Chapter 93 : Chapter 93
Chapter 93
Bai Xuechao lingered on Qiao Wenjie's face in the comic for a few extra seconds.
The readers didn't know yet, but he knew perfectly well. The protagonist group of three would enter the Dream Game City from A Port, and the Apocalypse Society was definitely the driving force behind it. Therefore, this Team Y2 that assigned the protagonist group the task of tracking the special ability energy crystal was highly suspicious, especially Qiao Wenjie.
Temporarily setting aside his suspicion of Qiao Wenjie, Bai Xuechao continued to read the comic.
Next, the protagonist group tracked the level 4 special ability user who was suspected of taking the special ability energy crystal. The comic didn't show their tracking process but instead used a full-page map of Xia Country.
On the map, next to the red dot of Y City, were the Q-version avatars of the three members of the protagonist group. Below the avatars was the date "October 12th" followed by a small moon icon. An arrow pointed from Y City down to D City, followed by another arrow from D City to the diagonally lower C City. Along the arrow's line was a small airplane icon, indicating that they were traveling by plane. Next to D City was a small sun icon. The arrows continued to point south, eventually ending at A City, with the date "October 13th" and another small moon icon beside it.
【Did they chase for a whole night and day?】
【My goodness, no sleep? If this were ancient times and they were the imperial guard or constables chasing a notorious bandit, at least a few bandits would die from exhaustion. (doge emoji)】
【From Y City to A Port, they've practically crossed Xia Country vertically. Being led on a chase for so far, you've worked hard, my babies.】
Xiao 6 couldn't help but interject with a complaint here, "The plot of this arc started to deviate from here. They actually reached A Port in just one day. Originally, according to the main system's pre-run of the simulated world, they were supposed to arrive at A Port on the afternoon of October 14th."
Bai Xuechao caught the key point, "There's a pre-run?"
Xiao 6 let out a terrified gasp, "Huh—"
Bai Xuechao said with a half-smile, "Xiao 6, you've been hiding things quite well, haven't you? There's something like a pre-run, and you didn't tell me."
"Ying, it's not that I didn't want to tell you, but that thing is in the main system's database of the simulated world. It can't be shown to anyone, and it can only be used as a reference."
Xiao 6 picked at its code-like little hands, its cute and soft voice echoing in Bai Xuechao's mind. "Because that is the version 'where you've already died of illness and don't exist'."
So, it's equivalent to the "original story"?
Xiao 6's task was to modify the "original story" plot into the one Bai Guzi wanted, which was the outline plot.
"Oh, I see," Bai Xuechao asked, "Has Bai Guzi seen it?"
Xiao 6 immediately replied, "No! The pre-run is like a preview conducted by the main system to check if the simulated world can run normally and if there are any missing important settings or setting conflicts that could cause the world to collapse. For humans, it's like a pre-load or caching before watching a video. It's not available for viewing."
It continued, "Because the simulated world fills in details and has a high degree of randomness, the results of each pre-run are different. If this world were to reset, the pre-run in the database would be updated again. Even if it were available for viewing, there would be no need to watch it. It's just a normal run result, and watching it would be a waste of time, because the flow of time in the simulated world is the same as in the high-dimensional world."
Bai Xuechao understood.
He also confirmed one piece of information. The time flow in the simulated world was the same as in the high-dimensional world, something he had long suspected. Because before the Dream Game City arc started, Xiao 6 had said the plot would be a week later, and then Bai Guzi announced that the comic would be on hiatus for a week.
Thinking back now, the reason Xiao 6 was so sure that the Dream Game City plot would be a week later was because of this pre-run.
"Let's continue reading the comic," Bai Xuechao turned to the next page.
Xiao 6, seeing that Bai Xuechao wasn't pursuing the matter further, let out a sigh of relief.
After the map, on the left was a close-up of Zhou Chenhao's expression. He said with some speechlessness, "He can really run. This is the first time in my life I've had to apply for a travel permit."
