Guo Miaofeng Disappeared!
As soon as He Fang logged in, he immediately received this news. His heart tightened. He quickly opened his system map, entered Guo Miaofeng’s name, and found his location—a bright coordinate point on the map. Only then did he feel relieved.
“Don’t say things like that! You almost scared me to death—I thought…” He Fang trailed off. He had really believed that something terrible had happened to Guo Miaofeng. But as long as the marker was still there, it meant he should be fine.
However, Yuan Zhiran frowned deeply. “The troops I sent to Hope City brought back news when they returned for supplies. They said the research institute in Hope City had set up a base station, and they had been tracking Guo Miaofeng’s signal the whole time. But then, his signal suddenly disappeared.”
Yuan Zhiran handed He Fang a map, which clearly showed Guo Miaofeng’s movement trajectory. But when his signal remained stationary, it suddenly vanished at a certain point.
“Guo Miaofeng’s schedule has always been very fixed—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and nighttime rest all happen at regular times. He disappeared just after lunchtime,” Yuan Zhiran said, lowering his gaze. “He’s a man who is absolutely dedicated to his duty. He strictly follows work hours—he would stay late but never leave early. Something must have gone wrong; otherwise, he wouldn’t cause trouble for anyone.”
He Fang compared the map and realized that the place where Guo Miaofeng disappeared overlapped with a critical location he had marked for investigation. There was a marker on He Fang’s map at that spot, but he had never seen it before—it had never appeared in his city, and there was no relevant information online.
“Has anyone been sent to investigate?” He Fang asked. Judging from the map, Guo Miaofeng’s status still appeared normal, so there was no need to panic and lose composure.
“Not yet. Communication between the city and Hope City is still down, so the information just arrived. As soon as you arrived, City Lord, I came to report. I’ll be personally joining the rescue team on this flight,” Yuan Zhiran said with a slight frown. Rescue operations were currently under their jurisdiction within the city, but leadership positions hadn’t been established due to military restrictions. As a result, only a handful of people truly had decision-making power.
“I’m going too. Notify Min Zhizhou and have him come along,” He Fang decided, choosing to go and assess the situation personally. He was worried that these unknown markers might be player-assigned quests. If that were the case, sending any NPC would be pointless—NPCs would just be trapped there, unable to take action.
This would be He Fang’s first time returning to Hope City since he had left last time. The city was still in a recovery phase, so he expected it to look more or less the same as when he had first seen it—except that the people might seem a little healthier.
However, when He Fang stepped off the plane and saw the people of Hope City, his eyes widened.
This wasn’t just a slight improvement in complexion.
They had all gained weight!
Because the original residents of Hope City had been so emaciated, gaining some weight didn’t seem excessive. But visually, the change was dramatic. People who had once looked lifeless now had bright eyes and radiant smiles, their faces full of genuine happiness!
When Min Zhizhou stepped off the plane, he also paused for a moment. However, unlike He Fang’s shock, he instead revealed a look of relief and satisfaction.
“Did I give them too much food? Gaining weight too quickly isn’t good for the body,” He Fang muttered. Not only had he distributed food, but he had also provided additional nutritional supplements. However, he understood the importance of gradual progress. Such a drastic change in such a short time made him uneasy. “No, I need to ask the food distributors—did they go soft and give out too much?”
“City Lord, calm down,” Min Zhizhou immediately stopped him.
“City Lord, you set the amount of food to be distributed, and we followed your instructions exactly. There was no mistake,” Yuan Zhiran said, stepping up beside He Fang. The sunlight illuminated his exquisitely handsome face as he narrowed his eyes, surveying Hope City. The people handling food distribution had been selected from the military, while the police were responsible for maintaining order. He had significant authority in this matter.
“Then how did such a huge change happen in such a short time? Are you sure there’s no problem?” He Fang noticed that some NPCs working in the fields had already spotted them and were looking in his direction with eager eyes.
“There’s nothing wrong with the food distribution itself. The issue is that the food we provided was too high in energy for them,” Yuan Zhiran replied without sparing a glance at the wild NPCs—his focus was entirely on He Fang.
