Chapter 145: We Are the Lords of Old Sin City!!

"This is impossible!"

The fat man, Liang Cheng, widened his eyes, the words escaping him almost subconsciously.

"I haven't practiced it very well yet."

Lu Miao's gaze was indifferent. "Please advise me, Chief."

Liang Cheng looked at the black shadows surrounding Lu Miao. Each figure had taken on a concrete appearance. Even though they all looked identical, they certainly didn't seem like something she hadn't practiced very well.

"Lu Miao."

Liang Cheng suddenly reverted to his previously amiable demeanor.

"Actually, as your Chief, I've always paid attention to you. I know you've coveted a branch chief position for a long time, but I've been holding you back... to train you, really."

"Now, I see the time is ripe. How about this: tomorrow—no, right now—whichever branch chief position catches your eye, I'll transfer you there directly."

"And with your talent, once I retire, the Director-General's position can only be yours."

"No one will fight you for it."

Liang Cheng took a few steps forward as he spoke, chuckling.

"Tell me, what do you get out of helping them? Did they give you any guarantees? No. Are you even close to them? Unlikely."

"Let's go find them together. When the time comes, everything will return to its original, orderly state. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Lu Miao's gaze remained indifferent.

"Chief, you don't have much time left."

At her words, Liang Cheng's face visibly flushed red. He knew this subordinate of his was like a stone in a sewer—smelly and hard—but he could not accept being provoked by his own subordinate.

Thus, he exploded into a rage:

"I told you to get out of my way!!!"

"Lu Miao, don't think you can beat me just because you learned Sequence!"

"Sequence isn't the only ability of the Third Tier!!!"

Lu Miao merely repeated:

"Chief, please advise."

Provoked again and again, Liang Cheng finally couldn't hold back anymore and struck.

The pitch-black shadows around him lunged at Lu Miao. At the same time, the figure beside Lu Miao, which bore a striking resemblance to Yan Jing, lunged forward as well.

The dark shadows instantly clashed in a chaotic melee.

Meanwhile, a dark light surged around Liang Cheng as he activated his second Third Tier ability.

[Precision]

Under the effect of this ability, he could precisely control every single muscle in his body.

In an instant, his figure shifted from a fat man into a well-proportioned man. Though he still couldn't be called handsome, this state was his tried-and-tested peak condition.

In this state, his strength would multiply several times over.

Following that, his hands transformed into large blades, and he charged at Lu Miao.

This should have been a one-sided massacre...

Or so he had imagined.

But as time ticked by, his body couldn't help but tremble.

Across from him, Lu Miao was already covered in wounds.

Yet she showed not the slightest intent to retreat.

Nor did she show any sign of weakening.

If this continued, he would win, but he might also die.

And once the Lord of Old Sin City truly took office, his fate would be absolutely abysmal.

So, he grew ruthless, burning his origin.

Every strike and stance carried boiling murderous intent.

But even so, Lu Miao did not fall instantly.

One minute passed like this. Then two.

By now, Lu Miao was entirely covered in blood. The blood clotted into scabs, only for the scabs to tear open again, spilling fresh blood.

Yet her will to fight remained towering.

She even seemed to grow braver the longer she fought.

She was venting.

As for what she was venting, no one likely knew.

At this moment, Liang Cheng suddenly felt his Pathway was the most detestable Pathway in the world. The precise control it brought to the battle meant that even a weaker opponent could minimize the damage they sustained.

"Lu Miao, I'm begging you. Get out of the way..."

In the end, Liang Cheng spoke with a trembling voice:

"Don't you just want my position? I'll give it to you! The structure Old Sin City has maintained for so many years cannot change!"

"Even if I get out of the way now, can you find them?"

Lu Miao spoke slowly, her gaze lowered:

"Besides, is the structure truly what you care about?"

"Some things are already decided. Even without me, do you think that person wouldn't have arranged a backup plan?"

At these words, Liang Cheng's body trembled even more violently.

He felt it. He truly felt it.

The Order Pathway within his body was trembling, gradually diminishing.

It was the attention of the Eye of Order, but now, that attention was steadily weakening.

The Eye of Order had shifted its gaze elsewhere.

"No, no, no!!!"

He screamed in terror, but he was powerless to stop it.

It was as if, in a single instant, he plummeted from his throne, while the new king was already prepared to ascend.

At the same time.

The Third Tiers on the bus shared the exact same sensation.

The First Ward Chief went limp and collapsed to the floor.

The Virtue Bridge elder bowed his head, trembling, even his beard quivering.

The driver slammed on the brakes so hard he nearly flew out of his seat.

And Giant Mouth slumped back into his seat as if paralyzed:

"It's over... It's completely over..."

"How could this happen... How..."

He couldn't figure it out. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand.

He had painstakingly plotted for twenty years.

