Fooled You

Sule quickly recounted everything that had happened after Gaoxin fainted.

Gaoxin felt both anxious and deeply touched after hearing the story.

Luo Yan did this to save me. Given my condition at the time, I would have surely died without Rou Si's treatment.

Yesterday, my original intention was to rely on my intellect to discern and predict the opponent's movements, and to gamble with some small strategies during the fight.

Even though it was still very dangerous, I had no other choice at the time but to court death to find a way to live.

I never expected that I would find a way to live, but then get screwed over by that medicine. Fortunately, Luo Yan exposed his secret and used his blood to save me, allowing me to unlock my potential at the last moment and reach the level of a Superior Glass Person.

This act, back and forth, was equivalent to saving my life twice.

"A toy?"

Gaoxin was furious. He punched the wall fiercely, causing a deafening boom.

A dent appeared in the metal wall.

His fist, too, was bleeding, its skin broken.

Sule exclaimed in admiration, "Brother Xin Ku, you're surprisingly strong!"

Gaoxin remembered that this was Luo Yan's secret and whispered, "It's enhanced."

"Oh..." Sule thought to himself, Wasn't it his brain that was enhanced? Did he enhance his body too? He felt something was off but didn't pry further.

Soon, someone pushed the door open. "What are you doing? Trying to demolish the house?"

A woman with a delicate voice, dressed in a nurse's uniform, walked in.

However, upon closer inspection, she was unattractive, with rough skin, small eyes, a flat nose, and a stout figure.

Sule scratched his head. "Sister Jing, my brother is awake."

Sister Jing glanced at the wall. "Smashing the wall as soon as you wake up, who are you angry at?"

Gaoxin regained his composure. "It's nothing. I was just testing if my body had fully recovered."

Sister Jing smiled. "Your body recovered long ago. Are the Vitality Fat from Madam Rou Si just for show? Commander Da Ye also had me give you an injection of nutrient solution. You're better than ever now."

Gaoxin jumped up and down on the spot, thinking to himself that his body wasn't just good, it was filled with power.

Luo Yan's blood truly unlocked the potential of ordinary people. My strength now is far greater than before, at least doubled!

"Come out, there's a crowd waiting for you outside," Sister Jing beckoned.

The two followed her out. It was a large medical station, five stories high, and he had only been lying in a regular ward on the first floor.

Sister Jing guided them out of the station and leaned against the main entrance to watch the show.

Outside, a large group of people were gathered in the courtyard, chatting and smoking in small groups.

When they saw Gaoxin emerge, they didn't react at first.

It wasn't until they saw Sule following Gaoxin that they reacted and immediately swarmed forward.

"You're the Gaoxin who killed Daishan Beida?"

"We all heard about it. You fought and killed him when there was more than double the weight difference. You're truly formidable."

"Unbelievable, he didn't look strong at all."

"That makes it even more impressive! Crossing three weight classes! That's a real badass!"

"Join our Team 24! Our team needs talented people like you!"

"Of course, you should join our Team 21. All resources will be directed towards you, and you only need to participate in one game a month."

"Come to Team 19. Gaoxin, you can participate if you want, or not if you don't. You can even rest for a whole month. Our team had the best performance this month. If you follow me, I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury."

"Don't listen to his nonsense. Our Team 02 has always been the best performer. We just had bad luck this time. In our team, you can also rest whenever you want."

"Come to our Team 07! We have many beautiful women! I'll arrange for them, plus ten of my subordinates to serve you."

A chorus of voices, full of enthusiastic invitations and various conditions, erupted.

Clearly, after a day of circulation, the news of Gaoxin defeating Daishan Beida had spread throughout the Redemption Squad.

Although there were many Superior Glass People in the Redemption Squad, no one dared to claim they could surely defeat Daishan Beida. He was a karate master trained by the Enforcer group, and a super heavyweight weighing 150 kilograms.

Yet, he was defeated by a newcomer! How could this not be shocking?

Even though they hadn't witnessed the duel themselves, the fact that he accomplished this feat in front of a group of Wa people proved he was a genuine powerhouse with no pretense.

"You're too loud, I can't hear you!" Gaoxin said loudly.

Soon, everyone fell silent and looked at him with expectant eyes.

Some of them looked fierce, while others appeared refined, but without exception, they all carried weapons, even firearms.

These were all the small captains of the Glass Redemption Squad, each leading nearly a hundred people.

