Horror

That's fucking amazing!

Kang De let out a long sigh of relief.

To be honest, after thinking it over and over, he really hadn't considered this possibility.

Xie Guangjun actually brought a few thugs to his house, and they even broke in by picking the lock.

Moreover, it's in the city, in a prime location, in an upscale residential area, with two police stations within a three-kilometer radius, and the district government is just a ten-minute bike ride away.

You're trying to reach for the heavens!

At this moment, Kang De's feelings can only be described in one word.

Grass.

It's not "fuck," it's "grass."

This is so absurd it's almost ridiculous.

This is a society governed by law, bro.

You're a second-generation rich kid, and your dad's a famous entrepreneur. Don't you care about the social impact?

But no matter what, it has already happened.

Settling scores with Xie Guangjun is a matter for later; right now, there are four other things to deal with.

Kang De shook his head, walked straight past the person who had come to check on the commotion, and entered the living room.

He looked at the floor-to-ceiling windows on the north side of the living room; the curtains were already drawn.

Then I looked at the gate; it was tightly shut.

The messy packaging bags and fruit pits scattered on the coffee table were from the refrigerator, things Old Wang bought.

"You guys have excellent cooking skills," Kang De said. "Are you all full? If not, eat more."

"Wow, you've got some guts."

The one who spoke was more composed and confident than the other three; he was probably the leader. He squinted at Kang De, like a wolf sizing up its prey, his eyes filled with disdain and mockery.

This look is quite recognizable; it's basically the same way those hooligans and thugs around middle schools used to look at students attending prestigious schools.

These petty thugs, who dropped out of school early for various reasons and went into the underworld, considered themselves worldly-wise and knowledgeable about so-called social principles. They believed that rules were not enough to be followed and that fists could earn them more. Therefore, they looked at the honest, well-behaved students with disdain and a sense of superiority, thinking that the other party was nothing more than a bookworm who only knew how to study.

Of course, they would never admit that besides disdain, their eyes also held a hidden jealousy.

Sure enough, the man immediately laughed and said, "Those who have been to school are different, aren't they?"

Of course, the teasing in his tone was undisguised.

Given the current situation, it's a four-on-one situation—four working adults against one college student. They have an overwhelming advantage; they are a pack of wolves, while the other is just a lone lamb, a blank slate.

Kang De simply smiled, "You're Xie Guangjun's men?"

The group laughed simultaneously, "No, no, no, we didn't. We just didn't like you, so we came here to teach you a lesson. Don't talk nonsense."

Kang De shook his head and said, "Don't be so wary. I don't care if you are or not, but there are surveillance cameras in the elevator and in the neighborhood. You certainly wouldn't dare to kill me. Haven't you thought about the consequences of doing so?"

Those people laughed again.

"Kang De, right?"

The leader seemed to enjoy the current situation, stemming from the violent nature of humankind. He enjoyed the feeling of crushing the weak and preferred to gradually break down the defenses of these cultured, highly educated people, making them realize the reality of the world and that society was not as simple as they thought.

So he said with a smile, "Do you think we're the kind of clueless thugs who just take money and do things for others? Don't try to scare me, I'll tell you what the consequences will be."

"You guys broke in by picking the lock, which is illegal intrusion into a residence. We beat you up because it seriously infringed on your personal safety, and it's considered a crime, punishable by up to three years in prison or detention."

"If we hit you harder and cause minor injuries, that constitutes intentional assault, which carries a sentence of up to three years. But if we just slap you, shove your head into the toilet, or burn your feathers with a lighter, that's just a minor administrative penalty, and that's the final outcome."

He had a gentle smile on his face. If he were to wear a suit and glasses, you wouldn't be entirely wrong to call him a lawyer.

"That's the result."

The thug leader stated clearly, "We beat you up and humiliated you. You can call the police. We'll be arrested, we'll confess, we'll apologize sincerely, and we might even offer compensation, because we're rich. For some reason, we have tons of money in our accounts."

"After compensating you, the rest will be enough for me and my family to live on for a long time. We will go to jail, but there will be people to take care of us there. Because we are well-liked, we will actively accept rehabilitation, behave well, and strive to be released as soon as possible. After we get out, I will re-enter society, apply for a job, and get a good position in a large company, maybe even better than the job that a college graduate like you can find by working hard."

"That's the result."

"As for you..."

He smiled warmly.