“That makes sense. Most of the people left behind were lower-class individuals with little value, so the food they used to eat… wasn’t very good,” Min Zhizhou added. “Back when I first arrived in your city, even plain white radish felt like the most delicious thing in the world. Now, all the food being distributed is refined, easy to digest, and highly nutritious. It’s no surprise they’ve ended up like this.”
“At first, these people couldn’t handle rich food. Quite a few of them even had digestive issues and had to seek medical help. But after receiving nutritional supplements, their conditions improved significantly,” Yuan Zhiran said. His gaze swept over the crowd, who were all looking at them with visible longing. He deliberately positioned himself to block their line of sight toward He Fang, ensuring he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable under so many stares.
“Because the lower-class residents of Hope City had been underfed for years, distributing food based on what people in the main city would need to feel full ended up being too much. They were used to starvation, never knowing when their next meal would come, so once they had food, they didn’t know how to control themselves. It’s only natural they gained weight,” Min Zhizhou added.
He Fang shook his head. “I already considered that issue. That’s why I cut the portion size in half compared to what people in the main city would eat. And it’s still too much?”
“Yes,” Yuan Zhiran nodded. “It’s still too much.”
He Fang’s expression became a little awkward. Who else but a city lord could manage to make an entire population of NPCs in a new city gain weight?
Looking at it this way, providing for ten thousand people’s basic needs hadn’t actually hindered the city’s development at all. In fact, it proved that his planning had been thorough—his city’s farmland was indeed producing more than needed. Yet, despite that surplus, food prices remained stable, which was no small feat.
As he walked, He Fang observed his surroundings. “Can they eat the grass they’re planting?”
Yuan Zhiran nodded. “Yes, it’s edible. The taste isn’t great, but our tests confirm it’s similar to vegetables.”
He Fang looked at the NPCs, who had clearly put on some weight. Their once skeletal frames, resembling dried corpses, now appeared vibrant and full of life.
As He Fang observed the NPCs, they, in turn, were watching him. Then, suddenly, he noticed an NPC tending to the fields step toward him.
Thinking the NPC had something to say, He Fang stopped walking and waited.
However, the NPC stopped ten steps away from him and knelt down.
Not just that one—everyone around who saw him followed suit, dropping to their knees.
It wasn’t forced; they were doing it intentionally. That was when He Fang finally realized why their gazes had been so strange when they first saw him. They had seemed hesitant as if they were struggling with something.
“Wait… Why is everyone kneeling? Get up!” He Fang was completely dumbfounded. “Ruins Without Restart” was set in a future where technology had advanced significantly. In a world like that, such displays of submissiveness shouldn’t even exist. Yet, these people were kneeling in perfect unison.
“It’s likely an old custom from Hope City,” Min Zhizhou stopped He Fang from stepping forward to help them up. “Different cities have different traditions. A mobile city functions like its own nation, and every nation has its own laws. In Hope City, kneeling is part of their original etiquette—it’s a way to show respect to their city lord.”
He Fang’s mouth twitched. What the hell is this? The return of the feudal era?
“To change this situation, you just need to establish new regulations and laws,” Yuan Zhiran said as he gazed at the crowd kneeling before their Creator. For once, he didn’t seem as cold. “Once teachers and merchants arrive in the future and begin instilling proper education, things should improve. At the very least, right now, they’re doing this to express goodwill. City Lord, you should accept it with composure.”
Even though Yuan Zhiran said so, He Fang still felt his scalp tingle. In his mind, only the dead should be knelt to by this many people.
A faint smile played on Yuan Zhiran’s lips, making his already striking beauty appear even more flamboyant and unrestrained. He bent down and helped up the first man who had knelt, his tone noticeably softer. “I hope your gratitude remains long-lasting. Instead of kneeling, the City Lord would prefer if you expressed your thanks in a simpler way.”
Watching the wild NPC sobbing in gratitude, repeatedly thanking him while recounting the hardships of his past life and how he had been saved, He Fang suddenly felt immense pressure.
No matter how much he had explored the map, he had never encountered an NPC so overwhelmingly grateful. Even though he knew they were just NPCs, seeing one react so emotionally, just like a real person, made him feel incredibly uncomfortable.
“Let’s go,” He Fang said, barely suppressing the urge to escape under the weight of all the excited and fervent gazes.
As he walked briskly, he randomly clicked on a few NPC status screens.
