Players, Please Board the Train

”Welcome, everyone, to this new gaming event. I am this game’s planner—Vicen Meni. It is my great honor to host today’s game.”

The white-haired man wearing a snake mask said, ”I believe our old friends here today know that the Rongxin Group’s game themes have always focused on closely simulating real dungeons, striving to recreate a gaming world within the virtual realm. Many players call our games ’Iron Man’ games, where aside from fighting, killing, and life-and-death struggles, there are few other elements that truly make the heart race.”

”Making hearts race isn’t difficult. Replace me with a beautiful woman, and I guarantee two-thirds of the people here would have their hearts racing. Or if I were thirty years younger, perhaps I could bring a charming blush to the lovely faces of the ladies present.”

A wave of laughter echoed through the grand hall. As the laughter gradually subsided, the white-haired man continued, ”However, I am not someone overly concerned with appearances. My beautician can attest to that.”

More laughter followed.

”To prove this point to everyone, I planned this unique Palace Night Tour.”

”Being here, many friends have probably already guessed what this is roughly related to. That’s right, it’s prayer.”

”According to Rongxin’s annual data statistics, among those who come to experience dungeon games, one-third are players. They are trapped in games that only stop upon death, constantly on the move, exhausted, yet forced to enter simulated dungeons to improve their survival rates. It can be said that their hardships and pressures are something we can never truly understand.”

”For most of us, these are just inconsequential simulated games. But for them, it could be life-saving experience, time and time again.”

”That we can live in such a peaceful and harmonious world is undoubtedly partly due to the contributions of players. To support players, Rongxin donates a large amount of supplies to the government every year and also employs players within the group. However, the power of one person or one group is small. More people should hold friendly sympathy for players.””Just as I was planning this simulation game, I learned that a group of players from District 011, who went to a high-risk game world to develop resources, had all perished. They left no bodies, no single word for the families still waiting for them...”

”I’m willing to donate to players!” a man in an elephant mask shouted loudly. ”Sponsor them with potions and items!”

Following this lead, several others, one after another, expressed their willingness to donate.

”Thank you. I believe those sacrificed players, if they know after death, will also be grateful to you. Your sincerity will surely receive positive returns.” The white-haired man said, ”Before the night tour begins, I propose we all pray for their next life.”

A pulpit was projected in front of him. He flipped through non-existent books and prayed devoutly:

”Though brutality and sin devour the light; ”

”Though slaughter and vileness pollute the world; ”

”We shall never yield to the darkness; ”

”Take up arms, chant holy hymns, drive the enemy back to their filthy lairs; ”

”The enemy is strong, be not cowardly; the enemy is cruel, do not compromise; ”

”God will bless every warrior; a new sun-wheel will guide the path of hope for the dead and the living!”

Vicen Meni’s prayer seemed to infect the people present. With each line he spoke, more joined in the prayer. The voices surged towards the Dome Ceiling. After he uttered, ”Honor our warriors,” golden-white light rained down from the dome, shining upon everyone.

Xu Huo watched those people looking up, closing their eyes as if bathing in holiness, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He now understood the purpose of those murals.

Guests entering the simulation game couldn’t use items, but the game venue could. It was hard to say where in this game item powers were deployed. Seeing how worked up these people were getting, the Palace Night Tour was fake; indoctrination and brainwashing were the real goals.

”Are the people down there okay?” someone not far away questioned. ”Didn’t they come to play a game? Why start preaching here? What’s the point? Was the money wasted?”

At that moment, Vicen Meni on the announcement platform waved his hand. An altar appeared behind him. Raising both hands high, he declared, ”God protects us; we should also give back to God. Who is willing to offer themselves here, to serve God in another world?”

The noisy grand hall fell silent.

”For God, should we not offer our loyalty?” Vicen Meni seemed utterly oblivious to the strange looks around him. The snake eyes on his mask stared straight ahead, looking at no one, yet seeming to look at everyone.

Soon, a person wearing a black wolf mask in the crowd stepped forward.

”Here he is, our sacrifice!” Meni led the applause, and the hall immediately erupted with thunderous clapping.

Xu Huo’s gaze darkened. The black wolf mask was the person who had deliberately approached Fox earlier. The two had already made contact within the crowd moments ago. Now, Black Wolf was actively offering himself as a sacrifice?

He wasn’t the only one who found it strange. Fox and Hyena began slowly backing away.

People behind tried to push forward, so the two weren’t particularly conspicuous. The turning point came the moment Black Wolf lay down on the altar. Seeing the golden short sword in Meni’s hand, Black Wolf suddenly sprang up, jumped off the altar, and fled into the crowd!

Meni, holding the sword, sighed, then loudly proclaimed, ”The disloyal must confess to God. Catch him and bring him back.”

He didn’t command anyone specifically, but as soon as he finished speaking, guests immediately reached out to block Black Wolf. Shouts and jeers mingled together. Participants of the Palace Night Tour began voluntarily joining this forced sacrifice.

Black Wolf was dragged back onto the altar, screaming in terror, ”I don’t want to be sacrificed! Let me go!”

Meni looked at him with pity. ”Young man, everyone must take responsibility for what they have done.”

Black Wolf tried to argue, but the people beside him directly covered his mouth. ”It’s not like you’ll really die anyway...”

The golden short sword severed Black Wolf’s head. Blood flowed over the altar, and the people below cheered.

Meni held Black Wolf’s head high. ”I have just received divine revelation. There are still rebels here. The blood of the betrayer will guide me to find them!”

The blood on the altar began to surge, converging into thin snakes that slithered down the announcement platform and burrowed into the crowd.

The guests hastily made way. Among those blood snakes, two sped towards Fox and Hyena. The two shoved aside the people around them and ran. Immediately, someone excitedly shouted, ”Catch them! Bring them to the altar!”

The guests in the grand hall joined the frenzy, chasing after the blood snakes and running out. Some people from the second floor also followed with keen interest.

Vicen Meni, who had orchestrated it all, disappeared from the announcement platform with a dancing step. The next second, he reappeared in one of the corridors leading away from the grand hall.

This made Xu Huo abandon the idea of pursuing Fox. He came down from upstairs and followed instead. Unexpectedly, when he entered the corridor, the man was already gone. The corridor had branching paths on both sides, and it was unclear which way he had gone.

Walking slowly past two intersections, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of a figure moving not far away. He quickened his pace, but that person was waiting at the corner, directly intercepting him. From behind the hollow golden butterfly mask, a pair of purple eyes appeared. ”Why are you following me?”