Kingdom’s Bloodline
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chapter-597
ARC: Curse of the Royal Tribulation
‘Asda.’
Thales strolled with a blank expression on his face through the grimy Underground market, thinking repeatedly about all the layers the Air Mystic had shown.
From the ruthless and cruel villain in Red Street Market to the elegant and knowledgeable Mystic in the chess room, and even the inhuman monster in Dragon Clouds City who could cause nothing more than chaos and destruction...
‘No, there’s still even more...’Thales’ thoughts drifted back to the Prison of Bones, to those secrets entombed in darkness.
‘The Blade of Purification, the Three Calamity Allies, the Two Empresses, Freuland.
‘Asda Sakern, what did you do?
And you, the supposed Moderators, your allies, what part did you play in the Bloody Year?
If Morris’ words hold true, did you, eighteen years ago... did you work together with the late King only to then kill Constance, a member of the Jadestar Royal Family?
For me, being one of them, a Jadestar, does that even mean anything in your eyes?’
As if by a click, a sudden memory surfaced—the words Asda had once spoken to him came rushing back,“No. Thales, what I am looking forward to is not your ultimate success. ”
“Instead, it is when you are wedged between the Mystics and mankind, between calamity and the world, between your own nature and the views of others, between the inescapable future and the past... ”
“Ultimately, you will be torn by contradictions, destroyed by conflict, and devoured by regret. Then, in the end, you will bow your head to us. ”'
With those words creeping into his mind, Thales’ grip tightened on his fist, the scars on his palm digging in.
“Ah, it’s happening again,” Kohen remarked, his gaze burning into Thales’ back.
Beside him, Glover, who had been keeping a watchful eye on Morris, furrowed his brow in response to Kohen’s statement.
“What do you mean, ‘again’?” Glover asked.
Kohen nodded towards the expressionless Thales, who was pacing quietly in front of him. “I’ve seen His Highness with that exact look up in the Northland, in Eckstedt.”
He leaned in, putting his hand near his mouth, looking secretive, and whispered, “It was in some dark corner of the altar, after he was all alone with a Bright Moon Priestess for more than ten minutes, you know...”
A Priestess?
All alone?
More than ten minutes?
Glover was taken aback, his eyes instinctively following Thales’ retreating figure.
“Yeah, it was like that back then,” Kohen looked at him with a knowing glint in his eyes.
“After chatting with the priestess, he became all spaced out, walking like he was floating, completely drained, and with eyes as dull as dishwater. It’s like someone sucked out all his energy from head to toe,” Kohen explained, painting a clear picture.
Glover’s eyelid started to twitch.
“But you know what? His Highness bounced back real quick,” Kohen remembered with a hint of fondness.
“Just a few minutes later, he was back to his lively self, all pumped up to find that girl from Dragon Clouds City. And let me tell you, he was itching for some serious action...”
The next second, Zombie twisted his head and stared daggers at Kohen—his sharp eyes filled up with a sense of impending doom.
Kohen’s words got stuck in his mouth.
“Don’t you dare joke about His Highness again...” Glover warned with a cold snort, picking up his pace and going past Kohen to reach Thales’ side.
“What’s the matter?” Kohen caught up to him.
“I was telling the truth, really, no jokes... And, even if it was a joke, no need to get all worked up...” he tried to defend himself, feeling a bit indignant.
Thales remained lost in a tangle of intricate thoughts as he unconsciously turned yet another well-known street corner.
The rough and uneven dirt path, walls adorned with lush moss, and signs strewn all over the place...2
Everything felt so familiar.
Just like in his childhood, he had walked this very street countless times.
Yet, there was one stark difference...
He, himself, changed.
With each step he took, raising his foot and setting it down, Thales mechanically and numbly followed the cadence of his movement, but he couldn’t shake the sensation that his ankles were
bound by heavy chains, burdening every stride with an overwhelming weight.
In the distance, a clamour of voices reached Thales’ ears.