Most of the negative effects had disappeared, their HP had increased, and their physical condition had improved—definitely a much better state than before. “With stats like this, they should be able to work now, right?”
“Yes,” Min Zhizhou replied, walking alongside him. “In fact, they’ve been capable of working for a while now.”
Others might not understand, but Min Zhizhou did. It wasn’t that the people of Hope City couldn’t work—it was that He Fang believed they couldn’t. The standards in He Fang’s city had long since surpassed simple ‘labor’ and had moved toward ‘development’ and ‘innovation’. Even at their best, the people of Hope City couldn’t compare to those in the main city.
“Then have them start dismantling everything on the outskirts of Hope City except for the framework. Expose the entire skeletal structure,” He Fang ordered as he continued walking, gazing up at the massive city. “Once the railway is operational, we can begin rebuilding Hope City.”
Suddenly, He Fang stopped in his tracks.
To the side, he spotted a small shrine where several NPCs were kneeling in worship. One female NPC held a small bouquet of flowers, beautifully in bloom. She closed her eyes with a serene smile, her expression full of sincerity. She bowed, bent forward, and knelt—her devotion was unmistakable.
He Fang observed the female NPC. He recognized her—she was the aunt of that child, Xuan Xuan. He remembered how skeletal and sallow she had looked when he first saw her, but now, her face had filled out. Though she wasn’t as refined as the NPCs in his city, she had begun to show the natural grace of a middle-aged woman.
She must be making a beautiful wish, He Fang thought unconsciously, his gaze lifting to the shrine before her.
The statue of the Divine Lord, which he had previously casually placed in a small box, was now enshrined in a meticulously built temple. From the materials, he could tell it had been constructed using Hope City’s resources. The craftsmanship was unexpectedly detailed, and even decorative carvings adorned its surface.
It seemed these NPCs did have some skill. And more importantly, it was clear they held a deep reverence for the Divine Lord.
He Fang blinked, wondering—if someone like this had truly appeared in his real life to save him, would he have also worshipped them from the depths of his heart, treating them as his faith?
Unfortunately, reality had no saviors. He Fang had waited all this time, but no savior had ever appeared.
Turning away, he left.
When the woman opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of He Fang’s departing figure. She gasped—she had missed the chance to meet the city lord.
She had truly hoped to see him once more.
She had also truly wanted to express her gratitude to him.
These past days, she had been living a life she had never even dared to dream of before.
Here, they had eaten foods they had never once tasted in their lives—foods so incredibly delicious that, in the past, they could only afford them once a season after saving up for months. But here, they were eating meals even better than those, every single day.
The cafeteria in Hope City had always been simple. Since growing crops within the city was difficult, the available ingredients were extremely limited. They had always known of seasonings—there had once been a time, before the apocalypse, when the world must have been flourishing. Occasionally, they had glimpsed extravagant meals on screens, yet they had never been able to imagine what those dishes actually tasted like.
And now, she thought, perhaps this was the taste of those legendary foods they had once seen.
So it was true—when food was prepared with seasonings, it could actually become so delicious. All this time, she had thought the stories of gourmet cuisine passed down from the past were nothing but lies.
And…
So this was the kind of delicious food their city lord ate?
She remembered once when she had been eating a type of meal called a boxed lunch, she had been utterly captivated by the taste of the meat inside. At that time, she had unconsciously sighed, “If even we can eat something this delicious, then the city lord must be eating the most exquisite delicacies in the world.”
“No, that’s not true. Our city lord has always eaten the same food as us. The city lord isn’t picky at all and treats every meal seriously. I’ve even heard that every time the city lord eats, he bites through the bones and eats the marrow—it’s honestly so adorable.”
A soldier distributing food had suddenly appeared beside her. He was tall and handsome. In her eyes, he was like a god’s chosen warrior. Yet, he showed no disdain toward her status and spoke to her directly. That same man who had always regarded them coldly now seemed to have a spark in his eyes when he spoke of the city lord.
She had been utterly shocked. “How can you just call the city lord adorable? Isn’t that disrespectful?”