It could be said that these were the most successful Glass People, and now they were all vying to recruit Gaoxin.

Gaoxin sighed inwardly, realizing he had finally earned this opportunity through risking his life. He felt even more grateful to Luo Yan.

But now that Luo Yan had been taken away, he could only make long-term plans.

Gaoxin steadied himself and scanned the crowd, finally spotting a muscular man – that was Brother Qiao, with Liu Xu standing behind him.

However, Gaoxin didn't rush. Instead, he observed the others.

"Can I choose freely?"

The captain of Team 02, a tall white man, pushed everyone behind him and chuckled, "Of course, it's standard practice."

"The weak are directly assigned to teams with fewer members; only the strong have the right to choose."

Before Gaoxin could speak.

Sule shouted from behind, "Wherever Brother Xin Ku goes, I go."

A commotion erupted. Good heavens, these two Superior Glass People were a package deal.

It was like recruiting two at once, which would undoubtedly intensify the competition.

"Join our Team 02! Our team is full of talent, with over twenty Superior Glass People. If you join, I'll make you vice-captain on the spot!" The white captain was very forthright, directly stating his team's advantages.

The other captains grew anxious, especially those whose team composition wasn't as good. They shouted, "Your Team 02 always gets the Superior Glass People. You've already taken Luo Ban this time, and you're still competing with us?"

The white captain laughed heartily, "Precisely because Luo Ban has already joined our team, Gaoxin should come even more."

"The strong take all. Our Team 02 is just that formidable. We've completed our quota for 24 consecutive months, and have been ranked first for ten consecutive months. What do you say?"

"Gaoxin, ignore those weak teams. You can live a very easy life on our team."

Some of the stronger teams also presented their benefits and vigorously introduced their team's advantages.

It was as if these teams could earn redemption vouchers just by lying around, without having to risk their lives in the game.

But that was clearly impossible. The reason each team sought to recruit strong individuals was to have a greater chance of earning more redemption vouchers.

Gaoxin chuckled inwardly. They were bullying him as a newcomer and boasting wildly.

He immediately turned his gaze to Brother Qiao, wondering what this man would say.

Brother Qiao understood immediately and finally stepped forward, saying, "Gaoxin, our Team 09, while not particularly strong, has also completed its quota for eight consecutive months. If you join, I'll give you the captain's position."

"???" Upon hearing this, all the other captains were stunned.

What was this? The captain's position was being given away?

For the Redemption Squad, the Laborer Group, and similar positions, these were basically the best power a Glass Person could strive for.

It was true that the Redemption Squad captain was somewhat dangerous; if the quota wasn't met, the captain had to die!

However, the captain held the power of scheduling. Who went into the game and who didn't, who participated in the lower-level or intermediate games – all these powers were in the captain's hands.

At the last moment, whether it was betting everything and sending everyone into the game, or being bold enough to spend their savings and take a gamble in an intermediate game, they could potentially make up for the shortfall at the last minute.

In fact, as long as the people in the team weren't too bad, completing the quota was quite simple, and the captain wouldn't die so easily.

If they were lucky, wealthy captains could even use this opportunity to strengthen themselves, becoming Superior Glass People and possessing firearms.

In short, the captain's power was very important; giving it away was like handing over one's life.

"Oh? You want me to be captain?" Gaoxin hadn't expected such a condition.

The other captains grew anxious, "Gaoxin, don't listen to that guy surnamed Qiao. He has no authority to transfer the captaincy."

"You must understand that if the team fails to meet its quota, the captain has to pay with their life. If they could just pass off the captaincy at the last moment and find some subordinate to take the fall, wouldn't that be disastrous?"

"Exactly, this guy is lying to you, just to trick you into his team first. Once you join his team, you'll have to listen to him. If he tells you to participate in a game, you have to go."

Hearing their attempts to undermine him, Gaoxin smiled, "So the conditions you promised, like participating only once a month or even participating in games freely, were all lies then?"

At that moment, some people froze.

The white captain of Team 02 immediately said, "My team is the strongest. If you join, you'll be vice-captain. I stand by my word. As for participating in the game, the vice-captain doesn't have to. It's just a word from me, unless the team absolutely cannot meet its quota in the end, then you'll need to go into the game."

"Without a doubt, joining the strongest team is the best choice. Our team has completed its quota for nearly two years."

Brother Qiao smiled and said, "Gaoxin, I admit I don't have the right to truly pass on the captain's position to you."

