"What happened to the corpse on the ground?"
"The corpse disappeared?"
"The corpse..."
The man, his wife, and Denji exclaimed in surprise at the same time.
The enormous devil's corpse had vanished into thin air in less than a minute.
It was even more unbelievable than a David Copperfield trick.
"The corpse has somewhere it belongs. Don't worry about it."
"Besides, people who are too curious end up as corpses themselves."
After Meng Fan's warning, Denji thought better of it.
Denji asked no more questions.
He turned around, picked up Pochita, and prepared to leave.
"Who should I give the money to?" the Vegetable Garden man suddenly asked.
"Just give it to him."
"Me?" Denji stopped and turned around. "I didn't really do anything. You killed the devil, so the money should go to you."
"No. I said I wouldn't charge for this job, and I keep my word."
"If you insist on giving it to me, then I won't turn it down."
Denji scratched the back of his head and flashed a brilliant smile.
Just then, the Vegetable Garden man's wife walked over.
She held a black briefcase.
"Thank you for saving me. Here's five hundred thousand yen."
"Five hundred thousand!"
Denji froze on the spot as though he had turned to stone.
He had never received so much money in his life.
The most he had ever held was a few thousand yen.
Now five hundred thousand lay right in front of him.
Denji didn't even dare reach for it.
"Go on, take it. It's the payment you earned."
"Thank you."
Denji hurriedly thanked her and accepted the five hundred thousand yen.
His hands were trembling.
Then Meng Fan punched him in the head.
He snapped back to his senses at once. "What was that for?!"
"What are you thanking them for? We're the ones who saved their lives."
"Whatever you say, I still want to thank them."
"You don't need to thank us. You saved my wife. This is the payment you devil hunters deserve."
The Vegetable Garden man hurriedly spoke up.
He was terrified that Meng Fan would find fault with him.
"Let's go already. I still need to get back and take a shower."
"Thank you both for your hard work."
As the two walked away, the couple watched them go.
The Vegetable Garden man and his wife kept bowing and thanking them from behind.
"Get in. I'll drive you back."
"You can't keep driving a Yakuza car, can you? That'll bring trouble. I'd suggest taking it back to where Ino is."
"What Yakuza car? It's in my hands now, so it's my car."
Meng Fan got into the car first.
He glanced at Denji, who was standing by the roadside.
Without another word, he started the car and was about to leave.
But just then, Denji pulled the door open and jumped into the back seat.
"I thought you were planning to run back again."
"I was, but then I remembered how much money I was carrying. Taking the car seemed safer." Denji patted the briefcase and smiled.
Meng Fan said nothing and simply drove back the way they had come.
When they passed Ino, Denji wanted to pick him up too.
But Meng Fan rejected the idea by stepping on the gas.
Neither of them spoke along the way.
Not until the car was almost at Denji's shack.
"So? Feels pretty good being a hero, doesn't it?"
"It sure does. People admire you, and you get all this money. Who wouldn't want to be a hero?"
"As long as you're willing. Don't say I forced you later."
The car stopped outside Denji's door.
Denji held Pochita in his arms.
Pochita held the briefcase as they got out.
"Um... what about Ino?"
"Do whatever you want."
With that, Meng Fan reversed and turned around in one smooth maneuver.
He gradually disappeared from Denji's sight.
"What a strange, scary guy."
Muttering to himself, Denji went back into the shack with Pochita.
Then he and Pochita began figuring out what to do with the five hundred thousand yen.
Of course, most of it would have to go toward paying off his debt.
The small amount left over could cover everyday expenses.
He was already dreaming of life after he paid off everything he owed.
Meanwhile, Meng Fan soon arrived at a car dealership.
Seeing a Honda with the license plate xxx slowly pull to a stop, someone took notice.
The dealership's owner immediately came over with a cheerful smile.
Meng Fan switched off the engine, pulled out the key, and got out.
"Bo..."
"Bo what?"
"Who are you? Why are you driving my boss's car?"
"This car belongs to your boss?"
"That's right." The man's tone grew increasingly arrogant.
"I didn't know you knew the owner. Since you're acquainted, I'll sell it somewhere else."
"Wait. You think you can leave without explaining yourself?"
The man grabbed Meng Fan.
Sensing something suspicious, he turned his head and whistled.
At the sound, a group of men with tattooed arms emerged from the building, carrying clubs and knives.
"Whoever the car belongs to, how much will you pay for it?"
"Why would I buy it? Do you know whose car you stole?"
"If you're not buying, stop grabbing me. Don't waste my time. I'll sell it somewhere else."
"Are you blind, kid? Can't you see what's around you?"
The tattooed men gradually tightened their encirclement.
Each stopped close enough to hit Meng Fan with a club.
"I think you're the blind ones. You can't see who's standing right in front of you."
Meng Fan sneered.
His refined features suddenly underwent a drastic change.
His face began to twist grotesquely.
At the same time, the expressions of everyone around him changed too.
"Wh-what is that?"
"A... a devil!"
"Run!"
Clang!
As the clubs hit the ground, panic broke out.
Everyone fled in a different direction.
But a second later, they all collapsed.
Seeing everyone killed in an instant, the man who had been so arrogant immediately dropped to his knees.
"Spare me! I was blind. I failed to recognize a noble devil like you."
"If you're willing, I can make a contract with you. You can take any part of my body."
"I won't make a contract with a filthy dog, much less take any part of your body."
"I only want money!" Meng Fan emphasized.
"Right away! I'll get it for you right away."
The man was so frightened that he wet his pants.
When he heard that Meng Fan only wanted money, hope surged in him.
Like someone clutching at a lifeline, he was desperate to hand Meng Fan the money.
"Hurry up. I don't want to wait too long."
"Yes, yes."
On trembling legs, the man struggled back into the building.
Before long, he came out carrying a silver case.
"There's two and a half million yen in here. It's all the money we have saved here."
The man prostrated himself and placed the silver money case in front of Meng Fan's toes.
Meng Fan crouched down and opened it.
It was packed with banknotes.
Meng Fan pulled a single note from one of the bundles and tossed it onto the ground.
Then he closed the case, stood up, and held it in his hand.
"I don't take people's money for nothing. Consider this car sold to you for two and a half million."
With that, he left without looking back.
Only after waiting a long time did the man move.
He finally dared to raise his head slowly.
Looking around, he saw that Meng Fan had left.
Only then did he let out a long sigh of relief.
He picked up the banknote from the ground and stood.
He didn't understand why Meng Fan had deliberately taken out a banknote and thrown it on the ground.
Could it be some kind of contract, or had he left a mark?
The man didn't dwell on those puzzling questions.
He immediately returned inside, picked up the phone, and called the Yakuza boss.
On the other end of the line, the Yakuza boss heard that a devil had targeted them.
Instead of being afraid, he looked delighted.
"Where is he now?"
"He's already gone, but he left a banknote behind."
"Make sure you keep that banknote safe. It might have something to do with a contract."
"But boss, he took two and a half million from us."
"What's two and a half million? As long as he makes a contract with me and gives me power, I could earn that much in minutes."
"Understood."
After hanging up, the man reverently found a place to store the banknote.
Before you continue