“You all treat the city lord with such reverence—I’m actually really curious what kind of person your city lord is.” The man’s words might have seemed irreverent, but every sentence carried a deep, sincere respect and admiration. “Every time our city lord eats something delicious, he always finds a way to make sure we can all have it, too. I heard that back when the city was first being built, the city lord planted nearly every kind of crop possible so that everyone could eat well. Only when people are well-fed and clothed can they truly develop. That just goes to show how much of a foodie our city lord really is.”
She had been intrigued and a little puzzled. “Are you very close to the city lord?”
“No, I haven’t spoken to the city lord even once. I doubt the city lord even remembers me,” the soldier said with a slightly disappointed smile. But it was just disappointment—there was no bitterness.
She was stunned for a moment before she slowly replied, “Me too. Until now, I’ve never even seen the former city lord of Hope City’s face.”
Her impression of Hope City’s previous city lord was nothing more than a name—a distant, untouchable existence.
“I’m nothing like you,” the soldier suddenly scoffed, shattering the sense of camaraderie she thought they shared. “How could you even compare our city lord to that useless coward of yours? Don’t insult our city lord like that.”
Her heart clenched with anxiety. She had clearly angered him. Clutching her chopsticks tightly, she didn’t dare utter another word. She understood how powerful these people were—so powerful that they were beyond resistance.
In the beginning, when food shortages led to fights, they had all witnessed firsthand how one of these soldiers had torn off a piece of Hope City’s outer shell with his bare hands. That shell was made of super-reinforced metal, strong enough to withstand artillery fire—yet in the soldier’s grip, it had crumpled like paper.
And now, this soldier was angry. She was certain she would be punished—just like how the upper officials of the old Hope City had always punished them without hesitation.
However, the expected pain did not come. She only saw the soldier cast her a contemptuous glance and sneer, “You really don’t know what’s good for you. We never wanted to help you bunch of old, weak, sick, and disabled people, but what can we do? Our city lord is too softhearted toward you all. If you ever get the chance, open your eyes wide and take a good look at our city lord. Only then will you understand just how perfect he is. Even if your natural circumstances aren’t ideal, as long as your heart is completely devoted to our city lord, we might still be willing to accept you!”
At that moment, she seemed to suddenly understand something.
These people who had come from other cities all deeply respected and adored their city lord.
Love for the house extends to the crows on its roof—anyone who sincerely respected and admired their city lord from the bottom of their heart would earn their empathy as well.
Having such a mindset and way of thinking, she vaguely perceived the difference between the new city lord and the previous Hope City lord. The new city lord had truly managed to make everyone friendly toward one another. That must be an extraordinary person.
That night, when she saw Wei Qixuan eating delicious food, his heart filled with admiration for the new city lord, she seemed to understand for a fleeting moment.
She asked the child, “Xuan Xuan, do you like the new city lord?”
The child answered her with pure joy, “The city lord is a hero! He is our hero!”
That gaze full of worship, those words spoken with the utmost respect from the depths of his heart—at that moment, she suddenly realized that perhaps she had been wrong. That was why the soldier had been angry.
The next day, she went to find that soldier to apologize for her thoughtless words. However, the dazzlingly handsome soldier suddenly gave her his first friendly smile and said, “You’re quite smart.”
That was his way of accepting her apology. In that instant, she truly felt the kindness of the world.
A city lord capable of cultivating such soldiers—she genuinely wanted to interact with him more.
Facing the Divine Lord, she made a wish: “I hope that under the leadership of the new city lord, Hope City will regain its vitality.”
Watching He Fang’s figure disappear into the inner part of Hope City, she felt deep regret. She had missed a precious opportunity!
“Ah… Why didn’t I stand in front of the city lord and report today’s situation?”
Just then, she heard a voice filled with remorse from beside her. Turning around in surprise, she saw several soldiers looking utterly regretful.
“Ahhh… I want to talk to the city lord too! The former division head is so lucky—he gets to be with the city lord every day despite being so young. I’m so jealous I could die.”
She was taken aback as she watched the soldiers act like a group of mischievous children. It was unexpectedly amusing. She quietly covered her mouth, not daring to show her amusement, fearing that they might get embarrassed and angry.
—
He Fang stepped into Hope City and paused for a moment. He noticed a subtle, almost imperceptible change—somehow, the city looked… a little nicer.
Was it just his imagination?
“It feels a little different from the last time I saw it,” He Fang said directly.
