Chapter 578: A Hundred and One Make No Difference
Everyone present, including Sima Xiao'er, thought Xu Huo was calling for backup. But this place was far from town, and even if someone could come, it would take at least an hour or two by car—completely pointless. That was also why Bao Jiali hadn't stopped him.
However, the name Tan Yang was well-known to all. He was the officially recognized president of the number one player association. Originally, he had called himself the vice president, but after the official seal was stamped, he became the president.
Tan Yang quickly answered the call and said politely, "Mr. Xu has safely returned to District 014. This trip must have been quite fruitful."
"There are two people I want you to identify: Bao Jiali and Wang Meng. Are they players from the First Association?" Xu Huo asked.
There was a brief exchange on the other end, and after a moment, Tan Yang said, "They are indeed. Did they cause trouble for you?"
Xu Huo placed his phone on the table and pressed the speaker button. "As the president, do you have no control over the players in your association?"
Tan Yang paused before saying, "The core players in the association are currently busy raising their game levels."
Xu Huo let out a laugh. "Is that what you said when you came to me two months ago? You talked about players uniting to help each other through thick and thin. I haven't seen any mutual aid, but I have seen a bunch of troublemakers."
"Some people get a little power and let it go to their heads, which is understandable. But bullying your own kind—aren't you afraid of stirring up a big problem and getting the whole pot wiped out?"
Tan Yang was silent on the other end, but Xu Huo could hear the breathing of more people through the subtle sound currents.
"Do you think that just because the First Association has a few hundred players, something like that can't happen?" He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, then took down the withered leaf stuck to Sima Xiao'er's back. Glancing at a player standing a few meters away, he said, "If you had come in and killed us just now, the situation wouldn't be like this."
"Where is the First Association's base?" Xu Huo asked Sima Xiao'er, who had regained his freedom.
Sima Xiao'er stretched his body and said angrily, "Yang City Central Tower. That place was specially approved for their office use."
"How many players are usually in the tower?"
"Usually around a hundred or so. The players don't all enter the game at the same time."
"Only a hundred people." Xu Huo spoke into the phone again. "A hundred E-level players and one E-level player—there's no difference."
"Such big talk!" Bao Jiali sneered.
Xu Huo took out a lighter and lit a cigarette, ignoring the man opposite him. After blowing out a puff of smoke, he said, "Want to try?"
Bao Jiali slammed the table and stood up. "President, don't worry about this. Leave this kid to me..."
"Shut up!" Tan Yang barked. Then he said, "Mr. Xu, give me some face."
Xu Huo didn't speak. Amid the silence filled with the suppressed anger of the First Association players both on-site and on the phone, Huang Junjie stepped forward and spoke. "Brother Xu, what happened today was the association's fault. I'll have Bao Jiali and Wang Meng apologize to you properly. When you have time, come to Yang City, and President Tan and I will set up a table and treat you to a drink."
"Bao Jiali, Wang Meng," he turned his attention to the players present, "no matter how many of you there are, apologize to Mr. Xu properly. Don't cause trouble for the association. It's easy to join the association, but it's also easy to be expelled."
Bao Jiali's face turned red, his eyes filled with resentment. He clearly didn't want to obey this arrangement.
Before he could speak, Xu Huo stood up first. "That's enough."
He hung up the phone and called Sima Xiao'er to leave.
Wang Meng and the others reluctantly made way. Sima Xiao'er's broken-down car wasn't there, so they planned to use the sports car. However, as they passed Bao Jiali's car, Xu Huo glanced inside: a woman with her clothes half-covering her was lying in the back seat. Her feet were chained, and there were several needle marks on her hanging arm. She was muttering something incoherently, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out.
Sima Xiao'er started the car. Meanwhile, Bao Jiali and the others had also come out of the service station. Seeing Xu Huo standing by their car, they were about to rush over aggressively when suddenly a flash of sword light swept past, and Bao Jiali's head flew into the air!
Before the others could react, the man who had been standing by the car suddenly appeared in front of them. With a flick of a thin thread, several players were tied together. Two players standing on the side had their throats cut on the spot!
The remaining players snapped to their senses and immediately used items and traits against Xu Huo. Unfortunately, Xu Huo had already activated "The Power of Writing" and "Forced Forgetting." Within a few short seconds, the remaining players were killed, leaving only one.
That one was the fastest to react. He used an item to block his neck and simultaneously threw a sticker toy at Xu Huo. But it didn't work, because the item "Universal Lubricant" could neutralize items below C-level that required contact to function, rendering this item useless.
The man died, of course.
The only survivor, Wang Meng, fell to his knees, begging for mercy. "Don't kill me! I won't dare anymore! I swear I won't dare anymore!"
Xu Huo flicked the blood droplets off "Harms No One But the Wielder." "Don't worry, I'm not killing you. Go back and explain things properly to the First Association. If you're asking for death, you can't blame anyone else. Take the person in the car to the hospital. As for the rest..."
"I'll definitely take her to the hospital. I'll pay for the medical bills and compensation for mental distress. After that, I'll turn myself in... But this has nothing to do with me. I didn't lay a finger on that girl. It was all Bao Jiali. She's a rich second-generation. Bao Jiali pursued her before but got rejected, so he deliberately tortured her..."
"No need to say more." Xu Huo cut him off.
Sima Xiao'er checked on the girl's condition, closed the car door, and kicked Bao Jiali's corpse a few more times. "I just can't figure it out. How did a scumbag like this survive in the instances!"
"Brother Xu, how about we take her to the hospital ourselves? I don't trust this Wang Meng kid. What if he brings a bunch of people to seek revenge? That would only harm this girl."
"Absolutely not!" Wang Meng swore to the heavens. "If I dare to cause any more trouble, let me get hit by a car and die the moment I step outside! I mean it, Brother Xiao'er! You have to believe me!"
Sima Xiao'er, still furious, kicked him over. "I used to think you were just a big mouth. I never thought you'd hang out with scum like this!"
Wang Meng was a mess of tears and snot, too afraid to provoke Xu Huo, so he could only cling to Sima Xiao'er's leg and beg, "Brother Xiao'er, give me a chance! I don't want to die..."
"How about... we let him drive and follow us?" Sima Xiao'er hesitated. "We're going to Yang City anyway."
"Fine." Xu Huo didn't object.
Sima Xiao'er notified the nearby branch to handle the aftermath, and then the two set off again. Wang Meng drove ahead. Although he was alone in the car, he didn't dare call anyone from the First Association the entire way. He obediently drove to Yang City, and only after Xu Huo nodded did he take the girl to the hospital himself.
"Absolutely inhuman." After the car had been weaving through the city for a long time, Sima Xiao'er finally choked out.
(Chapter End)