Players, Please Board the Train

Even though Painting Woman was unhappy, she ended up only buying two sets of the simplest short-sleeved shirts with pants and women’s tank tops, earning Xu Huo strange looks from both the shop assistant and customers in the store.

”If anyone else wants to buy you clothes, you can go with them,” Xu Huo said calmly.

The next second, Painting Woman, who had been pouting unwillingly, immediately changed her expression and tried to affectionately link arms with him, but was stopped halfway by his cold glare. She immediately switched to clutching the hem of his clothes instead, making the onlookers sigh in disappointment.

Xu Huo maintained his composure and left the crowded street to enter a small alley. Turning at an intersection, he suddenly stopped, glanced at the shadow approaching on the ground, and lightning-fast, reached out to grab the person’s throat and lifted them into the air.

”Why are you following me?”

The man wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses grabbed at his hand, struggling. ”Brother Xu! It’s me, Yuan Yao!”

Xu Huo only released him after pulling off his cap. ”Why are you sneaking around following me?”

Yuan Yao coughed for a while before saying, ”I just arrived too early and was wandering around nearby when I happened to see you shopping with your wife.”

He didn’t forget to greet Painting Woman: ”Hello, sister-in-law.”

Painting Woman responded with a shy smile.The otaku Yuan Yao blushed slightly, then suddenly felt stung by a cold gaze. He quickly averted his eyes and said, ”Brother Xu, you’re really amazing. Last time at Hot Springs Villa, you didn’t notice me even though I was so close, but this time you caught me even though I was hiding in the crowd. After three days apart, one must look at you with new eyes - I have just one word for you: impressed!”

Yuan Yao’s trait was indeed impressive. Xu Huo hadn’t detected being followed at all, but when the ”good friend” values above people’s heads were blank or 1-2, a ”5” mixed in stood out clearly, especially when that ”5” kept following him.

This was actually a good method for detecting enemies.

Xu Huo studied Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao felt the back of his neck go cold under the scrutiny and hugged his arms. ”Brother Xu, if you have something to say, just say it. Don’t look at me like that.”

”Is your trait about concealing your traces?” Xu Huo asked. ”You don’t need to be too detailed - roughly how well can you hide?”

”No problem,” Yuan Yao said, seeing that he was asking in front of Painting Woman and figuring she should be in the know or might be a player herself. He spoke openly: ”My profession is Otaku. I’ve currently developed one trait called Hide and Seek. The basic ability is just being good at hiding. If I stay still in places others can’t see, I won’t be discovered.”

”It works in crowded places too because pedestrians essentially become cover. Basically, unless face-to-face, it’s normally hard to detect being followed by me.”

He lowered his voice, ”I’ve followed two celebrities and three government officials - none of them noticed.”

Xu Huo glanced at him. ”Aren’t you afraid of running into other players?”

Yuan Yao wagged a finger proudly. ”Being good with the internet is one of the essential skills of an otaku. Before following anyone, I investigate the people around them - no one taking unexplained leave or going for medical treatment, I even check what takeout they order daily.”

Only then did Xu Huo look seriously at this ordinary-looking young man. ”Can you find information about other players?”

Yuan Yao quickly shook his head. ”My skills aren’t that good. How would I dare to attack official backends? But while lurking on forums, I saw someone inviting players to gather, supposedly to do something big. Not sure if it’s true though.”

Online information was hard to verify as true or false. Xu Huo noticed one frequently appearing account in the mix - besides commenting under that player gathering post, this account had left traces on some trading posts too. They’d even posted looking to purchase bus tickets, with the address listed surprisingly near the hotel where he had stayed.

”Can you find this account’s address?”

”Not difficult, but I need a computer,” Yuan Yao said. ”I rented a place in Ting City. How about coming to my place after we eat?”

”You’re not from Ting City, are you?” Xu Huo asked.

”I live in the neighboring city,” Yuan Yao said with a grin. ”I figured we’d probably have plenty of chances to meet in the future, so I just went ahead and rented a place. Why don’t you move in with me, Brother Xu? I have extra rooms.”

”We’ll talk about it later,” Xu Huo said, turning to walk out. ”Weren’t we going to eat? Let’s go.”

”Let’s have hotpot!” Yuan Yao quickly caught up. ”According to online reviews, there’s a great hotpot place nearby.”

The three entered the hotpot restaurant, where Yuan Yao ordered a large table full of dishes and thoughtfully asked Xu Huo and Painting Woman about any dietary restrictions.

Watching Painting Woman who looked like she was about to drool, Xu Huo took a sip of tea and asked, ”Can you even eat hotpot?”

Painting Woman already had her chopsticks in hand and nodded like a chick pecking at rice, directing Yuan Yao who was mixing dipping sauces to add extra chili for her.

”Sister-in-law can’t speak?” Yuan Yao asked cautiously, noticing she only ever smiled.

”She’s not your sister-in-law, just a distant relative staying with me temporarily. Her name is Lichun. Born mute with some intellectual challenges,” Xu Huo supplemented Painting Woman’s backstory.

Yuan Yao looked regretful, then said, ”My parents know some famous doctors. Should I have them examine Lichun?”

”No money,” Xu Huo stated bluntly.

”Come on, would I ask you for money!” Yuan Yao patted his chest. ”My family has money - I’ll cover the medical fees!”

Xu Huo didn’t respond, but Painting Woman across the table brightened up, pointing at Xu Huo’s phone and clasping her hands together in a pleading gesture.

”You want a phone?” Yuan Yao quietly glanced at Xu Huo. He felt like someone of Brother Xu’s caliber could make money in minutes - how could he not afford a phone?

But maybe the big shot preferred a frugal lifestyle.

”Can we buy one?” he asked carefully.

”Whatever,” Xu Huo said, dipping a strand of food into the broth.

”Great! We’ll pick out a phone after we finish eating,” Yuan Yao said cheerfully.

Painting Woman’s eyes curved happily as she pulled up pictures on the phone, pointing at clothes and dresses inside.

Yuan Yao felt dazzled by her smile and agreed to buy everything - the very essence of otaku nature shining through.

After the meal, the three went to a phone store first, then to the commercial street, shopping until dark.

”Time’s about right,” Xu Huo said, standing up from the rest area and calling to Yuan Yao and Painting Woman. ”Let’s go.”

Painting Woman had already familiarized herself with the phone’s basic functions. She opened the memo app, quickly typed a line, and showed it to Xu Huo:

”Someone is following us.”

”I know,” Xu Huo nodded, helping Yuan Yao with some bags. ”Let’s go to your place first.”

They left the mall and got into a taxi. Another taxi parked by the roadside slowly followed them. The thin man driving dialed a number: ”Sister Ning, I detected someone carrying Ah Xiao’s scent. He must be the one who tricked Ah Xiao into going out. I’m following them now - I’ll contact you when I arrive.”

”Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”