“It is indeed not quite the same. Maybe it’s because now that they have enough to eat and drink, some people occasionally find ways to do minor repairs and add little decorative touches they find interesting,” Yuan Zhiran said from the side.
“Little decorations?” He Fang was momentarily stunned. Then he noticed—sure enough, in some places resembling windows, there were small iron flower pots, each holding tiny wildflowers that had only just begun to bud.
Suddenly, a thought he had never considered before flashed through He Fang’s mind.
Why had he never thought of this before?
Rather than designing and rebuilding everything himself, why not let the NPCs handle it? Their preferences were bound to be different from his own. Besides, the NPCs of Hope City had been working in this environment for years—they must have their own ideas and creativity.
Letting them build the city themselves…
He Fang found the idea feasible. In fact, it seemed like a far more efficient way to achieve the best results without exhausting himself.
“Yuan Zhiran, organize the current NPCs in the city when you get the chance. See if any of them have a talent or interest in design, and ask if they’d be willing to work together on a simple blueprint for Hope City’s reconstruction.”
“Would it really be a good idea to let them design it?” Yuan Zhiran frowned slightly. “It’s not that I doubt their abilities, but since they’ve lived here for so long, their thinking about the environment is likely rigid. If they end up rebuilding the city exactly as it was before, wouldn’t that go against your vision, City Lord?”
“It’s just a blueprint—it will be adjusted later,” He Fang replied. “And precisely because they live here, they know where they want sunlight, where they want rest areas, and where they want parks. Those must have been their dreams all along. Dreams bring change. I want to see what their ideal Hope City looks like.”
Hearing He Fang’s words, Yuan Zhiran suddenly became aware of the sound of his own heartbeat quickening.
Their Creator would cherish every person’s dreams, just as he carefully asked about each one of them.
For the city, for its people.
And within it all, Yuan Zhiran saw the Creator’s genuine anticipation and joy.
Perhaps he would never truly understand what lay in the depths of the Creator’s heart—just as he didn’t understand why seeing others’ dreams and hopes could bring the Creator such sincere happiness.
He Fang vaguely felt that heated gaze on his back again. Turning around, sure enough, he found Yuan Zhiran staring blankly at him.
He sighed helplessly. “Why do you keep staring at me? Did I do something to upset you?”
Yuan Zhiran froze, his face instantly flushing red. He quickly turned his head away to hide his embarrassment. “No, City Lord… I was just happy, so I couldn’t help looking at you.”
“You’re happy, so you stare at me? Why? I’m not even good-looking.” He Fang couldn’t shake the feeling that Yuan Zhiran’s gaze was hot enough to burn a hole through the back of his head.
Caught red-handed, Yuan Zhiran became even more flustered. His stunning features momentarily left some onlookers dazed. He coughed twice and quietly muttered, “City Lord, you are very good-looking.”
He Fang’s eyes widened as he stared at Yuan Zhiran’s breathtakingly perfect, gender-defyingly flawless face—flawless from every angle, with no weaknesses whatsoever. “Are you deliberately flattering me, or are you secretly mocking me?”
However, Yuan Zhiran’s expression stiffened at those words, and he looked slightly hurt. “City Lord, this is the first time you’ve doubted me. I truly believe you are very good-looking. Extremely.”
Hiss—
He Fang sucked in a sharp breath and instinctively glanced at Min Zhizhou, who stood nearby, seeking confirmation. But to his surprise, Min Zhizhou, as if anticipating He Fang’s question, immediately averted his gaze, pretending to focus on something else.
He Fang suddenly felt a wave of complicated emotions.
Did the game developers actually code all the NPCs to think the city lord was the most attractive person ever? Was this some kind of system feature designed to boost the player’s vanity? Maybe they were trying to prevent players from feeling self-conscious about their looks—ensuring that, at the very least, they could receive compliments in the game?
If that were the case, He Fang had to admit “Ruins Without Restart” was surprisingly thoughtful.
It was just a little awkward.
He Fang pulled up Yuan Zhiran’s attribute panel, scanning it for anything unusual. There were no strange labels attached to him, yet his data was clearly very different from when he had just graduated from university.