"It's my first time too." On the right was a close-up of Xia Xiaoxi's expression. She covered her mouth with one hand and yawned, "Luckily, Ling Feng has a travel permit and could catch up first. Plus, we have SAIDB credentials to get emergency permits, otherwise we would have lost him."
The next panel was a long shot. The sky was a deep black. Zhou Chenhao and Xia Xiaoxi stood on the side of a bustling, brightly lit road, watching Ling Feng walk towards them.
"I've already contacted the A Port SAIDB. They don't have a Special Team, but their authority is open to us," Ling Feng said as he walked up to the two of them, holding his phone. "I've checked the surveillance footage from A Port. We need to split up."
The comic showed Ling Feng's phone screen here.
The screen displayed surveillance video, showing the date and time. The sky wasn't dark yet, it was dusk. A man with a backpack, a black hat, and a black mask appeared outside the airport and got into a minivan.
The next panel was a collage of three frames. In each frame, a man with a backpack, black hat, and black mask was getting out of a car, with different street backgrounds.
Zhou Chenhao hissed.
"It's obvious they've split into three groups again to mislead us." Ling Feng concluded with a calm expression, "We might have caught up with the real one."
【As expected of the protagonist group's treatment, the one they were assigned is the real one (doge emoji)】
【Before, when they split into four groups with level 5 and level 4, I already thought the level 4 one might be the real special ability energy crystal, because the more impossible it is, the more possible it is.】
【Haha, if the protagonist group doesn't catch up to the real one, then what are we even watching.】
Seeing this, Bai Xuechao could be certain—
Qiao Wenjie was a member of the Apocalypse Society.
The level 4 special ability user that the protagonist group was chasing led them to A Port, and now they had split into three groups again. This was done to capture one of them as a bargaining chip, forcing Zhou Chenhao to play a game with Gong Ting.
Tsk, the Apocalypse Society had a mole in the SAIDB's Special Team, while their Dark Organization didn't.
And the Apocalypse Society was in S City, yet they had extended their reach so far, all the way to Y City. Before this, their organization didn't know that the Apocalypse Society had people in the Y City SAIDB. Now, it was hard not to suspect that the Apocalypse Society had planted a mole in the Y City SAIDB to deal with their Dark Organization. With Yuan Lan's intelligence, he could definitely use the authorities to suppress them.
He would find a way to deal with Qiao Wenjie later.
Bai Xuechao continued to read the comic.
In the comic, the three of them reported the suspected true special ability energy crystal in A Port, and then split up, each chasing one.
The perspective shifted to Xia Xiaoxi.
She chased one of the men to the Dream Game City.
The comic provided a panoramic view of the Dream Game City. The seven-story European-style building had a magnificent and luxurious exterior. In the night, the walls reflected a golden light, as if they were plated with gold. Xia Xiaoxi stood in front of it, looking up. The grand building made her appear extremely small.
The surveillance showed that this man had gone inside.
Just as Xia Xiaoxi was about to enter the Dream Game City, the security guard at the entrance stopped her, "Miss, are you of age? Please show me your ID. Minors are not allowed in here."
"I'm of age." Xia Xiaoxi took out her travel permit and showed it to the security guard.
【Rigorous, minors are not allowed. (doge emoji)】
【Xiao Xi is a freshman in college, so she must be of age.】
【I saw my daughter's birthday! July 22nd, 5009! I will definitely draw a birthday tribute for her next year on her birthday!】
Xia Xiaoxi entered the Dream Game City, but she couldn't continue to check the surveillance inside, nor did she dare to use her SAIDB credentials to request their cooperation in showing her the surveillance. Her inner thought was: I'm not sure if this place is in cahoots with that special ability user, it might alert the enemy...
She checked floor by floor, while keeping an eye on the surveillance outside the Dream Game City to make sure the man didn't leave.
