Xu Huo and Hua Han had no formal master-disciple relationship, but Hua Han had guided him many times. In practice, that was what they were.
The lack of a formal relationship meant Xu Huo was unwilling to bind himself completely to District 011, while Hua Han's guidance rested on a certain compromise.
Hua Han himself was inseparable from District 011, yet the disciple he had found was unwilling to protect it. District 011 could hardly have accepted that willingly, but its many player families were prepared to compromise. Not only did they make things convenient for Xu Huo in every respect, they also repeatedly extended gestures of goodwill. This was not simply an attempt to build a good relationship with him, but a concession to Hua Han's wishes.
In other words, Hua Han belonged to District 011 and shared deep bonds with it, something Xu Huo, who had appeared halfway through, could never match. An assessment of character must also have been a prerequisite in his search for an heir. Even if Xu Huo remained unwilling to bind himself closely to District 011 in the future, he would never turn against it without a shred of feeling.
Even after being explicitly refused, District 011's player families were still willing to yield at every turn. That was probably more out of respect for Hua Han. For a dying man, the greatest show of respect was likely a concession of interests.
As long as Xu Huo was not formally Hua Han's disciple, he could never inherit his estate. All parties must have agreed on that, including Hua Han himself. Yet at today's memorial ceremony, Hua Han had suddenly asked Xu Huo to appear in his place. That amounted to announcing Xu Huo's status indirectly. Once their master-disciple relationship was established, what could