Players, Please Board the Train

"What do you think?" Xu Huo tossed the question back.

"Fifty-fifty." Jiangjiang lowered her head and said, "I can tell you're a very kind person, but some people also enjoy the thrills and excitement in the game. Regardless of one's true nature, people will rush forward one after another with all kinds of motives. As for you, are you the type who would sacrifice yourself for family and friends?"

"It depends." Xu Huo braced both hands on the windowsill, gazing at the swaying wormhole flowers outside. "People are complicated. Their moods and thoughts change every moment. In times of peace, you can't make guarantees about extreme situations, and likewise, how you behave in danger doesn't represent who you are as a complete person."

"That's a bit philosophical." Jiangjiang smiled shyly. "You're a thoughtful person."

Xu Huo didn't refute her assessment of him, nor did he offer one of her. Instead, he said, "There are trains for ordinary people to ride. You could visit other districts too. Maybe you'll run into truly kind people there."

Jiangjiang smiled sweetly. "It's dangerous out there. I wouldn't dare go alone."

"You have so many people protecting you." Xu Huo gestured with his chin toward the players upstairs and downstairs, and the one standing in the courtyard. "You don't need to worry about safety."

But Jiangjiang shook her head firmly. "Even a place as safe as the hotel can have accidents, let alone other districts. And besides, they're not by my side every single day."

"More importantly, I can't risk their lives just to satisfy my own curiosity."

Jiangjiang tilted her head to look at him, speaking with a hint of playfulness. "Then do you want to be my model?"

Xu Huo didn't answer that question. Instead, he suddenly reached out toward the side of her head.

Jiangjiang instinctively stepped back half a pace. The next second, she saw Xu Huo pluck a piece of floating fluff from her hair. Her face flushed slightly. "Thanks."

"Bang!" The iron door in the courtyard below made a sound. The two looked down and saw Song Xu entering from outside the gate, looking absolutely furious.

Xu Huo raised an eyebrow. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Jiangjiang said with a rather troubled expression, "He's overprotective of me. Not everyone who approaches me has ulterior motives, and besides, you saved me during the crisis."

Song Xu clearly didn't share her sentiment. He stormed up the stairs, threw open the studio door, and barely suppressing his anger, said, "Jiangjiang, can you come out for a moment? I need to talk to you."

Jiangjiang gave Xu Huo an apologetic and helpless smile. "There's a cinema on the basement level. You can go relax there."

Xu Huo took the suggestion and left.

Once he could no longer hear their conversation, Xu Huo found a player and asked him to take him to the underground cinema.

Bian Yongyi was waiting for him restlessly. Seeing this, he couldn't help asking, "Aren't we going back?"

"We'll leave in a bit." That's what Xu Huo said, but what he actually did didn't look like someone planning to leave soon. After arriving at the basement cinema, he first looked through the movies on the menu, then picked a documentary about a famous painter from one of the game partitions to watch.

"Three hours..." Bian Yongyi checked the runtime. "How about I get some popcorn?"

"Whatever." Xu Huo didn't even look up.

Realizing that Xu Huo had clearly decided to have lunch here, Bian Yongyi sat for a while before saying he was going back to check things out.

But just a few minutes later, he returned, carrying popcorn and drinks. He flopped down onto the sofa and said, "I'll just watch the movie."

That short-haired young man from last night had unsurprisingly been waiting outside the villa to ambush them. After waiting the whole morning, he discovered the man wasn't even in the house. When he spotted Bian Yongyi poking his head out, he followed him to the villa where Jiangjiang was staying, but before he could even get close, he was warned off by the players.

The short-haired young man knew what kind of place this was, so he could only slink away in frustration.

However, the trouble he'd caused was reported to Jiangjiang by the players.

Jiangjiang didn't react much, but Song Xu was very displeased. He felt that Xu Huo and his companion were only clinging around because they were hiding from danger.

Jiangjiang curled up on the sofa, propping her chin on both hands and speaking lazily, "Don't say that. Xu Zhi is very capable. Ordinary people are no match for him."

"Just because he showed off a little at the hotel yesterday?" Song Xu scoffed. "He only got ahead by relying on an item. Without Chairman Chang and his group, he'd be dead meat."

"I don't think so..." Jiangjiang's lips curved into a smile. "I think even if he were the only one there, he'd still be able to protect me."

Song Xu fell silent at that. After a moment, he said, "I never doubt your instincts. Since you think he's capable, why not try to win him over? Having one more person to protect you is a good thing."

Jiangjiang's eyes widened slightly, as if pleasantly surprised. "Don't you hate him?"

Song Xu sat down beside her and restrainedly reached out to pat her shoulder. "Whether I like him or not is a minor matter. Your safety is what matters most."

Jiangjiang then turned to ask the other players, "Would you all be willing to have one more companion?"

The players who could protect her day and night naturally wouldn't oppose her opinion. Without any surprise, it passed unanimously. Jiangjiang let out a little cheer and flopped onto the sofa with her pillow, saying happily, "Now all we have to do is convince him!"

"Give him a train ticket for a safe dungeon. Why would he refuse?" Song Xu said matter-of-factly.

However, when Jiangjiang brought up the matter, Xu Huo refused outright.

"There are people waiting for me." He said, "I can't stay in Zone 009 forever. But I can protect you for as long as I remain in Zone 009."

Jiangjiang didn't push it. "Alright then. I want to go out for some fresh air this afternoon."

Xu Huo agreed with a smile.

When it was time to head out after lunch, he noticed Jiangjiang had brought her painting tools. He paused, then said, "How about taking a break from painting today? I'll take you somewhere exciting?"

Everyone in the group looked up at once. Song Xu's expression soured. "What kind of exciting are you talking about?"

Isn't Zone 009 already exciting enough?

"Just a new way to play." Xu Huo looked at Jiangjiang. "Are you brave enough?"

After a brief hesitation, Jiangjiang set down her painting tools and pulled him into the car.

Bian Yongyi wasn't on the list of companions. He was left behind at the villa. Song Xu told him to make himself at home, and he had no intention of leaving anyway. He hastily left a contact number with Xu Huo, emphasizing repeatedly, "If you need anything, contact me. Don't be shy."

Xu Huo took Jiangjiang to the haunted house.

"This is what you call exciting?" Song Xu couldn't believe it. The haunted house had been shut down for ages, hadn't it?

"I've heard that in places like this, something real might be hiding among the fake." Xu Huo said, "It's probably just an urban legend, but the process of finding out should be interesting."

Jiangjiang wasn't particularly enthusiastic, but she cooperated anyway. However, less than two minutes after going inside, she grabbed onto Xu Huo's clothes and shrieked, "Did you see that? An ugly ghostly shadow with no human form just floated past!"

She wasn't the only one who saw it. Song Xu and another player immediately gave chase, with two more following behind them.

Footsteps echoed rhythmically in the narrow space. Xu Huo, walking at the front, suddenly stopped and turned around to look at the people behind him.

Jiangjiang had already let go of his clothes, and at some point, a paintbrush had appeared in her hand.

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