The rules are forgotten, bro.

Huh?

Zhu Yan's hand trembled, failing to react for a moment.

This isn't right, brother.

If you are a [Hunter], then what am I?

Under the light, Yang Zhanbai's lips pressed into a tight line. He looked at him firmly, as if waiting for some kind of judgment.

Zhu Yan quickly came to his senses.

Yang Zhanbai's posture and expression were very tense; he didn't look like someone who wasn't afraid.

Judging from this guy's usual style, he was probably testing the horrific creature's attitude towards a [Hunter].

Zhu Yan desperately held back the urge to make a sarcastic remark.

Brother, are you testing the status of a [Hunter] among horrific creatures by asking a horrific creature disguised by a [Hunter]?

On the floor, the puddle of a fake human barely propped up its body and let out a low, eerie chuckle.

"[Hunter], that's an extra crime," it said with malicious glee. "Rest assured, I won't stop you from going down."

Yang Zhanbai's gaze swept toward the fake human, his insides twisting with anxiety.

An extra crime? What does that mean?

Are [Hunters] even less welcome than players?

And that very deliberate "won't stop you"...

Could it be that [Hunters] are not allowed to enter the [Bar]?

Did he... make the wrong bet?

Yang Zhanbai stared intently at Zhu Yan.

Zhu Yan turned his head to glare at the fake human, then quickly turned back, maintaining the demeanor of the "Captain" as he coldly scrutinized Yang Zhanbai.

A bold idea flashed across his mind.

Yang Zhanbai wanted to fish for information about [Hunters], and Zhu Yan could easily fabricate things while wearing the guise of a horrific creature.

Then, if he deliberately released some false information, could he later use Yang Zhanbai's influence to mislead the student group that was still clear-headed?

Thinking of this, Zhu Yan twisted his face into a terrifying smile.

He suddenly reached out, his stiff arm clamping onto the bunch of leaves behind Yang Zhanbai.

Startled, Yang Zhanbai quickly dodged his head to the side and reflexively raised the knife in his hand.

However, unexpectedly, the terrifying "Captain" merely threw a bunch of green, maple-like leaves into his arms.

Yang Zhanbai froze.

"Pay up."

Mimicking the "Captain's" manner, Zhu Yan grabbed Yang Zhanbai's arm and dragged him in front of the fake human.

"If you don't have money, cut off your flesh!"

Yang Zhanbai hesitated for a moment; he really didn't have any money.

After passing the novice dungeon a couple of days ago, [Carnival Paradise] had indeed given him a reward. However, [Hall of Mourning] was under martial law, and he had no way to go and open an account.

The fragments he had obtained before were all forcibly robbed using his abilities.

But, cutting off flesh...

Yang Zhanbai had no choice but to brace himself and look at the ferocious "Captain."

"I haven't gone to the [Hall of Mourning] to open an account yet," he told the truth. "Can we deduct it after I open one?"

Looking at Yang Zhanbai and recalling the brutal scene of this man slicing up the "police officer," Zhu Yan fell into an eerie silence.

Damn.

Fragments can actually be robbed?

Is it the same for keys?

He immediately activated his Level 4 ability [Humiliation], turned his head, and viciously kicked the fake human on the floor.

"Bring the key over!"

With this, the strength the fake human had finally recovered was drained again, turning it into a soft puddle of mud.

Its face no longer held any expression. Its pitch-black eyes turned coldly toward Zhu Yan as it slithered across the floor like a slug.

...Damn.

Yang Zhanbai looked at the "Captain" in surprise.

A trace of confusion flashed by, quickly covered by relief and lingering fear.

Instead of cutting his flesh, he was actually threatening his colleague?

"Tribute," Zhu Yan caught his gaze and smoothly explained. "Cannot be damaged."

So that was it; that made sense.

Yang Zhanbai wiped the cold sweat from his hands and gripped the knife again.

Thrilling.

Too thrilling!

"Key," the fake human said chillingly, stopping in front of the flower stand.

It squeezed its head under the narrow flower stand. Accompanied by the sound of clashing metal, that deformed head pulled back out from under the stand, holding a gold ring in its mouth.

Strung on the gold ring were two gold keys, one large and one small, jingling loudly like wind chimes.

"Front hall."

It whispered like a curse, using its soft fingers to pick out the small key, and crawled toward the counter.

Zhu Yan didn't see clearly how it operated it—

The counter cracked open from the middle with a click, revealing a vertical circular passage of about two square meters.

An exquisite pure gold cage was slowly rising from the pitch-black passage. When its bottom was level with the floor of the flower shop, the cage door popped open with a clatter.

"Please enter, Lord Captain," the fake human said venomously. "I wish you and your sacrifice good luck in the front hall!"

The words "front hall" were particularly emphasized, making Zhu Yan involuntarily tighten his grip on the dagger.

With his heart in his throat, he took the lead and entered the exquisite gold cage.

Yang Zhanbai took a deep breath and stood firmly beside him. Then, the cage door automatically closed with a clatter, startling them both.

The cage began to descend slowly, and the damp passage smelling of chocolate gradually cut off the bright lights of the flower shop.

By the time the counter above their heads slowly closed again, their world was plunged into a pitch-black darkness where they couldn't even see their own fingers.

There was only the faint friction sound of the cage descending, and an increasingly strong, bizarre fragrance of alcohol mixed with chocolate candy.

It would be unrealistic to say he wasn't nervous.

Zhu Yan tried his best to steady his heartbeat so his brain could think normally.

The Alpha Wolf was Level 5.

The [Bar] boss had to follow the Alpha Wolf's orders but was stronger than the fake human, so its level should be Level 4 or above, very likely a Level 5, on par with the Alpha Wolf.

[Humiliation] couldn't be used, the dagger couldn't be used, but [Roleplay] and [Complaint] could be used.

With [Complaint] at his side, he could at least survive.

As for how much new information he could extract, he could only do his best.

In the narrow space, he could hear Yang Zhanbai's shallow, rapid breathing.

About a few dozen seconds later, new light gradually poured in from the bottom of the gold cage.

Zhu Yan adjusted his aura, and the touch of the dagger dispelled a bit of the chill.

As the gold cage slowly slid down, the full view of the [Bar] gradually came into sight.

This was a small underground venue. Zhu Yan visually estimated it to be only one hundred and fifty square meters, or maybe two hundred.

What met the eye was a dimly lit hall.

An exquisitely crafted long wooden table was placed in the center of the hall, with two rows of velvet chairs neatly arranged beside it, completely empty.

The only bright light source here came from the bartending counter on the left.

Behind the counter hung a lamp like a bright moon. A ghastly white light shone through its uneven surface, causing the wine glasses suspended in front of the bar to refract diamond-like specks of light.

Behind the counter stood a "person."

Its short black hair stood up distinctly like needles on its head. It was covered in trendy brands, and a silver earring twinkled in the moonlight.

This "person's" face was full and young, but its facial skin was incomplete—

Its upper and lower eyelids had been cut off, leaving only two eyeballs rolling around in their sockets.

Even its lips had a large chunk torn off, exposing shriveled gums and half a row of teeth, looking as if it were laughing loudly.

Zhu Yan, however, oddly felt at ease.

Once something revealed itself in front of him, it changed from the unknown to the known.

Now that it was known, there was nothing left to fear.

The "person's" eyes did not move, its gaze frozen in Zhu Yan's direction.

The next second, it threw its arms open enthusiastically, though it did not step out from behind the counter.

"Yo bro!"

Its voice was young but raspy, like sandpaper scraping across glass.

"Taking the front door VIP lane? Forgot the rules?"