The torrential rain exploded into silver blossoms across Fang Qingyu's bright yellow raincoat as he hunched forward and pushed against the wind.
The Electric Scooter rolled over the gleaming asphalt. When its headlight cut through the curtain of rain, plane leaves tumbled through the beam with droplets spinning around them, while the lock on the delivery box was pounded by the rain in a rapid drumbeat.
When it came to who worked the hardest delivering food in this area, Fang Qingyu was second to none.
He didn't care in the slightest whether he ended up soaked through.
The Electric Scooter threaded through the streets and alleys, relying on one thing above all: being a living map.
In the afternoon, Fang Qingyu sat outside a convenience store with several other Delivery Drivers, eating dinner.
He looked at the Delivery Driver panel.
Profession: Delivery Driver Lv.1 (47/100) Basic Profession Skill: E-Bike Piloting Lv.2 (21/200)
His profession level was nearly halfway there too. At most, it would take another week before he could obtain another skill point.
At that moment, Old Li suddenly put on a mysterious air as he ate.
"Hey, do you know why people in the group have been saying not to go to remote places when delivering orders in the middle of the night lately?"
"Wasn't it in the news? Things have been pretty unsettled recently. It's probably either a gang shootout or someone escaping from prison again."
Everyone took it in stride and wasn't particularly worried.
At least nothing like that had happened in crowded places in Qingjian City. They just had to avoid going to remote areas at night.
"Not this time."
After hearing that, Old Li shook his head as if he had the truth in his grasp.
When he saw everyone's eyes turn toward him,
Old Li took out his phone and lowered his voice. "Come over here. I'll show you a video."
Fang Qingyu followed them over.
He was curious too. What exactly had happened? Usually, they only saw the news and never any footage.
"Don't go spreading this around."
Before opening the video, Old Li reminded them all of that.
"Stop dragging it out. When that killer appeared on Tianyi Street a few years ago, I was right there. Have you ever seen me talk about it?" someone urged impatiently.
"This footage is absolutely explosive."
Old Li acted mysterious as he tapped the video open.
The phone's image shook violently, while the rainwater spreading across the lens formed web-like patterns.
In the distance, the old city's apartment blocks loomed through the torrential rain like crouching beasts.
"Fuck!"
A series of sharp gasps rang out beneath the convenience store's awning.
In the blurry footage, two dark figures grappled at the mouth of an alley.
The hunched figure on top suddenly raised its head. The streetlamp cleaved a cold gleam across its face. Its mouth, covered in blood clots, had scraps of flesh hanging from the corners, while half of a bluish-purple intestine dangled between its stark white teeth.
Old Li pressed his thumb against the screen. "Pay attention to the eyes."
The video happened to freeze at the instant the shadow turned around.
Among the enlarged pixels, two pupils like Blood Beads burned through the curtain of rain, staring fixedly at the viewers as though they could see straight through the screen.
Amid the photographer's panicked gasping, the camera spun wildly and slammed into a wall.
The final frame showed rain streaming down a windowpane.
"Filmed at three in the morning yesterday."
Old Li turned off his phone. The plastic stool scraped across the ground with an ear-piercing screech. "The police have already cordoned the place off. They said it was a gas pipeline leak."
"That's edited, right?"
After watching it, someone curled their lip.
It wasn't an unreasonable suspicion. After all, the person's appearance was exactly like someone who had just finished getting made up for a horror movie.
"Tch. Believe it or don't."
Old Li rolled his eyes. You couldn't reason with someone determined to die.
With that, Old Li left the convenience store first and continued working.
The others were left behind, discussing it among themselves.
Fang Qingyu didn't join in. After saying goodbye to the others, he rode the Electric Scooter home.
Aside from Old Li, everyone thought the video had been edited, and they even had convincing reasons.
For example, no one could possibly survive looking like that.
Or, judging by the lighting effects and such, it looked fake too.
