Chapter 2114: Welcome to Try
Because the distance was too close and there was no advance warning, the old man and the dozens of players around him were momentarily stunned and dizzy from the shock. When they turned back to look at the boxing ring, they found it had expanded into a giant ball. The walls, originally simulated to look like a building, had become thin and fragile from excessive stretching, as if one more bit of force would tear the thing apart.
In fact, in the next second, cracks spread across this boxing ring prop. Then, powerful thermal energy and force leaked through the gaps, reducing internal pressure while also tearing the cracks wider. In just two breaths, the boxing ring burst like a balloon!
A massive torrent of air tilted outward, forcing the surrounding players to retreat again and again. However, it no longer had the power of the initial explosion. The boxing ring prop had absorbed part of the impact, so it didn't cause a devastating shock to the surrounding city—only surprising the players.
Of course, the most furious was the old man who managed the boxing ring. He also knew the ring's condition best. Seeing this, he couldn't help but curse, "Madman!"
What sane person would use a prop to blow themselves up when they knew they were trapped? Wasn't he afraid of killing himself first?
However, the "Cabin in the Storm" was a bit sturdier than Xu Huo had imagined. It stood firmly in place, not even shifting an inch, though its outer walls were somewhat deformed and looked a little battered. On the vast empty space left by the boxing ring, only this small house now stood.
With a "creak," the door opened. The Painting Woman ran out first, happily waving her communicator. "It really blew up!"
Xu Huo, who had long wanted to try using an A-level explosive prop to blow up an A-level defensive prop, also examined the cabin and said, "No big deal. It can be fixed and still used."
Fixed and still used... These words stabbed the boxing ring players right in the lungs. This prop had been placed here for at least a decade, and now he had just blown it up. What was even more infuriating was that these two were completely unharmed!
The old man ground his teeth almost to dust. Seeing this, the government players also lost their amused attitude and said seriously, "Old He, take your people and leave. Don't bring bigger trouble to Harmony City."
Anyone who dared to use an explosive prop inside a location prop and successfully destroyed the boxing ring, while coming out unscathed thanks to a defensive prop, could only mean that both the explosive prop and the defensive prop were at least A-level. Besides, "The other party has a time prop in hand. Do you, as a local big shot, really think you can suppress this dragon?"
Old He was unwilling, but he had to admit the reasoning was sound. The best way to deal with a player was to trap them first, and clearly Xu Huo and the Painting Woman couldn't be trapped. If they fought, they could wreak havoc in Harmony City however they pleased, then just leave without a care, while he and his people would have to pay an unknown price!
"Retreat..." Before Old He could finish giving the order, the surrounding space froze again. This time, the range was at least several times larger than before. Not only were the supporting players and government players frozen, but the nearby streets, along with the outer zone players in them, were all caught in the stopped time.
Startled, Old He tried to flee, but Xu Huo didn't give him the chance. He directly sealed him into "Mirror Space" and pulled him back to the ground.
The next second, they were face to face. With the "Harmonious Atmosphere" rendering Old He's props ineffective, Xu Huo dodged the other's two traits and continuously used Tangent and Black Blade to break through the opponent's defense barrier, cleanly piercing his chest.
When the Black Blade was pulled out, the frozen time was about to wear off. Shaking the blood off the blade, Xu Huo sheathed the Black Blade into his item slot and faced the other boxing ring players and the Harmony City government players, saying, "I won't leave Harmony City in the next two days. If anyone still wants to turn me and my friend into specimens, welcome to try."
The city was silent, as if only the wind remained.
"Let's go." Xu Huo turned to call the Painting Woman.
The Painting Woman crouched by Old He's corpse, a bit regretfully saying, "That guy earlier was blown to pieces. I was planning to hang his head on the wall."
"Why hang it on the wall?" Xu Huo asked as they walked.
"Because he was a pervert," the Painting Woman said matter-of-factly. "I've seen this kind of thing a lot. He wanted to sleep with me. If he wants to sleep with me and I don't want to, then he's a pervert. Perverts should be hung up, so they won't do it to others later."
"Very educational," Xu Huo said. "But since the head is gone, forget it."
The Painting Woman looked regretful. She still wanted to hang the only remaining corpse, but seeing that Xu Huo wasn't stopping, she followed along.
Only after they had gone far did the people around the boxing ring start moving again. Watching the boxing ring players flee in panic, someone from the government side asked, "Should we intervene?"
"Forget it," the squad leader waved his hand. "These people have been acting with impunity for a long time. Now that they've learned their lesson, they definitely won't let it go. Arrange for someone to keep an eye on those two players. Whoever causes trouble, escort them out of Harmony City. Our responsibility is to maintain the ruins; nothing else is our concern."
Knowing they were being followed, besides the Harmony City government and boxing ring people, there were also some outer zone players watching the excitement. They had been tailing Xu Huo and the Painting Woman since they left the boxing ring.
"Let's rest for a while." Xu Huo found a hotel and booked a room.
The Painting Woman bounced on the bed a few times, then walked to the window, pointing at the people outside tracking them. "Should we kill them all?"
"A bit annoying, but let's hold off for now," Xu Huo said. "We're going into the ruins tomorrow. If things get out of hand, people might see us out."
The Painting Woman nodded. "Can't come all this way for nothing."
Xu Huo lay down. "I'll take a nap. You play by yourself."
The Painting Woman said no problem, picked up the menu, and ordered fruit and ice cream to eat. Before long, she was drawn by something downstairs and quietly left the room.
Xu Huo didn't mind. He closed the curtains and rested with his eyes shut.
He only got up after half an hour of rest. Just then, the Painting Woman returned fully loaded. Glancing at the colorful food and trinkets in her hands, he said, "Probably not very tasty."
The Painting Woman shook her head with curved brows, raising her communicator. "They're delicious! I just tried them. They have fillings, lots of flavors."
As she spoke, she peeled off a dough-like candy and tossed it into her mouth. In less than three seconds, she spat it out, staring in surprise at what remained in her hand, as if wondering why something that had tasted so good just a moment ago had suddenly changed flavor.
"If it's not good, throw it away," Xu Huo said flatly. "Things people deliberately send your way aren't necessarily good things."
The Painting Woman didn't understand, but she didn't dwell on it. She just stubbornly tried every piece of food one by one. If it was bitter, she spat it out; otherwise, she happily swallowed it.
Xu Huo looked at her teeth, stained black by poison, and handed her a bottle of water.
"Want to try some?" the Painting Woman asked.
Absolutely not.