The Strong Prey Upon the Weak

"Squeak—!"

The Corpse Rat let out a piercing shriek, kicked off with its hind legs, and shot toward Yan Kui's face like a streak of gray lightning.

Not only was it huge, it was incredibly fast. Its mouthful of yellow teeth carried a foul gust strong enough to bite through an adult's throat.

Yan Kui's pupils suddenly contracted.

In that instant between life and death, he seemed to return to the underground black-boxing ring of his previous life.

Though this body was frail beyond measure and slow to react, the instincts honed through years of slaughter remained.

He did not dodge, because he knew that with his current physical condition, he could not evade it at all.

He chose to gamble with his life.

"Pfft!"

Instead of retreating, Yan Kui lunged forward. He raised his left arm and used the limb wrapped in rags to forcibly block the Corpse Rat's bite.

A searing pain struck him!

The Corpse Rat's sharp fangs easily pierced the rags and sank into his flesh.

But at the same time, Yan Kui's right hand had already found the rusty Sabre beneath his pillow.

"Die!"

He let out a low growl.

A cold flash of light streaked through the darkness.

"Crack!"

Though the blade was rusty, Yan Kui's full-strength swing still struck the Corpse Rat's vulnerable neck with perfect precision.

The Corpse Rat's head was severed in an instant, and filthy black blood sprayed across Yan Kui's face.

Foul and warm.

Yan Kui panted heavily, his chest heaving violently. A heart-piercing pain came from the wound on his left arm, but he had no time to care about that.

His gaze was fixed on the translucent screen before him.

The number that had originally been "0" was changing.

[Mutated Corpse Rat (Mortal Tier) killed. Life Essence plundered.]

[Origin Power: +0.2]

[Current Origin Power: 0.2]

"It really... worked!"

Yan Kui looked at that insignificant "0.2," yet a crazed smile spread across his lips.

It was little, but it was a beginning.

It meant that he was no longer a lamb awaiting slaughter. He now had the capital to turn the tables.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

The violent movement aggravated his lung injury again. Yan Kui's vision went dark, and he nearly fainted.

He forced himself to hold on and communicated with the Crimson Modifier through his thoughts.

[The host has been detected in a near-death state. The system has temporarily activated treatment mode. Consume all Origin Power to improve the body's condition?]

"Yes!"

A warm current erupted from his heart and flowed through his entire body along his blood vessels.

The sensation was like drinking a bowl of scalding ginger soup in the depths of winter, like parched earth receiving sweet rain at last.

The burning pain in his lungs, which had been wheezing like a broken bellows, began to fade rapidly.

His breathing became smoother.

Yan Kui greedily drew in a deep breath.

Since crossing over, this was the first time he had felt the air was so sweet instead of cutting his throat like knives.

At this moment, the data on the screen also changed:

───────────

[Crimson Modifier]

Host: Yan Kui

Status: Weak (consumption improving, no longer fatal)

Body Data:

Strength: 0.3 -> 0.4

Agility: 0.4

Constitution: 0.2 -> 0.5 (barely half that of an ordinary person)

Origin Power: 0

───────────

Though he was still "Weak," he had been pulled back from the brink of death.

"Whew..."

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Yan Kui casually kicked the Corpse Rat's body beneath the bed and covered the bloodstains on the ground with straw.

Though the wound on his left arm was still bleeding, it was no longer so life-threatening. He tore off a corner of his clothing and roughly bandaged it.

"0.2 Origin Power can save a life. Then what about 2 points? Twenty?"

Yan Kui looked at the pitch-black night beyond the window, and the crimson glow in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Early Morning of the next day.

"Get up! Get the hell up, all of you!"

A rough clang of a bronze gong jolted the people sleeping on the communal bed awake.

The door was kicked open, and a burly man with a face full of flesh, dressed in a Black Tiger Gang outer-court uniform, strode inside.

He carried a barbed leather whip in his hand, his sinister gaze sweeping over everyone present.

It was Wang Mazi, a minor outer-court leader and one of those who had bullied the previous owner of this body most viciously.

"Listen up to today's assignments! Those carrying sacks at the docks, those collecting protection money at East Market, move it!"

Wang Mazi roared as he waved the whip around.

Suddenly, his gaze landed on Yan Kui in the corner.

Yan Kui was leaning against the wall. Though his face was still pale, his eyes were unusually calm.

"Oh, isn't this our 'Sickly Young Master'?"

Wang Mazi walked over mockingly, the whip cracking loudly in his hand.

"I heard you were chosen to scout the Old Lin Family Manor? Tsk, tsk, that's a fine assignment. If you come back alive, you'll soar straight to the heavens."

The surrounding gang members burst into laughter, their eyes filled with gloating and pity.

Everyone knew it was a mission of certain death.

Wang Mazi stopped before Yan Kui, looked down at him from above, and held out a large, callused hand.

"Yan the Sick Ghost, since you're about to go 'enjoy yourself,' shouldn't you settle the protection money you owed me before?"

"Owe you?"

Yan Kui slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse. "You deducted all my monthly pay every month. When did I ever owe you anything?"

"Heh! You've grown some guts?"

Wang Mazi's expression darkened. He had not expected this sickly wretch, who had always been meek and submissive, to dare talk back.

"I say you owe me, then you owe me! What, you're about to die and still want to take your money into the coffin?"

As he spoke, he reached out to search Yan Kui's body.

The few copper coins left by the previous owner of the body were hidden in an inner pocket against his chest. They were money meant to buy one last bit of medicine to keep himself alive.

Yan Kui did not move.

But the instant Wang Mazi's hand was about to touch his chest, Yan Kui's right hand trembled slightly.

It was the sign of muscles tensing.

In his previous life, at this distance, he had a hundred ways to dislocate Wang Mazi's wrist.

But now, he held back.

Though his constitution had improved somewhat, it was still only half that of an ordinary person. Facing this strong, healthy minor leader head-on, his odds of winning were not high.

More importantly, this was the gang's base. If they started fighting and drew the Enforcement Squad over, he would truly be finished.

"Take it."

Yan Kui took out his only five copper coins and tossed them at Wang Mazi's feet.

The coins struck the ground with a crisp clatter.

Wang Mazi froze for a moment, then burst into smug laughter.

"Good. You know what's good for you!"

He bent down to pick up the coins, blew on them, then patted Yan Kui's face.

"Enjoy your last three days, trash."

With that, he swaggered away.

As the others on the communal bed watched Wang Mazi's back, they too dispersed. No one spared Yan Kui another glance.

In the Black Tiger Gang, the strong preyed upon the weak. That was the only rule.

Yan Kui remained seated in the corner, expressionless.

Only the hands hanging at his sides had clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

"Wang Mazi..."

He silently repeated that name in his heart.

For that brief moment just now, he truly had wanted to make a move.

But in his current state, he was still no match for Wang Mazi. Making a move would only bring suffering upon himself.

"Five copper coins for your life."

Yan Kui slowly closed his eyes, Wang Mazi's usual patrol route appearing in his mind.

Tonight, he was going to "stock up."

Not only for revenge, but also for... Origin Power.

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