Chapter 1826: Sand Sea Safe Zone Convoy
There were also players from Zone 010 in the tavern, but Brother Wu and his group did not lower their voices when speaking loudly. Instead, they repeatedly teased the Zone 010 players. Although some Zone 010 people cast glances their way, few showed hostility toward them.
However, after their discussion, their meaning became clear: they had tried many methods to clear the instance, but not only had they failed, they didn’t even know if they were heading in the right direction. This naturally raised doubts—what exactly caused Zone 010 to produce so many high-level instances? Looking around, there was nothing but yellow sand, not even a ghost shadow. Where could one go to do an instance?
At the same time, they offered a reliable suggestion: do not use the matter of newborns to lure the Zone 010 safe zone, as it might backfire and lead to being hunted. After all, if they couldn’t clear the instance, they would have to stay in this district permanently.
Deng Xiahei looked at Xu Huo, silently asking him what to do next.
Before he could speak, several Zone 010 players in the tavern suddenly stood up in unison. They were all holding communicators common among Zone 010 players, as if they had received a notification, and walked toward the door.
This commotion affected others as well. Looking outside the tavern, they saw many players in the Polar Safe Zone rushing toward the city outskirts. Besides people, there were vehicles capable of driving through the desert, and judging by their specifications, they likely carried large thermal weapons.
The few who left the tavern jumped onto transport vehicles and followed the convoy.
“What’s happening?” Not only the players in the tavern but also others on the street came out to see.
“Let’s go check it out?” Deng Xiahei whispered to Xu Huo.
Xu Huo looked at Gao Dawei, who paused and quickly waved his hand. “I rarely came out before.”
For the Polar Safe Zone players to mobilize on such a large and public scale, even using thermal weapons, it seemed like a significant matter. At least some players in the tavern were tempted. The three out-of-zone players at another table had already followed, while Brother Wu and his group sat back down calmly. “Whatever happens, we’ll know when the Polar Safe Zone people return. If they don’t come back, someone else will take over the safe zone. We out-of-zone folks shouldn’t meddle in local affairs, or we’ll end up pleasing no one.”
Gao Dawei understood the subtext but wisely kept his mouth shut. However, another Zone 010 player sitting in the corner couldn’t help but say, “We Zone 010 people aren’t as bad as you make us out to be. We can tell the difference between helping and causing trouble.”
“That’s not necessarily true,” the grinning player chimed in. “Try it if you don’t believe me. Tell the Polar Safe Zone people we can help, and see if they guard against us.”
“Don’t even mention it. We’ve been wronged like this more than once,” said another man at the same table with a slicked-back hairstyle. “Not only do they not thank us afterward, but they even try to stab us in the back. If we hadn’t run fast, we might have ended up as someone’s meal. Zone 010 people, from top to bottom, aren’t picky eaters.”
This was somewhat provocative. The Zone 010 player who had spoken immediately slammed the table and stood up. “And what good are you out-of-zone people? To clear the instance, you stir up trouble in the safe zone, treating human lives like nothing. How many of us have died at your hands, don’t you know? And what about the Sand Sea Center? Those are out-of-zone people too!”
The slicked-back man slammed his glass onto the table. “Don’t lump us in with those cannibal players. We’re not the same as them!”
“Whether you’re the same or not, you know in your hearts. Weren’t you just bragging about your instance-clearing experience earlier? Wasn’t that experience gained by using Zone 010 people’s lives to test it?” The Zone 010 player grew angrier, and hatred surged in his eyes.
Brother Wu quickly stood up to mediate. “It’s hot, and everyone’s venting a bit. Don’t fight, please. If you get hurt, you’ll have to spend money on potions. Besides, if you wreck this little tavern, where will we buy drinks later?”
He persuaded both sides, giving the Zone 010 player a way out and successfully calming things down. But when he turned around, he found that Xu Huo and his group had already left. Shaking his head, he sat back down.
Xu Huo, Deng Xiahei, and Gao Dawei left the tavern and followed the Polar Safe Zone players.
“Shouldn’t we take this opportunity to find people?” Gao Dawei couldn’t help asking. “For the safe zone to act collectively like this, either they’ve had a conflict with another safe zone or they’ve found ore. It definitely has nothing to do with clearing the instance.”
“The Polar Safe Zone won’t run away. We can return anytime. But a collective action by the safe zone is a rare event,” Xu Huo said. “It’s still worth checking out.”
Gao Dawei really didn’t want to join in, but he had no say and could only follow.
Because the Polar Safe Zone had a convoy, they moved slowly. The vanguard players had already left. Xu Huo followed for a while, then told Deng Xiahei and Gao Dawei to stay put while he went ahead to find the Zone 010 advance force.
After a few trips back and forth, he located the Polar Safe Zone people. A massive, visible defensive barrier had been erected in the desert, enclosing the Polar Safe Zone and some other players.
Outside the barrier were vehicles that had been knocked aside. One car’s door was broken, and from time to time, a mutant squeezed out through the gap.
Xu Huo swept his spiritual power over them and found that the mutants came in pairs. Different mutants had obvious physical differences, though it was impossible to tell from their appearance whether they were originally male or female, or whether they had degenerated from Zone 010 people or were mutants from the start.
Most mutants had chains around their necks, and the collars were engraved with the words “Sand Sea.”
Were the Polar Safe Zone players intercepting players from the Sand Sea Safe Zone?
“Boom!” An explosion occurred at the center of the battle. The outer barrier was broken, and the Sand Sea Safe Zone players broke through, rushing toward the vehicles carrying the mutants.
“They’re going to abandon the vehicles!” The Polar Safe Zone players saw their intention. To stop them from escaping with the mutants, they signaled the distant convoy to activate thermal weapons. Within seconds, several bombs fell from the sky, blowing up the entire Sand Sea Safe Zone convoy, including the mutants still locked inside.
The Sand Sea players had come out for these mutants. Seeing their hard work over the past half-month destroyed, they turned around with ferocious expressions and clashed with the Polar Safe Zone players.
Their team consisted mostly of cannibal players, skilled in close combat. Although they lacked traits, their efficient fighting and use of items compensated for this weakness. Especially when both sides were evenly matched, the Polar Safe Zone was clearly at a disadvantage.
“Form up!” At that moment, a Polar Safe Zone player suddenly shouted. Instantly, all players within the battle range straightened their spines and stood rigidly in place!
(Chapter End)