Players, Please Board the Train

”Nothing.” Xu Huo shifted his gaze from the corpse to the excessively tall stack of firewood and the recently sharpened axe nearby, then stood up to survey the surroundings.

”I’ve got it!” The short-haired female player excitedly held up two pairs of rubber boots—one large, one small—found in the cabin. ”There should have been two people living here originally, probably a couple. The woman died first, then this man became seriously ill. After burying her, he lost all hope and committed suicide.”

”Had to die right when we arrived,” the smoky-eyed girl muttered disdainfully.

After searching inside and outside the cabin without finding useful clues, Muscular Guy and the others placed the corpse back inside, planning to bury it after daybreak.

The group returned to the main path, passing through the woods to reach the resort’s main hall.

The courtyard had a square layout. The main entrance led to the central hall, with corridors on both sides connecting to guest rooms. Each of the three wings had two rooms, all featuring private hot springs. Two paths at the rear corners led outside—one to the dining hall, the other to storage.

At first glance, the compound appeared interconnected without much privacy.

Though deserted, the resort remained relatively clean with functioning electricity. However, the damp environment and all-wood construction left a pervasive musty odor.

”Six rooms—how should we divide them?” the rich kid asked.

”Two per room would work,” Muscular Guy said, slapping his biceps. ”But I’m fine alone too!””I think staying together would be better,” the long-haired female player suggested. ”We can watch each other’s backs and handle emergencies more easily.”

”Have you forgotten something?” Balding Middle-aged Man suddenly interjected. ”There might be cannibal players among us. Who wants to share a room with one?”

”Identifying cannibal players is simple—their codes are unique...” Denim Jacket’s words were cut off by the short-haired player. ”Wang Wei, don’t talk so lightly! White players are vulnerable here. Check codes? Who knows who might kill us first!”

White players—Xu Huo had noticed back at the station that besides red and black, there was a third category: white players who’d neither eaten nor killed humans. Compared to the other two types, white players were indeed at a disadvantage.

Wang Wei shrugged. ”Suit yourself. Separate rooms might be better.”

”Of course we’ll separate!” The short-haired player grabbed the long-haired one. ”You’re with me!”

The long-haired player hesitated briefly before agreeing.

”Let’s all take separate rooms,” Suited Man declared, scanning the group. ”In this game, everyone fends for themselves. It’s only five days anyway.”

Coming from different backgrounds, the players neither knew nor trusted each other. A every-man-for-himself mentality was only natural.

Moreover, this was a survival scenario—lasting five days would suffice.

”Brother Xu, can I room with you?” With no other players offering partnership, Yuan Yao trailed after Xu Huo.

”Fine.” Xu Huo chose the first room on the right. Before entering, he gestured with his chin. Understanding, Yuan Yao pretended to seek other companions before returning after scouting the room assignments.

”The long-haired beauty is Du Lanlan—quite friendly. The short-haired one is Xia Guo. They’re across from us.”

”The girl with the rich kid is a streamer named Liu Yuanyuan—mediocre looks, not sure if it’s her real name.”

”They’re next to Huang Junjie and Zhang Xiong. Huang Junjie is that suited middle-aged man.”

”The balding guy is Wan Zhikang. He tried hitting on Du Lanlan and Xia Guo when they arrived, then held a grudge after being rejected. He’s sharing with that foreigner Abel in the room directly opposite ours.”

”Wang Wei took the adjacent room. That college student had nowhere else to go—I saw Wang Wei let him in.”

Xu Huo nodded. ”Which two players hadn’t you met before?”

”Wang Wei and Huang Junjie.” Yuan Yao shared everything learned from Du Lanlan. ”Huang Junjie’s impressive—when Wan Zhikang harassed them, he immediately exposed the bald guy’s secrets. Turns out his umbrella couldn’t shield him from his wife’s infidelity, then his mistress cleaned him out, leaving him bitter toward women.”

”They know each other?”

”Nope—that’s what makes it impressive! Huang Junjie pieced it together from clues.” Yuan Yao sounded envious. ”Wish I had that kind of ability.”

Having finished inspecting the room, Xu Huo drew the curtains. ”Get some rest.”

Yuan Yao grew uneasy, eyeing the expressionless man. ”Um... Brother Xu, aren’t you worried I might be a cannibal player?”

Xu Huo lay down on the bed. ”Relax. I’m not a cannibal player.”

Yuan Yao chuckled awkwardly before settling on the other bed.

In the dim room, the rhythmic sound of flowing hot spring water outside filled the air. Feeling the phone in his pocket, Xu Huo mentally reviewed the players’ information.

He’d observed everyone—they’d arrived empty-handed except for basic items like lighters or earrings. Phones, watches, and weapons were absent. The game seemed to restrict items based on technological complexity.

But having come directly from the station, his phone and dagger remained.

The game’s mention of lower-level dungeons restricting non-game items, plus the resort’s former popularity among players and non-players, hinted this wasn’t a fully isolated space.

While external items couldn’t be brought in, anything already within the game world—whether game items or not—could enter dungeons. Similarly, anyone could access dungeon locations regardless of participation status.

Moreover, the game never specified participant numbers.

Xu Huo turned over, locking eyes with the figure silently appearing beside his bed. ”What are you doing?”

Yuan Yao nearly screamed, hastily explaining, ”I wasn’t trying to hurt you! I just wanted to check the code on your back!”

To prove his innocence, he lifted his own shirt first. ”Really—I’m a white player!”

Sitting up, Xu Huo lit a cigarette and studied the nervous Yuan Yao. ”If you’re so afraid, why room with me?”

Relieved at the non-threatening response, Yuan Yao relaxed slightly. ”I’m just a nerdy guy—can’t even lift a finger normally. You won’t believe this, but on the Preliminary Trial Train, a fifteen-year-old girl nearly beat me to death... You’re different, Brother Xu—calm, collected, with that long hair, you look like some reclusive master. I just wanted protection...”

Xu Huo raised a hand, listening intently:

”Clang... clang... clang...”