Chapter Nine: Kill!

His stomach had already been filled with the liquor from before; now, mingled with this searing blaze, it became a relentless grinder, churning his insides without end.

Cough, cough, cough!

Mu You felt his blood surging and roiling; mouthfuls of fresh blood, tainted with filth, burst forth from his gut, spewing across the interrogation room. The air was thick with a sickly, acidic stench, laced with the sharp tang of blood. The adjudicator, witnessing this, immediately fled the room, retching violently.

Mu You rolled onto his back, lying on the floor, his body and spirit utterly spent. Yet he laughed—laughing with such ease, tears streaking down his cheeks, tinged with a desperate hysteria.

"Thank you..."

What?

The crowd, including the burly police officer, thought they must have misheard. Was he thanking them? Even after being reduced to this half-dead state—he was thanking them?! Had his mind burned out?

Cough, cough—

Mu You spat out two more clots of dried blood, his laughter chilling and unsettling. His pale teeth, streaked with crimson, were a gruesome sight. The crowd instinctively stepped back.

Something was wrong—very wrong.

"I've never been one to offend others without reason. That's why I bear grudges..."

Mu You staggered to a sitting position, then collapsed again, his body wracked with violent coughs that tore at his damaged organs.

"I always believed myself to be human, unable to commit acts devoid of humanity. Thank you—for making me realize my true nature, for freeing my hatred..."

A faint black mist coiled around Mu You, who lifted his head with a wicked grin. His left eye slowly transformed, darkening until it devoured a third of its surface.

"So, the only thing holding back my instincts was habitual humanity. In this society, humanity doesn't exist. Thank you for showing me that..."

Pop—pop—pop—

The boils on Mu You's skin ruptured one by one, revealing fresh, tender flesh. His wounds began to heal; the sound of shifting bones echoed incessantly. In the blink of an eye, Mu You, covered in blood, stood upright once more.

Now, only his appearance was disheveled. His soul—utterly dead.

"Such a splendid performance. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Now, it's time for your reward."

Mu You spoke with satisfaction as the blood splattered on the floor rose into the air, igniting into clusters of scarlet flame.

In that moment, Mu You could feel his flowing blood linking to him—like an extension of his body, rising with his fury, growing hotter until it boiled and burned!

But Mu You no longer cared. For one utterly hopeless, this unfathomable power was precisely what he desired most.

"You seem to enjoy the passion of flames..."

Mu You looked at the burly police officer with casual friendliness, as if greeting an old friend. The officer, dumbstruck by the bizarre spectacle, hurriedly drew his gun and shouted:

"Get down! Don't move, or I'll shoot!"

He pulled the trigger, but found the gun had already been mangled beyond recognition by Mu You. The chamber burst open, exploding their hands into bloody pulp.

The officer's eyes rolled back in agony. Mu You remained composed, crouching beside the convulsing man, reaching out with his blood-soaked, slowly healing right hand to gently caress the officer's eyes.

"You... what are you doing? This is the police station! You dare attack a cop? You're dead! I'm telling you, if you touch me, you're dead!"

"Dead?"

Mu You smiled helplessly.

"I became a death row inmate without ever having killed anyone. Wouldn't it be a shame not to truly kill at least once? Hush—be good, accept my gift..."

As he spoke, blood on his right hand erupted into a towering flame, pressing slowly toward the officer's eyeballs.

Ah!!!

A shrill, hysterical scream echoed. The eyeballs exploded, blood splattering Mu You's face. He closed his eyes in ecstasy, his expression beautiful yet diabolical.

"How does it feel? You must use such methods often on criminals, don't you? Such exquisite treatment—I grant it to you today!"

Mu You's right hand curled into a claw, suddenly gripping and tearing through the officer's nasal cavity. He planted a foot on the man's chest, bracing his waist and arms as he slowly ripped out the entire facial bone structure, including the nasal bone and jaw!

The lights were stained red with blood; under the hazy glow, the interrogation chamber had become hell on earth. Blood gushed from the officer's mangled face, burned away by the flames. His gums, exposed to the air, parted in vain, but no sound came—only the spasms of a corpse.

"Oh dear, I accidentally tore your whole face off. Sorry~~"

Mu You remarked in mild surprise, without a hint of embarrassment. He examined the bloody face in his hand, then looked at the officer's corpse and nodded in satisfaction.

"It suits you better this way—no need to thank me."

He tossed the face aside and turned toward the others. None dared to move.

No, it wasn't that none dared—it was that none could. Bone-deep chill flooded from their spines, spreading along nerves to their skulls, their limbs turning icy cold. Boundless terror left them motionless.

Escape? Could anyone escape from a monster?

"Everyone's here—not bad. Very sincere. I'm pleased."

