Chapter 2808: Xu Huo, the Unreasonable

“Besides large instruments, the only thing that can cover a city with a population in the tens of millions is top-notch Rank-A Defense Items or Super Props.” Zhou Juanjuan thought of more, “If faced with a large-scale attack, without substantial defense, the consequences would likely be unimaginable.”

“Zone 022 seemed pretty decent before, why no solutions now?” Levi commented sarcastically, “Turns out they were just bluffing.”

Even though Zone 022 is financially robust and could equip every major city with large protective instruments, for Advanced Players, it’s not difficult to destroy such instruments. As long as they locate where the instruments are placed, sometimes they don’t even have to confront the sturdy barrier the instruments deploy; often, a high-priced interference device is enough to easily achieve their goals.

Although there are robots and emergency protective packs available in the city, these are not sufficient to cover the entire population.

The stalemate has dragged on, and some Players stuck in the Capital City have begun to take action. Conflicts have erupted in many places, primarily targeting important government agencies, since the items stored there are more valuable than ordinary valuables.

“Where are we going?” Levi asked Xu Huo.

Casually dealing with a few Players who were randomly committing murder to vent, Xu Huo said, “To Punishment City.”

Levi and Zhou Juanjuan exchanged a glance, thinking Xu Huo might have a big plan. They didn’t ask further, but silently followed behind.

It wasn’t that they wanted to join the chaos, rather, they hadn’t cleared the level, so they couldn’t leave. Given the situation in Capital City, any place they hide might get them caught in Player warfare. They didn’t plan to get involved in Zone 022’s affairs; avoiding it would be best.

Within the Capital City, there’s a Punishment City. It’s easy to imagine Players with plans and schemes attacking Capital City wouldn’t miss such a place. Considering it involves indiscriminate slaughter of ordinary people, releasing some Outer Zone Players detained here, or local Players from Zone 022 who harbor grudges, could be highly profitable.

Therefore, when Xu Huo and his companions arrived and found the main gate of Punishment City heavily damaged, it wasn’t surprising, with Players occasionally passing in and out during ongoing skirmishes.

Avoiding the areas heavily affected by combat, Xu Huo located a severely injured Player from Punishment City and asked her for Lei Jie Lian’s whereabouts.

The person, heavily injured, easily disclosed Ley Jie Lian’s detention location under spiritual control — given the attack on the District, no one thought of moving her, or perhaps they felt solitary confinement within Punishment City was relatively safe.

Indeed, according to this person, Xu Huo and his team went to the third basement floor. After opening the blast door with a work badge, they saw a dozen Prisoners, including Ley Jie Lian, hiding well inside a duty room. There were also two Players who were originally on duty here.

These Prisoners are from Zone 022, presumably of minor influence at home, only symbolically undergoing imprisonment for some lessons, expecting to go home upon reflection. Ley Jie Lian appearing here isn’t surprising at all.

Upon seeing Xu Huo, Ley Jie Lian immediately ducked her head, relying on her small frame to hide behind others, not wanting to be discovered by him.

“No point hiding,” Xu Huo picked her up into the air, “I’m here specifically to find you.”

“Why are you looking for me?” Ley Jie Lian angrily said, “Isn’t it enough that you took my things and put me in this situation?”

“Just wanted to ask you some matters.” Xu Huo locked the blast door behind and casually tossed her onto a chair, then sat opposite her. “Zone 022 is doing business with Stellar Medical, you should know some details.”

Ley Jie Lian laughed upon hearing this, “You want to know, huh? Kill them for me if you want to know!”

She pointed backward at the people hiding in the duty room, “They all mock me, every single one of them deserves death!”

The group huddled in the duty room glared at her angrily, but also knew the two Players with them weren’t matches for Xu Huo and his group, and communications with Punishment City had long been severed, otherwise, they wouldn’t have stayed hiding here without venturing out.

“I can tell you what you want to know!” another Prisoner said, “I know more than she does! She’s a dwarf, not taken seriously at home, emotionally unstable, who would share secrets with her?”

With someone leading, others naturally followed suit. Someone even mentioned their family had direct projects with Stellar Medical and had visited Hengxing Pharmaceutical Factory for observation and learning.

Xu Huo singled out that person and obtained a detailed address for a Hengxing Pharmaceutical Factory, situated in a subzone under a Rank-B Wormhole Point. According to collected data, this subzone’s technological development is quite good, and having a Hengxing Medical Factory is reasonable, but typically such publicly visible factories are hard to access for confidential information, generally being proper factories.

“No more information?” Xu Huo continued to ask.

“Why not let me take you to my home.” The young man said, “My dad definitely knows, he’s friends with people in Stellar Medical. For my safety, he’d surely tell!”

Apparently, no more substantial gains. These eager ‘informants’ provided little actually useful information.

Ley Jie Lian laughed smugly at this moment, sneering at Xu Huo with a ‘you’ll be begging me’ look.

Xu Huo also smiled, retrieving an interrogation potion from his luggage compartment.

On the spot, Ley Jie Lian showcased a face change and dramatic knee slide, “How could you act this way? If you want to ask, just ask, why threaten?”

“Are you going to tell or not?” Xu Huo opened the box.

Even frustrated, Ley Jie Lian smoothly mentioned a subzone, “Go here, surely there’s a surprise waiting.”

“No more detailed information?” Xu Huo raised an eyebrow.

“Since it’s confidential, how could they disclose all details during conversation? This is overheard information.” Ley Jie Lian said, “They instructed the District Government to deliver traded items to a certain station in this subzone, mentioning someone will take over there; it differs from regular trade locations, presumably holds other secrets.”

B11-003, coincidentally also B11 Wormhole Point. Previously, “Book Worm” suggested trade terms involving a type of ore at this Wormhole Point’s exit.

Seeing Xu Huo seem to accept it, Ley Jie Lian pondered then added, “If you take me to find my father, I can share news that would undoubtedly entice you.”

Xu Huo looked at her, “You know you lost leverage the moment you uttered that sentence, right?”

“I know,” Ley Jie Lian said indifferently, “Why not try? Maybe you reason logically.”

Xu Huo subtly smiled, “No such maybe.”

Ley Jie Lian glared at him indignantly before saying, “Aren’t Players after Perfect Potion? I know where it is.”