Chapter 1831: Will Never Die

With so many players keeping watch outside, Xu Huo slept well, woke up refreshed, and walked out the door in a good mood, greeting the person across from him.

The middle-aged player tried to find a chance to talk to Xu Huo alone, but after being interrupted repeatedly by Deng Xiahei and the Polar Safe Zone players, he was taken away by the people Fei Xian had arranged. After all, he planned to stay in the safe zone long-term, and the safe zone had to arrange a suitable residence for him. Since the middle-aged player had already spoken up, he naturally wouldn't refuse their kindness.

Fei Xian explained Dr. Joyce's whereabouts here. He said that Dr. Joyce had lived in the Polar Safe Zone for a period of time, originally to research a cure for Black Thorn Disease. However, due to the high cost and some accidents the safe zone encountered at the time, they couldn't afford the research expenses, so the experiments had to be suspended. Not long after, Dr. Joyce left on his own, saying before he left that he was going to the CK22 Safe Zone.

The CK22 Safe Zone was swept away by a mutant tide. The casualties from that mutant activity were exceptionally tragic. Only a very few people in the safe zone managed to escape before the mutant attack, while the rest were used as food by the mutant horde that later occupied the city.

"There are still mutants in that safe zone now, but not many left," Fei Xian said. "Dr. Joyce definitely won't be there now, but the buildings there are still fairly well preserved. Maybe we can find some clues."

He also offered to have a few players accompany them to prevent Xu Huo and his group from encountering any accidents.

Xu Huo naturally had no objections, but he asked to visit the place where Dr. Joyce once worked, preferably to obtain one or two of his personal belongings.

Fei Xian hesitated slightly before agreeing and led them to an abandoned laboratory.

"We really don't have anyone who understands pharmaceuticals. After Dr. Joyce left, the lab was abandoned."

Xu Huo nodded, looked around, and found no paper records, so he took photos of the workbench and the storage cabinets.

As for the personal items he mentioned, there were none that were truly personal. After all, Dr. Joyce had left on his own and taken everything with him. The room he had stayed in was still there, but all that remained were bedsheets, blankets, tables, chairs, and stools—nothing much different from what others had.

Xu Huo took photos of those as well.

"Would it be convenient to take me to see the places where Dr. Joyce often spent time?" he asked again. "He was once a good friend of an elder of mine. We haven't been in touch for years, and I really want to know how he's doing... Even if I can't find him, it would be good to see the places he lived."

Fei Xian couldn't refuse, so he took him to two more places: one was a recreation room, and the other was a spot where Joyce often stayed alone.

Xu Huo sighed with emotion as he took photos, and also asked Fei Xian if he knew whether any of the people who escaped from CK22 Safe Zone might have included Joyce.

Fei Xian genuinely didn't know what happened to CK22 later on, only saying that no news was good news.

That might be comforting in other districts, but in this district, it was hardly necessary.

These few trips were enough for Xu Huo to get a rough idea of the situation within the commercial district. The Polar Safe Zone's pharmaceutical research had indeed stalled. Besides the abandoned lab, there were three rooms containing some potions waiting to be mixed. Judging by the potion numbers, they were all antidotes, self-healing agents, and the like. These mixed potions were prepared for the ordinary people of the safe zone. After contracting Black Thorn Disease, the people of Zone 010 generally had poor health, and in such harsh conditions, survival was no easy feat.

There was also a basement that appeared to have once been used to hold mutants, but it too had been empty for a long time. As for the mutant body parts brought back yesterday, they had probably already been disposed of.

The players' funeral was set for noon. Xu Huo said he would stay until after the funeral before leaving. As for the remaining time, the safe zone players didn't need to entertain him.

Fei Xian left with the accompanying players, promising to arrange for someone to travel with them after the funeral.

Xu Huo and his two companions then went to the tavern from yesterday.

Brother Wu, Juan Er, and the others were at their usual table, but the faces of the outer zone players at the next table had changed.

When they saw Xu Huo come in, Juan Er greeted them loudly.

The two tables were pushed together, and Xu Huo asked if they were planning to stay in the Polar Safe Zone for good.

"Nowhere else to go, really," Juan Er said listlessly. "Can't clear the instance anyway, might as well live for the moment."

"Then why not come with me?" Xu Huo said. "Since you have nothing to do anyway."

"Sure!" Juan Er laughed heartily, patting his companion on the shoulder. "Let's go together!"

The few companions didn't object either, laughing and agreeing, which left the other players in the tavern a bit confused.

Some of them had seen this group yesterday. They were all people who had just met. Weren't these guys too bored? Anyone could say one thing and they'd just go along?

This annoyed two players who had just invited Brother Wu and his group to team up.

The truth was, even if they weren't aiming to clear the instance, in a sparsely populated place like Zone 010, players still needed to team up to survive longer. Not only were there opposing factions among players, but some who had been stuck for a long time didn't want others to clear the instance either.

"What are you looking at!" Juan Er put down his glass and shouted at the two. "Want to fight?"

The two men scowled and left the tavern.

Juan Er flipped them off behind their backs, then called Xu Huo and the others to sit down for a drink, asking when they planned to leave.

"After the funeral," Deng Xiahei answered this time.

Juan Er and his group were a little surprised but didn't ask further. They ordered some food, planning to fill their stomachs early.

Xu Huo generously treated them.

Time quickly came to noon.

The Polar Safe Zone had a fixed place for holding funerals. Before it began, the players and ordinary residents of the city gathered around a small square. The deceased players were placed on specially made cremation beds. The safe zone players offered a toast in their memory, and then Fei Xian declared loudly, "Brothers, you sacrificed yourselves for us, for the Polar Safe Zone, for the companions of Zone 010. This debt of gratitude, the living will remember forever!"

Then he turned to face the crowd, solemn and dignified, and said, "We must remember our fallen comrades!"

"Remember!"

The somewhat numb residents of the safe zone erupted at this moment, shouting these two words in unison.

"But at the same time, we must not forget this hatred. We must not forget who killed our comrades! As long as we live one more day, we will seek revenge!"

"Revenge!"

Fei Xian turned and lit the bodies. As the flames shot into the air, he raised his right hand. "Fire can burn the bodies of heroes, but it cannot burn their will! Zone 010, undying!"

Arms reached toward the sky:

"Undying!"