Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Dahu looked a little strange. There was no color in his face. He was pale, unnaturally white.
His skin had an odd sheen, his face was stiff and utterly expressionless, and his body was terribly cold.
The dancer’s gaze shifted. A dark green door had appeared in the bathroom, standing open a crack.
Outside, the little girl slowly turned to look toward the bathroom, then tilted his head and stared.
Number Six noticed the child’s strange behavior and asked, “What’s wrong? What are you looking at?”
She rose warily, lifted her arm, and approached step by step. Just as she neared the bathroom, she heard a door being battered open behind her.
Number Six turned decisively, aiming her arm at the suite’s entrance. The men who had kicked it open were a handful of sleazy rank-and-file gang members.
They whistled at the sight of her, all reeking of alcohol. “Is that her?”
“I just saw a pretty little dancer heading upstairs. That’s her, right?”
“Didn’t you say she was wearing a dress? This one’s in trousers.”
“Heh heh, what’s the difference? We don’t normally get into this penthouse suite. This time, let’s enjoy ourselves…”
They jostled one another, making quite a racket.
Number Six explained, “Get out. I’m working with the Longhu Society’s Incense Master.”
Unfortunately, her words inspired no fear. These lowlifes thought nothing of women.
“Working with him? What’s anyone going to do over a woman?”
“Who’d turn on his brothers for a woman?”
They laughed and joked. In the end, they were wary enough not to lay hands on her, but the situation looked grim. If just one of them got carried away and made a move, the rest would all rush her.
Number Six signaled the little girl to hide. But the child was still looking toward the bathroom.
Until one lowlife let his filthy mouth run. “Why’s there a little one here too…”
Before he finished, the little girl rose to stand on the sofa, his body facing the bathroom.
His head slowly turned until his whole face looked straight at the people behind him.
The foul-mouthed thug swallowed his words and rubbed his eyes, thinking he’d drunk too much and was seeing things.
But after several rubs, the little girl on the sofa still looked as though his head and body were facing separate ways. The man screamed in terror.
The other lowlifes saw it too. One raised his gun and fired; another turned and ran.
Number Six saw their reactions. Naturally, she also saw the little girl’s abnormal state.
For an instant, shock made her scalp prickle. Before she could react, the gunshots snapped her out of it. She ducked and watched the little girl turn his body around and raise a hand toward the lowlifes.
The little girl made a twisting gesture. The gunshots and cries cut off abruptly.
The intruders’ heads burst apart, blood splattering everywhere.
The little girl jumped down from the sofa and ran to the bathroom with a broad smile.
When he saw what was inside, his face returned to its original indifference. He angrily slammed the door shut.
Number Six had no idea what was in the bathroom. She tried to seize the chance to escape, crawling toward the entrance with her body bent low.
Soon, a pair of feet appeared before her. Number Six raised her head shakily. The little girl, who should have been behind her, was standing right in front of her.
She was about to fight back when her body rose into the air against her will, then slammed down hard.
Her limbs twisted, leaving her unable to move. She crashed into the sofa and lay helpless.
All she could do was watch the little girl approach the strange machine with the glass, adjust it, and turn the buttons at its side.
Images, text, and sound appeared on the glass screen. Only then did Number Six realize it might be a television.
Before long, the news on the television caught her attention. A helicopter was filming the chaos in Zimu City.
The helicopter’s design was clearly old, and it flew very low.
The camera shook as it filmed, heightening the sense of chaos.
In the black-and-white footage, Zimu City was in turmoil. Violence was everywhere. People smashed shops and stalls, stole goods, and fought in the streets.
There was also blatant murder, arson, and abuse of women.
The reporter was a man with glasses and slicked hair parted to one side. In a sorrowful tone, he described the incident as a “mass gang riot and bloodbath.”
He believed the people in Zimu City’s slums were killing one another on gang orders, and might even leave Zimu City to wreak havoc outside.
All exits from Zimu City had now been sealed. No one was allowed out. Anyone who sought help was driven back in.
Number Six remembered the little girl suggesting that they turn on the television much earlier. Was there a clue here?
Soon, she noticed something wrong. The timing…
The timing was wrong!
Following the report, various media outlets offered their opinions on Zimu City. Some called it the source of chaos, saying there were no good people inside, only criminals, and that it should have been wiped out long ago.
Others said an infectious disease had broken out inside, perhaps rabies. Once infected, people would go around killing.
The latter claim caused panic, especially when riots began breaking out around Zimu City too.
Supposedly, people had escaped and infected those nearby.
Pressure came from every quarter. Yet no rescue or quarantine was organized.
Instead, there was bombing. Measured quantities of explosives were dropped on Zimu City to demolish and clear it.
Number Six watched the absurd proposal win approval. Media outlets even reported from the scene as people cheered the dropping of bombs, calling the operation “Eliminate the Cancer, Eradicate Evil Forces.”
Zimu City’s apartment buildings fell one after another, becoming rubble.
The glittering Xiuli Palace became a battered, unsafe ruin. Half the building was destroyed in the bombardment.
Confused, Number Six looked out the window.
The rain was still falling, but no bombs were dropping from the sky.
Was the news reporting… something that would happen in the future?
Number Six’s mind raced. She remembered the Longhu Society’s Incense Master’s words: sooner or later, Zimu City would disappear.
The players’ arrogance had kept them from learning about the world after entering the instance, or exploring the NPCs’ circumstances. Their minds were filled with nothing but anomalies and the main storyline.
A little more care would have shown them that Zimu City faced threats from within and without, with a storm about to break.
Society’s development wouldn’t tolerate such an unregulated place. Even if the players hadn’t realized it, speaking with the Longhu Society’s Incense Master, or with Huang Jinsheng, would have yielded hints.
Yes, Huang Jinsheng!
Number Six asked the little girl, “Are you helping me?”
“Isn’t your father, Huang Jinsheng, a rich man?”
“With a rich man trapped in Zimu City, people outside whose interests are tied to him won’t just leave him here.”
“The players can escape with Huang Jinsheng.”
“No, if Zimu City is gone, the players’ mission fails.”
“No, no, no. When will the bombing happen? Say something!”
“You…”
“Ha. It’s you…”