Upon reaching the third floor, her ID was checked again.
The staff member smiled and refused, "Sorry, you are under 21, you cannot enter."
"Huh?" Xia Xiaoxi was stunned. Her inner thought bubble appeared beside her: Crap, that person must have gone to the third floor or higher!
【What, you have to be 21!】
【Xiao Xi will definitely find a way to get in, right?】
Xia Xiaoxi asked unwillingly, "Is there no other way to get in?"
"Sorry, there isn't," the staff member continued to smile.
A man passing by winked at her and asked, "Did you hear the legend of the City Lord and want to play with him?"
"City Lord?" Xia Xiaoxi waved her hand and said, "I'm not playing, I just want to take a look."
"Aiyo, a tourist." The man said mysteriously, "Haven't you heard of the City Lord? The City Lord is on the top floor of the Dream Game City, waiting for players to challenge him. It's said that on the top floor, players can exchange everything they own for game coins, including kinship, friendship, and such things. Hahaha, just take it as a joke. I don't know who spread that rumor, sounds like an urban legend, but it's true that you can play games with the City Lord on the top floor."
【This setting sounds like a special ability user!】
【Oh no, is Xiao Xi going into the enemy's den all by herself?】
【Will Xiao Xi still try to go up?】
"Oh... thanks," Xia Xiaoxi said. "But I can't go up, so never mind."
She turned and walked downstairs. At the same time, she took out her phone and opened the dialog box with Zhou Chenhao. Just as she was about to send a message, she seemed to feel something and glanced up.
Upstairs, a man in a black hat and black mask was looking at her. After their eyes met unexpectedly, he immediately turned his head and ran towards the stairs.
—It was the man she was tracking!
Xia Xiaoxi stopped her descent, looked around, and headed straight for the second-floor restroom.
The comic used smooth panels to show the entire process of Xia Xiaoxi finding the restroom, climbing out of the restroom window, and using vines to pull herself up.
She climbed up to the third floor from the outside of the Dream Game City, searched around but didn't find anyone, and continued to climb up, floor by floor, until she reached the sixth floor.
Only the top floor was left.
She climbed through a window on the top floor and entered a hallway.
The top floor was relatively quiet, unlike the lower floors with tables everywhere. Instead, there were many rooms with closed doors.
Just as Xia Xiaoxi was about to look for the man, someone suddenly asked from behind her, "Hello, miss, would you like to exchange for game coins?"
She was clearly startled and turned around abruptly, "Uh, sorry, I'm not playing."
At the same time, she thought to herself: Heavens, does this person make no sound when he walks?!
"If you're not playing, please leave," said a waiter in a tuxedo, with a smile on his face.
Xia Xiaoxi said, "Oh, okay..."
She walked down the stairs. As she passed the landing, she thought to herself: So no one checks IDs on this floor?
After reaching the sixth floor, she quietly peeked upstairs from the landing and found that the waiter was gone.
She ran back up again.
Perhaps because she had been discovered by the waiter last time, Xia Xiaoxi walked while keeping an eye on the situation in the hallway this time. She came to a room with a closed door.
She pressed one ear against the door and thought to herself: It seems like there's no one inside... should I just open it and see?
In the next panel of the comic, her hand was on the doorknob, as if she was about to push it open.
But beside her, a speech bubble appeared, "Hello, miss, would you like to exchange for game coins?"
The comic gave a close-up of Xia Xiaoxi's wide-open eyes.
The next page was an enlarged smiling face of the waiter, filling the entire page. His mouth was smiling, and his eyes, though curved in a smile, were wide open, staring straight at Xia Xiaoxi, or rather, at all the readers of the comic.
【Damn, that sudden close-up scared me!】
【It's like a horror movie (.)】
【Just now, the hallway was clearly empty. My daughter just listened at the door for a moment, and he walked over? What kind of speed is that?】
【Could this person be the City Lord?】
The next page was a side view of the two of them, facing each other at the door of the room.
