Players, Please Board the Train

The marbles flying out continuously struck Xu Huo’s body. Even though the hand gripping the dagger was bleeding profusely, he showed no intention of letting go. After a brief pause, he instead revealed a faint smile.

Brother Tu had seen plenty of cases where people capsized in the gutter. He immediately tried to retreat, but at that moment, he sensed wind behind his head. Relying on instinct, he tilted his head aside and saw a short arrow brush past his head, then circle back to fly toward him again!

”So this was your plan!” Brother Tu’s face twisted fiercely. He released the dagger, changing his right hand into a fist and violently punching toward Xu Huo’s abdomen. ”Die... How!”

This punch didn’t shatter the other’s internal organs as he had hoped. Instead, it felt like sinking into a quagmire, sucking in his palm along with the torn short-sleeved shirt. A paper-like object also appeared on Xu Huo’s chest!

A spatial-type item!

Brother Tu’s expression changed drastically. He wanted to kill Xu Huo before being completely sucked in, but as soon as he raised his hand, he was choked by piano wire around his throat. While reflexively reaching for his neck, he glimpsed from the corner of his eye Xu Huo picking up the white paper from his chest, which had swallowed his arm, and covering his head with it.

Brother Tu disappeared. An abstract-style face appeared on the white paper. Xu Huo avoided Elder Yu’s grabbing hand and said with a light laugh, ”When I crossed the broken bridge earlier, there was nothing below. The trap only appeared after you came over. It seems this landmine characteristic can’t have interruptions in between.”

As he spoke, he leaped toward the other side of the crack. Elder Yu followed closely behind, even faster than him. ”So what if you know? How many more times can you use that hovering item?”

”No need for you to worry about that.” Xu Huo, who had already changed into new disposable gloves, grabbed the piano wire mid-air and steadily returned to this side of the crack. After landing, he smiled at him. ”Goodbye.”

Elder Yu’s eyes widened, a look of regret just appearing on his face before he disappeared from the spot.”Go back to the ticket area to play.” Xu Huo shook his numb hand and took out two bottles of healing potion to drink.

Seeing the person inside the white paper struggling to reach out a hand, he sealed it with a frame, and the abstract person inside immediately became docile and stayed put, though the mouth didn’t rest.

Xu Huo couldn’t hear any sound. He stored the painting in his item slot, then proceeded up along the dilapidated stone steps, entering the lighthouse building via the arch bridge.

As he stepped inside, a Puppet suddenly appeared in mid-air, opening its mouth toward him.

”I can’t hear sounds. Reading a puppet’s lips is a bit difficult,” Xu Huo said.

The Puppet paused, then waved a hand toward him, and sound returned.

Rubbing his ears, Xu Huo said, ”Thanks. But I came here to play the game.”

The Puppet floated in front, its voice very unsettled. ”How did you figure it out?”

”Because of you,” Xu Huo said. ”Although I was teleported back to the ticket area earlier, unlike my companions, I didn’t step on any Puppets.”

”There are two rules in the dungeon that require returning to the ticket area: attacking staff during non-game hours, and visiting two parks in the same day. Since I didn’t step on any Puppets, it could only mean I violated the other rule.”

”The crack between the buildings is the park boundary. After crossing it, you’re no longer in the Rabbit Bear Park. The easily breakable Puppets are just obstacles used to conceal this information.”

”Of the two buildings in Black Maple Valley, this rear one isn’t within the game area. The reason you brought several of us here was to use the dungeon rules to eliminate us.”

”Deliberately choosing such a peculiar ancient castle, using Puppets as misdirection, and hiding the park boundary line can only mean there’s something very important here.”

”The dungeon requires visiting the parks according to the Travel Guide, but the guide only lists ten locations. The strange thing is, although these locations are fixed, not many players clear the level.” He looked up at the Puppet. ”So the game points indicated by the Puppets aren’t completely correct.”

”Using a question-and-answer game to conceal the real game points is a good method.”

”But the game points can’t be completely hidden either, so they’re set at the park edges. If someone tries to come up here, you appear to lead people toward the rear ancient castle. Using Puppets adds another layer of insurance. With so many Puppets and poor visibility, players can easily kill them by mistake. Of course, even without mistaken killings, returning to the ticket area would make players doubt themselves. Although players have evolved, they still don’t have the ability to see in the dark.”

”Because they mistakenly killed Puppets and returned to the ticket area, players would naturally assume this isn’t a game location, thus covering up the real game point.”

”You’re quite clever,” the Puppet said in a crisp voice. ”But even if you found this place, I can still make you fail to clear the level.”

”I know,” Xu Huo nodded. ”So I explained this clearly not to show off, but to tell you that I’ve already figured out the method to clear the level, and my companion knows too. If I can’t successfully pass this game point, my companion will spread the word that this is the tenth game point.”

”Then every player entering the amusement park will know the clearance method. People will come and go, not staying long in the dungeon.”

He suddenly stopped speaking and showed the Puppet a friendly smile. ”You’ll never get to eat candy again.”

The Puppet’s belly deflated, burst open, and turned into a little girl who jumped out. She looked at Xu Huo angrily. ”You’re too mean! All you adults are so mean!”

”Where am I mean?” Xu Huo pressed his sword tip against the ground. ”Would other players give you so much candy to eat? And limited edition candy at that.”

The little girl pursed her lips, feeling he made a good point, but still stubbornly said, ”You’re still mean, just a little bit better than other mean people.”

”Fine, you’re right,” Xu Huo didn’t argue with her, returning to the original topic. ”Can you let me clear the level now?”

The little girl pouted unhappily. ”I don’t want to give you Small Hats.”

Xu Huo piled all the remaining candy on the ground, then patted the sword in his hand. ”You have to follow the game rules too. I entered this game point, and whether I win or lose, there must be an outcome. You can’t run away midway.”

”Now choose: do you want to exchange Small Hats for candy or for a beating?”

The little girl ran back two steps, but turned around to gaze longingly at the candy, her expression struggling.

Seeing this, Xu Huo added, ”How about this: if you let me clear the level, I can buy delicious candy for you in other dungeon worlds in the future, okay?”

”Really?” The little girl’s eyes lit up, then she said, ”But where will you find me?”

”You can bring people into the dungeon through puppets, right? Getting some things should be no problem.” Xu Huo’s voice softened. ”Random Dungeons can go to many places, but they’re relatively less free. I’m much more convenient. Anyway, I have to enter dungeons, so buying something along the way is a small matter. No matter where I am at the time, I can give you delicious food and fun things as soon as possible.”