HPDBC Chapter 60 Building the Strongest Guild Territory
Chapter 60 Building the Strongest Guild Territory
Chen You's voice was soft, but his meaning was unusually heavy.
He stared intently at Hill, trying to detect even the slightest emotional fluctuation in that flawless face.
However, no.
Hill's professional smile didn't change in the slightest.
But a strange light flashed in her eyes, which held the stars.
It wasn't surprise, it wasn't confusion, it was more like... pity?
Or perhaps, it's anticipation.
She bowed slightly, her voice still sweet and gentle, yet carrying a chilling sense of mystery.
"Dear VIP member, your question..."
"I cannot give a direct answer of 'yes' or 'no'."
Hilton paused, "What the Worldstone has created is not a simple space, but a 'Promised Land'."
"Its rules will be shaped by your will, the fortune of your civilization, and the desires of that land itself."
"You'll know everything when you use it."
It's that same riddle-teller's rhetoric again!
If you keep asking, you'll probably only get more riddles.
This system, or rather this world, seems to adhere to some strange principle of "neither taking initiative nor refusing."
It leaves the choice, along with the immeasurable consequences, entirely to the player.
"I see."
Chen You gave Hill a deep look, said no more, and decisively logged off.
……
In the real world, there is an underground base.
Chen You suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes bloodshot and filled with excitement.
Li Guoan was still waiting at the command post.
"Another unexpected situation?" Li Guoan's voice was deep and powerful.
Chen You strode up to him and nodded heavily.
"Director Li, something serious might have happened."
He recounted the entire story at top speed, detailing the function of the Worldstone, his speculations about the "bridge," and his conversation with Hill.
Li Guoan's expression changed repeatedly as Chen You recounted the story.
From solemnity to shock, it finally transformed into an unfathomable seriousness.
He remained silent for a full three seconds before pressing a red emergency button on the control panel.
"Convene all expert teams! High-level meeting! Immediately!"
Five minutes later.
The atmosphere in the secret meeting room was so serious it was almost frozen.
Five people sat around a huge round conference table.
The team was led by Li Guoan, with Chen You as the sole player, Zhang Yunhai as the tactical team leader, Sun Feng as the data team leader, and Pan Yu as the social relations expert.
In addition, there were more than a dozen expert group members around the conference table.
Materials expert Qian Zhonghua and biological expert Zhang Ping are currently leading their teams in tackling technical challenges and have no time to spare.
Directly in front of the conference table, a huge projection screen lit up, and the video connection was established.
Dozens of experts and scholars, dressed in uniforms from different fields and with serious expressions, appeared on the screen.
They are a special task force for "infrastructure planning and social simulation" secretly formed by the state for the concept of "guild territory," which is still just a concept.
All eyes were focused on the small black stone in the center of the conference table.
That is the [Broken World Stone] that Chen You brought back.
"That's the situation," Li Guoan succinctly recounted Chen You's findings and conjectures.
"Now, we need to determine: is this an unprecedented opportunity, or an elaborately designed trap?"
Tactical team leader Zhang Yunhai spoke first, his words as straightforward and unpretentious as he was.
"I think it's highly likely to be a trap."
He pointed to the stone: "The system, or rather the entity behind it, deliberately concealed the most crucial functional information of this item."
"They're being evasive and vague. They're probably worried that if we knew about the drawbacks, we'd choose not to use it."
Zhang Yunhai's words made the temperature in the conference room drop a few degrees.
"I have a different opinion."
Pan Yu adjusted her glasses and calmly retorted, "Team Leader Zhang's concerns are valid, but perhaps we can look at the issue from a different perspective."
"If the other party really wants to set a trap, then 'bribery' is the best way."
"Draw a picture of an enormous pie and make us jump into it without hesitation."
"But this kind of 'riddler' guidance is more like a screening, or rather... a test."
"It's testing our resolve and courage," Pan Yu said, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"It gives us the power of 'yes' and 'no,' which means that we also bear full responsibility for making choices."
"This actually shows that the 'World Stone' is highly autonomous, and its final effect may depend on the user's own will and dedication."
"I agree with Professor Pan's assessment," added Sun Feng, the data team leader.
"Based on our analysis of all the dialogue data of the NPC 'Hill'."
"She exhibited a similar behavioral pattern toward objects or information that could influence the course of the world—"
"Provides direction, not conclusions."
"This is a typical characteristic of a high-level existence; it follows certain underlying rules and does not directly interfere with the civilization's own choices."
Inside the meeting room, two viewpoints clashed fiercely.
One is the "threat theory" that prioritizes absolute security, and the other is the "test theory" that presents both opportunities and risks.
Everyone looked at Li Guoan, who was in the main seat, awaiting his final decision.
Li Guoan remained silent, his index finger and thumb rubbing together slightly.
After a long while, he stopped what he was doing, raised his head, and looked at him with piercing eyes.
I tend to think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
He didn't say who he agreed with or opposed; instead, he gave his conclusion directly.
"The risks certainly exist, and are extremely high. But the benefits could be a leap forward in the entire form of our civilization!"
His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight.
"Moreover..." Li Guoan's gaze fell on the stone again, his eyes becoming deep.
"Don't forget, everyone, its current name is the [Shattered World Stone]."
"This means it's incomplete. What we have is only the first piece."
"To truly construct that 'bridge,' we will inevitably need to find other fragments. This process could be extremely lengthy."
"And this period is the window of opportunity we've been given to prepare!"
"We cannot stop exploring just because there are thorns in the road ahead."
"Chinese civilization has never been afraid of challenges!"
His words were powerful and resounding, completely unifying everyone's thoughts.
The oppressive atmosphere in the meeting room vanished, replaced by a burning sense of mission.
Yes, what's there to be afraid of?
Even if the sky falls, 1.4 billion people will stand together to bear it!
"Now that the direction is clear, let's go all out!"
Li Guoan's gaze shifted to the holographic screen, and his voice suddenly became authoritative.
"How's the site selection process going?"
As Li Guoan asked his question, the images of the dozens of experts on the holographic screen were instantly replaced by a huge, high-precision satellite map of China.
An elderly man dressed in the uniform of an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering stood up and reported to the leader in a loud voice:
"Reporting to Director Li! We have integrated more than 300 data indicators, including geological stability, strategic security, ease of resource allocation, environmental isolation, and future development potential."
"Using the Starry Sky VI supercomputer for continuous modeling and simulation, three top-tier candidate sites were finally selected."
The map is changing rapidly, with countless points of light lighting up and then going out on the map of China.
Finally, the image suddenly freezes and zooms in!
Everyone's attention was drawn to the area marked by a red circle on the map.