In a private room on the Fight Club's second floor, Scott knocked on the door. After receiving an answer, he walked in with a fawning smile.
On the sofa, an obese middle-aged man had already changed into boxing gear.
Two pretty women were massaging his arms.
The middle-aged man wore a relaxed, contented expression.
Scott stood respectfully to one side and said with a smile:
"Sir, everything has been arranged. In the next match, you'll face our Five-Time Champion."
"Oh? The Five-Time Champion?" The middle-aged man opened his eyes and looked at Scott. "I've only fought a Three-Time Champion before, and now you've arranged a Five-Time Champion for me? Are you trying to get me beaten to death?"
His face twisted with anger!
At those words, Scott instantly broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly said:
"No, absolutely not! I would never dare think such a thing! It's just that someone as powerful as you deserves a stronger opponent, sir. Only then can your valor truly shine!"
"I'm very pleased with that answer." The man's expression calmed, and he said smugly, "Exactly. That Three-Time Champion last time was too weak. I had him completely on the ropes. Give me someone stronger this time. I hope we can trade blows properly. That's what makes a fight fun!"
"You're absolutely right, sir!" Scott said obsequiously.
Carried away by his own enthusiasm, the middle-aged man continued rambling:
"In my opinion, you people from the Underworld are all useless. Even your best fighters can't withstand a single blow from me. The men in your Underworld all throw limp little punches, like young ladies at a ball. It's revolting.
"Heh, that's why I keep telling those old fellows that you Underworld people can't possibly be the same species as us in the Upper District. These lowborn scum merely look like us. Underworld people all have burrowing rats in their blood.
"There's a reason we're nobles. Our bloodline is noble and pure, after all. Our blood contains power, the most primal power. Our blood..."
As he spoke, a small hand touched his neck.
The man assumed it belonged to one of the women massaging him and paid it no mind.
Until he saw Scott's terrified expression.
A sharp blade had already slit the man's throat.
"Blood... blood... hhk... hhk..."
The man's eyes widened. Scarlet blood soaked his clothes and even sprayed outward!
The sharp knife drew back across his throat.
The man reached up to clutch his neck, where a massive wound had opened.
His blood was draining away, his body was growing cold, and he was dying!
But I'm so noble. I've had everything I ever wanted since birth.
And now I'm going to die in a rat hole like this!
The man cried, but he could not make a sound.
Only his severed windpipe let out wheezing cries like a bellows!
Through the haze, a devil's voice reached his ears:
"In the Underworld, even a six-year-old child can kill you."
"Are you crying, my noble lord with your distinguished bloodline?"
"Your blood doesn't seem any different from ours in the Underworld, except that it's a little greasier and thicker."
As Chu Mu spoke, the small knife in his hand continued to slice slowly.
This was Seele's knife, but ever since Chu Mu had used it to gouge out two eyes, he had kept it with him.
And honed it even sharper!
"Devil! Devil!" Scott collapsed onto the floor, screaming shrilly.
The two women beside the man had fainted from fright, though it was impossible to tell whether they were pretending.
Hearing Scott's voice, Chu Mu merely said softly:
"Don't rush. Your turn is coming."
On the sofa, the man's body trembled. He seemed to be clinging to life.
The boy was waiting for him to die.
Scott tried to flee in panic, but the moment he got to his feet, his legs gave out and he fell again.
Scott pounded his legs desperately, but he still could not summon any strength in them.
He could not understand how Chu Mu had appeared here.
People were always afraid of the unknown.
At this moment, Scott finally experienced firsthand what Kruzer had felt, what all the countless people he had coerced and driven to their deaths had felt.
He looked toward Chu Mu, only to discover that Chu Mu had suddenly vanished, leaving nothing but a lifeless corpse on the sofa.
"Stay away! Stay away!" Scott screamed, breaking down. "I'm begging you, don't come any closer!"
But Chu Mu did not appear.
Scott said in panic:
"I have money! Lots and lots of money! It's all in a safe. I'll give you everything!"
With that, he began reciting the safe's location and combination without being asked.
But Chu Mu still did not appear.
Scott slowly sat up, gradually gathering his strength.
"Have you gone?" Scott asked.
Chu Mu still did not appear.
Only then did Scott breathe a sigh of relief.
He looked at the dead fat man on the sofa, and boundless fear welled up inside him.
If word of this man's death gets out, I'm finished!
And there's no way to hide it. His guards are right downstairs!
I have to run. Until I find a new backer, I'll change my name and hide for as long as I can!
Scott cautiously went behind the sofa and tore open the fabric covering its back, revealing a safe embedded in the frame.
He entered the combination. At the sight of the blue cards inside, he fell into a daze.
His lifetime of savings could now only be spent buying favor with those Upper District nobles.
The fat man was dead, but another noble would soon take his place. They would still need dogs.
Scott was just such a dog. As long as he could bring them profits, who would turn down a useful dog?
The blue cards in the safe held Credits issued by the Interastral Peace Corporation.
Among the Upper District's nobles, this currency was more popular than the Winter City Shield.
Scott reached for the blue cards.
A hand settled on his neck.
Before Scott could utter a single word, the blade sliced down.
Unlike the fat man, his neck had no thick layer of fat protecting it, only a layer of shriveled skin.
One cut, one kill.
Like slaughtering a noisy burrowing rat.
Scott fell before his safe. Even in death, he had failed to touch the savings he had treasured all his life.
Chu Mu emptied the safe of its money.
He had not tried the safe location and combination Scott had mentioned earlier, because he did not believe the owner would be so generous.
Often, people brought misfortune upon themselves through greed.
As it turned out, the safe Scott had directed him to was packed full of explosives.
Opening the door would set them off immediately.
That discovery came years later, courtesy of a gang of unlucky thieves.
By now, Chu Mu had left the Fight Club and emerged in an alley outside.
A plaintive voice rang out:
"It's not nice to keep all the fun to yourself, little Chu Mu."
"If that's what you call keeping all the fun to myself, then I have nothing to say," Chu Mu said softly.
"I just think you should have invited me along for something so entertaining." The woman tapped Chu Mu's forehead and chuckled. "After all, I was very worried about your safety."
"No, you said it yourself. You just thought it would be entertaining." Chu Mu's voice was full of resignation. "Kafka, how did you find me?"
"Perhaps it's the bond of blood between mother and son," Kafka sighed. "Even if you refuse to acknowledge it."
Ignoring her teasing completely, Chu Mu said:
"There's somewhere else I need to go."
"Where?" Kafka asked.
"To meet a friend," Chu Mu said softly.
"To say goodbye to him?" Kafka nodded. "Once you leave, who knows how long it'll be before you return? You should give him a proper farewell."
"It's not a farewell." Chu Mu's voice was featherlight.
His sightless eyes turned in one direction:
"I want to ask him to forget me."
Before you continue