Saying that Chen Xiaolian’s heart did not waver would be a lie.
Regardless of what may have happened, even though the guild had lost its seat in the Board of Patriarchs, even if it was in decline, Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild was still a resident guild of Zero City.
With the protective powers of Zero City, that process of decline could be dragged on for a long time.
If everything were to proceed smoothly, then it would not be impossible to preserve a stable life for over a decade or even longer. With the resident guild status, it was possible for one to simply stay inside Zero City all the time. As long as he chose not to leave Zero City, he could live in peace inside Zero City. It was likely that there were many who would be willing to lead such a life.
However, the wavering in his heart only lasted for a short instant and was immediately snuffed out.
Chen Xiaolian took in a deep breath and exhaled out all the distractive thoughts out.
It was unfortunate, but he was unable to agree to it.
If he was just an ordinary Awakened, he might agree to it.
However, he wasn’t!
Neither was Roddy!
Neither were Qiao Qiao and Soo Soo!
How could he expose the secret that he was an Irregularity?
It may not be an issue to divulge that secret to his own brothers and comrade-in-arms. But Qiao Yifeng?
Those from Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild?
Chen Xiaolian was unable to trust them!
Let’s not even go to the point where Qiao Yifeng was not the Guild Leader. Chen Xiaolian did not know what kind of people were the others from Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild. How could he just put the lives of his guild members into someone else’s hand?
There was another issue. Assume that he could disregard the issue regarding his identity, forget everything about Irregularities and Awakened ones and just hide inside Zero City and spend the rest of his days inside. Without leaving Zero City, there would be no need to participate in instance dungeons. There appeared to be not much disadvantage to this choice.
However!
Is Zero City really secure?
Is there such a thing as a truly safe refuge in this world?
How did the Conquerors Guild get eradicated?
They possessed a smaller version of Zero City, yet their home was still invaded and their entire guild was annihilated!
Hide in Zero City and live a good life inside?
Chen Xiaolian was not that naïve!
Additionally, he possessed quite the backing and asset!
There was the GM who would secretly help him.
A base that was nearly as good as Zero City.
Mr San and so many other secrets!
He possessed so many chips in his hands!
Why should a man go live under others?
Live in Zero City for the rest of his life without going out? Be a shut-in?
What a joke!
After considering all those, Chen Xiaolian finally made up his mind. He smiled and looked at Qiao Yifeng who was seated before him.
“Mr Qiao, since you wanted to say those words again, I had chosen to listen. But this is the last time. Now, you’ve finished speaking and I have finished listening. And so, it’s done.”
A deeply disappointed look overcame Qiao Yifeng’s face as he regarded Chen Xiaolian. “You youngsters are always so conceited. Just because you’ve had some fortuitous encounters, did you lose track of the height of the Heavens and the depth of the Earth?”
Chen Xiaolian did not become enraged. He simply replied gently, “You are simply being goodhearted, that is what I believe. However, since you’ve said what you wanted to, saying more would be pointless. Mr Qiao, I respect you and I hope you will respect me.”
“Fine!”
Qiao Yifeng slapped down on the table and stood up. Then, casting a look at Chen Xiaolian, he said, “So be it! You youngsters are too stubborn. I won’t try to advise you now. Later on, you will end up slamming your head on the wall. I suppose it won’t be too late to regret by then.”
Chen Xiaolian remain unaffected and he looked at the time. “So, will we be heading to Zero City now?”
Qiao Yifeng glanced at the watch on his wrist. It was a unique looking watch. After checking it, he said, “We have another 10 minutes.”
This was Chen Xiaolian’s second trip to Zero City.
The last time he went to Zero City, he had done so using the public passageway for outsiders. After entering, there would be guards and a registration process. It was quite the uncommon experience for Chen Xiaolian.
This time however, he was able to witness the entry and exit authority of the ‘resident guilds’. It was very different from the public passageway that he had used last time!
At around nearly three in the afternoon…
Qiao Yifeng suddenly stood up.
The man in black opened the door and entered the room.
Qiao Yifeng glanced at him and asked, “Has it been arranged?”
“It’s done. The nearby neighbourhood had been inspected. There is no danger or anything to worry about. We had inspected all surveillance devices and all nearby residential areas. It’s clean. We did not find anything suspicious and can be certain there is no risk that Electronic Guardians are around.”
After saying all that in one breath, the man in black exhaled and looked at Qiao Yifeng. “I’ve booked all three floors up and down for this hotel. There won’t be any nuisances.”
Qiao Yifeng nodded to express his satisfaction.
When the time reached three o’clock…
The man in black turned around to leave the room. He went out and stood guard outside.
Qiao Yifeng cast a glance at Chen Xiaolian before turning and moving toward the door within the living room that led to the bedroom.
They were inside the hotel’s luxury suite.
The bedroom door was partially closed.
Chen Xiaolian who had been inside the living room for the afternoon had peeked through the partially closed door and looked inside it.
He had not seen anything surprising.
When it was three in the afternoon, Qiao Yifeng moved until he was standing before the bedroom door. Then, he extended his hand with the unique looking watch, used it to grab the handle of the door and closed the door.
Chen Xiaolian could clearly notice the watch on Qiao Yifeng’s hand shine with a green light, which instantly swept over the door.
This time, when Qiao Yifeng opened the door once again, Chen Xiaolian became stunned.
