Chapter 38: Digging a Pit

“To cooperate with the arrest, you can choose one item from her belongings, or you can simply provide information and I will give you a bottle of P0 Evolver.” Nie Xuan said immediately.

“A potion, but I want a P1 Evolver,” Xu Huo said.

Nie Xuan’s expression showed a hint of disappointment.

However, Xu Huo smiled and said, “This isn't a loss for you at all. If you catch that Red Player, not only will you gain an additional experimental sample, but you can also obtain information about other players and the status of the dungeons.”

Nie Xuan raised an eyebrow. He knew the man wouldn't reveal details about the dungeons to him. Though disappointed, it was acceptable.

The current situation was unstable. Most players were wary of the outside world. Someone like Xu Huo, who proactively appeared and could negotiate terms so calmly, was considered quite reasonable.

Previously, he had encountered several players: some were driven to mental instability by the shock, prone to indiscriminate attacks if provoked by a few words; others had become so inflated by ego that they believed they could go head-to-head with the state machinery; and some simply tried every possible way to flee, refusing to cooperate even when caught.

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

“The Special Affairs Bureau has just been established, and the government is currently recruiting personnel. The benefits provided across all sectors are quite good. If you are interested, you can contact me at any time.”

“I’ll consider it.” Xu Huo found paper and a pen to write down Liu Yuanyuan’s physical characteristics, her accent, and several small details.

Seeing that he was even drawing a simple sketch on the side, Nie Xuan felt he could try to win him over further. “This is a good start. I hope we can cooperate more in the future. I can also fight for the maximum benefits for you.”

Xu Huo pushed the paper over and raised his wine bottle. “To a pleasant cooperation.”

“Regarding the game dungeons, how much do you know?”

Nie Xuan picked up his water glass and took a sip. “We possess a significant amount of information. You can trust us.”

“You know the principle behind an Evolver's evolution?” Xu Huo set down his wine bottle.

“Of course. The expert group is already conducting experiments in this area. We will soon be able to suppress an Evolver's hunger,” Nie Xuan answered without hesitation.

“If one goes a long time without taking an Evolver potion, will there be side effects?”

“No. The Evolver potion 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 first, and then shifted his gaze to the glass of water.

“I didn't expect you to notice so quickly.” Xu Huo gave an apologetic smile. “My apologies. I just wanted to test the effect of the potion, and you happened to walk right into it.”

Nie Xuan let out a cold snort and turned to leave.

After going downstairs, he got into a van parked by the street.

“Did the talk go smoothly?” the secretary, who had accompanied him to question Xu Huo last time, asked.

Nie Xuan opened his mouth and then closed it. When he raised his hand, a Hello Kitty hand puppet was on his palm. The cat's mouth opened and closed, and an electronic child's voice flowed out

“He played me. It's not convenient for me to speak right now.”

The youthful voice and the warm, fuzzy toy were the complete opposite of Nie Xuan's persona. The secretary wanted to laugh but didn't dare. “Should we proceed with the arrest?”

“No need,” the puppet continued. “He is not a Red Player. Moreover, this person is very intelligent—a player with great potential. The country needs manpower right now.”

“Give this to the technical team and have them find this person. He is a Red Player and is very dangerous. Tell everyone to be careful when making the arrest.”

The secretary took the note, clipped it into a notebook, and asked, “Do we need to continue surveillance?”

Nie Xuan thought for a moment. “Withdraw the snipers and the Special Affairs personnel. Set up a surveillance point near his rented residence. No need for 24-hour close monitoring; just confirm that he is in Ting City.”

“Recently, there have been cases of mass disappearances and mass dismemberment across the country. The missing and the killed include the elderly, the weak, women, and children. Most do not possess Evolver characteristics. We have had two cases here in Ting City as well. I suspect they are related to the dungeons. Try to concentrate our manpower on searching for the dungeons.”

“I understand,” the secretary nodded.

“Deliver this potion and his identification to him. Find a way to get a sample of the water on his desk.” Nie Xuan picked up the aluminum case at 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 somewhat embarrassed. “By the time I got there, the glass had already been washed clean. He also said he was going to move, and that he would treat you to a housewarming meal once he found a new place.”

Nie Xuan's eyelid twitched, but he suppressed his anger within a second. “Forget it. Just draw my blood.”

Inside the hotel room, after dismissing Nie Xuan and his men, Xu Huo swirled the tube of Evolver potion. The item was correct—it was a P1 Evolver potion—but he had no intention of taking it now.

The dependency and side effects of the Evolver potion were too strong. He didn't want to swallow something that acted like a time bomb unless absolutely necessary.

Putting the potion away, he picked up his phone. It had been vibrating constantly since he emerged from the game.

Aside from dozens of friend requests, most of which were 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 initial screening train to the end of Xu Huo's first dungeon, in just three short days, Liu Jia had sent nearly fifty messages.

Some of them expressed her wish to meet him in person to thank him. Others mentioned that Professor Han's symptoms had worsened after getting off the train; green pustules had appeared on his body, and after entering the hospital, he was taken away by certain professionals, while she herself had joined a local government agency.

She had explained most of the situation on the initial screening train, but she and Professor Han had concealed the identities of the other players in their carriage, and they had not been penalized for it.

“If something happens with Professor Han, you can contact me,” he replied via text.

“Mr. Xu, you're back? Professor Han said you definitely went to a dungeon. I knew you would come back safely!” Liu Jia replied instantly, followed by a rapid-fire string of messages.

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

In fact, Professor Han's condition had improved when he got off the train, but his subsequent symptoms were similar to those of the stranded player: pustules appearing on the skin, physical weakness, and signs of muscle atrophy.

“Is it a toxin or a pathogen?”

Did this mean that all Evolvers carried an unknown toxin or pathogen within them? While it made them stronger, it also planted a massive hidden danger within the evolution itself. The Evolver potion had an inhibitory effect, so if one went a long time without using it, the toxin or pathogen would accumulate to a certain level and begin to erode the body.

Would an ordinary player eventually turn into a monster like the ones on the train if they went a long time without taking the potion?

Unfortunately, the authorities currently had no good solution... Xu Huo's brow furrowed deeper. Suddenly, his phone rang. Looking at the name on the screen, he rubbed his temples and answered

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