Toyaru, 4 PM.
The highest classroom in Suzuran.
Uncle Yuan heard Ryuzaki Shin's cold words.
His body instantly stiffened!
He slowly turned around.
He saw that the young man who should have been watching videos in the classroom had, at some unknown point, silently appeared behind him.
He was looking down at him with an expression that seemed to be looking at a dead man.
"You... you..."
Uncle Yuan looked at Ryuzaki Shin's face, which held a sinister smile, and felt his hands and feet turn icy cold.
He knew he had seen something he shouldn't have.
Serizawa couldn't possibly be involved in smuggling, so the real smuggler was this seemingly young man in front of him.
Uncle Yuan knew better than anyone what kind of people smugglers were like.
Because... he used to be one of them.
Uncle Yuan gave an awkward laugh.
"Little brother, let's... let's talk this out nicely."
Uncle Yuan suppressed the fear in his heart, forcing out a smile uglier than a cry.
However, Ryuzaki Shin seemed not to have heard him.
He just slowly raised his hand and took the freshly lit cigarette from his mouth.
Then, under Uncle Yuan's slightly terrified gaze, he slowly pressed it onto his shoulder!
"Sizzle—!"
A nauseating sound of burning flesh echoed in the silent corridor!
Accompanying it was Uncle Yuan's muffled groan of pain!
Uncle Yuan was drenched in sweat from the pain, but he still gritted his teeth and didn't say another word.
He just stared intently at Ryuzaki Shin with his clouded eyes.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at him like this, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Oh?
This old man's bones aren't soft!
He released his hand, casually tossing the extinguished cigarette butt onto the ground.
Then, he slowly opened his mouth and said,
"Old man, you should know that some things shouldn't be seen."
"If you see them, you have to pay... the price."
Serizawa came out at this moment and saw Uncle Yuan's appearance.
He pulled Uncle Yuan away, looking at the cigarette burn on Uncle Yuan's shoulder.
His face showed some anxiety, and after a brief thought, he twisted Uncle Yuan's body around and gently pushed him.
"You old fool, who told you to come here."
"You have cataracts and severe hearing loss, what can you see or hear up here? I told you I'd give you the money for the spray paint when I got back, but you still insisted on chasing after me for it!"
Serizawa had worked in Uncle Yuan's shop for several years. The old man treated him kindly because he was young, and he didn't want to see anything happen to the old man.
But who knew Uncle Yuan wouldn't leave, pulling Serizawa and insisting on going downstairs.
"Kid, I'm not deaf or blind. Serizawa, you kid, come with me. Don't get involved with this stuff. Once you do, your life will be over."
He tugged at Serizawa twice, but Serizawa didn't speak and just stood there, so Uncle Yuan couldn't pull him away.
Serizawa's heart was currently in a fierce struggle.
On one side was Uncle Yuan, who treated him like his own son and gave him a place to stay.
On the other side was the man who opened the door to a new world for him—Ryuzaki Shin!
His mind involuntarily recalled his past, struggling life.
Waking up before dawn every day, following Uncle Yuan to get supplies, his hands stained with unremovable engine oil, and lunch being discounted, nearly expired bento from a convenience store.
He was truly fed up with that kind of life!
He didn't want to be stuck in that dilapidated repair shop his whole life, smelling engine oil, tightening screws, and then turning into an old man like Uncle Yuan, whose future could be seen at a glance!
Serizawa Tamao, he was the King of Beasts!
He should stand in a higher place!
He looked at Uncle Yuan, his voice hoarse but incredibly firm: "Uncle Yuan, this is my own choice."
"I'm truly fed up with that life rotting in the mud!"
"I want to wear the best clothes, drive the coolest cars, and live in the best houses! I don't want to bow my head for a 10,000 yen tip anymore! Serizawa Tamao, I shouldn't just be a car mechanic!"
He took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism, and said, word by word:
"Only by following Shin-nii can I see the true pinnacle!"
Uncle Yuan heard these words, remained silent for a long time, and finally gave a bitter smile.
He knew he couldn't dissuade this awakened "King of Beasts."
He remembered a few years ago, the first time that fifteen-year-old boy appeared at his shop door.
That afternoon, the sun was just right. He was sitting at the entrance, eating a freshly bought pork cutlet rice.
A tall and thin boy, like a bean sprout, but with unusually stubborn eyes, stared intently at the lunchbox in his hand, his Adam's apple uncontrollably bobbing up and down.
"Hey, kid, want some?" he asked with a smile at the time.
The boy didn't speak, just turned his head away, but his stomach grumbled uncontrollably.
"Here you go." He pushed the lunchbox over.
The boy hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he couldn't resist the temptation of hunger and devoured the pork cutlet rice until it was spotless.
From that day on, the boy stayed in the shop, working for several years.
Uncle Yuan had no children and had long considered this silly boy, who didn't say it aloud but was kinder than anyone at heart, as his own son.
How could he just watch him embark on a path of murder and burial?
No, absolutely not!
But if this kid really wants to go, I can only use my old bones to watch over him.
