When Gao Lie crossed the misty sky and arrived at the platform of Xi'an City under countless strange eyes, Xiao Xiao looked deeply into the distance and couldn't help but sigh.
The impression Heimen City sometimes gave him was that it was far-fetched, but now, as soon as he arrived at Xi'an City, he felt a heartfelt emotion.
The endless buildings, the bustling crowds, and even all kinds of real things that he had never seen in Black Gate City before, all impacted Xiao Xiao's vision, and even made him feel a sense of depression.
A city that is too huge has its own will and weight, which can overwhelm people and make them subconsciously want to surrender.
The will of the city here does not even refer to those things living in the spiritual world, but simply refers to the temperament of this city, a huge city.
"Brother Xiao, where are we going?"
Ruanruan put her backpack on her back, and her short legs made a clattering sound when she moved.
Following Xiao Xiao, she looked like a junior high school girl going to school, and her behavior was a bit like a junior high school girl. Looking at this huge city, she was a little confused for a moment, and turned to ask Xiao Xiao.
"We've reached our destination, haven't we?"
Xiao Xiao comforted her, looked up and looked forward, and said with a smile: "We are guests, and Anxi City is the host, so there is no need for us to consider these things. They can't even understand how to treat guests, right?"
"Look at our Black Gate City. Although it is a bit small, it is very polite to receive the envoys from Dante's organization..."
"..."
Ruanruan opened her mouth, not sure how to answer.
However, it was true as Xiao Xiao said. When she and Xiao Xiao walked out of the high column platform and looked outside, they quickly saw a sign held high in front of them, which was extremely eye-catching among the bustling crowd.
.
There are only three words on the sign: Black Gate City.
The person holding the sign high was a young man wearing rimless glasses and a crisp dark suit.
Parked next to him was a black, extended version of an expensive car, and four cars were parked in front and behind the car. The five cars formed a convoy, parked solemnly at the station entrance, and all the pedestrians were in awe.
Get out of the way.
"Is this the one to pick us up?"
Ruanruan glanced at it and couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
But Xiao Xiao has already moved forward. In the real world, there are many tourists traveling between Heimen City and Anxi City, but I am afraid no one can afford to directly use the three words "Heimen City" to represent it.
Besides, he and Ruan Ruan were the only ones on this trip to Gao Lie.
"President Xiao? Ms. Ruanruan?"
The young man holding the sign saw Xiao Xiao and Ruan Ruan approaching and immediately put the sign down. As a stranger, he should have recognized Xiao Xiao at the first sight.
identity, but still asked politely.
Then he bowed to shake hands with Xiao Xiao, straightened his back and shook hands with Luan Ruan, then stood up and helped them open the car door. The convoy slowly started, heading towards the huge and almost endless Xi'an City ahead.
Driving into the city.
"The city of Anxi is so formal..."
Such a performance surprised Ruanruan.
It is not uncommon for strangers to interact with each other, but rarely with such pomp and ceremony.
In the eyes of ordinary people, strangers are a group of lunatics living in a world of self-fantasy, and their usual behavior is really a bit like lunatics.
But Xi'an City didn't have this feeling at all. When Xiao Xiao and Ruan Ruan arrived here, they were picked up by a motorcade like distinguished guests. There was a road in front of them and bodyguards behind them. They were solemn and dignified, and extremely formal.
"Formal what?"
Listening to Ruan Ruan's emotion, Xiao Xiao silently thought to himself: "The City of Anxi is really a bit exaggerated. How can it be as down-to-earth as when we in Black Gate City entertain guests?"
"that……"
After getting in the car, the atmosphere was silent. Ruanruan couldn't hold back. After looking around for a while, he said to the young man driving in front: "Your information card for the Knight of Hearts..."
"No need to rush."
The young man driving the car did not wait for Ruanruan to finish speaking, and said softly: "President Xiao, Ms. Ruanruan, I am only responsible for picking up people. The president of our Anxi City or the knight will talk to you about the rest.
.”
Ruoruan was slightly startled and had to stop asking questions.
Xiao Xiao seemed to be a little curious and said: "You seem to be strong enough, but you are just a pick-up person?"
