Chapter 600: Do You Dare?
The infected individuals had no time to continue chasing Xu Huo; they quickly poured antidotes and self-healing agents into their mouths. One gray-robed figure even resorted to cutting away the area Xu Huo had touched, bloody chunks of flesh falling to the ground, but the wound did not improve. The exposed flesh had already turned completely black, the contaminant spreading like insects at high speed.
Not only that, but the places where the players' hands and feet had made contact were also stained black by the bacteria. Although the spread was slow, it was still clearly visible—these bacteria would automatically grow wherever they touched!
"Don't come near me! Don't come near me!" Young Master Qiu used an item to push away a black-robed figure's outstretched hand. Seeing that the item itself had also been contaminated, he simply threw it away and scrambled to his feet to run. Unexpectedly, he tripped over Tan Yang as he passed by, stumbling forward and landing right in front of Xu Huo.
Xu Huo removed his anti-contamination gloves and casually tossed them on the ground, nodding at Tan Yang. "What a coincidence."
Tan Yang was stunned. Before he could speak, Sima Xiao'er, recognizing Xu Huo's voice, exclaimed joyfully, "Brother Xu, it's you! I knew you'd come to save me!"
"Put your pants on." Xu Huo tossed him a pair of shorts. Sima Xiao'er, unashamed, tore off the tablecloth he was wearing and changed, then helped the female player beside him.
The five of them had been brought to the dining table alive. While unconscious, several slices of flesh had been cut from the female player's leg, and in the chaos, she hadn't had time to stop the bleeding.
These few were also lucky. Almost all the guests invited by the club had died, leaving only Young Master Qiu. They dared not approach the blackened players at the center of the club, so they turned their attention to Young Master Qiu, who had just stood up.
Young Master Qiu was pragmatic. His gaze swept around him before finally returning to Xu Huo. "The First Association doesn't have players this strong. Are you from the Special Defense Department? Do you know who I am?"
Xu Huo had set a good example, and the First Association players gradually joined in. Just over ten minutes ago, the black-robed figures had held an absolute numerical advantage, but now more than half were dead or wounded. On the lakeshore, two of the gray-robed figures had died, two had fled, and the rest were on their last legs.
Not to mention anything else, the First Association still had enough people. The complete annihilation of the black-robed figures was only a matter of time.
Without answering his question, Xu Huo simply smiled. "What's the matter? Afraid to enter the instance?"
Young Master Qiu's face tightened, and he quickly added, "It doesn't matter if you don't know who I am. Just know that the Twin Serpents have ties to the Special Defense Department. If you kill my people, the Special Defense Department won't let you off easily either."
"The Special Defense Department has no authority over me." Xu Huo said calmly. "From what you're saying, is the Special Defense Department sponsoring the Twin Serpents to recruit cannibal players?"
"The Twin Serpents' gathering is really meant to screen for cannibal players, isn't it? How many players do you have?"
Young Master Qiu let out a "Ha" of laughter. "More than you can imagine. This club is just a handful of people! Since you're not a Special Defense Department player either, why not follow me? I can give you whatever you want—whether it's items, potions, or weapons!"
"I've been poisoned with a strange toxin, and I don't have much time left." Xu Huo said. "I heard the Special Defense Department recently obtained a type of fungus that can detoxify. Can you get your hands on it?"
Young Master Qiu's expression shifted, and he remained silent. But as soon as he saw Xu Huo pull out his item sword, he immediately said, "If you let me go, I can give you one!"
Others present might not know about the King Fungus, but Sima Xiao'er was well aware of the details. There were only a few King Fungi, and they still needed to be cultivated. This guy dared to promise one offhand, and he must know a lot to even mention "one"!
Even someone as simple-minded as Sima Xiao'er realized the severity of the situation, and Xu Huo naturally understood what this implied.
"It seems that not only the Special Defense Department has been infiltrated, but even key official agencies have cannibal players."
As he spoke, he finished off a gray-robed figure who had tried to ambush him, then turned back to look at Young Master Qiu.
Young Master Qiu's expression hardened. "You can't kill me! Someone knows I'm here. If you kill me, everyone present today will die!"
"Give it a rest!" Sima Xiao'er spat. "I'll just hide in an instance! Let your people charge into the instance to avenge you!"
"That's the logic." Xu Huo nodded and stepped toward Young Master Qiu.
Young Master Qiu quickly retreated two steps, but seeing the First Association players blocking his way from behind, he steeled himself and shouted "Hands up!" toward the front.
Unfortunately, Xu Huo wasn't falling for that trick a second time. As soon as Young Master Qiu opened his mouth, Xu Huo changed position, cut off the sound, circled behind him, kicked him over, and stepped on his back. The Crimson Sword rested against his neck, the sharp blade drawing a thin line.
"Did you enjoy eating living people?" Xu Huo asked, his tone flat, devoid of hatred. "Have you ever experienced having your flesh sliced off piece by piece?"
Young Master Qiu trembled all over. He tried to struggle but found he couldn't move. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Cannibal players have to eat people. What's the difference between that and you eating pigs or sheep? You're just lucky you didn't become a cannibal player!"
"Do you think you're any better than a cannibal player? You still rely on items to kill people. If you've got the guts, kill all the cannibal players! Haha! Can you kill them all?"
"Let me tell you, everything that happens here today will spread. Not just the Twin Serpents, but all cannibal players in District 014 will know that you and the First Association are targeting them. To survive, players will do anything. You're not afraid, but don't you have families?"
The threat was devastating. Even without family or friends, no one wanted to be targeted by cannibal players. And who knew how many people were behind the Twin Serpents? Would Young Master Qiu's powerful backers come after the First Association later?
Tan Yang and Pu Kang's faces also changed. But Xu Huo only glanced at the phone lying not far away, then stomped down, breaking Young Master Qiu's ribs. Amidst the screams, he said, "If the Twin Serpents are all cowards like you who dare not enter an instance even at death's door, then they're nothing to worry about."
The sword on his neck pressed harder, and the blood flowed more freely. Instead of being afraid, Young Master Qiu burst into loud laughter. "My rescuers will be here any moment. Do you dare to kill me?"
The sounds of fighting gradually subsided. The remaining players watched the club restaurant with grim expressions. Soon, a player who had been keeping watch outside the club relayed the news: The Special Defense Department had arrived!
Young Master Qiu's laughter grew more arrogant, but no one around urged Xu Huo to kill him.
Huang Junjie came up behind Xu Huo, his expression complicated. "It seems to be Team Leader Song."
Team Leader Song and Xu Huo had clashed before. This likely didn't bode well.
In just a few breaths, the Special Defense Department's main force indeed arrived at the lakeside. These fully armed players were clearly different from the black-robed figures. The First Association players had already begun retreating from the direction they had entered.
(End of Chapter)