Ark, Just Tell Me Whether the Mission Was Completed

The gangsters' earnest expressions were something even Lin Yuxia had never seen before.

Whenever the underworld rules had been enforced in the past, every offender had wailed and begged. This was the first time she'd seen people asking to be cut up.

It was clear Luo Chen's scare earlier had truly frightened them out of their wits.

Thinking that, Lin Yuxia secretly glanced sideways at Luo Chen, only to find that his expression had suddenly brightened, as if he'd thought of something.

"Officer Luo, did you think of something?"

Luo Chen nodded.

"I did come up with an idea, but first, I'd like to ask Miss Lin a few questions."

"According to your underworld rules, anyone who randomly collects protection money has to lose a finger. Is there any specific rule about which finger?"

"No."

Lin Yuxia shook her head, not understanding why Luo Chen was asking this.

But she was already starting to feel afraid.

"So, the seven of them collected protection money, which means seven fingers have to be cut off in total. But there are no rules about whose fingers get cut or which fingers they are, right?"

"That's right. The underworld rules don't go into that much detail."

"I see." Luo Chen rubbed his chin in thought for two seconds, then turned to look at the gangsters.

The moment the gangsters met Luo Chen's slightly excited gaze, they all recoiled a step in fright.

"You don't want your hands cut, either, do you?"

Luo Chen's words were filled with sincerity. Lin Yuxia had been right earlier—he'd been a little too extreme.

They'd only collected protection money and occasionally bullied ordinary people.

Something this minor didn't warrant death.

Hearing that, the gangsters immediately grew tense. They shook their heads and waved their hands, their faces full of panic and terror.

"No, no, no. We'll follow the rules of the street."

"Officer Luo, you shouldn't do this..." Lin Yuxia tried to dissuade him as well.

"Don't be so quick to refuse. Hear my suggestion first," Luo Chen said, raising a hand.

"Then, Officer Luo, tell us..." A bad feeling welled up in Lin Yuxia's heart. She felt that, now that these people had fallen into Luo Chen's hands, this wouldn't end without a few deaths.

Luo Chen spoke naturally.

"I think that since it's seven fingers either way, there's no need for each of you to lose one."

"That would leave all seven of you suffering and miserable. Then you'd be wailing and screaming, frightening the residents of the slums."

"Why not take all seven fingers from one person? Then the other six can be happy and suffer no pain at all."

"Isn't that a win-win-win proposal?"

The moment he said that, Lin Yuxia's eyelid twitched wildly.

She never imagined Luo Chen could come up with something so ruthless. Cutting all seven fingers from one person—wouldn't that be far too cruel for that person?

And who would be willing to be that unlucky fool and lose seven fingers at once?

Just as Lin Yuxia had thought.

When the gangsters first heard Luo Chen say that one person could provide all the fingers, each of them felt a flicker of relief at the thought of saving their own fingers.

But they quickly began to suspect that they might be the unlucky one.

The gangsters, who had been huddled together moments ago, instantly scattered and stared at each other.

"Why are you looking at me? I always took the least money. I barely got any benefits. Whoever gets cut, it can't be me."

"I didn't take much money either. Hart took it all."

"When we first came to the Lower City, I paid for the tickets and the rent for our base. You people should have some conscience."

"I sleep in the smallest room at the base."

"Other than Boss Hart, we all have rooms the same size. Where'd you get the smallest one?"

"Don't look at me, you five. If you're unhappy, let's fight."

The six of them looked at one another and gradually realized something.

Where had Hart gone—the Hart who normally got the biggest share of the benefits, the Hart who called himself the team's boss?

All six turned toward the roadside. Hart, who had been sent flying by the car, was still unconscious. They couldn't tell how badly he was injured, only that his chest was still rising and falling.

Looking at Hart, who was half-dead, all six of them came to the same thought.

Hart was always the one taking the benefits, and coming to the Lower City to form a gang had been his idea too. Why should he just lie there when it was time to bear the consequences?

Besides, he looked half-dead already. For all they knew, he might die anyway.

Since Hart might become a dead man, why couldn't a dead man contribute seven fingers?

"Friends! Have you made your decision? Will each of you lose one finger, or will one person lose seven?"

As if he had predicted their thoughts, Luo Chen pressed forward the moment the idea arose, giving them no time to think it over carefully.

The gangsters' gazes instantly turned vicious, and they all nodded.

"Boss, we choose one person losing seven fingers."

"Very good. Little Wang, give them a dagger and let them do it themselves."

Who Was the Real Underground Emperor?

Hart's head hurt terribly, and his mind buzzed.

As the boss of a third-rate gang, coupled with the racial traits of the Ursus, Hart was actually considered fairly skilled even among gangsters.

On top of that, he'd maintained a long-term exercise routine just so he could abuse the weak. His ability to take a beating was roughly equivalent to half of Hoshiguma's finger.

