Chapter 1828: Same Instance Players
The atmosphere within the safe zone turned solemn. Whether players or ordinary residents living there, they all bowed their heads in unison, offering their final respects to the fallen players.
Following behind the convoy were the strung-up corpses of Sand Sea Safe Zone players, left for the public to vent their anger. People kept picking up stones and hurling them at the bodies, not stopping even as the corpses were battered into a bloody mess.
"It's quite far from the Sand Sea Safe Zone here," said a player who, like Xu Huo, had helped the Polar Safe Zone.
Another player understood his implication. "You think it's unreasonable, right? Like even these ordinary people have a deep-seated hatred for the Sand Sea Safe Zone players."
"The Sand Sea Safe Zone hasn't had any direct conflicts with other safe zones in recent years, but they fought fiercely a few years back. Information circulates between safe zones, so they know about some safe zones being directly massacred by the Sand Sea Safe Zone."
"You could say that the remaining Zone 010 people in the safe zone are practically the last embers of this district. They have no descendants—every death reduces their numbers. Watching their own race disappear, of course they harbor a bone-deep hatred for those who killed their compatriots."
"Moreover, the grievances and grudges between Zone 010 people and outer-zone players aren't just from these past few years. Over the last twenty-plus years, every major upheaval in Zone 010 has involved outer-zone players, especially cannibal players. The more chaotic a place, the easier it is for them to hunt. After enough incidents, no direct conflict is needed—even people they've never met, just by virtue of their identity, become natural enemies."
The player offering the explanation was around forty years old. He touched his thinning hair. "I came to Zone 010 about ten years ago. It was chaotic back then, but it was worlds apart from now. Anyone who saw it would say, 'Such is the unpredictability of life.'"
"Not really unpredictability," the younger one said. "Isn't this all the game's doing?"
"Yeah," the middle-aged player sighed. "Behind drastic environmental changes lie countless lives. If this district disappears in this generation, it will be permanently erased from the game."
Players were merely passersby. Seeing a desolate district and pitiable Zone 010 people, they could only sigh a few words from an outsider's perspective. But to examine and delve deeply into this district would evoke a sense of utter hopelessness—an inability to resist.
A vast district, so many people, a few disasters, changes in the evolutionary environment, and deliberate sabotage by some—that was enough to wipe it from the game, like brushing away an insignificant speck of dust.
Sensing the somber mood, the middle-aged player said, "Talking about this is too far off. It's not something we can change. We can only hope for the younger generation."
The younger player patted his shoulder. "Don't be so pessimistic. Players have such long lifespans now. Who can say what things will look like decades from now?"
The middle-aged player gave a faint smile. "Five years ago, I was already a B-rank player."
"Five years," the younger one paused. "You mean five years in your home district's time."
"What else?" the middle-aged player said. "I'm not very talented. It took me nearly ten years to go from C-rank to B-rank. It was fine at C-rank—failing an instance was just failing; at worst, I lost the rewards. But B-rank is different."
"Many B-rank instances have no time limit. Even if you pick a decent district to settle down in, a genius player might come along and clear the instance, dragging you through it. The longer you stay, the harder the high-risk instances you face when you come out."
"In the past few years, I've chosen several instance districts to retire in, but before long, either someone clears the instance and drags me along, or the instance disappears and I'm forced out. Several times, I was thrown into high-risk instances and only survived by sheer luck."
"Then why did you come to Zone 010?" the younger player asked, puzzled. "Do you know how to clear it?"
The middle-aged player said, "I have a feeling I'm about to degenerate."
The word "degeneration" made every player's heart skip a beat. The younger one quickly said, "How could that be? You're not that old."
The middle-aged player smiled without speaking.
The younger one understood.
Players who weren't skilled at the game couldn't guarantee smooth clearance of every instance. Even if they cleared, it might be by the skin of their teeth, earning no good items. But survival was mandatory, and taking evolution agents to boost evolution rates was a relatively convenient way to enhance competitiveness.
The poorer the quality of the evolution agent, the more one consumed, and the less thoroughly it was digested—all could affect a player's body. At the same time, consuming large amounts of evolution agents leading to premature degeneration was common knowledge in the game. Some people ingested excessive agents before learning this, while others were forced down this path. Almost all players eventually faced degeneration, but the specifics varied—the degree and timing were never uniform.
"That's why I came to Zone 010, planning to do some good with the little time I have left," the middle-aged player said. "I've been here for over three months now, just arrived from another small camp."
Deng Xiahei, who had been silent, suddenly asked, "What's your instance?"
"Wandering Melissa," the middle-aged player said. "It's a people-finding instance."
At the mention of finding someone, Deng Xiahei showed no reaction, but Gao Dawei instinctively looked at Xu Huo, then quickly averted his gaze upon meeting Xu Huo's cold stare.
The middle-aged player didn't specify who he was looking for, only saying, "I've wandered around Zone 010 a few times but haven't run into many players from the same instance."
Deng Xiahei and the younger player both said they hadn't heard of this instance. Deng Xiahei added, "I'm in the Lighthouse instance. There are quite a few players in the same instance, but not a single one who can fight."
The middle-aged player wasn't very interested in instance clearance and turned the topic back to the Polar Safe Zone. "I plan to stay in the Polar Safe Zone."
The few people in the car fell silent. After a moment, the younger player said, "You haven't degenerated yet. Don't give up hope so soon. Medicine is advancing every day. Maybe by the time you clear this instance and get out, there will be a cure."
The middle-aged player smiled but didn't respond. Instead, he turned to look out at the dusty streets.
Only then did Deng Xiahei turn back and give Xu Huo a meaningful look.
Xu Huo said nothing but gave a slight shake of his head.
The convoy soon reached the city center. The relatively intact commercial street area was where the Polar Safe Zone players lived. Besides being equipped with numerous surveillance devices, players patrolled in shifts. Fei Xian led them to a lounge converted from a shopping mall and had a banquet prepared to entertain them.
"The conditions are simple and crude, please bear with us," Fei Xian said, pouring them drinks and raising his glass first. "This first toast is to thank you all for lending a hand. Everyone in the Polar Safe Zone will remember this kindness!" (Chapter End)