Forsaking Evil and Returning to Good

Gao Teng had never been one to take things lying down; how could he not strike back after being scolded?

He said with a sarcastic drawl, "I'm a natural-born killer, and you're a natural-born sword-wielder. Next time, don't use a knife. I think you have more talent when it comes to playing with swords."

Zhang Meizhu choked for a moment, then glared at him in annoyance.

Gao Teng chuckled, feeling quite satisfied.

Zhang Meizhu bit her lip, truly feeling as though she had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own feet; she shouldn't have joked around in the first place.

She let out a "hmph" and turned to walk away.

Although tonight had been perilous, the process had gone smoothly, and they had repelled the mutant creature with only minor superficial injuries.

Now, all that was left was to wait for the people from the Public Security Bureau.

"Hey, why are you leaving? I haven't..."

"I don't want to hear you talk!"

Gao Teng laughed out loud and quickened his pace to catch up with Zhang Meizhu.

At the same time, he summoned his attribute panel for a glance, his eyes landing on [Merit Points].

"2885."

Gao Teng looked satisfied; he could steal more cultivation tomorrow.

"Let's wait here."

Zhang Meizhu didn't leave the sewer, stopping instead beside a shed: "In case there's a counterattack from mutant creatures, we can react in time."

Gao Teng nodded and stood silently to the side.

After a brief silence, Zhang Meizhu couldn't help but speak first: "Why are you so quiet?"

Gao Teng curled his lip: "I'm afraid if I talk too much, you'll think I like you again."

Zhang Meizhu: "..."

Gao Teng said in an exaggerated tone: "Oh my, oh my, I wouldn't want to cause you so much trouble."

Zhang Meizhu felt the blood rushing to her head, her face growing redder and hotter by the second...

"Shut your mouth!"

Gao Teng spread his hands: "If I don't talk, you say I'm too quiet; if I do talk, you tell me to shut up. You are too hard to please."

Zhang Meizhu gritted her teeth—what an annoying guy!

Gao Teng smiled slightly and pulled out his phone to scroll through short videos.

After watching only a few, Zhang Meizhu called out: "Hey, are you very short on money right now?"

Gao Teng looked up: "It's alright, why?"

Zhang Meizhu said seriously: "I can lend you some."

Gao Teng froze, his face full of disbelief.

For a martial artist, money was as important as life itself; Zhang Meizhu was treating him as a true friend.

"...Are you serious?"

Zhang Meizhu frowned: "Do I look like I'm joking with you? How much do you need?"

"One hundred million."

The air went silent instantly.

After several seconds of dead silence, Zhang Meizhu shrieked: "Gao Teng, are you sick?"

Gao Teng chuckled twice and said earnestly: "I appreciate your kindness, but I have a way to solve the money issue."

Zhang Meizhu looked him up and down: "Your way is to hunt monsters and risk your life? I don't want to see you end up like Tang Chao. If you have difficulties, just tell me. As long as it's within my power, I will definitely help you."

Gao Teng pursed his lips, feeling Zhang Meizhu's sincerity.

Just as he was about to thank her, a ringtone suddenly sounded.

Zhang Meizhu pulled out her phone; it was a call from the Public Security Bureau.

She pressed the answer button, explained the situation that had just occurred, and reported their specific location.

Before long, four members of the Public Security Bureau in black uniforms walked in.

The leader was a burly man with a broad back and thick waist, his muscles knotted and his expression carrying a fierce aura.

The team members following him varied in age, including both seasoned, steady faces and young, green recruits.

Gao Teng and Zhang Meizhu exchanged a look and stepped forward to meet them.

"You're the ones who reported the case, right?"

Wang Xianglong spoke while gesturing for his team members to survey the scene.

The three team members immediately sprang into action, pulling out their phones to snap photo after photo.

Wang Xianglong stood to the side, covering his nose and scanning the shacks with a look of disgust: "It reeks like hell in here, worse than a pigsty. I honestly don't know how these people manage to live like this."

Gao Teng and Zhang Meizhu exchanged a glance, neither of them saying a word.

Wang Xianglong shook his head: "You two have it rough; cleaning sewers is a miserable job.

Still, one must endure the bitterness before becoming the master; this isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Gao Teng and his companion nodded in agreement.

Wang Xianglong opened the floodgates, chatting away casually.

He asked which high school they attended, how their martial arts grades were, what their family situations were like...

After he had said a mouthful, the three team members finished their respective tasks.

"Captain, everything that needed to be checked has been checked. No abnormalities were found, and the source of danger has been completely eliminated."

"Mm."

Wang Xianglong said: "Pack up."

"????"

Gao Teng and Zhang Meizhu were both stunned.

They were just packing up? They weren't going to investigate deeper into the sewer?

"Young man, young lady, be extra careful while you work. If you run into a situation you can't handle, just give us a call."

Wang Xianglong waved his hand and led his three team members away without looking back.

Watching their retreating figures, a mocking smirk appeared on Zhang Meizhu's lips: "These people sure know how to enjoy life."

Gao Teng curled his lip: "The sewer is filthy and stinks to high heaven; who would want to crawl in there?

If I weren't short on cash, I'd never come to a hellhole like this."

Zhang Meizhu said: "That may be true, but a mutant creature riot did happen, after all. Who knows what the situation is like down there now."

Gao Teng raised his flashlight, shining it into the pitch-black pipes, feeling a bit uneasy.

Continuing the work meant danger, but quitting meant facing a one-hundred-thousand penalty fee. This was a real dilemma.

What to do?

Gao Teng had an idea: "How about I grab someone? If we run into a monster, I'll just toss him out to buy us a chance to escape?"

Zhang Meizhu looked at him, speechless: "Are you serious?"

Gao Teng was, of course, serious. Take the gamblers living in the sewers, for example—many of them didn't even deserve to be called human.

For the sake of gambling, they would sell their wives and children, doing all sorts of disgusting things.

It wouldn't be a pity if such people died; dying to save them would actually give their lives some value.

Thinking of this, Gao Teng voiced his thoughts.

Zhang Meizhu wasn't one for excessive sentimentality and agreed with his logic.

Not everyone living in the sewers deserved to be saved; some people truly deserved to die.

Though she was kind, she was also very clear-headed.

The two immediately took action, grabbed a vicious, degenerate gambler, and ventured deep into the sewer once more.

Fortunately, they weren't attacked by monsters as they had imagined, and the trip was smooth and uneventful.

Having endured six hours this way, they finally finished their work and emerged from the dark, sunless sewer.

"Young brother, young sister, can I go now?

From now on, I will definitely turn over a new leaf! I will never, ever, ever gamble again!

I'll work hard to make it up to my family, and I will absolutely, definitely be a good person!"

Once out of the sewer, Fan Haiwei swore with tears in his eyes, his tone sounding incredibly sincere.

The past few hours had been the longest, most agonizing, and darkest moments of his life.

He had thought he was a goner, never expecting to see the light of day again.

Having walked through the gates of hell, he had completely sobered up and realized just what a bastard he had been.

He was going to change himself and become a good man.