Kaidan Game Train: Abide Rule or Die!
Chapter 825 Untrustworthy

Chapter 825: Chapter 825 Untrustworthy

Accompanying the Duchess was a small bearded man, and upon seeing him, those with Black Epaulettes changed their expression. Ran Ying strode forward to greet him, "Commissioner."

The short man nodded slightly with a touch of reproof in his serious tone, "How are you handling things? Do you have authorization?"

"Yes," Ran Ying recounted the contents of the authorization accurately.

The Commissioner’s expression softened slightly, then he asked, "If you’ve already coordinated with Mr. Xu, then lead your team back first."

"Commissioner..." Ran Ying hesitated.

The Commissioner’s expression turned cold, "Go back!"

Ran Ying’s eyebrows furrowed deeply and her face grew ugly, but she quickly covered it up and gestured to the people behind her, taking the lead in retreating from the castle.

The Black Epaulettes, despite their reluctance, could not defy the orders of their superiors. As they left, their resentful glances seemed replete with connotations of discontent about collusion between money and power.

The Commissioner glanced at Xu Huo before bidding the Duchess farewell and left with Ran Ying and the others.

The Duchess leisurely walked into the castle and seated herself before saying, "You’ve only been here for a few days, how did you offend the Black Epaulettes?"

"It’s not that I’ve offended the Black Epaulettes, but I’ve had some disagreements with Ran Ying." Xu Huo briefly described the events that had occurred since his arrival in Zone 011.

The Duchess said with a hint of distaste, "That woman has many tricks up her sleeve. Since she has set her sights on you, she definitely won’t let it go so easily."

Xu Huo smiled indifferently, "As long as the Black Epaulettes don’t openly attack the castle, it’s fine."

Ran Ying was a character to reckon with; she must have been seeking Dr. Deng for the Perfect Potion. But whether she had any contact with Dr. Deng was unknown.

Dr. Deng’s visit to him initially seemed to have an ulterior motive for angling.

"How was your trip back from Zone 009?" inquired the Duchess, examining him, "I heard you brought a woman back with you."

"A good friend," Xu Huo replied, "I met her in an instance and just extended some hospitality."

"Handle your own affairs," the Duchess added. "I’ll be hosting a party at my house in a few days. Since you’ve handled the Black Epaulettes’ matter, bring your friend and come have fun."

Xu Huo accepted the invitation, "Thank you for helping me out today."

The Duchess smiled, "It’s good that you remember."

She covered her lips with her fan and ran her other hand through her hair, "I was in such a hurry to come out today, I didn’t even get dressed properly. I shall head back now."

Xu Huo stood up to escort her out. At the doorway, the Duchess added, "If you encounter any trouble, feel free to consult with me. I’m certainly more approachable than those people with Black Epaulettes."

"Being in Zone 011, it’s good for you to foster relationships with the Nobles."

He saw her out of the castle and watched her board the flying vehicle before returning.

Bai Kou was on the upstairs balcony, one hand propping her cheek, with a smile that was not quite a smile, "You’re really not considering it? Each one seems better than the last."

Their eyes met, and Xu Huo could discern the teasing in her gaze. He smiled and said, "Your skirt is flying up."

Bai Kou tossed her head and returned to her room.

After the incident with Ran Ying, Xu Huo did not return to the study but instead went to the Spider Pavilion.

Dr. Deng was confined by Mr. Dong in a special space and only saw him when it was time for meals. After more than ten days confined in the small dark room, Dr. Deng looked somewhat haggard. However, his eyes lit up when he saw Xu Huo and he hurried over, asking, "Did you get the Potion?"

Xu Huo took out the doll he had found, "I was a step too late. By the time I found it, it was just an empty doll. The needle inside had been taken and without seeing the real thing, I couldn’t be sure if it was indeed the Perfect Potion or not."

Dr. Deng examined the doll repeatedly and then stared at him with doubt, his expression wavering.

"Props like this hiding Potions are not uncommon in instances," Xu Huo said. "The information you provided wasn’t accurate."

"That’s impossible!" Dr. Deng asserted confidently, "The information was absolutely correct. It’s just that it was too late, perhaps a player took the Potion before you did."

His face full of regret, he said, "Such a shame. If someone who doesn’t recognize its value got it, they might just treat it like a worthless Potion."

Setting aside whether his regret was genuine or feigned, Xu Huo said, "I made a wasted trip and now, because of you, I’ve been targeted by the Black Epaulettes."

Dr. Deng visibly tensed up, "The Black Epaulettes must know about this by now. They definitely won’t let it go!"

"I guess it’s also because of the Potion," Xu Huo scrutinized him. "Our previous agreement was that I would relocate you to another zone once I returned from Zone 009. But I’ve ended up with a troublesome situation because of this wasted trip. It’s a big loss for me."

Dr. Deng, sensing the impatience laced with a threat in Xu Huo’s tone, hastily said, "Don’t jump to conclusions. I can be very useful to you. Even though I can’t create the Perfect Potion, I can improve regular Potions, making up for their inherent flaws."

"The advanced versions of Potions are already available," Xu Huo said. "You can buy them if you have the money."

"Mine are better!" Dr. Deng insisted without hesitation, "After you try them just once, you’ll understand. Give me a few Potions and help me buy some ingredients, and I can definitely make them."

"Improved Potions have fewer side effects in the long run. You wouldn’t want to end up wheelchair-bound like Lawrence Lee, and that’s one of the better outcomes."

"How do I know you haven’t tampered with the Potions, being a Potion expert?" Xu Huo asked. "As far as I know, some experts can alter the properties of Potions and even precisely control minute changes in the human body."

Dr. Deng shook his head, "The kind of Potion you’re referring to must be matched one-to-one. Improving human genetics isn’t as targeted as killing a virus. Even one-to-one production is uncertain. And if it were so simple to change the human body, the Game Government wouldn’t still be unable to develop the Perfect Potion to this day."

From his words, Xu Huo gathered two pieces of information: First, small amounts of Potion, even if capable of altering the human body, would have a minimal effect and it’s entirely possible to stop before it’s too late. Second, such Potions are difficult to make. If they don’t match the user, they might not be effective at all, or worse, have adverse effects.

In this light, the possibility that the green syringe was problematic seemed very low because there was no need to waste a Perfect Potion for such a purpose.

"You don’t have to worry about me tampering with the Potions. To reach the point where players can’t detect any interference, that would be the work of top Potion experts," Dr. Deng said. "Anyone capable of that has already gone on to tackle the Perfect Potion."

Xu Huo didn’t reply hastily but crossed his arms, "You’re hard to trust."

"Use a Prop!" Dr. Deng urged anxiously, "With a Prop, you’ll know if I’m lying or telling the truth. I did a lot to get the Perfect Potion, but since I’ve been in Zone 011, I haven’t tricked you, have I?"