Players, Please Board the Train-Chapter 65: Hunting Players

"Brother Xu, do you really trust them?" Yuan Yao followed Xu Huo upstairs, "Although what they said doesn't sound like lies, they don't seem very capable. Cooperating with them feels a bit disadvantageous."
"And you even gave them potions. What if they turn around and come after us?"
"This initial investment is necessary." Xu Huo didn't seem worried. "Find another place to stay tomorrow."
Yuan Yao paused, "Why? Isn't this place good? Nice environment and quiet."
"Exactly. If someone comes in and kills you, your body might not be discovered for ten days or half a month." Xu Huo said calmly.
Yuan Yao shuddered, "Moving! Immediately moving!"
Early the next morning, Xu Huo settled the rent with the landlord and moved to a residential area in the center of the old city district. This place had heavy foot traffic, relatively secure community security, convenient transportation in all directions, and made things easier to handle.
Xu Huo didn't have much to move, mostly handled by Yuan Yao and Painting Woman. Yuan Yao, who had hidden under the bed last night and hadn't seen Painting Woman turn into paper, gave Xu Huo a thumbs-up when he saw her effortlessly carrying luggage.
The boss was truly different—a perfect example of using women like men!
After settling in the newly rented place, Xu Huo took Yuan Yao and Painting Woman to Zhou Ning's residence.
Zhou Ning lived in a resettlement community. The old, small community had low, shabby buildings where every household had iron bars installed. Windows were either filled with potted plants or hanging clothes, blocking most of the view and making it difficult to see inside each home from outside.
"I'm here." Xu Huo accurately detected people hiding in the buildings on both sides and spoke into the phone.
Soon two young men came down—one with shifty eyes and a pointed face, his eyeballs constantly moving even while walking just a few steps; the other looking like a student but hunched over, wearing thick-soled elevator shoes, lacking energy.
"You're Xu Huo?" The pointed-face man examined Xu Huo's group of three, tilting his chin up. "Follow me."
The two walked ahead with Xu Huo following behind. The five entered a building inside the complex and stopped at a unit on the fourth floor. After knocking, the sound of unlocking soon followed.
Hu Zi, who had visited the villa yesterday, opened the door. He let them enter first, sniffed the hallway before closing the door.
"Let me introduce you—this is Tian Yun, Yu Xiaoyu." Hu Zi said: "Tian Yun used to drive a taxi. Xiaoyu dropped out of high school and was classmates with Ah Xiao."
Xu Huo nodded, glancing at the scattered cut hair on the floor. "Where's Zhou Ning?"
"Sister Ning is in the bathroom." As Hu Zi spoke, Zhou Ning emerged holding her freshly cut braid, looking tired but somewhat excited. "Mr. Xu, you're here."
Xu Huo didn't ask about the Hair Growth Potion's effects, getting straight to the point: "My friend has already found the person who posted the phishing thread and discovered someone suspected to be from the Holy Sword Society."
"We found that bastard! Where is he?" Hu Zi slammed the table angrily.
"Listen to what Mr. Xu has to say first." Zhou Ning stopped him, signaling Xu Huo to continue.
"Both of them are players. I don't know their professions or characteristics, and I don't know yours either. Are you four confident you can capture them?" Xu Huo asked.
"The four of us can't handle two players?" Hu Zi said: "Mr. Xu, you're looking down on us too much!"
"You two combined couldn't beat Brother Xu last night." Yuan Yao added fuel to the fire nearby.
Hu Zi said awkwardly, "That's different."
"Not different at all." Xu Huo lit a cigarette. "Evolvers enter the game at different times. You don't know how many dungeons your opponents have completed, whether they have powerful items, or if their profession characteristics are strong or weak."
"I don't have close combat items, but I could take down both of you just with my characteristics. Can you be sure the Holy Sword Society member's skills aren't better than mine?"
"How do you plan to deal with it if the opponent has super powerful items?"
"Have you ever encountered Player-Eaters who survived dungeons?"
These questions made Zhou Ning's group, who had regained confidence, suddenly feel uncertain. The pointed-face man Tian Yun said, "According to what you're saying, shouldn't we even bother fighting?"
"Not exactly." Xu Huo tapped his cigarette ash. "Since we're going to war with a player organization, these issues should be considered beforehand to avoid accidents during the process."
"Do you have a method?" Yu Xiaoyu said listlessly, "Something that can guarantee we rescue Zhou Xiao safely?"
"There's no foolproof method." Xu Huo paused, then asked: "Among you four, is Hu Wenhu the only one skilled in close combat?"
The four looked at each other until Zhou Ning said: "Tian Yun, Xiaoyu, describe your characteristics."
Characteristics, once in actual combat, become easily apparent. Giving a general direction shouldn't be a problem.
"My characteristic is just speed. My jumping power and strength are weaker than ordinary Evolvers." Tian Yun said: "But my speed can reach twice that of regular Evolvers."
"My body can become very light, able to walk on grass tips." Yu Xiaoyu said: "Somewhat like the lightness skill in martial arts novels, but after this characteristic appeared, I became very weak with easily broken bones in my hands and feet."
"That characteristic of yours isn't very useful." Yuan Yao clicked his tongue.
Xu Huo looked down at his shoes. "Added something to the soles?"
"Iron blocks." Yu Xiaoyu looked at him somewhat surprised. "But I still walk normally. I just feel uncomfortable with my body being light, so I added weight."
"Tried walking on walls?" Xu Huo thought briefly before saying: "Seen parkour?"
Yu Xiaoyu nodded, "But just being able to run isn't very useful."
"It is useful." Just as Xu Huo was about to say more, his phone suddenly rang. He answered—it was Huang Junjie.
"Situation changed?"
"No." Huang Junjie had rushed over from the neighboring city overnight after receiving Xu Huo's call and had been monitoring the phishing player since morning. He was the one who discovered the phishing player's connection with another man bearing a triangular sword tattoo.
"The other one is a Player-Eater." He said: "That bastard just killed someone."
Xu Huo frowned. "Has he left?"
"No. I don't think he'll leave their residence anytime soon. What's your situation? When are you planning to move?"
Xu Huo looked out the window. "After dark. Have you seen Yan Jiayu?"
Besides Huang Junjie, he had also contacted Yan Jiayu and Liu Jia. Coincidentally, neither had entered a dungeon, and Liu Jia had already gone to the position he arranged earlier.
"She left a while ago. Probably reached the construction site on Sunshine Avenue by now."
"Good. We'll set out immediately once we're ready." Xu Huo hung up and divided Zhou Ning's group into two teams based on their characteristics—Zhou Ning and Yuan Yao would join Huang Junjie, while Hu Wenhu, Tian Yun, and Yu Xiaoyu would go with him.