"Ah, sorry, I'm not playing." Xia Xiaoxi probably felt that being discovered repeatedly like this wouldn't work, and said, "Can I take a look on this floor? Just a quick look and I'll leave!"
The waiter smiled and said, "Normally, it's not allowed, but if you're really curious, I can show you a few rooms."
Xia Xiaoxi said with some surprise, "Really? That's great!"
Seeing this, Bai Xuechao finally understood how Xia Xiaoxi was captured.
She was anxious to find the man she was tracking and didn't think deeply about the incongruity of this waiter. Because the waiter offered to show her around, she trusted him.
It wasn't that the waiter walked without making a sound, but that he was a special ability entity and could appear in any corner of the Dream Game City at any time, without needing to walk. He wasn't breaking the rules to show her around for her sake, but because the City Lord had given him an order through his special ability.
In fact, if Xia Xiaoxi had observed carefully, she would have noticed that the waiter's chest didn't rise and fall, because he didn't need to breathe.
As expected, Xia Xiaoxi was led by the waiter into the City Lord's game room.
At this time, the game room was still very ordinarily furnished, not the same as when Bai Xuechao entered it. The floor was covered with a beautiful patterned carpet, the walls were hung with murals, and large ceramic vases stood in the corners. In the center of the room was an empty table.
There was no one in the room.
The waiter closed the door behind Xia Xiaoxi, "This is the City Lord's game room."
"Eh?" Xia Xiaoxi was a little surprised. She glanced around, "There's no one here. Is the City Lord not here?"
The waiter smiled, "Yes."
"Shall we go to the next room?" Xia Xiaoxi said. Beside her was a thought bubble: What's that smell...
【There's a smell in the room? Perfume? Air freshener?】
【It's definitely not a smell you can normally smell, otherwise my daughter wouldn't say that.】
【I have a bad feeling...】
On the next page, the waiter disappeared from in front of Xia Xiaoxi.
Xia Xiaoxi was startled. After reacting, she immediately tried to open the door to leave. But no matter how hard she pushed, the door wouldn't budge.
She swung her vines at the European-style carved wooden door, but the door actually withstood her attack, completely undamaged!
Her thoughts at this moment were written beside her: Not good!
In the next panel, there were a few small lines next to Xia Xiaoxi's side, and the words "slight shaking" were written. She thought to herself: Why do I feel a little dizzy...? Is there something wrong with that smell?!
At that moment, the disappeared waiter suddenly appeared and kicked at her!
Xia Xiaoxi controlled her vines to block, but when the vines dispersed, the waiter had already disappeared from in front of her.
The next panel was a side view of her. A hand reached out from behind her neck, and in the next panel, this hand struck her hard on the back of her neck!
Xia Xiaoxi staggered a few steps forward but still managed to steady herself, but her body was shaking more violently.
【Ahhh! That damn thing is bullying my daughter, die die die die die!】
【It's over, I can't watch anymore. Is Xiao Xi going to be captured?】
【They are both in the room, and this waiter isn't wearing a gas mask. Why is he okay? Isn't there a strange smell in the room?】
Next, Xia Xiaoxi started to fight with the waiter.
She controlled the plants to attack the waiter, who could only rely on his fists and feet, but he could disappear and reappear at any time, flexibly dodging and attacking.
With each fighting panel, Xia Xiaoxi's condition worsened, her body shaking more and more, even affecting her fighting, and she was kicked away by the waiter.
【Ahhh my daughter! How could you kick her, sob sob!】
【My heart aches for Xiao Xi.】
【This guy needs to die quickly! (hands clasped together)】
【Is he a special ability user? Is his ability something like instant movement?】
After being kicked to the ground, Xia Xiaoxi tried to get up but couldn't.
She thought to herself: There's something wrong with that smell, I have no strength left... It must be an inhalant anesthetic, the whole room smells of it... Why is he okay?