He lifted his gaze with a sense of intrigue, spotting an impressive facade not far away, in stark contrast to the neighbouring shops.
A group of people had gathered around a establishment; some huddled together, expressing their frustrations, pounding their chests, and sighing heavily, while others danced with excitement and burst into fits of laughter.3
Thales paused, eyeing the opulent sign above the entrance, and he knew exactly what it implied. Black Gold Casino.
Back when Thales was just a child, that spot was like a test of how sharp a beggar’s eyes could be—the gamblers who hit the jackpot were all about generosity, spreading their riches like it was nothing, while the unlucky losers would grow irritable and might even throw punches at the people tugging their clothes, begging for a coin or two.
“Hey, don’t sweat it, buddy,” Under a little shack outside the gambling den, a slick and tidy thin man made himself busy by consoling another man dressed in ragged clothes, the latter with a face full of despair
“Having a bit of bad luck now and then is no biggie, you know? Just think about all those times you scored big! You just need that one shot to bounce back, man. Just one shot. Maybe it’s just ten silver coins, but hey, to be safe, let’s have a hundred, ya know?”
Seeing this unfold, Kohen, who was behind Thales, had a stern expression on his face.
“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath.
Glover, too, observed it, and he responded with a scornful snort.
“I get you, buddy. Been there myself. But look at me now, living the good life. Wanna know why?” The thin man under the shelter handed his bottle of liquor to the downhearted man and patted his shoulder with sympathy.
“Take it easy with the drink; don’t choke on it... Let me tell you a little secret: Within ten blocks, this place offers the lowest loan interests, and it’s just a side hustle for the casino... They even got a sweet deal going on lately. If you lose in the first round, they won’t charge interest on what you lost, and they only start counting from the second round onward. And let me tell ya, their exchange rates are top-notch. Remember when Midier were like ninety to one Mindis out there? Haha, gotta praise the Virtuous King! But here, the exchange rate is totally fair. I’m telling ya, that’s how I hit the jackpot!”4
The man, wearing a face of hopelessness, took a few sips of his offered drink, and as he listened to the thin man’s words, a spark of excitement rekindled on his face.
Thales observed this familiar scene and let out a quiet sigh.
But just as he was about to turn around to look for Morris, a shadowy figure flashed behind him! Kohen, wearing a grim expression, walked up, and Glover couldn’t even stop him in time.
“Yeah, sure thing! If you’re up for it, they’ll give you the money in a heartbeat! Look at this fat sack of cash... Oh, don’t you worry; they’ve handed out way bigger sums than yours. What’s a little cash to them, right? They might even let you pay back in small chunks... Yep, right here, just scribble your name... Can’t read? No problem; just leave a thumbprint and throw in some little stuff for collateral. Nah, nah, it’s just a formality, not like they’re robbing you... What’s that? You’re renting the house? Hmm, got a daughter, though? You know, she’ll get hitched someday, pop out kids for someone else...”
The thin man eagerly pulled the other man to the table under the shelter. The accountant behind the table fetched a coin bag from below and lazily produced a paper contract, instructing the man to press his thumbprint on it.5
“Got a wife, huh? Nah, no worries; even if things go south, the big boss is pretty chill. Just come and do some odd jobs, work off the debt, you know what I’m saying? Listen, buddy, wives keep some secret money for themselves. They’d rather buy fancy stuff for themselves than give it to you. Short-sighted, right? The head of the family’s gotta hustle and make that big money, but sometimes you gotta squeeze ‘em a bit, like milking a cow, to get that cash out of ‘em...
The man eyed the coin bag on the table and gulped nervously, and the thin man next to him added some more encouragement, “And who says you’ll lose, huh? Imagine this: you come home with a bunch of money, all proud and happy, toss new dresses and gifts to your wife and daughter, and then slam that bag of coins on the dining table. Pow! No one’s gonna mess with you after that!” The man smeared his thumb with ink but hesitated when about to press it onto the contract.
The thin man and the accountant exchanged a look, and the former sighed, pulling the hesitant man back.
