The international situation was gradually becoming tense, and things weren't much better within the Special Defense Department either. Especially as the players' influence grew, the several team leaders in the Special Defense Department were also putting in their utmost effort to win players over.

The core members were still those originally employed by government units, while others were drawn from players who voluntarily joined the Special Defense Department.

However, the reason Team Leader Wu and Team Leader Song's relationship had deteriorated to the point where they weren't even willing to put on a polite facade wasn't just about competing for players. Team Leader Wu was famously the nice guy within the Special Defense Department. His harsh attitude toward Team Leader Song was entirely due to having suffered two covert losses.

Team Leader Wu was quite popular and had many capable people under him, especially ones like Nie Xuan, who often brought back significant gains from a single dungeon run. Coupled with resolving the Flower City alternate dimension incident, he held considerable sway within the Special Defense Department.

Unexpectedly, Team Leader Song had secretly set a trap for him, sending his people on a dangerous mission that resulted in significant casualties.

In Team Leader Wu's view, if not for the inaccurate early-stage intelligence, they wouldn't have lost so many players—players who would have had promising futures. Since intelligence gathering was Team Leader Song's responsibility, he suspected Team Leader Song had done it on purpose.

Team Leader Song, of course, wouldn't admit it, but his targeting of Team Leader Wu was somewhat obvious. Even Jiang Qiao, who usually maintained a neutral stance, couldn't stand it and didn't give him a friendly look either.

Whether Team Leader Song had deliberately obstructed things was one thing, but the real issue was his desire to snag any good resources for the players in his own team. Afraid other team leaders might get the advantage, he had rushed over in a hurry.

He didn't pick up on Jiang Qiao's implication, thinking instead that someone from the Players Association had connected with Team Leader Wu. It was Dai Wenqian who spoke up, asking, "Xu Huo is back?"

Xu Huo was considered a notable figure in the eyes of the Special Defense Department members. However, after his last departure, he had been missing for two months without a trace, leading some to speculate he had died in a dungeon.

"He's really back alive?" Team Leader Song's tone was skeptical.

"Not only back, but he's brought hope with him." Jiang Qiao said to Minister Fan, "He's already a D-level player and can stay in other game partitions. The reason he didn't return earlier was probably because of that. I suspect he returned to Zone 014 as soon as he obtained this type of fungi, with the purpose of bringing it back."

"According to him, this fungi can neutralize A-grade pollutants and S-grade toxins. Within the Dimensional Rift, the threat levels of pollutants, pathogens, and toxins, from low to high, are E, D, C, B, A, S, and Super-S. If we can cultivate it in large quantities, our country could take a major leap forward in potion development."

At the very least, they wouldn't have to be constrained by the game.

This news shocked everyone present, because according to the game's classification system, the strongest toxin currently in Zone 014 was only C-grade.

"Is it really that effective?" Team Leader Song said. "Could he be deliberately seeking credit, using something that can't be verified in a short time to fob off the Special Defense Department?"

Team Leader Wu sneered, "If you had something like this, you could also bring it out to fob us off."

Team Leader Song was about to say something else when several researchers walked out, their faces beaming with wild joy. They said to Minister Fan, "It really works! And the effect is incredibly good! Just a segment of the mycelium can kill Mutant toxin!"

Minister Fan was overjoyed. "Can it be cultivated?"

"Cultivation probably won't be easy," a researcher said. "This type of fungi isn't very active and can't survive without nutritional supplement. If kept in nutrient solution, it might survive for about a month."

Jiang Qiao had mentioned earlier that Xu Huo had only given a few live specimens, which likely wouldn't be enough for mass production.

"We need to find a way to make it grow." Minister Fan said, "The latest batch of potions has been warehoused. Take them all for testing. See which potion this fungi grows fastest in."

The researchers immediately sent someone to fetch the potions and then returned to the laboratory.

After coming out of the lab, Minister Fan, his face full of smiles, patted Team Leader Wu on the shoulder. "Thanks to you this time. Take good care of Xu Huo. Give him whatever he wants as much as possible."

"What players want is nothing more than good items and good potions," Team Leader Wu said.

"No problem. Give him whatever he wants." Minister Fan was very magnanimous. After speaking, he sighed again with emotion. "It's such a shame someone like him refuses to join the Special Defense Department."

"Perhaps the Minister should personally go and invite him. Maybe he'll give you that face," Team Leader Song said.

Whether Minister Fan had that kind of face was unclear, but Team Leader Song was definitely harboring ill intentions.

Xu Huo had already clearly refused the Special Defense Department before and had nearly come to blows with them. What difference would Minister Fan going make?

"Falling out wouldn't benefit anyone." Jiang Qiao said, "Do you think a player like Xu Huo would stay in Zone 014? It's already good enough that he brings valuable things back."

"Team Leader Song, stop giving bad advice. If we had listened to you last time and directly taken action, do you think we'd have this fungi today?"

"Can I alone influence the Special Defense Department's decisions?" Team Leader Song retorted.

Seeing they were about to start arguing, Team Leader Chang quickly tried to smooth things over. "Regardless, at least the current situation is good. Since he doesn't want to be constrained, maintaining the current state is fine too."

"Such a player isn't bad either." Team Leader Lü said with a smile. "He most likely won't take out personal grudges on others."

The relationship between Xu Huo and the Special Defense Department was absolutely not pleasant. That farce in Capital City last time—if he hadn't used a Spatial Item to escape himself, it's hard to say what would have happened afterward.

"We all should change our attitudes." Team Leader Lü continued, "The Players Association has been established. Don't think about how to control players. Think about how to win them over."

"Since a player has obtained a universal antidote like this fungi, think about it: aren't there other players who have obtained high-grade items? What are these players' current attitudes toward the Special Defense Department and the government?"

Most people didn't have favorable feelings. Firstly, due to distrust of the Special Defense Department, which had used tough methods to intimidate players before. Secondly, players themselves had grown stronger and didn't want to labor for the Special Defense Department. There was even a thrill of excitement about their statuses potentially being reversed.

It wasn't just the Special Defense Department amassing strength; players scattered across various places were also secretly watching. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

*

Xu Huo slept until the morning of the third day before waking up refreshed and clear-headed. Pulling open the door, he saw Sima Xiao Er squatting by the doorway, dozing off. He kicked him. "Find another place to sleep."

Seeing him, Sima Xiao Er immediately stood up. "Brother Xu! I was really worried something had happened to you!"

"I'm perfectly fine." Xu Huo didn't stand on ceremony with him. "Go out and find something to eat."

Without another word, Sima Xiao Er went to run the errand. As Xu Huo stretched his body, he received a call from an unknown number. After the call connected, the other party said with a laugh, "Xu Huo, long time no see. Do you still remember an old friend like me?"

Pausing his action of drinking water, Xu Huo said calmly, "If you feel you have too many players on your side, I can spare some time to help you get rid of a batch."

"Didn't learn your lesson properly last time in Flower City, huh, Dai Wenqian? Still daring to call me here."