Act 2: Immorality

[Part 1: The Devil's Bed]

"Distinguished guests, this is Lieyang Fort."

The train is about to arrive at the Chengnan Freight Station. Due to the loose and damp soil in the satellite towns surrounding Lieyang Fort, the train speed will be reduced to 40 kilometers per hour.

Thumb Guy and 9527 said--

"--I plead with you again, this journey is extremely dangerous. If anything happens to you or Jiang Bailu, and if the gunsmith is really not dead, he will surely tear me to pieces. Because it was I who brought you two to this desolate place, it is all my fault."

On 9527, Horus removed the mask from the Flash Butterfly Armor, and her golden eyes returned to the helmet, revealing her cold and solemn gaze.

"Stop talking nonsense. I have no problem with the BOSS, and I have no problem with you, but I have a lot of problems with these scumbags and lackeys."

"These guys keep me up at night. I'm constantly on edge, watching over the children. If Guangling Zhixi can't catch them, I'll come myself."

"You have to understand, I used to be a criminal too, a mudfish that wallows in dirty water every day. I know how to survive in a place like this."

"Mana, are you hiding something from Ming De? Can you fool Victor? My husband once uprooted the cult of Lieyang Fort —but how many years has it been? It's back?"

Thumb Brother naturally dared not hold anything back from Ming De; this [shortcut] in Lieyang Fort was deliberately left behind by Ming De.

Our boss has also read <The Art of War> and knows the principle of "leaving an opening when surrounding an enemy." To eliminate the enemy, you cannot completely surround them; you must leave them an escape route.

The environment and terrain around Lieyang Fort are complex, and the climate is not suitable for Homo sapiens to live in. Only criminals who are trying to escape capture will come here to exile themselves and try to make a living in this gray area.

This is a very complex and troublesome political issue. Many suspects, along with their families, have already remarried here. Over the decades or even centuries, this place has become a city with a population of over 700,000. The governor of District 54 is completely helpless. Should they treat every civilian like the Madness Butterfly Sect, resorting to massacres and burning of the city?

But as long as these residents live, the vicious criminals will have room to survive. The nameless ones can come once or twice, temporarily repelling the cult and killing all the ringleaders, but the vacated ecological niche will not disappear. Using other industries for labor reform is also nonsense—because apart from customs duties and illegal businesses that can generate huge profits, other livelihood industries can hardly earn any money— Lieyang Fort's meat, eggs, milk, grain, oil, textiles, etc., all depend on other cities and must be purchased in bulk.

If the railway freight service were to cease operation, disrupting the city's livelihood, the residents would immediately transform into the Madness Butterfly, becoming militia members resisting the evil rule of the Ming De. However, allowing them to survive would lead them down a path of associating with criminals due to the industrial structure.

From overnight riches to utter poverty, this city had almost no mid-rise buildings and no buffer zones.

Thus, it became a "prison of freedom," even freer than the Hedland Hotel. George Joshua, having escaped with his life after being punished by the anonymous perpetrator, saw local criminals, like newly sprouted leeks, exploited by the warband to boost their performance, being harvested wave after wave. This Immortals chose a good opportunity, secretly returning during the change of leadership in the local transportation department, and reclaiming the power that rightfully belonged to him.

He transformed himself from the major owner of Zero Platform and the behind-the-scenes investor of the Madness Butterfly Sect into the president of the White Shark Association. His main business remained the same as before, having nothing to do with abiding by the law; it was all utterly immoral and unscrupulous.

Planting cherry poppies in the wild, described as a "good citizen" by the foreman Todd, and a new employee flirting with the boss in the office, seemingly hindering the "good citizen's" livelihood, could be sentenced to death by George Joshua in just ten seconds.

"Is that so?" Thumb Brother was feeling uneasy, so he turned to Bailu and asked, "Is that what you think too?"

Bailu didn't say much. Unlike her sister-in-law, she was more like her brother when she was working. She didn't like to talk nonsense, but simply pulled down her helmet and turned on the night vision function.

Her mask had a bright yellow Pikachu on it, and this Pokémon was even plated with Titanium Nitride by Hasben himself, as a small gift for Bailu out of affection for his Big Sister.

Each nameless warrior's helmet bore a unique titanium-plated stamp, used to identify each other in the chaotic battlefield environment.

This characteristic was later adopted by chapter leaders after they acquired the Flash Butterfly Armor.

"--Fine, whatever, White Shark Association." Thumb Guy had a "nothing to lose" attitude.

If this had happened a few years or a decade ago, he would have preferred to work for Lawrence rather than come to this city of sin. Mana's Soul Power wasn't very effective in combat; in fact, when it was active, it could cause him to enter Gate of Death depending on the mental strength of the person he was observing.

As the train slowed down, and as it approached the marshland countryside near Lieyang Fort, it came into view a solitary dwelling every few hundred meters.

