Chapter 2717: Ruins
Hearing that Pu Yu was looking for her relative's remains, Zhuo Mingfeng and his companion expressed their sympathy and told her she could ask some of the local residents.
That's right—there were still people alive in this underground ruin, even in this district. Some had been living underground for decades.
"If your aunt really came here, someone must know."
The group soon arrived at the true underground ruins. Perhaps the entire city had sunk beneath the earth, or perhaps mutant plants had grown wildly, burying the original city. Either way, the city before them was still relatively intact. Though the skyscrapers were gone, some smaller buildings were enveloped by mutant plants, which had ironically protected them.
Strangely, this part of the city had largely broken free from the rock. Above them were layers upon layers of mutant plants. Though no sunlight filtered through, there were plenty of glowing plants and insects, so the underground had its own light.
It was clear that players were managing this place, ensuring power supply. Many areas had lights on, and the residents even ran small businesses.
As Zhuo Mingfeng and his companion walked back, people kept greeting them. Everyone living here knew each other.
"Mingfeng-ge," a young woman in her early twenties jogged over, sizing up Xu Huo and the others before smiling. "Are they from outside too?"
People who had always lived in this district were easy to distinguish from foreign players. The locals had pale skin, visible subcutaneous blood vessels, and mostly white hair. Foreign players, on the other hand, generally looked no different from Xu Huo and his group, though those who had stayed longer had already undergone changes in skin color.
As they walked, players were watching them openly and covertly. What struck Xu Huo as strange was the sheer number of players stranded here.
Soon, the question was answered.
Zhuo Mingfeng took them to see the young woman's grandfather. According to him, their district did have some players. Many who couldn't survive on the surface had been brought down by them. Unfortunately, over the years, the local players had died off one by one, and now it was foreign players protecting them.
Pu Yu was most concerned about her aunt's remains.
"We don't have many outsiders here. What did the person you're looking for look like? If she came down, I would definitely remember her," the old man said.
Pu Yu pulled out a group photo. "Sir, take a look. Do you recognize anyone in this picture?"
The old man squinted at the photo, studying it for a long time before pointing out two people. "They came here."
Pu Yu's expression cooled. "Are they still alive? Or have they passed away?"
The old man shook his head. "If they're alive, you'll definitely find them here. There's a warehouse in the back with some belongings left by outsiders. Go see if any of theirs are there."
"If you find something, let Mingfeng take you to the cemetery by the cliff behind. Over the years, all the bones found nearby have been collected and buried there."
"Thank you." Pu Yu thanked him and followed the young woman to the warehouse in the back.
The warehouse was indeed filled with many items, mostly damaged, some still stained with blood.
"Take your time looking." The young woman led them there and then turned to leave.
Xu Huo glanced at Yan Jiayu, who shouldered her bag and followed her out.
"Is there a problem?" Xu Huo asked Pu Yu.
Pu Yu sighed in disappointment. "The photo I showed wasn't a group shot of my aunt and her colleagues. The people in that picture are still alive and well outside."
"Is there any reason for them to lie about this?" Xu Huo paused. "But the items are here. Look through them first."
Pu Yu first scanned the room, then pulled out a box from the corner. Seeing the pattern on its side, she froze. "This is the emblem from my aunt's lab."
She immediately dumped the contents out. Her hands quickly stopped as she picked up a broken bracelet. The material was ordinary, nothing valuable, but it bore a special symbol that proved it belonged to her aunt.
"So she really died here." Pu Yu said. "But why would these people lie?"
She didn't insist on finding the answer immediately. Instead, she found Zhuo Mingfeng and said she wanted to visit the cemetery.
Learning that she had found her relative's belongings, Zhuo Mingfeng didn't delay and led them there directly. On the way, Yan Jiayu returned and shared what she had learned with Xu Huo.
First, the locals mostly suffered from a genetic disease that made it hard for them to distinguish faces. They often mistook people, so they relied on clothes and accessories for identification.
Second, they didn't live entirely underground. Thanks to years of player efforts, the mutant plants in their area were relatively stable. Sometimes, players would take them to places near the surface, but since they could no longer tolerate sunlight, they rarely went above ground.
As for why the players were stranded, the foreign players said it might be a consequence of ultra-high energy overlapping with moving districts. They might be in a zone temporarily untouched by the game. Once the district moved away, the stranded people might still be teleported out, so many foreign players were already preparing.
Listening to her, Xu Huo now noticed that the locals with overly pale skin indeed had poor eyesight. Not only did they mistake people, but they also couldn't distinguish some colors.
They walked through the streets, left the city, and arrived at a cliff far from the settlement. Near the rock wall were many small grave mounds, unmarked and nameless, numbering in the hundreds, large and small.
Estimating the time of Pu Yu's aunt's arrival, Zhuo Mingfeng pointed to an area. "That's quite a lot. Can you handle it? Should I find some help?"
Pu Yu handed him an item. "We'll do it ourselves."
"Then be careful. Call me if you need anything. I'll go sit over there." Zhuo Mingfeng pointed to a distant spot.
Pu Yu and the others had instruments, and Xu Huo couldn't help much, so he went over to chat with Zhuo Mingfeng. "Are there snakes in the underground?"
"Snakes?" Zhuo Mingfeng said. "Did you run into snakes?"
Xu Huo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Didn't these tunnels get dug by snakes?"
The remaining locals couldn't have just bored through the entire underground for fun.
"There are some special mutant plants around here. Snakes generally don't dare come near." Zhuo Mingfeng smiled. "I've been here this long and haven't seen any. What did the snakes you saw look like?"
"About ten meters thick, lying across like a street." Xu Huo said. "And covered in rock, so they're hard to spot."
"Whoa! That big? I've really never seen that." Zhuo Mingfeng said. "It's usually pretty peaceful around here."
Xu Huo's expression darkened slightly, but then he said, "Once they find the remains, I'll trouble you to take us to the sinkhole. We left some things there, and it's safer to leave that way."
Zhuo Mingfeng chuckled. "No problem. I'll help to the end!"