Chapter 2739 – Upper Zone
Zero Wing’s headquarters, top-floor lounge:
After s.h.i.+ Feng finished tidying up, he made his way to the lounge. Upon entering the room, he noticed two girls sitting by the window and enjoying the scenery outside. Of the two girls, the elder one was Muxin, whom s.h.i.+ Feng had met quite a few times now. Muxin wore a purple-cyan one-piece dress. Like the summer sun, she exuded an indescribable warmth. Her aura in the real world was quite unlike the solemn aura she had in G.o.d’s Domain.
The younger girl, sitting beside Muxin, wore a white sweats.h.i.+rt and a pair of jeans. Although the younger girl gave off a sense of purity and sa.s.siness, her pet.i.te figure only made her look like a little girl pretending to be an adult.
This younger girl was someone else s.h.i.+ Feng had met in G.o.d’s Domain before. She was Kerui, Muxin’s younger sister.
“s.h.i.+ Feng, you finally decided to show up. Do you know how long you made us wait here?” Kerui said, her face full of resentment as she looked at s.h.i.+ Feng.
“Don’t listen to her. We didn’t wait very long,” Muxin said, shaking her head. “My sister and I can also take advantage of this time to relax and appreciate the city scenery in the outside world. And from what I’ve seen thus far, I have to say that this is quite an enjoyable feeling.” Muxin’s words confused s.h.i.+ Feng a little. “Appreciate the outside world’s city scenery?”
“Oh, right. I haven’t told you about it yet.” Noticing the confusion on s.h.i.+ Feng’s face, Muxin smiled faintly and said, “My sister and I have always lived in the Upper Zone, and we very rarely come out from there.” “I see.” s.h.i.+ Feng nodded. However, Muxin’s answer only served to confuse him further. “Miss Muxin, is there no urban landscape inside the Upper Zone?” All Upper Zones were established in first-tier megacities. Logically, urban landscapes should be very common in such cities. In fact, the scenery these megacities offered should be much more spectacular than what was visible from Zero Wing’s headquarters. “You’ll understand once you visit the Upper Zone,” Muxin said, a friendly smile appearing on her face. “The Upper Zone is different from other places. Although Uncle Hong has given you the reserve slots, you still need to register with the Upper Zone first before you can enter. However, you’re probably unfamiliar with the Upper Zone, so Uncle Hong sent me to escort you so that you can avoid any unnecessary troubles.”
“That’s right. If you don’t have the guidance of veterans like us, you’ll face a lot of trouble once you enter the Upper Zone,” Kerui said delightedly. “You might even get kicked out of the Upper Zone because of a single mistake.”
Muxin did not refute Kerui’s words.
Looking at Muxin, s.h.i.+ Feng said, “I’ll have to trouble you, then.”
“It’s no trouble.” Muxin shook her head. She then continued softly, “It is only thanks to you that Frost Heaven has managed to become a reserve Guild.”
After saying so, Muxin picked up the black briefcase beside her seat.
“There are 50 bottles of S-rank Nutrient Fluid here. You should store them well,” Muxin said after opening the briefcase. She then warned, “However, while the S-rank Nutrient Fluid is indeed an excellent product, it’s best to avoid overusing it, as it is still incomplete.”
“It isn’t a finished product?” s.h.i.+ Feng was surprised by this revelation.
The S-rank Nutrient Fluid was something countless people fought to obtain. Just the fact that it could maintain a person’s youth was already unbelievable. Yet, this drug wasn’t actually a finished product?
“That’s right. It isn’t a finished product, so you should drink as little of it as possible,” Kerui said, nodding. She then continued in a surprisingly soft voice, “As you’re about to enter the Upper Zone, there are some things you are allowed to know now. The S-rank Nutrient Fluid is only a defective product. However, as it indeed has amazing effects on the human body, the Green G.o.d Company sells it in small quant.i.ties. Nonetheless, in the Upper Zones, drinking it isn’t recommended!”
Muxin nodded in support of Kerui’s words.
“Thus far, Kerui and I have drunk only two or three bottles of S-rank Nutrient Fluids because of special circ.u.mstances. Uncle Hong even severely warned us and banned us from drinking more. Uncle Hong isn’t someone who would harm us, so you should also be careful when using the S-rank Nutrient Fluid,” Muxin said earnestly.
Upon hearing this, s.h.i.+ Feng couldn’t help becoming a little wary of the S-rank Nutrient Fluid. He then said, “I understand. I’ll have my people drink as little of it as possible.”
