Monsters Had No Rights; Moon-Shrouding City; the Nine Dragons Black Market (Please Subscribe)

His words fell.

The monsters present all stiffened. Their misshapen faces took on fawning expressions as they turned toward the newcomer and said respectfully, "Manager Zheng, what brings you here?"

The man they called Manager Zheng was middle-aged, dressed in a short blue-green jacket, with a ruddy complexion.

Four burly men built like bears followed behind him, their eyes as big as bronze bells. One look marked them as hired muscle.

Manager Zheng ignored the other monsters' greetings. He looked instead at the gaunt, indigo-faced monster who had said, "Pay a life tax while alive, a blood tax when dead." With a smile that never reached his eyes, he said, "Qiu San, you're something else! Come on, open my eyes. Tell me what your plan is."

Manager Zheng seemed to have a fearsome reputation. At his question, Qiu San trembled like a sieve, his lips quivering.

"I... I..."

He stammered, unable to get a single complete sentence out.

"Won't talk? Then let me guess. But if I guess wrong..." Manager Zheng narrowed his eyes. "Don't blame me for thinking too much."

Before Qiu San could answer, he suddenly barked, "I say this wretch's monstrous heart hasn't changed! He wants to defect to the monsters. Seize this traitor!"

Qiu San shuddered and stared at Manager Zheng in disbelief. Seeing the men advance like tigers eyeing prey, he cried out, "Manager, I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"

He no longer stammered, but Manager Zheng refused to listen. He waved a hand.

The four bear-like men lunged at Qiu San. He tried to fight back, gathering streaks of eerie blue light into several snakes with a monstrous art. They looked venomous at a glance, and he sent them biting at the men.

But though Qiu San was a monster, he had never fought