CHAPTER 1573: CHAPTER 1573: I HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR HIM

The two of them had always been well-informed, and they knew Xu Huo had returned to Zone 014, but didn’t expect to run into him so soon.

"Thanks for the trouble." Xu Huo expressed his gratitude.

"It’s nothing, I was just performing over there and happened to bump into Grandpa Xu." Gu Yu said cheerfully, "It was still Huang Junjie who went out of his way to see Grandpa Xu off when he heard he was nearby, and even escorted him all the way back to Jing City."

Huang Junjie quickly waved his hand, "I was just running some errands, I didn’t do much, there were always players from the Special Defense Department around the old man, very safe."

Since everyone was here, a rare opportunity, they definitely had to gather for a bit.

After sending the old man home, the three of them found a place to have a small drink.

Gu Yu was both a player and a celebrity, fairly popular, there were even a few people who came for her autograph before eating.

"You’re doing well as a celebrity, no need to risk going into instances." Huang Junjie was optimistic about the future of Zone 014, "The environment will only get better in the future."

"Relying on anyone is worse than relying on yourself. Moreover, my current career is tied to my player status. Without this status, who would be willing to invest in me? I still count on that money to buy equipment." Gu Yu bit into a piece of grilled meat, smiling, "The slimming potion in the game is effective and has no side effects, a must-have for female celebrities."

"Quite a few people are in this business." Huang Junjie knew a bit, "Many players focus on earning money without causing trouble."

"If everyone did that, the world would be at peace."

Gu Yu scoffed, then turned to Xu Huo, "I don’t know what the Special Defense Department has been up to lately, but there should be a big move; have they contacted you?"

"Just a small matter." Xu Huo didn’t want to elaborate.

"As long as you know what’s going on." Gu Yu continued, "Some members of the Special Defense Department seem crazed against player organizations. Not only do they block our strategies, but they also restrict our gatherings. I think these people are going insane."

"How are things on your end?" Xu Huo asked with concern.

"What else can we do but endure," Gu Yu shrugged, "Chun Yu is still okay, we earn money through proper channels, but it’s harder to say for players who get money from grey areas."

"The situation with the First Association is similar." Huang Junjie said, "It’s not as lenient as before, but it’s bearable. Compared to other zones, Zone 014 is pretty good."

"That’s because the Special Defense Department doesn’t care about lower-level players like us." Gu Yu hit the nail on the head, "If you could effortlessly advance to Rank-C or become a Super Evolver like Brother Xu, the Special Defense Department would be watching your association closely every day."

Huang Junjie chuckled, raising his glass, "That’s not necessarily true; Zone 014 hasn’t evolved to the point where advanced players are everywhere. As long as you have enough strength, you have a say, the Special Defense Department has to listen."

He looked at Xu Huo, "Our First Association was able to smoothly become a partner of the Special Defense Department thanks to you, and I know there will be changes soon. If you need anything, feel free to say it, all players in the First Association are willing to cooperate with you."

Gu Yu’s gaze shifted between the two of them, then she said, "Brother Xu, actually a lot of players have been asking about you before. If you take the lead, many people will surely support you. Chun Yu Association will definitely stand by you."

Looking at them, Xu Huo realized that although he had anticipated the Special Defense Department’s actions would provoke resentment among players, he didn’t expect even their in-depth partner, the First Association, to want to overturn the table.

"Do you have a detailed plan?" he asked.

Huang Junjie silently set down his glass, "The First Association’s intention is to negotiate, still selling strategies at the previous Special Defense Department’s discounted prices, with resources brought back by players prioritized for the Special Defense Department, but an additional mandatory clause."

It shouldn’t be like this time, where the Special Defense Department said they wanted to control player upgrade speed and almost cut off all strategy channels on the player organization side.

Player organizations have also provided many things for the Special Defense Department, and took the initiative to maintain city order and collect random instance information when the Special Defense Department was short-staffed. This was originally mutually beneficial, maintaining a balance, with everyone trying to provide a safe and stable environment for their families. Now the Special Defense Department has blocked the source, making it harder for player organizations to develop, but both the Special Defense Department and the military represent only a minority. Once this precedent is set, the survival environment for other players will surely become more difficult.

Few can do what Xu Huo did, to make the Special Defense Department back down alone.

Gu Yu hesitated before saying, "It’s half and half, some think negotiation is possible, others I think just want to stir up trouble."

"But it’s not surprising, many players have grievances with the Special Defense Department."

Xu Huo understood that these two, or rather the other players with intentions, didn’t really need him to take the lead. The groundwork had already been laid, they even had a plan, now they just needed someone with enough weight to come forward and coordinate with the Special Defense Department, ensuring that in the negotiation process, they can speak effectively without being forced into the game with a few words, otherwise fighting for player organization rights would just be a joke.

He didn’t answer this question directly, instead asked, "What do you think of Nie Xuan?"

In both the Special Defense Department and the player organizations, the name Nie Xuan was well-known, especially after he stepped in to clean up a lot of players last time, his strength and methods were acknowledged.

"Isn’t it rumored he’s dying soon?" Gu Yu hesitated, "What does this have to do with him?"

Xu Huo slowly rotated his glass, "I have high hopes for him; soon the Special Defense Department will belong to him."

Gu Yu and Huang Junjie exchanged glances, the latter’s expression becoming a bit grim.

For player organizations, Nie Xuan was someone without flexibility. In other words, with him, whatever was said was absolute, and he was very tough. While rational enough to distinguish what can and cannot be done, having such a hard-liner take the stage, the situation for player organizations might not improve much.

"From what Chief Nie has done, he always prioritizes the majority." Gu Yu gave a relatively fair assessment, "He values order, is a reasonable person, shouldn’t lose his head and act on impulse."

"So things haven’t escalated to a confrontation," Xu Huo said, "Tell your people to cool down; flipping the table only results in death."

Only then did their expressions change slightly. After the Special Defense Department developed, they blocked as many loopholes as possible, and the information leaked was minimal. So they weren’t clear on how strong the Special Defense Department had become. A few months ago, they still needed to sign cooperation contracts with player organizations to appease them. Has their strength become so disparate in a few months?

"Ding dong." Xu Huo’s phone received a message, which contained a house icon. After a quick glance, he stood up, "I have something to take care of, so I’ll go first."