If even the Upper Zone advised its residents against drinking the S-rank Nutrient Fluid, then there were definitely problems with this product. However, as to what exactly these problems were, most likely, only a small number of people knew.
Fortunately, aside from himself, everyone else in the Guild hadn’t consumed a significant amount of S-rank Nutrient Fluids.
“Now that our matters here are settled…” Since her elder sister had already transferred the S-rank Nutrient Fluids to s.h.i.+ Feng, Kerui said excitedly, “Let’s go to the Upper Zone!”
“We’re going there now?” s.h.i.+ Feng was a little stunned.
The Upper Zones were established only in certain first-tier cities, which were several hours of flight away. At this time, half the day had gone by already. “Of course. We have a supersonic jet ready,” Kerui said nonchalantly. “If we miss today’s opportunity, it’ll be very troublesome to schedule another appointment.”
“Kerui is right. Although Uncle Hong has given you the status required to enter the Upper Zone, entering it isn’t easy. Since our matters here have been concluded, we should head over immediately,” Muxin said in agreement. “Okay. I’ll make some arrangements here and go with you afterward,” s.h.i.+ Feng said without much hesitation.
After all, he, too, wanted to visit the Upper Zone. Not to mention, Gentle Snow and Aqua Rose’s situation wasn’t exactly optimistic. If left alone for too long, they might even fall into a coma.
Moreover, during his previous life, the Upper Zone was a place that even the executives of the various super-first-rate Guilds and first-rate Guilds yearned to live in. As for the Guild Leader of a second-rate Guild like himself, visiting the Upper Zone was something he never even dared to dream about.
Muxin being willing to escort him to an Upper Zone was naturally to his advantage.
After s.h.i.+ Feng pa.s.sed on his Guild affairs to Liang Jing, he went to the airport with Muxin and Kerui.
During their journey, s.h.i.+ Feng had to admit that the Boulder Corporation was indeed wealthy and influential. With the corporation’s private supersonic jet, a trip that should’ve originally taken several hours on an ordinary airplane was completed in just one hour.
At the end of the flight, the trio found themselves in Yuantian City, one of only three first-tier megacities within the country to house an Upper Zone.
While crossing the city districts on a high-cla.s.s maglev train, s.h.i.+ Feng couldn’t help lamenting ruefully.
As a megacity with a population of more than 100 million, Yuantian City far outstripped other cities in terms of prosperity. It was also one of the cities s.h.i.+ Feng had always wished to develop Zero Wing in, as it had many important resources rarely found in the outside world.
In fact, almost all super-first-rate Guilds and Super Guilds operating in the virtual gaming industry had their headquarters in cities hosting an Upper Zone. This was because the Upper Zones would occasionally release some of its resources to the outside world. The various corporations based in the megacities hosting the Upper Zones would quickly divide these resources among themselves, and very rarely would any of these resources leave the city limits.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that only corporations that had set roots in an Upper Zone city could be considered a truly top-tier corporation. The road before Zero Wing was still very long. Meanwhile, after traveling inside the city for close to an hour and pa.s.sing through many tunnels, Muxin parked the car in a vast area surrounded by steel walls. She then pointed at a huge door nearby and said, “We’re here.” After saying so, Muxin got out of the car and led s.h.i.+ Feng to the huge door.
Surro
“The Upper Zone is beyond this thing?”s.h.i.+ Feng was amazed as he took in the 50-meter-tall stone door and the energy walls that enveloped the s.p.a.ce above the enclosure.
In his previous life, he had only ever heard about the Upper Zone, and the information hadn’t been much. Now that he was looking at one himself, he could only describe the Upper Zone as a t.i.tanic building made entirely of steel.
“Let’s go in,” Kerui said to s.h.i.+ Feng. As she pointed at the pa.s.sageway underneath the huge door and a line of several dozen people entering it, she beamed at him and continued, “However, you have to be careful once you enter.”
“Is there something special about it?” s.h.i.+ Feng asked, confused.
“You’ll understand once you go in,” Kerui said, her smile growing even brighter when she saw the confusion on s.h.i.+ Feng’s face. “However, you’d best be mentally prepared. Once you go inside, you won’t have a chance to return to your own world.”
Afterward, Kerui stopped speaking and walked toward the pa.s.sageway. Muxin had remained silent all the while.
However, after a moment, Muxin took a deep breath and looked at s.h.i.+ Feng. She then said earnestly, “Although Kerui is right, there are unimaginable opportunities available in the Upper Zone. If you can prosper inside, even the various international corporations will have to treat you with respect.
“Anyway, time is almost up. Let’s enter, as well!”