"Not even close."
The young man driving the car said politely: "In addition to the president, we have three great knights and thirty-six little knights in Xi'an City, and I am only the last one among the little knights."
"The task I received this time was just to pick you two up and take them to the hotel to rest, and arrange all their daily life and travel in Xi'an City. As for other serious matters, our president will come to discuss it with President Xiao in person.
, or one of the three Great Knights of Spades, Great Knight Yin Qing, and Great Knights of Clover can come over... After all, you two are sending our Great Knight of Hearts home, and in terms of scale, so am I.
Those who are not qualified to receive this information card..."
"..."
"Three big knights and thirty-six little knights?"
When Ruan Ruan first listened to it, she couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
It is indeed a city of peace...
When Black Gate City was the most powerful, it only had one president and twelve knights, while Xi'an City not only had more numbers, but also had two levels of knights, large and small.
Normally, if you have more than 1,000 points and take the lead in resolving B-level distortion incidents, you can obtain the Knight Contract.
The remarkable thing about the City of Rest is that they not only have a large number of knights, but they even selected four outstanding ones from these knights.
Of course, from the number of their knights, we can see how rich experience the City of Rest has in dealing with aberrations, and it has formed a very large and extremely professional team.
And after hearing the second half of his sentence, when he mentioned the Knight of Hearts, Ruan Ruan couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
Strong-tempered people tend to have bad tempers, and people with bad tempers often make decisions quickly, but feel unsure after making them.
She thought about it carefully, and it seemed that she had no choice but to kill the opponent's Knight of Heart. But now, after knowing the respected status of the four knights in Xi'an City, and thinking that such a person died under her own hands, she felt a little bit sad.
Empty.
Xiao Xiao, on the other hand, sat next to Ruanruan and seemed to feel the change in her mood.
He smiled and patted her on the head, and then said to the young man driving in front: "Yes, your great knight of heart really doesn't deserve to die..."
"This also just illustrates the distortion and horror of the mysterious source."
"But you don't need to be too sad. I have already avenged your Great Knight of Hearts. We are all strangers, so you don't need to thank me too much."
"..."
The young man driving the car was silent for a moment, nodded, and stopped talking.
Ruanruan looked at Xiao Xiao's side face with some surprise, and found that after he said these words, his expression still looked very calm.
I secretly admired him, but my initial guilty conscience was indeed dispelled a lot.
yes……
Black Gate City has no grudges against you. It was your Great Knight of Heart who was ordered by a mysterious source to come to trouble us first. Then we have no other choice. What if we kill her?
Now we have abided by the agreement between strangers and came here specially to return her information card, which is already very polite.
Doesn't a city as big as Anxi City even understand this principle?
Moreover……
She took another deep look at Xiao Xiao's angular profile, her heart gradually became stable, and she even lay down on the seat, ready to have a good rest:
"I brought such a big crazy group of presidents here, am I still afraid that you will cause trouble for me?"
"..."
This motorcade brought Xiao Xiao and Ruanruan to the center of Xi'an City. In a towering building, a room had been prepared in advance, whether it was the precious decorations in the suite or the wedding banquet.
The courteous waiters and the tight security outside the building all indicate that the quality of this place is not low. However, except for the little knight Zhou Zhen who sent the two of them here, the president of Xi'an City, or three
One of the great knights still didn't show up.
"I just said that the City of Rest is not as good as our Black Gate City, right?"
Xiao Xiao walked around the room, looking at Ruan Ruan who came to look for him out of curiosity, and said with a smile: "We entertained the envoys of the Dante organization, and we even knew how to take care of the meal in the evening!"
Before they finished speaking, the young knight who drove them here had already brought the hotel manager over and said politely: "President Xiao and Ms. Ruanruan can dine on the fifth floor of the hotel, or call the guest room.
Dining.”
"I have asked the president for instructions. He said that Mr. Xiao and Ms. Ruanruan have been busy traveling and traveling, so they will take a break today."
"He will host a banquet for you two tomorrow."
"..."
Ruanruan immediately glanced at Xiao Xiao with a questioning look in her eyes.
