Chapter 1366: Chapter 1367: Strength Determines Everything

“Why not take a look for yourself?” The good man suggested, “Regardless of how things are arranged in the previous stages, by this point, we need to have a clear idea. Everyone came here to make money; why give up such a great opportunity over a petty dispute?”

“Are you saying that following your arrangement doesn’t count as a petty dispute?” Burned Face sneered, and others chimed in agreement.

Indeed, a few people spontaneously shared some strategies, mostly involving misdirection or drawing the enemy out without a map. Overall, they still needed to send some people out to distract the New District Government.

There’s a problem here; no one wants to attract fire. Not only is the risk high, but there’s a strong chance of getting nothing in return. Compared to those in teams, there are more players not in teams, and they can’t be split into two. Even if they could, it’s hard for these temporary teams to trust each other.

“Is this a deadlock?” The long-haired man raised an eyebrow.

After a brief silence, three players left.

Seeing people leave, other players were started to feel restless. However, the good man said, “This is how it stands. If anyone thinks they can profit by waiting and picking peaches, they’re mistaken. While the New District Government might be hard to rob, we can certainly handle a few players between us.”

Some indeed had that idea. After hearing his words, two more left, while others stayed for the time being.

At this point, Xu Huo stood up.

“Old Fourth, you’re leaving too?” Scarred Hand looked at him in surprise. As the one who first suggested this plan, he surely wouldn’t leave, right?

“I don’t have a plan. I’m listening to Number Eight,” Xu Huo said. “I’m just going to freshen up.”

Number Eight referred to the good man, who smiled and nodded at him.

Xu Huo left the small building, following Bai Jing and his group to Dongfeng Laboratory from several hundred meters away.

His location wasn’t far from the laboratory to begin with, so he didn’t need to move much. He casually found a spot along the street to sit down. Regarding his understanding of the New District Government, it would definitely be the people of Zone 023 and the Ya Clan people.

Due to the prior events, people in the surrounding blocks only now gradually returned. Seeing someone seated inside his shop, the middle-aged man who ran it instinctively felt like coming over to serve him. But after seeing Xu Huo, he refrained, entered the shop, and without much confidence said, “I’m about to close, find another place to sit…”

“Isn’t there still something cooking in the pot?” Xu Huo smiled and said, “Give me a bowl. I doubt anyone else will come for dinner today; it would be a waste not to.”

He placed a White Note on the table.

The shopkeeper hesitantly glanced at the money on the table, but finally took it and brought several bowls of meat soup over, “I stuffed all the meat into your bowl, you even paid extra, but I don’t have change.”

Xu Huo gestured for him not to worry. Just as he was about to start, a dusty figure arrived at the door, swaggering over to sit opposite him. “Can you finish it all?”

Xu Huo casually pushed a bowl toward him. “Afraid you wouldn’t dare eat.”

“Afraid?” Bai Jing extended his gloved hand, just about to pick up chopsticks when Xu Huo remarked, “There might be dust that just flew in from outside on the bowl and chopsticks, can you eat it?”

Bai Jing’s hand indeed froze for a moment, but then he said, “What’s there to be afraid of? I’m covered in dirt anyway.”

Xu Huo slowly stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth and cheerfully said, “Dust on clothes can be washed off, but can you wash away dust you eat?”

“Crack!” Bai Jing couldn’t help but snap his chopsticks, smiling insincerely, “Stop stirring the pot for no reason.”

Xu Huo remained indifferent, “If you can beat me, feel free to bother me.”

Bai Jing recovered from his momentary loss of control, grabbed a clean pair of chopsticks and quickly ate two mouthfuls before lowering his head, “Stop following me.”

“If I may be direct,” Xu Huo gestured around, “Neither you nor your friends are my match.”

Bai Jing certainly hadn’t come alone. Realizing Xu Huo was nearby, he believed he was being targeted. His mind wandered to the notion that it had started on the train; otherwise, they wouldn’t have kept running into each other.

“Who are you?” Bai Jing asked seriously, “A player from the New District Government, or someone from another city in Zone 023?”

“If I had ulterior motives, do you think you’d be able to find out?” Xu Huo didn’t directly answer the question.

Bai Jing’s delicate face showed a slight smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “Whether I can find out doesn’t matter. There are many ways to keep a player here. We don’t have the energy to trace back to the source, so we solve problems where they arise.”

Xu Huo somewhat agreed with his reasoning but asked a completely unrelated question, “Are you really native to Zone 023?”

Bai Jing instinctively began examining the surroundings, yet Xu Huo said, “No one can hear our conversation.”

“You and the Twin Cities’ players each claim the other is an outsider, but I’m more inclined to think people like those from the Twin Cities are the outsiders.”

“Perhaps because those not born here exhibit symptoms of difficulty adapting to environmental changes, with evidence being the widely sold everyday potions in Zone 023. I’ve inquired with players from other cities; most people in Zone 023 have gotten ill due to the high-temperature environment, ranging from mild to severe illnesses, with the Twin Cities being comparatively worse.”

“Moreover, neither players nor ordinary people in Zone 023 can stand the heat, similar to those of us who suddenly arrived in the High Temperature Zone.”

“You, on the other hand, are different. Along the way, I’ve encountered some people; although they live underground, their appearances, both women and children, differ from those in Zone 023.”

“You sweat less.”

“This suggests you’ve adapted to the environment to a significant degree.”

“Natural evolution may take one or two generations, decades to complete. If everyone has trouble adapting to the heat, then no problem; but if some people adapt sooner, it stands out remarkably.”

“Of course, perhaps it relates to your uniqueness, but I believe the best adaptation is akin to the mutated species in Heaven’s Ladder, achieved by those originally growing here.”

Bai Jing remained unemotional. It’s somewhat different. Even proving the Ya Clan people are the true Zone 023 natives, what good does it do? Strength determines everything. Now, outsiders have absolute power and thus can claim they are the true residents of Zone 023.

What Xu Huo said isn’t his own speculation. The conclusion that indigenous species better adapt to the zone’s evolution rhythm over foreign species came from a PhD in the game, also acknowledged by Hengxing Group. However, in the short term, this distinction isn’t very noticeable.

“You know what’s happening in Dongfeng Laboratory, don’t you?” He added.