Uncle Yuan looked at Serizawa, then at the playful Ryuzaki Shin. He knew that his old bones would have to take a gamble today.
He turned his gaze back to Ryuzaki Shin, his eyes sharpening: "Kid, I can tell you're different from those fools who only know how to fight and kill. You look ruthless, and you don't seem stupid."
"Since Serizawa has chosen you, this old man can only take a gamble."
Uncle Yuan suddenly slapped his prosthetic leg and said in a deep voice: "You probably won't be able to sell this batch of goods!!"
Ryuzaki Shin raised an eyebrow, oh?
Does this little old man have connections?
To be honest, let alone not being able to sell it, he had never dealt with this kind of goods and didn't even know their value.
This old man was tough, and Serizawa had mentioned that he used to be involved in the underworld. Could he have connections?
Ryuzaki Shin's lips curved upwards: "Old man, I've watched you two act for a long time. Just say what you want."
Uncle Yuan said in a deep voice.
"When I used to be in the underworld, I was specifically responsible for distributing goods for several large organizations. I know who can sell this batch of goods, and I even have some connections myself! As long as you agree to two conditions, I'll help you with this!"
Ryuzaki Shin raised an eyebrow: "Speak."
Uncle Yuan held up two fingers: "First, Serizawa cannot participate in the smuggling!"
After saying this.
A young man's smiling face involuntarily appeared in Uncle Yuan's mind.
That face, like Serizawa's, was once full of aspirations for the future, but in the end, it was forever frozen on a cold tombstone.
His eyes, in an instant, became incredibly fierce!
"Second, if you truly rise in the future, help me with one thing!"
Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
He knew that Uncle Yuan was using his own value to exchange for Serizawa's safety, and then there was another condition.
Ryuzaki Shin asked: "If I ask you to blow up Sakura Country, I can't do that."
Uncle Yuan smiled, a hint of relief and madness in his smile: "Don't worry, with your methods, if you truly grow, this condition will definitely not be difficult for you."
"Deal." Ryuzaki Shin agreed without hesitation, "But, Uncle Yuan, you need to understand that once you're on my ship, it won't be so easy to get off."
"Hahahahaha!" Uncle Yuan burst out laughing, "My rotten life should have ended long ago. Now, to see some hope before I die, it's worth it!"
...
5 PM.
Toharyu City Police Headquarters.
The corridor lights were stark white and devoid of warmth, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
"Officer, we've had frogmen searching the sea for a day, but there's been no discovery," a young officer quickly approached Officer Kirishima, head bowed, his voice tinged with a fear that prevented him from meeting her gaze.
Officer Kirishima did not speak.
She simply stood silently by the window, watching the scorching sun outside gradually set, a slender lady's cigarette between her fingers, its crimson glow flickering in the dim corridor.
"As expected."
After a long while, she slowly exhaled a plume of blue smoke, her voice cold and devoid of emotion.
"The sea area where they threw things is very deep; how could it be found so easily?"
She extinguished the half-smoked cigarette in her hand on a nearby trash can.
A cold glint flashed in her eyes, hidden behind her glasses.
"It seems we can only pry things out of the living."
... Interrogation Room A.
The blinding fluorescent light shone directly from the ceiling, illuminating the entire room without a single shadow, and making Tokaji Yuji's already somewhat pale face even more bloodless.
His hands were locked to the table by cold handcuffs; opposite him was Saeko.
Saeko said nothing, just watched him silently, her gaze as calm as if she were looking at an inanimate object.
But Tokaji Yuji felt as if he were being stared down by a top predator, every pore on his body uncontrollably constricting!
Finally, after Saeko unhurriedly took a sip of water, she tossed a document bag onto the table.
Then, she pulled out several photos from it, one by one, and arranged them in front of Tokaji.
The photos showed two bloodied corpses, disfigured and extremely gruesome and sickening.
"Tokaji Yuji, third-year Suzuran student, former Serizawa Army cadre, current core member of the True Dragon Society."
As a police officer, it was not difficult for Saeko to investigate the True Dragon Society's background.
Saeko's voice was cold and flat, as if she were reading an unimportant report.
"We have already found the heavy object you threw into the sea at Chengnan Beach."
"You've seen what's inside."
Saeko's words were actually very vague, not specifying what was thrown in.
Her guess that there were corpses inside was actually just Saeko's intuition.
In reality, it was a bluff to Tokaji, to see his reaction.
Tokaji Yuji looked at the photos, his stomach churning. He suppressed the nausea, gritted his teeth, and said coldly, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Saeko smiled.
There was no warmth in that smile, only the purest mockery and... pity... Interrogation Room B.
"Tamura Chuta, Suzuran, former boss of third-year Class E, current core member of the True Dragon Society."
An old detective, appearing to be in his fifties with graying hair but exceptionally sharp eyes, was leisurely sipping tea, watching Chuta, who was on the verge of tears, with an all-knowing gaze.
"Kid, don't resist."
The old detective put down his teacup, sighed, and slowly said in a heartfelt tone, "Your accomplice, Tokaji Yuji, has already confessed everything."