“Ah, forget it, buddy. If you’re this unsure, no need to push yourself... Don’t worry, they only lend money if you’re willing; no one’s gonna force you. Come on, have a drink, and we’ll help you come up with an excuse: like, say your pay from today’s hauling job disappeared; maybe you can fool your wife...”
However, the man shivered and held onto the seemingly unbothered, thin man, his eyes pleading. “I... I...” The man struggled as he looked at the small piece of paper.
Just then,
“Hey! You, stop!” A loud officer’s voice caught everyone’s attention outside the casino.
“Don’t do it; don’t press that thumb!” Kohen burst through the crowd, pushing the thin man aside and pulling the struggling man to his side.
“Do you wanna bring your family to ruin? Or sell off your kids and wife?” he asked with intensity. “Or maybe they’ll force you into doing illegal things, like smuggling and trafficking, and you’ll sure end up in jail. That’s what you want? Pay for their crimes?”
The man blinked blankly, gazing at the imposing figure before him, utterly perplexed.
Outside the crowd, Glover frowned and said to Thales, “Your Highness, should he...”
But Thales simply raised a hand and shook his head, replying, “As a police officer, he’s the right one to step in.”
Amidst the crowd, the agitated thin man grew infuriated, muttering, “Where the heck did this jinx idiot come from? Put him ...”
But the accountant behind him pulled the thin man aside and whispered a few words to him.
The thin man’s expression changed.
He looked at Kohen, who was fuming with anger, and his face suddenly broke into a smile.
“Oh, well, well, if it isn’t the dumb... Mr. Officer,” the thin man rubbed his hands together and signalled his fellow companions in the crowd to step back. He then approached Kohen directly. “What’s the matter? You wanna check our papers again? This is the famous Black Gold Casino; it’s been around for ages, and it’s legit. It got its licence a century ago from the Virtuous King himself. Wanna take a closer look inside, sir?”
The whole commotion gathered the attention of people nearby—gamblers and bystanders alike. They formed a circle around Kohen and the man, all looking quite unfriendly, and it could be felt that tension was rising in the air.
Thales overheard someone among the crowd muttering, “Fuck this blue-skinned dog.”
The man, who was about to press his thumbprint, turned white as a sheet at the sight of the intense standoff.
With so many people watching, Kohen just snorted and faced the thin man. He positioned himself between the man in ragged clothes and the rest of the crowd, “Yeah, that permit and licence you got through who-knows-what kind of tricks...”6
“Oh, come on! The casino’s runnin’ legit here! We report everything and pay our taxes in full,” the thin man shot back, his confidence growing as the crowd looked on.7
“And talking about how we got the permit, why don’t you go ask your colleagues who come to inspect regularly, sir? If there’s no evidence, then...” he went on, but Kohen suddenly raised his voice, cutting him off.
“But illegal loan-sharking isn’t acceptable!”
Kohen uttered his words confidently as he shoved the thin man aside and stormed into the shed, only to discover that the contract on the table had mysteriously disappeared.
“Ah, illegal loans, huh?” The thin man chuckled cunningly, addressing the gathered crowd, “Do you have any evidence to support that?”
Laughter and mocking murmurs rippled through the surrounding bystanders.
The police officer’s expression tensed up as he scanned the surroundings, only to realise that the one settling the scores was nowhere to be found.
He turned around and asked the unfortunate man, “Tell me, how much interest did they ask you to pay when they lent you the money?”
The man was obviously filled with fear, his voice trembling as he responded, “I...I...”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up! We’re buddies, you know! Dumbass cop,” the thin man mockingly threw in the term, crossed his arms, then chuckled and said, “Oops, sorry, I meant to say, Mr. Officer. I mean, come on, do we really need to report and pay taxes on the cash friends lend each other to buy some booze?”
Kohen jerked his head back, his eyes ablaze with fury.
The crowd around him flinched, creating a small clearing as they moved away.
