Chapter 630: Secrets
"You're from Jing City, you've never left, and you've never been abroad. This foreign name you mentioned is a nickname you chose in the game." Xu Huo put down the mirror and picked up the medical record. "I know you yearn for life abroad. You've repeatedly promoted on social platforms how great it is overseas, wanting to settle there, and even asked your parents to sell the house to fund your trip abroad."
"However, your family's financial situation isn't good, and your parents are seriously ill. After they opposed selling the house, you killed them. It wasn't until the new buyer was renovating the house that their bodies were dug out from inside the walls."
After saying this, Xu Huo paused and asked him, "Do you still remember any of this?"
David Pierce's eyes were vacant. After struggling to recall, he fell into pain again, his expression twisting as he said, "I don't know... I don't know..."
Xu Huo sighed. "When you were arrested, you claimed you had to kill your parents because you were on a mission. In your eyes, they had become the landlord who accidentally discovered you meeting with a spy."
David Pierce's expression kept shifting. Gradually, he seemed to accept this fact. He retched and let out a pained howl. "I didn't want to kill them... I didn't mean to!"
Of course, Xu Huo's words were completely fabricated, but Pierce successfully followed his story and began to piece together his "false" past.
From his account, Xu Huo gained some understanding of this underground organization lurking in Jing City.
To sum it up in one sentence: these people were originally hidden spies. After the Evolver incident broke out, their mission had to change—it had no choice but to change. Since the Special Defense Department was established, they had strictly controlled all foreign nationals who became players, regardless of whether they had obtained citizenship. Many were deported, and those who remained were under close surveillance.
Recently, due to changes in the international situation, the Special Defense Department passed a proposal to repatriate all foreign nationals except those who had made extraordinary contributions. Their relatives and friends were also to be relocated to other provinces.
Probably thinking this was their last chance, this group took the opportunity to band together and cause trouble.
They had two goals. The first was to obtain the Detox Fungus, but this mission had already failed. Because an insider leaked information, their players entered the laboratory through special means only to find that not only did they not get what they wanted, but they were all killed by Special Defense Department members who had set up an ambush in advance. Not a single one was left alive.
The second goal was to assassinate high-ranking officials. This mission was half-failed because their personnel were caught as soon as they tried to infiltrate. They hadn't even touched the hem of anyone's clothes, let alone killed anyone. That's why they went all in, throwing their remaining forces into the chaotic battle near the headquarters.
Kill a few high-ranking Special Defense Department officials, use random instances to kill elite players, and take this opportunity to stir up conflict between the Special Defense Department and ordinary players, plunging this country into war just like the others abroad... In short, no one was allowed to have peace. Since most of Zone 014 was in turmoil, why should Country X be an exception?
After hearing this, Xu Huo found it absurd. This kind of action had completely lost any political meaning; it was more like venting anger and seeking revenge. No matter how you looked at it, Country X holding its ground and establishing a safe zone within its borders was a good thing for the entire world.
However, that wasn't the most important thing. David Pierce had leaked a key piece of information: other countries in Zone 014 also had item trading shops. Moreover, Country Y had discovered a large amount of mineral deposits in a newly generated resource zone and had already conducted trades. The reason several instance entrances could be transported in this time was by borrowing the power of items.
Xu Huo pressed for more information about the purchased items, but this David Pierce didn't know.
Unable to get more out of him, he went to the next room to find the leading middle-aged man.
"Bentley Abe," Xu Huo called his name. "Do you remember your past?"
Bentley's mental state was better than any of his subordinates. He stared at Xu Huo. "You're not a real doctor."
Xu Huo looked up at him. "I am the director of the Seventeenth Hospital."
"Director?" Bentley laughed. "This is a fake hospital. There is no director. You are the holder of this instance."
"You're very clever." Xu Huo sat down again, his tone playful. "So what if you know? You can't leave here alive anyway."
"I understand the structure of instances." Bentley thought he had found a glimmer of hope and said, "If the instance boss is a person, then this instance has a certain flexibility. Whether a player can clear it sometimes depends on the holder's mood!"
Xu Huo raised his hand and tapped on the operating table beside him. A tea set appeared on it. As he washed the teacups, he said, "I do have that authority. But why would I let you go?"
"I can give you everything you want. White Notes, items, potions, or women. If you want power, I can arrange for you to work for my country..."
Before he could finish, his words were replaced by a scream. His left leg was severed at the knee!
After enjoying his screams, Xu Huo nodded. "Think before you speak."
Bentley was filled with hatred but suppressed his pain and said, "I was wrong. You are a high-level player. What could you possibly lack? If you would deign to visit my country, you would surely receive the highest level of reception."
Xu Huo didn't take the bait. He physically demonstrated his lack of interest.
Bentley then made several tempting offers, such as gifting him the newly acquired A-level item from Country Y, and providing two trading slots with Country Y covering all expenses for him to purchase items at the shop.
Xu Huo refused them all. Not only did a mere undercover agent like Bentley not have such authority, but even if he did, Xu Huo wouldn't go—especially not under the premise that Country Y had already used ore for item trades.
"Are you interested in super ore?" Bentley finally mentioned the ore.
"Go on." Xu Huo looked him in the eye.
Bentley breathed a sigh of relief and stated his terms for exchange, no longer daring to suggest Xu Huo work for Country Y. He only offered a certain amount of ore in exchange for his freedom.
"This ore appears in overlapping zones. With current technology, we can only detect that it contains radioactive elements. Its specific effects and dangers are unknown, so for now, it's only used for trading."
"If you need it, let one of my companions go. He can bring the ore to you."
"Location," Xu Huo said flatly. "It's no trouble for me to make a trip."
Bentley's face twitched, and he clearly hesitated. But when he saw the change in Xu Huo's expression, he immediately reported a set of coordinates.
After hearing it, Xu Huo smiled. "You are very loyal to your country."
With that, he ended Bentley's life with a single sword strike.
(Chapter End)