Chapter 830

The location that Chen Xiaolian designated for the meeting was not at the resort at the centre of the lake. Rather, it was at a public park in a city centre.

The public park was centred around a small mountain, with a river on one side and bustling commercial streets and residential streets on the other three sides.

Chen Xiaolian was lying on a bench, both hands behind his head as he enjoyed the afternoon sun.

On the grassy field not far away, several tourists were feeding pigeons. There were also several kids flying kites there.

When the appointed time arrived, Chen Xiaolian heard Aderick’s voice.

“Chen Xiaolian.”

Chen Xiaolian got up into a seating position and looked up at Aderick.

Aderick stood before the bench in a casual blazer. There was no weapon in his hands. He appeared like a white-collar worker that one could find everywhere.

“This place. What do you think of my choice?” Chen Xiaolian greeted Aderick with a friendly smile.

Aderick looked around and frowned. “Is this the first thing you have to say for our meeting? You didn’t ask me here to appreciate this scenery, did you?”

“I’m not talking about the scenery but the terrain.” Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “I believe you must have investigated the surrounding terrain before coming in. This park is situated within a bustling downtown area and there is a river to its north.”

“I don’t understand.” Aderick shook his head.

“Sincerity! This is my sincerity!” Chen Xiaolian felt somewhat dejected. He felt as though he had been winking at a blind man. “River promotes holding back. This downtown area meant that there is no way to start a fight! Since you’re coming to meet me alone, you’re probably feeling disadvantaged. Thus, I had specifically chosen a place that you would find very safe! It would ensure that, should you sense even a hint of danger, you would be able to immediately escape!”

“So, it’s about that… however, you were overthinking it.” Aderick smiled, but there was a hint of desolation in his smile. “Since I’ve chosen to come, I have no intentions of running. Because, I am well aware that, if you really want to kill me, I won’t be able to escape no matter how I try.”

He released a faint sigh and continued, “Since the moment I became the Guild Leader of the Knights of Darkness Guild, you are the only one who could give me such a feeling. Even Shen from back then was incapable of doing this.”

“You’re quite open-minded.” Chen Xiaolian had not expected Aderick to be so at ease about it. He then patted the bench area beside him. “It’s fine. Even if you have no intentions of running, at the very least, I can first show my sincerity. Sit.”

“Tell me, then. Why did you want to meet me?” Aderick did not sit. He continued standing before Chen Xiaolian.

Despite knowing that it would not be too difficult for Chen Xiaolian to kill him if he so desired, Aderick continued to display an inimical and stiff attitude.

“Since Zero City was destroyed… it’s been half a year since then. I do not know where you fellows hid yourselves all this time, but it’s likely not that smooth sailing. As I recall… back then, most of those who evacuated at the end were not the main combat forces, right?”

“Yes.” Aderick’s reply was brief.

“Then, if… I can provide you fellows a new Zero City, can you do a good job as a leader?” Chen Xiaolian’s tone had been indifferent, but his words became like a thunderbolt striking Aderick’s heart.

“What?” Aderick had to labour to force that word out of his throat.

“A new Zero City. Naturally, it is presently not that perfect. More accurately, it is just a semi-finished product. It is precisely due to that that I need your help. The evacuees, aren’t most of them technical personnel?”

A confused look flashed across Aderick’s eyes.

Before coming here, myriad possibilities had gone through Aderick’s mind. Unexpectedly, Chen Xiaolian would give him this answer.

“You… are you pulling my leg?” Aderick quickly calmed down and forced himself to calm down.

“If this is a joke, then it would be too boring, no?” Chen Xiaolian shook his head.

“Show me. Where is it?”

“It’s everywhere.” Chen Xiaolian smiled. “Let’s go. We’ll find a place where there’s no one.”

Somewhere in a secluded corner atop a mountain…

Chen Xiaolian halted his steps and looked around to confirm that there were no other tourists there.

A curtain of light drooped down before the two of them.

“Please, Mr Aderick.”

…

The moment Aderick found himself standing within the central plaza, despite his calm and shrewd nature, he could not stop his body from quivering.

Although there was only a vast stretch of land around him, the central plaza that he was standing on was completely identical to the central plaza that he was most familiar with.

“I have not been to Zero City that many times. So, I am not too familiar with its surrounding buildings. The one thing that I can restore through my memories is this central plaza,” said Chen Xiaolian, who was behind him. “As for the rest, that will depend on you fellows.”

“Depend on… us?” Aderick jerked his head back.

“Yes. It is as you’ve seen. As of now, this place is just an empty city. Thus, I hope you can lead everyone here and restore this place to how the original Zero City used to look like. When that happens, this new Zero City will once again become the holy land of the Awakened ones!”

“What exactly… are you planning?” Aderick found himself completely incapable of seeing through Chen Xiaolian.

He built this ‘new Zero City’ by himself!

By observing the central plaza’s current appearance, it would seem like he had been the one who decided the layout of his place.

