Players, Please Board the Train

"Truly shameless!" Yuan Yao spat from behind.

"What you say has some logic," Xu Huo stroked his chin, "I'm just a bit puzzled. Since your goal is so lofty, why didn't you come discuss it with me directly, instead of sending people to kill me... I understand now. It's because you're a bunch of stinking rats hiding in the sewers, using the banner of righteousness to cover up your profit-seeking faces."

Hou Song's face, pale from excessive blood loss, flushed red. "How could someone as selfish and shortsighted as you possibly understand our ideals? We want to quickly establish a powerful player nation, to fight for more survival opportunities for Zone 014 within the game. Is that wrong?"

"So your meaning is, because I've undergone Secondary Evolution, I should sacrifice myself to pave the way for you lot." Xu Huo's smile gradually faded. "Just admit you're running a cult. No need to package yourselves so grandiosely."

His gaze flicked to the bucket. The bleeding at Hou Song's severed limb had already stopped.

"Your recovery ability is quite strong. Perhaps I should hand you over to the Special Defense Department for research. Might benefit all players in the future."

"Sima Xiao Er."

Hearing his call, Sima Xiao Er, who had been hiding, jumped out and walked over in a few steps. "Brother Xu, rest assured. The First Research Institute originally handled this kind of thing. Hou Song... this experimental specimen, I'll personally deliver to Team Leader Wu. Guarantee no one will ever find him."

Hou Song stared at the two of them in shock. "What do you want to do? Dissect me?"

"Didn't you say it yourself? Contribute to Zone 014. If all players' recovery abilities improve because of you, your name will definitely be written in the book of merits. You'll become a hero for all humanity!" Sima Xiao Er grabbed his hand and shook it up and down. "Congratulations, congratulations!" "Get lost!" Hou Song flung his hand away, shouting agitatedly, "The Special Defense Department only serves the powerful and privileged! Why should I be a stepping stone for those fat-brained, corrupt people?!"

Sima Xiao Er backhanded him across the face. "Weren't you pretty damn happy demanding others sacrifice themselves? Now that it's your turn to sacrifice a bit, you're not willing!"

"Kill him." Xu Huo handed him a dagger. "No reasoning with this kind of person."

Sima Xiao Er hesitated for a moment before taking it. "He is, after all, Team Leader Liao's man..."

"No one will know." Xu Huo smiled slightly. "Tonight, we were never here."

Sima Xiao Er's expression wavered. Seizing the chance, Hou Song said, "Sima Xiao Er, you can't kill me. Before coming, I told Team Leader Liao. You can't bear this responsibility!"

Sima Xiao Er was clearly even more shaken, but at that moment, a bullet from nowhere shot through Hou Song's forehead. A few drops of blood splattered. His eyes wide open, he fell back into the bucket.

"Who?!" Yan Jiayu and the others found cover while scanning their surroundings.

Xu Huo looked up at a building not far ahead. "Heard you were seriously injured. Didn't expect you to be out and about."

"You incited my subordinate to kill a fellow Vanguard Player colleague. I'd have to crawl out even if I had to." Nie Xuan emerged in a wheelchair, nodding to the person behind him. That player quickly walked over, took out a normal-sized handbag, and placed it over Hou Song's head. The corpse, along with the plastic bucket, vanished on the spot.

Then he went to collect the bodies in the factory building.

"My people will handle the cleanup." Nie Xuan tilted his chin towards Xu Huo. "Find a place to chat?"