Chapter 8: Played and Flailed

Unbeknownst to Zhou Qi's friends, the loan shark already knew some of their hidden secrets. It's one of the perks of the system. The system benefit called Party Operations. Once the system's host improved his relationship, favorability, and trust with an ally. It will be possible to quantify and measure their strength.

And when he reached a certain threshold, the host can even know a few of their secrets.

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Name: Cheng Shi

Race: Human

Level: 6

Main Class: Assassin

Sub-class: Chef Lv. 8 (15/50), Clockwork Lv. 5 (3/10)

Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 8, Endurance 3, Intelligence 3, Mystery 1, Charm 8, Luck 2

Gift: ???

Grade: F- (Mortal)

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Fatty raised his head, his eyebrows meeting half-way. He gathered the scattered papers, putting them back to the brown envelope, acting like the Mr. Fix-It that he was. With a raised hand, he started the voting.

"Let's vote. I'll start. I say no."

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Name: Jhin Zhong (Fatty Jhin)

Race: Human

Level: 3

Main Class: Merchant, Strategist.

Sub-class: Civilian Lv. 8 (15/50), Businessman Lv. 2 (3/10)

Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Endurance 2, Intelligence 9, Mystery 3, Charm 5, Luck 1

Grade: F- (Mortal)

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"You already know my answer. It's my area. So, yes." Sasa uttered, her voice childish but serious.

The two turned their head at the man on the couch.

Cheng Shi covered his face from the swaying lights above his head.

"Yes."

Fatty Jhin, Sasa, and Cheng Shi looked at the last man to vote. The loan shark was the Boss. His vote is equal to two persons. Zhou Qi will be the balance tilter tonight.

Zhou Qi closed his eyes for a moment. His thoughts swimming in another direction. He realized that his luck was a monstrous cheat. The hardest thing to raise was luck after all.

Well, Cheng Shi and Sasa was a cheat too in another sense. Even after four months, he never saw their gifts. These two were wielders. What gift? He doesn't know. Well, secrets are only secrets when no one knows.

"It's already been four months since our last big break." Zhou Qi opened his eyes, the gears in his head working like an untiring cogwheel. "Remember our goal. The Law Bar's goal."

Cheng Shi frowned, narrowing his eyes at Zhou Qi. He tried to remember what the goal of the Law Bar is. But wait? Was there even a goal?

Seeing his friends and accomplices dumfounded, Zhou Qi coughed. After all, it has only been four months since the inception of this group.

"Changing the order of this damn world. The Bar's Law, we will make it the good law. Our law."

A glint of glee appeared on Sasa's face. Her canines appearing as she smiled. A victorious glint appeared on her eyes telling 'I knew it!'

"So, I say yes."

Hearing that Fatty sighed, touching his bulging stomach. He was already starting to form new plans. One step ahead of everyone. He took a mental note of Zhou Qi's bullshitting then ignored it.

"Fine, you win."

"Don't worry Fatty, I'll make sure to treat you to DFC later."

"Sorry, I'm on a diet."

"Hmmph, you have been saying that for a long time now. But you're still a fatty."

"Silly, it's called conservation of energy! And guess what? I don't want to waste my breath on you."

"Conservation my ass!"

The two laughed together.

Knowing what was next, they watched Cheng Shi who was counting with his finger. The moment his watch turned 1:58 am, Cheng Shi raised his head. He stood up, opening the neck button of his long sleeves.

"Boss, the plan starts now. Let's get loaded."

Zhou Qi nodded, stretching his stiff hands above the air.

"My favorite part. Anyway, I think we need more hands for the bar. It's getting a bit tiring already."

Everyone shifted their heads and threw a confused look at Zhou Qi. "Hey, we will make sure it's someone we can trust."

With that - everyone nodded in agreement.

Cheng Shi stood up, walking towards the kitchen. The other three followed the man, one by one. Their steps mum. Their every breath swished in the chilly night.

...

The four-man team entered the kitchen together. One by one, the lights in the kitchen lit up on their own. It was welcoming the presence of its owners with glee.

Cheng Shi gazed at his watch lovingly. His eyes following the clockwise ticks of the minute and hour hand. Loss within the quagmire of his thoughts.

"2:00 am. Were good."

Then, he raised his head. The affection in his eyes flashed. Then, it was gone.

Click.

Soon, the door towards the underground storeroom opened. Cold moist air flowed out, something expected from a kitchen freezer. A series of mechanical sounds flowed, reaching their ears.

