I gave a self-deprecating chuckle. Upon arrival, the driver dropped me off and asked what business I had in a place like this. I brushed him off with a few words and headed towards the designated location.
I picked up my flashlight and walked into the dark alley. Yicheng Wen must have passed through here.
I imagined myself in his shoes and made my way to the depths of the alley. It was filled with garbage, the ground especially filthy. Fortunately, I was wearing a mask, or I would have been utterly disgusted.
I pressed forward. The street was quiet at first, but as I approached a hole in a wall, several strange figures dressed as clowns suddenly appeared before me.
They quickly surrounded me. Each of them carried a scythe, their faces painted in a riot of colors, and their hair long—though they were men, they sported such long hair.
Seeing me, the leader, a guy with purple hair, said, "Are you Naigou?"
Naigou was the name He Xin had used through Yicheng Wen's account, intending to introduce me to the association. Naigou, meaning me.
I didn't know why He Xin had given me such a name; perhaps it was because of my appearance.
I nodded, feigning flattery, and said, "Yes, I was introduced by Yicheng Wen."
"So, it's from the great writer Yicheng Wen. I wonder how he's doing now." This purple-haired guy seemed unaware that Yicheng Wen was dead.
But I noticed a peculiar look on his face, and the expressions of the people behind him were also unusual. I had a feeling they might not be in disguise. Had they seen through our plan?
As I was contemplating this, the purple-haired guy clapped me hard on the shoulder. "Since he introduced you, there shouldn't be any problem. Alright, come with us to meet the boss!"
"Okay, thank you!" As soon as I replied, the clown-like figures turned around. A few of them shot me fierce glances and led me out of the alley. Once outside, I found myself in a large grassy area with several black Santana cars parked there.
The purple-haired guy urged me into a car, and then it slowly drove away.
These people were quite wealthy. I deliberately acted enthusiastic in the car and chatted with them, but they didn't seem keen on talking.
After driving for a while, we arrived at a factory. It looked like it might have been a power plant once, but it appeared abandoned now. I could tell it had likely been infiltrated.
Could the Black Night Forest have ties to the Polaris organization?
I couldn't be sure at the time. After getting out of the car, the purple-haired guy led me through a metal gate into the factory. Along the way, we crossed a frighteningly long suspension bridge. Below, a powerful current of seawater flowed, striking a huge turbine. The turbine drove a machine that generated electricity. The distant buildings were covered in sheet metal, and occasionally, open windows could be seen on certain floors.
At the very top of the roof, a massive transformer was visible, connected to countless diodes and circuit boards distributed overhead. The whole area was covered by an enormous glass dome. This factory must have been quite far from the center of Fuming City.
We had never noticed it before. I didn't even know Fuming City had such a hydroelectric power plant. However, this method of power generation seemed ancient.
Listening to the sound of water striking the turbine, I entered one of the factory workshops. The purple-haired guy used a magnetic card to open a door, and I saw a man in a suit and tie, his face still smeared with various colors. This person had very dark skin, small eyes, and his hair was slicked back with gel. He wore a red tie. Seeing me enter, he adjusted his tie and said, "You're the Naigou Yicheng Wen introduced?"
"Yes, boss, are you Black Humor?"
"Haha, how could I be him? You wouldn't have seen him at first. Besides, you're not qualified to mention his name yet!"
"I'm sorry!"
"You don't need to apologize. We only value strength here. Whoever is capable can be the boss at any time. Can you do it?"
"I'm a newcomer, and there are many things I need you to explain."
"I am Tang Lao Jiu, the vice-president of the association. This purple-haired youth is my subordinate, Sima Xinrong. Now, for you to officially join our association, you must pass a test. The first test shouldn't be too difficult. I've seen your resume, Naigou. Show me what you've got. After you achieve results, I'll let you work independently, just like Yicheng Wen, how about it?"
Hearing Tang Lao Jiu's tone, I again felt that he didn't seem to know Yicheng Wen was dead. Whether they were in disguise or not, I had to play along. I nodded flatteringly, "Okay, okay! Boss Tang, what should I do?"
"Don't rush. Lao San, Da Hong, come here!" Tang Lao Jiu called two more people. One man was actually wearing a tight black jacket, while the other was bare-chested, wearing only a simple gray pair of pants. This guy was likely Da Hong.
As soon as Lao San focused on me, he walked over with great interest. His hips swayed from side to side, he raised a delicate finger, and with a flirtatious look, he gave me a seductive glance. "Indeed, a little Naigou, hehe, your skin is quite tender!" As he spoke, the guy actually slapped my butt!
My head suddenly felt flooded with blood, my eyes turning red. Seeing my embarrassed expression, Tang Lao Jiu quickly chided, "Lao San, can't you restrain yourself? You can't help yourself whenever you see a handsome guy."
"Tang Lao Jiu, this is my only interest. Are you going to kill it? Hmph! I don't care, I'll take this Naigou! None of you interfere!"
"I'm not saying you can't, but don't let your emotions get the better of you!"
"Okay! Okay! Okay! How could I possibly? Naigou, how about you come work with me?"
Although I found Lao San somewhat repulsive, I could tell he held a significant position in the association, otherwise, how could he directly challenge Tang Lao Jiu?
For the sake of the plan, I had no choice but to nod obediently. "Alright!"
Lao San smiled flirtatiously at me with great satisfaction. He placed one finger under my chin and looked all over my face, making me feel uneasy.
At this moment, I heard Da Hong next to me say, "I am Da Hong!"
I responded with an "Oh," but unexpectedly, the gorilla continued, "I am Da Hong!"
I said I knew, yet he repeated himself, "I am Da Hong!"
Damn it! What was going on?
Tang Lao Jiu immediately pointed to his head and explained to me, "Da Hong was kicked by a donkey in the head when he was a child, and his language nerves were damaged. So, he has always had problems speaking. He can only say, 'I am Da Hong.'"
I instantly felt speechless but noticed that Da Hong was strong and muscular, with deep muscles all over his body. This guy's combat power was probably terrifying.
Looking at the oddballs in the association, I couldn't help but show a complex smile...