As a growth-type NPC, Yuan Zhiran had immense potential for improvement. In just a short time, many of his attributes as a “soldier”—such as “sense of responsibility”, “physical endurance”, and “strategic ability”—had skyrocketed. Among them, there were even several attributes that He Fang had never seen in any other NPC.
If it weren’t for these overwhelmingly strong stats, He Fang might have seriously questioned whether Yuan Zhiran was actually a little slow.
—
He Fang entered the room housing the only functioning locator in all of Hope City. As soon as he looked up, he saw a tall, familiar figure. That slender, well-proportioned frame was undeniably elegant. The pale, delicate nape of his neck disappeared into the high collar of his long white coat, inexplicably drawing attention. A familiar pair of white gloves was busy recording data.
He Fang knew this person’s silhouette all too well.
“Zhu Yan?” He Fang’s eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”
Ever since logging in this time, he had been preoccupied with Yuan Zhiran’s report about Guo Miaofeng’s disappearance and hadn’t even gone to the research institute. Someone else from the institute was supposed to be in charge here—yet, unexpectedly, he found Zhu Yan instead.
Zhu Yan turned around at the sound of his name. Upon seeing He Fang, a trace of quiet joy flickered in his eyes as if simply encountering He Fang anywhere was enough to put him in a good mood.
“The shaping of the Revival Nightmare Plant has reached a stopping point. What remains is a series of repetitive experiments that don’t require my involvement. As for track-laying, that falls under surveying and mapping, so that doesn’t concern me either. Right now, I don’t have anything particularly pressing to research,” Zhu Yan explained. Normally, he was as taciturn as possible when speaking to others, but in front of He Fang, he suddenly became downright talkative. “So, I came to Hope City to analyze this locator and fulfill the promise I made to you, City Lord.”
Promise?
He Fang suddenly recalled that Zhu Yan had once mentioned how the locator could be used to counter-locate other mobile cities. This idea intrigued He Fang somewhat, but…
“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard? Do you know how long it’s been since you last took a break? If you keep working under such high intensity, you’ll get sick.” However, it was unclear whether NPCs could even suffer from exhaustion.
“Frequent mental activity keeps my mind in a state of constant engagement and development. As a researcher, I truly enjoy the feeling of thinking at every moment. Besides, if my thoughts can be of help to you, City Lord, that is far more relaxing and fulfilling for me than any break.” As always, Zhu Yan spared no effort to demonstrate his loyalty to He Fang.
“But too much of anything can be harmful…” He Fang felt that Zhu Yan really needed to take a proper break.
“Please don’t worry, City Lord. No one understands my own condition better than I do.” Zhu Yan smiled faintly. “I will surely adjust my physical state scientifically so that I can serve you safely and healthily at all times.”
He Fang: “…” This NPC was probably beyond saving.
Yuan Zhiran glanced at Zhu Yan and interrupted his declaration of loyalty outright. “Have you discovered anything?”
Zhu Yan cast a fleeting glance at Yuan Zhiran, but He Fang didn’t notice. Instead, he asked directly, “It feels like you’ve been researching this thing for a long time. Is the locator really that difficult to crack?”
After all, Zhu Yan was a researcher—surely hacking wasn’t something he could just handle effortlessly, right?
At the same time, Zhu Yan frowned.
He Fang’s heart skipped a beat. He immediately began considering whether he should search for some advanced hacker tutorials online or even purchase essential hacking textbooks to incorporate into university courses.
“It’s not exactly difficult…” However, a rare look of puzzlement appeared on Zhu Yan’s face.
“Not exactly difficult… so it’s still somewhat difficult?” He Fang immediately asked.
Watching from the sidelines, Min Zhizhou had already formed a guess. Though he didn’t possess specialized knowledge about mobile cities, he understood that maintaining such colossal moving structures required extremely precise expertise. Otherwise, how could the upper class use their vast knowledge to control the lower class and prevent them from even considering rebellion? Knowledge and technology were the greatest assets of every mobile city’s ruler.
While the City Lord was indeed powerful—so much so that Min Zhizhou was utterly shocked by its state—he couldn’t deny that it still resembled the most common pre-apocalyptic cities. At least, that’s what he had seen from the data files. The city had developed well, but its technology wasn’t particularly advanced. Although it boasted the formidable Rainbow Squad and the Divine Lord, a closer examination revealed that those seemed to be remnants of an earlier era rather than self-developed machinery.