Xiao Xiao sent these people away with a smile, and then said to Ruanruan: "It's still not as good as our Black Gate City. At least we hosted them in person..."
"When the Lin Bo team organized by Dante arrived at Black Gate City, they had been eating box lunches for the past few days, right? Sister Jiajia even slept on a bar sofa for two days before booking a hotel for them..."
Ruanruan couldn't help but think: "But what's the matter with the president's strange desire to compare?"
But no matter what, once it comes, let's make peace with it.
Ruanruan was a little surprised by the thoughtful and considerate arrangements in Anxi City. Not only did she have a fully catered dinner in the guest room, but she could even take a bubble bath. The water was put in by a dedicated person. She gradually became more at ease and happy.
However, even though Xiao Xiao said this, he really felt a little strange in his heart. He always felt that the arrangements in Anxi City were meticulous, but in his heart he always felt that there would be some problems, but he didn't say anything more.
, just let it go and let the other party make arrangements for you for the time being.
After dinner, someone knocked on the door. It was the little knight who came to pick him up during the day: "Mr. Xiao has just arrived in Xi'an City. Do you want to take a walk in the city?"
There is actually a shopping service?
Xiao Xiao was a little surprised and agreed, but when he asked her to be soft, she was not interested. Bubble bath was more fun.
So Xiao Xiao followed the young knight out, still accompanied by the same motorcade, and allowed him to walk in this bustling city. Soon, he saw many things in Anxi City that were different from those in Black Gate City.
Same place.
The background of Black Gate City has always been chaotic, cruel, and violent, otherwise it would not be able to raise a monster like the Hell Legion.
But Xi'an City gave Xiao Xiao a feeling of orderliness, tranquility, order, and safety. Xiao Xiao was walking on the street and even saw an abnormal fluctuation of mental power suddenly appearing somewhere three streets away.
As a stranger, the little knight accompanying him ignored him and just ordered the convoy to approach. As a result, Xiao Xiao saw a group of people wearing black robes appearing in front of the aberrant creature in a very short period of time.
Next to him, he solved it easily and then disappeared into the crowd.
Even the people watching around seemed a little surprised. The policeman on duty even offered a cigarette to someone in a black robe.
Xiao Xiao asked curiously: "Can the aborigines of Anxi City see aberrant creatures?"
"Of course not."
The little knight smiled and said: "But they know that we are protecting them, so they are not surprised."
"Whenever there is an aberration in Anxi City, we will always know about it immediately because the Security Bureau will pass the information to us."
"..."
Xiao Xiao stopped asking and let him lead him. He visited many places before going back to rest.
"President Xiao, if you are curious about anything, you can ask me. Not only tonight, but also tomorrow if there is anything you want to see, I am also willing to be your guide at any time."
When we parted, the little knight seemed very polite.
Xiao Xiao then agreed with a smile, turned around and went upstairs.
If you want to see something by yourself, why bother walking around this city? Why do you need someone to take you with you?
Of course, since you have come to Xi'an City, it is necessary to understand Xi'an City...
So, Xiao Xiao, who turned around and went upstairs, did not go back to his room, but went directly to the top floor. The building he lived in can be said to be one of the tallest buildings in Anxi City. Looking from top to bottom, you can even see
To the clouds floating above the neon lights.
Since it is high, the field of vision is naturally good.
Xiao Xiao took a deep breath and leaned next to the railing. Three eyes gradually split out of his body.
As the bones turned, everything in this huge and boundless city suddenly began to be pulled crazily into his field of vision.
The streets, the crowds, the buildings, the faces with different expressions and the things that happened in this city, whether it was public or private.
Whether it is reported on TV or hidden in the hearts of many people.
At this moment, as Xiao Xiao's insight opened up, everything, like some kind of pure information flow, reflected into his spiritual ocean.
"Whoosh!"
But at this same moment, there were suddenly several glances around the huge Xi'an City. They were alerted at the same time and crossed the streets and neon lights, passed through the buildings and crowds, and arrived in front of Xiao Xiao in an instant.
"Did you respond so quickly?"
The moment these eyes appeared, Xiao Xiao suddenly withdrew his gaze.
