When Xu Huo thought about objects that could alter properties, the first thing that came to his mind was the Nüwa Stone he had obtained from Clown City.
A tiny stone that allowed the King Fungus to grow rapidly on it, and although the King Fungus didn’t grant limitless lifespan to its host and would die after a certain period, as long as one wore the Nüwa Stone, the King Fungus within the human body could reproduce endlessly, keeping the host permanently in a state with innate detoxification abilities.
However, he didn’t wear the Nüwa Stone all the time; he only took it out to nourish the King Fungus periodically to ensure it didn’t die.
"What can change the properties of a stone?" Xu Huo asked.
"The situation is complicated," Qing Cai looked him over, "but mostly it’s due to special geological formations. After humans evolved, nature also evolved, so anything could happen. Are you really not a player from Zone 011?"
"Zone 011 is chaotic right now," Xu Huo said. "I accidentally entered an Advanced Player’s battleground while escaping the calamity."
Qing Cai’s eyes lit up, "What happened in 011? Tell me about it!"
No matter whether the rumors about Zone 011 she mentioned were true, her disdain for Zone 011 was evidently genuine.
Xu Huo briefly narrated the Guile Sound Knights’ ambush, to which Qing Cai even applauded, "Both sides are no good, a dog-eat-dog fight to the death would be best!"
Compared to Zone 011, the reputation of the Guile Sound Knights was even worse. Qing Cai pondered for a bit then said, "I’m really lucky!"
"The Guile Sound Knights are always up early if there’s profit to be made. They’re attacking 011 for something valuable; with both groups fighting fiercely, maybe I can pick up something cheap!"
Xu Huo stared at her for a couple of seconds, "Are you serious?"
Forget Jin Feixue and Dou Shengnan from the Guile Sound Knights, both top Rank-A Players, how many players are there in Zone 011?
Yet Qing Cai was quite confident, "When I said picking up leftovers, I didn’t mean outright robbing, stealing works too."
Confidence came from capability, Xu Huo guessed she might have a special treasure-seeking ability, otherwise, she wouldn’t be scavenging for gemstones in the wild. But the topic was no longer suitable to continue.
Just then, he suddenly felt a subtle change in the safehouse. Just as he was about to speak, the whole house trembled violently as if hitting something, then the building toppled over, he and Qing Cai, along with the emerald on the table, rolled out of the doorway!
Outside it was still engulfed in darkness, the glowing gemstone becoming the only light source, yet they along with the gemstone were picked up by a whirlwind, instantly flung over ten meters up!
Xu Huo had put on his protective gear and activated a prop. As he hesitated whether to use his tickets to leave, the wind abruptly stopped, and as they were falling, a shadow flitted by, and the emerald disappeared!
It wasn’t that Xu Huo truly saw a passing shadow, but rather the light of the emerald was suddenly covered by darkness, as if enveloped by a black cloth for an instant before vanishing, so he deduced that someone had stolen the gemstone, rather than its light being buried by darkness.
After the emerald disappeared, nothing else was visible in their view, but the next second, a dust-like strip of light appeared in the air, and by its width, it pretty much matched the emerald. Under the faint light, it seemed Qing Cai was following the direction of the light strip.
Xu Huo intended to follow, but just then his communicator buzzed, a weak electric current passing from his skin. He opened the communicator, and Bai Kou’s voice came through, "Are you insane, following it? Move away."
"How did you access this?" Xu Huo asked, "Is this your prop?"
After the incident at the Eternal Star Hotel, she had disappeared. He thought she was either confronting Jin Feixue or waiting for an opportunity, yet here she was, arrived at the base.
"It’s not me," Bai Kou said, "This is from the Holy Sword Society, I’m guiding you."
Without much hesitation, Xu Huo followed her directions in the dark. He felt himself return to Zone 011, yet couldn’t find the edge of this darkness. According to Bai Kou, about ten minutes later, he saw someone holding a small light standing in the distance.
Approaching, Bai Kou first examined him, "You’re lucky to have been sent back by the safehouse, your friend wasn’t so fortunate, already thrown to another sector."
Xu Huo wasn’t aware of how this prop operated, but knew how to irritate someone, "Is the matter with Jin Feixue resolved?"
Bai Kou coldly glanced at him, "Follow and you’ll know."
They walked out of the dark and were now at a railway station. From their position, half the Base City was enveloped in darkness. This half was silent, but the neighboring city appeared broken and battered, towering buildings not collapsed but with facades thoroughly peeled off, as if weathered for a long time. Robots littered the streets, many fallen and damaged, with numerous bodies inside, most having suffocated to death, suffering in their final moments.
And the defensive barriers set up outside the Eternal Star Hotel had long vanished, the equipment destroyed beyond repair.
This wasn’t surprising; there were surely props or devices specially designed to neutralize high-tech weapons, and the Guile Sound Knights wouldn’t have come unprepared.
"Where did all the players from Zone 011 go?" Xu Huo looked over this deserted city.
"Some are trapped by the Holy Sword Society in Dark Space, others went to nearby cities to drive off the Guile Sound Knights," Bai Kou casually said, "It won’t end anytime soon."
Xu Huo turned on the communicator; the news reported was far graver than what she stated. Not just the Base City, but several key cities in this sector had been attacked. Besides the Guile Sound Knights, a large number of members from the Holy Sword Society appeared in different cities, targeting numerous scientific research labs.
The situation was irreparable; how much Zone 011 would lose depended on how quickly the battle ended.
"What brought you to Zone 011?" he earnestly asked Bai Kou.
"Don’t forget the stone He Pu gave you," Bai Kou said. "It’s a Secondary Stone, which probably helped you get transported back from another space."
"Space-Time Items have incompatible features, but they’re attracted to materials used in their crafting. However, this attraction doesn’t follow a definite pattern, it sometimes occurs and sometimes doesn’t, so there’s never been a conclusion."
Xu Huo had already learned from Qing Cai about the concept of Secondary Stones. "Can the Secondary Stone He Pu gave me be used to craft Space-Time Items? Since it’s a Secondary Stone, it must have evolved due to the influence of some material."
"Correct. There are many types of Secondary Stones, but the one He Pu gave you is a top-tier Secondary Stone," Bai Kou said, "It’s one of the raw materials for Space-Time Items and can also be used to craft advanced weaponry. However, what’s most precious about this stone isn’t the stone itself, but its origin."