"Now, it depends on your attitude."
"Do you want to be the principal offender and rot in prison for life, or do you want to be a tainted witness and strive for leniency? You... choose."
Chuta's body instantly stiffened at these words!
The color drained from his already pale face, which was already pale from fear!
Brother Tokaji... confessed?!
... Prisoner's Dilemma.
This is the most classic and effective psychological tactic in interrogation.
Saeko knew very well that although Tokaji Yuji was a student, according to the information she gathered, he was intelligent and mentally strong.
It might take a while to extract anything from him.
However, Chuta was different.
Although this kid was also considered a Suzuran cadre, investigations showed that he was merely a street thug with a bit of cunning, who hadn't seen any truly big scenes.
With just a little pressure, his defenses would instantly collapse.
Indeed!
Although Tokaji Yuji still maintained a tough front, his slightly trembling fingertips and unconsciously bobbing Adam's apple had already betrayed his inner panic.
On the other side, Chuta's psychological defenses had completely collapsed!
He looked at the 'kindly' old detective in front of him, then thought of his sister who was still in the countryside, and his tears, no longer able to be held back, silently streamed down like broken pearls.
Just as this breakthrough was about to be completely torn open!
"Excuse me, I apologize for the interruption."
The door to the interrogation room was gently pushed open from the outside.
A woman, dressed in a well-tailored black suit skirt, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and exuding an elite aura that was out of place here, slowly walked in, her high heels clicking crisply.
A formal, impeccable smile was on her face, but there was no warmth in her eyes, hidden behind the lenses.
"I am Asano Kaori, the attorney for Tokaji Yuji and Tamura Chuta."
Xia Zhi
Saeko's pupils sharply contracted when she saw the newcomer!
And the woman, upon seeing Saeko, her formal smile showed an extremely subtle crack.
The gazes of two equally powerful, equally proud women silently collided in the air!
The air, at that moment, seemed to solidify!
"Officer Kirishima, long time no see."
Asano Kaori spoke first, her voice soft and magnetic, but her tone carried a hint of formal politeness and detachment.
"I didn't expect you to actually become a police officer after graduation."
"Attorney Asano, I also didn't expect you to choose to... be someone's watchdog."
Saeko's response was even more direct and full of hostility.
Seeing Xia Zhi come to defend these two, Saeko knew it must be at the behest of someone behind them.
This further confirmed her suspicion that there was something going on behind these two! Even if it had nothing to do with the port case, it was related to something else.
After a brief exchange, both tacitly withdrew their gazes and quickly got down to business.
Xia Zhi walked to the table, not even glancing at the bloody photos, but simply picked up the so-called "body salvage report" and casually flipped through it.
Then, she pushed up her glasses, a playful curve on her lips.
Her voice was still as calm, but every word was incisive, precisely dissecting the trap Saeko had meticulously laid.
"Officer Kirishima, this report... is full of loopholes."
"First, the salvage time on the report is 4 AM today, but according to the Toharyu City Marine Meteorological Bureau's data, during that time, the tide at Chengnan Beach was at its lowest point, with a water depth of less than three meters. Were your frogmen searching for bodies in the mud?"
"Secondly, the water environment in the photos is clearly a deep-sea area with clear water, while the seabed of Chengnan Beach is mainly composed of mud, sand, and reefs, with turbid water. These two simply don't match."
She paused, casually tossing the fabricated report onto the table, then continued in an extremely calm tone, "Using such fabricated evidence to induce a confession is illegal."
"My clients have the right to remain silent, and to sue you."
Saeko's face remained cold. Looking at this impeccable woman, she felt a trace of annoyance for the first time.
"They are suspected of engaging in group brawls; we are merely conducting routine questioning."
"Brawl?"
Xia Zhi smiled.
She pointed to Tokaji and Chuta's equally bruised and swollen faces, then to the obvious injuries on their bodies.
"If it was a brawl, then I believe they would be very willing to reconcile with each other. Did you ask for their opinion?"
"Furthermore..."
Her voice, at this moment, became cold and full of oppressive force!
"You have detained them for more than twenty-four hours without any direct evidence, which is also illegal."
"Now, I want to apply for bail for my clients."
A silent war, revolving around legal procedures, chains of evidence, and psychological games, thus unfolded.
Ultimately, under Xia Zhi's precise and airtight professional defense, like a textbook example, Saeko, though unwilling, had no choice but to watch Tokaji and Chuta successfully bailed out due to the lack of any substantial evidence.
Before leaving, Asano Kaori stopped.
She slowly turned around, looking at Officer Kirishima, who was watching her with a gloomy expression.
A confident and professional smile reappeared on her face.
A meaningful curve played on her lips.
"Officer Kirishima."
"Next time you want to arrest my clients, remember..."
"Bring real evidence."
"Otherwise..."
"You will bear the consequences."
----------
Does anyone have any recommendations for works that match Saeko's image? None of my own readings fit.
I tried to create the image myself, but I couldn't capture the feeling I had in mind.
Toyaru City, six o'clock in the afternoon.
