Chapter 703: What is Debt?

Committing sin would be rewarded with energy. Gao Ming started to understand why the evil gangs dominated this city. The black lines existed in everyone’s heart. It fed on malice. It could empower a normal human being but also make them go out of control.

“Hei Ao mentioned a drug. Is it used to suppress the black lines? What will happen if the black lines fully take over a human?”

Gao Ming glanced out the window. The streets after midnight were eerie. Blurry figures wandered through the dark. They barely retained a human shape.

“This altar world is more dangerous than I thought.” Gao Ming didn’t have Hei Ao’s drugs. After he schemed against the two gangs, the malice in his heart grew. The black lines tried to corrupt his mind.

“I still have a way to go before losing control, but I need to be prepared.” Gao Ming found a carving knife in the prop room. Using fire and alcohol to disinfect it, he removed his clothes. He carved the Blood City tattoo on his chest. “The gangsters have tattoos. I wonder if they contain some kind of power. What is the difference from a ghost tattoo?”

When Gao Ming carved out one-tenth of the tattoo, his heart started to race. Red threads grew out of the black lines. The two rules collided within Gao Ming. Gao Ming gritted his teeth to tide him over the pain until the black lines stopped resisting the red. Gao Ming could control the red threads to influence the black lines, so he wouldn’t lose control. He tried to gather the red lines around his right hand. Gao Ming threw a punch. He was about ten times stronger than before.

“This world is so malicious. Compared to it, I’m much too kind.”

The bandage Jia Youzhi found in the morning came into use. Gao Ming bandaged himself and returned to the computer. He took out the files and the drive he found in Room 4018. Even though Gao Ming was used to darkness, his brows creased deeply.

The government ruled the city on the surface. Each street had five nominated ministers. They were different from the gang members and maintained a surface civility. They ran on the platform of defeating evil, but they committed greater sins than most.

Wan Sheng possessed dirt on many ministers. Other than the deals in drugs, sex and money, the worst were Minister Yuan Nian from Street Three and Minister Ci Mei from Street Two.

The former had a full-body transplant. His aged body was replaced by the organs of endless healthy citizens. The latter presented a positive and charitable persona, but she would visit Wen Sheng every week to release pressure by torturing and murdering people.

When Gao Ming read the files, a new article related to Ci Mei appeared on screen. She led several hundred citizens to launch a silent fasting protest against a gang in Street Seven. According to the news, she was the city’s last shred of dignity and only hope.

“Such irony.”

Gao Ming read through the ministers’ history. Every single one stepped on broken bones and a river of blood to achieve authority and power. “Every minister is supported by a gang. I wonder if any of the ghosts from Han Hai managed to rise to become ministers.”

Gao Ming replaced everything after he was done. He was about to rest when he heard calls for help coming from outside the window. He pulled back a corner of the curtain and looked out. A dishevelled man stumbled down the street. His limbs twitched slightly. His head was bowed before his chest.

“Save me. Save me…” The incoherent voice said. No one dared to answer. When he passed by the studio, his nostrils twitched. His body shook like an animal before he raised his head. The eyes hidden under the curtain of hair glared at Gao Ming!

“Save me! Save me!” Black threads poured out of his eyes to cover his face. He crawled to the studio door and banged heavily on it. “Save me!”

The voice turned shriller. Even through the distance, Gao Ming could sense the man’s malice. “He’s clearly dying. Even so, he wants to drag someone down with him. What an animal!”

This woke up the sleeping Jia Youzhi and Ding Xiang. They curled up at the corner.

“What are you doing? Call the night police!” Wu Wei might be the youngest, but she was the calmest. She moved the furniture to block the door. Ding Xiang and Jia Youzhi shared a look. No one made a move. Calling the night police required a payment.

“Let Director Lee make the call. He has so many debts already. What’s one more?” Jia Youzhi shrank his neck. He didn’t even want to take out his phone.

The door shook. The man shouted louder and louder. Gao Ming held the only real knife in the prop room. He was ready to fight the man when a gunshot came from outside.

The strange man choked. Then, there was the sound of many knives stabbing into flesh. Gao Ming walked to the window. Three prominent figures in black raincoats sliced the man up and stored him in different cases. Five minutes later, only a pool of blood remained on the ground.

“Come back. They are the night police. Don’t look at them. They are terrifying.”

“Okay.” Gao Ming didn’t move. His eyes were transfixed on the police on the left. The person was an expert at dismemberment. When he was within three metres of Gao Ming, Gao Ming’s carved Blood City tattoo leaked with blood. As the owner of the torture room, Gao Ming could sense the presence of his tenants.

“He is one of us! However, I cannot tell who that is…”

After the scene was dealt with, one of the police officers pasted a notice on the studio door. Even though Gao Ming’s group didn’t call the police, the price was on their heads.

“The service of the night police is not cheap. This is bad. We haven’t found any money, and we continue to owe more money,” Jia Youzhi groaned. Gao Ming didn’t care. After a certain amount of money, the debt was just a number.

“Go to sleep. We’ll continue to wait for Bu Ming tomorrow. He will leave the hotel eventually.” Gao Ming gripped his fists. His eyes burned red like he was about to be driven insane by the debt.

“Stop dreaming.” Wu Wei pouted and moved the furniture back.

Gao Ming was not angered by Wu Wei’s complaint. He was not dreaming. He was planning to turn the world into his nightmare.