“I already know what you’re up to!” Kohen said through gritted teeth, looking at the thin man. Then he turned back, glaring at the man in ragged clothes, and gave him a piece of his mind, “See, there’s this slick fella, all dressed to the nine and acting all refined, who spotted you—a regular Joe with slim pickings and a face full of worries. He sweet-talked you into trying your luck at the gambling joint. Sure, you won a few times, and that got you hooked enough to keep coming back day in, day out, until today, when you blew all your hard-earned money. You probably wanted to get your lady some shiny jewellery or save up for your daughter’s future, huh? Well, let me tell you, this isn’t the place for that nonsense, you dimwit!”
The man, embarrassed, hung his head low as Kohen tore into him.
“And you lot!” Kohen jabbed his finger forward, locking eyes with the thin man, matching the intensity of the whole crowd,
“You scumbags think you’re smart, buttering up the ‘fat sheep’ with sweet deals to reel them in. Once they’ve lost it all in a few days, you vultures hover outside, ready to ‘fleece the sheep,’ pushing your freaking loans.”
“And even if the poor guy manages to get a loan, you know he’s gonna end up losing that too. Can’t pay back? Well, then you won’t be all sunshine and rainbows anymore. You’ll show up at his doorstep, throwing threats and fear his way, maybe even dragging his family into it... And if he puts up a fight, you call in your underworld buddies to do the dirty work... You’ll keep sucking him dry until he’s left with nothing but misery!”
Kohen’s fury couldn’t be contained,8
“Got that, you dimwit? And you, skinny punk, aren’t escaping today. Come with me to the police station, and I swear, you won’t be the same after I’m done with you!” Kohen tightly grabbed the man’s hand and then moved towards the thin man.
The helpless man trembled, glancing back and forth between Kohen and the gloomy-faced thin man, completely unsure of what to do.
But the thin man took a step back and let out a cold chuckle.
“Hey, Mr. Officer,” the thin man made a clicking sound with his tongue, “since you’re on patrol duty, where’s your badge? Can we see it?”
Kohen snorted in anger, “Another trick, huh? You want to steal my badge?”
But when he went to reach for his waist, he suddenly hesitated.
The police officer stuttered, “Uh, well, the badge...”
Kohen put his hand back, looking somewhat uneasy.
“Ha, no chance,” the thin man nonchalantly threw his hands in the air, “Down here in the Lower City, nobody’s dumb enough to mess with you. Your jail’s packed with thieves you caught, I bet...” “So, about that fancy Western City Police badge of yours, sir, where is it?” The crowd began to rile up, pressing Kohen for an answer.
Yet Kohen’s expression remained grim.
‘Damn it.’
Seeing Kohen’s reaction, Thales sighed.
All of a sudden, he realised why Kohen always had his hood up when he went out.
He also understood why the big guy’s words were mixed up: first saying he was on patrol, then claiming he was on a break, and hesitating about putting his feet in the Lower City District.
‘This guy ... ’
“Oh, I get it now,” the thin man acted as if a light bulb went off, stepping forward.
“Last time on Red Street Market, you were at the Laya Club, all worked up over some top girl, and you ended up scrapping with a bunch of noble kids, huh?” he said.
Kohen was hesitant, unable to find the right words.
Laya Club, top girl
Those words caught Glover’s attention, and he furrowed his brows, giving Kohen a curious look.
'fury couldn't be contained'; S^rJI, (idiom) be beside oneself with anger; in a towering rage; boil with rage.
“That’s why you got kicked off the police station; they snatched your badge, and they sent you home to ‘think things through’,” the thin man from Black Gold Casino said, strutting up to Kohen with a smirk.
“Now, you ain’t got... no... law... power,” he said, poking Kohen’s chest word by word, quite pleased with himself.
A whistle blew, and the crowd joined in and started heckling even louder, with mockery, taunts, and even insults thrown around.
Kohen’s face stiffened,
“You—” he began to say.
