Just as he was pulling the door open, Xu Huo suddenly asked, "Can I buy on credit if I don't have any White Notes?"
The attendant spoke kindly, "Of course, we welcome buying on credit."
Xu Huo pocketed three hundred White Notes and, under everyone's gaze, pressed the doorbell for the first-class carriage.
This time, Nie Xuan was the one who opened the door; he had anticipated Xu Huo would come to the first-class carriage again, so he had been waiting by the door.
Seeing the identical coaster paper, he smiled and said, "Selling information?"
Unfortunately, the first-class carriage had no shortage of smart people with money, and several had already received tips from the attendant.
"Two hundred White Notes for the information I have, or we can trade with your information."
"Three hundred White Notes for a hidden rule, and you can also trade with a hidden rule."
Nie Xuan wasn't very interested in the information on the paper; he too had received a napkin from the attendant earlier, but it only contained a piece of information that was of no real value.
Nie Xuan made a decision quickly, closed the carriage door, and spoke privately with Xu Huo in the connecting carriage.
"How many hidden rules have you found?"
"Two," Xu Huo said as they exchanged papers, raising an eyebrow, "How much did you pay for this information?"
"Three hundred White Notes." Nie Xuan folded the paper Xu Huo had given him—bearing the message "Stay alert at night"—back to him, "How about yours?"
"One hundred." Xu Huo passed over the slip that read, "Do not turn on the lights."
Nie Xuan paid him five hundred White Notes. "I'll take a discount and buy your two pieces of information."
Xu Huo pocketed the money readily, using the act of smoking to cover his mouth and nose, and said in a lowered voice, "Passengers from lower-class carriages cannot enter higher-class ones unless someone opens the door."
Nie Xuan understood instantly. In this connecting carriage, the door to the second-class compartment had no doorbell, but the first-class did, and Xu Huo had pressed the doorbell just before.
"Are you sure?"
"Third-class compartments don't have doorbells; the rear door of the second-class does." Xu Huo raised his cigarette again, "The second piece, you can buy meals in the carriage on credit."
First-class players were not lacking in White Notes, more than enough for three days, but there were people in the second and third classes buying on credit—what did this imply? What would they settle with after three days?
The broadcast had mentioned that players would be evaluated and categorized based on their performance. Buying on credit would very likely be deducted in this respect, so buying on credit was a last resort.
What's more, most passengers boarded the train with empty stomachs. If everyone was rated based on being well-fed, what were the standards for ranking? What was the point of the initial assessment?
This information was crucial, indicating other potential hidden rules.
Nie Xuan also grasped the implications and, looking at Xu Huo who remained indifferent, reminded, "The train is relatively safe for the players."
Xu Huo turned his head to look out at the scenery, once again becoming wary of the seemingly transparent situation. The attendant had the right to expel players, did this imply that leaving the train was the only road to death?
"Don't sell that first piece of information to anyone else," Nie Xuan added.
The higher-class compartments had no restrictions entering the lower-class ones. Didn't it mean that people from first-class could easily attack those in second-class?
Xu Huo didn't respond. Players were assigned to compartments based on their assets; higher-class didn't necessarily mean stronger abilities.
Stronger abilities aren't guaranteed, but punishment might be. Rational people would hesitate, and for the mindless, whether they know or not, it doesn't change their instincts.
After the exchange was completed, Xu Huo didn't leave. Soon, another person came out from the first-class carriage, "I want to buy the information you have."
Although the people in first class had more money, not many of them came out to buy information, but that was sufficient.
Returning to the second-class carriage, his pockets now contained two thousand seven hundred White Notes. The meal ordering period wasn't over yet, so he called the attendant and added two more bowls of noodles, one for himself and one for the old man.
The old man hesitated before uttering his thanks and invited Yan Jiayu to eat together.
"Good people are rewarded with good fortune." Yan Jiayu wolfed down the noodles and said to Xu Huo, "Benefactor, you too are a good person."
Xu Huo quickly finished his noodles, leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes to rest, and slowly sorted through the information gained.
One hundred White Notes were exchanged for the reminder to "stay awake at night," while the tip for three hundred White Notes was "don't turn on the lights." "Lights out at 8 p.m." was written in the riding rules, indicating that the consequences of turning on the lights at night were at least more severe than falling asleep.
The switches inside the carriage were traps.
Players in the first-class carriage generally had a stronger purchasing power than those in second class, and what the heavily made-up woman said was mostly true. Players were assigned to carriages based on assets, but she likely didn't have more information.
She didn't care about the information bought from the attendants. It could be a bluff or it could mean she held a winning hand.
However, the preliminary train was clearly a survival game filled with hidden traps. Having more security meant less risk, and with bloody players also on board, there were too many uncertainties. The latter possibility was not likely.
When there was chaos in the third-class carriage, she was the first to go block the door—was it because she didn't understand the rules, or was it deliberate?
Xu Huo paused his thoughts briefly before quickly moving on to the next piece of information.
The seemingly hidden but actually obvious setting that higher-class carriages can enter lower-class ones was also a trap. The riding rules explicitly stated that entering other carriages was forbidden, which, on the surface, seemed to imply that players in higher-class carriages were stronger than those in lower-class ones. However, the reality was that the division of strength was not that clear.
In such circumstances, entering other carriages was absolutely unwise, unless everyone in one's own carriage was dead or only bloody players were left.
Bloody players were the known threat.
According to the information revealed by the courier woman, the preliminary train would certainly segregate bloody players, but ordinary players did not guarantee immunity to temptation, and those who hadn't eaten the train's food and were hungry could also fall.
But players could incur debts, making it impossible to grade and categorize players as long as none were starving. So the significance of food would likely not last beyond twenty-four hours.
The difference lay in whether food's effect on normal players was the same as on bloody players.
With this in mind, the disruption on the first day would most likely occur after lights out.
Xu Huo half-closed his eyes, observing every person in the carriage.
With the craving for excessive eating no longer troubling them, the atmosphere in the carriage wasn't as tense as before. The melon-faced woman and Li Fei flirted with each other, Chen Yi toyed with his toothbrush, and the square-faced man had his hands in his pockets.
He Yang was playing mobile games with the ponytailed female student, Professor Han kept typing on his phone, the middle-aged woman stood still with her hands folded in front of her, the heavily made-up woman rested with her eyes closed, and Yan Jiayu chatted with the old man.
Until three in the afternoon, there were no announcements on the train.
The group of four at Li Fei's table whispered among themselves until he stood up, looked around at everyone, and cleared his throat, "We're all in the same boat now. Whether you believe me or not, if we fight among ourselves, we'll definitely die faster. Let's take turns keeping watch at the door tonight... No objections, right?"
With the appetite for binge eating no longer a concern, it was time to consider practical matters.
Seeing no opposition, he continued, "None of us know much about the preliminary train. I suggest we share information so we can better cope with emergencies."
Glances from pairs and trios alike turned toward the heavily made-up woman and Xu Huo.