Chapter 2894: Xu Huo's Conditions
Xu Huo's impatient attitude made the players present feel embarrassed. Someone spoke up, "Sir, are you here to clear the instance or to kill people?"
"Of course, to clear the instance," Xu Huo said. "So a quick resolution is best for both sides."
The dozens of players who had arrived first couldn't leave, but they also showed no intention of contacting anyone. Meanwhile, in the vast Scepter City, more and more players were noticing the standoff at the Scepter Building. Some watched from a distance, while others were rushing over.
The city was buzzing. Players came and went, yet no representative stepped forward to negotiate.
Just as Xu Huo was about to increase the pressure, a group of players arrived from outside the city. In the span of a single breath, they appeared in front of the Scepter Building. The blood on the leading players hadn't even dried yet, and they carried something resembling a spinal column, strung with all kinds of items.
"Another clueless fool looking for death?" The burly leader tossed the thing in his hand behind him, his face twisted in a vicious grin as he looked at Xu Huo. "Perfect. I wasn't satisfied with the one I dismantled today. Your bones should be much better..."
"Too many words." Xu Huo raised his hand, and a vast wave of Time Power cascaded down, enveloping the entire group. Then, a Space Tangent swept through the air, and over twenty heads flew off.
As the Time Power dissipated, bodies and heads, along with a torrent of blood, crashed to the ground. The vivid red color also jolted the players watching from near and far. The Punishment Team of Scepter City was notorious for its cruelty, brutality, and formidable strength. Many stranded players, venting their anger, would join the Punishment Team to deal with ticket players who violated the rules they had established. This had become common knowledge in Scepter City. But who would have thought that such a vicious group wouldn't even get a chance to speak?
"Once, twice, but not three times," Xu Huo said, shifting his gaze to a few players on the southeast side of the building. "If you make a move again, I'll have to kill you all until you behave before we talk business."
The players he was staring at stiffened. Ordinary items couldn't break through Time Power, but Space Power could. They had planned to use Space Teleportation Items for a sneak attack, but the moment they touched their items, they were discovered.
It was then that players wearing the same emblem appeared not far from the Scepter Building. Other players nearby bowed slightly to the group and stepped back to show respect.
"Killing over thirty of our people right off the bat—that's quite a harsh warning." Among the six, a middle-aged man with graying hair spoke. "May I ask your name, sir?"
"Yu," Xu Huo replied. "Are you the Archons of Scepter City?"
The middle-aged man nodded. "Scepter City has no Grand Archon. The six of us jointly decide all matters within the city. If you have any business here, you can discuss it with us."
He made a "please" gesture. "It's not dignified to talk outside, Mr. Yu. Why don't we sit down and talk?"
"No need to enter a Location Item," Xu Huo said, not even glancing at the Scepter Building behind him. "But changing the venue is fine."
He chose a nearby arena and moved there first.
"Mr. Hu..." A player affiliated with the Scepter City government hesitated and stepped forward, but the middle-aged man raised his hand to stop him. "All of you, fall back."
At the six's signal, the players who had gathered nearby retreated. However, they didn't go far, instead surrounding the arena and keeping a close watch on the activity inside.
On the spacious grass field, tables and chairs were set up, along with tea and snacks. The six sat opposite Xu Huo, officially beginning this unequal negotiation.
"There are quite a lot of stranded players," Xu Huo remarked casually. Just the A-level players ready to lead the charge numbered in the hundreds, and this was only one main city.
"Over the years, even if some people managed to leave Zone 031 through other means, the majority always remain," Mr. Hu said as he poured tea. "Scepter City's population isn't that large. The other main cities are about twice our size. Mr. Yu, trying to clear the instance through brute force might be a bit difficult."
With so many A-level players, even a Super Player would need some time. Besides, Xu Huo's Time Power didn't seem to have a very large range. Sacrificing a portion of the players while the rest scattered and fled wouldn't be a problem. But if the city was empty, how could a king be born?
Even if the Rebel Army were to fill the city immediately, the stranded players wouldn't be pushovers. They wouldn't let the Rebel Army gain a foothold so easily. If the twelve main cities went to war, it would take at least half a year to a year to stabilize completely, let alone talk about clearing the instance.
"That's why I came to you for cooperation," Xu Huo said. "I plan to clear the instance through an election. The twelve main cities will jointly elect me as king. Once I obtain the king's treasure, I will leave Zone 031 and not interfere in the internal affairs of the twelve main cities."
"Taking the king's treasure might cause the instance to collapse," the short-haired woman among the six said. "Most of the people here would die."
"You've been stranded here for a long time, which means you have no other way to leave this zone." Xu Huo laid out his terms. "How about this: if you're willing to cooperate, I'll procure a Cross-Wormhole Teleportation Device. Then, you can leave this zone and enter another, more suitable zone for retirement. As long as you don't use a ticket again, you can live safely."
Cross-wormhole, cross-zone teleportation items and devices were essentially the only safe method of transfer for players who had long stopped entering instances and wanted criminals. Stranded players in instances could also use this method to leave. However, cross-wormhole devices were mostly consumables, and ordinary players simply couldn't buy them. So, for the vast majority of players, being stranded in an instance meant directly entering a retirement life with no hope of escape.
But if they had a Cross-Wormhole Device, they could become "blacklisted players." As long as they didn't use a ticket again, they would be safe. This was another way the game provided for players to leave the game, aside from being a Paused Player or a Gray Player.
The wanted criminal Xu Huo encountered on his first trip to Zone 011 had become a blacklisted player by chance, surviving a Dimensional Storm and being thrown into another wormhole. Although it wasn't as free as being a Gray Player, they could keep their Personal Panel, which was better than being a Paused Player.
As for wanted criminals like the Eerie Sound Knights or the Box Carrier, who had been out of instances for years, their movement mainly relied on Space Teleportation Devices.
Of course, if the stay wasn't too long, leaving through a teleportation channel counted as a failed instance clearance. They could then enter the next instance or continue clearing instances using a ticket.
The twelve main cities seemed nice, but Zone 031 was desolate with limited resources. Only a minority wanted to stay here.
"Can you send that many people into the teleportation channel?" Mr. Hu asked, half-doubtful.