“How did I know?” The thin man cut in, leaning forward and putting on a fake voice,9
“Heh heh. you clueless cop. it was, of course, one of your own; spilled the beans to me. duh!” Kohen’s face changed, and he instinctively grabbed the thin man by his collar
“What, what’s the matter? Getting all hot and bothered, gonna throw some punches?” The thin man didn't flinch, letting Kohen grip his collar.10
He even provocatively raised both hands and said sarcastically,
“Hey everyone, check it out! A corrupt police officer assaulting innocent civilians for no reason!” A few lackeys led the crowd, and they all closed in towards the centre, and the insults grew louder. The crowd closed in on Kohen, and he had no choice but to let go of the man, who quickly took advantage of the situation and slipped out of the crowd.
Amidst the commotion, the thin man smirked and yelled out,
“Oh, 1 know you! You're that tough-as-nails dumbass officer, ain’t ya? Few months back, one of my buddies bumped into you at the Sunset Pub, and he's been stuck in bed ever since... Hehe, but hey, we're law-abiding citizens, alright? Don’t go scaring us! If any violence goes down, I'll make sure to call the cops!”
The people around erupted in laughter, many of them even finding joy in Kohen’s misery.
Kohen was boiling with anger, unable to get a single word out. He didn’t know what to do with the hand holding the thin man’s collar.
“You... I...” Kohen tried to speak, but the words eluded him.
“What’s wrong? Weren’t you acting all tough?” The thin man teased, wearing a mocking smile, “Go on. hit me! Punch me right in the face; come on, hit me! Isn't bullying us commoners y’all thing, cops?”
Kohen gritted his teeth, and his expression was one of struggle as he tried his best to control himself.
The people around them joined in, heckling one after another, with many venting their anger, “Ha, look at that, wearing a hood? Going undercover, huh?”
“That fabric’s top-notch, must be from some rich snobs. Squeezed the life outta us commoners to afford it, eh?”11
“I heard his old man’s some noble big shot. Knew he ain’t no good!”
“Come on. a rich noble’s kid wouldn’t be suffering here. Probably just a bastard, ya know!” “Fuck you, my stall was one day late to pay the deposit, and the cops smashed it! Scums just like
you!
“That ain't nothing! My pops refused to bow to 'em and ended up in jail. Came out with broken legs!”
“Blue-skinned dog! The Lower City used to be better ‘til it got messed up by corrupt officials like you!”
“Hit him! What’re you scared of? We outnumber ‘em!”
“Who dares? They’re the King’s lapdogs, ruling over us on behalf of the royal family, right? Ain’t that right, dumbass?”
Although no one dared to actually lay a hand on Kohen, many pushed and jostled him around.
Mockery and insults were rampant, and someone even sneaked in and spat on his boots.
Kohen was unable to break free from the crowd’s grip, and though he was tempted to retaliate several times, he held himself back.12
Observing the situation, Thales let out a sigh and nodded to Glover.
Just as Glover was about to take a step forward, a commanding voice boomed out, “Y'all done yet?”
The voice seemed to vibrate through the air, sending a shiver down everyone’s spine.
All eyes turned at once.
There, a stout and stocky figure casually made his way into the crowd, uttering,
“Let’s call it off, shall we?”
The onlookers gave each other baffled looks.13
In the midst of the crowd, the thin man, annoyed that his moment was disrupted, turned back and snapped,
“Who the heck are you—”
However, before he could finish, a terrified voice rang out from the crowd.
“Oh shit! I-it’s, it’s Morris! That’s Morris!”
“The Brotherhood, the Brotherhood is here!”
In an instant, without needing any explanation, a hushed gasp of astonishment swept through the crowd.
The feeling of fear quickly spread like wildfire.
As Morris took the spotlight, the crowd in front of the casino quickly dispersed, leaving a considerable open space.
There, at the centre, Kohen stood dishevelled and in disarray. Huffing and puffing, he pushed aside a nearby gambler, his defiance evident as he glared at the people around him.14
However, Morris’s sudden appearance captured everyone’s attention, causing them to utterly forget about the police officer. The atmosphere turned tense, a mix of fear, surprise, and the impulse to flee rendering the scene eerily silent.15
Thales scanned the now-hushed crowd, then his gaze met the figure of Morris, his brows knitted. Within the gathering, some people quietly turned and slipped away from the scene, while others nervously stepped back and kept their heads down.