Mu You kicked apart the tiger stool in front of him, splintering it. The shards flew into the bodies of the thugs and adjudicator who had beaten him earlier; their screams rang out indiscriminately, and both fell unconscious, bodies ruined.

Stepping in bloody footprints, Mu You approached the hesitant thug who had wavered before. Seeing his pale face, resigned to fate, Mu You patted his shoulder with a smile.

"Brother, this job isn't worth it."

The thug froze, watching as Mu You laughed and walked out of the interrogation room, leaving him in disbelief.

He let me go—just because I hesitated before? At that moment, the thug had only one thought—

Resign! Get far away from this city and start anew.

Tap, tap, tap...

Walking through the empty corridor, not a soul in sight, Mu You stepped outside the police station just as the rain began to pour. He spread his arms wide, embracing the sky, letting the rain cleanse the blood from his body. In that instant, Mu You was completely immersed in the beauty of the moment.

He greedily inhaled the fragrance of moisture in the air; all around was shrouded in mist. At that moment, Mu You seemed to stand in a world newly born from chaos, the rain washing away all gloom to reveal the essence of life.

"In this lifetime, will I ever again enjoy life so freely..."

Lowering his arms, Mu You's gaze suddenly sharpened, his eyes piercing the darkness behind the curtain of rain.

Beneath the rain, the police station was already surrounded by armed forces. Behind thick bulletproof windows, rows of black, high-powered rifles were trained on Mu You. The rain, falling in sheets, struck the ground and men, forming a shimmering mist that swayed in the cold wind, out of place in the scene.

Tap... tap...

Mu You raised his hands, calmly walking toward the armed crowd. His steps were steady, the splash of water the only rhythm in the world, beating in everyone's hearts, nerves tightening.

The crowd stirred; a figure in a raincoat stepped forward, removing his hood to reveal a face Mu You knew better than any other.

Mo Han.

Mr. Mo Han still wore the warm, gentle smile. Upon seeing Mu You's transformation, his smile grew even broader.

"Mu You, stop struggling. Go quietly to Death Row Paradise for reform. Uncle Mo will make sure your future is well planned."

Mu You stared into Mr. Mo Han's eyes, his own smile strange.

"So, Uncle Mo, you've come to pick me up?"

Mu You, beaming, approached Mr. Mo Han and lowered his hands slowly. As he drew near, the sound of rifles being cocked echoed around him. Any sudden movement would mean instant death.

"Of course. I've watched you grow up, Mu You. It's only right I see you off for this final journey."

Warm and thoughtful words, like a spring breeze, yet unable to thaw the utter coldness and ruthlessness in Mu You's eyes.

Seeing Mu You unmoved, Mr. Mo Han pressed his forehead in mock distress.

"Ah, this expression won't do. Your smile is too numb."

He stepped out from the crowd, a huge black umbrella unfurled behind him. Mo Han seemed utterly unafraid of Mu You's sudden violence, standing right in the crosshairs of high-powered sniper rifles.

In truth, Mu You had no intention of resisting.

"Come now, relax your muscles completely. Don't force yourself to smile—it only comes off as artificial. Yes, like that. Don't show any emotion in your eyes; don't let your turbulent heart leak out. Let the corners of your mouth rise naturally. Very good. Let it carry a touch of pity and warmth..."

Mu You remained motionless, letting Mr. Mo Han knead his face, twisting his features into an absurd mask. The latter seemed thoroughly entertained. Rain flowed from Mu You's brow into his eyes, trailing down his cheek and falling onto Mr. Mo Han's hand.

Mu You tilted his head back, breaking free from those restless hands, gazing at the sky. All coldness drained from his eyes, leaving only emptiness and death; these intertwined, merging, until only a pair of deep, abyssal pupils remained, which, if met, would swallow any gaze whole.

"The smile you describe is beyond me. But how about this one?"

Mu You turned back to Mr. Mo Han, his smile brazen and wild, his eyes fathomless, occasionally stirred by dark tides, radiating a soul-devouring light. He was transformed—sinister and cruel.

Mo Han's glasses gleamed, fogging up. Mu You could not make out his expression, but could sense his satisfaction.

"Perfect—absolutely perfect! On behalf of Death Row Paradise, I welcome you!"

With that, Mr. Mo Han gestured invitingly. Behind him stood a specially modified transport vehicle, its compartment forged from half-meter-thick steel plates—impervious even to rocket fire.

Mu You knew escape was futile. He walked past Mr. Mo Han, lifted his foot, hesitated briefly, his expression darkening, then stepped inside.

The reinforced doors slammed shut behind him. In the darkness, Mu You was alone. From this moment, he bid farewell to his old world and stepped into the depths of corruption...

I am Mu You, and I have nothing.