Chapter 2173: The Androgynous Kingdom
The moment Xu Huo stepped into the city, he felt an indescribable sense of strangeness.
The streets were clean and orderly, the buildings neat and tidy, and the pedestrians on the road were all neatly dressed, their expressions calm, not at all like the chaotic scene he had imagined.
But what was strange was that everyone walking on the street was androgynous.
That is, they had both male and female characteristics.
Some had male faces but female bodies, some had female faces but male bodies, and some were completely androgynous, making it impossible to tell their gender at a glance.
Xu Huo frowned slightly. He looked down at himself and found that he had also become androgynous.
He was still wearing the clothes he had before entering the copy, but his body had undergone obvious changes. His chest had become fuller, his waist had become slimmer, and his voice had become softer.
"What's going on?" Xu Huo muttered to himself, his voice indeed becoming much gentler.
He tried to use his super evolution power, but found that his power had been suppressed, and he could only use a small part of it.
"This copy is really interesting." Xu Huo curled his lips, revealing a meaningful smile.
He walked along the street, observing the surroundings. The shops on both sides of the street were still open, selling all kinds of daily necessities, but the goods were all androgynous.
For example, the clothes in the clothing store were all unisex, and the cosmetics in the cosmetics store were all unisex.
"Sir, would you like to buy some clothes?" a shop assistant greeted him warmly.
Xu Huo glanced at the shop assistant and found that he was also androgynous, with a male face but a female body, wearing a tight-fitting dress, looking very strange.
"No, thank you." Xu Huo shook his head and continued walking forward.
He walked for a while and came to a square. There was a huge statue in the center of the square, which was a perfect androgynous figure, half male and half female, with a mysterious smile on its face.
"This should be the god worshipped in this city." Xu Huo thought to himself.
He walked around the square and found a notice board with some information posted on it.
He walked over and took a look, and found that it was the rules of this city.
"City Rules:
1. All residents must maintain an androgynous state. Anyone who violates this rule will be severely punished.
2. Men and women are not allowed to fall in love. Anyone who violates this rule will be executed.
3. All residents must worship the androgynous god. Anyone who violates this rule will be expelled from the city.
4. ..."
Xu Huo read the rules one by one, and the more he read, the more surprised he became.
This city actually forbids men and women from falling in love, and forces everyone to be androgynous. This is simply against human nature.
"No wonder this copy is called the 'Androgynous Kingdom'. It turns out that this is the case." Xu Huo muttered to himself.
He continued to look down and found that there were some other rules at the bottom of the notice board, such as that players must complete tasks within the specified time, otherwise they will be eliminated.
"Task: Find the true meaning of the androgynous kingdom and break the curse of this city."
Xu Huo memorized the task and then turned and left the square.
He planned to first find a place to stay and then slowly investigate the secrets of this city.
He walked along the street and soon found a hotel. He walked in and found that the hotel lobby was very spacious, with a few guests sitting on the sofa, all androgynous.
"Sir, do you need a room?" the front desk clerk asked with a smile.
"Yes, give me a single room." Xu Huo said.
"Okay, please wait a moment." The front desk clerk quickly went through the formalities for him and handed him a room card.
Xu Huo took the room card and walked toward the elevator. When he passed by the sofa, he heard a few guests whispering.
"Did you hear that? Another player was caught."
"Really? Where was he caught?"
"In the underground passage of the city lord's mansion. It is said that he was trying to sneak into the city lord's mansion to steal something, but was discovered by the guards."
"That player is really bold. The city lord's mansion is a forbidden area. Ordinary people can't even get close, let alone sneak in."
"Yeah, I guess he's dead for sure."
Xu Huo's heart moved when he heard this. The city lord's mansion? Underground passage? This might be a clue.
He kept this information in mind and then took the elevator to his room.
After entering the room, Xu Huo first checked the surroundings to make sure there were no monitoring devices, then sat down on the bed and began to think.
The rules of this city are very strict, and the players' powers are suppressed. It is obviously not easy to complete the task.
He needs to find a breakthrough first.
"The city lord's mansion... underground passage..." Xu Huo muttered to himself, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes.
He decided to go to the city lord's mansion tonight to find out.
Time passed quickly, and it was night in the blink of an eye.
Xu Huo changed into a black night suit, quietly left the hotel, and headed toward the city lord's mansion.
The city lord's mansion was located in the center of the city, a magnificent building surrounded by high walls, with guards patrolling back and forth.
Xu Huo hid in the shadows, observing the patrol pattern of the guards, and found an opportunity to sneak in.
He moved lightly and quickly, shuttling through the darkness, avoiding the guards' sight, and soon arrived at the back garden of the city lord's mansion.
The back garden was very large, with all kinds of strange flowers and plants planted in it, exuding a strange fragrance.
Xu Huo held his breath, afraid of being affected by the fragrance.
He searched in the back garden and soon found the entrance to the underground passage.
The entrance was hidden behind a rockery, covered by vines, and if you didn't look carefully, you wouldn't notice it at all.
Xu Huo gently pushed aside the vines and revealed a dark entrance.
He took a deep breath, then carefully walked in.