There are those who shamelessly, yet warmly, greet with flattery,
“Hey, big boss!”
One person initiated the greeting, and it quickly spread, brimming with enthusiasm,
“Hey. boss, how ya doin’?”
“What a day, huh, boss!”
“Heard you guys gave the Red Bandanas another beating?”
“Nicely done!”
“Boss, thinkin’ about joinin’ the crew too and makin’ a livin’ outta it. Whaddya reckon, am I cut out for it?”
In the midst of the noisy crowd, Morris chose to remain silent, simply raising his arm and clenching his fist in the air.
As if by unspoken command, the lively crowd hushed down once again.
The only sound that filled the casino was the gentle rhythm of Morris’ footsteps.
He walked past Kohen with a deliberate pace, observing the dishevelled and wary figure of the police officer, and let out a soft, sly hum—a smile that never fully formed on his lips.16 “I reckon you could use a little help.” Morris said.
Kohen felt a surge of irritation, wanting to retort, but he thought better of it and held his tongue.
Morris turned his head once more, his gaze fixed on the lanky man in the gambling den.
The thin man’s face went ghostly white, and he quickly bobbed his head and bowed, his voice trembling, "Hey, Boss Morris! Heh heh heh, it’s just a big misunderstanding. I swear, 1 didn’t see ya coming, and nobody told me you were droppin’ by... You, a busy bee like yourself, cornin’ down to our humble joint? Ain’t that somethin’...”
Another figure materialised behind Morris; Layork’s icy gaze swept over the surroundings.
An evident shiver ran through the crowd in response.
The thin man’s expression turned even more pale.
“Hey, Layork Boss, you're here too, huh? Oh, oh, both bosses wanna have some fun? You're most welcome! We have private rooms inside; please come in...” the thin man nervously said, trying to act friendly, but the fear in his eyes was clear.
But Morris just lifted a finger and shook his head decisively, “No deals today, scram, all of ya!” The thin man froze like a statue.
The entire crowd fell into an uneasy silence, afraid to even exhale.
Layork let out a cold snort, glancing around, and said in a hushed voice, “Anyone not gettin’ the
message?
The ominous words hung in the air with the Silent Assassin's threat.
And then chaos erupted! The crowd exploded into a frenzy of commotion, like a pot boiling over. Amidst the incessant sound of footsteps, everyone dared not stay for long, hastily turning on their heels and leaving, not even daring to spare a backward glance.
Kohen remained rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on the scattering crowd, taking a while to come back to his senses.17
The thin man tried to make a run for it, but Layork firmly clasped his shoulder from behind.
“I remember; I made a deal with Cenza,” Morris stated, stepping forward.
The chubby man remained calm and collected, speaking with a deliberate and unhurried manner, but an icy undertone seeped through his words,
“The profits from this job go to him. After all, his crew suffered big losses, and he is in need of a lot of money. I'm just being considerate.”
The thin man trembled ever so slightly.
He turned around stiffly, wearing a smile so awkward that it could pass as a grimace.
“Boss, you see...” he started.
But Morris cut him off,
“But we agreed to only go after those cunning swindlers, wealthy tycoons, and nobles.”
“What about that guy just now? He looked like a broke carter; there was no money to be made from him.”
Morris narrowed his eyes at the man before him.
The thin man swallowed hard, trying to appease him with a pleading look,
“Boss, we, uh, sorry ‘bout this, didn’t know what that guy was up to before we made our move...” Morris huffed, and the thin man immediately fell silent.
“So, you’re saying you pickpocket anyone without even checking if there’s anything worth taking?
Are you more amateur than a beggar?”
Morris casually glanced back, either on purpose or by accident,
“Today is a poor carter’s pocket; what if tomorrow is the Prince of Constellation’s...”