The top floor of a seemingly ordinary antique tea house.
A Japanese-style room filled with Zen aesthetics.
The room's decor was extremely refined, every object exuding understated luxury.
The floor was made of a single piece of precious Phoebe zhennan wood, and on the wall hung a timeless ink wash landscape painting with a profound artistic conception.
In the bronze censer in the corner, top-grade agarwood was burning, its elegant and calming fragrance enough to instantly soothe anyone feeling restless.
However, none of the three men kneeling in the center of the room at this moment could calm down.
Their foreheads were covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
Before them was a middle-aged man, dressed in a plain kimono, with a refined appearance, looking to be only in his forties.
He was kneeling on the tatami, meticulously performing a tea ceremony.
His movements were fluid and graceful, every detail imbued with Zen, forming a stark contrast with the noisy city outside the window.
He was Watanabe Takehiko, a well-known philanthropist in Toyaru City, and a great benefactor in the eyes of countless citizens.
He was also the true ruler of Red Scorpion.
Watanabe Takehiko, with an extremely elegant posture, gently placed a freshly brewed matcha tea, still steaming, in front of Kageyama, who was kneeling at the very front.
His voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, devoid of any emotion.
"Kageyama, have you still not found that shipment at the port?"
Kageyama's body trembled violently; he didn't even dare to look at the tea cup so close to him.
He just pressed his forehead deeper and tighter against the cold wooden floor, his voice trembling uncontrollably with fear.
"Boss! I... I failed in my duty! Please give me a little more time!"
Watanabe Takehiko ignored him and turned his gaze to the cadre kneeling in the middle—
Kikuchi, a leader responsible for collecting monthly dues from all establishments in Karasumachi.
"Kikuchi, today's monthly dues seem to be... an hour late."
Kikuchi's body trembled even more violently; he kowtowed, explaining incoherently:
"Boss! The people I sent to collect the money... they... they haven't returned! I can't reach them by phone either..."
"Oh?"
After hearing this, Watanabe Takehiko's face still held that gentle smile.
He slowly drew a quaint wakizashi from beneath the tea table beside him, its chilling gleam still shimmering in the dim light.
Wakizashi
A wakizashi is a type of Japanese sword, also known as a side sword.
Its blade length is 30cm-60cm; as a samurai's backup weapon, it was rarely used in daily life.
He walked behind Kikuchi and gently patted his cheek with the cold blade.
The movement was as tender as caressing a lover's face.
But his voice was devoid of any emotion, chillingly cold.
"Kikuchi, you know, what I hate most are people who are not punctual."
"Time is the rule."
"Breaking the rules means... accepting punishment."
No sooner had he finished speaking!
He suddenly covered Kikuchi's mouth, and the wakizashi in his hand, like cutting tofu, cleanly sliced open his throat!
Blood instantly gushed out, staining the expensive tatami.
Kikuchi's body convulsed violently, his eyes, which had been filled with fear, instantly widened, filled with disbelief and... endless despair.
Finally, his body went limp, completely still.
The room instantly fell into a deathly silence.
Only the gasps of Kageyama and the last cadre remained.
In the air, the once elegant agarwood scent was instantly replaced by a strong, nauseating smell of blood.
Kageyama felt his bladder tighten, and a warm liquid uncontrollably soaked his crotch.
He couldn't even utter a plea for mercy, only roaring frantically in his heart:
It's over!
It's over!
Boss... Boss is in a very bad mood today!
Watanabe Takehiko was indeed in a very bad mood.
He had failed to capture Ryuzaki Shin as ordered by his superiors and had been warned by them.
Of course, the main reason was that he had been busy with smuggling recently and couldn't spare the manpower.
No matter what, making money was still the most important thing for him.
But ever since that smuggled shipment was hijacked, his mood had been far from pleasant.
As for Kikuchi, if he couldn't even handle collecting monthly dues, he was just wasting air by being alive.
Watanabe Takehiko acted as if he had done something insignificant.
He pulled out a snow-white silk handkerchief from his embrace and, unhurriedly, wiped the blood from the blade until it was spotless.
Then, he turned his gaze to the third cadre, who had been kneeling motionless in place like a statue the entire time.
The man wore a ferocious demon mask, revealing only a pair of cold, emotionless eyes.
He was Guisha.
A man responsible for all of Red Scorpion's combat.
The sharpest blade, who only obeyed Watanabe Takehiko's orders.
"Guisha, take your men and go look around the streets."
Watanabe Takehiko's voice was still as calm as ever.
"I'd like to know who is so blind as to dare touch my Watanabe Takehiko's money."
Guisha did not speak, merely nodded respectfully, then silently disappeared through the doorway.
Finally, Watanabe Takehiko slowly walked to Kageyama, who was almost wetting himself with fear.
He gently rested the still blood-scented wakizashi on his neck.
He looked at Kageyama, his smile still as gentle as ever.
"Kageyama, do you know why I'm not killing you?"
Kageyama's body trembled like a sieve; he stammered, answering in an almost pleading tone:
"Because... because I'm still useful..."
