Chapter 2666: Truly, One Grows Old
"Once your vote is over, will there be any room left for us?" A middle-aged man stood up from the crowd and projected his terminal into the air. The screen showed a battle scene involving several players. No matter how the perspective shifted, the focus remained on two individuals constantly dealing with player attacks.
The middle-aged man pointed at one of them, Dai He, and said, "This is one of your government people, isn't it? You sent them out to retrieve the National Heirloom Treasure, didn't you?"
"Now the news is spreading everywhere—they've already found the National Heirloom Treasure."
The stranded players from the outer zones no longer cared whether the National Heirloom Treasure could help Lian Qingkong and the Isle Nation Government weather the crisis, or what kind of forces or players it could mobilize. They only cared whether the treasure had truly been found.
Lian Qingkong withdrew his gaze from the screen. "If the government could find the National Heirloom Treasure, we wouldn't have waited until now."
"And what about this person?" the middle-aged man pressed further. "He's a government player!"
"Watch your tone." The short-haired female player shot him a cold glare.
The few players guarding Lian Qingkong were obviously top-tier talents trained by the government. Besides, the government had already reached agreements with most of the players present. Under such public scrutiny, it wasn't the place for stranded outer-zone players to interrogate them.
The middle-aged man chuckled. "We just want to get the facts straight. This concerns the lives of so many people. Though neither side has any intention of a long-term partnership, since things have come to this, we should naturally choose a plan that benefits both parties."
"In your opinion, what would be a plan that benefits both parties?" Lian Qingkong gestured for the short-haired woman to step back and asked patiently.
"Of course, it would be for the National Heirloom Treasure to remain lost." The middle-aged man turned to address the other local players present. "As long as the National Heirloom Treasure doesn't appear, the instance won't disappear, and the Isle Nation players won't have to worry about someone suddenly showing up in the future, claiming their find is the legitimate one. This benefits everyone."
"Sounds like it benefits you more," someone sneered. "No matter who finds the National Heirloom Treasure, it's still something that belongs to us Isle Nation people!"
The middle-aged man was unperturbed. "Forgive me for saying this, but Elder Lian is very capable. Yet why hasn't the Isle Nation stabilized in the past twenty years? Isn't it because people keep trying to overthrow the government under various pretexts?"
"Is the new core government team going to repeat the last twenty years once it's formed?"
Several player organizations present had already been designated to join the government. As soon-to-be power holders, they naturally didn't want to end up like Lian Qingkong, endlessly cleaning up the messes caused by troublesome players.
"What he found might not be the real National Heirloom Treasure," an older local female player said. "Over the years, there have been plenty of incidents where people fought over false leads."
"But what if it is real?" The middle-aged man's face darkened. "If you all don't take the safety of us outer-zone players seriously, don't blame us for dragging others down with us!"
The stranded players had already revealed their items. They had come prepared and didn't intend to drag out the fight, so they had brought highly destructive explosive items and devices—enough to level the entire city center.
The Isle Nation players tensed up as well. There was no helping it—most of the stranded outer-zone players here were at least B-rank. The overall strength of Isle Nation players was average, with only a handful of top-tier players. If a real fight broke out, they would definitely be at a disadvantage!
"Elder Lian, what do you say?" The middle-aged man looked at Lian Qingkong.
"The Isle Nation has come this far solely because of the efforts of its people. Whether the National Heirloom Treasure exists or not cannot change the will of the nation." Lian Qingkong's aged but sharp eyes swept over the players surrounding him one by one. He nodded as if with satisfaction before continuing, "The government ended its search for the National Heirloom Treasure fifteen years ago. But if outsiders want to look for it, we are powerless to stop them."
"If you believe that is the real National Heirloom Treasure, you can kill that player and take what he found for yourself. The Isle Nation Government will not interfere."
"Not interfere?" The middle-aged man sneered, projecting more footage into the air—all battle records from the past few days. It was clear that besides Xu Huo and his group, others had also gotten involved, and in considerable numbers, with very similar fighting styles. Could these really all be outer-zone players?
"Whether it's people sent by the government or the hidden forces behind the National Heirloom Treasure, I advise you to get them out of here quickly. Our people are stationed at various locations in the Capital City. If that player surnamed Xu sets foot in the Capital City, today's matter will not end peacefully!"
The atmosphere inside and outside the sanatorium froze. Everyone's attention involuntarily turned to Lian Qingkong.
Lian Qingkong wasn't dead yet. Unless absolutely necessary, the other player organizations didn't want to charge in first. Besides, they wanted to see if this dying Grand Archon had truly reached the point of no return.
"In over a decade of governance, no player has ever dared to threaten me to my face. Yet in the past few days, I've encountered so many at once. Truly, one grows old." The old man leaning against the hospital bed still appeared weak, but his aura suddenly shifted. His earlier yielding demeanor vanished completely, replaced by a thick, murderous intent.
The moment he spoke, the entire sanatorium was suddenly sealed off by several barriers. Not only were the inside and outside cut off, but items and devices also instantly failed. Of the five players who had been standing by Lian Qingkong's side, four stepped forward. They drew their melee items and lunged at the stranded players!
The stranded players had come in large numbers. Even though the four players held many of them back, there were still enough to surround the hospital bed.
The players who were already in the sanatorium naturally couldn't let Lian Qingkong die at the hands of outer-zone players. Some immediately moved to intercept. Chaos erupted in an instant. But then, someone shouted, "Elder Lian, I'll protect you!" and charged toward the bed!
"Liu Feng, what are you doing!" The nearby local players were startled, but it was too late to turn back. They could only watch helplessly as the man closed in on Lian Qingkong.
No one knew whether Lian Qingkong still had the ability to defend himself. But with player panels and devices blocked, no one dared to gamble. If Lian Qingkong were killed by a local player in front of so many people, it would inevitably lead to unimaginable disaster—a Grand Archon who had guarded the nation for twenty years dying at the hands of his own people while delivering his final words. What credibility would the future government have?
But at that moment, the unassuming, scholarly young man who had been silently standing behind Lian Qingkong moved. He first adjusted his glasses, then clasped his hands together and swept them toward Liu Feng. The man was instantly sliced into several pieces.
As blood and body parts splattered, the young player stepped in front of Lian Qingkong and, using the same method, killed the nearest outer-zone players. Ignoring the severed limbs sliding to his feet, he looked at the remaining stranded players who had escaped and warned, "Anyone who comes within twenty meters of the bed will be killed without mercy!"