Chapter 959: A City on the Edge of Death
The Duckbill Cap didn't immediately take people to Tree Crown Pillar 06. Instead, he arranged for another small team to go there while he continued leading his group in a search around the laboratory area.
The blockade perimeter around the laboratory zone had been increased to four layers by the time Duckbill Cap entered the R1 laboratory. This wasn't just to block Xu Huo, but also to deal with the chaos caused by the virus outbreak.
The Tree Crown Pillars weren't just home to government personnel, but also their families, as well as some individuals from families who had made significant contributions to W37—such as the relatives of fallen players. Therefore, the number of ordinary people was still enormous. As the W37 base city beneath the Tree Crown Pillars descended into chaos, those above couldn't remain stable either. Especially after discovering that some people were trying to climb up to the Tree Crown Pillars using elevators, a portion of the crowd surged toward the government building or the blockade zone—at this moment, players represented safety!
The SE virus had numerous transmission methods. Whether it was those trying to climb the Tree Crown Pillars or those seeking player protection, the effect was actually limited. Infection was just a matter of time, unless W37 organized all players to implement multiple layers of blockade over the infected areas and evacuate the residents.
But the base government didn't do this. The Enforcement Team had increased patrol numbers half a month ago, and now most of those conducting emergency rescues and local blockades were the same people. Meanwhile, more and more players were gathering near the laboratory. Compared to the virus spread, the base government seemed more intent on capturing Xu Huo, the player who had publicly challenged them.
Xu Huo had already descended from the Tree Crown Pillar. On his way to the Bird Tower, he saw a team of Enforcement Team players heading toward a Tree Crown Pillar, where numerous buildings were floating. A person dressed in clown attire was flying freely—arriving early was not as good as arriving at the right time.
Zhu Feiyun seemed to sense something. He suddenly looked up in Xu Huo's direction, locking eyes with Xu Huo, who had changed his face again.
Both their expressions shifted subtly. Zhu Feiyun hadn't expected Xu Huo to be so ruthless as to frame him, while Xu Huo was surprised that Zhu Feiyun had used a tracking item on him.
After a very brief moment of eye contact, Xu Huo was the first to look away.
"Help... save me..." Under the violent virus, not far from the quarantine zone, many people were already showing symptoms. These people had been blockaded by the Enforcement Team players who arrived early, either inside buildings or on the streets. But the living still wanted to live, and those already infected were taking measures to save themselves. Among them were those who destroyed buildings to force their way out. However, ordinary people had limited means, and in their desperation, they often ended up with consequences they couldn't bear.
Xu Huo had already spotted at least five small explosions. The player blockade hadn't been breached, but many of the infected had been injured by the blasts. The ones wailing, screaming, and begging for help were these people.
By this point, even if the Enforcement Team wanted to rescue them, they had no way to do so.
But the inability to act and the forceful blockade had completely shattered the previously harmonious state between players and ordinary people. The W37 residents, who felt abandoned in their desperate situation, underwent a sharp change in attitude. Angry accusations could be heard everywhere, though most people still harbored hope for the base government, so their accusations were mixed with pleas.
The Enforcement Team players were equally helpless in this situation. Watching their compatriots die before their eyes would weigh on anyone's conscience, especially since there were a significant number of children among them. Compared to adults, children had a shorter incubation period before showing symptoms.
"It's all those outer zone players' fault!"
The virus couldn't have appeared in W37 for no reason. W37's own players wouldn't do such a thing, so it could only be the outer zone players.
Thus, some Enforcement Team players shifted from blockading the infected to capturing outer zone players.
Although most outer zone players had nothing to do with the incident, there were plenty looking to exploit the chaos. As a result, all three sides acted from their own positions, and the scene grew increasingly chaotic.
Looking at the thick smoke rising in the distance, it was hard to associate this with the W37 of daytime.
A city on the edge of death—any order was just empty words.
Xu Huo arrived near the Bird Tower.
The Bird Tower had originally been built as a watchtower, but due to the shift in the political center and W37's development, this area had gradually become an old urban district in need of renovation. The Bird Tower, which looked fragile from the outside, seemed to have become a dangerous building. Even the lock on the main door showed signs of rust.
The people inside the Bird Tower had blocked outside sightlines, so Xu Huo couldn't immediately determine the exact number of people inside. He contacted Shangguan Xi.
"Teacher Ai and Xiong Qing have already gone in," Shangguan Xi said directly. "I'm right in front of the main entrance..."
Before he could finish, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him. Shangguan Xi was startled, but relaxed after seeing who it was.
Putting away the communicator, Xu Huo asked, "How long have they been in?"
"About five minutes," Shangguan Xi checked the time, then said with some confusion, "I don't believe those two could last that long inside the tower. After the other party sensed Pan Qiao and me, they used an item to blockade the tower. Ordinary detection items are useless. What can they do?"
"How do you know they're not dead?" Xu Huo cut to the chase.
"Pan Qiao is guarding the other side," Shangguan Xi explained. "He saw Teacher Ai show his face once through a window on the fifth floor."
Xu Huo contacted Pan Qiao, who said, "I suspect they know each other. When Xiong Qing took Teacher Ai through the window earlier, the people inside didn't stop them. Teacher Ai went upstairs without being attacked, but Xiong Qing is no longer there."
After a pause, he added, "Where is Kuang Wenjun now?"
"On the Tree Crown Pillar," Xu Huo said. "We can meet up with her later."
Xu Huo wasn't actually unaware of Kuang Wenjun's situation, and he wasn't lying—at least the base government wouldn't kill her for now.
Using an item telescope to observe the Bird Tower for a while, he reached out to Shangguan Xi.
Shangguan Xi immediately understood and took off the "Shared Location" glasses, handing them back to him. Xu Huo put the glasses back on and said, "I'm going up to the Bird Tower to take a look. Keep an eye on the movements of the people inside."
With that, he put on the Invisibility Cloak and rose into the air. "Gentleman's Poise" could function within a hundred meters. He ascended to the same height as the top floor of the Bird Tower and looked inside through the window.
The item magnified the details within the hollowed-out iron window. The first thing to enter his field of vision was a curved surface engraved with complex patterns. The metallic patterns seemed to carry a mysterious power, unconsciously drawing one's gaze...
Xu Huo took the telescope away and paused briefly, then looked again. It wasn't his imagination—those patterns were imbued with mental interference. The more focused one was, the easier it was to be drawn in.
However, from the outside, he couldn't see the full extent of that curved surface. He leaned closer to the window, used the "Eye of the Dead" to break through the iron bars, and flipped inside—the people in the tower didn't seem to restrict entry or exit, so they hadn't set up a barrier outside.
(Chapter End)