"It's good that you know."
Watanabe nodded, then slowly extended three fingers.
"Three days."
He paused, his tone becoming incredibly cold.
"If you still don't find that shipment..."
"I'll chop up your entire family and feed them to the dogs!"
Ryuzaki Shin had entrusted the smuggling business to Serizawa and Uncle Yuan.
The specific results would be discussed when they met tomorrow.
He didn't trust Uncle Yuan much, but Ryuzaki Shin recognized his feelings for Serizawa.
Since he was a person, he had a weakness. Grasping the opponent's weakness was like holding a key card.
However, this was not enough. He would find someone to thoroughly investigate Uncle Yuan later to be completely at ease.
After making the arrangements, he returned to Shinryu Credit.
He walked into the basement.
Izaki Shun was sitting on a chair, slowly wiping blood from his knuckles with a white handkerchief, a trace of fatigue on his face.
Opposite him, the 'skinny monkey' named Sawatari Kenji was tightly bound to a chair, covered in injuries. His already gaunt face was bruised and swollen, like a failed fermented bun.
Although Sawatari was beaten beyond recognition, he was a tough nut to crack.
He clenched his teeth, not saying a word, only staring at Izaki Shun with eyes full of venomous hatred.
He knew very well that if he spoke, the leader of Red Scorpion would absolutely not spare his entire family.
If he didn't speak, only he might die, but once he spoke, it wouldn't just be a matter of his own life.
Weighing the two options, he chose silence.
Seeing Ryuzaki Shin enter, Izaki Shun shook his head helplessly and said, "Boss, this guy is very stubborn. He won't say anything."
Ryuzaki Shin smiled. He walked over to Sawatari, slowly crouched down, looked into his eyes filled with venomous hatred, and said lightly, "Your bones are quite hard, aren't they?"
Then he looked at the man's eyes and felt that he was the type who would never speak, even if beaten to death.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to starve him for a while and have someone investigate his entire family. "Heh heh, let's see if his bones are still so hard then."
Just then, Sawatari glanced at the wall clock. It was exactly six o'clock in the evening.
Seeing this time, a flicker of madness and triumph suddenly erupted in his already dim eyes!
He burst into laughter, bending over backward, tears almost streaming down his face.
"Hahahahaha! It's six o'clock! It's six o'clock!"
"You... you're all finished! You're all going to die! Hahahahaha!"
He knew that five o'clock was the deadline for all territories to submit their monthly payments.
Now, an hour had passed, and the boss must have already noticed that something was wrong!
Their boss, after all, had an extremely strong sense of time.
Red Scorpion's most elite combat unit must already be on its way!
What if this kid was good at fighting?
He could fight ten, he could fight twenty, but could he fight against Red Scorpion's hundreds of well-equipped desperadoes?!
Moreover, Guisha would definitely come. That guy could smash a person's head with his bare hands and once took on thirty people alone without a scratch.
He was Red Scorpion's killing machine!
This kid in front of him was dead for sure.
Ryuzaki Shin instantly understood upon hearing this.
He looked at the sky outside the window, which was gradually darkening.
Most of Shinryu Credit's subordinates had already been arranged to leave work promptly at five o'clock.
Now, only he and Izaki Shun were here, along with a few scattered subordinates guarding the prisoner.
He knew that a truly tough battle was coming.
Izaki Shun was not a fool either. Hearing Sawatari's mad laughter, his face instantly became incredibly solemn.
He immediately rushed to the window and looked outside.
The night, like overturned ink, rapidly encroached upon the last glimmer of twilight.
At the end of the street, a dense cluster of lights appeared.
Those lights, like countless hungry, glowing wolf eyes, were approaching their direction at an extremely fast speed!
Immediately after, a deafening roar of engines, like rolling thunder, tore through the tranquility of dusk, coming from afar and drawing near!
Countless beams of headlights pierced the darkness, converging into a dazzling sea of light that made half of Karasumachi as bright as day!
Hundreds of pitch-black heavy motorcycles, like a black tide, stirred up dust and a murderous aura, savagely blocking the entire street!
A fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped into Izaki Shun's palms.
He knew that they were in big trouble.
He immediately turned to Ryuzaki Shin and said quickly in a very urgent tone, "Boss! It's too late! There are too many of them! We don't have time to gather our brothers now!"
Most of the students at Suzuran were poor and didn't even have pagers, let alone mobile phones.
Although they had earned money now, many were still saving it for the time being.
Although he had provided mobile phones to a few core cadres, at this time, most people had already gone home.
By the time they gathered their subordinates one by one from every corner, it would be too late!
Izaki Shun's mind raced. He looked at the thick, solid steel basement door, a resolute glint in his eyes!
"Boss! Call the police! We'll hide inside and lock the door! This door is strong enough to at least hold them off until the police arrive!"
Ryuzaki Shin smiled when he heard Izaki Shun's words.
He slowly stood up and walked to the window, looking at the scene outside that resembled the end of the world.
However, there was no panic on his face; instead, he wore an extremely excited smile.
