Chapter 2497: Can't Swallow This Anger
Xu Huo had already learned the entire journey's events from the Wan family members. Because the group had grown larger, although they encountered minor skirmishes along the way, everyone was fine. Wen Xin even teamed up with several players to capture one of their opponents and extracted some useful information from that player.
In fact, these seemingly inexplicable and secretive attacks along the way were related to an underground casino.
The casino set up gambling games, selecting suitable Outer Zone player teams along the tourist route and classifying them with numbers. Those wealthy and idle third and fourth generation descendants placed bets, choosing whichever team they favored. Participants in the betting could dispatch players within specified limits to interfere with other teams' progress, thereby increasing their own chances of winning.
This type of gambling was called "New Style Horse Racing."
Horse racing?
When those two words came out of that player's mouth, Wen Xin and the others were both furious and amused. This wasn't just about obstructing their instance clearance—it was treating Outer Zone players as less than human. In the eyes of these wealthy young people, they might as well be no different from livestock!
They had originally planned to kill the captured player in anger, but somehow that player suddenly broke free from the truth serum's effects and escaped directly into the station.
There was no way they could swallow this anger, so Wen Xin and a few others rallied the other players, wanting to teach those players from District 001 a lesson.
Understanding that their desperate efforts to clear instances were merely entertainment in the eyes of those District 001 people made everyone angry, but most players still felt they should wait until after clearing the instance to settle accounts, to avoid causing trouble that might leave them stranded for a long time.
Ling Ling and the others thought the same way.
Wen Xin had fewer concerns. He convinced several players traveling with him and tried to persuade Xu Huo and the Painting Woman.
The two Wan family members disguised as them had never agreed, until Medicine City.
"Do you have a plan?" Xu Huo, who had just returned, asked directly.
"I knew I wasn't wrong about you!" Wen Xin patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "I have an idea. Anyway, those people have all arranged players to watch us. I estimate there are at least several groups nearby and far away. Since they don't show up at the stations, they can only act on the road."
He opened the map. "Before the next station, we have to pass through a tunnel. This mountain is very large. If we restrict Space Teleportation Items, they can only cross the mountain on foot. We can wait for them on the mountain in advance."
"What if they use a relay system?" Xu Huo asked. "To save time, the people involved in the gambling might arrange different people at different sections."
"That is indeed a problem," Wen Xin said. "So I've prepared a backup plan—stop the train inside the tunnel."
"Blowing up the tunnel is definitely not realistic, since everyone still needs to clear the instance, so we only need to damage the train."
Xu Huo paused for a moment before asking, "Did that player mention the time limit for the gambling?"
"Didn't have time to ask," Wen Xin said regretfully. "The medical industry in District 001 is too developed. Local players might have received special training, so they wake up faster."
"I guess there should be a time limit," Xu Huo said. "Otherwise, players who need to clear the instance could stretch out the time on the special line. A gambling game can't last thirty days."
"Players who need to clear the instance will rush through the special line to reach the destination as quickly as possible, afraid that failing the clearance won't give them a second chance. That's why someone blocks them ahead."
"You mean we should waste two days here?" Wen Xin thought it over. "That's not very safe. If it's different from what you said, and the lagging teams are directly considered eliminated, then we won't be able to wait for anyone."
"Not necessarily." Xu Huo looked at a thin line connecting from his body to the sky. This was his trait "Target Lock," which could lock onto an opponent within the same district. Earlier, when he fought those few players in the woods, he had used it on one of them. Originally, he wanted to follow the vine to find the people behind them... Now it was just as well to use it here.
"We can try waiting for a day first," he continued. "If it doesn't work, we can catch up."
Wen Xin thought for a moment, then asked the opinions of the others, and finally agreed to wait.
The best way to stall for time was to drag in other teams that had been attacked. If the gambling really had a time limit, and the players all stayed at the station without moving, the bettors would start to panic.
Stepping back, even if those people really ignored the lagging teams, Ling Ling and the others running ahead would still be attacked. The problem was only whether they could block the people.
After finalizing the plan with Wen Xin and the others, Xu Huo switched back with the Wan family members and returned to the Old Lady's side.
Nothing had happened at the hotel. Xu Huo observed the direction of the trait chain. The few players who had intercepted him earlier were still following the two Wan family members and had now entered Medicine City. Probably to keep track of Wen Xin and the others' movements, they weren't far from where Wen Xin and Ling Ling were staying.
Taking action within the city carried certain risks. The ideal situation would be to lure them outside the city while also bringing over the group tracking the Old Lady.
Continuous chewing sounds came from the room. He turned his head and looked at the overly unrestrained Bubble Bean. "Didn't you eat yesterday?"
"Aren't we eating together?" Bubble Bean was stuffing food into his mouth. "I don't know what's wrong. I was especially hungry when I woke up just now, and I've been eating ever since."
He then burped, patted his bulging stomach, and said, "Feeling better now."
Xu Huo noticed something off about his condition. "Did you drink this morning?"
A slightly self-indulgent Bubble Bean laughed and said, "Who drinks early in the morning, especially in an instance? Do I want to die? I'm just purely hungry. It's nothing."
The streetlights sprayed another round of medicinal mist. The weather wasn't good today—the sky was gray, looking like it might rain.
The Long-Haired Player had been in contact with the Wan family and occasionally provided Xu Huo with some information about District 001.
By the afternoon, he and the other Wan family member proposed leaving first.
Xu Huo didn't know what had happened, but judging by their anxious expressions, he agreed to take good care of the Old Lady and said, "Take the two disguised people with you too."
The Long-Haired Player paused. "You don't need them anymore?"
Xu Huo nodded slightly.
"Alright then," the Long-Haired Player said. "Consider this a favor owed to you by the Wan family. Come find us anytime if you need anything."
He then led his people out of the hotel.
"Can they get out?" Bubble Bean asked.
Someone was watching them nearby. As soon as they left Medicine City, players would likely intercept them. Although the Long-Haired Player and his group didn't take the Old Lady, there was no guarantee they hadn't taken the Cat Whisker Fruit.
"That's none of our business anymore." Xu Huo said casually, then walked over to the Old Lady. "Old Ma'am, let's have a talk."