"We won't beat you too badly. We know the law, and we're Civilization too. But we'll probably take some photos and videos and post them on your school's online forum or even on the intranet, so that your teachers and students can see them. If this is illegal or a crime, then we'll deal with it according to the law, and make the necessary compensation."

"So you'll become a celebrity at your school, but I don't think you'll care about that anymore, because the lawsuits and statements will take you a long time. And just when you're finally able to catch your breath and feel relieved that we've been punished by law, who knows, one day, a few people will see you on the street and, not wanting to be seen, will break into your house at night and do the same thing to you again."

"There were even a third and a fourth wave."

"This is the result, the result you wanted."

"How are you feeling?"

He smiled, staring into Kang De's eyes. The other three also looked at Kang De, trying to see what they wanted to see on the young man's face: fear, panic, disbelief, bravado, weakness.

Kang De sighed, "Just for such a trivial matter?"

"That's no small matter, brother."

The man sighed and said, "Why do you have to compete with rich people? Do you think we live in a society governed by law now, that the world is fair, and everything is clean?"

"Rich people don't bother with you because they're too lazy to bother with you. If they really did, could you win? Even a roughneck like me knows that the law is outdated and has loopholes to exploit, let alone the rich. There's no such thing as collusion between officials and businessmen anymore. The anti-corruption campaign is going very well, and the laws are strict. We all know that, but who told you that rich people have to collude with officials to get rid of you? They don't need to."

Do you think you can protect yourself using legal means?

"But rich people know more about the law than you do."

His smile was both mocking and disdainful, "How does it feel, college student?"

"To be honest, I'm quite shocked. As a college student from a much better-off family than you, with more education and a brighter future than you, I really didn't expect there to be such a way of doing things."

Kang De looked into every pair of eyes, then pointed to the door. "My neighbor, a rich second-generation, my childhood friend. My dad and her dad were also childhood friends. You say rich people are powerful, aren't you afraid of her rich family?"

"Xie Guangjun sent you to deal with me and scare me. Aren't you afraid I'll stick my tongue around and never let go, and I'll definitely find him?"

The leader shrugged and said, "First of all, I don't know who Xie Guangjun is. Secondly, what I just said was all nonsense. When the police caught me, I said it was all my own idea. Anyway, it's a society governed by law, and you can't use torture to extract confessions. Without evidence, you can't force me to reveal the mastermind behind something based on mere rumors, can you?"

"If you insist on accusing me, fine, go to court. He's rich, he can hire top lawyers and play games with you every day. He can skip work for a month, his parents send him money. What about you? Are you going to study? Are you going to find a job? Are you afraid of getting beaten up?"

"Even if you're stubborn and a tough guy, where's your dad? Where's your mom? Your mom's a teacher, right? I've heard that. Aren't you afraid someone will cause trouble at the school? Doesn't your family want peace and quiet?"

The person's tone remained calm, even earnest.

It was as if these four people hadn't come to commit evil, but rather to offer advice.

"Brother, studying isn't easy for you either. Take my advice, don't try to tough it out. You can't handle it. If someone wants to take you down, what can a commoner like you do against a rich person?"

He took a deep drag on his cigarette, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and looked like a wise and experienced elder brother.

"We still have to get this done today. I'm not trying to criticize you, but how did you manage to offend them so badly? If you just back down and beg for forgiveness, I'll still beat you up, but the things like being forced to drink urine and feces can be spared. After all, they need to vent their anger, and you'll still have to suffer some physical pain."

"Listen to my advice. After you get hit, think about who you offended, quickly find a way to apologize, think about what they want, and give it to them immediately. Don't try to take it anymore, really."

He raised his chin, looking at Kang De, wanting to see him break down and become weak.

But still nothing.

"So, according to you..." Kang De said coldly, "I should thank you for being kind and righteous, for not insulting me? And thank you for hitting me? What, do you think you're very loyal, principled, and kind-hearted?"

"Xie Guangjun is doing evil, and you're doing evil along with him to get his money. You're a bastard, and you still want to pretend to be virtuous? Do you think you're some kind of hero from Mount Liang? You're telling me to back down because you're afraid I'll call the police, right? If I back down and don't dare to say anything, you won't go to jail, and you'll still get money. Isn't that a good deal?"

"Aren't you afraid of retribution for taking this kind of money?"

Upon hearing this, the group began to curse and even prepared to attack, but the leader waved his hand to stop his underlings, stood up, and looked rather displeased.

"You've got real backbone, still holding on. I really admire that. I've dealt with a few people, some more worldly than you, but only three have backbone as tough as yours."

