Chapter 558: Negotiating Terms
Xu Huo didn't answer her question, instead saying, "Miss Langlang doesn't seem like a player."
Langlang smiled gracefully. "I'm not a player. Does Fifth Master only like talking to players?"
"That's not it." Xu Huo paused. "If you have something to say, just say it directly."
"Fifth Master is a straightforward person." Langlang said with a smile, "I'd like to ask Fifth Master to release my friend."
Xu Huo was quite surprised. "You're being so direct, aren't you afraid I'll leak the secret?"
Langlang shook her head. "I'm just an insignificant person without much ability, only fit to act as a messenger."
"With Fifth Master's abilities, you should have cleared the instance long ago. Staying in Clown City must have another reason."
"But in my opinion, someone like Fifth Master wouldn't be driven by the government's petty welfare benefits to serve Clown City. If possible, please don't interfere in Clown City's internal affairs."
Xu Huo put down his cup. "If I disagree, what do you plan to do?"
Langlang lowered her eyelids. "Then our conversation can only end here. Whether you keep it secret or inform the General Administration, it won't affect the overall situation. I came only to do my best for my friends."
"I'm already prepared to die!" 179 stood up and saluted Langlang, then Xin Hui and the two players protecting Langlang also stood up. The three of them had no intention of detaining Xu Huo or forcing him to leave. Xin Hui said to Langlang, "You didn't actually need to come here at all. Since you came, we never planned to leave alive."
The few of them had resolute expressions, all embracing the idea of sacrificing themselves. They appeared calm, but there was still a hint of strained desperation.
If it really didn't matter whether the secret was leaked or not, as Langlang said, they wouldn't have needed to take this risk. Coming to find him meant either that what 179 was carrying was very important, or that they were short on manpower.
After a moment, Xu Huo said, "I can not reveal this matter, and I can even help you. But I have a condition."
The few exchanged glances, and Langlang asked, "What condition?"
Xu Huo's gaze swept across her face. "After this is done, you have to come with me."
The people present immediately glared at him angrily. Xin Hui said, "A toad lusting after swan's flesh! How dare you covet Langlang!"
Xu Huo lazily leaned back in his chair. "That's my only condition. Otherwise, once I walk out this door, I'll notify the General Administration. Your people shouldn't be many. Based on Clown City's layout, even if you're willing to drag ordinary people down with you, your best plan would be to blow up the bridge foundations. People can be caught if you try hard enough. Besides, you went through all the trouble to bring the fungus into the city hidden in energy candies—it should still be put to good use. I don't need to say more about the rest."
"You... scoundrel!" Xin Hui's eyes reddened with hatred. "I should have dragged you down with me back in the Underground Nest!"
"Too late." Xu Huo gestured with his chin toward the opposite side. "What's your decision?"
Langlang didn't agree immediately. Instead, she said, "I might not live until then."
Xu Huo smiled with great confidence. "Don't worry, you'll live just fine."
Hearing this, Langlang nodded.
Xu Huo kept his promise and released 179, even giving him a bottle of Self-Healing Agent as a gesture of goodwill. However, when he proposed to follow Langlang today, Xin Hui and the others strongly objected.
"It's fine," Langlang knew what they were worried about and reassured them, "I trust Fifth Master's character."
Xin Hui and 179 had no choice, as they had other things to do before the banquet and couldn't accompany Langlang.
And Langlang usually had an assistant by her side; the two players couldn't follow her around all the time either.
"If Fifth Master doesn't mind, you can come to the banquet venue and take a look." Langlang explained that this was a celebration banquet led by the General Administration and hosted by the reality game show program. The venue was in the program's aerial building. She was the host and needed to participate in the preparations.
Xu Huo said he could act as a temporary bodyguard.
It was no problem for Langlang to bring someone in. Her assistant thoughtfully registered him in advance and even took the initiative to show him the exhibition hall with past exciting videos—those edited clips of real-life battles. The program team had even made them into albums with considerable sales.
The preparation hall was filled with laughter and chatter. The staff talked about the results of this program. When mentioning how many people had died, no one found anything wrong. Everyone was more concerned about the program's revenue and how much bonus they would receive.
"Not everyone in Clown City is like this." During a break, Langlang took the initiative to say, "Most people don't know the inside story."
Xu Huo watched her combing her long hair in front of the dressing mirror, his expression unmoved. "Relying on kidnapping high-ranking officials from the government and the General Administration to achieve your goals might be a bit difficult."
Langlang smiled faintly and was about to say something when her assistant knocked and entered, saying somewhat excitedly, "The General Administration just called. The Chief Administrator will accompany distinguished guests from other districts to attend the celebration banquet. The program team has already gone to get new gowns. Langlang, don't eat anything random right now. You might even have to perform later."
Langlang nodded. As soon as the assistant left, she picked up the wine glass set aside, then turned her head to meet Xu Huo's gaze, smiling as she said, "It's very difficult for an ordinary person to gain a foothold in Clown City's upper echelons."
After drinking the wine, she began to touch up her eyebrows.
Xu Huo's gaze shifted to the window. Rain clouds were gathering in the sky. It seemed there would be a heavy downpour before evening. He didn't stay long in the lounge and went out, visited the restroom, then helped the staff move things into the storage room.
The staff member walking ahead tripped, scattering leftover preparation debris all over the floor. The person was in a hurry to leave, so he instructed Xu Huo to clean up and pack things away. "Clean this place up. I'll come back to inspect later."
The person mistook him for an employee from another company. Since there were many staff members preparing for the celebration banquet, it was normal for them not to know each other.
Xu Huo naturally stayed behind in the storage room and found some layout plans for the banquet venue.
The so-called aerial building wasn't floating in the air but was located at the topmost level of Clown City, right at the top of the pillar bridge. The entire building was the work building for the reality game show program, surrounded by several important government office locations. It could be said to be the core area of Chaoyang Clown City.
All the surrounding roads sloped downward, slightly higher than the other pillar bridges supporting Clown City. Standing here, one could easily take in the entire city.
Moving aside the boxes against the wall, he opened a hole in the wall. After equipping the "Life Core," he touched the wall surface. After brief contact, part of the wall began to disintegrate.
Confirming that the building's metal was within the prop's effect range, Xu Huo moved the boxes back, walked out of the room, and circled the banquet venue. It was almost time for the banquet to start, but there weren't many players around the venue.