"But isn't this even better? As long as you trust me, you and I will be co-captains of Team 09. If we fail to meet our performance targets, I will be the one to die in the end!"

Everyone was dumbfounded. The authority of a captain, without the responsibility of a captain?

Was this competition going too far?

Even the strongest white captain was furious. He turned and grabbed Brother Qiao by the collar, "Qiao Long, are you sick?"

Qiao Long smiled faintly, "I'm not sick. It's just that I'm tired of being captain. I've wanted to step down and pass on the position for a long time."

Everyone was speechless. A leader could get tired of leading?

Gaoxin smiled. Brother Qiao might just be trying to appease him, but by the same logic, the other captains would try even harder to appease him. In comparison, he and Brother Qiao at least had Liu Xu and others as a basis for trust, having indirectly met and scouted each other.

The fact that the other party directly offered him the captaincy in public showed more than enough sincerity, both in reason and in emotion.

Gaoxin decisively announced loudly, "Alright, I'll join Team 09."

Upon hearing this, the white captain angrily swung a fist at Qiao Long, as if to vent his frustration.

Qiao Long, not to be outdone, returned a punch.

"Bang!"

Qiao Long was forced to retreat repeatedly, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

The white captain also took a punch, his face slightly flushed. He clutched his neck and staggered a couple of times.

All the captains present were Superior Glass People. The difference between them was basically just their weight. And without a doubt, the white captain was the strongest, weighing around 120 kilograms, making him the bulkiest in the entire place.

Qiao Long was a head shorter, but being able to withstand a punch without falling was enough to demonstrate his strength.

"You still dare to fight back? You want a fight, huh!" The white captain angrily stepped forward, intending to continue the fight. At the same time, several captains beside him also moved to surround them.

"Peter, stop going crazy here." On Qiao Long's side, many people nearby also clenched their fists, ready for a confrontation.

This made Gaoxin's heart stir. It seemed that the individual teams also had alliances with each other.

"Hey, if you want to fight, fight me!" Gaoxin stepped out directly, blocking the white captain Peter. Sule also hurried to follow.

Peter was stunned. "It's none of your business if I beat him!"

Gaoxin stared at him coldly. Even though the other man was a head taller, he showed no fear. "I'm the captain of Team 09. You beat my team member, so tell me, is it any of my business?"

"What?" Everyone was stunned. Good heavens, he's already in character? That's fast!

"Newcomer, do you know that out of the three thousand Glass People in the entire Redemption Squad, I'm the leader."

Gaoxin looked at Peter. "A leader is still a sheep, aren't they all slaves? What's there to be so arrogant about?"

"You..." Peter's brown pupils contracted. He had no retort, staring intently at the fearless Gaoxin, then at Sule beside him, and the alliance of captains behind Qiao Long.

In terms of quality, his side was stronger, but in terms of numbers, Qiao Long's side had more. After all, they were all lower-tier teams banding together.

Normally, he wouldn't be afraid. More people were useless. He just needed to focus on taking down the leader.

But now, the one leading was Gaoxin!

Although Gaoxin didn't look strong, his record was solid. He had killed a Wa enforcer, Daishan Beida, who weighed a full 150 kilograms!

Although Luo Ban said it was due to underestimating the enemy, it was a battle to the death! Even if he underestimated the enemy, being able to kill him was impressive!

Peter finally said, "Alright, alright, Gaoxin. This is a hospital. Don't disturb the injured."

"Tonight! I'll wait for you at the execution grounds tonight."

With that, he led his people away.

Although he was scared, he wasn't entirely scared. He still had to maintain his authority, after all, he was the leader of a group of strong Glass People teams.

Since Gaoxin wouldn't join him and wouldn't be directly under his command, he could only use force and power to subdue him. In terms of the number of tough guys, he wasn't afraid.

Gaoxin wasn't interested in this. What if he didn't go?

He just wanted to leave this place and immediately followed Qiao Long.

This was a camp far from the center of the village, with many buildings resembling dormitories, as well as a hospital and a cafeteria.

In all aspects, it looked much better than the living quarters of the laborers.

Clearly, if they wanted the slaves to fight desperately, the treatment in other aspects couldn't be too harsh.

There was even considerable leeway left in the system for excellent teams. It was likely based on the idea that a horse wouldn't get fat without night fodder. As long as the redemption vouchers were sufficient, the Wa people would turn a blind eye.