Thales wrinkled his face in a frown.
Morris eyes turned frigid,
“Then wouldn’t my entire street be in big trouble?”
The thin man was on the verge of tears,
“H-Hey, come on, Boss Morris, you’re pulling my leg, right? Why on earth would the Prince even come to our—argh!”
Suddenly, Layork, who stood behind him, tightened his grip, and the thin man winced, begging for mercy,
“Alright, alright, alright, about this, Boss Morris, you see, the Lower three districts ain’t exactly teeming with rich people. Even if they’re nobles, they’re scared shitless of the Brotherhood’s name. We had no choice...”
Morris just kept his gaze fixed on him, like he couldn’t care less.
The thin man sensed an opportunity and pleaded in a mournful tone, “And, you know, we’re just tryna make some cash at the door, not really hustlin’ in the casino. ‘Cause, ya know, we gotta eeeeaaaaattttt... ehhh... ehhh...”
His expression turned grim, and his voice suddenly became hoarse.
His face contorted in pain as he began to gasp for air, taking deep, laboured breaths.
Kohen, startled, unconsciously touched his own neck.
Silently, Morris observed the thin man, not a single flicker of emotion in his eyes.
Layork gave him a cold look and released his grip. The thin man soon collapsed to the ground, dropping to his knees. He clutched his own neck with both hands, tears and snot flowing, but he couldn’t even put together a proper sentence, “No... boss... please... don’t... beggin’ you...”
“Hey!” Kohen couldn't control himself and took a step forward,
“You want to kill... in front of me...”
But his arm was immediately seized, preventing him from getting any closer!
It was Layork.
“If the boss wants someone dead,” the Silent Killer held onto Kohen’s hand, scoffing with a cold smirk as he shook his head.
“It doesn’t have to be... with psionic powers.”
Kohen clenched his teeth.
In the next second, the thin man’s gasps for air suddenly eased,
“Ha... Ha...”
He slumped to the ground, bawling uncontrollably, never as grateful as then for the gift of breath.
Thales silently watched everything unfold, feeling oddly reminded of his encounter with the Air Mystic.
“This time, I’m cuttin’ some slack for Cenza here and givin’ props to our police officer,” Morris bent down, baring his teeth, his tone both gentle and unwavering.
“But next time, remember: don’t go against me.”
The fear-stricken thin man couldn’t utter a single word; he could only nod frantically.
“And quit takin’ advantage of the poor too. The Lower City is our home,” Morris waved his hand dismissively.
“Now, scram,” Layork said coldly, giving him a well-placed kick.
The thin man struggled to get up, crawling and crying as he nodded and backed away.
“Rich people too!”
Kohen reacted and added with a roar, “Or anyone else!”
The thin man’s silhouette vanished around the corner.
The entrance to the Black Gold Casino suddenly went dead quiet.
“Wow, Officer,” Layork glanced at Kohen, smirking with a touch of not-so-subtle sarcasm, “Talk about being effective.”
Kohen clenched his lips, his face darkening.
Thales and Glover walked forward, and Kohen couldn’t muster the courage to look at them, so he shamefully turned his head away.
“Ever been around these parts, officer?”
Morris looked around with amusement, seeing how he scared everyone off the street.
Kohen saw that it was Morris, and with a dismissive turn of his head, he replied, “Yeah, this is my beat. Patrolling, investigating, searching, or even being part of the annual crime crackdown the police station sets up... I do it all around here.”
“But, you see, this place...” Kohen hesitated, unable to find the right words to continue.
Morris breathed out, feeling at ease, like he was back in his own home.
“But this place is way more than you bargained for, huh?”
“From the messed-up streets to the tricky-ass situations we deal with and the tangled web of people here,”
Kohen angrily turned his head, not saying a word.
Thales sighed silently, knowing that for Kohen, receiving help from the Brotherhood’s boss was a burden he could hardly bear.
“You know what’s funny? When I heard there was a new, really dumb officer in the Western city’s cop den, I just knew,” Morris patted his belly and clicked his tongue.
