Redemption Game

Rou Si withdrew her hand. At least on the surface, Tianshe's weight had returned.

But he was far from his original robust state, looking like a bloated, flabby fat man.

"You lot, why have you all gotten so skinny? You're ugly! So ugly it's an eyesore!"

Rou Si looked at Sasaki and the other thirty emaciated thugs, her face full of disgust as she beckoned. "Come on, come on. One beauty injection each!"

Sasaki and the others stepped forward, and each received a flesh spike from Rou Si.

A huge lump of fat was injected directly into them, swelling Sasaki and the others' bellies. She had given each of them at least ten kilograms of fat.

Yet Rou Si had lost over three hundred kilograms of fat and still looked enormously obese... Just how fat was she?

"Thank you for the reward, Lord Rou Si." Sasaki and the others dragged their swollen bellies around. They seemed used to it already, yet they still had to give thanks.

After finishing, Rou Si turned to the thin, handsome youth. "Lin Fo, look how skinny you are! You're ugly as hell. I really don't know why Tianshe likes you. Come, let me give you a shot!"

The youth backed away repeatedly. "No, no, no. Little Lin is just naturally this ugly. I appreciate your kindness, my lord."

Rou Si shouted, "Then at least take a fattening shot!"

Without caring whether he agreed, she fired a flesh spike through the air and pierced the youth named Lin Fo.

It seemed to dissolve the instant it entered his body. Lin Fo had no way to refuse and could only force out a smile. "Thank you for the reward, Lord Rou Si."

"Good boy, good boy, good... Hmm? There's another one here."

Rou Si lowered her head. Since Lin Fo had stepped back, she spotted Luo Yan lying on the ground.

She picked Luo Yan up directly and pumped a wave of fat into him with a gurgling sound.

Luo Yan immediately grew fat, as though his entire body had become swollen. The wound where his arm had been visibly scabbed over, and color returned to his skin.

"Hmm?" Luo Yan slowly woke up and saw a fat face.

At first, he did not even recognize it as human. Only after reaching out to touch it and seeing something that seemed to be an eye blink did he scream.

Rou Si giggled coquettishly. "Little thing, how come I've never seen you before?"

Fúshé said from the side, "He's a newly arrived Glass Person slave."

Rou Si gave an oh. Luo Yan was bare-chested and covered in blood, so she had not noticed that his pants were prison clothes.

"A newcomer, huh? So are you about to begin the inspection?" Rou Si asked.

Fúshé nodded. "I'll be conducting the inspection personally this time."

Rou Si casually tossed Luo Yan down and sat on a large club nearby. "Fine, fine. Since this beauty is already here, I'll see whether there's any good merchandise and pick a new toy to send to my place."

Fúshé smiled. "Pick as many as you like. But according to custom, I plan to send a batch to the Redemption Game first to test the waters. We'll weed out some trash and recoup some losses while we're at it."

Rou Si had someone bring her food. As she ate, she said, "Mmph, mmph. Then I'll eat first. You're the official in charge of newcomers, so handle it as you see fit. Once you're done, I'll come make my picks."

Fúshé nodded and summoned someone over.

Luo Yan, lying on the ground, felt much more alert. His body seemed to be recovering, and he secretly rejoiced as he glanced at Gaoxin.

Gaoxin was happy for him too. Luo Yan had been on the verge of death, but this unexpected stroke of luck had saved him. Though his arm remained crippled, at least he could survive.

Next, a group of Wa people herded them like sheep toward the center of the training ground.

There was a platform ahead, with Fúshé seated behind it. Several Wa people beside him were preparing to record something.

The new prisoners were all anxious, not knowing what awaited them next.

"All Yamato people, step forward!" Sasaki roared.

The prisoners froze, looking at one another.

"No one? Don't make me wait!" Sasaki frowned.

Only then did twenty people emerge from the crowd, trembling. They too were Wa people, yet they were just as terrified of these murderers.

Sasaki snapped, "Trash! Why didn't you admit it earlier?"

"Get over there and wait! I'll discipline you later!"

The twenty hurried to the designated spot. Then they realized it was behind the enforcers.

They were overjoyed. Their own people really did receive special treatment. Perhaps they would not become slaves after all, but would become true insiders.

Some people even considered falsely claiming to be one of them, but they could not speak the Wa language. Knowing they would surely be exposed, they did not dare.

"All women, step forward!" Sasaki shouted again.

This time, they came out readily. Women were obvious at a glance, and there was no point hiding.