Gaoxin and the others got to know each other on the way. Qiao Long was preparing to take Gaoxin to the dormitory building where Team 09 was located to discuss important matters.

Unexpectedly, Gaoxin waved his hand. "Wait a moment. Some things aren't urgent. I want to ask, can I leave the base and move freely?"

Qiao Long explained, "Uh... free movement isn't allowed. When not participating in a game, the activity range is limited to the Redemption Squad's camp."

"To leave, you must be led by a captain."

Gaoxin nodded. "Alright, I need to go out now."

Qiao Long raised an eyebrow. "Go where? You're not planning to right now..."

Clearly, he knew Gaoxin intended to escape. But which slave didn't want to escape? As long as they didn't truly break the rules, perhaps even the Wa people wouldn't react too strongly if they heard about it.

Gaoxin said, "Do you know where Rou Si lives?"

"Ah, this..." Qiao Long frowned, looking troubled.

Gaoxin could tell he definitely knew Rou Si's whereabouts and quickly said, "Take me there, please. This is very important to me."

"Okay!" Qiao Long agreed.

He turned back and asked Liu Xu to return to the base first. Then, he, along with Gaoxin and Sule, left the camp and headed straight for Rou Si's residence.

According to Qiao Long's introduction, most of the Black Hands lived in training camps in various locations, cultivating diligently all day.

However, Rou Si, being an executive, had her own independent residence in the village center, complete with a private training ground.

It was a detached house, occupying an area of a thousand square meters, located in what was considered the second ring of Yamaguchi Village.

Upon closer inspection, a cute, chubby pink plush toy was hanging at the entrance, making it immediately obvious that the owner of this house had a girlish heart...

"This is it..." Qiao Long whispered.

Gaoxin hadn't expected it to go so smoothly. He said, "I thought we'd have to go through many obstacles. I didn't expect you to bring me here so easily."

Qiao Long replied, "This is the developed area of Yamaguchi Village. As long as you have enough redemption vouchers, anyone can buy a house here..."

"The reason I was hesitant before was that I was afraid you'd cause trouble here... Rou Si is not only medical staff but also extremely strong in combat and holds a high position in the Black Hand Gang."

"If you anger her, our entire squad will be buried with you. After all, I'm the one who brought you out..."

Gaoxin nodded. The combat power here was often calculated by weight, and when it came to weight, who could compare to Rou Si?

This woman must weigh at least a ton. Even if she's only Sub-Wolf Level, she possesses a full fifteen tons of strength! She could crush Sasaki with a single slap!

Qiao Long brought him here, so he would be held responsible if anything happened.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Gaoxin said calmly.

Qiao Long pouted. "I know who you're looking for. In that case, I won't go. You can visit normally. The doorbell is there. Don't climb the wall; this house has an automatic defense system."

He and Sule retreated to the corner of the wall, watching Gaoxin approach alone and press the doorbell.

A moment later, a projection of a man's head appeared on the wall. "Who are you and what is this regarding?"

Gaoxin didn't recognize the person and could only say, "I'm here to thank Master Rou Si for saving my life yesterday."

The man said, "Master Rou Si is not home. Please visit again tonight."

Hearing she wasn't home, Gaoxin felt relieved and retorted, "You're Master Rou Si's servant, aren't you?"

The man looked somewhat flustered. "Yes! Master Rou Si is truly not home. If you have something very important, you can tell me, and I will relay it to Master Rou Si."

Seeing that the man was worried about offending him, Gaoxin thought for a moment and said, "Can I come in for a cup of tea while I wait for Master Rou Si to return?"

The man was stunned. "May I ask who you are...?"

Gaoxin raised his voice. "I'm just asking if you can do it."

The man hesitated for a moment, and then another familiar voice suddenly came through. "Xin, is that you?"

Gaoxin was instantly overjoyed. "Vocational School Brother!"

"Wait a moment..." It was Luo Yan's voice. He seemed to be discussing something with another servant.

Then, the courtyard gate creaked open, and a large, chubby figure waddled out.

The smile on Gaoxin's face froze. He didn't recognize him at first. After a closer look, he realized it was Luo Yan.

"You..."

"Don't say anything, come with me." Luo Yan pulled Gaoxin inside, but instead of going into the house, he led him to a warehouse in the yard that concealed a secret passage.