“You were in for a damn rough ride.”
The Brotherhood’s fat boss kept on walking, and Layork stayed close on his heels.
“Me? In a rough ride?” Kohen was caught off guard.
Thales, burdened with his own thoughts, just waved his hand and also followed in the man’s pace. Glover reached out to grab Kohen’s arm, but the annoyed police officer shrugged him off and reluctantly followed along, looking stiff as a board.
“Psh,” Kohen put up a tough front, saying, “I don’t give a damn; it always has been that way anyway.”
“But you...”
Kohen shot a fierce look at Morris’ back.
“Stealing, blackmailing, extorting, robbing, intimidating, using violence, killing, nah, that isn’t even the end of it,” the police officer listed with venom,
“Drug dealing, pimping, gambling, smuggling, bribery, and that loan shark crap just now—don’t think stopping that moneylender makes you some kind-hearted hero. Lemme tell you, it’s all the mess you guys brought here!”
“As the ringleader behind all this, with a laundry list of bad deeds, you think you can just get away with it?”
Morris seemed to find it hilarious and chuckled.
Layork shook his head, looking even more unimpressed.
Kohen gritted his teeth, saying, “Someday, you’re gonna pay for your dirty deeds.”
“Pay?” Morris didn’t bother to turn around; he just took a deep breath.
“Whether it’s you or the Blood Bottle Gang, y’all are like pests that don’t belong in this world,” Kohen retorted coldly, and Thales could have sworn that he had never seen him this way before.
“You’re all doomed to go down.”
“Go down?” Morris strolled around, mulling over the word.
He suddenly burst into laughter.
“Haha, I’ve gotta hand it to ya,” the fat man sneered, shaking his head.
“You got some balls, dumb—uh, I mean, Mr. Officer.”
“Ha! You think you’re special or something?” Kohen snorted.
Morris shook his head.
“Nah, nah, nah; don’t get me wrong, Mr. Officer.”
“Rest assured, I knew what I signed up for a long time ago.”
Morris looked up and sighed.
“This job is like being a mercenary. One day, I might go down, and who knows, it might just be your lucky day and end up being you catching me...”18
The fat man glanced at Thales, and the young man stared back, icy and unyielding.
“But...”
Morris exhaled.
“Take a look around.”
The fat man stretched out his arm. Thales followed his eyes and looked around,
“Out on the streets, in the neighbourhood, in the narrow alleys, you got these plain ol’ grocery stores with lazy helpers, run-down workshops and day workers with no place else to hustle, food stalls with wandering bums, beat-up nests sheltering homeless drifters, tiny dim attic rooms where even on Valentine’s Day, you’ll find the single souls, street hawkers pushing carts, and messy kids runnin’ all over the place...”
“And don’t forget the ones from the bottom rung, the real downtrodden and frowned-upon crew: beggars, hookers, thugs, gamblers, writers, ruffians, and even that Grove couple we bumped into earlier, that poor carter forced into a loan shark’s grip, the crowd that was cursing you, officer, and yeah, and that cheeky little girl’s family who pulled one over on you down the main street...” Morris lets out a sigh, “Hundreds, thousands of ‘em...”19
“These people—who do you think they are, huh?”
Kohen squeezed his eyebrows.
“Poor.”
After a brief pause, he grumbled with frustration, “I mean, they’re all poor and pitiful, all gettin’ screwed over, fooled, and bled dry by you guys.”
Glover, as if thinking of something else, creased his brow.
Morris erupted into laughter.
Thales let out a low sigh.
‘No.’
‘Kohen.’
‘They’re not just poor people.
‘They’realso ...’
“No.” Morris finally let his laughter fall into a cracked grin, turning his head to face the stubborn Kohen.
“You just don’t get it, Mr. Officer.”
“All these people, they are all our people.”
Kohen was instantly stunned.
The fat man of the Brotherhood squinted his eyes, and a dangerous glint flashed in them. “They all belong to—the Black Street Brotherhood.”