The passage was very narrow, barely allowing one person to pass. The walls on both sides were covered with moss, giving off a damp smell.
Xu Huo walked forward cautiously, his hand holding a flashlight to illuminate the road ahead.
He walked for about ten minutes and suddenly heard a faint voice coming from ahead.
He immediately turned off the flashlight and pressed himself against the wall, listening carefully.
"...Have you found that player?"
"Not yet, but he has been seriously injured and can't run far."
"Keep searching. We must find him before dawn, or the city lord will blame us."
"Yes!"
Xu Huo's heart tightened when he heard this. It seemed that the player who was caught earlier had escaped, and the guards were searching for him.
He continued to move forward and soon came to an open space. There was a stone door in the open space, with some strange runes carved on it.
Xu Huo walked up to the stone door and examined it carefully, but couldn't understand what the runes meant.
He tried to push the stone door, but it didn't budge.
"It seems that some special method is needed to open this stone door." Xu Huo muttered to himself.
He looked around and found a stone tablet not far away with some words engraved on it.
He walked over and took a look, and found that it was a description of the androgynous god.
"Androgynous God: The creator of all things, the master of yin and yang, the embodiment of male and female, the source of life..."
Xu Huo read the text on the stone tablet, and the more he read, the more shocked he became.
It turned out that this androgynous god was actually the creator of this world, possessing infinite power.
"Could it be that the curse of this city is related to this androgynous god?" Xu Huo thought to himself.
He continued to look down and found that there was a line of small words at the bottom of the stone tablet: "Only those who truly understand the meaning of androgyny can open the stone door and gain the power of the god."
Xu Huo fell into deep thought upon hearing this.
The meaning of androgyny... what exactly does that mean?
He thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out.
Just then, he suddenly heard footsteps coming from behind. He turned around and saw a group of guards rushing over.
"Found him! He's here!" the leading guard shouted.
Xu Huo's expression changed, and he immediately turned around and ran.
But the passage was too narrow, and he couldn't run fast. Soon, he was caught up by the guards.
"Stop right there!" the guards shouted.
Xu Huo gritted his teeth, turned around, and threw a punch at the leading guard.
Although his power was suppressed, his physical fitness was still there. This punch was extremely fast and fierce, directly knocking the guard back several steps.
"Damn it, he still has some strength!" the guard shouted angrily.
The other guards immediately swarmed forward, attacking Xu Huo together.
Xu Huo fought and retreated, but he was outnumbered and soon fell into a bitter fight.
Just then, a figure suddenly flashed out from the darkness, grabbed Xu Huo, and disappeared into the darkness.
The guards were stunned for a moment, and when they came to their senses, Xu Huo had already disappeared without a trace.
"Damn it, let him run away!" the leading guard said angrily.
"Captain, what should we do now?" a guard asked.
"Continue searching! We must find him!" the leading guard ordered.
Meanwhile, Xu Huo was taken by that figure to a secret room.
"Who are you?" Xu Huo looked at the person who saved him warily.
The man took off his mask, revealing an androgynous face.
"My name is Lin Feng, and I am also a player." the man said.
"Player?" Xu Huo was slightly startled, then relaxed a little.
"Yes, I entered this copy a few days earlier than you." Lin Feng said, "I know the secrets of this city very well."
"Then do you know how to break the curse?" Xu Huo asked.
Lin Feng nodded, "I know, but it's very dangerous."
"What method?" Xu Huo asked urgently.
"Find the core of the androgynous god and destroy it." Lin Feng said, "The core is hidden in the deepest part of the city lord's mansion, guarded by the city lord himself."
"The city lord?" Xu Huo frowned, "Is the city lord very strong?"
"Very strong." Lin Feng said solemnly, "He is the incarnation of the androgynous god, possessing unimaginable power."
"Then what should we do?" Xu Huo asked.
"Join forces." Lin Feng said, "I have already found a way to sneak into the city lord's mansion, but I need a helper."
"Okay." Xu Huo agreed without hesitation.
The two then began to discuss the plan in detail.
They decided to take action tomorrow night, taking advantage of the city lord's absence to sneak into the city lord's mansion and destroy the core.
Time passed quickly, and it was night again the next day.
Xu Huo and Lin Feng put on night clothes, quietly left the secret room, and headed toward the city lord's mansion.
They moved through the darkness, avoiding the guards' patrols, and soon arrived outside the city lord's mansion.
"Follow me." Lin Feng whispered, leading Xu Huo to a hidden corner.
He gently pushed aside a clump of weeds, revealing a small hole.
"This is a secret passage I found. It leads directly to the interior of the city lord's mansion." Lin Feng said.
The two then crawled into the hole one after the other.
The passage was very narrow and dark, and they could only move forward by touch.
They crawled for about ten minutes and finally came out of the passage.
They found themselves in a spacious hall, with all kinds of strange instruments placed around.
"This is the laboratory of the city lord's mansion." Lin Feng said in a low voice, "The core should be in the deepest part."
The two carefully moved forward, avoiding the patrolling guards.
They passed through several rooms and finally came to a heavy iron door.