He slowly raised his hand and pointed to the sky outside the window, which was already completely shrouded in darkness.
Then, he turned around and looked at Izaki Shun's face, which was filled with anxiety and unease, and said slowly in a very calm tone,
"Izaki."
"The order of the day is maintained by the police with their badges and laws."
"But look outside..."
He paused, the curve of his lips becoming even more devilish.
"The sun has set."
"..."
Izaki Shun was stunned.
He looked at Ryuzaki Shin's calm face, and his already panicked heart unexpectedly settled down.
Ryuzaki Shin stretched his wrists, and the bones throughout his body let out a series of crackling sounds.
A very cruel and very excited smile appeared on his face.
"I've been very agitated lately..."
"Tonight, I can finally... properly vent it."
"I hope Red Scorpion can give me a good time..."
Night deepened.
Karasumachi in Toyaru City shed its daytime disguise, fully revealing its fangs, brimming with danger and desire.
Multicolored neon lights shimmered, casting an ambiguous hue over the damp streets, yet the air was thick with a suffocating oppressiveness.
The entire street was deserted.
All the shops had long since pulled down their shutters; the usual bustling pedestrians and vehicles had vanished without a trace, as if this place had become an abandoned ghost town.
Only hundreds of heavily modified motorcycles were neatly lined up on both sides of the street.
The low roar of engines merged, playing a heart-pounding symphony.
This place had become a lawless land.
Guisha leaned against an ostentatiously modified motorcycle.
He slowly pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
"Click."
A crimson spark flashed in the darkness, illuminating his sharply chiseled jawline beneath his half-mask.
His physique wasn't brawny, but every muscle beneath his taut black leather jacket was packed with explosive power.
He looked up, his gaze falling on the sign on the second floor of a building not far away—
"Shinryu Credit."
The corner of his mouth slowly curved into a bloodthirsty arc.
Tonight, this place belonged not to law, nor to order.
This place belonged to darkness... The Shinryu Credit sign was still lit, its four elegant characters especially striking in the night.
But inside the shop, it was pitch black, devoid of any light.
Guisha no longer hesitated; he casually waved his hand at a man behind him, who was over two meters tall and as burly as a bear.
The brawny man immediately understood; he sneered and grabbed a gleaming fire axe from the back seat of a motorcycle.
Then, with heavy steps, he walked, step by step, towards the dozen or so steps leading to "Shinryu Credit."
He ascended the steps, arrived at the closed glass door, and then raised the fire axe in his hand high!
Just as the sharp axe blade, carrying a wind-tearing force, was about to strike down fiercely!
"Creak—"
The glass door actually opened by itself.
Immediately after, a hand slowly extended from the bottomless darkness.
With splayed fingers, it precisely and steadily caught the sharp axe blade!
The hand, with its distinct knuckles, didn't appear thick, but it was like cast iron, unmoving!
The brawny man's pupils suddenly constricted!
He felt as if his axe blow hadn't landed on a hand at all!
But rather on an indestructible steel plate, crafted from a special alloy!
He instinctively tried to pull back the axe!
However, to his horror, he found that the hand was like a hydraulic clamp, firmly welded to his axe blade; no matter how much force he used, it wouldn't budge!
Just as his mind reeled, a lazy, playful voice drifted out from the darkness.
"Hey, hey, hey, my door is very expensive."
"Have a little public decency, will you…?"
This door was indeed quite expensive; Ryuzaki Shin had just had Izaki Shun find someone to replace it yesterday. If it were split, it would cost money again.
Spend when necessary, save when possible, right?
"Baka!"
The brawny man was utterly enraged by the sudden turn of events and the contemptuous tone; he roared, lifted his large foot clad in a hard leather boot, and savagely kicked into the darkness within the doorway!
However, before his foot could even touch the doorframe.
A dark figure had already moved, arriving before him!
Bang!
A dull, extremely loud thud!
The brawny man felt as if his chest had been struck by a heavy truck!
His sternum instantly collapsed!
His burly, two-hundred-plus-pound body flew backward!
He arced through the air like a black projectile, heading directly towards Guisha across the street!
Guisha watched the incoming "human cannonball," a cold glint flashing in his eyes hidden beneath the mask.
He didn't even bother to dodge; just as the brawny man's body was about to crash into him, he delivered a fierce side kick!
"Bang!"
Another muffled thud!
The already dying brawny man was kicked airborne again, tumbling several times in the air before landing with a "thump" on an open space more than ten meters away, completely still, neither dead nor alive.
Ryuzaki Shin thought to himself, judging by this person's kicking power, he's no pushover. It seems Red Scorpion isn't entirely made up of trash.
The entire street instantly fell into a deathly silence.
All the Red Scorpion members were utterly stunned by the sudden, swift turn of events!
They looked at their companion, lying on the ground like a dead dog, his fate unknown, then at the still expressionless Guisha, and instinctively swallowed, feeling a chill down their spines.
Just then, Ryuzaki Shin slowly emerged from the darkness.
He casually tossed the fire axe in his hand onto the ground.
"Clang—!"
