Fruit

Island nation, Saitama Prefecture.

The crowded bar buzzed with noise, everyone letting themselves go beneath the dim lights.

The scents of alcohol, perfume, tobacco, and hormones filled the air as handsome men and beautiful women swayed wildly on the dance floor.

Yet a man in a brown jacket seemed utterly out of place amid it all. Sitting alone at the bar, he silently stared at the amber liquor in his hand.

Bai Xing had been in this world for over a month.

In his previous life, he had been an underground fighter in America. Because he refused to throw a match, he had cost a powerful boss a great deal of money.

So they cornered him in an alley and shot him three times, ending his life.

Unexpectedly, when he woke up, not only had all his injuries vanished, but he had also somehow arrived in the island nation.

At first, Bai Xing thought he had been kidnapped, but he soon discovered that this no longer seemed to be the world he knew.

He gently closed his eyes, and his consciousness entered a boundless void. Floating there was an ancient tree that seemed to have existed since time immemorial.

Its condition, however, did not seem very good at the moment.

It looked old and weary overall, its trunk a deathly grayish white that exuded waves of decay.

Only one branch still shone with an unusual radiance.

White, purple, and blue intertwined, their electric brilliance constantly flowing across the branch.

At the tip of the branch hung a fruit likewise woven from streams of three-colored light.

"It should ripen tonight."

This ancient tree was likely the reason Bai Xing had crossed into this world.

Yet even now, Bai Xing had not figured out exactly what it was.

Over the past month, the only change in the ancient tree had been the birth of a fruit on that single branch that still possessed vitality.

The ancient tree was mysterious and powerful, so Bai Xing had great expectations for the fruit it had produced.

And today, the time for harvest had finally arrived.

Click, click, click.

The sound of high heels striking the floor rang out.

A pair of long legs wrapped in black stockings entered his view.

Misako, dressed in business attire and high heels, approached Bai Xing with a smile.

"Mr. Bai, this way, please."

Bai Xing drained the rest of his drink in one gulp, picked up the black bag at his feet, and followed Misako to an elevator.

After she entered a key, the elevator carried them down to the third basement level, a place ordinary people had no knowledge of.

The bar above was merely a front. This was actually an underground casino controlled by the Takahashi Syndicate.

As the elevator doors slowly opened, the light spilling out made Bai Xing narrow his eyes slightly.

A stench of money, even more nauseating than the mingled smell of alcohol and hormones, hit him head-on.

The clatter of chips constantly filled his ears, while sexy girls dressed as bunny girls weaved back and forth.

Every day, all the joys and sorrows of life played out before the gambling tables.

But none of it made Bai Xing pause for even a step, nor did it draw the slightest bit of his attention.

Misako secretly glanced at him. Though it was not her first time meeting Mr. Bai, her curiosity had not diminished in the least.

In her memory, no man seemed to possess such composure.

They made their way through the casino as if familiar with it and entered an office. Iketani Masahiro, wearing amber-tinted sunglasses and smoking a cigar, was speaking with his subordinate, Harada Ken.

Without wasting words, Bai Xing tossed over the black bag in his hand.

Thud!

It landed on the coffee table with a dull sound.

The bag fell open, revealing a severed hand inside, as well as stacks of yen beneath it.

Iketani immediately laughed. "Hahaha! As expected of Bai! Ohata Masaru is a tough nut to crack. The only person who could make him pay the price and recover the debt is you!"

When Bai Xing had first crossed over to the island nation, he knew no one, could not speak the language, and had no identity, making him an undocumented resident.

With no other choice, Bai Xing had taught himself Japanese while trying to survive.

A chance encounter had brought him into contact with Iketani Masahiro, the yakuza member before him. With his formidable skills, Bai Xing helped him collect debts and managed to gain a temporary foothold here.

Perhaps because of the ancient tree in his mind, Bai Xing felt that his thoughts were clearer now and that his memory had improved significantly.

He had completed a Japanese course through self-study in less than half a month.

Seeing that his flattery had received no response, Iketani seemed accustomed to it and showed no displeasure.

He took several stacks of cash from the bag and tossed them back to Bai Xing. "Bai, your timing is perfect. I have another job for you."

Before he could finish, Bai Xing, who was putting away the cash, flatly refused. "Sorry. I've been a little tired lately. I want to rest for a while first."

Iketani was taken aback, then smiled again and laughed. "No problem! How about you don't leave tonight? I'll accompany you for a few rounds here so you can relax."

Bai Xing refused directly. "No need."

Then he turned and left.

After Bai Xing was gone, Harada Ken could not help saying, "Boss, he's way too ungrateful! He wouldn't even give you any face!"

"Baka!" Iketani slapped Harada Ken on the head. "Do you know how many bad debts that kid collected for me in just half a month? If you had even half his ability, you could refuse to give me face too!"

"Yes!" Harada Ken did not dare say another word under Iketani's scolding and could only lower his head and endure it.

Meanwhile, Misako took Bai Xing back up to ground level. Just as he was about to leave, she suddenly called out to him.

"Mr. Bai."

"What is it?" Bai Xing turned back to look at her.

The dazzling neon lights outside the bar shone over Misako. Her fitted business attire emphasized her alluring figure.

Her collar was slightly open, revealing the white shirt beneath.

The shirt's collar and cuffs were decorated with delicate black lace, adding a touch of charm and femininity to her appearance.

Her makeup was exquisite yet natural. Her large eyes were bright and lively, her lashes thick and curled, and her sexy red lips curved upward slightly.

She stepped closer to Bai Xing, her soft, boneless little hand intentionally or unintentionally brushing over his chest muscles.

"If Mr. Bai is feeling tired, I'd be very happy to help you."

Her warm breath brushed against Bai Xing's ear, making it feel a little itchy.

It made his heart itch too.

Bai Xing was certainly not an ascetic, but he understood that those who threw themselves at him usually had ulterior motives.

Besides, he had something more important to do today.

He took a step back without expression.

"Another day."

Ignoring Misako's stunned expression, he strode past her and left.

After a while.

Misako finally came to her senses. The first thing she did was take out a mirror to check whether there was something wrong with her makeup today.

Only then did she take out her phone and call Iketani.

"Hello."

"Mr. Iketani, I failed."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a sigh.

"Forget it. Come back first."

Bai Xing returned all the way to the hotel where he was staying.

After he had helped Iketani recover the first long-overdue debt, Iketani had arranged a legal identity for him.

It resolved his problem of being undocumented.

With the commissions he had earned, Bai Xing was able to live rather comfortably.

After washing up, Bai Xing lay on the bed and sent his consciousness into the void again to check on the ancient tree.

The streams of three-colored light were continuously converging upon the fruit at the branch's tip, with tiny arcs of electricity blossoming across it.

It was about to ripen!