These farmers set up workshops in the fields to tend their paddy fields and used artificial lighting to nourish their crops. Itinerant merchants would squat by the railway tracks to buy their grain.

9527 saw it clearly: these grain collectors were also carrying guns. If they wanted to do business in this place, their first asset was force.

"Get off the bus," Thumb Guy reminded her. "Madam, if you go any further towards the station, you'll be searched. This outfit won't fool the metal detector. If the Flash Butterfly Armor is exposed, you'll be immediately sent back to the Nine Realms by the warband."

Bailu patted her sister-in-law on the back, indicating that she should jump out of the car and walk.

Thumb Guy was the first to jump off the cargo box. He picked up two travel backpacks, slung a carrying bag over his shoulder, and headed towards the spot where he remembered where he jumped off the train, plunging headfirst into the damp bushes.

Soon after, Bailu and 9527 also fell into the mud and got up again, their raincoats and cotton blouses covering Flash Butterfly Armor becoming filthy.

The damp, cold air receded with the train, and the cold wind and moisture seeped into the gaps in her helmet. 9527 instinctively shivered, only then realizing that her body was far less healthy than before—she was already thirty years old, and after giving birth to four children, breastfeeding had made her body a little better, as if vitality had resurfaced.

But as she turned twenty-eight, in just one year, she could feel that she had aged a lot. Her metabolic rate, athletic ability, concentration, and mental strength all declined during the physical fitness test.

She gritted her teeth and stood firm, pulling her boots out of the soft, wet Barry. She lifted her heels and planted them firmly on the railway foundation. The impact of jumping off the train made her dizzy, and all the bold words she had uttered before seemed ridiculous.

"Sister-in-law! Are you alright?" Bailu came to help her up, but Xiao Qi waved her hand.

She said, "It's nothing."

Then they found the Thumb--

"--Where is our next stop?"

[Part ②: Means of Survival]

The mission officially began. Kim Taekang's crew identification and ID card came from a small workshop in Lieyang Fort. It had a very unique name, "Eternal Memory." Its main business was making certificates and seals for companies, and occasionally it did some jewelry processing and wood carving as a side business using its machines. The craftsman was a craftsman from the mechanical watch manufacturing industry and was a Blue Stone People person—so he could take on the work of repairing and refurbishing sticks and pyroxene.

Kim Taekang's pass came from here.

How does Thumb Bro know all this? Because a few years ago, Thumb Bro also needed identification to ride in a car. He only needed one glance to see that the characteristics of Kim Taekang's identification, the material of the sapphire card he used, and the crystal lattice texture were exactly the same as the products made by <Eternal Memory>.

Following this clue, Thumb Guy is certain that the Immortals's starting point was Lieyang Fort. And it's very likely that George Joshua, whose head was once kicked in the head by Big Sister, has already returned here.

This "red-maned lion" was crushed by the nameless man, but not completely killed. It recovered its strength and recuperated, and returned to this city of sin a few years later. If the local governor was not capable enough and Ming De did not intend to close the net early, then George Joshua's good days could last for a few more months.

"Let's go, we're going to Baihua Pedestrian Street in the DC District. There are a few walled cities there, right next to the Old Pipe Alley. I know this place well—I've been here more than once." Thumb led the way, saying, "We need to find a middleman who will provide us with food and lodging; we can use that place as a temporary base."

Returning to this awful place felt awful, so Thumb Guy had to liven things up. He turned his back and walked backwards, trying to relax, while talking to the two distinguished guests.

"Actually, I used to be a law-abiding citizen. I came to this godforsaken place just to make a living."

"There are illegal organ transplants here, not for health, but to gain more power. People chop off their arms and legs and replace them with limbs from hybrid monsters, just to become stronger."

"That scene was so amazing. I felt so weak. I wondered if there was a way to become stronger, like getting two eyeballs transplanted. And the transplanted eyes wouldn't have to be thrown away; I could use them to pay off debts and buy milk powder for the other children in the Hand of Omnipotence."

"I've come to this place more than ten times, but I never dare to stay too long. It's not peaceful here, and it will never be peaceful."

"Holy crap?!"

Thumb wasn't looking where he was going and fell, hurting his bottom. As he tried to get up, Bailu helped him, grabbing his collar like she was playing a claw machine and straightening him up in a flash.

Bailu said, "Concentrate."

The Thumb was amazed by Bailu's arm strength.

--Keep in mind that he weighs over 80 kilograms, Jiang Bailu lifted him up almost entirely with just two fingers, hooking the strap of his backpack.

"Okay!"

As you walk into the dimly lit city, you see sandbars and artificial islands in the intricate waterways, with boats creating fleeting glimpses of light on the dark surface.

9527 asked, "What is the name of this middleman?"

