Chapter 3140: Sliding to Kneel Fast Enough
The noose-like tangent swept from left to right, and the tables, chairs, and surrounding decorations in the restaurant shattered with a series of crackling sounds. The two who arrived later immediately used their instruments to defend themselves and tried to dodge to the other side of the restaurant. Upstairs, however, was different—he had witnessed Xu Huo's mastery in spatial evolution, and his first reaction was to hide behind him.
Xu Huo did not disappoint him. With a gentle tap of his finger on the armrest, the tangent rushing toward them was blocked by an invisible barrier. The next moment, the tangent disappeared, replaced by the three players outside the restaurant—yes, the tangent was directly deconstructed, and the three pursuers who had been outside were yanked into the restaurant, right across from the shattered table.
The three were pulled into the restaurant by an irresistible force. They looked up in shock and, upon seeing Xu Huo sitting there, their expressions changed instantly. One of them immediately said, "They snatched a prop we found. We didn't know anyone was in the restaurant beforehand. If we've offended you, please forgive us!"
"Isn't that a coincidence," Upstairs said coldly, staring at them. "Running into each other twice in such a short time—quite the fate."
They were indeed the same three people they had encountered at another restaurant earlier—a young man from a player family with two bodyguards.
Upstairs's expression was grim, and the three opposite also cursed their bad luck, but they slid to kneel fast enough. They didn't want to, nor did they dare, to start a conflict with Xu Huo here. After all, the location was wrong—outside might have been manageable, but here, they couldn't use tickets and couldn't escape.
Their lives were their own.
The two who had fled inside saw this and immediately sensed an opportunity. They quickly said, "We found the prop, and they saw it and tried to rob us. If this friend could say a fair word, we'd be willing to give it to you for free. Better than letting it fall into the hands of scoundrels!"
The young man's face darkened, but he didn't engage in a verbal dispute. Instead, he looked at Xu Huo. "It's just a small prop. Do you really want to meddle in this?"
Xu Huo ignored him and turned to the other two. "What prop is it? Show me."
The two players didn't hesitate. One of them immediately pulled a small box from his chest. Upstairs, standing nearby, took it, opened it, and placed it in front of Xu Huo. "It's a button."
Xu Huo picked it up casually, flipping it over with his black-gloved fingers. "A very ordinary prop."
"The prop is ordinary," the player who had taken out the box said, "but it fell out of a black crack. And when it did, a sculpted hand reached out from inside, as if trying to pull it back."
"We can't open the game panel, so we're not sure what kind of prop this is. We thought we'd take it out first and have a look."
Xu Huo wasn't particularly interested in the button, but he was curious about the crack they mentioned. "Tell me more."
The two immediately began describing how they obtained the prop, speaking in turns. The process was simple: they had accidentally entered a room, and while searching for props, they knocked down a chandelier from the ceiling. Behind the chandelier, a new crack appeared. Before they could escape, the button fell out, and a plaster hand reached out to grab it. They had to break the hand to snatch the button, only to run into the young man's group right after.
"I still remember the way. We'll take you there," the other said.
Although the button was ordinary, Xu Huo took the box along with it. As he stood up, he said to the young man and his two companions, "If you're interested, you can come along."
Though furious, the young man had no choice but to follow sullenly.
Of course, they had to follow. They all knew the place. Making one thing happen was easy, but ruining it was even simpler. Xu Huo wouldn't feel comfortable leaving them outside, so everyone shared the risk.
Seeing that the three had no power to resist, the two players who had obtained the button kept chatting with Xu Huo and Upstairs as they led the way, even introducing themselves with a familiar air.
The taller one was Fu Kuan, and the shorter one was Zhu Nuo. They came from different districts and had only teamed up after entering. They had been inside for half a day, wandering around this area.
"The Field family let so many players in. Did they tell you how to get out?" Xu Huo interjected.
"Life and death are on us," Zhu Nuo said. "That was the agreement before we came in."
The Field family had repeatedly warned them of the risks, but since they were here for the benefits of the ruins, how could they just pass by the entrance?
Back when the super players came, they had no share. Now that the hype had died down, weren't they allowed to join in the fun?
And look—they were lucky enough to pick up a prop not long after arriving.
"They definitely know," Upstairs said, pointing at the young man and his two companions.
The young man didn't want to acknowledge him, but the two bodyguards who followed were socially experienced. They took the initiative to say, "Meeting is fate. Traveling together is safer."
"Your brooch is quite unique," Xu Huo said, looking at the young man. "Is this your family crest?"
The young man had his pride and initially didn't want to respond, but after being nudged by the person behind him, he suppressed his anger and answered, "It's a device issued by my family. Not a particularly significant symbol of identity."
"An eye-shaped emblem. I've seen it a few times before, also on props," Xu Huo said.
"This kind of emblem representing mental power is very common, especially eye motifs," the bodyguard interjected. "No matter how players evolve, in theory, vision takes precedence over other senses. So some artificers who make such props or devices spontaneously use eye patterns for decoration."
"Is this common in your district?" Xu Huo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Can mental-type props and devices be mass-produced?"
"Of course not. But some people are naturally stronger in mental power than others. Sometimes, an entire family engages in related industries. With enough numbers, they can manage to produce a few usable items." The bodyguard spoke casually.
"Actually, this can hardly be called a device," Zhu Nuo said, clearly familiar with the trio's background. "In some districts, there are many mutated plants, some of which evolve hallucinogenic abilities. By picking certain fruits or roots and placing them in suitable containers before they completely rot or wither, you can amplify the hallucinogenic effect."
"Some families like to use this to flaunt their status."
Xu Huo nodded slightly. "That's quite interesting."
Seeing this, Zhu Nuo went ahead and listed several districts he suspected, adding that the trio seemed to have some connection with the Field family, likely from a district under the same wormhole point. In that district, many families liked to wear such ornaments to prevent others from staring at them for too long, as they considered prolonged gazes an offense.
Upstairs let out another cold laugh. "Not much skill, but plenty of airs."
The trio's expressions soured, but they didn't want to argue about it. The young man gritted his teeth and said to Xu Huo, "If you have time, why not visit our district? I'd be happy to play the host."
Xu Huo smiled. "Certainly."