After all, the main city’s weaponry was still at a relatively primitive stage. Even though a mere prototype could be refined by Chong Ying into something incredibly powerful, it didn’t change the fact that the city lacked fundamental knowledge in this field.
Given this, Min Zhizhou could understand Zhu Yan’s hesitation. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in a position to help.
Zhu Yan, still frowning deeply, stared at the locator right in front of him. His cold, composed voice slowly broke the silence: “This thing is too easy to analyze. I strongly suspect that some kind of unknown trap is waiting for us.”
Min Zhizhou: “?”
Zhu Yan’s expression showed no sign of relaxation; instead, it was extremely tense. It was clear that his statement was not out of humility—he genuinely believed what he was saying. He spoke with great caution, “Although the way this thing operates and the program within it have some novelty, it’s actually far too easy to crack. We’ve replicated and simulated it countless times, and any researcher could easily break through. To be honest, with how simple this setup is, I really suspect they might have deliberately made it this easy, making it more convenient for us to infiltrate—only to fall into their trap and be discovered effortlessly.”
Min Zhizhou: “…?”
He Fang also furrowed his brows and nodded seriously, “What you’re saying makes sense. Sometimes, the simpler something is, the more likely it is to be a trap. If it’s truly that easy for you, then we definitely need to proceed with even greater caution.”
Similarly, Yuan Zhiran, who rarely expressed agreement, acknowledged Zhu Yan’s suspicion, “Since we are dealing with an unknown external situation, we must be extra careful. Rather than recklessly breaking through and getting exposed, it’s better to proceed step by step.”
Min Zhizhou: “……”
“So right now, I’m afraid I can’t immediately give City Lord an answer regarding the locator. We still need to conduct more tests, experiments, and hypotheses to ensure there are no potential issues before we proceed with the actual decryption. At this point, we’ve already envisioned countless possible scenarios. Once we are absolutely certain, we will present City Lord with a satisfactory answer,” Zhu Yan stated.
“Understood.” He Fang nodded solemnly.
Min Zhizhou looked at the scene before him, utterly speechless.
Suddenly, he recalled his miserable, pitiful days as a test subject. He thought about Chong Ying’s unbelievable ability to recreate things, about how Zhu Yan had effortlessly broken through what their entire world had failed to—cracking weapons against Nightmare Beasts and the protective shield that prevented Nightmare Beast seeds from invading. A strange thought popped into his mind.
Could it be…
Possibly…
Maybe…
This locator really was just as simple as Zhu Yan believed?
After witnessing so much reality, Min Zhizhou developed deep doubts about his world’s technological advancements. In the main city district, everything he once knew held no sense of achievement.
Now that Zhu Yan was being so cautious—was he perhaps overthinking it?
Were they overestimating their opponent?
Was it possible that their endless speculation about traps was, in fact, creating a truly terrifying trap—one that the mobile city itself had never been able to conceive?
After all, up until now, every piece of knowledge he had explained to the main city had been fully analyzed and understood. Even the simplest machines could be developed to unimaginable extremes within this city.
Min Zhizhou didn’t dare voice his thoughts. Caution was, after all, a good thing. Besides, he didn’t truly understand the knowledge of the mobile city. His instinctive fear of these people was just that—an instinct. Without evidence, it would be foolish to show off in front of researchers.
At that moment, He Fang seemed to suddenly remember that there was still an information NPC present. He instinctively glanced at Min Zhizhou, who immediately averted his gaze elsewhere, putting on an obvious “I know nothing” expression.
“City Lord, we actually came to ask about Guo Miaofeng,” Yuan Zhiran suddenly said.
“Ah! Right, right.” He Fang finally remembered.
Zhu Yan casually asked, “City Lord, you don’t seem particularly anxious. Could it be that… you already know Guo Miaofeng’s current status?”
“I know he’s safe.” He Fang could easily confirm Guo Miaofeng’s status just by checking the system’s map markers. “He’s fine right now. He wouldn’t go looking for death on purpose—he’s not an idiot.”
Zhu Yan: “……”
Min Zhizhou: “……”
Yuan Zhiran: “?”
He Fang: “?! ”