There was no indication on his expression that anything had happened, and even the three Eyes of the Insight were quietly withdrawn into his body.
He just smiled, nodded slightly in the direction of the glances, and then returned to his room with a calm expression and light steps.
"……call!"
The whole city is still prosperous, but in some people's perception, the moment their own eyes, or spiritual power, intersect with Xiao Xiao, the whole world seems to have stopped for half a minute. They see that Xiao Xiao has returned to the room, but their spirit
But he didn't dare to relax for a long time.
After a long time, someone whispered: "What does this lunatic want to do?"
"It's not enough to walk around the city for so long. Do you want to see it yourself again?"
"Or maybe he doesn't quite believe what he just saw?"
"..."
"It's the president's permission. It doesn't seem like anything to let him see..."
"Can't think like that!"
"Although he has already arrived in Anxi City, and it is already certain that he is able to hunt the mysterious source because of the power of the mysterious road guide in Black Gate City..."
Another voice replied in a low voice: "But anyone who has entered the taboo level cannot be underestimated, not to mention that he has done so many crazy things?"
"Oh, a person's name is like a tree's shadow. This guy's reputation is really terrifying..."
"..."
Even in the low-pitched discussion, there was no result.
In the end, he could only sigh lowly: "No matter what, he can't do anything in Xi'an City, and he doesn't seem to have any intention of doing anything. Wait until tomorrow, everything will be easy to say!"
…
…
Returning the information card is embarrassing.
Since you are returning the card, it means that someone on the other side has died in your hands. Whether it was a vendetta or an accident, your mood will not be any better.
Therefore, when various organizations resolve card issues, they usually send envoys to do it. Even if a certain president comes to resolve the issue in person, the recipient will not be too polite, or they will just leave after taking the card.
, or the words were fierce, directly agreeing on the outcome of the next fight.
But Xiao Xiao seemed different from others this time.
Xi'an City treated him and Ruan Ruan seriously and politely, but unfortunately, none of the real big shots in Xi'an City showed up.
If he came with an apology in his capacity to return the information card, then Xiao Xiao should thank Xi'an City for its attentive hospitality.
If you come here as the president to communicate, it seems like you should lose your temper again.
However, Ruanruan was young and a strong person, so he didn't think that carefully. Xiao Xiao actually stayed at home for four years after high school. He also didn't know much about these etiquette matters. He just kept silent in his heart.
After sorting it out, I didn't think about it anymore.
They just let Xi'an City arrange everything until the next afternoon, someone came to pick them up and invited them to a dinner hosted by the president of Xi'an City.
Xiao Xiao and Ruan Ruan didn't even know how to change their clothes. After all, the only people in Black Gate City who knew about this were Ling Ping and Yang Jia with red eyes. But these two people didn't have time to train them, so they just kept cool.
Feeling good, I got in the car.
Another convoy, with a car in front driving the road and a car escorting behind, passed through the streets and arrived at a green, garden-like courtyard in the city of Anxi.
Invited, he walked straight into the courtyard.
"Being bought..."
"It was bought again..."
"...All the bodyguards, servants, and housekeepers in this courtyard have been bought?"
"..."
Along the way, Xiao Xiao looked at it carefully and couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
The strangers spent their points to buy many aborigines to work for them, including some small stars, but Xiao Xiao was surprised to find that everyone in this courtyard had been bought.
Is the number more than a hundred?
Even if it is the cheapest one, one hundred points per person is probably more than 10,000 points, right?
I am not surprised by these points. After all, 10,000 points are not much for me, but buying so many aborigines as my servants is indeed a bit surprising.
"President Xiao, please come in!"
Arriving at an exquisite Chinese-style wooden door in the middle of the courtyard, the butler who led the way opened the door respectfully: "President An is already waiting for you inside."
Xiao Xiao nodded politely to him, pushed the door open, and immediately saw the old man in gorgeous robes inside the room, opposite the huge round table.
