Chapter 315: Mental Medium
Tan Yang was about to say something, but Xu Huo raised a hand to stop him, "This has nothing to do with sincerity or bargaining chips. I just don't want to get mixed up in your affairs."
Tan Yang was quite surprised by his words, pausing for a moment before saying, "Mr. Xu, your actions in the Capital City didn't seem like someone who doesn't want to get involved."
"That was just me being in a bad mood, finding a few punching bags along the way," Xu Huo said flatly. "Instead of looking for me, you'd be better off approaching the Special Defense Department."
"The state can't possibly recruit all players. They should be quite willing to support you in establishing an association."
"Many members within the association are unwilling to deal with the Special Defense Department," Huang Junjie said euphemistically.
Xu Huo flicked his cigarette, "In that case, your association won't last long either. Better to disband sooner rather than later."
"What did you say!" a young man behind Tan Yang couldn't help but interject, only to have his mouth covered by the person next to him.
Xu Huo glanced at him briefly before looking away, asking calmly, "What will Zone 014 look like in the future?"
Everyone was puzzled by his sudden change of topic, their eyes showing confusion. Huang Junjie hesitated, "You mean the prospects for Zone 014?"
"There's a professor on the forum who said that perhaps sooner or later, we'll merge the entire world into the game. When that time comes, there will be no distinction between the game zone and the reality zone in Zone 014. All countries will become game arenas," Tan Yang immediately caught on. "But this doesn't have much to do with dealing with the Special Defense Department. We're establishing the association simply to provide a place of refuge for those struggling to survive in the cracks." "One day in the future, when Zone 014 merges into the game, it will inevitably have to deal with other game partitions. If there are advanced weapons, will you buy them? If there are special items, will you buy them?" Xu Huo countered. "Players from other zones have even invaded Zone 014 before. Can you completely sever ties with them?"
"What's so difficult about that?" the young man pulled his companion's hand away and said quickly, "The game world is so vast. Have players from every single game partition been to Zone 014? We can just do business with other partitions, can't we?"
Xu Huo chuckled at this, "There are no friends for us outside Zone 014."
This is how cruel the game world is. It's not just the game targeting newly formed partitions, all partitions are enemies.
Tan Yang and Huang Junjie had already grasped the meaning. The young man seemed to half-understand as he said, "Isn't there a saying that there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests?"
"Didn't you think it through quite clearly?" Xu Huo gave a slight, derisive smile, then continued, "Even if weapons and items can be self-sufficient, what if in the future, resources essential for survival become scarce, and the people who possess those resources are the ones who once invaded Zone 014?"
The atmosphere chilled for a moment. Soon, Tan Yang said, "You're right. We've thought about the problem too simply. Compared to the conflict between us and the Special Defense Department, the future confrontations with other game partitions, and even with the game itself, will be genuine life-and-death struggles."
"You have people in the hands of the Special Defense Department. You might as well use this opportunity to open a dialogue," Xu Huo stood up to leave, but Tan Yang also rose, his expression more agitated than before. "Mr. Xu, since you can see that far ahead, why not join the association and help unite the players? We sincerely invite you. Won't you really consider it?"
"I have my own matters to attend to," Xu Huo's steps didn't pause. Then he heard the person behind him say, "Mr. Xu, you don't need to reject us so quickly. You can consider it and reply later. Although you just killed people from the Iron Triangle, the leader wasn't among them. We can go deal with him right now..."
"No need," Xu Huo didn't even turn his head, walking straight out of the room.
Tan Yang still didn't want to give up, but when he chased after him, there wasn't even a shadow of a person outside the door.
Xu Huo went to Yuan Yao's location.