Lucia froze, eyes wide.
"What… you don't remember it?!"
Ren's expression shifted. A sudden sharp pain hit his head. Memories slammed into him, jagged and unrelenting.
Oh no… no no no…
He felt it all—the teasing, the chaos, the way he'd acted like a merciless beast.
She pouted, arms crossed, cheeks flushed with anger.
"Really… after acting like that… saying all that stuff to me… you don't remember it?!"
Ren blinked.
Did I really do that to her?
He shook his head, trying to convince himself.
No… can't be… I'm just imagining it…
But then the screen popped up.
---
Granting reward for satisfying a target…
Granting reward for unique skill third trait: Holy Liquid — A Drunkard Masterpiece…
---
Ren froze.
WHAT THE FUCK?! ARE YOU JOKING WITH ME?!
His mind raced. I… I really did it?! I mean… I kinda remember thinking about it… but damn… it was… an experience… a GREAT experience…
Panic clawed at him.
But if she knew… she'd kill me. Absolutely. Without mercy.
He swallowed hard.
Okay… okay… pretend you don't know anything… act casual…
"Uh… oh, about the kiss…" he said, laughing awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry about that…"
Lucia froze, eyes narrowing.
What!?
She blinked, trying to read him.
"Yah… yah… about the kiss… you better behave around me," she said, voice sharp but with a hint of blush.
Ren's lips twitched into a faint, relieved grin.
She thought, with a bit of sadness, He really doesn't remember anything… with that suspicious look…
He thought, a wide grin spreading across his face, Heheh… I survived…
---
On the road toward the Biggest Pleasure District, Black Lust City
Ren thought, Just a bit more… and I can…
Enjoy all those beauties without worries…
His mind filled with images of girls, women, big boobs, curves, huge asses, figures enough to lure any men.
He giggled in happiness, drool forming at the corner of his mouth.
Lucia thought, He's really thinking something pervert…, her eyes rolling in exasperation.
He thought, Black Lust City…
This isn't the normal Pleasure District…
It's one of a kind… made only for the rich and powerful.
The place can be heaven if you have power and beauty… or hell if you don't… for the prostitutes.
Run by the Snake Empress…
Xue Lian… apparently what I heard… she's Chinese.
Her parents… killed over debt… she was sold as a prostitute… when she was barely fourteen.
Two years later… she conquered the whole place under her… with nothing but her stunning beauty…
As thus… the Snake Empress born.
A chill ran down Ren's spine.
I even heard… she cut off a customer's manhood…
Paid a hefty sum to sleep with her… just because she didn't like his hairstyle…
Whatever I had heard—she is a total killer in terms of sexiness, every bit of her making his mouth water.
And now, with the world as it was… there was no way that place would ever be the same again.
She thought, he really is thinking something perverted.
Suddenly, the bike went off track.
Sliding.
Skidding.
Metal screeched against asphalt.
For a moment, everything was chaos.
Ren's heart slammed.
She screamed, gripping him tighter.
The world tilted, twisted.
And somehow—somehow—they managed to survive.
Dust and gravel sprayed around them.
Ren wiped sweat from his forehead, teeth gritted.
"Are you kidding me?!" he shouted, voice half panic, half relief.
Lucia's eyes widened, panic clear in her voice.
"What… what just happened?!"
Ren ran a hand through his hair, smirking.
"I should be the one asking that."
From the shadows of the street, a group of people approached.
Leather jackets, ripped jeans, chains clinking. Metal bats, pipes, and other melee weapons in hand.
A full-on biker gang vibe.
One of them, big beard, round belly, crooked grin.He stuck out his tongue slowly, deliberately, and licked his lips like a predator sizing up prey. His eyes gleamed with mischief and malice, the kind of expression that made your skin crawl.
"Looks like we got a hot cheek here," he said, voice dripping with mischief and lust.
Ren slowly stood, brushing off dust from his clothes.
"What the fuck… my clothes got dirty," he muttered, frowning.
The bearded man waved a hand, annoyed.
"Are you crazy, kid? Don't you see your situation?!"
Ren tilted his head, bright smile on his face, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Hm… what do you mean?"