A harsh metallic clang echoed particularly clearly in the silent night!
And it just happened to trigger the old, malfunctioning sound-activated light at the entrance!
"Click."
The dim yellow light instantly illuminated, clearly revealing his young yet devilishly charming face.
He pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket, slowly took out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth.
Then he fumbled in his pants pocket twice. Damn, he left his lighter in the office again.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Guisha below; he must be the leader.
He smiled, then, under everyone's astonished gaze, asked in an extremely relaxed tone, addressing the dense crowd below:
"Excuse me, could I... borrow a light?"
Guisha looked at the young man before him, who not only showed no fear but dared to provoke him.
A ripple, for the first time, appeared in his cold eyes.
Interesting.
The corner of his mouth curved slightly upwards, and he casually tossed his lighter upwards.
The lighter arced gracefully through the air, flying accurately towards Ryuzaki Shin.
Ryuzaki Shin raised his hand, caught it steadily, then lit the cigarette in his mouth, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled.
Amidst the swirling smoke, his gaze became exceptionally profound.
Guisha looked at Ryuzaki Shin and finally spoke.
His voice was like two rusty metals rubbing together.
"Our people are inside, aren't they?"
Ryuzaki Shin nodded, replying in a very calm tone, "They are."
"Let them out."
"I can't do that," Ryuzaki Shin smiled. "As soon as those guys came in, they started smashing and grabbing. As good citizens, we naturally have to defend ourselves and resist such bad behavior."
He paused, then added in an extremely irritating tone:
"Besides, if I just let them go because you say so, how would that look for me?"
"At least, you'd have to pay some... emotional damages, right?"
Upon hearing this, Guisha didn't get angry; instead, he smiled.
There was no warmth in that smile, only the purest mockery.
"I've seen arrogant people, and I've seen people looking for death."
"But someone like you, both arrogant and looking for death, this is the first time I've seen it."
Ryuzaki Shin exhaled a smoke ring.
"Well, today you have."
Guisha couldn't be bothered with more talk; leaning against his motorcycle, he casually waved his hand.
Behind him, more than twenty elites, armed with various weapons, instantly stepped out from the ranks, completely surrounding the steps leading to "Shinryu Credit."
Then, he spat the burnt-out cigarette onto the ground and slowly ground it out with the tip of his foot.
"If they die, they die. Don't let the boss wait too long."
The twenty elites, hearing their boss's command, roared and charged forward fiercely!
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the overwhelming momentum before him, not only without the slightest fear but feeling the blood within him completely ignite at that moment!
He flicked the cigarette butt from his mouth.
Then, he stretched his wrists, a look of extreme excitement on his face.
"Right."
"Let's finish this quickly; I haven't had dinner yet."
The fight on the steps erupted in an instant.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't hesitate for a moment, facing the elite Red Scorpion members who surged forward like a tide, he smiled faintly.
The first burly man to charge up, his machete carved a chilling arc in the dim light, striking directly at Ryuzaki Shin's face!
However, Ryuzaki Shin didn't even bother to dodge.
Just as the blade was about to hit him, he suddenly took a step forward, turned his body, and slammed his shoulder hard into the opponent's chest!
"Bang!"
A dull, heavy thud!
The burly man flew backward like a cannonball.
Three or four of his accomplices behind him had no time to react and were sent sprawling by the immense impact, tumbling down the narrow steps like rolling gourds, screaming.
Ryuzaki Shin used the momentum, his body like a ghost, instantly closing in on the second person.
He didn't even use his fist; he just grabbed the man's wrist, which was brandishing a machete, in the man's horrified gaze, and then yanked him backward!
At the same time, he used that person's body as a human shield, pressing him tightly in front of him!
"Pfft!"
"Pfft!"
Two dull thuds of blades piercing flesh!
The two accomplices who rushed up from behind couldn't stop their momentum, and their machetes solidly stabbed into the backs of their own men!
"Ugh ah..."
The human shield lowered his head in disbelief, looking at the two bloody blade tips protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with despair.
Ryuzaki Shin pouted, casually pushing the now lifeless body forward, as if throwing out a piece of trash.
Then, he looked at the two guys who were stunned by accidentally killing their comrade, and a smile appeared on his face.
His figure flickered again, the machete in his hand had, at some unknown point, switched to his other hand.
He didn't use the sharp edge of the blade, but rather the heavy spine of the blade, striking with lightning speed and incredible precision at the knee joints of the two men!
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
Two crisp sounds of bone breaking, extraordinarily piercing in the silent night!
The two men screamed, clutching their completely deformed legs, and fell to the ground, completely losing their combat ability!
Immediately after, Ryuzaki Shin kicked off the wall, using the force to leap into the air, and his legs, like a pair of scissors, precisely clamped around the neck of a guy who had just rushed up the steps!
Then, he twisted his waist with force!
That person was directly used by him as a human sandbag, smashing down from the air, taking down another group!
... Guisha leaned against his motorcycle, watching the battle above, and for the first time, a solemn expression appeared on his face, hidden beneath the ghost mask.
