Chapter 2669: The Upper Limit of Traits
[Team Rating for this Instance is as follows:]
[Player Passerby A: SS]
[Player Mirror Mirror Who's the Fairest: S]
[Player Born to Be a Young Master: A]
Xu Huo glanced at the names below, then looked at Xiao Mei and the Unlucky Guy beside him. "You two aren't in a hurry, are you?"
These two had essentially formed a team with him.
Before the team rewards were evenly distributed, players in a team couldn't directly leave the instance unless they gave up their rewards. So if they wanted a share of the team rewards, they had to stay.
The Unlucky Guy still needed an antidote. Having hitched a ride to clear the instance, he was worried Xu Huo might turn hostile, so he immediately stated he didn't want the team rewards.
Xiao Mei shot Xu Huo a flirtatious glance. "We can talk it over nicely. You can take all the team rewards if you need them, but give me some other compensation. After all, I did work for five days."
"No problem." Xu Huo nodded.
Lian Qingkong had killed off a batch of troublemakers. As for the descendants of the two surnames who might be hiding among the player organizations, with the roster gone, they no longer had to worry about their secrets being suddenly exposed. Naturally, they had no reason to oppose the government. Among the remaining players, some were already willing to cooperate with the government. If anyone still wasn't satisfied, they wouldn't show it at this critical moment.
Thus, after the national heirloom treasure was burned, Lian Qingkong's final arrangements came to an end. The remaining matters could be left for others to handle. He himself was to be transferred to the hospital to try and prolong his life as much as possible.
Xu Huo and the Painting Woman followed along. Watching the man who could barely sit upright, Xiao Mei sighed, "I'll never underestimate those degenerated players again."
If Xu Huo hadn't arrived in time, the capital city today would have lost far more than just these players.
"Could he really have killed all the players who opposed the government?" The Unlucky Guy didn't think so. "The Eternal Tower and Moon Horn must have people watching Isle Country. Losing that many players at once, wouldn't the three countries be tearing each other apart?"
In fact, Lian Qingkong had made arrangements regarding the prying eyes of the other two countries, but he hadn't had time to put them into action. As always, it was fate.
He looked at Xu Huo. "Why did you stay?"
Xu Huo sat by the hospital bed, peeling fruit. "I want to know if traits, when evolved to a certain level, can truly ignore the game's lockdown like Super Evolution power."
"Haven't you already seen it?" Lian Qingkong said. "Stop peeling. I can't eat."
Xu Huo tossed the peel aside and took a bite himself. "It's not for you."
Lian Qingkong gave a weak smile. "What you really want to ask is how to evolve a trait to this level, isn't it?"
Xu Huo nodded. "I've heard that not every Super Player has undergone Super Evolution, but without it, you simply can't compete with the top-tier players. If someone truly lacks that talent, there must be something that makes up for that shortcoming."
"Trait evolution seems much richer than Super Evolution, but in reality, it hasn't broken free from time, space, and physical enhancement. Being able to unleash such a large-scale, powerful trait—doesn't that mean you qualify to be a Super Player?"
"Whether you qualify is hard to say, since I never became a Super Player," Lian Qingkong said. "But if you think Super Players stop there, you're wrong."
"Since traits are similar to Super Evolution power, smart and talented people can naturally grasp the essence. If you ever meet a Super Player who only uses traits and not Super Evolution power, they're most likely lying."
"Treat every Super Player you encounter as a vastly more powerful version of yourself, and you'll avoid a lot of problems."
Xu Huo's time evolution, even among Super Players, was rare. It gave him the confidence to threaten Lian Qingkong. Time evolution was indeed a great trump card, but limited by its degree of evolution, it wasn't invincible. If he tried to go toe-to-toe with a Super Player relying solely on time evolution, it would definitely lead to disaster.
"It's not just time-space power that can affect time and space," Lian Qingkong added. "Interference is the most convenient way to break time-space power."
Xu Huo ate the fruit in silence, then after a moment asked, "There's no method for training traits specifically?"
"Everyone's trait is different." Lian Qingkong reminded him, "You don't have to focus on all-around development. Some people can understand Super Evolution through their traits. Your Super Evolution can also block others' traits."
Seeing that he probably wouldn't say more, Xu Huo asked again, "You chose him as your successor?"
"He's pretty good, isn't he?" Lian Qingkong smiled faintly, not looking at the person standing like a wooden post by the bedside, yet barely noticeable. "He's a bit like me when I was young—diligent and steady."
Xiao Mei and the others were also in the room. Though they hadn't spoken, they'd been following the conversation closely. Hearing this, they were even more surprised than when Lian Qingkong told Xu Huo to treat Super Players as vastly more powerful versions of himself. Did he have some kind of filter about himself? Why were the conditions for choosing a successor diligence and steadiness?
Shouldn't it be cunning and ruthless?
Killing over two hundred of his own country's players in one go—who could be more ruthless than him?
"He's pretty good," Xu Huo said. "A bit too honest, though."
"It's better to be honest. People who are too talented and too erratic often can't focus on the collective." Lian Qingkong looked at Xu Huo again. "If you had lived in Isle Country, I wouldn't have chosen you."
Xu Huo smiled, casually tossed the fruit core aside, and picked up another fruit to peel.
"I don't want to eat." Lian Qingkong said again.
"Have a little," Xu Huo said. "Just taste it."
He peeled a small slice and fed it to him, then continued, "I'm going to visit your old friend next. Any message to pass on?"
"He'll know when I'm dead." Lian Qingkong savored the fruit pulp, sighed, and said, "After degenerating, I can't even taste sweetness anymore."
"That must be painful." Xu Huo said. "Clearing this instance was only possible thanks to your cooperation. If you have any reasonable last wishes, you can tell me."
"You're quite demanding." Lian Qingkong hadn't given him the Gao family genealogy solely because it was useless; he naturally had some other intentions. But since things had ended satisfactorily and both sides were pleased, there was no need to dwell on these minor details.
"Teach him time evolution." Lian Qingkong glanced at the person beside him.
"Reasonable." Xu Huo reminded him, "Don't waste words on things that can't be done."
Lian Qingkong let out a short laugh. "No need. You've already helped a great deal with the stranded players."
Xu Huo could see he was on his deathbed. He stood up and led the Painting Woman and the others out of the ward.
About ten minutes later, muffled sobs came from the room.
The Unlucky Guy couldn't help but peek. From his expression, it was clear he was very curious whether Lian Qingkong had really died.
"If you weren't so curious, you might get beaten up a few less times." Xu Huo glanced at him.
The Unlucky Guy sheepishly stepped back. After a while longer, the young Spatial Evolver walked out and said to him, "I have something to give you."