They were still trembling, not believing that being called forward could mean anything good. Some had already begun to cry.

Fúshé inspected them. There were sixty-six women from various ethnic groups, but all of them were very ordinary.

He said angrily, "Those navy bastards are getting more and more perfunctory. I specifically told them this time to send any pretty prisoners my way. And this is what he sends me?"

The Wa people around him also looked angry. "It was the same last time."

At that moment, a man in a black kimono stepped forward. "The captain newly appointed to our district this year, some guy named Adams, has been getting close to Lin Family Village lately. Naturally, he won't save anything good for us."

"Last time, he said there were no prettier ones and that he'd already sent the best over. He'll probably use the same perfunctory excuse this time."

Upon hearing Lin Family Village, Gaoxin noticed that the thin youth named Lin Fo looked somewhat strange for a moment, though he soon regained his calm.

Gaoxin thought, Could he be from Lin Family Village?

There were Wa settlements on this island, so naturally there were Han settlements as well.

He had simply been unlucky enough to be sent here...

But Lin Family Village was clearly on bad terms with the Yamato Territory. Why was someone named Lin Fo here?

Fúshé said, "Forget it. Send them to Yoshiwara Village instead. Tell Yoshiwara Tsuo that this time, I only want one thousand Redemption Vouchers."

"Oh, and bring a few more thugs this time. Mizusawa Hirao, you'll lead the team personally. Don't let the 'Big Milk Cow' in the mountains snatch them away again."

"Yes!" the greasy-faced man called Mizusawa answered.

The sixty-six women panicked. They had no idea where Yoshiwara Village was. Were they being sold off again?

One woman bravely stepped forward. "I'm well versed in the law. I used to be a community legal lecturer!"

"The law?" Fúshé laughed.

Perhaps he found it too funny, because a large group of Wa people burst into laughter.

The woman knew this was a lawless place and hurriedly explained, "I know that here, your rules are the rules. What I mean is, I have work experience."

"Since you've built such a large village, you must have clerical staff, right? I can help you draft legal provisions and handle all kinds of lawsuits."

Fúshé kept smiling. "What's your name?"

The woman was overjoyed, feeling that there was hope. "My name is Jin Meimei."

"Meimei, huh? What ethnicity?"

"Goryeo."

Fúshé said flatly, "Yamaguchi Village does have clerical staff, but it doesn't need women, much less women with too many ideas."

Upon hearing that, Meimei's face went pale. She pleaded, "Then let me farm. I can farm. I saw the salt fields too. I lived by the sea, so I know how to dry salt... Just give me something to eat. Don't send me to that kind of place."

Just as everyone expected a shouted "baka," followed by the woman being beaten to the ground and dragged away, Fúshé actually nodded.

"Fine. If you don't want to be sold, that's possible too."

Meimei was delighted. She had not expected to truly win herself some better treatment. If she could go dry salt, then at least she would have proper work and be able to live.

Fúshé smiled. "I like your courage. Ordinary people would be too scared to speak at a time like this, but you dared to take the initiative and seek an opportunity."

Then he said to Sasaki, "Keep her. Isn't she well versed in the law and good at exploiting loopholes? Send her to the Redemption Game. Those nobles probably do not often see women participating."

Meimei's emotions rose and fell like a roller coaster, shifting from joy to worry.

Hearing that she was being sent to some game, she felt saddened. But she had not been sent somewhere even worse, so she still felt fortunate.

She simply did not understand what the Redemption Game was. They were all criminals. Could that game redeem their sins?

But whatever it was, after seeing people skinned alive and others having their hearts dug out, this treatment already felt pretty good.

They even began to find Fúshé kind and approachable. Compared to the incomparably brutal Tianshe and Sasaki, who shouted baka at every turn, they had thought this higher-ranking man would be even more terrifying. Unexpectedly, he was remarkably easy to talk to.

For a time, many people's mindsets changed. Seeing this, the other women began volunteering themselves as well, saying they could do it too.

Bang! Fúshé slammed the table.

Sasaki immediately shouted baka and rushed over, knocking the noisy people to the ground. He did not hit their faces, but the beating was still more than enough.

Then people came forward and took away the remaining sixty-five sobbing women.

Fúshé said, "Opportunities are given only to the first brave person. The rest will be handled according to the rules."

"I don't want anyone interrupting me again."

The newcomers all nodded in agreement, their eyes full of anticipation as they waited to see what other opportunities might arise.

