Chapter 2901: Let's Get Insurance First
For a moment, no one answered the question. After a while, a man with a spiky hedgehog-like haircut said, "Are you all thinking of leaving?"
In District 031, they basically stood at the top of the pyramid. Leaving here might grant a certain degree of freedom, but without obtaining teleportation tools, they would still be confined to whichever district they chose. Going elsewhere, forget standing at the pinnacle of power—they might even become prey for others. What was so bad about their current life?
"Becoming a player, risking your life—do you think everyone does it because they're bored?" the spiky-haired man said. "It's all about rising above others and becoming the elite. If you can be trampled on by anyone, what's the point of struggling to become an A-rank player?"
"As if you're not being trampled on right now," Hen Yu sneered.
"Don't get all sarcastic just because your man died," the spiky-haired man shot back without mercy. "Let me make this clear—I'm definitely not avenging your dead husband."
Ignoring Hen Yu's hateful glare, he continued, "I don't want to leave anyway. Those who want to go can go, but my suggestion is that the leaders shouldn't leave. First, you might not live better in other districts than you do now. Second, the Twelve Main Cities need to maintain balance."
"The news about being able to leave District 031 shouldn't be spread beyond the core members. Even though we're in the Twelve Main Cities, there are plenty of people who mind their own business and don't want to get involved in city affairs. These people are naturally excluded now too."
"Unfortunately, these people aren't stupid," Mr. Hu said. "The news will leak out sooner or later."
"We can control our own people, but we can't control everyone. They don't listen to us anyway. Are we supposed to beat them into submission first?" the spiky-haired man said dismissively. "Anyway, we don't need their votes. If they're capable, let them go negotiate with that surnamed Yu."
"I can pacify the players in King's City," Lou Fei said. "I have no relatives or friends elsewhere. District 031 has become my home. The order in King's City was hard-won. I won't leave."
She was the first to formally state her position, then looked at the beautiful woman who had asked the question earlier. "You're still young. Go out and explore. If things get too tough, you can always come back."
The beautiful woman, Chan Juan, snorted. "What business is it of yours whether I stay or go? If you ask me, you old-timers should have left long ago. If you don't leave, how will you make room for those below?"
None of the others revealed their true intentions, because this wasn't just about staying or leaving. Revealing their stance prematurely would only complicate matters. They were the leaders of their respective cities, with interests aligned with those below them. If they suddenly wanted to quit, what would their subordinates think?
If they left with their core members, the cities they abandoned would inevitably become targets for other cities. Then why would the players who had joined them for a stable life continue to support someone who could abandon them at any moment?
Lou Fei dared to say she was certain she wouldn't leave because her position in King's City relied more on personal charisma than absolute force. The credibility she had demonstrated over time was enough to convince others.
"Whether to leave or not shouldn't be discussed openly for now," another Archon spoke up. "You can decide that in your own hearts. Just don't cause trouble for your own territories."
"Shouldn't we be considering how to handle the King's Treasure instead?"
"Someone cleared the instance ten years ago without incident. Are you so sure it'll be the same this time?"
Mr. Hu, Mei Zheng, and Lou Fei exchanged subtle glances, then Lou Fei said, "I can basically guarantee that. I've witnessed three clearance players before. They all entered the King's Treasure's hiding place, and the instance didn't change afterward."
"I suspect the King's Treasure is the accumulated wealth of the past kingdom. Times have changed, so the value of the wealth itself might not be that great. Whether someone takes it or not probably doesn't matter."
The King's Throne was in King's City, so her words carried considerable weight.
"That may be true, but we still need a backup plan," a man said, stroking a string of colorful gems hanging from his wrist. "What if? What if his clearance screws everyone over? Those who leave are fine, but those who stay need some guarantee."
Lou Fei lowered her eyes. "What kind of guarantee do you want?"
"Simple. If he wants to be king, let him be king. We can nominate him as king. I don't believe he's not interested in the King's Treasure," the gem man said. "Let him enter the King's Treasure location first, then we'll hold the final vote."
"The King's Treasure location can only be entered by the king," Lou Fei reminded him.
"King's City is big enough. Can't we find another place?" the gem man said. "As for a way to trap him, I can provide that for free."
Mei Zheng looked at him with interest. "Oh? What method do you plan to use to trap a Temporal Evolver?"
"No matter how powerful a player is, they're the same once they enter a Container Item," the gem man said, deliberately pausing before adding meaningfully, "Speaking of which, Old Mei should be very familiar with this method."
The previous Archon of Crown City had been killed by Mei Zheng using exactly this method.
Mei Zheng smiled slightly. "As long as it's not too excessive, I'm always willing to be kind to others."
More than half of those present subtly showed expressions of mockery.
"So that's the idea, huh?" Chan Juan said. "If he clears the instance, do you think that surnamed Yu will let us off? We need to get insurance first."
This point was unanimously supported by everyone. They were too passive against Xu Huo. This was a matter of life and death for all of them. A hundred layers of insurance wouldn't be too much.
"I wonder if Ms. Lou would be willing to lend us the venue," Mei Zheng said, smiling at Lou Fei.
"King's City will not become your battlefield," Lou Fei refused decisively. "If you want to set a trap, find another place."
"I'd like to use my own territory, but unfortunately, the King's Throne isn't there," the gem man said with a hint of teasing.
"That man has an extraordinary background. If he dies here, aren't you afraid someone will come to settle the score later?" Lou Fei said.
Most players who struggled to reach A-rank didn't have many high-quality items to show for it. The vast majority were medium-grade and replaceable, and even those required selling off previously accumulated items to afford.
For them, the best way to obtain quality items was to clear instances. Higher clearance ratings meant a higher chance of good rewards. But unfortunately, most people's clearance performance wasn't outstanding, so getting high-quality items depended on luck—which wasn't even as reliable as killing and robbing.
The Defense Item Xu Huo used was clearly top-tier. Even inferior A-rank items couldn't break through it. Rather than believing he was a once-in-a-billion clearance genius, the people of the Twelve Main Cities preferred to think he came from a wealthy family—the kind of player clan where if you hit the young one, the old one would definitely come for revenge.