Chapter 2935: Primordial Stone
"To be honest," Xu Huo said, "I'm also curious. What could make you abandon your own city to come and join the fun with a bunch of outer zone players?"
Huang Junjie's face turned bitter. He had deliberately been vague earlier to avoid Xu Huo thinking that way. He had used a silencing item and avoided others, so now he had no choice but to explain. "We also suffered heavy losses this time. We heard there might be an evolution object nearby, so we came. After all, it's a resource born from the land. This isn't the old era anymore. Players can't just sit back and do nothing."
This was also a tactful way of telling him that whether it was player organizations or unaffiliated players, no one would sacrifice themselves without limit at a time like this. Many resources born in various places had already been secured by the national government ahead of time. If they invested without counting the cost, then once the district stabilized, they would fall absolutely behind the national players. It wasn't that they had to compete for superiority, but rather for self-preservation, to have a voice in the future.
"Mr. Xu, we're not like you." This was also the helpless reality for most players. If they wanted a say, they had to find ways to fight for it themselves.
"Don't make it sound so pitiful," Xu Huo said. "As far as I know, the Special Defense Department signed contracts with you beforehand. Besides props and instrument support, there were also benefits and compensation. The advanced items I sent back through the Special Defense Department were also partially distributed to player organizations."
"What exactly are you here to snatch?"
Sensing that he was losing patience, Huang Junjie quickly said, "According to Zong Lanzhi, it might be a Primordial Stone."
Xu Huo raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this. "Primordial Stone? A Primordial Stone has appeared this quickly?"
Primordial Stone was the name for a type of special ore. This kind of ore usually contained special energy and was an important raw material for crafting advanced items or even super items. It was especially famous for items with space-time attributes. Primordial Stones containing time attributes were called "Time Origins" and had once been used in a high-spec transaction that bought an entire game district.
Not only could the Primordial Stone itself be used to make items, but the ores surrounding it might also be transformed into Subclass Stones due to its presence. Subclass Stones were second only to Primordial Stones. Influenced by the Primordial Stone, they could also possess space-time attributes. Most common space-time items in the game bore its traces. They were more numerous than Primordial Stones and were renewable, even if the time required was very long.
Aside from super items, Xu Huo had never seen any other item or instrument directly use a Primordial Stone as raw material. This showed how precious it was. If placed properly, it might even continuously produce Subclass Stones. Then what item couldn't be crafted?
"Suspected. Tan Yang and I don't know much about it. We only heard it from Zong Lanzhi. I don't know where he got the news." Huang Junjie sold the man out completely. "He promised that if we cooperated to snatch the Primordial Stone, they would compensate us with one-third of its value."
"The military should have the stone guarded by now, right?" Xu Huo said.
"You're right," Huang Junjie said. "The Primordial Stone is most likely very deep underground. We can't even extract it."
They could only wait for the military to dig it out and then find an opportunity to act.
Xu Huo paused for a moment before saying, "Go back. You can't get involved in this."
Huang Junjie was startled. Had the military already discovered them?
"Outer zone players have intervened." Xu Huo gave a simple warning. With over twenty people, plus the military, did they really think they could pick up the leftovers?
Besides, the military had the Non-Game Area Simulator. For something as important as a Primordial Stone, their defensive work would be top-notch.
Xu Huo didn't say more and ended the communication. Then he notified the logistics team assigned to him by the Special Defense Department. There were two people in charge of liaising with him, a brother and sister named Xiang Yao and Xiang Mi. After briefly informing them of the situation in the county town, he personally made another trip there.
The twenty-plus outer zone players were scattered throughout the streets, not too far apart. Xu Huo went directly to the commercial street, deliberately arriving outside the street first before walking towards the shopping mall.
Almost the moment he appeared, eight people immediately fled. Space teleportation items couldn't be used, so they directly escaped into the game.
The remaining people also shed their previous relaxed demeanor. They all moved from indoors to outdoors, watching the shopping mall from varying distances. Defense items and life-saving items were already activated on their bodies the moment they saw him.
There were still five people left in the mall. They hadn't left, but when Xu Huo entered, they couldn't help but stand up in panic. Seeing that he didn't make a move, they slowly stepped back, retreating to the same side.
"Traveling from afar, have you all cleared the instance already?" Xu Huo walked over to the pot they had set up, lifted the lid, and stirred the fragrant food. "It's almost done. Won't you sit down and eat?"
The few exchanged glances, but no one dared to step forward. At the same time, they noticed that a large number of players had suddenly surged to the outskirts of the small county town. These people were carrying a lot of instruments and had already found positions to set them up. Further away, aircraft were approaching, clearly surrounding them.
"If I wanted to make a move, I wouldn't have waited until now." Xu Huo invited them to sit down again.
Only then did they slowly move over, unsure of what he intended to do, so they decided to wait and see.
"Are you waiting for the Primordial Stone over there?" Xu Huo pointed in a certain direction and said with a smile, "The Primordial Stone is quite precious. District 014 can't give it away to outsiders."
"There are also plenty of resources in the newly born instances. Why don't you all just clear the instance and leave on your own?"
The only female player among them smiled. "Are you negotiating with us, sir?"
This was not just a rhetorical question, but also a probe. Given Xu Huo's methods of killing earlier, he was by no means soft-hearted. Since he had discovered them, why didn't he just attack directly, instead coming to persuade them to leave?
Unless... he couldn't guarantee killing so many people at once!
As if he hadn't noticed their lively expressions, Xu Huo ladled himself a bowl of hot soup. "I've been busy since I got back. Haven't even had a bite to eat."
"I'm not someone who enjoys killing. The others deserved to die. I'm grateful that you all didn't cause trouble in Country X, but the Primordial Stone is not meant for you."
He took a sip of the soup and continued, "Traveling from afar makes you all guests. If you leave after clearing the instance properly, Country X will naturally extend the courtesy befitting friends. But if you're here to kick someone when they're down and loot their homes, I can guarantee that every single person here will find it very difficult to leave alive."
Ignoring their silence, he went on, "It's always better to have a friend than an enemy. You can all think it over here. Will it be friendship or enmity?"
Having said that, he put down the soup bowl and added, "Not bad cooking."
"Do we have a choice?" It was the female player who spoke again, sneering.