Gaoxin looked around and noticed that some people's expressions had changed, their bodies unconsciously hunching over.

He realized that Fúshé was the true venomous snake, impossible to read. Compared to him, someone as brutal as Tianshe was actually easy to understand.

But Fúshé's next words sent them plunging into an ice pit. "Since the women aren't up to standard, men will do as well. Pick out those who are weakly built and good-looking."

"Yes!" Sasaki stepped forward and actually began selecting men.

The remaining prisoners were dumbfounded, yet they had no way to resist.

Before long, Sasaki selected eighty-five thin men. All had slight builds, good figures, fair skin, and delicate features.

Even Luo Yan was selected. He really was extremely handsome.

"I-I-I... I'm missing an arm!" Luo Yan cried in alarm.

Fúshé also said, "Sasaki, why did you pick someone missing an arm?"

Sasaki scratched his head. "He'd definitely be beautiful if he were made into a woman. So what if he's missing an arm? Maybe customers would like him more because he's incomplete."

Luo Yan was horrified. Made into a woman? That was even possible?

He hurriedly shouted, "No, no, no! Missing an arm isn't beautiful. I'm not Venus."

Sasaki said coldly, "What Venus?"

Luo Yan's face twisted as he tried to deliberately make himself look less attractive.

However, after inspecting him for a moment, Fúshé said, "True. He's missing an arm, so he can't do other things either."

Luo Yan's eyes widened as though the sky had collapsed.

Gaoxin was stunned. He clenched his fists tightly, both grateful that he looked ordinary and saddened by Luo Yan's plight.

"No, no, no! I can do other things too! I graduated from vocational school, I've read lots of books, and I know a lot of technical skills!" Luo Yan struggled desperately.

When they heard that he had graduated from vocational school, the Wa people were all taken aback.

That was a rare talent indeed. Fúshé fell into thought.

But Sasaki spoke first. "So educated? Even better. Maybe he can become a courtesan!"

"What?" Luo Yan's face turned green. I've read so many books, and you want me to become a courtesan?

"No! I'm not suited to being a courtesan! Look at all these muscles!"

Luo Yan hurriedly flexed his muscles. Though his face was beautiful, his body was quite lean and muscular, not soft and delicate.

After considering it, Fúshé waved a hand. "No rush. Too many people have died lately, and the Redemption Squad needs people. Since he graduated from vocational school, send him to the Redemption Game first."

Sasaki said, "My lord, this boy has the potential to be a courtesan."

"Wouldn't it be a pity if he died in the Redemption Game?"

Fúshé said indifferently, "If he dies, he dies. What potential to be a courtesan? He isn't worth a single hair on our Miss Chizuru."

Sasaki blinked. He had never seen Courtesan Chizuru, but Fúshé had. He immediately dared not argue and lowered his head in acknowledgment.

Luo Yan felt as though he had been granted a pardon. He let out a breath, his entire body drenched in sweat.

He was sent back beside Gaoxin. Watching the other eighty skinny handsome men crying for their mothers and fathers as they were dragged away, he felt lingering fear.

Who cared what kind of game it was? He would go. Even dying in it would be fine. No matter what, he did not want to become some courtesan.

"All Radiation Users, step forward!" Sasaki shouted again.

Thirty-four Radiation Users stepped forward. Compared with Glass People, they were undoubtedly useful.

Sure enough, after a simple test and questioning, Sasaki assigned them to some Enforcer group for special training.

Whatever the special training was, it had to be better than hard labor or becoming a courtesan, right?

One after another, they nodded obediently. The brutality of these Wa people had truly terrified them.

After that, ninety-nine people remained in the field.

Fúshé said, "The thugs who welcomed the newcomers have worked hard. You may each choose one person to take away."

The thirty thugs immediately stepped forward, including Sasaki, and began choosing.

Some people instantly looked delighted, realizing that these so-called thugs were clearly the backbone of this force.

If they could serve someone as a personal servant, their treatment would surely be much better than that of ordinary slaves.

So a great many people volunteered themselves, even kneeling humbly like dogs and begging to be taken as servants.

Sure enough, the thugs really did choose the obedient ones and had them led away.

At this point, sixty-nine people remained.

There was only one woman among them: the Goryeo woman named Meimei.

Some thugs had originally wanted to choose her, and some had wanted Luo Yan as well. But remembering that Fúshé had specifically designated them for the Redemption Game, they did not choose them.

