C21 Underground City(2)

Xie Yu and Soong Mu ambled along, pausing frequently as they followed the roadside signs, inching closer to the city's heart. Yet the vastness of this subterranean metropolis was overwhelming. After nearly an hour's journey, the central horizon's edge was still nowhere in sight.

"Could we have taken a wrong turn somewhere?" Soong Mu panted, despite being a seasoned Level 13 player who rarely felt fatigue. The prolonged walk without encountering a single soul was taking its toll. Xie Yu's conversation was the only respite, yet they had to remain vigilant, bracing for potential dangers that could spring up at any moment. It was mentally exhausting.

"Hang in there," Xie Yu offered reassuringly. "This monotony might just be one of the dungeon's challenges."

Soong Mu, a man who thrived in bustling environments, found this test of patience more daunting than battling monsters.

The system seemed adept at exploiting vulnerabilities, presenting a desolate street to someone who loved crowds and scant clues to a puzzle enthusiast—both challenges hitting right at their weak spots.

"Xie Yu, is that someone up ahead?" Soong Mu halted abruptly, pointing forward.

Xie Yu came to a stop as well, eyeing the shadowy figure ahead. It didn't look promising...

A squad in black and blue police uniforms occupied the intersection ahead, firearms at the ready. The intense gaze from the occupants of the police car behind sent shivers down Xie Yu's spine.

"No... those aren't ordinary people!" he realized.

Without a second thought, Xie Yu grabbed Soong Mu's hand and raised it in surrender.

It was a no-brainer. Outnumbered and outgunned, what chance did they stand with their melee weapons against firearms?

Surrendering was the smarter choice. Perhaps they could even turn the situation to their advantage and find a way to their desired destination.

Above all, survival was paramount. Life meant hope, and without it, there was no point in even thinking about completing their mission.

"What's happening?" Soong Mu was still trying to make sense of the situation, but he trusted Xie Yu's judgment. There had to be a good reason for his instructions, so he chose to trust his brother.

"Today, no one is permitted to be outside! Identify yourselves!"

Ahead, police officers were closing in, their squad car inching toward them. Xie Yu and Soong Mu, hands raised, decided to walk straight toward them.

"We have a letter that needs to be delivered to a doctor at the City Administration Headquarters. We need assistance!" Xie Yu called out.

These officers were city police, and they hadn't jumped to conclusions about them being outsiders. It was evident that they valued evidence; without it, they wouldn't label someone an outsider, even with a police report.

Xie Yu wasn't sure how outsiders were viewed here, but he thought it best not to confess.

Though he doubted it would make any difference...

Xie Yu silently scoffed to himself.

"Which doctor?"

A fully armed officer, cradling a gun, confronted them with two similarly dressed colleagues flanking him. The trio stood before Xie Yu, their tone serious and cold.

"Dr. Robert," Xie Yu responded without evasion.

"Follow us."

The lead officer, upon hearing the name, said nothing more. He stepped aside, clearing a path for Xie Yu and Soong Mu to be escorted to the police car. The iron gate clanged shut behind them, and they were whisked away.

"In my whole life, I've always followed the law and worked diligently. I never imagined I'd end up in a police car," Soong Mu murmured from the backseat.

Xie Yu nodded gravely, his head bowed, and replied earnestly, "Nor did I ever think I'd be riding in a police car inside a game. This is truly a novel experience."

"Cut the sarcasm and focus on getting us out of here!" Soong Mu nearly leapt up at his words. They were locked in a police car, and Xie Yu was still making light of the situation.

"Calm down. My guess is that this is just one of the game's challenges. Once we enter the instance and proceed, we're bound to encounter that young man taking out the trash. He'll call the police on us, whether or not we reveal our identities as outsiders, because today is a special day when no one is allowed on the streets. We're bound to trigger a story mission," Xie Yu whispered to Soong Mu, laying out his theory.

"So, he's definitely going to call the cops, and we're bound to get stopped. Let's not forget we're in a tech city here—cameras on every street. And with the streets empty today, the police will have no trouble finding us."

Soong Mu nodded, picking up where Xie Yu left off, "So you're suggesting that everything we've encountered so far is part of a scripted mission sequence. The real storyline probably won't kick off until we reach the police station."

Xie Yu nodded in agreement; Soong Mu had hit the nail on the head.

Otherwise, without any guidance, expecting us to navigate such a sprawling city using just street signs would make this letter delivery mission nearly impossible to complete. The system wouldn't generate a scenario like that; such difficulty is, frankly, pointless. Xie Yu might not buy into the very concept of the world system, but he never doubted its meticulous precision.

The police station must be where this instance truly begins.

The streets were deserted as Xie Yu and Soong Mu rode in the police car, arriving at the station without incident.

Upon entering, before they could even get their bearings, they spotted someone familiar.

"Look who's here too," Soong Mu chuckled, his sour mood from the police car ride instantly lifting.

Russell's face was a picture of misery, and it only darkened further at the sight of Xie Yu and Soong Mu.

"That's what I mean—we have no beef with each other. If you hadn't called the cops, you wouldn't be here either, right?" Soong Mu quipped, and Russell's complexion shifted from green to pitch black, nearly erupting with rage.

"You two outsiders! You have no place lecturing me!"

After struggling, Russell finally shrugged off the hand on his shoulder and leapt up, shouting furiously, his fingers quivering as he pointed at Xie Yu and Soong Mu.

Xie Yu was taken aback. He hadn't expected this man to be brought in so soon, and certainly not before them.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Xie Yu gave Russell a once-over.

"Why are you shaking your head?"

Russell's irritation spiked when he saw Xie Yu shaking his head.

"It's nothing, really. I just sense a kind of serendipity between us," Xie Yu offered a casual explanation.