The place was a riot of lights and sounds, with a massive virtual screen displaying the latest hit songs. Spherical spotlights spun overhead, and two cases of bottled beer sat neatly on a table, accompanied by the swaying hips of women, painting a picture of decadent atmosphere within the small private room.
In this dimly lit space, the popping sound of bottle caps being opened pushed the KTV's atmosphere to its peak. The chatter of the crowd grew more fervent, their expressions increasingly flushed with excitement.
Tukesulu sat in the middle of the group. While others were drinking or holding onto women, he remained seated properly, like a clear stream. However, this clear stream seemed somewhat nervous, a sheen of sweat beading on his forehead.
"Tch, Old Su, still thinking of leaving the organization?" someone patted Tukesulu's shoulder and sneered, "You remembered us when you were short on cash. Now that you've made enough, you want to leave? Is there such a good thing in the world."
Tukesulu lowered his head in dejection, remaining silent and not drinking, only slowly smoking a cigarette.
"Creak—"
The door was pushed open, and a woman walked in. She was delicate and graceful, instantly capturing everyone's attention, including Tukesulu's.
What kind of person was she? Her face was like congealed fat, a blooming lotus emerging from water. Just a profile was enough to silence the room. Her complexion was slightly pale, and her aura felt weak, like Xi Shi in her ill health, exuding three parts more beauty. Who wouldn't exclaim "sick beauty" upon seeing her?
Such an exquisite woman was here to be a "xiaojie" (a term often implying a hostess or companion)?
For a moment, the men in the room's breathing grew heavier, their gazes burning like wolves spotting a rabbit, poised to pounce. They exchanged glances, beginning to mentally rank themselves.
"Is everyone here?"
The woman's voice was also captivating, like an orchid in a secluded valley, stirring the heart.
Everyone is here? Here for what?
The moment Bai Cha appeared, most of the people in this small private room were stunned. They were all people who had wrestled with men in the mud. They had seen more women than they could count on two hands, and most of them were just the common influencer faces. Where had they ever seen such a spectacle?
Only two people were exceptions: the temporary "boss" of this room, and Tukesulu.
The moment Bai Cha appeared, the boss of this place sensed something was amiss. Having worked for so many years, he possessed a certain level of vigilance. How could a woman as beautiful and recognizable as Bai Cha leave no impression at all?
An outsider? Even an outsider wouldn't come alone to be a "xiaojie." It's impossible to be looking for someone; none of them would know such a beautiful woman. Moreover, the black-clothed boss saw a suppressed, familiar killing intent in Bai Cha's eyes.
"Miss, who are you looking for?" The black-clothed boss felt something was wrong the moment he tried to stand up. He found he couldn't lift his feet. Looking down, he saw that the floor beneath him had, at some point, turned into black mud. Black smoke, like venomous snakes, was winding its way up, having unknowingly coiled around his thighs.
"Be careful..." The black-clothed boss was terrified, his liver and gall trembling at the sight of his feet. He wasn't stupid; he immediately realized that the person who had come was absolutely extraordinary. His reaction was the quickest as he directly pulled a micro-bomb from his embrace.
If you dare come closer, I'll detonate this bomb, and then all of us here will perish together!
Just as the black boss was about to shout these words, his wrist went numb. The micro-bomb, no bigger than a fingernail, fell into a slender small hand, leaving only a chilling touch on his wrist.
"Shh— be quiet."
Bai Cha bent down, tilting her head up. Her cold hand gently lifted the black-clothed boss's chin. Her eyes were somewhat vacant, as cold as her hand, so cold that the black-clothed boss shivered violently.
He was somewhat terrified, not knowing when he had offended such a strong individual. He looked around tremblingly, only to despair further as he saw his subordinates entangled by an inexplicable black mist and hung up.
Like him, his subordinates also wore expressions of terror. Their limbs were twisted strangely into peculiar arcs. Their mouths were agape, as if to wail, but no sound came out.
"You... you're a Dragon Rider, aren't you, Miss! Show some mercy!" The black-clothed boss blurted out his plea without thinking. If his legs weren't entangled by the bizarre black shroud, preventing him from moving, he probably would have knelt before Bai Cha on the spot.
There were only two types of people or creatures who could use special abilities: those who had undergone gene super-mutation surgery, and those who had resonated with dragons and gained dragon power. This common knowledge was known worldwide.
This beautiful woman, whether a Dragon Rider or someone who had undergone surgery, was someone they couldn't afford to offend.
But why would a Dragon Rider appear here? Their line of work, even if regulated, shouldn't be regulated by Dragon Riders.
"Show some mercy? Certainly."
To the black-clothed boss's surprise, the young girl before him agreed so easily. She smiled beautifully and coldly, causing the black-clothed boss's heart to thud, and a bad premonition arose.
"I can show mercy, but can you lead the way for me?" Bai Cha sat on the table, casually picked up a bottle of beer, and tossed it into the air. It spun 360 degrees before being caught steadily by Bai Cha. "I heard that the Night Owl Chamber of Commerce has many improper and fun places, but they require someone to lead the way. Do you think you're suitable?"
"I..."
The black-clothed boss hesitated. This was blatant betrayal. If it got out, his life would also be forfeit.
Seeing the hesitant look on the black-clothed boss's face, Bai Cha chuckled lightly. She looked around and, with a smile, snapped her fingers. Instantly, the people around her, who had been screaming but couldn't make a sound, began to wail madly. The entire small private room erupted as if they had fallen into hell.