"Whew..." Luo Yan had seen several thugs looking at him just now and had been so frightened that he nearly fainted.

Fortunately, none of them had chosen him in the end. Otherwise, it definitely would not have led to anything good.

"Rou Si, do you want to pick a few now?" Fúshé asked Rou Si beside him.

Rou Si stuffed herself with meat, her cheeks bulging as she said, "You haven't asked about their specialties yet. I like cultured people."

As she spoke, her eyes had already turned toward Luo Yan. His face stiffened. So this fat woman has taken a liking to me too?

Fúshé smiled. "I plan to send this batch through the Redemption Game first. We'll ask about their specialties after they come back alive."

"If you want to pick him, you'd better do it now. If he dies, you won't get the chance."

Rou Si focused on eating. "No need. I'll wait."

Fúshé nodded and gave Sasaki a look.

Sasaki immediately roared, "All of you, follow me!"

Sasaki drove the sixty-nine newcomers toward the Silver Tower at the center of the village.

On the way, they passed alongside a commercial street. Entertainment venues lined the area, and decadent music drifted through the air.

The pedestrians here were not only Wa people. There were people of every kind.

Their clothing was equally varied, and almost everyone carried a weapon. Quite a few gave off an extremely dangerous feeling.

"So the exiles on this island have established their own order. These Wa people haven't just built a village as a stronghold—they're doing business too, hosting exiles from other places," Luo Yan said quietly.

Gaoxin nodded. "I just wonder what the Redemption Game is. They mentioned nobles earlier. Could it have been established here by the authorities?"

Luo Yan sneered. "Do you think a bunch of prisoners could build a village this large? There are alloy structures and plenty of advanced equipment here. The style does look like it was built by the exiles themselves, but where did they get the supplies?"

Gaoxin said, "Could it all be because of that Redemption Game?"

Luo Yan did not dare make a judgment. "We'll know when we get there."

They soon arrived beneath the Silver Tower. It was a massive building constructed from superconductive material. From the outside, it was impossible to tell how many floors it had. Its surface was smooth, with no windows or visible divisions between levels, which was why it looked like a giant tower.

The first floor was a hall with no doors and exits in all eight directions.

There were also eight enormous elevators that could take people upstairs.

At the center of the hall stood a huge projection table, which seemed to house an AI.

A few people were scattered around nearby. They did not all appear to be from Yamaguchi Village, instead forming small groups of their own.

"Number 97, the players have been registered. Are you still short on NPCs?" Sasaki stepped up to the projection table and asked.

A projection of a butler-like man appeared on the tabletop. "There are still 37 NPC positions vacant."

The moment those words were spoken, Luo Yan nudged Gaoxin and silently retreated toward the back of the group. Gaoxin understood and backed away as well.

But they were quickly squeezed back by the others. After all, most people were not fools.

Sasaki did not care about the minor disturbance in the crowd. "Fine. There are thirty-seven people here who will become NPCs. Make the arrangements."

The projection named Number 97 said, "The NPC Agreement comes in five-year terms, ten-year terms..."

Sasaki cut him off. "Don't ask. Sign them straight up for thirty years."

Number 97 continued, "Under a thirty-year NPC Agreement, once signed, any sentence shorter than thirty years will automatically be extended to thirty years. All Redemption Vouchers earned from participating in games during that period will be reset to zero and replaced with a one-time buyout at the time of signing..."

"Fine, fine, skip it, skip it. Stop rambling and bring up the contract already. How many times have we been through this? Why do you keep asking and asking? Damn baka." Sasaki waved his hand.

An electronic contract was soon projected onto the tabletop, covered in densely packed text.

Sasaki drew his long blade and pointed it at the crowd, lightly gesturing with it. "Hurry up. Anyone with less than ten years left on their sentence, come over and sign the agreement!"

"Hiss..."

Everyone's scalps went numb. They still did not understand what the Redemption Game was, but they had clearly understood that anyone with a shorter sentence would automatically have it extended to thirty years.

What kind of agreement was this? It was a contract of indenture! They were being sold here to serve as NPCs?

Gaoxin clenched his fists even tighter. He had been wrongly sent to Sin Prison Island and had innocently been saddled with a ten-year sentence.

Well, damn. There was even this thing where, once signed, your sentence got extended to thirty years.

Why call it the Redemption Game? They might as well call it the Crime-Adding Game!

P.S. Sorry. The two bonus chapters will be changed to a normal update schedule.