Chapter 2891: King's Throne
Old Qi stared at Xu Huo, his expression still as kind as before, but the aura emanating from him was completely different. The imposing presence of a strong individual exerted immense pressure, making it feel as if even the surrounding wind had frozen in that instant.
Xu Huo met his gaze calmly, showing no fear, worry, or defensive posturing in response to the deliberately released dominant attitude.
But the more composed he was, the more Old Qi felt he had something to rely on. If he couldn't kill him in one strike, it would lead to endless trouble in the future.
After a moment, he said, "There are quite a few people in the Holy Sword Society who have done evil deeds. We also have internal inspectors, but the members are scattered, making it difficult to deal with them promptly and effectively."
"Do you still remember the faces of those Holy Sword Society members?"
This meant Old Qi was backing down. As long as Xu Huo named the Holy Sword Society members who had offended him, the society would hand them over for him to deal with.
In reality, the high-ranking and veteran members of the Holy Sword Society knew what the lower-level members were doing behind the scenes. But those who could become true core members of the society had undergone strict screening. By that point, they were mostly stationed in one or a few fixed locations, making it unlikely for them to have crossed paths with Xu Huo.
Many Holy Sword Society members didn't require much effort to maintain, so letting them go didn't cause much reluctance.
"If I run into them, I'll handle it myself. No need to trouble you, old sir," Xu Huo said. "We've talked long enough. I still have matters to attend to later. Please make yourself at home."
With that, he turned and walked back into the manor.
Old Qi stood behind him, watching his retreating figure, and only vanished from the spot after a long while.
Once back inside the manor, Shi Sanjiu joked, "I was really worried he might stab you in the back."
"Looks like I'm lucky?" Xu Huo said with a smile.
Shi Sanjiu laughed heartily. "Strong people are always lucky."
After a few more casual words, Xu Huo prepared to take his leave.
He had originally planned to stay in Zone 033 for a few days, but plans changed due to the bounty. He needed to raise his evolution rate as quickly as possible.
Shi Sanjiu didn't try to keep him. "If there's anything inconvenient for you to handle, just tell me. The items I promised will definitely be secured for you. I'll transfer them to you through the game platform later."
"Thanks."
Based on the information provided by "Bookworm," Xu Huo chose one of the zones that might contain the P7S potion.
To save time, he posted a high-price bounty for a return ticket and used it to directly enter the target zone.
A light drizzle fell into the narrow, crowded alleyways. Dim light seeped in from outside the alley, clearly revealing the old, tangled electrical wires overhead and on the ground, as well as the water-stained mold spots on the buildings on both sides.
"Someone's back," the residents on both sides whispered quietly. Some peeked out from their windows, but upon seeing a completely unfamiliar figure standing in the rain, they silently retreated.
Xu Huo opened his umbrella and stepped out.
This area was filled with cramped buildings like these. Although it was already late at night, most residents hadn't gone to sleep. Many people were wandering outside, and sounds of quarrels and smashing could be heard from time to time. If the commotion got too loud, it might even spill into neighboring houses.
The residents here seemed accustomed to such sudden incidents. They would hide when they could, not daring to seek accountability or make a fuss, simply keeping their heads down and waiting for the troublemakers to leave.
Xu Huo walked leisurely down the street. Anyone with a bit of insight could tell he was a player. Even the troublemakers weren't completely out of their minds and consciously avoided him.
This was a place filled with hostility, violence, and despair.
Suddenly, a strong wind blew from ahead. Xu Huo looked up and saw a dazzling light burst forth from the other end of the city. A hundred-story building stood tall under the night sky, and the light came from that very building.
The building was so bright that it illuminated even the rundown residential area nearby. Many people quietly opened their windows, their eyes shining as they gazed up at that building.
Even from this distance, one could see that the buildings around that tower were all brand new and futuristic, completely cut off from this old urban area, as if they belonged to two entirely different spaces.
Xu Huo had prepared his ticket before coming, so he took it out and triggered the instance.
[Detected that player Passerby A has entered Scepter City, successfully triggering A-grade instance "King's Throne."]
[Instance Introduction: There is only one king's throne, but there can be many kings. Since the birth of the monarchy, this nation has passed down the saying, "Kings take turns; today it's my turn."]
[Times change. The country that gave birth to the monarchy has long since vanished, but the monarchy system has been passed down in this zone. Legend has it that only by becoming king can one unlock the fabled king's treasure. The last time a king was born here was ten years ago.]
[Instance Task: Become the king.]
[Instance Time Limit: Unlimited.]
King's treasure... There were no rumors on Under Dimension about Dr. Wu entering or leaving this zone, but the data analysis given to him by "Bookworm" clearly indicated that this was a likely place for Dr. Wu to have stored the potion. A king's treasure that had remained unlocked for ten years, sitting right out in the open, was indeed a plausible hiding spot for the potion.
Since he was already here, he had to see what the king's treasure really was.
Finding a small inn with a handwritten sign by the roadside, Xu Huo put away his umbrella and walked in. He said to the gaunt man at the front desk, "I need a room."
The gaunt man had heavy dark circles under his eyes. He stood up and handed over two keys. "These are the two cleanest rooms in my place. Take your pick. Five hundred white notes a night."
"There's also a late-night snack service. Whatever you want, we have it."
Xu Huo paid for one night, took the key, and went upstairs.
The small inn was filled with many players. In this environment, players couldn't afford to sleep soundly. Most were on high alert, observing their surroundings.
Xu Huo closed the door, washed up briefly, and lay down on the bed fully clothed.
The first half of the night was fine, but in the second half, the door of a room on the same floor was kicked open with force. Someone cursed as they grabbed a woman by the hair and dragged her out of the room. "Your work is so lousy and you still dare to ask for money? Believe me, I'll make sure you can't open your mouth for the rest of your life!"
This person was also a player, but of a low level. Some of the people staying in the inn were clearly players from other zones. The man dared to make a scene without restraint, suggesting he had local backing.
However, not every player from another zone believed that a strong dragon couldn't overpower a local snake. Before the man could shout much longer, another player opened their door and said, "Selling your body to earn money is already miserable enough. If you can't even afford that much, how dare you come out and play?"
The man sized up the female player who had stepped out, restrained himself a bit, and warned, "What business is it of yours to stick your nose in?"
Then he tried to drag the woman back into the room.
The female player lightly raised the hand resting on her arm, and the man's throat was slit out of thin air. He clutched his neck and fell to the ground.