"Heh heh, be quieter." Bai Cha's complexion was already pale due to her weakness, and her smile was beautiful yet unnerving, sending a chill down people's spines.
Bai Cha's attitude was very gentle, and her words were soft and pleasant. However, the gentler she was, the more fearful the people around her became.
"Come, guide, this is the only spot. However, if the situation is special, I'm not opposed to expanding this spot," Bai Cha said with a smile. "Your boss doesn't seem willing to help me. I'm quite troubled. What should I do?"
"I! I'll help you!"
"I, I'll lead the way for you!"
"No, don't come, let me go!"
"..."
Most of these were low-level soldiers, unable to withstand such torment. In that instant, Bai Cha had not only dislocated every bone in their limbs but also made them experience various death scenarios in a hallucination.
"Murder is illegal..." The black-clothed boss's face turned ugly, but he couldn't find any reason to make the woman before him let him go, so he resorted to the pale and powerless excuse of the law.
"Yes, it's illegal. But I'm not breaking the law." Bai Cha smiled mysteriously, looking down at the black-clothed boss with disdain and contempt. "You've trafficked enough illegal substances to die hundreds of times. Why are you thinking of protecting yourself with the law now?"
Some people are like this. They usually exploit legal loopholes, but when they get into trouble, they start seeking legal protection. Their faces are truly attached to their backsides.
"What do you mean you're not breaking the law... Wait, you!"
"Bang!"
The black-clothed boss's skull suddenly exploded, like an overripe watermelon dropped on the ground, splattering red everywhere. The people beside him trembled in fear and quickly knelt down to pledge their loyalty.
"I'll lead the way! I know what he knows, I know everything! I'll lead the way!" If his limbs weren't broken, that person would have knelt down and kowtowed to show his loyalty, his liver and gall completely shattered. "I know the way, I know the secret passages, I know their schedules, I have status inside!"
The only one left unharmed was Tukesulu. His limbs felt weak as he slumped to the ground, looking at Bai Cha's back in terror, trembling, wanting to speak but hesitating. However, his gaze was not on Bai Cha, but behind her.
Bai Cha turned around and saw Sulurte, holding Tuyah, standing quietly behind her. A half-human height, greyish-blue small dragon was crouched on the ground, carrying a stiff-limbed girl on its back. The little girl with braided pigtails lay quietly on Sulurte's back, her chest not rising at all.
"You! Why did you kill my daughter!" Tukesulu, with a courage he didn't know he had, overcame his fear and jumped up, grabbing Bai Cha's collar and shaking her desperately. "I deserve the death penalty, kill me then, you judge me, take me with you if you dare! Why would you touch my daughter! You harmed my daughter!"
"Why did you kill my daughter?!" Tukesulu's eyes were red. He lunged forward, as if to grab Bai Cha's neck.
"Slap!"
A loud slap echoed, leaving several jagged blood streaks on Tukesulu's face. Sulurte's eyes also turned red with anger. This slap sent Tukesulu flying to the ground.
"You betrayed Xiao Ya!" Sulurte cried out in anger, almost sobbing, "You betrayed your wife! And you betrayed yourself!"
Tuyah was gently placed on the ground by Bai Cha. A deep ligature mark around her neck stung Tukesulu's eyes.
Sulurte was almost broken. After feeling the severance of its connection with Tuyah, it had nearly gone mad. Upon seeing Tuyah's corpse, if Bai Cha hadn't intervened, it would probably have become one of the evil dragons wantonly destroying the world by now.
In the cold room, the stool rolled onto the floor. It hurt so much, and suffocation was so unbearable. Xiao Ya was afraid of the dark and the cold. What if she had nightmares sleeping like this?
Sulurte felt utter despair. The blood in its chest felt as if it had frozen. The coldness was so profound that it didn't even have the mood to question this so-called father.
"Why?" Sulurte didn't know who it was asking. Was it questioning Tuyah's father for dealing drugs and driving his daughter to despair? Or questioning Tuyah for committing suicide without consulting him? Or questioning Bai Cha for making it sense this so suddenly?
It didn't know. Sulurte brought its face close to Tuyah's neck, where there was no longer any warmth, only peace and cold.
"I'll help you dismantle Night Owl. Night Owl has acquired three A-class dragons recently, and you'll be at a disadvantage in your current state," Sulurte walked to Bai Cha's side, gently patting its dragon wings, and said in a low voice, "Last time, when I went home with Tuyah, I sensed the Chamber of Commerce had acquired new dragons."
At that time, it thought the matter was none of its concern and didn't report it, wishing to avoid trouble. It never expected that one day someone close to it would be involved, making it hate itself.
"Two A-class, didn't Jun Yao teach you to report immediately if A-class dragons appear in civilian organizations?" Sulurte's voice was soft, but Bai Cha's brows furrowed instantly. Black flames erupted behind her, incinerating the group of men in black in an instant.
Sulurte lowered its head, knowing full well its selfishness had caused a major problem. Bai Cha's mood was already worse than it could possibly be. She was contacting Meng Qinghuan to send people over.
Twice heavily injured, and injured again before recovering from the previous injuries. She was not made of iron, nor was she invincible. This outing was a spur-of-the-moment decision. In this situation, she could only send for reinforcements.
"Bang!"
A gunshot rang out. Bai Cha's footsteps faltered. She turned her head and saw Tukesulu lying on the ground. A blood hole was in his temple, and his eyes were wide open, staring unblinkingly in death.
Bai Cha was silent, perhaps even a little mournful. She raised her hand and incinerated Tukesulu and Tuyah together into ashes with black flames.