Kaidan Game Train: Abide Rule or Die!-Chapter 2168: Wrapping Up

The Dou Shengnan incident seemed to have ended just like that. The three main involved personnel in the vortex center: one was randomly sent away by a spatial portal, one was forced to use tickets to leave Zone 008, and the last one fled ahead of time upon sensing trouble—not one of them seemed hurt. However, a chunk of Chongming Bird Administrative Region had collapsed, dozens of players died, and injured civilians were filling the hospitals. If not for the ten-minute delay thanks to the non-game site simulation’s first layer blocking barrier, Chongming Bird’s damage could have been far worse.

This is the infuriating and stifling aspect of Outer Zone players’ attacks: no matter how much trouble they cause, they leave after dusting off their pants, leaving the local people to clean up their messes.

Of course, the matter hasn’t truly ended, as its impact on Zone 008 is gradually expanding.

The players of Zone 008 aren’t foolish. How could they not realize that Dou Shengnan stayed around to stall for time? Therefore, another person who had once appeared alongside her, but wasn’t from this zone, came under focused investigation.

The investigation results naturally pointed to the Tian Family. With significant damage to Chongming Bird Administrative Region, caused partly by the Tian Family, under the pressure from multiple sides, the Lichuan Municipal Government had to publicly announce the investigation of the Tian Family. Besides the previously sealed Tian Family industries and restriction against their members roaming freely, now all Tian Family members must cooperate with the investigation and cannot leave Zone 008 arbitrarily during this period, and all external trades need to cease completely until the investigation concludes.

The investigation is ongoing, concerning the results: those that can be made public will be, while those that cannot will be encrypted and stored away.

This has somewhat quelled the anger of the local people.

Few people actively link this incident to Hengxing Group’s company. There were too many players present at the time, suspected of interference with the entire Chongming Bird Administrative Region’s space-time items, regardless if Rank-A or super Rank, could belong to Dou Shengnan or the two players who engaged her. Overall, after the incident ended, Chongming Bird Administrative Region’s space-time items and instruments returned to normal and provided no further probe opportunity.

Everything seemed to return to calm.

Nie Xuan had been lurking near Chongming Bird Pharmaceuticals for three days.

He had considered retrieving the "Time Tower," but his luggage compartment wasn’t large enough, and without being able to contact Xu Huo, he couldn’t remove the prop, leaving him only to stay there.

Sitting in a restaurant near Chongming Bird Pharmaceuticals, Nie Xuan ate while virtually attending a meeting through Beneath the Dimension with the Special Defense Department.

After the incident ended, the Special Defense Department repeatedly urged him to return and report the situation, but he ignored them until a supervisor player from the Special Defense Department found him today, he couldn’t delay giving them an explanation any longer.

On Beneath the Dimension, the Special Defense Department couldn’t directly inquire about Dou Shengnan’s situation but only asked about him and Xu Huo.

Nie Xuan glanced at the person sitting opposite him. With someone present, surely the Special Defense Department would know about the Chongming Bird’s situation sooner or later. He spoke reservedly, stating Xu Huo was grievously wounded and missing, while he, due to engaging with Dou Shengnan, might be influenced by her props and seemingly showing signs of evolution, needing to temporarily stay in Zone 008.

The memory of Dou Shengnan causing Sea City citizens to line up and leap to their deaths in Zone 014 was vivid. Being able to severely injure her is certainly good news, a revenge for the deceased. Moreover, Nie Xuan and Xu Huo engaged with players of Rank-B against Rank-A strength—this wasn’t merely a victory; it was a hopeful stimulant for the late-entering Zone 014 in the game—talent is the foundation of Zone 014’s future, with players like Nie Xuan and Xu Huo, what’s there to fear?

The Special Defense Department also worried about Xu Huo’s whereabouts. In these three days, they reached out to Xu Huo, received no reply, yet actively sent supplies, including potions, Return Tickets, White Notes, and some defensive spatial artifacts.

As for the other details, they await Nie Xuan’s return for elaboration.

Nie Xuan didn’t say much more, closed his personal panel, and addressed the person before him: "Take the information collected over the past two days back for higher-ups to see; I’ll write a detailed report upon returning."

"You’re still not planning to head back?" Supervisor Gong Zhong was slightly surprised. According to his observations over the past two days, Nie Xuan didn’t seem to break through evolution.

"Opportunities are rare, better to give it a good try," Nie Xuan said, eating a piece of meat while glancing at him, "You could stay and try too."

Gong Zhong shook his head, "You’ve had numerous unsuccessful attempts yourself, and especially here."

Even in designated space-time evolutionary sites, attempts were unsuccessful, and here is merely a Rank-A battlefield.

"You’ve been away for a while," Gong Zhong hesitated to speak.

"Speak your mind," Nie Xuan said.

"Remember the new recruit from last time? Got heavily utilized upon arrival?" — they try to omit personal names and specific locations as it’s inconvenient outside.

Nie Xuan paused, "What’s up with him?"

"Unsure if it’s due to a unique experience, but he slightly differs from what we’ve previously documented. This person is ruthless, disregards rules, and uses any means," Gong Zhong hesitated to add, "I sense the higher-ups aim to utilize him; his promotion is swift... Are they trying to challenge you?"

Since the Special Defense Department’s upheaval, Nie Xuan theoretically remained in a key position, but he had entered the national core of power management, and his style earned respect from system players, even those with differing stances admired his character.

After his legs presented issues, he resorted to some hard-handed measures to expedite cleanup efforts for Special Defense and tackle emerging Cannibal Player organizations, grabbing power. Subsequently, he engaged in Special Defense high-level personnel reshuffles, rousing some dissatisfaction. So the Special Defense couldn’t entirely let him be, hence Gong Zhong’s concern; indeed, Special Defense and military consistently cultivated talent, albeit with no particularly outstanding ones previously.

"With the current situation back home, the more talent, the better, one or two people alone can’t uphold," Nie Xuan carelessly replied, "It’d be great to have more people like Old Xu."

Gong Zhong chuckled despite himself, "Multiply them, and the higher-ups might lose sleep."

"Who cares if they sleep, as long as someone else can," Nie Xuan remarked, giving a few more instructions, sending him off to work, "Don’t assign investigators anymore, since nobody died, getting attention wouldn’t be good."

Gong Zhong seriously nodded, assuring caution, wished Nie Xuan success in evolution, then left the restaurant.

Nie Xuan finished his meal, didn’t focus on Chongming Bird Pharmaceuticals, instead downed the prepared Healing Potion in one go.

Three days have passed, his injuries haven’t healed, uncertain of Xu Huo’s exact circumstances.