Lucia thought, with a blank, exasperated face, You should be the one crazy enough to pick a fight with him…
Another man crouched near Ren's bag, rifling through it. "Boss… looks like these brat got food with them," he said, voice low.
The man with the big beard—the boss—stepped forward, leaning slightly back. His crooked grin stretched wide, eyes glinting with cruel amusement.
The gang boss laughed, dark and evil. "Looks like we hit the jackpot."
Ren blinked, one eyebrow raised, a faint smirk forming. What jackpot, you idiots? It's still not late to secure some food. Pretty easy, actually…
Another man crept toward Lucia, hand snaking out to grab her hair. "Boss… should we take the… hot cheek?" he asked, voice dripping with teasing menace.
Lucia shouted, "Let me go!"
The boss chuckled, low and cruel. "Is that even a question?"
The man holding her hair looked to the boss. "So… what do we do with this kid?"
The boss giggled, sharp and poisonous, spinning around as he walked. "Kill him."
Ren's eyes narrowed, a faint grin tugging at his lips. Kill me? Heh… you're going to regret even saying those word.
The man rifling through Ren's bag stepped closer, metal bat raised.
Shhhhh—
SLASH—
THUD!
The blade connected… and a heavy thud echoed.
The boss spun around, eyes narrowing. "Don't waste too much time—"
But what he saw froze him in place.
The man lay on the ground, head rolling over his legs, eyes staring blankly up at him with blood flowing from his neck and head.
The boss's grin faltered.
He trembled. What… what happened?!
Fear gripped him like ice, shaking him from head to toe.
Ren stepped forward slowly, calm, methodical.
His eyes landed on the man who had been holding Lucia's hair.
The man didn't notice the change around him, too focused on his prey.
He leaned toward Lucia, lust gleaming in his eyes. "I… I can't enjoy you first, but… after the boss… I'll be sure to enjoy you… to the fullest… heheheh…"
SLASH—
CLANG—
THUD!
Ren's movements were a blur.
The man's hand was gone before he even realized it, detached, useless, as Ren's cold eyes lingered.
The man barely realized what had happened.
He screamed, voice ragged with pain. "My hand… my hand!"
His eyes darted to Ren.
Ren's gaze was cold, expressionless, like stone. "Didn't anybody tell you… not to touch other people's woman?"
The man roared, teeth gritted. "You motherfucke—"
STAB!
Ren stab through his mouth before he could finish.
"You guys really make too much noise," Ren said, voice low, calm with cold eyes and expressionless face. "And don't waste your last words on me."
Blood poured from the man, his body collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
The boss, still trembling, somehow forced himself to regain composure.
But then… what he saw made him freeze again.
Ren. Standing there. Eyes like sharpened blades, cold as death, monstrous in presence. Merciless. Every heartbeat around him trembled. Dangerous. Pure, unrelenting danger.
The boss swallowed, mind racing. We shouldn't have messed with this kid…
Ren tilted his head slightly, voice soft but deadly. "Any last words?"
The man, panic flashing across his face, lunged forward, weapon raised—a heavy big wrench.
Ren dodged effortlessly, a minimal movement, then
SLASH!
The man stumbled, realizing too late.
His head… falling.
Rolling over, lifeless, just like the other.
He thought, Rule no… wait, what was the last rule number…?
Forget that…
New rule. Starting fresh. Rule no 20.
Kill anyone who tries to kill you. Without any mercy to spare expect —
Silence fell, broken only by the dripping of blood and the faint hum of fear in the boss's veins.
---
Ren got back to Lucia.
He reached out, petting her head, bright smile plastered on his face. "You okay?"
Lucia thought, Merciless as ever… but , he still looks dumb smiling like that…
Ren's eyes swept over her body. Some bruises near her legs from the accident.
He let out a slow breath. "You really are careless."
Without warning, he scooped her up into his arms.
Lucia's face flustered, red all over. "W-What are you doing?!"
Ren's grin twisted. "Isn't it obvious? I'm carrying you… since you're hurt."
BRUSH…
The sound comed from nearbe bushes.
Lucia's eyes widened, panicking. "Are there more of them?"
Ren shook his head. "Nah… just a little peep-squeak."
He said, voice low, sharp.
"Come out… before I kill you."