Chapter 2142: I Will Visit Again
"The game is weakening humanity! Ordinary people are nourishment, both experimental consumables and weapons to balance the game world. As for the elites among humans—players, low-level players are consumed by instances and xenomorphs, while high-level players have their will worn down, making them abandon the pursuit of human limits. In this way, whether ordinary people or players, as long as the game needs it, they can be turned into consumables, into nutrients, into worthless things kicked aside!"
"Not to mention the aftereffects of evolution, which can kill even super players. Do you understand?! If this continues, ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years, humanity will never escape the control of those who made the game! We are just livestock being raised!"
The room was very quiet. Aside from Dr. Dian's rapid breathing, there was almost no sound from another person. After venting, Dr. Dian seemed to come to his senses a bit. He was shocked and regretful, but before he could make amends, the auxiliary robot beside him placed the cup he had sent flying back onto the table.
The intact cup of water was like a bucket of cold water poured over his head. Dr. Dian looked up, lost and out of control. Though his eyes were fixed on the ceiling, his slumped shoulders and heavy breath seemed to drag him down to the bottom of the water.
"Crack!" The cup shattered into several pieces in the manager's hand. Dr. Dian lowered his head and saw the person opposite him reveal a smile. At that moment, he belatedly realized that both he and the other person had problems.
Xu Huo, disguised as the manager, raised his hand to signal him to calm down, then said to the auxiliary robot beside him, "Please wait outside the door."
"I am a secretary robot dedicated to Dr. Dian Qiuzhen. Your command requires Dr. Dian's authorization."
"Get out." Dr. Dian said expressionlessly.
"Understood. May I ask, Doctor, is your command directed at me or the other staff member? If it is the latter, I will assist you in escorting him out of the office." The auxiliary robot continued.
"You, robot, get out. Do two thousand push-ups at the door." Dr. Dian repeated and added.
"Understood." The robot walked out of the room and thoughtfully closed the door.
"Who are you?" Dr. Dian finally stared at Xu Huo and asked.
"Just someone passing through." Xu Huo sat down on his own and gestured for him to sit as well. "We have no prior connection."
"Are you an instance player? An instance related to Stellar Pharmaceuticals?" Dr. Dian frowned.
"Not at that level yet." Xu Huo stared at his face. "I'm just looking for a stolen declaration."
Dr. Dian was not very good at hiding his emotions, so Xu Huo easily caught his abnormality and cut straight to the point. "Were you involved?"
Dr. Dian turned the tables. "You don't really think that randomly bumping into someone would just happen to be the key to clearing the instance, do you?"
"Not really," Xu Huo said calmly. "Whether I clear the instance or not isn't that important to me."
Dr. Dian didn't take this seriously. Instead, he said, "If you're trying to get information through threats or potions, I suggest you leave quickly. Things are about to wrap up at the square. The barrier of Double-Bright Bird Pharmaceuticals will be repaired soon. This is a Stellar branch. If you don't leave now, you won't be able to."
Xu Huo acted as if he didn't care, instead bringing up their previous conversation. "I've been to many zones. Some zones can barely protect themselves, so naturally they don't have the energy to look ahead to humanity's future. Other zones are powerful enough that, compared to the worse-off, they think maintaining the status quo is better. Your words aren't wrong, and since you work at Stellar Corporation, you know more inside information than most. But no one wants to believe you."
"I'm just a bit curious. Someone like you, who talks about humanity's future at every turn, what do you think about this zone's people wiping out other zones?"
Dr. Dian seemed to be hit in a sore spot. The veins on both sides of his forehead bulged before he gritted out, "That's not something I can control."
"Makes sense." Xu Huo nodded. "Then let me ask another question."
"A player you know. Your relationship is average, but you know him. He was born and raised in Zone 008 and is absolutely loyal to it. However, not long ago, he participated in an unjust operation to annihilate another zone. If someone wants to retaliate and kill him, which side would you stand on?"
"Actions have consequences. Life and death are fated." Dr. Dian replied in a muffled voice.
"And what if the duel between these two people affects the survival of Zone 008?"
Dr. Dian had also calmed down. He stared at Xu Huo. "If it were you, would you stand against your own country for the sake of justice? Don't ask these unrealistic questions. What are you really trying to say?"
"It's a bit difficult to strike against your own country for justice. But what about striking against another zone for the future of humanity? That shouldn't be too hard, right?" Xu Huo looked at the person opposite him. "I don't know what kind of declaration it is, but it's worth killing so many innocent ordinary people. I think there must be a standard of measurement between human lives and secrets. There are no saints in this world."
Dr. Dian smiled slowly. "You think I must be connected to that murderous declaration, that even if I'm not a participant, I must know the inside story. But your plan has failed. I don't know anything about the declaration. The only reason I'm still sitting here talking to you is to tell you one thing: in my opinion, Zone 008 has no future. But even if it has no future, it's not a place where players from other zones can do whatever they want. The people who died in the square are proof. At least at this stage, even ordinary high-level players have to behave themselves here."
Xu Huo knew that Dr. Dian had activated a protective device at the beginning of their conversation. At the same time, he had a signal device on him. Whether it was destroyed or the signal was interrupted, the armed robots in the building would soon receive orders to come and check—this was the confidence ordinary people in Zone 008 had when facing players.
"Noble ideals and selfish human nature are not absolutely opposed," Dr. Dian said. "There are indeed no saints in this world. Otherwise, those at the forefront of humanity who created the dimensional cracks wouldn't be consuming players so freely. They might want to create a world without disease, where everyone is strong, but this world can't have too many people."
"This conversation has been very meaningful to me." Xu Huo stood up to take his leave. "I will visit again."
This surprised Dr. Dian a little, but he didn't say anything.
Leaving Double-Bright Bird Pharmaceuticals, Xu Huo came out to meet up with Zhao Zizhen.
"Any gains?" Zhao Zizhen asked, then added, "Things have calmed down at the square. The bodies of the outer zone players were publicly taken away by the enforcement team, a bit of a warning. The blockade barrier has been lifted, but most of the people around have dispersed. The Tian family left clean and early."
Xu Huo looked into the distance. "Less than half an hour, and it's as if nothing ever happened."
(End of Chapter)