"So I'm curious, how can you remain so calm?"

The man sneered, "Of those three, two chickened out after being hit, because it hurt. The last one, who wasn't scared even when being hit, finally chickened out. Guess how?"

Kang De chuckled and said, "I'd like to hear it."

"Okay, then I'll tell you. I only explained one law to him."

This law-savvy thug, with a cruel smile, said, "Article 353, the crime of forcing others to take drugs: Whoever forces others to inhale or inject drugs shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than three years but not more than ten years, and shall also be fined."

Kang De's pupils suddenly contracted.

"How are things, college students?"

"A few years in jail, plus your bonus and job after release, will buy you your whole life."

"How are you feeling?"

"What do you have to compete with the rich?"

"We didn't prepare any goods this time. They're kind-hearted, moral, and well-mannered; they don't intend to ruin your life. But if you continue to be ungrateful... do you want to give them a try?"

The thugs laughed coldly, a cruel laugh.

There is a dark side to the human soul.

Because humans were once animals, and humans have always been animals.

It is pleasurable to control other people's fate, trample on their dignity, force them to kneel, and make them beg for mercy, even if they are merely the executors.

Kang De slowly exhaled. "Damn."

He slowly turned his head, looking at everyone's face, his eyes constantly shifting.

To some, this was a harbinger of collapse and fear.

The leader said, "What, didn't expect that?"

"Yes, I've learned something new," Kang De said casually. "I thought it was an urban fantasy novel, but it turns out to be horror."

"What?"

Kang De did not answer, but walked to the bedside, drew the curtains, and his fingers traced the heavy curtains, a fleeting glimmer of light imperceptible to the naked eye.

He said calmly, "How many times have you done this? How many times has Xie Guangjun done this?"

After asking the question, he shook his head and said, "Forget it, I won't get the truth out of you now."

His fingers traced the curtains as he spoke, "You know, after we met yesterday, Xie Guangjun thanked me, saying that I helped him understand something. Today, I also have to thank you. You've also taught me some things; I was indeed a bit arrogant before."

The group looked at each other in bewilderment.

Common sense in modern society is common sense about the Earth; it is science and logic.

They had already searched Kang De's bedroom but found nothing. When they saw Kang De emerge from the bedroom, their first thought was naturally that Kang De had been hiding somewhere, and they would never have thought, "This guy just teleported back."

Now, Kang De remained calm and composed, and their only thought was, "This guy is tough, has something to rely on, and won't shed a tear until he sees the coffin," nothing more.

But now, after Kang De casually uttered those words, these people finally felt a sense of unease.

It wasn't because we discovered any clues, but rather it was our instinctive reaction as living beings.

The nearest thug suddenly stood up. He'd had enough of Kang De's pretentious attitude and reached out to grab his head. "You fucking kneel down..."

Kang De turned around, grabbed his arm, and looked him straight in the eye. "What's your name?"

The thug struggled violently, only to be horrified to find that the other person's hand was like an iron clamp.

Before he could say anything, Kang De sighed.

"Ah, there's really no need for that. Just like I don't remember the name of that knight from Glittering Sand whose skull I chopped off with my throwing axe... It's really nothing."

He looked at the other person and said softly, "But you can still feel the highest honor."

Click.

In an instant, everything happened.

The three thugs saw their companion locked in a stalemate with Kang De, and then Kang De's hand appeared above their heads. The next moment, with a teeth-grinding cracking sound, their familiar companion's head turned 180 degrees, staring straight at them, mouth slightly open, eyes already beginning to glaze over.

Thump.

The body was found.

The three of them were completely blank, utterly bewildered and unable to comprehend what had just happened.

They just stared blankly at it all.

Kang De looked at the leader.

You said you really wanted to know why I remained so calm throughout.

Upon hearing this, the three men stared blankly at Kang De.

The next moment, they saw terrifying lightning flash in the eyes of this naive and weak college student. A burst of Flame rose from the void before them, swirling and burning from his arms. Azure frost formed a magnificent magic ring behind him. In the dazzling golden light, the red cloak solidified, flowing down from his back. Dazzling golden light filled his entire body, eventually transforming into a golden armor shimmering with runes.

Kang De's voice resounded like a divine pronouncement in their hearts.

"Then I'll let you know."

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PS1: Updated!

PS1: Oh, I forgot to mention, the urban setting in this book is horror-themed. (Not really.)