Chapter 755: The Lament of the Past
This afternoon was not exactly peaceful either.
It was unknown whether that hungry monster had also swapped spaces along with them, but the remaining corpses in the room had been completely devoured, not even a trace of bone left behind. Therefore, it would also attack closed rooms, and occasionally, upon hearing a sound, it would tear down the door and wall together.
"It seems this one is hungry," Peng Fengnian said.
Because of this monster, moving around the hotel was not very convenient for them.
However, the few remaining members on Peng Fengnian's side finally showed themselves.
One was the leading player who had previously chased Xu Huo, whom Peng Fengnian and the others called Old Zheng. Another was a player who had participated in the siege of the monster, codenamed Old Eagle. The last one was the person they referred to as Teacher Pan.
This Teacher Pan appeared to be a very refined person. He wore glasses, his behavior and mannerisms were gentle, and he spoke softly and calmly, making one feel as comfortable as a spring breeze and easily inspiring goodwill.
Xiao Ling and Sun Bo, among others, had not gotten along well due to tripping each other up while fleeing, and they looked down on each other. But Teacher Pan showed no emotion whatsoever, greeting them amiably, and then said to Xu Huo, "There is always a sky above the sky, and people beyond people. Mr. Yu has truly opened Pan's eyes. We stayed here for five or six days without noticing the spatial traps hidden in the Museum City. Only after Mr. Yu's explanation did we have the feeling of clouds parting to see the sun, realizing our mistake. Having lived for twenty or thirty years in vain, I am truly ashamed."
"Just a coincidence," Xu Huo said. He didn't believe that none of them had noticed the changes in the scenery outside the hotel. It was just that they couldn't leave the hotel and hadn't discovered the trap of the instance time, so they hadn't thought deeper about it.
"Mr. Yu is too modest." Teacher Pan proactively took out a picture frame-like item. "Among us, this is the only item that can barely be associated with space. Mr. Yu, feel free to speak your mind directly. We will definitely cooperate."
Old Zheng beside him also apologized with a look of shame, not saying anything grandiose, only stating, "I have offended Mr. Yu, and I won't say much more. After we get out, however you want to settle this, just draw a line, and I won't say a word of objection!"
It was a temporary truce. It seemed that because Xu Huo had demonstrated his due strength, even Sun Bo, who had been glaring and frowning, had become considerably more polite.
"What is the function of this item?" Xu Huo brought the topic back.
"A door," Teacher Pan said. "Place it anywhere, and it can open a door. It can open any wall, including reinforced vault doors."
"However, this item can only be used once a day. Generally, the longer an item's cooldown time, the more peculiar its effect. I think it should be able to do more than just open physical doors; it should have other effects."
Seeing that half of the players' eyes were fixed on the item and the other half on him, Xu Huo guessed that the item's grade was not low, so he asked, "Was it used in the past few days?"
Of course, it had been used. They had followed the sound of footsteps and tried it everywhere they could. But aside from opening doors on walls, it was completely useless elsewhere.
"Maybe it needs to be used in the right place," Teacher Pan said. "Mr. Yu understands spatial rules; perhaps you can find that place."
"And what exactly can you do?" Xiao Ling interrupted them at this point, her face cold. "A few nice words and you want others to take the fall for you? You bring out an item all secretive and guarded, if you're so afraid of someone snatching it, don't bring it out at all!"
"What business is it of yours?" Sun Bo said angrily. "Did we ask you?"
Xiao Ling gave a cold laugh, walked over to Xu Huo, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've seen plenty of people who burn the bridge after crossing the river. Yu Huo, don't be fooled."
Xu Huo understood her meaning. She was saying that not only did he need to be wary of Peng Fengnian and his group, but he also needed a few companions to share the risk.
Pushing her hand away, he said slowly, "I've met quite a few people who burn bridges too."
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The pressure released from his eyes caused Lin Zhenhuai and the others to unconsciously adopt a defensive posture.
"What Miss Xiao said makes sense," Teacher Pan spoke again. "Mr. Yu should know that we are players from Zone 009. Outside the Museum City is our country. You have done us a great favor this time. If you want to settle down here after we get out, we can arrange it. If you don't have that intention, we will have other ways to thank you."
"It's just that we don't have many good items, and everyone cherishes them greatly, so we were overly tense."
Such a sincere and humble attitude made it hard for even Xiao Ling to say anything more, though she didn't let her guard down just because of these words, especially regarding Old Zheng.
Before dark, everyone first closed their doors to rest.
Xu Huo chatted with Teacher Pan. "You're all trapped in the hotel, so you must have discovered something here. Forgive my boldness, but could you tell me what it is?"
Teacher Pan, who had been speaking freely, hesitated for a moment. Seeing this, Xu Huo considerately said, "It's fine if you don't want to say. I just wanted to learn more about this hotel... You can talk about the background of the Museum City, right?"
Regarding the background information of the Museum City, as native players from Zone 009, they had done their homework before coming.
"When the Museum City was first built, it was requisitioned by the government of that time. An infectious disease broke out nearby, and a venue was needed for quarantine and treatment. However, medical standards were low back then, and humanity was helpless against infectious diseases. Later, a large number of infected patients were poisoned to death."
"But simply killing people wouldn't do, especially since many infected nobles and wealthy individuals were among them. The government at the time discovered a person naturally immune to the disease, a doctor surnamed Shang."
Xu Huo nodded.
"This doctor was benevolent and skilled, helping many people. Someone leaked the information that the government was going to arrest him. Doctor Shang fled that very night. The government failed to catch him, so they turned their attention to the remaining members of the Shang family."
"The Shang clan was a large family with many members, but they were almost completely wiped out. Some people even became obsessed, thinking that while the grown members of the Shang family might not have immunity, the children they bore might. So even women who were merely related to the Shang family by marriage were not spared."
"Some secret historical records contain accounts of this—truly a human tragedy."
"A few years later, Doctor Shang, who had been living incognito, secretly returned to his hometown, thinking the heat had died down and he could reunite with his family. Instead, he found that the Shang family was almost entirely extinct. He exposed the matter."
"Although the Museum City had also captured many people for experiments, the central government was far away, and it wasn't difficult for the local government and criminal forces to cover things up. So, even with a massive number of missing persons, it took several years for this matter to be resolved."
It was just a few words to tell, but the bones still remaining in the Museum City represented the bloody truth that had actually occurred. The stark white bones seemed to seep with the lament of those who had been brutally tortured and killed, shrieking day and night.
Xu Huo was silent for a moment before asking again, "Is there any particular reason for the Shang clan's descendants to rebuild the Museum City?"
If it were merely to clear the names of their ancestors and clan members, there was no need to be so subtle about it.
(Chapter End)