He thought to himself: No wonder Skinny Monkey, with so many men, was taken care of without even a whisper.
This kid really has some skills.
But... that's all he is.
A bloodthirsty arc curved at Guisha's lips.
No matter how good he is at fighting, he is still just one person.
Although he himself was also very good at fighting, this kid looked quite energetic, and he didn't want to get injured.
He would harvest him once this kid's strength was exhausted.
As for dead people, haha, people always die.
This world is never short of bottom-tier laborers.
These subordinates are just consumables...
Ryuzaki Shin dealt with the last person, he looked at the Red Scorpion subordinates lying haphazardly at his feet, and then at the Red Scorpion members below the steps who were completely terrified and dared not advance another half-step.
He knew it was time to wrap things up.
He hadn't expected the Red Scorpion's regular combat department to be so mediocre.
It seemed he had overestimated them, a slight smile played on his lips, it seemed Karasumachi was about to change hands.
He slowly turned around, casting his gaze upon Guisha, who had not made a move from beginning to end, he pouted and said lazily in a tone full of mockery:
"Hey, Masked Man."
"Is that all?"
"Aren't you... coming up?"
Guisha looked at the man covered in blood, yet with unusually calm eyes, and a hint of killing intent flashed in his cold gaze.
Is this a provocation against me?
Interesting, how long has it been since anyone spoke to him like that?
Getting a little injured is fine, he just wanted to smash his head with his fists right now.
He slowly straightened up from his motorcycle, and then, step by step, walked towards Ryuzaki Shin.
The seventy or eighty Red Scorpion elites behind him also followed silently, like a black tide.
The chilling aura, gathered from nearly a hundred people, seemed to lower the temperature of the entire street by several degrees.
Guisha walked to the bottom of the steps, he raised his head, looking at Ryuzaki Shin who was looking down at him from above, and said in a hoarse voice:
"I admit, you're a good fighter."
"But what's the use of being a good fighter?"
"When you're out here, it's all about connections!"
"No matter how good you are at fighting, can you beat all of us?!"
Just at this tense, explosive moment!
"Ding-a-ling-a-ling—!"
A very sudden phone ring, completely out of place with the murderous atmosphere, suddenly rang in Ryuzaki Shin's pocket!
Ryuzaki Shin didn't even glance at the group of people below; he just slowly pulled out his phone from his pocket.
Then, under everyone's astonished gaze, he made a "shush" gesture towards the dense crowd below.
The Red Scorpion members froze, instinctively stopping their steps.
They looked at the man who was still calmly answering the phone amidst the overwhelming killing intent, and all felt that their brains were a bit insufficient...
Meanwhile, in Toyaru City, at a detached villa in Matsukazetai.
Uehara Asuka was humming an off-key tune, her face beaming with a heartfelt, happy smile.
She looked at the fresh ingredients that she had stuffed into the refrigerator, her heart filled with infinite anticipation for the future.
She picked up her phone, found the familiar number, and dialed it.
The call connected quickly, and a familiar, magnetic voice with a hint of a smile came through the receiver.
"Hello, Asuka."
Uehara Asuka's pretty face instantly flushed red, and she asked softly in an extremely gentle tone:
"Shin, when... when are you coming back tonight? What do you want to eat?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
Then, Ryuzaki Shin's aggressive voice slowly came through.
"I want to... eat you."
Uehara Asuka's face instantly turned crimson, she felt her body starting to heat up, she stomped her foot playfully, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum:
"You're so annoying... I'm being serious!"
"Hmm... let me think..." The voice on the other end paused, "Do you have any kidneys? Fry me two big kidneys, to replenish my energy."
"O-okay."
Uehara Asuka nodded quickly, she knew men liked to eat that.
"Oh, right, when are you coming back?"
"Hmm... about an hour or so."
"Okay, Shin, I'll wait for you."
"Baby, a kiss."
Uehara Asuka's face was so red it looked like it was about to drip blood, but she still mustered up the courage and gently, "smooched" into the receiver...
Ryuzaki Shin listened to the tempting voice on the phone, then looked at the Red Scorpion members below the steps who were staring at him in bewilderment.
He smiled awkwardly.
"My apologies, everyone."
He put his phone back in his pocket and said in a very apologetic tone:
"My woman at home is getting impatient, urging me to go back for dinner."
"Let's all try to understand each other."
Guisha's patience was completely exhausted at this moment!
He felt an unprecedented humiliation!
This kid was flirting with a girl right in front of them, damn it!
Pointing at Ryuzaki Shin, his voice was incredibly sinister:
"Kid! You won't be going home for dinner tonight, you bastard!"
"Tonight, I'll help you... 'take care' of your woman!"
The curve of Ryuzaki Shin's lips became even more devilish.
"Oh? It seems you can't understand."
"I understand, your household registers probably only have one page, right?"
"After all, when one person is full, the whole family isn't hungry."
"It's perfectly normal for you not to understand a man as happily married as I am."
Guisha could no longer hold back; he roared, and the dozens of men behind him surged forward like a broken dam!
"You idiot!"
"Kill him!"