The room was very big, and the round table was also very big, but there was only one person sitting there, the old man. Even the little knight who picked up Xiao Xiao and the others yesterday just stood on the side, serving like a servant, and that
The old man was wearing a robe as gorgeous as that of a medieval priest. There were deep wrinkles on his face, but he was in good spirits. When Xiao Xiao came in, a pair of deep eyes immediately looked up, with such a look.
For a moment, Xiao Xiao felt as if he was facing a huge black hole at close range.
Xiao Xiao couldn't help but think of the information Mr. Ye gave him.
The old president of the Xi'an City Foreigners Association was originally named An, but no one has called him by his name for many years.
Everyone only respects him as Mr. An.
He has been sitting in the position of the Xi'an City Strangers Association for at least nearly forty years.
He is one of the oldest and most mysterious strangers. Many people on the forum speculate that he may belong to the earliest batch of strangers.
The next day, I met this legendary stranger, and he hosted a banquet for me politely. It seemed that this courtesy was enough...
However, Xiao Xiao was a little confused. There were three big knights and thirty-six little knights in Anxi City. Why did he see only one guild president and one little knight left now?
"President Xiao, please sit down."
While Xiao Xiao was thinking about it, Mr. An already spoke in a low voice and nodded towards Xiao Xiao.
Although he was old, his voice was loud and he said with a smile: "Don't dislike being shabby, old man, I haven't entertained guests like this for many years."
Xiao Xiao smiled and sat down opposite him. He cautiously glanced at the old man opposite him, and then sat down next to Xiao Xiao.
"Are there just a few of us?"
Xiao Xiao glanced around and said directly: "I heard people say that the people in Anxi City are strong and strong..."
"There are indeed many people in Xi'an City, but they also bear many responsibilities."
Mr. An smiled and said: "We strangers are the same kind of people, so we naturally have to advance and retreat together. In the surrounding cities, whether they encounter aberrations, have disputes, or receive any threats, they will all report to Anxi City.
They ask for help, so our people have to leave from time to time to help them solve problems, mediate, and sometimes use force to suppress things that are unfavorable to the foreigners. It is rare that we can get everything together, especially recently, and it is just right.
Caught up in troubled times..."
Xiao Xiao listened and suddenly looked at him and said, "Is Anxi City so good?"
"Why didn't Anxi City help when our Black Gate City was attacked by the Hell Organization and when we were devastated by the Kingdom of Decay?"
"..."
It seems that he didn't expect Xiao Xiao to ask such a direct question. The old man in the gorgeous robe was slightly startled, and then smiled and said: "Don't you know the reason?"
"I used to be an old friend with your old president, Kuang Juemin, and we both advanced and retreated together. Unfortunately, we later had different ideas and finally parted ways. Since then, he has refused all my assistance..."
"..."
"The co-author is the old president again?"
Xiao Xiao thought to himself that the old president had taken a lot of blame for him, but he had also caused quite a lot of trouble...
However, this also shows that the old president actually had many other options besides dying in the Black Gate Fog Incident?
He smiled and said: "Although I have inherited many things from our old president, I have never met him personally, so I am not familiar with what happened before."
"You inherited a lot from him?"
The old president An looked at Xiao Xiao with a smile and said, "Including his childish ideas?"
Xiao Xiao was silent for a moment, looked up at him, and slowly repeated: "Childish?"
"yes."
President An, paused slightly, met Xiao Xiao's gaze, and said: "I didn't take advantage of his death to talk about him behind his back. In fact, I also said it when he was alive."
Xiao Xiao's expression seemed a little surprised: "Why?"
Mr. An couldn't help laughing, but did not answer directly. Instead, he said to Xiao Xiao: "President Xiao has become very famous recently, and Black Gate City has also performed very well recently, but what do you think of our Anxi City?"
Sample?"
"very good."
Xiao Xiao was silent for a moment, then said: "I have not seen many cities, only Heimen City and Yedi City, but compared with these two cities, Anxi City is the largest and most orderly city I have ever seen.
.”
"In your place, it seems that there is no room for aberrant creatures to survive."
“Aborigines and foreigners can actually cooperate and coexist like old friends.”
"And the power of the strangers in Xi'an City is the greatest I have ever seen. Even the convoy we came here can control the opening and closing of traffic lights at will, as if the entire administrative agency is already serving you.
