Inside the bar, the roar of noise was like a physical tidal wave.

Young men and women, in pairs and small groups, weaved through the mesmerizing lights, surging toward the booths and the dance floor.

Most of the patrons at the bar were alone, silently drowning their sorrows.

"A week ago, something big happened in the Hongyi Society."

"The boss, Lord Peng, decided to retire from the life."

From the far right of the bar, a fruity cocktail was pushed in front of him.

Xiaoyang’s tone gradually relaxed as he started chatting about the Hongyi Society’s affairs.

"Perfect timing, too. The Young Master, Peng Zhao Hui, just got back from studying abroad in Yao Capital, the capital of the Alliance Country. It’s obvious he’s meant to take over."

"But some of the society’s elders don’t seem to agree."

Xiaoyang took a sip of his cocktail, a hint of satisfaction on his face.

Lu Chao, sitting beside him, nodded slightly and continued to listen.

"And then?"

"They ended up holding a vote among the top brass. Brother Hao probably attended... Anyway, the upshot is that the Young Master will gradually take over the Hongyi Society’s operations within half a year."

"Oh?"

Lu Chao raised an eyebrow. A change in the Hongyi Society’s leadership was undoubtedly a major event for the Iron Ring District.

He’d been too busy with his martial arts training and patrol duties lately to pay attention to the grapevine.

’But what does that have to do with Zhou Qiang’s injury?’

"Hah, that’s where the trouble started."

Xiaoyang put down his cocktail and clicked his tongue. "Our Young Master, for whatever reason, says he learned a new set of ’advanced management techniques’ in Yao Capital."

"He’s been shaking things up, changing a lot of positions in the gang, and it’s making everyone antsy... The Iron Blood Gang seized the opportunity and launched an attack a few days ago."

At this point, he glanced up at the second floor before lowering his voice. "That’s how Brother Qiang got hurt."

"Some guys came to the bar to start trouble, and he chased them off. That punk from the Iron Blood Gang was just asking for it—got himself crippled in the process..."

’So that’s what happened.’

His confusion cleared. Lu Chao understood the crucial point.

’A new ruler brings in his own officials.’

This Young Master, Peng Zhao Hui, was about to take charge, and he was bound to promote his own cronies to replace the Hongyi Society’s old guard.

’I just wonder... will this affect Brother Hao?’

As the thought crossed his mind, Lu Chao glanced up at the bar’s second floor.

Security guards paced the hallway, wearing earpieces and vigilantly scanning their surroundings. The doors to the private rooms were shut tight, obscuring the view inside.

Perhaps because of the war with the Iron Blood Gang, the atmosphere in the bar had undergone a subtle shift.

Sighing to himself, Lu Chao now had a good idea of Zhou Qiang’s intentions.

It wasn’t just Zhou Qiang, either. Brother Hao was the same.

They must have hidden these gang affairs from him because they didn’t want him dragged into their feuds.

Beside him, Xiaoyang was oblivious to his thoughts, simply downing the rest of his cocktail.

After setting the glass down, he stared into it.

A few drops of liquor pooled at the bottom. In them, he seemed to see his own life at its nadir.

He fell silent, as if in thought, or perhaps in hesitation.

Finally, Xiaoyang couldn’t stop himself from looking up, his expression a mixture of anxiety and envy as he asked a question.

"Ah Chao..."

"Yeah?"

"Is life as a combatant... different from how it was before?"

...

「That night.」

Lu Chao left the bar carrying a silver briefcase and took the streetcar back to Sector 2.

Xiaoyang’s question had been tinged with both envy and sorrow.

He hadn’t boasted, merely encouraged him to stay grounded and take things one step at a time.

’Everyone has their own path.’

’But without ’The Glutton,’ I doubt I could have ever seized this path for myself.’

Clenching his fist, Lu Chao knew exactly what his true advantage was.

He pushed down the strange emotion.

He stepped off the platform and started down the clean, smooth asphalt road.

At night, Sector 2 was ablaze with light. The streetlights on both sides shone brightly, a world away from the dim, flickering lamps of Factory Street.