"This is it." Lin Feng said, "Behind this iron door is the core."
"How do we open it?" Xu Huo asked.
"Use the power of androgyny." Lin Feng said, "Only those who truly understand the meaning of androgyny can open this door."
Xu Huo fell into deep thought upon hearing this.
The meaning of androgyny... he seemed to have some understanding.
He closed his eyes, feeling the changes in his body.
He was now androgynous, possessing both male and female characteristics.
This was not a curse, but a gift.
It allowed him to understand the world from a different perspective, to feel the unity of yin and yang.
He opened his eyes, a flash of understanding in his gaze.
"I see." Xu Huo said softly.
He walked up to the iron door, stretched out his hand, and gently pressed it on the door.
The next moment, the iron door emitted a dazzling light, then slowly opened.
Lin Feng looked at Xu Huo in surprise, "You... you actually opened it?"
Xu Huo smiled slightly, "I finally understand the true meaning of androgyny."
The two walked into the iron door and saw a huge crystal ball in the center of the room, emitting a strange light.
"This is the core of the androgynous god." Lin Feng said.
Xu Huo walked up to the crystal ball and stretched out his hand to touch it.
The moment his finger touched the crystal ball, a powerful force surged into his body.
He felt his body begin to change, and the androgynous characteristics gradually faded, returning to his original appearance.
"Success!" Lin Feng said excitedly.
But at that moment, a furious roar suddenly came from behind them.
"Damn it! How dare you destroy the core!"
The two turned around and saw a tall figure rushing toward them.
It was the city lord!
"Run!" Lin Feng shouted, pulling Xu Huo and running outside.
But the city lord's speed was too fast, and in the blink of an eye, he caught up with them.
"Die!" the city lord roared, striking at them with a palm.
Xu Huo's expression changed, and he immediately pushed Lin Feng away, then turned around to meet the attack.
A loud noise shook the air, and Xu Huo flew backward, heavily crashing into the wall.
"Xu Huo!" Lin Feng shouted anxiously.
"I'm fine." Xu Huo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stood up.
He looked at the city lord, a determined light flashing in his eyes.
"Lin Feng, you go first, I'll hold him off."
"No!" Lin Feng shook his head, "I'm not leaving you behind."
"Don't be stubborn." Xu Huo said, "If you don't leave, we'll both die here."
"But..."
"No buts!" Xu Huo interrupted him, "Go quickly! I have a way to escape."
Lin Feng gritted his teeth, finally nodded, turned around, and ran outside.
"Where do you think you're going!" The city lord wanted to chase after him, but Xu Huo blocked his way.
"Your opponent is me." Xu Huo said coldly.
"You're looking for death!" The city lord roared angrily and attacked Xu Huo again.
Xu Huo fought with all his might, but his strength was far inferior to the city lord's, and he was soon at a disadvantage.
Just when he was about to be unable to hold on, a dazzling light suddenly burst out from behind him.
He turned around and saw Lin Feng holding a strange weapon, pointing it at the city lord.
"Xu Huo, dodge!" Lin Feng shouted.
Xu Huo immediately jumped to the side, and the next moment, a beam of light shot out from the weapon, directly hitting the city lord.
The city lord let out a miserable scream, and his body began to twist and deform, eventually turning into a pool of black liquid.
"Success!" Lin Feng said excitedly.
Xu Huo breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to Lin Feng, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Lin Feng smiled, "We're teammates."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
At this moment, the entire city lord's mansion began to shake, and the walls cracked one after another.
"Not good, this place is going to collapse!" Lin Feng's expression changed.
"Let's go!" Xu Huo grabbed Lin Feng and rushed outside.
They ran wildly in the collapsing mansion, dodging falling debris.
Just as they were about to rush out of the mansion, a huge stone suddenly fell from above, heading straight for them.
"Watch out!" Lin Feng pushed Xu Huo away, but he was unable to dodge in time and was crushed by the stone.
"Lin Feng!" Xu Huo shouted in pain.
"Go... go quickly..." Lin Feng said weakly, "Don't worry about me..."
"No!" Xu Huo shook his head, tears streaming down his face, "I won't leave you!"
"Don't be foolish..." Lin Feng smiled, "If you don't leave, we'll both die here... You have to live... and complete the mission..."
After saying that, Lin Feng closed his eyes.
"Lin Feng!" Xu Huo roared, but it was too late.
He knelt on the ground, holding Lin Feng's body, tears falling like rain.
At this moment, the entire mansion completely collapsed, burying them in the rubble.
When Xu Huo woke up again, he found himself lying in a white room.
He struggled to sit up and looked around, finding that this was a hospital room.
"You're awake." A nurse walked in and said with a smile.
"Where is this?" Xu Huo asked hoarsely.
"This is the hospital in the safe zone." The nurse said, "You were rescued by the rescue team."
"Lin Feng... where is he?" Xu Huo asked.
The nurse's expression darkened, "He... he didn't make it."
Xu Huo was silent for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes.
He knew that Lin Feng had used his life to save him.
He would never forget this kindness.
He would live well and complete the mission, living for Lin Feng as well.