The eyes of Sasa lit up, she would never get tired of seeing cool kinds of stuff. The underground storeroom was a secret place exclusive only to the four owners. The place possessed a unique high-tech technology crafted by Fatty.

It felt like she was watching the sci-fi movies of the old days.

The four of them strode forward, entering the underground storeroom one by one.

A robotic voice soon echoed.

"Initializing… Scanning…

Master Zhou Qi, Cheng Shi, Lord Jhin, pzzt…

Possible intruder identified.

A blue and red headlight flipped above them It spun like a disco ball over their heads.

Warning! Warning! Warning!

Commencing Program: To Death.

Sasa's eyes widened, her body shook. Where's my name USI you jerk!? Her instincts kicking in. She wanted to run but Boss was standing behind him. Cheng Shi was in front. Fatty was the last to go in. His body was clogged at the small stairway like a ball of stinky hair in the sink!

Damn it!

She saw various types of guns flipping on the walls of the stairway. All of the guns aiming at her. She froze.

"H-Help."

Tears built their way to her eyes. She was trapped with nowhere to go.

Soon, a light flashed in front of her face. A camera flashed.

Click. Click. Click.

The short-haired Sasa stood dumbfounded. Her brain still in loading mode, processing the data like an old craggy 1990s computer.

[Mission To Death successful.]

Zhou Qi and Fatty Jhin couldn't stop themselves anymore. The two laughed with abandon. Fatty giggled his double chin shaking in waves. He was catching his breath, his kidneys shook and ached.

"That was really a good one Fatty!"

Zhou Qi smashed his hand on the metal wall, banging it with passion. The slams of his hand left a good handprint on the metallic walls. He was willing to laugh till the sunrise.

Meanwhile, Cheng Shi stood in silence. Yet, his silence was betrayed and destroyed by a soft "pfft" sound.

The metallic voice echoed again.

Showing success results…

In the middle of the stairs, a part of the wall flipped showing a flat-screen. They all looked. A lonely BGM music echoed. The melody was just so perfect! In slow motion, it showed the frame by frame images of the face of Sasa. For the first time, she acted like a scared lady in front of them.

This time, even Cheng Shi couldn't stop his mouth. The BGM music was his breaking point. He burst into laughter not weaker than the other two.

The face of Sasa was a world of transformation. From confusion, to shock, fear, helplessness, and finally her pitiful lady-like 'Help' face. The three decided to show this to any possible recruits. They wanted every new member to see how fearsome Ms. Sasa is!

The pale-faced Sasa showed a confused look. The moment Sasa saw the flat-screen showing up, presenting her face as the MC of an unknown horror thriller. She understood. She was played and flailed.

Her pale face shifted and bloomed, mixing various colors. It started from pale white, to green, to red, and then to black. She almost made her face the rainbow messenger.

Sasa shook. She was unable to voice out any of her anger.

Her face was like: 'This Lady wants to slay so show me your necks.'

Without any word, Sasa punched Zhou Qi's face. Her fist whistled, fighting against the wind pressure. Nevertheless, her target was Fatty. She expected the boss to dodge.

Zhou Qi and Cheng Shi would never have anything to do with such an insidious plan. All of this was probably cock-tailed by the damn fatty.

She laid her eyes on the guffawing fatty. She saw a cynical yet taunting smile on Fatty's face. It was telling her: 'Wanna hit me, come on. Hit my fats! Come on, destroy them for me!'

Sasa's eyes burned in fury. Fatty was asking for slaughter!

Sasa puffed and huffed in anger.

Her fist whistled in the air. She thought that the Boss was going to avoid her 'Punch of Redemption'. She never imagined that she would be boxed by the Boss.

She felt betrayed.

A not-so-merciful punch went straight to her face. It was a trade. A trade she dare not risk.

It will destroy her face!

Hit everywhere but the face boss!

Like a cat, she twisted her whole body in the air, halting her punch. Using her leverage, she instead tapped the incoming punch of Zhou Qi. She used the strength of the boss to move away. She flipped her body in another direction.

She then flexibly kicked backward like a horse. This time she wanted to at least strike Cheng Shi. Never did she know, that Cheng Shi was already waiting for her long ago.

Cheng Shi simply tapped the kick of Sasa sideways.

Sasa was played and gyrated. She spun like a top after being tapped sideways by two forces. Zhou Qi then kicked her softly in midair. She landed on the couch inside the underground storage room.

Her eyes were listless.

She was tricked and kicked.

Sasa stared at the ceilings with empty eyes. Where's justice?!