A few diners and restaurants still had their lights on. Through their windows, you could see staff wiping tables and mopping the floors.

In the adjacent clothing and jewelry stores, young men and women were still shopping. Snippets of conversation reached his ears as he brushed past one person after another, heading straight for his new home.

Everything was so prosperous and peaceful. And yet...

Lu Chao paused, his gaze drifting to the Patrol Department building several hundred meters away. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The four-story, blue-and-white building was still brightly lit. He knew many patrol officers were still on duty, including Yang Wangtao and Chen Xiao, who were surely swamped.

There was the missing persons case, and the wanted fugitive they were tracking.

Not to mention the gang war that had broken out between the Iron Blood Gang and the Hongyi Society. The Iron Ring District had too much going on for the Patrol Department to handle, and everyone was stretched thin.

’I heard that major companies have been laying people off and cutting salaries, and there are even protests over on West Street.’

’The Iron Ring District... is really going through some turbulent times.’

Shaking his head to himself, Lu Chao felt a strange pressure build within him. The autumn wind blowing against his face seemed a little colder now.

He pulled his collar tighter and stepped into the apartment building.

The newly rented apartment was in a decent building. It had an elevator, and part of the first floor was sectioned off as a lobby.

The floor was laid with floral ceramic tiles, and fluorescent light tubes were mounted on the white-painted ceiling.

The relatively soft light spilled down, illuminating every corner.

Potted plants were placed around the lobby. On one side sat two old sofas with a stack of magazines and newspapers beside them, which were collected and replaced on a regular basis.

"Daddy, I want some ice cream."

"It’s already autumn, and it’s getting a little cold out."

"Noooo, I want some..."

A family of three emerged from the elevators at the far end of the lobby. The little girl, held in her father’s arms, was giggling and whining playfully.

Nearby, a man in a black windbreaker sat on one of the sofas, flipping through the latest fashion magazine.

The cover model had a stunning figure. Lu Chao spared it a casual glance before walking toward the elevators.

His crisp footsteps echoed in the hall.

The family of three brushed past him and left the building. As the child’s playful whining faded into the distance, the lobby became strangely quiet.

Lu Chao’s expression remained neutral. He walked to the end of the hall with his briefcase, pressed the call button on the wall, and stepped inside the elevator.

After he pressed the button for his floor, the metal elevator doors began to slide shut.

A meter... half a meter... ten centimeters...

BZZT!

Just as they were about to close completely, the doors suddenly shuddered and slid open again.

The man in the black windbreaker, the one who had been reading the magazine, was now standing just outside, having approached at some unknown moment.

He wore a black baseball cap, his head slightly bowed.

"Sorry,"

he said in a raspy voice, stepping into the elevator and bringing a chill draft with him.

"What floor?"

Lu Chao gestured to the panel of floor buttons and glanced at the man, his eyes brushing past the thick calluses on the man’s hands, which hung at his sides.

Perhaps because of the cold, the man’s black windbreaker was zipped up all the way, the collar turned up to hide his neck.

"Sixth floor,"

the man replied in that same raspy voice, his head still bowed.

Most of his face was hidden by the bill of his cap, leaving only a pair of thin lips visible.

Lu Chao nodded and looked away.

He pressed the button, and the elevator doors slid shut once more.

WHIRRR.

The faint whir of the motor filled the small metal space. Lu Chao stood in the front with his briefcase, the man behind him.

With a slight lurch, the elevator began its slow ascent.

The air in the car was exceptionally still, the only sounds being their two sets of breaths and the quiet whisper of circulating air.

The cold metal walls reflected the white light from overhead, stretching their shadows long.

Unfamiliarity, confinement, silence... an invisible tension began to permeate the small space.

It seemed like a normal ride, but...

[Carbon-based Human]

[Life Energy: 26 (Minor Injuries)]

"If..."

The panel flashed in his vision, and Lu Chao suddenly spoke.

His eyes fixed on the mirror-like metal door, he squinted at the man’s blurry reflection on its surface, carefully observing his slightest reaction.

"I said, what if."

"Rock’s death had nothing to do with me. Would you believe that?"