Outside the window, night was deepening, but the lights of Card City were growing brighter. The whole city was immersed in a liveliness unlike the daytime.
In just twenty minutes, the man with the high ponytail had answered three phone calls, growing more impatient each time. After the last one, he turned around and urged his companion to hurry.
There had been people watching from outside the window during this time. They simply hadn't come in yet. Who knew when their patience would run out?
Xu Huo kept his distance from the two and sat by the window, enjoying the city lights as he sipped his wine. He neither interfered with them nor seemed inclined to ask any more questions.
Before long, the manager who had received Xu Huo that afternoon came upstairs. As he personally brought over the hotel's specialty dishes, he reminded him, "In three minutes, a team of Sub-district Players carrying identification will enter the hotel. Under District 001 law, the hotel is required to cooperate for ten minutes. During that time, they have the right to access the top floor and conduct a brief scan outside your door, provided they don't disturb the guests."
Xu Huo gave him a generous tip, then turned to remind the two with the high ponytail, "You heard the manager. The people after you have probably contacted their connections in the District Government and are preparing to hunt you down under a legitimate pretext. There'll likely be quite a few people arriving near the hotel soon. By then, you won't be able to leave even if you want to."
Their only chance to leave was now.
The man with the high ponytail immediately stood up, thanked Xu Huo, and called for his companion to leave.
Not long after the two left,