Chapter 2409: Let's Call Them Good People
"Nobody's in charge?" Xu Huo asked. "The atmosphere in Chunyi City seems pretty decent to me."
Before he entered the Fish Feast, the commercial street was still holding a celebration event.
"Can they actually control it?" Wu Xing said. "First of all, most of those taken are ordinary people—it's even hard to trace how they disappeared, so there's no way to get to the bottom of it. Second, the Fish Feast has a complicated background; when it involves them, even the government has to tread carefully."
She looked a bit embarrassed. "They got beaten badly before."
A single major war was enough to keep a district from recovering for decades. If the people behind the Fish Feast set their sights on District 001, it could easily bring catastrophic destruction. For those with connections and resources, wiping out a district might not be that difficult—it just depends on whether it's worth it or whether they're in the mood.
The cheapest way to occupy a district is actually right when it first begins to evolve. At that stage, there are entry restrictions, but that's only for ordinary players. For a regular player to get a cross-space teleportation item to enter a non-fully integrated district isn't easy. One channel is game rewards, like the "doorbell" Xu Huo obtained; another is buying from elsewhere. However, not every cross-space teleportation item or device has such strong targeting ability—few can open directly into an unintegrated district. Most space teleportation tools require an accurate coordinate when crossing districts or wormhole points, and that coordinate itself is a high threshold.
Miss that window, and once the number of players in a new district increases and their levels rise, occupying the district becomes uneconomical. Because conflict is inevitable in that process, and the more players who escape from the district, the more trouble there will be later on.
Of course, for those with absolute advantages like A-level wormhole points, timing doesn't matter. But a district's resource evolution is also tied to its evolution time and overall evolutionary strength. For example, instances and items that rely on civilization and population to emerge—if a district's population dies off massively, or even loses all its players, then the instance loses its value for reopening and eventually disappears.
For a powerful faction like an A-level wormhole point, forcibly controlling a district or a wormhole point is almost a waste of energy. It's easier to just let the district evolve freely; later wormhole points and districts become fodder for the game—and naturally, fodder for them as well.
The fact that District 001 suffered a war that nearly wiped it out must have had sufficient reasons, whether from the defenders or the invaders.
District 001 still hasn't recovered, which means heavy player losses and a subsequent drop in player quality. It's stuck in an awkward phase—in other words, they're a bone with not much meat on it. Hard to gnaw, but still possible to chew through if you're determined.
This forces the district government to consider things from multiple angles. The Fish Feast is a sensitive venue. A C-level wormhole point—they must already know that backdoors exist in the game. The game world's farming zones keep expanding and shrinking. If someone designates District 001 as a farming zone, then this district might truly have no future.
"Let's not talk about that." Wu Xing wiped the disappointment and helplessness from her face and turned to the rescued ordinary people. "Players like me can't even guarantee our own safety from one day to the next. If they stay here, their fate won't be any better. But sending them off to other districts rashly isn't easy either. They can only be entrusted to people with connections."
Xu Huo was slightly surprised. "There are people who specifically send residents of District 001 out?"
"Not specifically for that," Wu Xing said hesitantly. "Let's call them good people, for now."
Soon, Xu Huo met the so-called good people she mentioned.
Inside a low building on the edge of the city, several dozen people had already gathered, silently and devoutly waiting before a mottled black door.
Above the door hung some withered wreaths and woven grass animals, along with some whimsical nutshells or stones—clearly made by different hands. In the middle of these items sat a silver vase, polished to a shine, engraved with complex characters and patterns that seemed to carry some meaning. But the mouth of the vase was positioned directly under a drainage pipe, where water dripped down incessantly, and the bottle was catching it.
"They're all believers," Wu Xing said quietly. "But the person living inside is a doctor."
Before she could explain what kind of combination this was, the black door opened. An old man with white hair, wearing a brown robe, stepped out. He first smiled and accepted the food and small gifts brought by the "believers," then invited them inside to rest.
Inside was a very small hall. Judging by the decor, it had originally been a gathering place for some religion. But most of the symbolic items had been removed—either piled in corners or dismantled to make tables, chairs, or padding. There was a platform at the front. After the white-haired old man sat down, the people who had entered the hall began lining up on their own.
Xu Huo found a seat and watched the old man treat the patients.
The treatments included general consultations, simple check-ups, prescribing medicine, and psychological counseling. Some people had physical illnesses, some had mental issues, and some were simply believers who wanted to express their reverence and fervor for the old man.
For those who were sick, the old man handled them normally. For those who needed to vent as believers, he mainly listened, occasionally adding, "I haven't founded any sect, and I don't plan to. I have no religious faith, and I don't want to believe in the god you've created."
This was probably what Wu Xing meant by "good people."
But the old man wasn't working alone. There were four other people handling cleaning, dispensing medicine, and cooking. The one specifically handing out medicine to patients was a player.
Soon it was Xu Huo's turn. Wu Xing sat down across from the white-haired old man. "I heard you can help people cross over. I want to ask you to send a few unfortunate souls away."
The white-haired old man laughed at that. "Young lady, I don't believe in religion. I don't have that much faith power. You've come to the wrong place."
"No, I haven't." Wu Xing lowered her voice. "I know who you people are... I had a bit of a conflict with your people before, but after that, we've kept our distance. This time, I want to save people, not to scam anyone."
The white-haired old man shook his head. "If you're not sick, you should leave first."
Wu Xing gripped her item, considering whether to just release the people directly. Xu Huo stopped her. "Wait until the old gentleman is done."
Wu Xing was anxious and wanted to say more, but the next patient had already arrived. She had to stand up and quickly walk out of the hall.
Once outside, she said, "I should have let you handle it. I've made enemies with them. Seeing me, they probably won't help."
"How could that be?" Xu Huo said. "Didn't you say they were good people? They have a grudge against you, not against everyone else."