A few days later, Ye Xiao sat in the vintage car as it arrived at the border between the Upper and Lower City. While waiting for the councilman in the restaurant, his gaze was inadvertently drawn to a girl in a white dress walking down the street. Instantly, he was captivated.
However, the arrival of the councilman interrupted his stare.
"The male lead has met the female lead. Hint." The mechanical voice chimed in again. System No. 09988 couldn’t understand why this host never utilized its functions, even though it had offered the option to borrow points.
After all, other hosts were usually more than willing to accept.
"Shut up," Fang Zhiyi said coldly as he pried open a window and slipped inside.
He truly disliked this thing lurking in his mind.
Moving silently into the living room, Fang Zhiyi was met with a dimly lit space filled with the stench of decay. Suppressing his discomfort, he followed the faint sounds to their source.
A girl stood there, gripping a pair of scissors, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at the man groaning on the floor.
One of the men, with long hair, was still cursing at her.
"I should’ve killed you along with them! How dare you poison us!"
Mei Ming’s hands trembled. These two men had come under the pretense of collecting debts, but they always helped themselves to food and drink while taking all her father’s money. A few days ago, when her parents could no longer pay the interest, they had beaten them. Her father had fought back, and in the struggle, they had killed him. Her mother, wailing, had thrown herself at them—only to meet the same fate.
Yet they had spared her. Perhaps they thought she still had some value. While cooking for them, she had overheard them discussing how much she was worth.
Clearly, they were waiting to sell her off.
They called it repaying the debt.
Mei Ming loved chemistry. Her father had been a chemistry teacher, passionate about his work despite the rarity of schooling in the Lower City—until loan sharks took his life.
Tonight was the first time she had ever concocted poison. She refused to be sold, refused to be caged.
Her eyes grew manic. The poison hadn’t been strong enough to kill these two monsters. Raising the scissors high, she let out a scream.
"Aah—"
The scream was abruptly cut short.
Mei Ming turned. A stranger stood in the kitchen, gripping her wrist.
The long-haired man laughed when he saw the newcomer. "Hahaha! You’re dead, you little bitch!" His face twisted with triumph.
Mei Ming stared blankly at the man, despair flooding her. Was there really no escape?
"Stabbing like that won’t kill anyone," the man said softly.
Mei Ming froze.
He took the scissors from her hand, crouched beside the long-haired man, and traced a line along his neck. "I know from experience—even stabbing here might not be fatal. And if they don’t die, it’s trouble."
Suddenly, he smiled at her. "Close your eyes."
Mei Ming bit her lip and slowly obeyed.
"Hey, man, who the hell are—"
"Dead men don’t need answers."
A moment later, Mei Ming felt a tap on her shoulder. "Turn around and walk. Don’t look back."
She obeyed—but curiosity got the better of her. Glancing back, she saw two corpses with slit throats, their eyes wide open.
Fear prickled through her.
"Congratulations, Host. You’ve earned the favor of a femme fatale." The system seized the chance to flatter him. It had to make its presence known.
Fang Zhiyi ignored it.
When he returned with yet another girl in tow, Mia shrugged. "What is this, an orphanage now?"
Fang Zhiyi casually tossed her a bag of money—something he’d grabbed along the way.
Mia lunged for it. "Fine! Bring as many as you want!" Her eyes gleamed like coins.
"Host, the route I planned for you also involves recruiting capable subordinates before Night Owl rises to power..."
Fang Zhiyi turned and left, vanishing into the night once more.
Mia’s words had reminded him. He needed to find Guan Xiong at the orphanage—the boy who would one day be known as the Flesh Machine.
Though scrawny, Guan Xiong towered over his peers. He remained silent, his cold, reptilian eyes wary as Fang Zhiyi made his offer.
Fang Zhiyi’s gaze shifted to the man struggling to escape behind Guan Xiong.
The system helpfully chimed in: "Guan Xiong’s first kill. That man tried to do something unspeakable to him."
Fang Zhiyi stepped around Guan Xiong. The boy didn’t move, but his neck twisted unnaturally, his stare unsettling. Fang Zhiyi watched dispassionately as the man begged for help—before stomping down on his throat. A crack echoed, and the man went still.
"Coming with me?"
Guan Xiong studied the man who stood a head shorter than him, then glanced at the grotesque corpse. Without warning, he lashed out—but Fang Zhiyi blocked the strike. After a tense moment, Guan Xiong withdrew his hand.
The two walked in silence, one after the other, into the darkness.
But when they returned to the sewers, they found Mia pacing near the entrance.
"What’s wrong?"
"Have you seen the Roland Sisters?"
They spoke at the same time. Fang Zhiyi looked past Mia—only Mei Ming stood there. The two little girls were gone.
"No. What happened?"
Mia tugged at her hair. "The younger one kept crying for her mother. I didn’t think much of it—just told her their parents didn’t want them anymore."
Fang Zhiyi gave her a thumbs-up. Great job comforting them.
"Then, not long after you left, they ran off!" Mia gritted her teeth before adding, "Maybe it’s for the best. They were just ticking time bombs here anyway."
Fang Zhiyi noticed her fingers twisting together—a clear sign of worry, despite her harsh words.
"Where’s the Roland Sisters’ home?"
Exhausted but undeterred, Fang Zhiyi set out again. He was growing accustomed to the Lower City’s ways.
To his surprise, Mei Ming and Guan Xiong followed. Even Mia, who’d claimed not to care, trailed behind.
They trekked through narrow alleys for hours before reaching a wooden house.
No sounds came from inside. Fang Zhiyi suggested splitting up—two little girls couldn’t have gone far.
Mia agreed.
After circling the area and roughing up a few would-be muggers, Fang Zhiyi returned to find Mia gone. Only Mei Ming remained, curled up on the steps, and Guan Xiong standing stiffly nearby.
"Where’s Mia?" Fang Zhiyi asked.
Mei Ming answered, "She said she had an idea and went to gather information. Told us to wait here for you."