Players, Please Board the Train

”Let me see, let me see... Why is this potion green? Does it have particularly good effects?” Wang Chaoqing said with envy and longing.

”Dare you randomly use a potion of unknown origin?” Xu Huo took the item back. ”I’ll keep it for now.”

Wang Chaoqing looked embarrassed and didn’t speak, his eyes glancing toward the others, but this time even Lin Pei didn’t voice an opinion.

”Prepare for the worst,” Xu Huo said. ”Maybe my item won’t work on the wall.”

Whether the item would be effective was still unknown, and killing each other before confirming would be meaningless.

After resting through the night, early the next morning, everyone except Shen Yi and Nian Hong’an who stayed to drive got off the vehicle.

”This time it’s your turn to block the Pit Cages,” Shen Xin said to Wu Qiuyi and the others.

”We can go, but we’ll need Gu Yu’s help to seal the Black Metal,” Lin Pei said.

Gu Yu cursed under her breath, then turned to Xu Huo and said, ”Anyway, we have plenty of time today. You must choose carefully before answering questions. I don’t want to blindly throw my life away.”

There weren’t many puzzles near the mayor’s office building, so the four of them had to split up to search, still working in pairs of two to guard against unexpected situations.Xu Huo focused on listening to the occasional clock chimes nearby, occasionally taking out his black gemstone wristwatch and pocket watch, comparing them with the times of several nearby clocks. ”None of them match up.”

”The clocks in this town are all inaccurate. Although some clocks chime simultaneously, there’s still a slight difference before and after,” Shen Xin said as she walked over to him, glanced at the watches, then turned toward the outside. ”Wang Chaoqing and the others seem to have found something.”

Just then, a clock not far from them also began to chime:

”Twelve o’clock, twelve o’clock, pleasant lunchtime has arrived. Let’s solve puzzles while enjoying lunch.”

”Today’s question is: How many clocks did Master Nise, who adored timepieces, make in his lifetime?”

The same question again.

This made Xu Huo, who was about to leave, turn back. He stood firmly before the clock. ”If I answer wrong, will there be punishment?”

”Pleasant puzzle-solving time. The game rules set by Master Nise absolutely do not allow any puzzle enthusiast to be harmed.”

Without Xu Huo having to say anything, Shen Xin went out to notify Gu Yu’s group.

As usual, Xu Huo asked several irrelevant questions and had the clock repeat the question twice before giving his answer.

”Twenty thousand and one.”

”Ding dong! Correct answer!”

”The Puzzle Solver has given the correct answer. Master Nise has decided to reward you with a little red flower.”

After Xu Huo received his prize, the clock didn’t announce the end of the puzzle but continued: ”Now begins clock learning time.”

”Master Nise made countless clocks in his lifetime, but he only acknowledged twenty thousand and one of them.”

”The twenty-thousand-and-first clock was the one-thousand-and-first timepiece he completed after coming to this town, and also his final one. It possesses an exquisite and grand appearance, records the passage of time in this town, and matches the minutes and seconds of Clock Tower in C9 Wormhole Point 01 District, which claims to have the most accurate time. It is a perfect masterpiece to conclude his career.”

”They’re done over there,” Shen Xin said excitedly as she pushed the door open and entered.

Xu Huo nodded, pocketed the note, and walked out onto the street.

After the group gathered, Gu Yu spoke first: ”Following what you did yesterday, I also set up two mechanisms in the house.”

”Even if they’re useless, trying doesn’t hurt.”

Xu Huo smiled, and the group began discussing how to deal with the Mutant at the east gate.

”Luring out that Mutant might have three conditions: first, making noise exceeding 80 decibels; second, having three people moving simultaneously in public spaces; third, attacking the gate,” Lin Pei analyzed. ”Attacking the gate would naturally create noise over 80 decibels too, but we need to test to know which one specifically triggers it.”

”Regardless of the method, luring it out shouldn’t be difficult. The key is how to kill it?” Ke Liang asked. ”With that kind of formidable combat power, it’s probably very difficult.”

”Actually, I have a method,” Gu Yu said. ”One that can both kill it and ensure our safety as much as possible.”

She pointed to the gas station’s location on the map. ”The gas station is in the east gate direction. As long as we find a way to lure the Mutant into the gas station, one spark can solve the problem. Even if it doesn’t die in the explosion, it would still be severely injured.”

”That could work,” Shen Yi pondered before saying: ”I’m worried the explosion might damage the underground circuits. Don’t forget, there are several other Mutants underground.”

”Let’s treat it as a backup plan,” Lin Pei said. ”Prepare in advance at the gas station. If we can’t handle that Mutant, immediately lure it over there.”

”Anyway, the other three Mutants don’t stay out for long. As long as we survive the most dangerous period, we’ll have opportunities.”

”What do you think?” Wu Qiuyi clearly agreed with having two preparations, so she asked Xu Huo and the others.

Gu Yu and the Shen siblings had nothing to add, and all three turned to Xu Huo.

”How much gasoline is at the gas station?” Xu Huo said. ”Each person take a canister, find some cloth to soak in oil and arrange it along the town’s pathways. Let’s burn it first and see what happens.”

”Great idea!” Gu Yu clapped her hands. ”Let’s get to work and try to finish before dark!”

The others had no objections. After leaving one person to drive, they split up again to work.

Lin Pei and Ke Liang went to the gas station. Wu Qiuyi, Shen Xin, and Gu Yu collected curtains, carpets, and other materials. Wang Chaoqing and Shen Yi were responsible for transporting gasoline. Xu Huo selected the streets and alley entrances to serve as traps. Working together, they tied curtains and carpets with cut holes to doors and windows, then attached strings of bells and piles of dolls, clearing a path wide enough for one person to pass through at both ends.

Beyond this block was the gas station. Xu Huo also cleared the dolls from the main street, leaving a wide avenue.

”Let’s find something to eat,” Gu Yu said, bending over and supporting her stomach. ”Even Evolvers can’t withstand hunger.”

”Do you think there are Evolvers who evolved the trait of one meal lasting three days?” Shen Xin wondered aloud.

”What a wonderful trait that would be,” Gu Yu said with feeling.

Wu Qiuyi pressed her lips together. ”That’s not very likely. Normally, Evolvers require more energy than ordinary people. That’s why you feel so weak.”

Gu Yu and Shen Xin exchanged glances and fell silent.

Wu Qiuyi’s expression darkened. ”What did they mean by that? Targeting me?”

”They’re not targeting you—they’re targeting serious and earnest people,” Xu Huo said, turning to Gu Yu. ”Answering questions should be safe now. Go find food yourselves.”

Gu Yu and Shen Xin left together. Wu Qiuyi said, ”Isn’t this something that should be taken seriously?”

”You’re absolutely right.”

Wu Qiuyi frowned. ”You’re brushing me off.”

Xu Huo stopped fiddling with the clock hands, closed the glass door, and said, ”Yes.”

”Why?” Wu Qiuyi suddenly became angry. ”So many people have died, yet you can still joke and laugh as if nothing happened! Today it’s people around us who die—tomorrow it could be ourselves!”