Because the concentration of the anesthetic in the room wasn't high enough, she hadn't passed out yet. She tried hard to reach out her hand, and new plants grew from the ground.
Just then, the main door was pulled open.
A blond, blue-eyed man stood at the entrance. He frowned and waved his hand in front of his nose, as if to fan away the smell coming from the room.
The plants that Xia Xiaoxi had just grown suddenly disappeared!
Xia Xiaoxi looked at the blond man in shock, thinking to herself: Nullification?!
The waiter bowed and said, "City Lord."
Xia Xiaoxi: So he is the City Lord!
"Lock her up," said the blond man, who was Gong Ting.
"Yes, City Lord." The waiter grabbed Xia Xiaoxi ungently. He didn't lift her completely; Xia Xiaoxi's feet were still dragging on the ground.
The waiter dragged Xia Xiaoxi towards the wall on one side of the room.
This was a full-page overhead view. The waiter was dragging her by the clothes on the back of her neck with one hand. Xia Xiaoxi looked up at the camera. The collar of her shirt was caught at her throat because the waiter was holding the back of her clothes. Perhaps it was uncomfortable, because she was grabbing the collar at her throat with one hand.
On the left of this page was a small close-up of her hand. Her fingers were not gripping tightly, but rather loosely, with the small word "weak" written beside her fingers; on the right was a small close-up of her feet. Her feet were trying hard to push against the ground to struggle, but the small word "powerless" was written beside them.
After this page, there was a close-up of her eyes. Her emerald puppy-dog eyes seemed to have lost their luster, becoming somewhat dim and lifeless.
Beside her, her inner thoughts were heartbreaking: Strength... special ability... all gone.
【You dare to torture my daughter, Bai old scoundrel, come out! I'm going to kill you!】
【Why can't Xiao Xi use her special ability?】
【She has no strength probably because she inhaled the anesthetic, but why did her special ability disappear? Is this guy also a nullification user?】
【Impossible, impossible, our Brother Hao is the only nullification special ability user!】
【That's right, and the only one in the whole world!】
A stone door opened in the wall, revealing a pitch-black secret room inside.
The comic gave a close-up of Xia Xiaoxi's slightly widened eyes here, followed by a close-up of the top corner of the wall inside the secret room, where there was a very small special ability energy crystal.
—Xia Xiaoxi had seen the special ability energy crystal.
【Looking at the size and shape, it seems to be the one the protagonist group was tracking?】
【That's right, it's this one, the small one.】
【So the City Lord got that special ability energy crystal!】
【Good news: they found the special ability energy crystal. Bad news: my daughter got caught ahhh—】
The waiter threw Xia Xiaoxi in roughly.
Xia Xiaoxi fell to the ground, lying on her side, facing the door. She tried to move her fingertips, but it was in vain. She had no strength left to get up at all.
Gong Ting walked to the door of the secret room with a flashlight, turned it on, and shone it on Xia Xiaoxi.
He said, "Bring me her phone."
"Yes, City Lord."
The waiter walked into the secret room, took out Xia Xiaoxi's phone, and even carefully used her fingerprint to unlock it before handing it to Gong Ting.
Gong Ting chuckled softly, shone the flashlight on Xia Xiaoxi's face, and took a picture of her with her own phone camera.
The next panel was completely black, indicating a scene change.
Further down were two vertical panels placed side by side, showing Zhou Chenhao and Ling Feng in different places, looking at their phones.
The comic gave a close-up of a phone screen.
In their three-person group chat, Xia Xiaoxi told them to come to the Dream Game City immediately, sent a location, and followed up with "Quickly."
The two of them didn't understand, but they still went. The next panel showed the two of them meeting at the entrance of the Dream Game City.
Zhou Chenhao scratched his head and said, "Xiaoxi isn't answering her phone?"
