"Players nowadays change faces more often than they change clothes, you can never tell who's who," Minister Fan said cheerfully to the Y Country communications liaison, "Y Country has attacked several small nations before, maybe this is just retaliation?"

The other side cut the communication off in anger.

Only because Zone 014 had not suffered a catastrophic blow at the very start of the game did the concept of "nation" remain intact; otherwise the major powers would not have the energy to engage in any international politicking now.

And this battle of public opinion was unavoidable. Whether Zone 014’s situation improved or deteriorated, whether nations survived or disappeared, where people are, public sentiment follows. Having a positive image often yields influence in unexpected ways.

Minister Fan closed his laptop, face flushed with excitement, "Makes me want to go have a drink, you don't get opportunities like this every day!"

The other team leaders looked similarly pleased. Team Leader Wu clenched his fist, "This is a real feather in our cap. I was still thinking how we could turn that slap back on them, never expected it to be resolved so quickly!"

"Xu Huo still has some tricks up his sleeve," Jiang Qiao said with a smile, "Efficient — well worth the items we picked for him."

Although the photos didn't show his real face, simply being able to transfer between the two safe zones fit the item's effect.

"Is it really him?" Team Leader Chang said, excitement tinged with disbelief, "Honestly, I can hardly believe it. Y Country's safe zones — how many players were in there? Even if it succeeded, it shouldn't have been finished so fast, not in half a day."

"Which is exactly why any high-level player has strategic value," Team Leader Lü said, looking at Nie Xuan. "Team Leader Nie, what are your thoughts?"

Compared to the others' visible delight, Nie Xuan remained characteristically cold. He said, "I'm thinking about how to clean up after this."

"Clean up? You mean..." Team Leader Wu asked, puzzled.

"Y Country's elite players are not weak. Xu Huo must have exposed a lot of his items in the process. When he fought the Double Snake earlier, many of his items were recorded and leaked online. After the Xu family child was kidnapped, several foreign players escaped from the building where he was hiding. In a direct confrontation, they would certainly report back afterward."

"In short, pinning down his identity isn't that difficult. The Special Defense Department may not lack powerful fighters, but they never show their faces. They cannot replace Xu Huo."

"Replace?" Team Leader Lü was a little surprised, "You mean arrange someone to take credit for Xu Huo?"

Nie Xuan nodded, "The antidote fungus incident already shows it. You can't guarantee a safe zone is one hundred percent secure, and that was under the premise that Zone 014 temporarily had no players above Class C. Remember the time outsiders invaded? Someone used a stolen list alone to kill dozens of our players."

"That kind of thing is indeed worrying," Team Leader Wu said. "If the Xu family child is killed this time, I'm afraid Xu Huo will really turn on the Special Defense Department."

They had never gotten along smoothly before. Xu Huo was unpredictable; a falling-out could happen. Not to mention his value to Nation X as a player — looking only at Y Country this time, if he decided to take action, it would be utterly uncontrollable.

When safe zones become humanity's final barrier, an item that can make metal powderize would be a nightmare for anyone.

Besides, he had Lichun with him, a player in possession of a Super Item.

"I still don't know what method he used to make that female player obey him without question," Team Leader Chang said. He had encountered Lichun around the time headquarters descended into chaos and found silent people harder to deal with than talkative ones. Simply put, their minds were stubborn and unresponsive.

Nie Xuan glanced at him, "The player who escaped under Lichun returned from the dungeon. He found a Double Snake leader and revealed information about the Super Item."

Minister Fan's eyes narrowed, "And the man?"

"Handled already. Everyone who contacted him had their electronic and written materials destroyed. He was interrogated before death. He wasn't stupid enough to try selling the information in-game," Nie Xuan said. "Besides, since the outsiders left, speculation has been rampant, but more people believe the Super Item was taken by high-level players. That's more reasonable."

After all, there were so many eyewitnesses.

"Good," Minister Fan put his hands together on the table, "We must protect Xu Huo's family carefully, relocate them regularly, and ensure no more kidnappings happen. Also, doesn't he have a relative who is a player?"

"Yu Qingqing," Team Leader Wu said with a complicated tone, "She isn't the same kind of person as Xu Huo."

"We should still take care of her appropriately," Minister Fan said, scanning the room before fixing his gaze on Team Leader Lü. "She’s in your hands."

Team Leader Lü agreed readily, "No matter what troublemaker it is, there are ways to keep her under control."

"Aren't we showing Xu Huo too much favoritism?" Team Leader Chang hesitated. "I don't mind preferential treatment for relatives or generous rewards, but I'm worried he might be unhappy with the Department's arrangements. Do we really plan to set someone up as a smokescreen to shield him?"

"I don't think he's after empty fame," Team Leader Wu said. "We can explain that such measures are to avoid Y Country players taking revenge on his family."

"That's true, but isn't it dangerous that a non-SDF player is so strong?" Team Leader Chang said. "At least we need to plan countermeasures. To put it bluntly, wouldn't this risk repeating the Y Country safe zone incident?"

"That phrase is unpleasant," Jiang Qiao chuckled, "Everyone knows the Wenshan reservoir. Xu Huo's intentions are beyond doubt. He didn't haggle with the Special Defense Department. The Y Country safe zone situation — the causes and consequences are clear. Others weren't merely venting their anger; at least I can't avenge my needlessly dead compatriots. He did that. I consider him a hero and trust his character unconditionally."

"Orchid Safe Zone and Geeville Safe Zone were so close together; judging by his choice, it's clear he's not someone who enjoys indiscriminate killing. Ultimately, the psychiatric report from over a decade ago may not be accurate."

Jiang Qiao hadn't finished, and even if Xu Huo truly were anti-social, up to now he hadn't done anything that harmed society, and he had contributed so much. Items found in the game were handed over unconditionally to the Special Defense Department — what more could they ask?

Then again, defending against him is another matter entirely; you must be able to defend effectively.

"Xu Huo didn't simply leave things unfinished with the Y Country safe zone," Nie Xuan said now, calm as ever, "He left a lot of room. What he did to the safe zone can only be called a lesson."

A lesson, not true revenge.

"Is the full report on the Black Rain Incident out?" Minister Fan asked, adopting a serious tone.