Kaidan Game Train: Abide Rule or Die!
Chapter 553: Underground World

Chapter 553: Chapter 553: Underground World

Xin Hui instinctively took two steps back, hiding her hands behind her back, but before she could produce any tools, Xu Huo’s piano wire was already looped around her neck.

With a crossed-fingers gesture, he pulled back, binding her without choking her, while warning, "You’d better not try anything, or you’ll lose the use of your hands."

Indeed, Xin Hui didn’t move; her head was slightly tilted back by the wire, but her hands remained behind her.

"What do you mean by this?" she demanded. "Thinking of killing and robbing me?"

Xu Huo pulled up a chair and sat down before saying, "I’ve helped you out before, a thank-you isn’t necessary, but leading me to a dead end, that’s not right."

Xin Hui was silent for two seconds before saying, "I don’t understand what you’re talking about. We’re strangers, why would I harbor any ill will against you?"

"The first time you led me and Zhuo Wangsun around in circles in Mist Forest was probably to shake us off. You appeared just now probably for the same reason, not wanting us to continue wandering around here," Xu Huo observed. "But when I mentioned destroying the Fungal Nest, you changed your mind."

Xin Hui remained silent.

Xu Huo continued, "You are not what you say you are, not one of Clown City’s players. You came here not likely for the sake of passing a level, you know about this Fungal Nest, know the ins and outs; the first time you shook me and Zhuo Wangsun off, you came here."

"Considering the distance, you should not have known someone entered the underground nest, much less pinpoint our position. There’s no one else nearby, so your knowledge about this place cannot be limited to just the know-how of entry and exit points; at the very least, you are well-versed in fungal biology."

"Also, the fungus-formed corpses that Zhuo Wangsun and I found with our group of four must be an insignificant or already publicly known detail; you weren’t worried about us spreading the word."

"In fact, with just a few people’s strength, it’s impossible to destroy such a large underground nest. When I proposed burning the mycelium, you were clearly infuriated, ready to kill over it..."

Xu Huo paused, then asked, "What’s the secret of this underground nest?"

Xin Hui’s face was obscured, so her expression remained inscrutable, but as Xu Huo spoke, her chest heaved and her breathing became rapid.

Moments later, she said, "Let’s say you’re right about everything. I’m no match for you, what do you want to do?"

"I’m not a player from Clown City, their internal conflicts are none of my business," Xu Huo stated. "But I’m quite interested in this Fungal Nest."

Xin Hui didn’t respond, instead bringing up another matter, "Earlier, I heard Zhuo Wangsun say that you rescued two children."

Xu Huo nodded, "Once I’m through, I’ll try to get them into Clown City. They should only be poisoned, not turned into Aliens."

Xin Hui scoffed, "Even if you send them to Clown City, they have nothing ahead of them but death because they’ve been parasitized by the fungus. Clown City will never allow them to live and appear within its walls."

"That’s not a big issue," Xu Huo said. "If the fungal infection is so severe that it’s uncontrollable, Clown City’s government won’t let the Fungal Nest exist. No need for such equivocations, Clown City’s blockade and cleanup of the zone must have other reasons."

"You’re very smart," Xin Hui said coldly, "but you’re not from Clown City. What difference does it make if you know?"

"Satisfying curiosity," Xu Huo replied with a faint smile. "A secret lies before my eyes, it’s difficult for any normal person to control their curiosity. You satisfy my curiosity, and I’ll let you go, or you refuse to speak, and I’ll kill you before finding a way to dismantle this underground nest. Two options, take your pick."

Xin Hui was incensed, "When Zhuo Wangsun said you agreed to save those children, I thought you were a good person. I didn’t expect you to be just as cruel and heartless as the other players, indifferent to human life!"

Xu Huo tilted his chin up, "Go on."

Xin Hui’s teeth clenched so tight they nearly cracked, struggling for a moment before her shoulders slumped, "It’s a long story."

"Then take your time," Xu Huo said. "We’ve got plenty of it."

Xin Hui faced him, and after two seconds finally began, "This cleanup zone is actually just a game zone."

Xu Huo raised an eyebrow, "Continue."

"Twenty years ago, the government of Clown City planned to turn the Fungal Nest into an adventure destination, but when they started developing deeper underground, they discovered the fungi had mutated far beyond their expectations, with many having highly infectious properties. Once infected, it’s like a chronic illness, leading to a slow, painful death."

"The original project team and its leaders were all infected. After being treated in hospitals, they ended up infecting three hospitals. Before the infection spread widely, the government sealed off the hospitals to clean them up, relocating all the sick to one city for centralized treatment."

"But the treatments had no effect; even some medical staff became infected. Ultimately, the government had no choice but to lock down the city."

"That’s when Aliens first appeared in the quarantine zone. The higher-ups believed the infected had mutated. They responded with a full-scale investigation, detaining everyone related to the project. Later, somehow the information leaked, causing a massive protest throughout the city. Some radicals stormed the prisons and upper echelons of the city, kidnapping related people and their families and dumping them in the quarantine zone."

Xin Hui’s voice was low, "During the chaos, Clown City underwent a change in government. Some with ulterior motives secretly opened the quarantine zone, releasing Aliens and infected people, contaminating at least a third of the city."

"The new regime stemmed the tide but abandoned that third of the land, trapping the remaining people inside to fend for themselves. With nothing to eat or drink, the infected resorted to banding together and killing each other for resources. It was then that someone secretly filmed the conflict and broadcast it on a public channel, drawing other game zones’ attention."

"Switching from tourism to video production?" Xu Huo said.

"If only it were that simple," Xin Hui said with a sneer. "There were so few people in the quarantine zone, it was almost empty in less than half a year. But the leaders of Clown City had tasted the sweet fruit and decided to turn the quarantine zone into a game zone and organize teams to clean it up."

"Unfortunately, there weren’t many infected left in the cleanup zone. Relying solely on holographic glasses for a two-sided battle wasn’t exciting enough, so they simply bought Aliens from other game zones and released them into the quarantine zone!"

"Most of those sent in were the underprivileged, lacking in skill and equipment. Facing Aliens, they could only be slaughtered. Most of those who made it to the cleanup zone without getting infected ended up as Alien fodder... "

As she spoke, Xin Hui’s teeth almost broke from clenching, "Aliens hunting and consuming people alive, that’s the most popular part of the game!"