Lou Fei fell silent. After a moment, she said, "Maybe I've been here too long. I've long forgotten the fire in a player's blood. I only want to preserve the life I have now. I don't want to take any more risks."
"I don't care what you think or what you plan to do. Just follow my instructions." Xu Huo finished his water and gestured that she could leave.
Lou Fei hadn't come away empty-handed. At least now she knew Xu Huo had cleared the Dungeon, and that he had no intention of turning around and destroying the Twelve Main Cities. He'd seemed so urgent at first, but now he wasn't in a hurry to leave.
"I wonder how long he'll stay."
Once the news spread, the players who had stayed behind went back to work without complaint. With a new King in place, the whole country began to recover its vitality.
Xu Huo stayed another two days. After adjusting to the physical changes brought by Evolution, he summoned Lou Fei to the Castle once more. He had sealed it off with a device beforehand and bluntly told her that he was preparing to leave, but hoped she could delay the news for as long as possible.
Lou Fei couldn't understand his motive. Even if she delayed the news for a month or two, would the conditions in District 031 really improve?
"Isn't your reason for staying that you want to protect your friends and younger generation?" Xu Huo said. "In a few years, more and more players may start to regress. The more comprehensive the rules become, the harder they'll be to overturn. That's how your lives will get better in the long run."
"Don't just focus on what's right in front of you. Look to the future. If