# Chapter 2644: An Important Piece of Information
"Forgive me for speaking frankly, but the likelihood of this box of yours containing a national heirloom treasure or clues to it is very low," Fei Jingyi said. "If the national heirloom treasure were a physical object, it could easily be transferred through the game platform without needing to be carried around."
"Similarly, clues can be easily transferred as well."
"Rather than using a high-tech box to create an air of mystery, the real clues should be as ordinary as possible. I'm more inclined to believe this is specifically meant for fishing."
He Liang's expression darkened slightly. "We'll only know if we open the box."
After all the effort they'd gone through to find this thing, how could they just give up?
Fei Jingyi expressed understanding and sought the opinions of the others.
"Actually, if the Isle Nation government is willing to help, we could save a lot of trouble," Xu Huo said.
Whether it was opening the box, verifying what that plaque Xiao Mei had seen actually was, or even following Wu Zishuang's lead to investigate further—once the Isle Nation government got involved, results would come quickly.
"Then should we take a gamble?" Fei Jingyi hesitated.
Wu Zishuang didn't want to cooperate with the government. He spoke first: "I'll wait for you outside."
"I'm not going either," Xiao Mei said, playing with the ends of her hair. "Forget about the government. They don't welcome outer zone players anyway."
In the end, it was decided that they and the Painting Woman would stay outside, while Xu Huo, Fei Jingyi, He Liang, and Fu Kuai would go in to negotiate with the Isle Nation government.
They approached with a cooperative mindset, so they first explained their intentions to the security personnel outside the government building. Without any change in expression, the other party directly led them into the government building.
The moment they stepped inside, their expressions shifted slightly, because they simultaneously realized that the main office building was using a Non-Game Area Simulator. After entering, they could no longer open their game panels or use any items.
"Don't worry, everyone. This is just for the safety of government personnel," the player leading the way said. "Once you've finished your business, you can leave on your own. We won't interfere."
"Are you taking us to see Lian Qingkong?" He Liang asked.
The expressionless person frowned upon hearing the Grand Archon's name spoken directly, then turned back to warn him. "Please mind your manners."
"Sorry," Fei Jingyi apologized immediately.
"We're here," the player said, stopping in front of a room deep in the first-floor corridor. Opening the door, he gestured for them to enter. "What you want is inside."
With that, the man left. Not only did he not mention whether Lian Qingkong would come to see them, but there wasn't even a single person in the room. The people in the office building all seemed busy with their own affairs, completely unconcerned about the arrival of a few outsiders.
Then a half-human-height robot moved out from the corner and invited them into the room.
After they entered, an instrument embedded in the table slowly rose, and then a deep, low voice echoed through the room.
"The Isle Nation government has no need for the national heirloom treasure. However, so that our friends who have traveled from afar won't have made the trip in vain, I have recorded this monologue in advance."
"The national heirloom treasure first appeared four hundred and eighty years ago during a period of civil strife within the country. It began as a casual remark between the ruler surnamed Gao and his friend Peng Guan. In the centuries that followed, neither the descendants of the Gao ruler nor those of Peng Guan participated in any further political struggles."
"Three hundred years ago, during a brief period of peace in the Isle Nation, there was an exceptionally large earthquake. The earthquake split open a mountain in the eastern part of the Isle Nation. At the time, the local military forces sent to survey the area discovered a secret training ground—a place where the Supreme God Cult trained their secret assassins."
"Later, through multiple verifications, it was determined that their method of training assassins resembled that of the ancient assassin clans. From this, the rulers of the time concluded that the descendants of Peng Guan had replaced the core members of the Supreme God Cult, becoming the 'national heirloom treasure' in a different form."
"However, after nearly thirty years of pursuit and extermination, the main forces of the Supreme God Cult were completely wiped out. From that point on, the notion of the 'national heirloom treasure' vanished from the nation's official records."
