Chapter 2672: Heart Surgery

The players from Yongta and Moon Corner dared only be angry but not speak about it. Their goal was merely to probe Ji Qingcheng, with no intention of actually risking their lives here. Moreover, it wasn’t people of Yu Country who acted, if killed by Outer Zone players, their deaths would be meaningless.

Everyone left the hall, swallowing their anger after casting harsh words.

Later, Ji Qingcheng and Xu Huo went to the conference room, where, with Ji Qingcheng’s authorization, information regarding the activities of battle dolls investigated by Yu Country was sent over.

The existence of battle dolls is not a trivial matter. Several instances have been witnessed where players were captured, and some players had relatively important identities, thus gradually drawing the attention of various governments. Some followed up with investigations, but the results weren’t great. No one knows who truly controls the dolls.

However, the dolls have been appearing for quite some time, and there hasn’t been a situation where they suddenly vanish completely for several days. Hence, Zone 039 players suspect they are Outer Zone players stranded here. Although these dolls are easy to destroy, tracking them is tough, hence nothing truly valuable has been uncovered yet.

Yu Country has traced the earliest appearance of dolls in their country to half a year ago.

"So half a year ago, a player from Outer Zone who enjoys using battle dolls suddenly stayed in this zone and began indiscriminate killing?" Xu Huo said.

Ji Qingcheng nodded, "Not only that, the ultimate purpose of battle dolls seizing players seems to be human skin. Later, with Yu Country players destroying battle dolls, some remnants of human skin obtained through examination were all local."

Yu Country has dealt with eight battle dolls so far, losing some manpower due to unclear doll strength.

Moreover, battle dolls aren’t only active in Capital City, investigating situations in other cities of Yu Country is difficult. After all, players are not strong enough; even if kidnapped by battle dolls, it’ll be unknown.

This matter was negotiated between Yu Country’s government and the other two countries, initially trying to form an elite team for investigation, but the other countries didn’t agree, presumably having other plans.

"Ransacking players, skinning them, and wrapping skin on dolls, this mode of operation is more like a Cannibal Player. Usually, only Cannibals would invest such effort."

Otherwise, battle dolls need not disguise as humans. It resembles entertainment more.

"Perhaps the other party just aims to make dolls." Xu Huo said, "If it were for eating, there’s no need for such trouble."

The behavior of battle dolls is patterned; they relay-trace chosen targets. Though the selection criteria are unclear, a target is caught instantly. Defense prop costumes have some shielding functionality; ordinary props and devices can’t easily determine the player’s physical state. Likely, selection is based on the props, devices, and evolution power players use.

The props and devices Xu Huo used at that time weren’t particularly special. The most obvious difference from others present was the use of psychic power. Secondary Evolution is likely the criterion for a battle doll target.

Of course, among Yu Country players confirmed kidnapped by battle dolls, none exhibited special Secondary Evolution traits.

But after all, confirming is rare; whether other players have secretly disappeared is unknown.

Xu Huo’s current investigation is just to verify if battle dolls are linked to Yan Jiayu’s disappearance.

Frankly, given battle doll strength, capturing Yan Jiayu alive seems unlikely, but the issue lies in these dolls possibly originating from the Suitcase Man, who now knows a condition for becoming a Super Player is possessing a Super Dungeon. If the forest instance is Suitcase Man’s Super Dungeon, finding Yan Jiayu would be considerably difficult.

He had searched the Suitcase Man’s traces from Beneath the Dimension and the bounty platform. A player from Beneath the Dimension claimed to have run into Suitcase Man ten days ago, seemingly engaged fiercely with a batch of local government players, forcing some instance players to exit the instance. As for where he went thereafter, nobody knows currently.

Xu Huo meticulously investigated the latest information related to Suitcase Man. Tracking Super Players isn’t easy; Suitcase Man is more active compared to other Super Players, hence some information can be found, but nobody mentioned his dungeon.

Both Super Players and their dungeons are quite mysterious; although rumors circulate, people entering the dungeon rarely return, with no clarity on its situation inside.

Xu Huo also owns an instance; if the holder retains a player identity, the game requires very few dungeon openings, probably even less so for Super Dungeons, despite random instances not appearing where Super Dungeons are, they don’t necessarily need to open.

The last instance’s Super Dungeon attracted many without a holder, but even with such numbers, little was explored. If the Primeval Forest instance is indeed the Suitcase Man’s instance, even far from Zone 039, the dungeon venue retains strong restriction capability, not needing actual instance opening.

Easy to enter, hard to exit...

Xu Huo pondered briefly, starting to search the bounty platform for a teleportation device that can traverse space.

A super-sized device is impossible, only hoping for a high-price purchase to get a device best able to cross Wormhole Points, since unclear on the instance’s situation, if multi-space layering exists, both internal and external attempts may not really open the channel.

Of course, a teleportation device crossing Wormhole Points, even a one-time throw type, is hard to buy with money.

Xu Huo did not completely rely on this, instead contacting Eye of Platinum and Zone 014 for help investigating Suitcase Man’s current situation, especially regarding dungeons.

Theoretically, the best approach is seeking assistance, but although he knows a few Super Players, contact isn’t easy, nor does he have the sway to move them. The closest one, Magician, disappeared after promising to send a new Magician, unclear on current whereabouts.

Relying on luck is futile, hence Xu Huo attempted to find Gao Ming while waiting on information from all sides for a bodily check.

Gao Ming already knows about Lian Qingkong’s death and his identity, welcoming him warmly. After the check, he provided a rather unfavorable result.

"I can’t construct the spatial cube and floating silk-like spatial power within you, especially the latter. With my current ability, I dare not easily touch it." He said, "But I have a suggestion."

"The spatial cube isn’t deeply connected to the heart; if cutting part of the heart, relying on the player body’s strong recovery ability, success is possible. Though not thoroughly removing the cube, at least it won’t erode your heart further."