Chapter 2721: Old Acquaintance

The Golden-Eyed Player who invited Xu Huo to join the instance earlier mentioned that there is a Super Player’s lost item suspected to be the Super Props in a certain Rank-B instance. Now that he’s here, he’s definitely here to find it.

However, the specifics are still uncertain, as the instance in this sub-zone has evolved, and no one has revealed what it was like beneath the Dimension before.

The Golden-Eyed Player has actually seen Xu Huo’s true form, but his current state does not allow him to think deeply, nor can he explore what sparked Xu Huo’s probing words. He simply responded honestly with a reflexive reaction.

"We are indeed here to find something," Xu Huo chuckled, "What are you looking for? Maybe I can help. If we find it, we split it half and half; you won’t lose out."

The Golden-Eyed Player wasn’t foolish, he stared at Xu Huo for quite a while before saying, "You managed to stay clear-headed. Where are we now? What does the surroundings look like?"

"Just passed the underground ruins, didn’t you meet the local residents?" Xu Huo asked.

The Golden-Eyed Player paused, unsure if he was truly clear-headed, "The locals either died or fled during the sub-zone mutation, how could anyone still live underground? Plus, the whole sub-zone is filled with high spiritual energy—who can live here long-term? What you saw was an illusion!"

Xu Huo nodded slightly, "I thought so too, but we are definitely still in the underground tunnels. Do you know how these tunnels formed?"

The Golden-Eyed Player hesitated before saying, "It should be the mutant plants that dug them. The original ground has long been buried underground, and it’s not surprising for the plants to grow and dig holes everywhere."

"That makes sense," Xu Huo touched his chin and asked again, "Where can we exit?"

"I only know the Sky Pit, not sure about other places," the Golden-Eyed Player replied. "Can you find the direction to the Sky Pit?"

Xu Huo could, but he didn’t say so, "I’ve also been affected; everything after coming down from the Sky Pit is uncertain—what’s real and what’s not, we can only search slowly... can you guys hold on?"

The Golden-Eyed Player couldn’t do much, he didn’t dare to return to sleep in the box, so after discussing with another companion who was still clear-headed, they decided to take turns, leaving only one person outside to avoid everyone getting caught.

Without asking what he meant, Xu Huo randomly picked a tunnel and led the way forward.

Not long into the journey, he discovered traces of Yan Jiayu. She was already entwined by mutant plants and tied to the stone wall, her protective suit severely damaged, and she was in a coma.

The Psychic Power Interference Device was no longer effective, so Xu Huo broadened his Spiritual World a little, resisted the sub-zone’s spiritual energy, detoxified her, and waited for a while before waking her up.

Yan Jiayu was a bit dazed, "Wasn’t I eaten by the snake?"

"It’s fake," Xu Huo responded, "The underground ruins don’t exist at all."

He explained simply, from encountering the supposed Outer Zone Players, everything they experienced thereafter was actually from their own imaginations, or even the imaginations of past Players. Each experience continued to patch itself in the aftermath, resulting in the photograph appearing off at first, then finding out the locals had poor eyesight, entering a warehouse skeptically yet really finding artifacts, including Xu Huo’s talk about leading the way from the Sky Pit; normally, the opposing party should suggest they exit above the ruins, instead of directly agreeing with him.

"I told you it was weird," Yan Jiayu said. "How could I not blow through the snake’s belly? I got so tired I fell asleep."

Of course, she wasn’t truly asleep; her brain was too exhausted under mental interference, gradually unable to sustain herself any longer and passed out.

Without questioning Xu Huo on how he woke her up, she got up, changed into another protective suit, and spotted the Golden-Eyed Player dragging a box. "Who is he?"

"Picked up on the way," Xu Huo said, "They’re also here looking for something."

"Where are the others?" Yan Jiayu looked around, "Weren’t there strong players among Rank-A Players? Did they get caught too?"

This couldn’t be determined, so they could only search for clues first.

Compared to their ease, the Golden-Eyed Player’s steps grew heavier. Keeping rational required expending a lot of energy, forcing him to slacken his defense. So, when Xu Huo asked "Is there really a Super Props here?", he blurted out in his distraction, "Yes...,"

He got startled before the word was even finished, looking at the two on the opposite side. Despite wearing helmets, the aura emanating from them was enough to feel—they’re very interested.

With things at this point, the Golden-Eyed Player could only negotiate terms with Xu Huo, "I can tell you what I know, but once we find the item, we divide it equally. As for how to split, we can discuss when the time comes. Besides, you need to help us; if it goes on like this, my companion and I won’t be able to hold on any longer even before we find it."

"It can be done, but the coverage area I can shield is limited; you can’t get that box inside," Xu Huo said.

The Golden-Eyed Player didn’t believe his words but was helpless.

After temporarily reaching an agreement, the group found a place to rest.

Since the Golden-Eyed Player didn’t reveal the truth, Xu Huo wouldn’t expand his Spiritual World, so he could only speak first.

"I obtained information from the family of a certain Player by accident, saying a gravely wounded Super Player once visited this sub-zone. Based on the sub-zone’s anomalies, the Super Player may very well be dead here; after all, people die, and of course, their relics end up here too. This is my only chance and the opportunity to acquire the Super Props, no matter how risky it is."

The Golden-Eyed Player briefly shared the backstory, "The area’s greatest anomaly is the excessively high spiritual energy; the influence of Super Props cannot be ruled out. That’s why the places with the strongest spiritual energy are likely good places to find things."

Xu Huo abstained from expressing an opinion after listening, instead asking, "Have you got leads?"

"Generally, head towards areas with the highest spiritual energy. The energy here is higher than elsewhere, which speaks volumes; even if it isn’t Super Props, it might be the exceptional Primeval Stone born from the sub-zone’s evolution." The Golden-Eyed Player was confident in his judgment. "Among these findings, whichever is obtained, will ensure retirement for the next life."

The spiritual energy fluctuation was indeed strange, but Xu Huo was most concerned about the underground tunnels. If the giant snake was an illusion resulting from mental interference, then these substantial tunnels indicated the presence of some tunneling species underground. If it were something similar to Divine Woman Vine, it would essentially nullify the effort.

Moreover, thus far they hadn’t encountered actual danger. If they genuinely faced something like Divine Woman Vine, in such a narrow underground environment, they would be at a disadvantage.

"Do you know anything about what opens the tunnels?"

"I understand your implication," the Golden-Eyed Player replied, "but as you can see, many parts of the tunnels have plants growing. This suggests the tunnels have existed for quite some time, and those plants are thriving well, so whatever made these passages isn’t likely to emerge easily."

"If we’re unlucky enough to encounter it, then there’s no choice but to accept fate."

Xu Huo recalled another matter, "How long have you been here?"

The Golden-Eyed Player forced a smile, "After leaving here, I’ll need to figure out how to quit being a Player."

Xu Huo asked no more, expanding his Spiritual World slightly to include him within.

The Golden-Eyed Player felt the pressure on himself lighten, relaxing considerably. He then took out a four-sided pyramid-shaped device, "This is a direction finder that only points to the place with the highest and most concentrated energy in this sub-zone..."

Before finishing, he saw the suspended four-sided pyramid suddenly spin rapidly, pointing straight towards Xu Huo!