60: Chapter 60 Building the Strongest Guild Territory

Chen You's voice was soft, but his meaning was exceptionally heavy.

He stared intently at Hill, trying to catch the slightest emotional fluctuation on her flawless face.

However, there was none.

Hill's professional smile didn't change in the slightest.

But a very strange light flashed in her eyes, which contained stars.

It wasn't surprise, nor confusion, but more like... pity?

Or perhaps, anticipation.

She bowed slightly, her voice still sweet and gentle, yet carrying an eerie sense of mystery.

"Respected supreme member, your question..."

"I cannot directly answer 'yes' or 'no'."

Hill paused, "The world stone does not construct a simple space, but a 'promised land'."

"Its rules will be forged by your will, the destiny of your civilization, and the longing of the land itself."

"When you use it, you will naturally know everything."

It was that riddle-like rhetoric again!

Asking further would probably only yield more riddles.

This system, or rather this world, seemed to adhere to a peculiar principle of "neither proactive nor rejecting."

It completely threw the choice, along with the immeasurable consequences behind it, to the players themselves.

"I understand."

Chen You gave Hill a deep look, said no more, and with a thought, decisively chose to go offline.

...

Real world, underground base.

Chen You suddenly opened his eyes, which were bloodshot and filled with excitement.

In front of the command console, Director Li Guoan was still waiting.

"Did something unexpected happen again?" Director Li Guoan's voice was deep and powerful.

Chen You quickly walked up to him and nodded heavily.

"Director Li, something big might have... happened."

He recounted the function of the world stone, his speculation about the "bridge," and his questions and answers with Hill, all without missing a single word, at the fastest possible speed.

Director Li Guoan's expression changed repeatedly as Chen You spoke.

From solemnity, to shock, finally turning into a profound seriousness.

He was silent for a full three seconds before pressing a red emergency button on the command console.

"Summon all expert groups! Highest level meeting! Immediately!"

Five minutes later.

In a secret conference room, the atmosphere was so solemn it was almost solidified.

Five people sat around a huge circular conference table.

The chief in charge, Director Li Guoan, the sole player, Chen You, tactical team leader Zhang Yunhai, Data Team Leader Sun Feng, and social relations expert Pan Yu.

In addition, there were more than ten expert group members around the periphery of the conference table.

Materials expert Qian Zhonghua and biological expert Zhang Ping were currently leading their teams in technical research and development, unable to spare time.

In front of the conference table, a huge projection screen lit up, and a video connection was established.

Dozens of experts and scholars wearing uniforms from different fields and with serious expressions appeared on the screen.

They were the special group for "Infrastructure Planning and Social Simulation" secretly formed by the state for the concept of "Guild Territory," which was still in its conceptual stage.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the small black stone in the center of the conference table.

That was the shattered world stone Chen You brought back.

"That's the situation." Director Li Guoan concisely reiterated Chen You's findings and conjectures.

"Now, we need to judge. Is this an unprecedented opportunity, or a carefully designed trap?"

tactical team leader Zhang Yunhai spoke first, his words, like himself, were straightforward.

"I believe there's a very high probability it's a trap."

He pointed at the stone: "The system, or the entity behind it, deliberately concealed the most crucial functional information of this item."

"It's being secretive and vague. It's very likely worried that if we knew the downsides, we would choose not to use this thing."

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 very reasonable, but perhaps we can look at the problem from another angle."

"If the other party truly wanted to set a trap, then 'enticement' would be the best method."

"Draw a huge pie, making us jump in recklessly."

"But this 'riddle-like' guidance is more like a screening, or rather... a test."

"It's testing our resolve and courage." Pan Yu's gaze swept over everyone.

"It gives us the power to say 'yes' or 'no,' meaning we also bear the full responsibility for making that choice."

"This, on the contrary, indicates that this 'world stone' has a high degree of autonomy, and its ultimate effect is likely to depend on the user's own will and input."

"I agree with Professor Pan's judgment." Data Team Leader Sun Feng added.

"Based on our analysis of all dialogue data with the NPC 'Hill'."

"She has shown similar behavioral patterns regarding items or information that could affect the world's progress—"

"Only providing direction, not giving conclusions."

"This is a typical characteristic of a high-level entity; it follows certain underlying rules and does not directly interfere with a civilization's own choices."

Inside the conference room, two viewpoints clashed intensely.

One was the "threat theory" prioritizing absolute safety, and the other was the "test theory" where opportunity and risk coexisted.

Everyone looked at Director Li Guoan at the head of the table, awaiting his final decision.

Director Li Guoan was silent, his index finger and thumb rubbing slightly.

After a long while, he stopped his movement, looked up, his gaze like a torch.

"I lean towards the benefits outweighing the drawbacks."

He didn't say who he agreed with or opposed, but directly gave his conclusion.

"Risks certainly exist, and they are immense. But the gain could be a leap in our entire civilization's form!"

His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight.

"What's more..." Director Li Guoan's gaze fell on the stone again, his eyes deepening.

"Don't forget, everyone, its current name is the shattered world stone."

"This means it is incomplete. What we have obtained is only the first fragment."

"To truly construct that 'bridge,' we will inevitably need to find other fragments. This process could be extremely long."

"And this period is the window of opportunity left for us to prepare!"

"We cannot stop exploring just because there are thorns ahead."

"huaxia civilization never fears challenges!"

His words were powerful and completely unified everyone's thoughts.

The oppressive atmosphere in the conference room was swept away, replaced by a burning, fervent sense of mission.

Yes, what is there to fear?

If the sky falls, fourteen billion people will bear it together!

"Since the direction is set, let's push forward with full force!"

Director Li Guoan's gaze turned to the holographic screen, his voice suddenly becoming authoritative.

"How is the site selection progressing?"

As Director Li Guoan asked, on the holographic screen, the images of dozens of experts were instantly replaced by a huge, high-precision huaxia satellite map.

An elderly man in an academician's uniform from the Academy of Engineering stood up and reported loudly:

"Reporting, Director Li! We have comprehensively analyzed over three hundred data indicators, including geological stability, strategic security, resource allocation convenience, environmental isolation, and future development potential."

"Using the Star Vault-6 Supercomputer for continuous modeling and deduction, we ultimately screened out three top-tier candidate sites."

The map changed rapidly, countless light spots flashing on and off across the huaxia territory.

Finally, the screen suddenly froze and zoomed in!

Everyone's attention was drawn to the area circled in red on the map.