"I know you're very capable, Brother Xu," Li Kun continued. "Splitting everything three ways might seem a little unfair to you, but Duan Cheng brought us the information about the dungeon, and I have an Ability that helps me find things. We'll each be contributing in our own way. Still, if you don't think that's fair, we can discuss it."
Any items found in a dungeon belonged to whoever found them. That was far too tempting for Players, and the greater the temptation, the more the danger increased—especially when it came from one's companions. So they hadn't dared work with B-class Players. Instead, they had chosen Xu Huo, who had kept his promise after agreeing to work with Li Kun. To protect themselves, they had decided on a two-against-one arrangement.
Xu Huo might have his limits, but they didn't know whether he would lower them when faced with a huge temptation. Two people would be safer.
"Two against one. However you look at it, I'm the one at a disadvantage." Xu Huo tapped his fingers on the table. "I'll probably be the muscle on this trip. I'll contribute more and take greater risks. If I get hurt, how can you guarantee I'll be able to leave the dungeon safely?"
Empty promises wouldn't do. "Besides, I don't believe in making a contract. A contract between Players has no game acting as a third party, so it can't be trusted."
That was different from an Artificer's direct working relationship with the game. Once an item was complete, the Artificer would have the game acknowledge it according to the proper procedure. During that process, they could also add personal touches, such as requiring a spoken phrase to activate the item, or setting rules to make it easier to use. Having the game oversee