Fang Yuan stepped through the iron door and was immediately greeted by an intense stench of decay and blood that filled the narrow, cramped space. The smell was almost unbearable, but Fang Yuan steeled himself and pressed forward into the darkness.
He reached the final room, which was unexpectedly spacious. It resembled a large warehouse or a morgue, with iron grids lining the walls, each fitted with a pull ring and labeled with numbers and names. It had a grim, clinical feel to it.
In the center of the room, a figure dressed in a straw raincoat sat at a high iron table, absorbed in writing and drawing on a piece of paper. The figure's face was obscured by the raincoat's hood, making it difficult for Fang Yuan to discern any details.
Fang Yuan approached, knocking on the table to make his presence known. The figure remained focused on their work, seemingly indifferent to Fang Yuan's arrival.
After finishing their task, the figure finally looked up. "I've never seen anyone like you before. Aren't you afraid of death, kid? To come to a place like this..."
"For money, anyone can seek death," Fang Yuan replied coldly.
The figure in the straw raincoat seemed to appreciate Fang Yuan's boldness. "That's right. Anyone can die for money. I like your spirit. Do you have a target, or should I find one for you? It wouldn't be good if a kid like you met a tragic end."
"A wolf from Putian," Fang Yuan stated plainly.
The straw raincoat figure raised a hand, indicating a need for patience. "It will take a bit of time. I need to check."
The figure rummaged through a pile of papers and then paused, a realization dawning. "Ah, I almost forgot. This mission was picked up by someone this evening. The mission scroll has already been distributed."
Fang Yuan's expression hardened. The target he had specifically chosen was now taken. "Received?"
The straw raincoat figure continued, "If the mission scroll is intercepted, it won't be effective if someone else takes it back."
"How about a different one?" Fang Yuan asked, his frustration evident.
The straw raincoat figure smirked. "The gold exchange only deals with scrolls and corpses. Some places only need the corpses. You're quite brave, little brat. The team that took the scroll is the Taohai Gang. The leader is called the Captain, who has pirate-style eyes. His deputy is an impotent fat man. Their intelligence work is decent."
"This is free information for you. Whether you can retrieve the scroll depends on your ability," the figure concluded, extending a hand in a gesture of dismissal.
Fang Yuan turned and walked away, his gaze steely and determined. He cracked his neck, reflecting on the information. The Captain was the same person he had seen drinking in the tavern. Now, he just needed to retrieve the scroll from them.
As soon as Fang Yuan entered the cramped cubicle, he was hit by an overpowering stench of decay and blood, like a corpse left to rot. Despite the foul odor, Fang Yuan quickly acclimated and proceeded deeper into the space.
He arrived at the final room, which was unexpectedly vast, resembling the size of a football field. Iron grids lined the walls, each with a pull ring and labeled with specific numbers and names. It looked like a grim morgue.
Fang Yuan knew he was in the right place. He saw a strange man wrapped in a straw raincoat, sitting upright at a high iron table, writing and drawing with a pen and paper.
Fang Yuan walked forward, stood on tiptoe, and knocked on the table. The man seemed to ignore him at first, continuing his work before finally glancing up.
"I've never seen anything like this before. Aren't you afraid of death, kid? You actually come to a place like this," the man in the straw raincoat said with a perverted grin and a hissing, hoarse voice.
"For money, anyone can seek death," Fang Yuan replied expressionlessly.
"That's right. Anyone can die for money. I kind of like you," the straw raincoat man said with a nod. "Do you have a target, or should I find one for you? It wouldn't be good if a kid like you met a tragic end."
"A wolf from Putian," Fang Yuan stated concisely.
The straw raincoat man raised his hand. "It will take a bit of time. I need to check."
He rummaged through a pile of information under the table, then suddenly remembered something. "Ah! I almost forgot. This mission was picked up by someone this evening, and the mission scroll has already been distributed."
"Received?" Fang Yuan's frustration was evident. The target he had carefully selected was now taken by someone else.
"How about a different one?" Fang Yuan asked.
The straw raincoat man smirked. "The gold exchange only deals with scrolls and corpses. In some places, you only need to bring back corpses. You're quite brave, little brat. The team that took the scroll is the Taohai Gang. Their leader is called the Captain and has pirate-style eyes. His deputy is an impotent fat man. Their intelligence work is decent."
"This is free information for you. Whether you can retrieve the scroll depends on your ability, little friend," the man said, making a dismissive gesture.
Fang Yuan turned and walked away, his gaze cold and resolute. He cracked his neck, contemplating the situation. The Captain was the same person he had seen drinking outside. It was time to retrieve the scroll from them.
4o mini