"He was a retired veteran. He used to have a warband in Lieyang Fort called [Mr. Fantastic] – a really weird name." Thumb answered without hesitation, "About twenty years ago, this warband was wiped out by the Madness Butterfly gang. The reason was pretty absurd."

"Because the leader of the Holy Church at that time was a woman. You know, the Madness Butterfly Sect has always preferred to do business with local governors and dislikes direct armed conflict. Fighting will only burn through money. Eating human flesh peacefully is the proper business."

Bailu: "Cough!"

"Pah!" Thumb, still unable to shake off his tone, immediately retorted viciously, "Inhuman! Corrupting public morals! These cultists, for a ridiculous reason—that the name 'Mr. Fantastic' discriminates against women—killed all the Guangling Zhixi troops stationed in the Lieyang Fort area, leaving only women."

9527 asked, "And then?"

"This veteran had been retired for a long time back then, and he must be around sixty years old this year," Thumb said. "Many of the soldiers in the battle group were his students or relatives of his nephew's generation. He didn't have the ability to take revenge. Everyone in Old Pipe Alley knew of such a person. He was a highly respected old man. Perhaps others would join the Madness Butterfly Sect, but he would never do so."

"Therefore, many gold prospectors, or those who are forced to flee from debt and hardship, choose to come to Lieyang Fort not to join the White Shark Association or the Madness Butterfly Sect, but to find this middleman to make a living."

"He lived in the Wulong Villa, a property he built himself. Later, it became Wulong Fortress because of the good location. It sits on a low hill, with no marshes or ponds around, and the buildings are sturdy, well-ventilated, and cool. Many outside tenants asked the old landlord to give them a way to make a living," Thumb Brother explained. "They built houses in the Wulong Villa, but later the courtyard disappeared, and the houses kept getting taller and taller. Now it should be eight stories high, with more than a hundred households."

"They call this veteran 'Landlord,' but I know his real name. He's Chinese, from an ethnic minority, named Dongfang Hao."

"I call him Grandpa Dongfang in private, but actually, according to our generational hierarchy, he should call me Uncle."

At this point, Thumb gave an awkward laugh.

"Just kidding, just kidding. If you see him, call him Mr. Landlord, don't mention his real name. There are many talented people in Lieyang Fort, including some strange wizards. As long as they get people's real names, they can make paper dolls and secretly cast curses. It's not uncommon. Ming De also has this ability. Most of the Spirit Calamity that happen in the homes of new passengers are due to Ming De's mass-produced real name curse rituals."

Right now, at this very moment--

--A patrolling militia member happened to disembark from a tidal patrol boat on the riverbank.

"What are you doing?!"

Hearing a shout from afar, Thumb instinctively tried to run away, but a certain talent hidden deep within 9527 awakened—the nameless mistress knocked Thumb down with a single blow, then grabbed Bailu and ran!

"Sister-in-law! You left him there to die as a scapegoat! Who's going to guide us?!" Bailu followed Xiao Qi for more than fifty meters before finally coming to her senses.

9527 slapped his forehead, and his helmet jingled.

"Oh, oh, oh! It's my occupational hazard! The atmosphere's all set, so I..."

They both turned around at the same time.

--Thumb was pointed at by a patrolling militiaman with his gun, his hands raised high, and the searchlight of the police boat shone on Thumb face, making the middle-aged man look particularly lonely and embarrassed.

In the next second, the psychic energy tide unleashed by Soul Might swept over us.

"[Immorality]!"

Thumb loudly called out Soul Might's true name, and a shattered spirit body, like a robot pieced together from broken Lego bricks, punched the militiaman hard.

In that instant, the militiaman sprouted four heads, all of them illusory spirits, phantoms of various colors.

They speak different words and express different meanings, each one a genuine thought.

"This guy looks really suspicious! Should we take him with us?"

"Is he an illegal immigrant? Who would come to this godforsaken place? He's covered in mud, his face is scratched by tree branches, and he just tripped and fell."

"Is he a criminal? But would a criminal carry this much stuff? Judging from the silhouette of the backpack, it's all canned food."

"Don't be fooled! He might be a drug smuggler!"

"No, no, no, listen to me! Listen to me, everyone! His accomplice knocked him down! More important than that, you should have gone and caught the two who escaped! That would have been a great achievement!"

"Should we blackmail him? How much profit could we possibly make?"

"He's so pitiful. He was used as bait and abandoned by his companions. Waaah, just like me, having to work the night shift for my colleagues, just because they could bribe me with 150 yuan! Just like that."

His Thumb quickly pulled money out of his pocket.

"--Two hundred yuan, please do me a favor."

The militiaman's eyes were glazed over. Suddenly, he put down his gun, and all the noise disappeared. Only his last soul remained, his spirit comforted, and his inner self unified. He took the money and immediately said with a grin.

"Be more careful next time. My other buddies aren't as easy to talk to as I am."