What lay beyond the door was no longer the bedroom of the suite!
It had become a small metallic room.
The small metallic room appeared very familiar. It very much resembled the entrance passageway to Chen Xiaolian’s base.
Chen Xiaolian’s heart gave a pound.
Qiao Yifeng glanced at Chen Xiaolian and gave a harrumph. “Are you not coming?”
Chen Xiaolian walked over and followed Qiao Yifeng through the door. Next, Qiao Yifeng closed the door.
Bang! The metal room immediately became a sealed place.
“This is the entry and exit passageway for Zero City?”
“A temporary entry and exit passageway, a high-level privilege that my guild has,” said Qiao Yifeng coolly. “This privilege allows me to, at a specified time, use any door in this world to directly enter Zero City. This privilege comes from this watch that I am wearing. The passageway will appear wherever I am.”
Chen Xiaolian knitted his eyebrows and asked, “It’s that easy?”
“Easy?” Qiao Yifeng sneered. “The Development Team is always in pursuit of Zero City! You think entering Zero City is easy? Every time you want to enter Zero City, you must go through a security check. You must ensure that there is none of those damned Electronic Guardians around and ensure that the one using the privilege is clean.
“Additionally, there is a time limit. Each entry and exit passageway will only last for one minute!
“The time I set is for 3.00 to 3.01. Once the time is over, the entry and exit passageway will automatically close down.”
Chen Xiaolian frowned. “Electronic Guardian? What is that?”
“A detestable monster created by the Development Team. It’s similar to the defensive forces in this world, created specifically for the sake of seeking out the bug known as Zero City. You can assume it to be some sort of anti-virus software, assuming that Zero City is a virus of course.”
“But are you not afraid that someone might stumble into Zero City?” asked Chen Xiaolian with a frown.
“What makes you think that? There will always be infiltrators and hunters. However, we have a very strict security and defence system. We also have certain mechanisms in place.” Qiao Yifeng then gestured at the room and continued, “What do you think we are here for right now? We are waiting for Zero City’s primary system to initiate a security scan.”
Scan?
While Chen Xiaolian was feeling puzzled, a green beam of light descended from above. The green light then swept over him and Qiao Yifeng from head to toe several times.
Finally, the light faded away.
“Once a problem occurs during the scanning process, this passageway will instantly be jammed. That way, the suspicious elements within will be locked inside this place. In fact, before the scan is complete, we would not really be inside Zero City. Rather, we would be isolated inside a spatial point. Once a problem arises, that spatial point would be cut off and we would not have to worry about Zero City’s safety.”
“Spatial technology?” Chen Xiaolian revealed a passionate look.
“I don’t quite get it,” said Qiao Yifeng as he shook his head.
One minute later, the wall of the enclosed metallic room before them automatically opened up, just like that of an elevator.
Qiao Yifeng took the first step forward while Chen Xiaolian followed behind him.
After walking out of the ‘elevator’, what Chen Xiaolian saw made it so he could not restrain the feeling of shock rising out from his heart.
The last time he entered Zero City, he had used the public passageway. Thus, after entering, he was sent to the central plaza of Zero City.
This time however, he had entered through the internal passageway of the resident guilds.
The scene that greeted him after he stepped out from the elevator was greatly different!
What laid before him was a vast and unparalleled honeycomb!
No! It would be more accurate to say that Chen Xiaolian was already inside the vast honeycomb!
It was the interior of a vast building.
However, the interiors of this huge building were all hexagonal.
The six-sided walls made it so the rooms were hexagonal in shape.
In the centre was a large hole. Chen Xiaolian stood at the ground floor and raised his head to look up. The building was probably hundreds of metres high!
The surrounding walls had a silvery metallic lustre and Chen Xiaolian was unable to figure out what materials were used to construct them.
Standing on the ground floor of this honeycomb building, Chen Xiaolian was able to view his surroundings.
Less than 10 metres away from him were two humanoid-shaped mechs, the II-Model Sentinel mechs that he had seen before!
Naturally, these were not the emasculated version. These were the complete version.
When Chen Xiaolian and Qiao Yifeng walked out, the two mechs vigilantly turned their attention toward them.
When they saw Qiao Yifeng, the two mechs raised up their left arms in salute. However, Chen Xiaolian sensed that there was something coldly monitoring his movements.
Even though the two mechs were saluting, they had not loosened their grip on the blades in their right hands! Additionally, the muzzles of the cannons installed on their shoulders continued to be aimed at him.
“People from your guild?” Chen Xiaolian asked out of curiosity after seeing the mechs.
Qiao Yifeng shook his head. “These are not controlled by humans, there are no pilots inside. It is an AI with complete combat functions. However, they are still considerably lacking compared to a real mech pilot.”
“AI?” Chen Xiaolian was surprised.
“Nonsense! Do you think it’s easy to nurture a mech expert? Although the guilds have plenty of experts, not everyone has the talent to become a mech expert. Did you think that every guild could produce a group of mech-oriented angels like the Angel Corps?” Qiao Yifeng smiled wryly. “These mechs here are used as single combat mechs.”
There was a passionate look in Chen Xiaolian’s eyes as he regarded the mechs. He could not help but lick his lips as he asked, “Is it expensive?”
He thought to himself: It seems I would have to add some more stuff to the list of supplies to be obtained from Old Qiao. Thankfully, I haven’t shown him the list. I’ll be able to add some…