If he hadn't been hit by a car, he could still have bounced around after taking more than a dozen knife wounds.

But even after being hit by the car, his injuries weren't fatal. His consciousness was gradually returning, yet his heavy eyelids and the buzzing in his head kept him from opening his eyes.

Just as Hart lay there dazed, aching all over and unable to get up, he suddenly felt a piercing agony shoot from his finger into his brain.

The intense pain instantly jolted Hart awake, forcing his heavy eyelids open.

Hart abruptly opened his bloodshot eyes and raised his right hand before his face, only to discover that it was missing a pinky finger.

His six underlings stood around him with varying expressions. Some were nervous, while others were excited.

One held a bloodstained dagger, while another held a severed finger. It looked like some kind of cult sacrifice.

He was missing a finger, and his underlings were holding the evidence of the crime.

Hart understood everything in an instant.

"What are you doing... I'll... kill you."

Hart's chest heaved wildly like a roaring beast. He braced himself with all his strength, trying to deliver a fatal blow to his prey.

But because of the injuries from being hit by the car, even with all his strength, he only managed to prop up half his body and couldn't stand immediately.

Intimidated by Hart's long-standing dominance, the others were instantly frightened back two steps by his roar.

But when they saw Hart swaying helplessly, unable to stand.

The fear in their eyes turned cruel.

They might as well go all the way. They had already cut off one of his fingers and offended Hart, so they might as well finish the job and take them all.

The group swarmed forward, knocking Hart back to the ground just as he was about to stand.

"Let go of me... Aah..."

Hart's face twisted from pain and psychological shock, and a hoarse roar escaped his throat.

But his rage didn't make them back down. If anything, his helpless appearance only made them bolder.

Hart, who had once lorded over them by relying on his fists, actually had a day when he could only rage helplessly until his voice went hoarse?

Like attracted like. Hart was someone who preyed on the weak, so naturally, his companions were the same.

Now Hart was weak as trash. Rather than feeling sympathy or pity, the others felt their blood stir.

Four men pinned Hart's body down, one held his arm, and another raised a knife toward his fingers.

Another piercing pain tore through him, and Hart roared viciously.

"Aah... You actually dare betray me! Just you wait. Once I get back to the Upper City, I'll have all of you killed... My family has plenty of money. I'll have assassins hunt you down to the ends of the earth."

Hart's final threat made all six of them stiffen.

In their heat of the moment, they had forgotten that Hart had wealthy parents.

If his parents learned that they had cut off Hart's fingers, then the consequences...

Seeing their reactions, Hart forced a terrifying smile onto his twisted face.

"Hahahaha... Now you finally know fear?"

Squelch—

Just as Hart laughed loudly, the sharp dagger plunged straight into his neck.

Hart's eyes widened in terror. Gurgling sounds came from his throat, but he could no longer form a complete sentence.

He felt his life rapidly slipping away as blood poured from the wound and dyed his collar red.

That underling calmly pulled out the dagger, his eyes revealing a trace of resolve and hatred.

As the weakest member of the gang, he had suffered endless humiliation under Hart. Hart would use him as a punching bag whenever he felt like practicing. Today, he had finally found his chance to turn the tables.

The others wore complicated expressions after seeing the dagger enter Hart's neck. Some were horrified, some relieved, and some carried a trace of anticipation.

Hart's body began to convulse, and his consciousness gradually blurred.

At the final moment of his life, he finally understood the beauty of law, the greatness of morality, and the brilliance of humanity. But it was already too late.

His life ended just like that, leaving behind nothing but shock and chaos.

At that instant, the entire scene seemed to freeze.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and terror, and everyone's heartbeat quickened.

"Someone died?"

Lin Yuxia and the underlings brought by the broker showed slight changes in expression when they saw that someone had been killed.

But since they weren't the murderers, they weren't afraid. They simply watched the six gangsters committing the crime.

Looking at the redness in the six men's eyes, Lin Yuxia felt they would become a menace to Lungmen someday.

But Luo Chen wasn't merely watching. At some point, he had taken out his phone and recorded the murder.

He even calmly discussed it with Lin Yuxia.

"See? I successfully spared six young men from suffering, and I also preserved evidence for the victim."

"They just said that kid's parents have some influence. I wonder what they'll do when they see this video?"

"Intentional murder carries a sentence of over ten years for the mastermind."

"Participants will also receive between three and ten years in prison."

"Hiring someone to commit murder also carries a sentence of over ten years."

"But assassins will give them the death penalty."

"Who do you think handles cases more efficiently, assassins or the Lungmen Guard Department? Want to guess? Let's bet a meal on it."

Luo Chen recorded the whole scene on his phone as he spoke with Lin Yuxia, every word radiating the light of righteousness.