Why did it all vanish like smoke in the blink of an eye?

Meanwhile, in a certain corner of Rotten Vegetable Village.

Mantou, whose figure blended perfectly with the wall, looked toward a distant trash can and whispered:

"Chen Nian... Big brother... I think... I think it's ready..."

She felt as if an invisible crown had appeared atop her head.

This crown allowed her to see whatever she wanted to see within this city and go wherever she wished to go.

She could also briefly mobilize the powers of these Pathways.

"Wait a bit longer."

Chen Nian's voice came from the trash can.

Upon receiving the plan, he had immediately readied his Stealth System. Right now, he was disguised as a trash can.

Never having witnessed the ascension of a Lord of the Domain, he couldn't judge when the process was complete. To be safe, they had to wait a little longer.

"O-Okay!"

Mantou agreed.

Yi Ji had told her that if there was anything she didn't understand, she should listen to Chen Nian.

Thus, the two continued to wait quietly.

However, the city could wait no longer.

Above the Death Club, rows of graves materialized. White bones crawled out from within, marching in unison toward Rotten Vegetable Village.

Above Dandelion Manor, a massive dandelion appeared. Its seeds scattered into the wind, transforming into countless specks of light that flew toward Rotten Vegetable Village.

Mad Amusement Park showed no movement, as the Pathway Seed had already been taken by Yan Jing. However, a moment later, Hippo received the news and immediately issued an order:

"Everyone, beat the drums and play the music! Celebrate the birth of the new king!!"

Next, the Eye of Order from Rotten Vegetable Village, a spatula from the top floor of the Sun-Swallowing Tower, the black soil of Solitude Lane, the river water beneath Virtue Bridge, and the bus stop sign of the Terror Bus...

All these physical manifestations of the Domain's Pathways converged in the sky above Rotten Vegetable Village.

At this moment, even if Mantou wanted to hide, she couldn't.

An illusion of a crown formed atop her Electric Helmet. Guided by those Pathways, she slowly ascended into the sky, arriving at the very zenith of Old Sin City.

At this instant, every single resident of Old Sin City, regardless of which corner they resided in, saw this bewildered young girl wearing an Electric Helmet before their eyes.

An extremely oppressive aura blossomed around her.

Amidst this anomaly, everyone understood exactly what the person before them signified.

"Salute the Lord of Old Sin City!!! We salute you!!"

Prompted by their respective Pathways, everyone spoke in unison.

Simultaneously, a broad path of light appeared at the end of the city's long-broken highway, reconnecting the severed road home.

"...Th-Thank... Thank you... everyone..."

Hearing the voices of the masses echoing like a tsunami from all directions, Mantou bit her lip, somewhat at a loss.

In the next second, her figure vanished from the sky.

The crowd stared blankly, unaware of where the new king of Old Sin City had gone.

On a stretch of highway between two Unstable Domains.

Mantou and Chen Nian's figures materialized together.

They looked at the road carved open through the wall.

Mantou craned her neck as far as she could, but she couldn't spot Yan Jing and the others.

"Yi... Yi Ji!!"

"I... I did it!!!"

"We... We are the Lords of Old Sin City!!!"

"We... We... won!!!!"

Mantou stood on her tiptoes with all her might, raising her hand and waving, hoping this would let Yan Jing on the broken road see her.

Beside her, Chen Nian's expression remained calm.

He knew, of course, that it was impossible for that man to see her.

And impossible for him to hear her.

However, he wasn't in the habit of being a spoilsport.

Just as he was about to step aside to let Mantou have a moment to herself, he suddenly turned his head in disbelief.

"Good!! I heard you!!!"

Yan Jing's voice drifted over from the other end, making Mantou, who had been straining to listen, smile brightly.

"Mantou, we are the Lords of Old Sin City!!!"

On his motorcycle, Yan Jing also raised his hand.

He actually couldn't see Mantou's actions.

But he felt that if it were their Mantou, she would definitely be doing exactly that.

"You actually waited long enough for it."

The Old Man chuckled. "So it wasn't a waste for Huzi to drive this slowly after all."

"If Nizi hadn't made it, you would've been waiting for nothing."

But right after saying that, the Old Man started laughing.

It was a foolish question.

Everyone knew that the girl would definitely make it.

And he, just like Yan Jing, firmly believed that they would win.

"Ten years."

Yan Jing said slowly, "There's less than ten years left until the Day of Arrival."

Before then, he had to meet Mantou again in this body.

"Yeah, now it's our turn to face the problem."

The Old Man said in a deep voice, "According to that kid Chen Nian, this motorcycle was modified to carry three people, but its original destination-targeting function has become very unstable."

"The three of us must simultaneously think of a place in the Inner World."

Hearing this, Tiger scratched his head:

"But I haven't been anywhere else..."

"Then just think of the name [Minhu] in your heart."