A Zero City monopolized by Chen Xiaolian alone. There was no way Aderick would not understand what this meant.

Surprisingly, from what Chen Xiaolian just said, he wanted the former resident guilds of Zero City to… occupy the place again?

Why would he share the meat in his own bowl with others?

Where on earth could you find such a foolish person, who would give the fruits of their labour to others?

“Because I need to unite all the Awakened ones. Listen well, I said all. As for me…” Chen Xiaolian understood what Aderick was thinking. “While I possess enough power, I lack the necessary prestige. Bluntly speaking, there are only a few people in the Awakened world who know me. If I have to go recruit members one by one, how long would it take? And so, the fastest and most convenient method is to borrow your reputation. Let every Awakened one know that Zero City has returned!”

“Returning in another form?” Aderick inhaled deeply. “What you want is Zero City’s power of unification.”

“You understand after hearing just so little, smart!” Chen Xiaolian gave Aderick a thumbs up.

That was indeed his reason.

No matter how strong Chen Xiaolian became, he could not accumulate enough prestige to unite all the Awakened ones in a short period.

On the contrary, while the remnants of Zero City have weakened to the point where they could only eke out their existence by hiding, their former glory was still something that could not be underestimated.

Once news spread regarding Zero City being rebuilt, a shocking and explosive uproar would break out within the Awakened world. As for Chen Xiaolian, no matter how strong he was, he was still on his own. He could not accomplish this.

An example of this was Liu Xiu. After Wang Mang’s usurpation of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiu was the one who led the conquest to reunite all of China. And yet, he continued to use the name ‘Han Dynasty’ for the nation he built.

And after the demise of the Eastern Han Dynasty came Liu Bei, who had almost no familial connection with Eastern Han’s imperial family. Even so, he continued to name his nation the ‘Han Dynasty’.

Even Liu Yuan, a Xiongnu, forced the issue by recognizing his ancestry and slapped a Han clan signboard on his name.

No matter the era, a signboard was very important.

Observing the high-spirited expression on Chen Xiaolian’s face, Aderick suddenly gave a self-deprecating smile.

“Is there anything you’re unsatisfied with?” Chen Xiaolian clicked his tongue. “When compared to your current situation of having to hide in some XYZ location, this is so much better, no?”

“Naturally, I am not unsatisfied.” Aderick shook his head. “Of course, I know just how beneficial this is for us. It’s just… I never thought that the day would come when I would work under you. How should I address you in the future? Boss?”

“Forget it. I don’t like that.” Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “I have no intentions of taking in any subordinates. Strictly speaking, we are partners… don’t worry, I won’t kill the donkey once the grinding is done.”

Aderick responded with a noncommittal smile.

“Then, you should no longer have any qualms about telling me the location of your base, right?” Chen Xiaolian cast a slightly playful look at Aderick. “To be able to successfully hide from others for so long, you fellows sure can hide. Just where is it?”

“The Antarctic. Its exact location is…” Aderick then revealed its coordinates.

“No wonder.” Chen Xiaolian was slightly surprised. In the past, he had also pondered where the remnants of Zero City were hiding. Unexpectedly, they would head to that icy and snowy place.

In the hasty evacuation back then, the remaining survivors of Zero City could not have taken that much supplies with them. And in order to cover up the traces of their existence as best they can, they must be avoiding going out as much as possible. The past few months must have been very difficult.

“Our supplies are almost finished. If it weren’t for that, I would not have made up my mind to meet with you.” Aderick sighed softly. “Truth be told, the supplies is a small matter. Most importantly, in the past six months, I have been going together with the other members for all their instance dungeons.”

“Huh?” Chen Xiaolian was surprised, but quickly understood.

Most of the evacuees from Zero City were from the logistics department. Their level of strengthening was not high. Of course, when compared to the ordinary guilds, they were not that weak. However, should they encounter other guilds in the instance dungeons, even if they could emerge victorious in battles, it was impossible for them to kill off every person on the other team without leaking any information.

Not to mention, some instance dungeons were not competitive-type instance dungeons. Rather, they would even restrict participants from killing one another and request them to cooperate fully with each other to complete the quest.

This meant that, the instant they participated in the instance dungeon’s quest, the whereabouts of the remnants of Zero City could become exposed.

And yet, after losing Zero City’s shield, the logistics personnel who had not needed to participate in instance dungeons in the past were now vulnerable to being selected for the instance dungeons.

Clearly, Aderick would personally head to battle in every instance dungeon involving the men from Zero City. He would order them to hide while he solo cleared the instance dungeon.

He had – on his own – substituted for all the men from Zero City in instance dungeons for over half a year. Moreover, from the beginning to the end, no traces were found.

“You’re… really awesome!”

Aderick’s circumstances played across Chen Xiaolian’s mind and Chen Xiaolian could not help but give him a thumbs up.

1 Kill the donkey once the grinding is done. An idiom. Meaning: To get rid of someone after they had outlived their usefulness.

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