…”
"By the way, we didn't spend any money on the hotel we stayed in yesterday, right?"
"..."
Listening to Xiao Xiao's words, Mr. An couldn't help but laugh: "That's An'an City's industry, of course it doesn't cost money."
Ruanruan, who was waiting to hand back the information card, couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly: "When did Brother Xiao see these phenomena in Anxi City?"
"Yes, these are exactly what I want to tell President Xiao."
Mr. An smiled and said to Xiao Xiao: "Kuang Juemin is an old friend of mine. He is a stubborn person. He has always insisted on his idea of escape and has always wanted to get rid of nightmares. But who can say that this world is really
Is it a nightmare?"
Xiao Xiao was not in a hurry to answer, but looked at him seriously.
Mr. An said softly: "The awakening of strangers often goes through this process: first they think the world is fake, think it is just a nightmare, want to escape, and want to find the so-called reality."
"However, people always have to recognize the current situation. What kind of strangers and aborigines?"
"It's just that I see different things. I just paranoidly believe that what I see is real, and what others see is fake..."
"But only a fool will stubbornly prove that he is right."
"Whether what the indigenous people see is true or false, what does it matter to us?"
"..."
He spoke slowly, always looking into Xiao Xiao's eyes, which made his words particularly sincere, or in other words, unquestionable.
"The stranger is the chosen one."
He said to Xiao Xiao seriously, every word was very slow: "We have the power to dominate and control everything, so it doesn't actually matter how weird or twisted this world is."
"The important thing is that as long as we want to, we can change the world into what we want."
"We can have the most supreme power in this city, and we can transform everything that is unreasonable in this city at will."
"Even when Kuang Juemin was alive, the city's will that he hated the most, the mysterious source that affected his cognition and changed his behavior, was actually not impossible to change. He only said that he was not willing to be manipulated and was not willing to live as a puppet.
But when we have the power to reversely influence the mysterious source, appease it, feed it, and make the mysterious source exist in the form we want, then who is the puppet and who is controlling it?"
"..."
"ah?"
Ruanruan was suddenly startled and looked up in disbelief.
Some things in the old president's words made it difficult for her to imagine: Reverse control of the mysterious source?
She also knows the power of Anxi City, but it seems that she heard some surprising phenomena from Mr. An's words?
The City of Rest even thinks that they already have the power to control the entire city?
...Or maybe, it's not just him who thinks so, but they have already done it?
"If this is the case..."
Xiao Xiao pondered for a moment, looked at Mr. An, and said, "Then what do you think you are?"
"I don't want to talk about gods and monsters."
Mr. An looked at Xiao Xiao intently and said slowly: "But I want to say that we have absolute advantage and power over this city."
"If reality is regarded as a game, then we have the ability to modify the game programmatically. We have absolute control over reality. We are the masters of the game."
"Why would a master run away from his home?"
"..."
"..."
Xiao Xiao easily understood what Mr. An said. He was silent for a moment and said slowly: "But, have you ever heard of such a statement..."
"Those things that are parasitic on this city and give us power are actually outsiders..."
"They are devouring the world, and they have devoured most of it."
"So, if one day they really completely engulf the world, what will we, the masters of the city, face?"
"..."
When this question was asked, Xiao Xiao looked calm and had no intention of refuting or objecting, but sincerely asked.
He did not doubt everything that Xi'an City had done, but he just asked this question. Before, Yang Jia also firmed up his idea of supporting Noah's plan because he had glimpsed these secrets.
Mr. An's answer was beyond Xiao Xiao's expectation: "I have heard this idea from the Dante organization a long time ago."
"It's just that we are the chosen ones, so we have this power, just like the powerful people and consortiums in the world in the past, it was the world that chose them, so they can be superior..."
"They could feel so at ease back then, why can't we?"
"Or, President Xiao can think about those churches..."
"..."
He paused for a moment before speaking slowly: "Because of the existence of God, the church has absolute power in the world."
"We are like believers, shepherding the whole world for God."
"Then it's enough to make sure we can feed the world. Who sits in God's place and what does it have to do with us?"