Players, Please Board the Train

The entire front of the big truck had been shoved into the ward, crushing instruments, beds, and cabinets into mangled shapes. Fortunately, Professor Lan and Team Leader Wu had been standing not far from the doorway. When Yan Jiayu fled, they managed to get out too. The two doctors who had fallen behind were also brought out by Yuan Yao and the Painting Woman!

“There’s no one in the truck.” Team Leader Wu glanced inside.

“This is the third floor—how could someone have driven a vehicle in here?” Team Leader Song took out his phone as he walked outside. “This must be the work of players!”

Team Leader Wu arranged for Xu Huo to be moved somewhere safe, had Professor Lan and the others accompany him, and assigned players to protect them.

They couldn’t leave the hospital now; all the wards were unsafe. The hospital temporarily cleared out a medicine storage warehouse for them, and then evacuated the medical staff.

“What’s the situation outside?” He only went to meet Team Leader Song after making those arrangements.

“The attack just now came from players, but we can’t identify who for the moment,” answered Dai Wenqian. “I recommend evacuating nearby residents. One warning shot shows the attacker’s intentions.”

Team Leader Wu’s face darkened. “The area around the hospital should already be surrounded and monitored by the Special Defense Department. How could so many players slip in?”

“About fifteen minutes ago, some military-grade electronic devices malfunctioned,” Dai Wenqian said. “It’s unclear whether that was a tactic by certain players or some other accident.”

Team Leader Wu glanced out the window and added, “Either way, first try to communicate with the players, and be on guard for anyone with ulterior motives trying to interfere.”“Leader,” Team Leader Song’s secretary walked in, “there’s a call coming in, requesting to speak to the highest-ranking official.”

“Patch it to me.” Team Leader Song took the phone. “This is Song Xian of the Special Defense Department. Speak directly to me if you have anything to say.”

After the caller said a sentence, Song put the phone on speaker. “You can speak now.”

“Greetings to the Special Defense Department leaders,” a voice spoke through an obvious voice modulator. “Before we talk, I want to clarify that the attack on the hospital five minutes ago was not carried out by us.”

Team Leader Wu immediately asked, “Who do you represent?”

“Two hundred seventy-one players online and offline,” the voice replied. “But rest assured, we have no intention of opposing the government.”

Team Leader Wu and Team Leader Song exchanged a look. Song asked, “What do you want?”

“To confirm the safety of player Xu Huo,” the caller said. “It would be best if the Special Defense Department handed him over to us.”

“What did you say!” Song’s voice rose.

The caller remained calm. “This proposal benefits both sides. Xu Huo stood up for us players and the Evolvers. If he dies under the Special Defense Department’s siege, your hands won’t be clean. You know how serious that could be.”

“This is our country too, and we don’t want open conflict.”

“Will handing him over guarantee his safety?” Song asked. “Do your people have the manpower to compare with the Special Defense Department?”

“If the Special Defense Department’s firepower could defend against players, what just happened wouldn’t have occurred,” the caller said with confidence.

Song opened his mouth to speak, but Team Leader Wu raised a hand to stop him. “If your goal is only to protect Xu Huo, then your actions should align with ours. Do your best to screen every player entering Flower City, not use this as a bargaining chip to force the Special Defense Department into concessions.”

“Xu Huo’s condition is unclear. The Special Defense Department has the world’s best medical teams and expert groups. Leaving the hospital offers him no benefit.”

The caller fell silent for a moment before saying, “We want to confirm one thing: is Xu Huo really undergoing a second evolution?”

“No comment.” Team Leader Wu answered.

“All right.” The caller was brisk. “Have your people clear a ring-shaped area two kilometers from the hospital. We will notify players willing to cooperate to gather in that ring. But the Special Defense Department personnel must withdraw completely. If anyone attacks us, we will not stand by.”

“In three minutes the Special Defense Department will issue an evacuation notice to the entire city. If any player insists on staying within two kilometers of the hospital, you must not interfere with the Special Defense Department’s actions.” Team Leader Wu replied quickly.

“No problem.” The call ended.

The secretary had already gone to issue the evacuation notice. Team Leader Song did not oppose Team Leader Wu’s decision, only saying, “We’re out of luck.”

The caller had likely been a temporary representative chosen by civilian players. Before they understood the situation, their chance of aggressive action was low—after all, there were no extremely high-level players yet, and government deterrence still mattered. So whoever attacked Xu Huo earlier had probably been trying to muddy the waters, letting the Special Defense Department and civilian players slaughter each other. The chance that civilian players had actually come to Flower City was practically nil, but they still represented most civilian players. The consequences of conflict would be disastrous.

“When evacuating residents, increase armed personnel. Replace all weapons with new equipment equipped with biometric locks. Ensure everyone within two kilometers of the hospital is evacuated within half an hour.” Team Leader Song instructed Team Leader Liao. “Report any players who remain immediately!”

Team Leader Liao began making arrangements.

“The tech team has tracked the phone signal source,” Dai Wenqian said. “Leader, I want to go check it out.”

Team Leader Song nodded. “Keep a close eye on those players. Prepare for other possible intentions.”

“Avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary,” Team Leader Wu reminded them.

After Dai Wenqian and Zheng Ke left the meeting room, Team Leader Wu prepared to inspect Xu Huo. Stepping out of the sealed room, he glanced at the sky and muttered, “What time is it? Why hasn’t it gotten light yet?”

At the warehouse, Professor Lan had someone bring over potions to use on Xu Huo.

Although Xu Huo had alerted them before the truck crashed in, he hadn’t regained consciousness afterward. Professor Lan agreed with Tang Guangbo’s assessment that Xu Huo’s body might simply be lagging behind his brain’s evolution rate.

“He warned me earlier that there was danger outside the walls, which means he can hear us. Ask him if he wants this injection.” Yan Jiayu suggested.

Professor Lan hesitated briefly and agreed to ask Xu Huo.

This time Xu Huo gave no response, so Professor Lan injected two potions into his arm. Tang Guangbo continued talking to him.

After the injection there was no immediate response for a while. Overwrought with nervousness, Yuan Yao stood up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

He closed the warehouse door and used the nearest restroom. While washing his hands, the lights suddenly went out.

“Good thing the hospital patients were all evacuated; otherwise, who knows how many might have died tonight.” Yuan Yao casually wiped his wet hands on his clothes, turned on his phone’s flashlight, and went out, only to find that even the corridor emergency lights were off. The phone light reached barely two or three meters.

The odd situation gave him goosebumps. Muttering, “A clean conscience sleeps easy; a wicked one fears ghosts at night,” he ran toward the warehouse. Pushing the door open, there wasn’t so much as a shadow inside.

“Yuan Yao.” Someone called his name from behind. Yuan Yao jumped when he heard the voice, then turned back with delight. “Brother Xu, you’re awake?”