Stepping through the blue-glowing [VIP Exclusive Channel], the stench and the screams of the sewer were instantly cut off.
At the end of the corridor was a massive circular hall that blended cyberpunk tech with classical luxury. Soft Persian carpets covered the floor. Glowing virtual screens lined the walls, scrolling with astronomically priced items and bounty missions. There were no beggars here, only a few high-level players hidden in cloaks, radiating a dangerous aura.
David walked straight to the VIP trading counter in the center.
Behind the counter stood an elegant man in a tuxedo, wearing a gold-rimmed monocle. He looked like a solid holographic projection. He smiled and bowed deeply. "Welcome to the High-Dimensional Black Market, honorable SSS-Rank Player. You may call me 'The Broker.' You have 50,000 points. What can I do for you?"
Lines of data flashed across The Broker's monocle. When he saw the titles [Rule Breaker] and [Bear Slayer] on David, a rare flash of shock broke through his professional fake smile. A rookie fresh out of the tutorial with 50,000 points? And he solo-killed a Major Entity?
David kept his hands in his tactical coat pockets, his eyes deep. "I need two things. First, spatial storage. Second... information."
"A wise choice." The Broker snapped his fingers.
A silver ring and a highly encrypted black USB drive appeared on the counter. "[Imaginary Space Ring (A-Rank)], priced at 10,000 points. It holds 50 cubic meters of absolutely frozen time-space. You can store anything but living creatures. It's a must-have for infinite survival." "As for the information... what do you wish to know?"
David picked up the silver ring and slid it onto his index finger, staring coldly into The Broker's eyes. "I want to know who created this 'Rules Horror' world. Or rather... who is sponsoring this death game?"
The smile vanished from The Broker's face. He lowered his voice, carrying a hint of a warning. "Mr. David, you are touching the most dangerous taboo of this world. This intel costs 30,000 points, and... it might get you killed in the real world."
"Buy it." David transferred the points without a second thought. In this hell, ignorance was the deadliest poison.
The Broker sighed and activated the black USB drive. A highly blurred classified file was projected directly onto David's retinas. There were no words, only a terrifying logo: A golden all-seeing eye wrapped in thorny vines.
The moment David saw this logo, his pupils shrank violently!
He could never mistake it. Just hours ago, the custom watermark on Kelvin's million-dollar Patek Philippe watch, and the family crest on his Police Commissioner uncle's uniform that Kelvin always bragged about... It was the exact same logo!
"The [Genesis Consortium]," The Broker whispered. "They are the ultimate elites who control the real world from the shadows. This 'Rules World' is their high-dimensional colosseum to filter 'superhumans,' or simply... for their twisted entertainment. Mr. David, you crippled a useless young master of their family in the tutorial. Their high-level 'Cleaners' will hunt you down in the dungeons very soon."
"Is that so?" Instead of fear, a completely mad, dark fire ignited in David's eyes. So that was it. No wonder Kelvin dared to say he wouldn't be held responsible for killing him. The rules of the entire world were made by these elites.
"Let them come," David sneered, turning toward the exit. The scale of his revenge had officially evolved. He wasn't just going to torture Kelvin and Nicole; he was going to flip the entire game board of the Genesis Consortium and become the true master of this high-dimensional world!
Suddenly, all the lights in the VIP hall turned a blinding blood-red. Deafening air-raid sirens ripped through The Hub!
[System Forced Broadcast: Rest Period Ended.][Detected Player No. 7749 (David) far exceeds peer strength. Initiating Cross-Tier Forced Draft!][Teleporting to 2-Star Dungeon: The Midnight Ghost Train.][Main Quest: Survive until the train reaches the final station, 'The Abyss'.]
A bottomless black hole instantly cracked open beneath David's feet. He didn't resist. He simply touched the storage ring on his finger, a cold, anticipatory smile on his lips, and let the darkness swallow him whole.
Next stop: The Ghost Train. The slaughter continues.