The Old Man said slowly:

"Even with Huzi driving this slowly, we should be arriving soon. There's no time to describe what it looks like, so just remember a few things—they are all characteristics of that place."

"Country squires, horse bandits, bankers, opera houses, rickshaws, steam trains, gangs, rural counties... I'll tell you all of these, so listen closely to every single one."

After quickly describing it all, he looked at Yan Jing again.

"Kid Yi Ji, do you know this place I'm talking about?"

"I should know it."

Yan Jing smiled.

"Good, then you picture it too."

Old Master Liu said slowly:

"This time, the place we're heading is the exact spot I left from back then. It's basically my hometown."

"It's called Bianliu County."

As the name dropped, a flash of surprise crossed Yan Jing's eyes.

But very quickly, he smiled:

"Alright, we'll follow your lead, Old Man."

"Remember!"

The Old Man wore a solemn expression as he spoke:

"Even though it's my hometown, there are some things I need to warn you about in advance."

"In Bianliu City, there are only three kinds of people."

"What three kinds?"

Tiger asked, dizzy from memorizing terms for half the day.

"Swindlers! Thugs! And robbers!"

After the Old Man finished speaking, not only was Tiger stunned, but even Yan Jing was bewildered.

This style was completely different from what he had imagined.

"Let me put it this way."

Seeing their expressions, the Old Man said, "When I left, that place didn't even have anyone in charge. But there was an unwritten rule: no matter how the various factions fought openly and maneuvered covertly, they couldn't harm the other side's workers—in our area, we call them 'hired hands'."

"Isn't... isn't that a good thing?"

Tiger was a bit confused.

The Old Man shot him a glance and said slowly:

"But apart from factions not being allowed to harm opposing hired hands, bosses can harm hired hands, passersby can harm hired hands, hired hands can harm hired hands, and even a hired hand's dog can do it too."

"Do you understand now?"

Looking at the shock in their eyes, the Old Man sneered.

"That place has absolutely no taboos. If you run into someone who talks honor, that's one thing. But if it's someone who doesn't, you'd better not believe a single word they say."

"Gulp."

Tiger swallowed hard.

The Old Man continued:

"I have enemies there, which is why I fled to this side in the first place. Returning this time, the moment I show my face, there will definitely be trouble."

"When we cross over in a moment, remember to cover your heads. Especially you two—you absolutely must not expose the fact that you're from the outside."

"Though that will probably be hard to pull off, since our clothes aren't quite right. If we get discovered, just remember one word: run."

"Understood?"

Yan Jing and Tiger exchanged a glance and nodded together.

Thus, the group made their preparations, tearing apart the Old Man's military overcoat to cover their heads.

Soon, they drove to the very end of the road.

They arrived before a massive vortex.

This was a road where they could only move forward. They could neither stop nor turn back.

Reaching the end meant the group was heading to the next Domain.

So, the group closed their eyes in unison and began to visualize Minhu in their minds.

Before long, the motorcycle drove straight into the vortex.

Yan Jing felt a sudden wave of dizziness, the world spinning around him.

It was exactly like the sensation of a player entering the Inner World. Soon, he opened his eyes from the stupor.

Before his eyes...

...lay an uneven bluestone avenue. Packed yellow dirt, compressed by the tread of countless feet, filled the gaps between the stones.

Among the pedestrians on the road, some wore large robes, others long gowns, and still others short shirts of coarse cloth. An old man selling candied haws carried a straw target bristling with red fruit on his shoulder, a barber had set up his stand in a corner, and out front of a shop, someone was running an Herbal Tea stall.

A nearby restaurant hung a sign with large characters reading "First Restaurant of Bianliu." A shop further down displayed "First Tavern of Bianliu," and there were also "First Pub of Bianliu," "First Eatery of Bianliu"...

This seemed to be the most bustling district of the city.

However, the Old Man and Tiger were nowhere to be seen.

A rickshaw puller wearing a short jacket and baring his chest jogged past. Seated in the rickshaw was an elegant youth with his eyes lightly closed.

"Young Master, look, there's a person here."

The rickshaw puller spoke, but the youth did not reply, seemingly fast asleep.

The surrounding crowd looked at the suddenly appearing Yan Jing with expressions of sheer astonishment.

Someone stepped forward and reached a hand out toward Yan Jing.

Yan Jing hadn't even spoken yet.

The man had already snatched the piece of the overcoat covering Yan Jing's head and bolted.

?

Seeing the increasingly unfriendly expressions on the surrounding crowd's faces, Yan Jing didn't overthink it. Using a Freeze Frame Moment, he immediately retreated and found a secluded corner.

He exited the Inner World.

Then, upon arriving in the Surface World, he immediately opened the interface for the Ghoulish Life Role-playing Game.

He clicked to draw a character.

Location selected: [Minhu] — [Bianliu County].