Chapter 2407: A Small Matter to Handle
Under Lan Huaixie's enthusiastic explanation, Xu Huo and the others became interested in his family's factory and agreed to visit it the next day.
"This Young Master Lan is unusually enthusiastic," the female player said in a low voice after Lan Huaixie left. "It's rare to meet someone who's willing to lay out all their family's cards like that."
"Players like us are also part of their sales targets," the fat player said. "Even if we know his family's in the weapons business, it's not like we can just go rob them, right?"
"That's true," the female player smiled. "Anyone who can run a weapons business can't be weak."
They were merely passing acquaintances with no real connection, so after exchanging a few perfunctory words, they each returned to their rooms.
The night passed peacefully, with no one from the Fish Feast pursuing them.
Early the next morning, Lan Huaixie had breakfast prepared in advance. "These are all local specialties. See if they suit your tastes."
Regardless of what had happened before, his thoughtfulness was still appreciated. After breakfast, they took a car to the factory.
"Flight in the core city of Zone 001 requires advance application. To save time, we'll use ground transportation for daily travel," Lan Huaixie said.
The car drove from the villa district into the bustling city center, then through it to the factory area designated by the city.
Factories stood everywhere, most of them using special anti-peep materials for their exteriors. Security was extremely tight—not only were there several times more surveillance cameras than elsewhere in the city, but the number of players also surged. Every time the car passed a factory gate, they were subjected to concentrated monitoring.
"Could it be that this entire area is in the weapons business?" the fat player couldn't help asking at the sight.
Lan Huaixie just smiled. "This whole area is my family's factory."
The carriage fell silent for a second. Just then, they arrived at their destination. The car stopped, and several players who had been waiting approached. They greeted Lan Huaixie first, then nodded to Xu Huo and the others.
It seemed Lan Huaixie often brought people for tours, so they showed no interest in the visitors' identities. Following procedure, they introduced some newly acquired machinery, the factory's technological innovations, and demonstrated some assembled weapons.
Xu Huo tried a few. "They're good, but unfortunately, they can't be carried."
Most thermal weapons were not allowed in the item slot or luggage compartment, even if disassembled. This district's weapon innovations were still far behind the Platinum Eye, so there were no weapons that could be stored in the luggage compartment.
The fat player lovingly touched a pistol. "Even if they can't be carried, they can circulate within the district. If you have the right channels, you could sell them at a high price."
The female player was more straightforward. "I'm not interested in things I can't use."
After evolution, most districts no longer banned thermal weapons, or rather, they couldn't effectively ban them. To save on item wear and tear and to circumvent some districts' restrictions on items, it was normal for players to buy thermal weapons. However, some players gradually abandoned this option due to thermal weapon limitations and their lack of flexibility compared to items, especially after their strength increased.
Of course, weapons with absolute killing power were another matter.
In short, for powerful players, thermal weapons were a chicken rib—useless but hard to abandon.
Xu Huo, however, was interested in buying a couple.
"The ones you've chosen are already updated products. There are two to three generations of replacements behind them. Why not look at those?" Lan Huaixie was surprised by his choice.
"No need," Xu Huo said. "I'm just buying them for fun."
"I want this one," the Painting Woman said, pointing at an armed aircraft nearby.
"Miss has good taste. This is the factory's latest imitation weapon, almost a one-to-one replica of the original. The only drawback is that its targeting isn't as precise," the accompanying technician immediately said.
"With such a big factory, you still need to imitate others' weapons?" the female player laughed.
Lan Huaixie replied, "Weapon development is a secret in any district. It's hard for anyone to selflessly provide manufacturing technology, so we can only buy a couple of pieces and figure them out ourselves."
"Although the originals are better, my prices are cheaper."
"That makes sense," the fat player chimed in. "The game and those big weapon manufacturing companies have a monopoly on technology. They won't even let the people behind them have a sip of soup. What's wrong with learning to make a few weapons?"
"Besides, not everyone can afford the big companies' weapons."
Just look at the cross-space teleportation devices. After the game company's monopoly, even if districts spent money to buy such devices, they were consumables. Good ones could be used a few times; bad ones broke after one use. But technology couldn't keep up, which gave monopolists like Stellar Corporation absolute say—a say that went far beyond commodity trading.
"Unfortunately, I have neither the money nor the technology. Otherwise, I'd want to do it too," the fat player said, his eyes still glued to the pistol. "If items and devices ever become useless, I'll pick up a gun and give the game a burst! Let them see what real guts look like!"
"I didn't know you had such ambition," the female player said appreciatively. "I thought you only cared about small gains."
"If you don't take advantage when you can, you're an idiot," the fat player chuckled, leaning in. "Beautiful, if you have any business connections, think of me too. I just want to earn a little handling fee to support my family..."
Listening to their conversation, Lan Huaixie smiled. "In the game, even places that restrict items are rare. How could there be a situation where items and devices all fail?"
Xu Huo just listened without responding.
After about two hours, the group finished the tour. Leaving the factory, the fat player and the female player prepared to depart. They hadn't been Lan Huaixie's main invitees anyway—they had only tagged along to escape the Fish Feast pursuers.
Xu Huo, however, intended to stay with Lan Huaixie for a couple more days, but he had some urgent business to attend to first.
"If you don't need to handle it personally, I can do it for you," Lan Huaixie offered.
Xu Huo declined his kindness, promising to return once his business was done. Only then did Lan Huaixie see him off.
An hour later, on a high floor of a leisure building in Chunyi City, the decorations and furnishings that once symbolized wealth and status were now smashed to pieces by corpses. Several large holes had been punched through the walls, and all the floor-to-ceiling windows on the outer side were shattered. On the debris-covered floor, a blood-soaked woman struggled desperately.
Unfortunately, her limbs were broken. Her well-maintained but now scarred hands barely gripped the corner of an office desk, but despite using all her strength, she couldn't move forward an inch.
Xu Huo walked out from the center of the room, removing his blood-stained black gloves. He then picked up a toppled chair, grabbed a pen and paper, and sat down. "Now, let's have a proper chat about my earlier question."
"Who is the true owner of this building?"
Happy National Day! O(∩_∩)O