Chapter 38: Digging a Pit

"To cooperate with the arrest, you can choose one item from her inventory, or if you only provide information, I will give you a vial of P0 evolution serum," Nie Xuan said immediately.

"Serum, but I want P1," Xu Huo replied.

Nie Xuan’s expression turned somewhat disappointed.

Xu Huo smiled and said, "This is not a loss for you at all. If you catch that cannibal player, not only will you have an additional experimental subject, but you can also obtain information about other players and the status of the game dungeons."

Nie Xuan raised an eyebrow. He knew Xu Huo wouldn't reveal any details about the dungeons, and although disappointed, he found the terms acceptable.

The current situation was volatile, and most players were wary of the outside world. Someone like Xu Huo, who appeared voluntarily and was able to negotiate calmly, was considered a relatively good outcome.

He had contacted several other players previously; some had been driven to mental instability and would attack indiscriminately at the slightest provocation, some were so self-important they believed they could go head-to-head with the state machinery, and others tried every means to flee, refusing to cooperate even after being captured.

In truth, they underestimated the capacity of a nation and its courage in the face of disaster. The government would not strip them of their abilities and resources; rather, they would vigorously cultivate them. After all, players were a minority, and the entire nation needed them.

"The Special Affairs Bureau has just been established, and the government is recruiting. The conditions are quite favorable across the board. If you have any interest, you can contact me at any time."

"I'll consider it." Xu Huo found some paper and a pen to write down Liu Yuanyuan’s physical features, her accent, and several minor details.

Seeing him sketch a simple portrait on the side, Nie Xuan felt there was still room to persuade him. "This is a good start. I hope we can cooperate more in the future, and I will strive to secure the best possible benefits for you."

Xu Huo pushed the paper over and raised his wine bottle. "Happy cooperation."

"How much do you know about the game dungeons?"

Nie Xuan picked up his water glass and took a sip. "We have gathered a fair amount of information. You can trust us."

"Do you know the principles behind the evolution of an Evolver?" Xu Huo set down the bottle.

"Of course. The expert team is already conducting experiments in this area, and we will soon be able to suppress an Evolver's craving for food," Nie Xuan answered without hesitation.

"If one does not take the evolution serum for a long period, will there be any aftereffects?"

"No. The evolution serum can perfectly resolve the various defects that appear in Evolvers..." Before he could finish, Nie Xuan frowned. He clamped his mouth shut, glanced at Xu Huo, and then shifted his gaze to the glass of water.

"I didn't expect you to notice so quickly," Xu Huo said with an apologetic smile. "My apologies. I just wanted to test the effects of the serum, and you happened to deliver yourself to me."

Nie Xuan sneered and walked away.

After heading downstairs, he climbed into a van parked on the side of the street.

"Did the negotiation go smoothly?" asked the secretary who had questioned Xu Huo with him previously.

Nie Xuan opened his mouth but then closed it again. When he raised his hand, a Hello Kitty puppet sat on his palm. As the cat's mouth moved, an electronic, childish voice spilled out:

"I was tricked by him. It's inconvenient for me to speak right now."

The immature voice and the warm, fuzzy toy were in complete contrast to Nie Xuan’s usual image. The secretary wanted to laugh but dared not. "Should we carry out an arrest?"

"No need," the puppet continued. "He is not the cannibal player, and he is very clever—a player with potential. The country is in need of people right now."

"Hand this over to the technical team and have them locate this person. This is the cannibal player; they are very dangerous. Tell everyone to be careful when making the arrest."

The secretary took the note and tucked it into a notebook, then asked, "Should we continue the surveillance?"

Nie Xuan pondered for a moment. "Withdraw the snipers and special personnel. Set up a surveillance point near his rented apartment. There is no need for 24-hour close monitoring; just confirm he is still in Ting City."

"Recently, there have been mass disappearances and dismemberment cases across the country. The victims include the elderly, the weak, women, and children. Most show no signs of being Evolvers. We have had two such cases in Ting City. I suspect it is related to the dungeons, so we must focus our manpower on finding them."

"I understand," the secretary nodded.

"Deliver this serum and his identification documents to him. Find a way to get a sample of the water from the cup on his table." Nie Xuan lifted the aluminum case by his feet and took out a tube of blue liquid.

The secretary left to carry out the orders, but returned a few minutes later looking embarrassed. "By the time I arrived, the cup had been washed clean. He also said he was planning to move and would invite you to a housewarming dinner once he settled in."

Nie Xuan’s eyelid twitched, but a second later he suppressed his anger. "Forget it. Draw my blood."

Back in the hotel room, having dismissed Nie Xuan and his men, Xu Huo shook the tube of evolution serum. It was correct—it was indeed P1 serum. However, he did not intend to take it just yet.

A player’s dependence on the serum and the severity of its aftereffects were too great. It was like a ticking time bomb, and unless absolutely necessary, he did not want to consume it.

He put the serum away and picked up his phone. Ever since he exited the game, it had been vibrating constantly.

Aside from dozens of friend requests, mostly contributed by Yuan Yao, there were also several text messages and missed call notifications.

Most could be ignored, but one number belonged to Liu Jia.

From the preliminary screening train to the end of Xu Huo’s first dungeon, only three days had passed, yet Liu Jia had sent nearly fifty messages.

Some were requests to meet in person to thank him, followed by news that Professor Han’s symptoms had worsened after getting off the train, with green abscesses appearing on his body. After being admitted to the hospital, he was taken away by certain "professionals," and she herself had joined a local government agency.

She had disclosed most of the situation regarding the preliminary train, but she and Professor Han had concealed the identities of the other players in the same carriage, and they hadn't been pressured because of it.

"If there is anything regarding Professor Han, you can contact me," he replied via text.

"Mr. Xu, you're back? Professor Han said you must have gone into a dungeon, and I knew you would return safely!" Liu Jia replied instantly, followed by a flurry of messages.

She and Professor Han were both from a neighboring city. Xu Huo did not agree to meet her, but instead asked for details regarding Professor Han’s specific symptoms.

Actually, Professor Han’s condition had improved when he got off the train, but his later symptoms were similar to the stranded player—abscesses on the skin, physical weakness, and signs of muscle atrophy.

"Is it a toxin or a pathogen?"

Does this mean that all Evolvers carry some unknown toxin or pathogen? It makes them stronger, but at the same time, it plants a massive hidden danger within their evolution. The serum has a suppressive effect, so if it is not used for a long time, these toxins or pathogens accumulate to a certain point and begin to erode the body.

If ordinary players don't take the serum for a long time, will they eventually turn into those monsters on the train?

Unfortunately, the authorities don't have a good solution yet... Xu Huo’s brow furrowed deeper. Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked at the name on the screen, rubbed his temples, and answered:

"Xu Huo! I'll give you five minutes. If you don't show up in five minutes, you will never see your beautiful, adorable cousin again!"