no one was there anymore. Judging by the bloodstains on the ground, the battle had been fierce.
"Someone was poisoned." Gao Dawei pointed at the black blood on the ground.
Xu Huo didn't encounter any Small City players nearby. He didn't know if they had already returned.
Since there was no one along the way, Xu Huo headed straight for the Safe Zone city. Coincidentally, as soon as he entered the city, he ran into the Safe Zone players returning.
Besides the three who had escaped from the Small City, there were over a dozen others crammed into two vehicles. A third vehicle at the back had a naked woman hanging from a frame. Five iron chains trailing from the rear each held a cage, inside which curled severely injured Small City players. Like prey awaiting slaughter or trophies on display, their dignity and bodies were being wantonly destroyed as they neared death.
A Safe Zone player sat on the cage holding the buzz-cut player, mockingly laughing at him, whose limbs had all been broken. The man pulled out a small knife, stabbed it into his shoulder, and slowly twisted it, watching the body convulse in pain. With satisfaction, he said, "Aren't you supposed to be tough? Sacrificing yourself to save others? How noble! Anyone would think a great man like you bleeds holy light!"
To humiliate the buzz-cut player, the man spat on him, then stared at the woman hanging from the vehicle with a strange laugh. Just as he was about to say something, the sudden screeching halt of the vehicle cut him off.
The man had barely looked up when a mist of blood sprayed from his throat. He and the driver died almost simultaneously.
With the commotion in the rear, the two front vehicles also stopped. Players poured out, coordinating seamlessly to surround the third vehicle.
Xu Huo was already standing on the roof of the car. He looked at the B-rank player directly in front of him, used a Space Blade to kill another player trying to snatch someone from behind him, and said:
"From now on, anyone who tries to approach this vehicle is standing against me."