# Chapter 367: Interrogation and Torture
"Let go!" Xu Huo kicked his legs upward and swung his sword back in a reverse slash, forcing the woman standing on his back to retreat. He pulled back to create distance before quickly observing the people who had appeared.
The short-haired woman who had just spoken was about ten meters away. She wore uniform trousers and a short vest, her powerful abdominal muscles exposed, hands wrapped in bandages, wheat-colored skin covered in sweat—clearly she had been exercising earlier.
Another man in a draped coat stood not far from her, but he had his back to Xu Huo, all his attention focused on the fake He Pu being restrained by the buzz-cut man ahead.
Including the two robots, there were five people present, but only two were actually engaged in combat.
Combining this with what the woman had just said, Xu Huo immediately stated, "You're players from the Enforcement Department? I'm chasing a wanted criminal—that man right there!"
"A wanted criminal?" The woman wiped the sweat from her neck, turned back to the buzz-cut man, and said, "There's something on his face. Clean it off and take a look."
The buzz-cut man nodded slightly, took out an eraser, and wiped it through the air toward the fake He Pu. A layer of skin peeled off from his charred face.
"It's imitation snake skin. A level 42 wanted criminal likes to use this to change his appearance and avoid capture," the long-haired man said after scanning.
"Since he's a wanted criminal, don't hold back. It's not like he dares to run into an instance," the short-haired woman instructed. The man beside her instantly vanished from his spot, reappearing above the fake He Pu's head, stepping down on a metal cage!
The fake He Pu looked up and struck his tuning fork, breaking free from the invisible force restraining him. He raised the fork high and scraped the baton across it, producing a piercing sound: "I am the world!"
Before the words faded, his figure seemed to expand several times, exuding an inexplicable sense of majesty and inviolability, stirring an impulse to worship and bow down.
Unfortunately, this move had little effect. Spiritual interference had a weaker impact on players with stronger self-control. The three present might not fall for it, and the pair of robots were completely unaffected.
The next second, the two drew their guns and fired. The power of the thumb-sized white metal bullets was no less than a hand grenade. The fake He Pu, who had just gained a chance to escape, hadn't even gotten out of the metal cage before being blasted back, landing squarely inside it!
The metal cage was also a prop. Once it hit the ground, hundreds of rays shot out from within, striking various acupoints all over the fake He Pu's body!
"Interrogation and torture!" The man in the draped coat stood on the cage, chin tilted slightly. The rays lifted the fake He Pu off the ground, then, with a series of *puff puff puff* sounds, pierced into his flesh.
The fake He Pu struggled for only a moment before his body went limp, hanging loosely in the cage, his eyes gradually losing focus.
Under the influence of the prop, Xu Huo couldn't hear what the man in the draped coat was asking from his position. But He Pu was considered a player with expertise in mental abilities, and he had been captured and interrogated so easily by a prop. With the instruments used to counter spatial props, Zone 0—whether players or public weapons—had already evolved to a certain level.
Just as he stepped forward, the woman ahead suddenly turned around. "Looks like you weren't affected at all. Is your trait related to mental abilities?"
The fake He Pu's attack methods leaned toward the mental aspect. If one had strong mental defenses, they could potentially overcome a stronger opponent—not enough to kill, but barely hold their own for a few rounds.
Xu Huo sheathed his sword and glanced at her. "I was the one who held back this wanted criminal. Zone 0 has relevant laws—anyone who reports, captures, or kills a wanted criminal, whether ordinary person, evolved human, or player, can receive a reward from the government."
"Since you've already caught him, I think there's nothing left for me here. Can I leave?"
Reporting a wanted criminal to a government agency followed another set of procedures, which didn't conflict with game settlement. But since the fake He Pu wasn't caught by him, there was no need to fight over scraps.
The short-haired woman looked him up and down. "Wait here."
Then she turned and called out, "Cheng Bing!"
The two robots quickly approached. The short-haired woman asked, "What charges can I bring against him?"
Xu Huo paused mid-motion as he wiped his face.
The female robot replied, "Endangering public safety."
The penalty for endangering public safety in Zone 0 was different from Zone 04. It was only as severe as littering—just a fine, not even detention. Paying on the spot and leaving was perfectly fine.
"How is that possible?" The short-haired woman grabbed the female robot's arm. "He fought all the way to the Enforcement Department's door. Can't that count as a terrorist attack?"
The female robot's face was cold, but her tone was very human-like. "Captain, it was only at the Enforcement Department's door, not inside. Besides, there are enforcement recorders nearby. The entire process was recorded. He explained from the start that he was chasing a wanted criminal."
In the player world, legal standards were relaxed across the board. Otherwise, the prisons would have been overflowing long ago. This was especially true for players—Zone 0 always adopted a lenient policy, since players could leave anytime with a ticket. Sentencing them to prison was essentially meaningless.
Xu Huo didn't want to get entangled with them. He even pulled out a stack of cash.
Seeing him about to leave, the short-haired woman reached out and pressed his shoulder. "Wait. Do you want to stay in Zone 0 long-term? You don't have an identity document yet, do you?"
"Let me tell you, if you want to rent or buy a house in the New District, or engage in other social activities, you can't do it without a player identity document issued by the government. You also need one to go to other zones."
This sentence successfully piqued Xu Huo's interest. He turned back and smiled at the woman. "You can get an identity document?"
"Of course I..." Before the short-haired woman could finish, a hand reached from behind and covered her mouth—it was the male robot. The buzz-cut man walked over and showed Xu Huo his credentials. "I'm Guo Yingguang from the Enforcement Department. It's not easy for outside players to get identity documents, but since you reported a wanted criminal, that counts as a meritorious deed. The Enforcement Department can make a special application for you. There are still some things about that wanted criminal that need your confirmation. Please cooperate."
Since it had come to this, could Xu Huo refuse?
He didn't have another space teleportation prop to leave this place either.
The short-haired woman's interest in him was obvious. After he agreed, she came right up and slung an arm around his shoulder, grinning widely. "What? You just came out of an instance and haven't found a place to stay yet? Want to come to my place... I mean, the hotel next door?"
The fake He Pu was taken into the Enforcement Department by the man in the draped coat. The buzz-cut man and the male robot went along too. The remaining female robot and the short-haired woman accompanied Xu Huo to the hotel.
"The area around the Enforcement Department is a restricted zone. No one lives here, no one comes in or out, and you can't even get a cab. I'll drive you over." The short-haired woman brought over a silver sports car and enthusiastically opened the door for Xu Huo.