They entered and found themselves in a cold storage room, with whole pigs, cows, sheep, and even walruses, seals, and dolphins hanging everywhere.

It was an entire meat locker!

Gaoxin even saw giant mice, which, even after being skinned, weighed around two hundred kilograms. Such an absurd size could only belong to a radiation beast.

"There's no 3D surveillance here. Say whatever you need to say," Luo Yan said, his double chin jiggling.

"3D surveillance?" Gaoxin worried, "You're letting me in like this and bringing me here. Won't that cause trouble?"

Luo Yan shook his head. "It's fine. Who the hell watches surveillance? As long as nothing happens... When she gets back, she just eats, then plays, and pulls me into telling stories. If she's happy, she'll..."

He didn't finish, but Gaoxin's eyes turned red.

"Sigh, actually, as long as you make her happy, this woman is quite simple. She especially loves listening to stories. I tell them very well and have already won her favor. Look, my hands have grown back."

"This fat woman just has a peculiar aesthetic. She considers fatness beautiful. I've only been here for a day, and she's already pushed me to weigh two hundred and fifty pounds... She forces me to eat a massive amount of food every day. Damn it, nine meals a day..."

Gaoxin hugged him. "Why don't we run now!"

Luo Yan sighed. "Don't be silly. The entire Yamaguchi Village has a magnetic field for security, like a giant barrier enveloping it."

"Everyone who enters or leaves the barrier will be scanned. You can wander around the center of the village, but if you dare to leave Yamaguchi Village, you'll be discovered immediately."

Gaoxin's expression turned cold. So that's how it is. No wonder the viewers' bullet comments had advised him not to think about running directly; it was impossible.

Clearly, no matter how hidden he was, he would need the strength to deal with pursuers.

Without even thinking, the pursuers would definitely not all be Glass Persons; they would at least be Wolf Level.

"How is your body? Is it all healed?" Luo Yan examined Gaoxin's body.

Gaoxin said emotionally, "It's much better, Luo Yan. If it weren't for you, I would definitely be dead by now."

Luo Yan's fleshy face broke into a smile. "Don't say that. Didn't we agree yesterday that we were brothers? You've joined the Redemption Squad now, right?"

Gaoxin immediately explained his situation and finally said, "I will definitely become a Radiator and then take you with me."

Luo Yan nodded. "Yeah, I can only rely on you now. I can't even leave this house..."

"But I have quite a bit of freedom indoors. From now on, whenever Rou Si is not home, I'll take down the chubby doll on the door. If you notice it, you can come find me."

"If you need anything, I can't help you with other things, but there's plenty of food, enough to go around!"

Gaoxin understood and was about to say goodbye.

He suddenly thought of something but hesitated.

Seeing his unspoken words, Luo Yan asked, "Is there anything else?"

Gaoxin said, "It's nothing, it's just... the blood you gave me yesterday, its effect..."

Luo Yan interrupted directly. "Hey, you felt weak when you woke up, right? That's normal. It was a one-time thing. The potential unleashed was just a temporary burst. I didn't tell you yesterday."

"What?" Gaoxin was stunned.

He just wanted to ask Luo Yan for more blood, to find a group of trustworthy people in the Redemption Squad to use it.

He never expected Luo Yan to blurt out something like that.

One-time use? Then why was he full of energy? Although he hadn't tested it, the punch he landed on the wall earlier had even impressed Sule. Clearly, his current strength was about the same as Sule's.

Could it be his own problem again? After all, Mind Shift No. 1 had become a long-lasting effect for him too.

Gaoxin narrowed his eyes and asked suspiciously, "Is it one-time use... Luo Yan, then give me some more. I need to go all out in the game, I'll need this stuff during deathmatches."

Hearing him ask for more, Luo Yan hurriedly said, "Don't talk about deathmatches so easily, didn't you get your brain enhanced?"

Gaoxin said seriously, "What's the use of a brain? They might not give me a chance to bargain. You saved my life, and I'll take you with me no matter what. If I don't go all out in the game, how can I earn more redemption vouchers?"

"Even if I don't use it, I can give it to others. Don't worry, I'll keep your secret. I'll just say it was redeemed."

Luo Yan became conflicted.

Finally, he sighed and said, "Okay, I'll tell you the truth. My blood doesn't have any special effect for unlocking potential."

"Everything I said yesterday was a lie..."

"Ah?" Gaoxin's eyes widened, his head buzzing.

p.s: Sorry.