Kaidan Game Train: Abide Rule or Die!
Chapter 1196: A Good Instance

Chapter 1196: Chapter 1196: A Good Instance

"Is there really such a prop? Hard to say... Just one? How do you plan to split the team?" Xu Huo asked.

"That’s the advantage of this instance. Players can form teams, but the instance itself doesn’t recognize teams. The final clearance reward is based on individual performance, meaning each person gets their own reward." The hat-wearing player clearly knew a lot about this instance.

"Do you have a strategy guide for the instance?" Xu Huo doubted anyone would share strategies for free.

"I used to..." The hat-wearing player admitted. "But the instance recently upgraded. There’s no complete guide at the moment. Only partial rules have been leaked, and it’s unclear if they’re authentic."

"Show him out." As Xu Huo stood, he signaled to Mr. Dong.

Mr. Dong, who had been faithfully standing in the corner of the living room, stepped forward.

The hat-wearing player seemed somewhat intimidated, hastily adding, "I know someone who has been in the instance. I can vouch for the authenticity of some of the rules."

"But it’s said that the gameplay changes a bit each time, so whether the rules are accurate can only be known after entering the instance."

"I absolutely have no intention of toying with you. I purely want to borrow your good luck."

"I wasn’t much of a believer in divination before, but after what happened on the train, even I can’t dismiss the idea. If luck’s bad, it could cost me my life."

"And there’s no downside for you. After all, you have to enter the instance anyway. Does it really matter which one? Targeted rewards are the way advanced players play."

Half in jest, the hat-wearing player tried a subtle flattery, watching Xu Huo nervously.

"What’s the instance called?" Xu Huo asked after pretending to think for a moment.

"Poker Card Maze."

Poker Card Maze—it turned out Xu Huo had a ticket for this instance in his ticket folder, a Level D Copy.

He checked the folder; sure enough, the instance had been promoted to Rank-C.

"I’ll think about it," Xu Huo said, putting on an appearance of consideration. "I’ll be staying here a few more days."

"No problem!" The hat-wearing player responded immediately. "I can find a place to stay nearby. My name’s Liang Shuang."

"I’ll notify you when the time comes." Xu Huo instructed Mr. Dong to escort him out.

After the guest left, Xu Huo was about to head upstairs when Tan Qi unexpectedly popped out from behind the staircase. "That guy’s up to no good."

"I know." Xu Huo didn’t stop.

Tan Qi followed him. "Are you really going to team up with him? He followed you to the castle. You should kill him to cut off any future trouble."

Xu Huo turned back to glance at him, and the kid immediately looked away and walked off.

Xu Huo temporarily set aside the matter of the instance and took some time to visit the Game Government Base.

Shi Youzhi had taken a team out on a mission, and there weren’t many people at the base. Xu Huo went to see Director San Yang and expressed his intention to purchase two props.

"Not possible these two days," Director San Yang told him openly. "The base is undergoing an internal inspection, and all channels are temporarily shut."

Feeling Xu Huo’s gaze, Director San Yang looked up. "Don’t tell me the internal staff messed up again, and we extras are going to be scapegoats?"

"The inspection focuses on internal personnel," Director San Yang replied with a faint smile. "Extras don’t have the rank for that."

"Has Captain Shi’s team already been inspected?" Xu Huo pressed further.

"Their status is unique and only requires three rounds of audits. Folks like me, recruited from the player base, go through at least ten rounds. Any discrepancies, no matter how minor, and we’re immediately disqualified."

He seemed to sigh as he added, speaking almost to himself, "No matter how much a regular player sacrifices for the Game Government, trust remains out of reach."

"That’s perfectly reasonable," Xu Huo stated succinctly. "After all, the positions differ."

"Positions," Director San Yang repeated, as if savoring the word, then said, "I’ll probably be leaving Zone 011 soon."

Xu Huo remained silent.

Then Director San Yang continued, "Before I go, I still need to wrap up some matters... But granting you temporary access to say, purchase a prop? That should be doable. I’ll notify you another day when it’s arranged."

Xu Huo expressed his thanks. Just as he stood to leave, the other man asked, "What type of prop are you looking for?"

"An offensive prop. Ideally for close combat. I don’t mind paying a higher price." Xu Huo replied.

In the quiet office, the only sound was the rustling of a few documents under Director San Yang’s manipulation. Seated in his chair, with most of his face turned toward Xu Huo, the man’s smile remained unchanged.

Xu Huo opened the door, cast a glance back, and nodded slightly before leaving—it seemed this was the last time he would cross paths with Director San Yang.

On his way back to the castle, he picked up Angel.

Since Angel’s husband passed away, she hadn’t returned to her parents’ home. Instead, she lived with her in-laws and her husband’s elder brother.

When Xu Huo arrived, her brother-in-law—a burly middle-aged man with an air of hearty friendliness—was present. He immediately went in for a hug upon meeting him, which Xu Huo declined. Unfazed, the man laughed and engaged him in conversation, delving into topics like charity and social circles, as nobles typically did.

Xu Huo, who rarely interacted with others, allowed him the space to prattle on.

Midway through, Xu Huo mentioned Angel’s deceased husband. The man grew visibly somber. "Though we weren’t born of the same mother, our bond was stronger than blood. I’ll ensure his widow is well taken care of."

Angel, who had been organizing books and overheard this, glanced at the man, lowered her eyes, and when she raised them again, her expression was the same: weary but forcing herself to persevere.

"We can leave now," she said.

The two got into the car, and as they drove away, they could see the man watching them from a distance.

"You don’t get along with him," Xu Huo remarked casually.

"I’d only met him twice before I got married. How close could we possibly be?" Angel replied calmly.

Xu Huo didn’t pursue the topic further.

Upon arriving at the Rose Castle, Xu Huo had Xiao Yuan escort Angel away.

"Are you planning to welcome a mistress into the castle?" Mr. Dong appeared soundlessly behind him.

"Not for the time being," Xu Huo replied, turning to face him. "A person’s capacity for change often correlates to the complexity of their experiences. She knows her legal brother-in-law is connected to her husband’s death, yet she seems utterly indifferent. Why do you think that is?"

"Perhaps she fell for her brother-in-law after marriage, or orchestrated the marriage for inheritance," Mr. Dong swiftly offered two possibilities.

"This isn’t one of Li Chun’s soap opera plots," Xu Huo paused for a second before responding.

"It depends on her social connections," Mr. Dong commented with a faint expression.

"She associated with some players from other zones while acting as your dance partner," Mr. Dong continued.

"They weren’t important initially, but during the recent Black Epaulette purge of Holy Sword Society members, one of them was arrested," Xu Huo replied. "It seems the Holy Sword Society’s foothold in Zone 011 runs deeper than the Black Epaulettes anticipated."

The Holy Sword Society’s local Chapter didn’t seem to deal in anything upright.

"Shall I make a call to report them on your behalf?" Mr. Dong’s tone was as chilling as a winter wind.