"The Square Tripod Round Fox Token and the Black Mercury Fire Flag were once the credentials of important members of this generation of the Supreme God Cult. These tokens and flags were later privately collected by the rulers."
"Twenty years ago, all deceased members of the Supreme God Tribunal underwent genetic comparison with the descendants of Peng Guan from over three hundred years ago. No familial relationship was found."
"When the previous Grand Archon was ousted from power, he did indeed seek help from the Supreme God Tribunal. However, the followers of the Supreme God Tribunal lacked the strength to participate in player wars. After refusing to help, they were silenced by Gao Hui. Those who protected Gao Hui's escape from the capital were members of the power class whose interests aligned with his. The Supreme God Cult was not involved."
"Gao Hui is also unrelated to the Gao ruler of four hundred years ago. The bloodline succession of rulers in the Isle Nation throughout history has never exceeded three generations. With each dynastic change, the blood relatives of the previous ruler were almost entirely wiped out. Those who shared the same surname but were not blood relatives all changed their surnames. Later, the famous surnames that appeared among government personnel were mostly based on regional changes. Gao Hui and the Gao ruler of four hundred years ago share the same birthplace. His original surname was Dou."
"All followers of the Supreme God Tribunal have been confirmed dead. Any player organizations that later mentioned Tribunal followers were impostors. The same applies to the national heirloom treasure. The tokens and flags they used to prove they possessed the national heirloom treasure were also national cultural relics that had been lost through various channels."
"Over eighty percent of the publicly known assassination incidents were internal struggles among player organizations. For more than fifty percent of these, the government has already identified the perpetrators but has not made it public."
"The high-price bounty warrant issued by the government was aimed at a batch of advanced items and instruments accumulated by the nation that Gao Hui took with him. However, more than ten years ago, the players responsible for the investigation confirmed that these items and instruments had already been distributed by Gao Hui. A small portion has been recovered, but most have been lost. Among them, there is no object that can prove the legitimacy of the current government's regime."
"Throughout history, the Isle Nation has experienced frequent changes of power. There has never been any universally recognized token or credential representing legitimacy. Even if such a thing existed, it would be useless now."
"Additionally, Gao Hui died fifteen years ago. His remains have been recovered."
The recording ended there. They had obtained all the key information they needed to know—and some they probably shouldn't have—but this conclusion was not what they wanted.
"That's it?" He Liang was confused. "If it's all just this inconsequential information, why waste the time?"
This recording explained several things.
First, the previous Grand Archon Gao Hui was already dead. The bounty was for the lost items and instruments, not for any token or national heirloom treasure.
Second, the Supreme God Cult lacked the strength to participate in the player war twenty years ago, so naturally they weren't involved. The Tribunal's followers were completely wiped out. Therefore, any player organizations that later claimed to have found the national heirloom treasure were just creating diversions.
Third, the assassination incidents targeting players who claimed to have found the "national heirloom treasure" were mostly internal struggles. They didn't actually have the "national heirloom treasure," so the assassins couldn't have taken it.
Fourth, in the cultural heritage of the Isle Nation, there was no single power token with significant influence. The conditions for the birth of a so-called "national heirloom treasure" simply didn't exist. Tokens, flags, or any other possible historical artifacts were just artifacts.
"If there's no such treasure, then how did this instance come into being?" He Liang naturally didn't believe it.
"If it's not a concrete object, then what could possibly stabilize the fragmented Isle Nation quickly?" Fei Jingyi pondered. "Unless it's a person with absolute power, or a token that can mobilize such a person."
"Whether it's a person or a thing, besides Gao Hui, only Lian Qingkong would know the truth. And they say Gao Hui is already dead. Doesn't that mean we can only find the answer from the government?" He Liang's expression turned grim. "If there really were such a player, would player organizations still be provoking the government every now and then?"
Judging from the current situation and the results after twenty years, the treasure made no sense whether it was an object or a person. But this recording had revealed one important piece of information.