Yinya rubbed his gold ring, then glanced at the officer and pointed to the male employees left in the courtyard. “Keep no more than half of them.”

The rest crouched on the ground, trembling as they looked around in terror. Seeing the mercenaries surrounding them, armed to the teeth, they knew there was no hope of escape. Fear gripped every one of them.

What happened next threw the employees into even greater panic. An old, battered knife was tossed down in front of each of them.

“You bunch of fugitives deserve to have your hearts ripped out! The boss has decided to give you one chance to turn over a new leaf. Anyone who’s killed someone can come out. Anyone who runs or refuses to kill will be shot on the spot. You’ve got five minutes!” A man in a suit shouted through a megaphone, while someone beside him filmed on a phone.

No one moved.

Thirty seconds.

Suddenly, someone got to his feet—not to run, but to pounce on the frail man beside him.

The people around them hadn’t even reacted when the knife went in. Only when blood splashed across their faces did screams erupt. Those still crouching began to back away, crushing together in a mass. Someone fell, and others trampled right over him.

One minute.

It was already impossible to tell who was killing whom. Knives rose and fell. Some attackers missed and were pinned to the ground; others landed a few stabs, only to get tackled by someone else. Blood spread across the ground, and several people slipped in it.

Two and a half minutes.

Everyone still alive had bloodshot eyes. Strangers, acquaintances, people who’d been crouching together just moments ago—all of them had descended into chaos.

Someone tried to run. He’d barely reached the manor gates when gunfire rang out. His body crumpled to the ground, and no one even looked.

Three minutes.

A man sobbed, “I’m sorry,” as he repeatedly stabbed the coworker beneath him. Blood splattered across his face, twisting his expression into something grotesque.

Four minutes.

The crowd grew quieter. Those still standing panted heavily, looking from one another to the next. Everyone clutched a knife, blood dripping from its blade. Some of the people sprawled on the ground were still moving, though very slowly.

The man in the suit with the megaphone checked his watch, then counted the survivors again.

“All right. The thirty-nine of you still standing, come out.”

The person holding the phone stepped forward, pointing the camera at those who remained standing.

“Remember this, you pigs. From today on, Huaguo will no longer take in a pack of murderers like you. We’ve recorded proof that you killed people. Working for the company is your only way out!”

The employees who heard him stared blankly, each lost in their own daze. Some finally realized they’d killed someone and hurriedly dropped their weapons. Others covered their faces, overcome with despair. Most had simply gone numb and stopped thinking.

…

Only after watching the whole spectacle did Yinya finally nod. “From now on, make every Chinese person we bring on kill at least one of their own each year. Keep the evidence, so they won’t dare run.”

The higher-ups who’d witnessed the carnage below felt their stomachs churn and a chill run through them. Their fear of Yinya deepened.

The center of the courtyard was stained red. Dozens of people still lay there, some badly hurt, others less so, letting out the occasional faint moan. After days of torment, the employees were physically and mentally exhausted. They didn’t even have the strength to stab properly, so most of those on the ground were still alive. Many desperately held back their screams, hoping their attackers would leave them alone.

But the thugs clearly had no intention of doing that, and they certainly weren’t going to treat anyone out of kindness. What awaited the employees were operating tables for harvesting their organs. The compound never wasted a resource: the living could be squeezed for labor, their organs sold on the black market, and their flesh and bones sold to the ranch.

A few bloodthirsty thugs carrying sharpened wooden stakes walked toward the center of the courtyard. One of them had just raised his hand to finish someone off when his head suddenly exploded.

The thug beside him was splattered with brains and blood. He stared as his companion’s body fell, froze for a moment, then turned pale with shock. They all hurriedly backed away.

At the same time, the genetically modified humans concealed around Yinya all looked up at the sky. Something was hurtling down at incredible speed. A few of the quicker ones immediately drew their weapons.

A deafening boom shook the entire manor. Only then did the sluggish higher-ups turn their heads in confusion toward the top floor of the villa’s third story. A cloud of dust billowed above it.

More than a dozen agile figures burst from the shadows around Yinya. They leaped several meters at a time and charged forward at inhuman speed.

A few short bursts of gunfire and sharp cracks in the air rang out. The dust exploded outward, and the figures came crashing back down even faster. Some slammed into the second-floor railing; others landed on a few unlucky people. Panicked screams rose from the crowd on the second floor. Some wanted to run, but Yinya was still there. They didn’t dare move without permission.

“Boss, quick…” A bodyguard drenched in blood rushed up to Yinya, but before he could finish, he collapsed to the ground and died.

The area fell silent. The air carried a faint heat. The genetically modified humans’ bodies lay scattered nearby, and blood splashed across the food on the table.

At that moment, most people still hadn’t realized what had happened. Less than five seconds had passed since the explosion.

Yinya sat perfectly still, his expression unchanged. Sensing something beside him, he glanced over from the corner of his eye and saw a petite figure. It was the evil spirit captured by Organization K. A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Every genetically modified human had been killed in such a short time. Just how powerful was this thing?

Should he run?

No. There was no chance. Yinya could feel that his entire presence was locked onto. He had absolutely no chance of escaping.

Gussy stood on a chair, one foot resting on the edge of the table and an arm draped over its knee. Leaning forward slightly, it surveyed everyone with indifference. Sunlight stretched its shadow long across the ground. At that moment, Gussy was terrifyingly imposing.

Seeing the fresh blood in the middle of the courtyard, Gussy realized it might have arrived too late and couldn’t help getting irritated. So, after landing, it first slaughtered the genetically modified humans with those blue lights. It might have been a little too rough, though. Blood was everywhere.

“What are you all staring at? Keep eating.” Gussy gestured around, but everyone nearby was either standing or kneeling, staring this way. Not one person dared move.

