# Chapter 559: Close the Door to Beat the Dog
Glancing at the sky outside, Xu Huo frowned slightly. Instead of lingering, he turned around and headed toward the lounge. However, when he reached the door, he found two completely unfamiliar players standing at the entrance. Lang Lang's assistant was arguing with them, "How can you follow Sister Lang Lang looking so fierce? Can't you send a couple of good-looking ones? Even if green leaves are meant to set off the flower, these leaves can't be all wrinkled, can they? Going out like this will damage Sister Lang Lang's image. If you don't leave, do you want the Grand Archon to get involved?"
One of the players said, "The Grand Archon specifically sent us to protect Miss Lang Lang."
The assistant was speechless. Seeing Xu Huo, she waved him over, but the two players didn't budge and said, "Unauthorized personnel cannot approach Miss Lang Lang."
"I'm a staff member here," Xu Huo said. "The front asked me to inquire when Miss Lang Lang can come out. There are some details we need to verify with her."
Lang Lang, who was sitting inside, stood up and smiled at the two players. "Thank you for your hard work. The celebration banquet is a matter of face for Clown City, especially since the Grand Archon has distinguished guests today. I can't cause everyone trouble because of my mistakes."
The two players didn't forcibly detain her in the lounge but said, "The Grand Archon mentioned that someone has been following Miss Lang Lang recently and ordered us to protect you well."
"I understand. It's fine. I'll stay in the banquet hall and won't go out," Lang Lang said amiably. "When will the Grand Archon arrive?"
The two players indicated they didn't know.
Lang Lang said nothing more and followed Xu Huo to the front hall.
Once in the hall, Xu Huo was about to leave, but two additional checkpoints had been set up at the main entrance—entry only, no exit. He glanced back at Lang Lang. This woman, who always wore a smile, showed no fluctuation in her eyes as she communicated with the staff as usual.
The sky grew darker. Before the rain could fall, it was completely dark. Lights came on, and one by one, vehicles arrived at the Sky Building. High-ranking government officials of Clown City walked into the building with their families.
The entire building was like a reservoir. As more and more people gathered, the banquet hall gradually became noisy.
Ten minutes later, the Grand Archon's car arrived. An elderly man with frost-white hair stepped out under the protection of his bodyguards, waving to the people around him.
This was the Grand Archon of Clown City, the highest leader overseeing both Clown Cities.
Following closely behind him was a man wearing a mask with a white base and black stripes. The two chatted and laughed as they entered the banquet hall. The Grand Archon called Lang Lang over. "Let me introduce you. This is the distinguished guest I invited, Mr. Yuan Cun. He is a player from Zone 001."
"The most radiant rose of Clown City lives up to its reputation," Yuan Cun glanced at Lang Lang, his gaze not lingering on her as others did.
At the Grand Archon's signal, Lang Lang picked up a glass of wine and handed it to Yuan Cun. Yuan Cun didn't take it. Lang Lang wasn't embarrassed and instead handed the wine to the Grand Archon.
The Grand Archon raised his glass. "To Clown City!"
"To Clown City!" Everyone followed suit, raising their glasses. The celebration banquet officially began.
Various parties began taking turns greeting the Grand Archon. The scene grew lively. Before long, the Grand Archon asked about the champion of this game. Xin Hui, dressed in formal attire, walked over gracefully. When she was only two meters from the Grand Archon, she suddenly lunged, charging straight at him!
At the same time, people in different parts of the venue also made their moves, firing guns and taking high-ranking officials hostage.
But Xin Hui's attempt didn't go smoothly. She hadn't even touched the Grand Archon before being blocked by an invisible barrier. With the first strike failing, the players acting as bodyguards had already positioned themselves in front of the Grand Archon.
179 fired shots to draw attention, while Xin Hui seized the opportunity to grab Lang Lang, who was nearby. Gripping her throat, she threatened the Grand Archon, "Tell your people to back off, or I'll kill her!"
The banquet hall descended into chaos. Many people covered their heads and ran for the exit, but the building's doors were already locked. Two who tried to break through were immediately shot dead by players who appeared.
The crowd screamed, but after a few more gunshots, they all crouched down, covering their heads.
"Everyone shut up!" A player in the Grand Archon's uniform barked at the crowd. Once everyone fell silent, they turned to look at the few people holding hostages. "Surround them!"
Xin Hui's side had put on quite a show, but in reality, there were only seven or eight of them. Before they could even converge, they were separated and surrounded. Judging by how the Grand Archon's players shot people, they didn't seem particularly concerned about anyone's life or death.
"You can make demands, but please don't hurt Lang Lang. She is the only daughter of my dearest friend. If anything happens to her, I won't be able to face my deceased friend," the Grand Archon said to Xin Hui.
Xin Hui pulled Lang Lang back. "Order all players to withdraw, then open the doors and clear the building!"
The Grand Archon said nothing, but several high-ranking officials from his office standing beside him shouted, "Dream on! Look at the situation clearly. If you don't release the hostages, you won't leave this building alive!"
"I'm a player. There's no place I can't leave," Xin Hui sneered, tightening her grip on Lang Lang's throat. "If you want her to live, Grand Archon, you'll have to come with me personally!"
The Grand Archon looked at her and said, "Who exactly are you people? Why are you doing this? Haven't Clown City's welfare policies for players and warriors been good enough?"
"Bullshit!" Xin Hui raged. "You fill your pockets with people's lives. How many innocent people have died horribly? And you still have the nerve to talk about some damn welfare policies!"
"Do you think I don't know the truth? The xenomorphs that appeared in the Cleanup Zone twenty years ago died out long ago. The later xenomorphs were all bought by you from other game districts!"
"What reclaiming our homeland—all lies! How many young people who were sincere toward Clown City died in the Cleanup Zone, killed by their own countrymen? You scum and degenerates—can you even sleep at night?"
"That can't be helped," the Grand Archon sighed. "It was all because of the previous Grand Archon's misjudgment twenty years ago that caused Clown City to split. So many people—they had to survive somehow."
"Shut up!" Xin Hui was furious. "A backstabber like you has the nerve to mention the previous Grand Archon! He turned the tide and established the Blockade Zone, but you betrayed him in the chaos. His entire family was kidnapped by thugs and thrown into the Blockade Zone. They all died—even the two-year-old child was shot. You know very well how you got that seat!"
Only then did the Grand Archon squint and seriously examine her. Then he said, "You're pleading for the previous Grand Archon, yet you're holding his only daughter hostage."
Xin Hui's face darkened. She shouted, "Tell your people to withdraw!"
But the Grand Archon had shed his earlier humble demeanor. Smiling, he said, "Anyone with half a brain wouldn't bring just these few people. Pretending to kidnap me is fake—letting these people out is the real goal, isn't it?"
He casually pointed at the government officials and their families crouching on the floor of the banquet hall.
(Chapter End)