But what if—
what if it hadn't been edited?
Now that he had finally found a chance to climb higher, Fang Qingyu didn't want to stake his safety entirely on the possibility that the video had been edited.
He still wasn't strong enough.
If he could be like Coach Lin, making someone feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss with a single glance,
then even if his opponent truly wasn't human, he would at least have enough strength to protect himself, right?
Thinking this, Fang Qingyu returned home, changed his clothes, and set off for his next job.
The bloodstains in the alley had already been washed away by the torrential rain.
When he entered through the back door, Xiao Si's eyes lit up at the sight of Fang Qingyu.
"Qingzi, Brother Jiao wants to talk to you about something. Go see him first."
"Oh, okay."
Fang Qingyu was a little puzzled as he headed toward the office.
"Knock, knock~"
"Come in."
When Brother Jiao saw that it was Fang Qingyu, he pointed to the chair opposite him. "Sit."
Fang Qingyu walked over and sat down in front of him, then looked above his head.
Security Consultant for the Purple Stone Trading Association
"Have you been practicing martial arts lately?"
Brother Jiao took a cigar from the drawer and asked.
"Yes, but I only just started."
Fang Qingyu froze for a moment before answering honestly.
"I could tell."
After hearing that, Brother Jiao recalled Fang Qingyu's wild flailing in the surveillance footage and couldn't help chuckling.
"But you can fight pretty well. Those hooligans have already caused trouble for quite a few people around here. Would you be interested in changing jobs?"
"?"
Fang Qingyu immediately wore a strange expression.
He was being referred to another workplace within the same organization. Was that even a thing?
"Heh, it's like this. My other gym is a little short-handed right now. It's Security Guard work too, from seven to twelve, with a salary of sixteen thousand. What do you think? Interested?"
Fang Qingyu's brow furrowed slightly.
"What would I be doing?"
"It's completely legal and compliant, so don't worry. It's just a mixed martial arts venue. The people inside tend to get excited while watching matches, so we need someone to maintain order."
Brother Jiao immediately understood what Fang Qingyu was thinking and hurriedly waved his hand.
"Underground fights?"
A word instantly surfaced in Fang Qingyu's mind.
"How could it be underground fights? It's a legitimate combat-sports betting club. If you don't believe me, search Tongyuan Combat Gym online yourself."
Fang Qingyu didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up his phone and began searching.
The results were exactly as Brother Jiao had said.
All the necessary paperwork was in place, and it was a legal, compliant establishment.
And it wasn't the only gym either. Fang Qingyu searched for others and found three or four similar venues in Qingjian City.
Every last one was legal.
Fang Qingyu put away his phone.
"Can I go take a look first?"
"Sure. Go report in during work hours tomorrow. If it doesn't work out, you can come back here."
Brother Jiao agreed readily.
"Then thank you, Brother Jiao."
Fang Qingyu stood and thanked him. If things were really as Brother Jiao had said, the monthly salary for the Security Guard job would more than double, while the working hours would be shorter.
He could also continue grinding the Security Guard profession.
It suited his current needs perfectly.
"Don't mention it."
Brother Jiao waved his hand, displaying considerable generosity.
After Fang Qingyu left the office,
Brother Jiao sat in his chair and recalled watching the surveillance footage from the alley the previous day. He then pulled up earlier videos of Fang Qingyu at work.
From his unsteady footsteps and nearly being shoved down by customers several times, to taking down four people alone—
the entire process had taken less than ten days.
Others might not understand what that represented, but Brother Jiao understood it perfectly.
"A true martial artist..."
Brother Jiao's eyes held a trace of longing.
Although he knew Fang Qingyu's chances of succeeding were not great, the price he himself was paying was just as small.
And if, by some chance,
Fang Qingyu became a true martial artist—
tch, tch...
No matter how he calculated it, Brother Jiao would make a killing.
That was also why
he could sit in an office and work as a Security Guard.
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