Migrants Inside the Arch

Migrants Inside the Arch

When Xu Huo stepped through the arch, he was hit by mental interference. He was familiar with the process and adapted without much trouble, but the woman who had come in with him was already standing in front of him, raising her hand as if to slap him.

When their eyes met, the woman hurriedly pulled her hand back and stammered, "I... I wasn't trying to hurt you..."

"Have some water first." Xu Huo gave her a small bottle, less than half full.

She accepted it with longing and care, poured a little into the cap to drink, then screwed the cap back on. "Come with me."

The "arch" was indeed a prop that created a space, though it wasn't as powerful as the Painter Jiang Jiang's Octagonal Gallery. The illusion wasn't hard to break. Once it was dispelled, the inside turned out to be a small place modeled on a service area, with a little shop, a restaurant, and a restroom.

The woman led Xu Huo into the restroom.

A young man who looked under twenty lay on the floor, barely breathing. A boy of twelve or thirteen was looking after him, while two younger girls sat nearby. When they saw someone come in, all three instinctively moved to shield the young man with their bodies.

"My younger brother was poisoned... Can you save him?" the woman said hoarsely. "We didn't mean to block the way. When we ran from Base 17, we ran into a Player. My brother was injured, and after we finally got here, he was bitten... The herbs we brought couldn't cure the poison... He was afraid we'd get into trouble, so he set a trap..."

"Where are you headed?" Xu Huo crouched to examine the young man's injuries. His right