"She's not replying in the group chat either." Ling Feng frowned slightly, his expression somewhat grave. "The message and location just now might not have been sent by her."
Zhou Chenhao was stunned, "What?!"
"Hello, this is for you." The security guard at the entrance actually walked over to them and handed them an envelope.
Zhou Chenhao pointed at himself, "For us?"
The security guard nodded, "Yes, the City Lord asked me to give it to you."
While the security guard was speaking, Ling Feng took the envelope.
"City Lord?" Zhou Chenhao repeated the title with some confusion.
The security guard pointed at the seven-story European-style building behind him and said, "He's the City Lord of this Dream Game City."
After Ling Feng opened the envelope, a photo and a handwritten letter fell out.
He picked up the photo. The picture was of Xia Xiaoxi lying on her side on the floor of a pitch-black room. Her face was illuminated by a flashlight, and her expression was weak as she half-closed her eyes. It was the cover image of this chapter's comic.
Seeing the photo, the comic gave them two close-ups of their expressions. Zhou Chenhao's eyes widened, while Ling Feng's brows were tightly furrowed.
Zhou Chenhao picked up the letter and read aloud, "I sincerely invite you both to the top floor of the Dream Game City to play a game with me. I will be waiting for you on the top floor. Please note that my patience is limited. I will only wait for five minutes. Do not attempt to call for backup. If you do, I can guarantee that you will never see her again."
【Ahhh this is a blatant threat and trap!】
【But they have to go, otherwise what about Xiao Xi?】
【How come this feels like a kidnapping where the parents are threatened not to call the police...】
"Aiyo, what's with this photo?" The security guard also saw it. "The City Lord is just joking with you, right? Haha."
Zhou Chenhao grabbed the security guard by the collar, "You think this is a joke?"
He was extremely tall, and as he held the security guard by the collar and looked down at him, he exuded a strong sense of pressure. The author added a drop of sweat on the security guard's forehead to show his nervousness.
"Calm down, Zhou Chenhao." Ling Feng grabbed Zhou Chenhao's arm and advised, "The most important thing right now is to go inside."
Zhou Chenhao let go, "Yes."
The two of them walked towards the Dream Game City.
Ling Feng picked up his phone and glanced at it, as if considering whether to report it, but in the end, he put it away.
He thought to himself: To be able to capture Xia Xiaoxi, the City Lord must be a special ability user, and his strength or methods must be superior to hers. If he is a level 6 or lower special ability user, Zhou Chenhao's nullification special ability can handle him, and we can directly rescue Xia Xiaoxi.
The two of them walked to the entrance of the Dream Game City.
The comic camera was at their side, showing their upright side profiles as they were about to enter the Dream Game City.
Ling Feng's inner thoughts continued: But if the City Lord's level is above 6, we won't be able to handle him, and the control will be completely in his hands. If we call for backup and provoke him, he is very likely to harm Xia Xiaoxi... Let's go in and see the situation first, and act accordingly.
The two entered the Dream Game City without having their IDs checked.
A waiter in a tuxedo stood at the entrance. Seeing them, he smiled and said, "Welcome, gentlemen. I will lead you to the top floor."
Zhou Chenhao and Ling Feng exchanged a glance and followed the waiter to the top floor.
The waiter pulled open the heavy, European-style carved wooden door. The furnishings in the room were still the same as when Xia Xiaoxi had been there, with the only difference being that the table in the center of the room was no longer empty. A blond, blue-eyed man was sitting in the seat behind it.
They walked into the game room, and the door closed.
"Hello, I've been waiting for you for a long time," Gong Ting greeted them with a smile. "I am the City Lord of the Dream Game City, Gong Ting."
【Wait? What did he say his name was?】
【Gong Ting jade liquor?】
【One hundred and eighty a cup?】
【How's this wine?】
【Let me boast to you—】
【Hahaha what are you guys doing! Why can the bullet comments send voice messages ahhh!】