Gussy casually grabbed a bottle of baijiu and gulped down a couple of mouthfuls. Then it tossed the bottle back. “Why doesn’t this liquor taste like anything?”

“…” Everyone looked between Gussy and Yinya, as if waiting for the big boss to say something.

“Yinya, say something. Tell these people to come sit over here.” Gussy smiled as it patted Yinya on the shoulder.

“All management, come over and sit down.” Yinya paused, then spoke.

The core members of Hengxin exchanged glances. Whether they’d been kneeling or standing, they all came over and sat down. There weren’t enough chairs, so those who couldn’t get one half-crouched and pretended to sit.

Not one of the higher-ups present was innocent. Every one of them had clawed their way into this position by bleeding countless employees dry. There were twenty-five in total, and three of them were on the list.

Gussy took a photo and sent it to Xu Fang. “You know what I want to ask.”

Xu Fang replied with just one thing: “3”

Gussy understood. It put its phone away and pointed at the three people closest to it in turn. “Pang Fen, Liu Zhonghong, and Yinya. Give me one reason not to kill you. One minute each… Pang Fen, you first.”

The three were Hengxin’s largest shareholders and the most powerful members of its board. Pang Fen and Liu Zhonghong weren’t part of management, so they’d been sitting with Yinya from the beginning. When Gussy pointed at him, Pang Fen frowned. He’d already recognized Gussy as the evil spirit taken by Organization K.

“Did the council send you here? What orders did they give you? And what do you want?” Pang Fen asked.

“OUT!” Gussy said, displeased, pointing at him and waving its hand up and down. “That’s one warning. Don’t answer a question with a question!”

Perhaps because Gussy’s appearance wasn’t very intimidating, Pang Fen still refused to cooperate.

“Our people will be here soon. I advise you to watch yourself—” Pang Fen hadn’t finished speaking when his head rolled off, blood gushing from his neck.

Everyone lost their composure. Their faces turned deathly pale, and a few of the more timid people fell straight to the ground. They were reminded once again that the being before them wasn’t human. It was a monster capable of taking their lives in an instant.

“Liu Zhonghong, you’re next.”

Liu Zhonghong dropped to his knees and kowtowed, sobbing. “I’ll give you all my wealth. Please spare my life. I know I was wrong.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me, right?”

“I…” Liu Zhonghong stammered, unable to get another word out.

Gussy looked up at the sky, as if counting the time. “Get to the point. Your time is limited.”

“I can help you bring down Hengxin Group!” With his minute almost up, Liu Zhonghong ignored Yinya’s dark expression and blurted out, “I have connections with the authorities, in Huaguo, and in the United States. I… I…”

“Time’s up.” Liu Zhonghong’s head fell too, splashing blood all over Yinya.

This time, Yinya saw it clearly: a thin strand of wire retracted from the corpse. That was what had severed Liu Zhonghong’s neck.

“Yinya, you’re up.” Gussy turned to look at him. “Don’t disappoint me.”

Yinya’s mind raced. No matter how much money or power he had, none of it mattered now. The countless questions he had about Gussy’s appearance didn’t matter either. He had to satisfy this monster and think of a way to survive.

“I have a way to help you live forever.”

“Oh? How?” Gussy seemed interested.

Yinya continued, “The Scientific Council has the technology to transfer consciousness. I’ve already undergone the procedure once. I’m 135 years old this year. I can help you get that technology.”

“That’s it?”

Yinya froze, then understood. The evil spirit wasn’t human. Why would it have any reason to transfer its consciousness? And how could he be sure it wasn’t immortal already?

Yinya suddenly felt something tighten around his neck, as if a cord had been drawn around it.

Seeing Gussy raise its arm, Yinya suddenly said, “Do you think you’re carrying out justice? Child, this isn’t justice!”

Gussy narrowed its eyes. Standing on the table, it looked down at the man. “Why isn’t this justice?”

Yinya understood. Perhaps this evil spirit wasn’t being driven by a person or an organization, but by some absurd sense of justice—a classic child’s way of thinking. The monster’s mind was as childish as its appearance. At the thought, Yinya gave a knowing smile and met Gussy’s gaze without flinching.

“You think you’re acting on heaven’s behalf, but you don’t understand. The world isn’t divided into black and white. If I die here today, do you know how many innocent people will suffer for it? My group supports tens of thousands of poor families. Once I’m dead, they’ll lose their jobs within a month, then fight each other bloody over a bite to eat. Your so-called justice will only leave them homeless. They’ll die in some dark corner without ever getting the chance to make something of themselves!”

“What a noble speech. So all that really means is you’re using ordinary people as your human shield?”

Seeing that the other had fallen into his logical trap, Yinya sneered. So even an evil spirit could have such an endearingly naïve, human side. He’d met plenty of people who claimed to be “upholding justice.” People with this childish mindset were the easiest to coax and make doubt their convictions.

“Have you ever considered that ordinary people don’t care about some orderly world in the sunlight? All they care about are their loans, their lives, and their children. They know what I’m doing, yet they choose to close their eyes, because they understand that this world has never been a fairy tale. You tear away that façade by force, shove the bloody truth in their faces, and tell them, ‘I’m saving you’…” Yinya shook his head, his tone taking on a hint of pity. “They’ll only hate you. You’ve wrecked their lives and shattered the balance they struggled so hard to maintain. They’ll point at your back and curse, ‘Where’d this lunatic come from? Who asked him to stick his nose in our business?’”

As Yinya spoke, he watched Gussy’s reaction. But he saw no hint of thought or wavering, nor any sign of anger. Gussy simply looked at him as if they were having an ordinary conversation.

Yinya decided to bring up one final argument. In simple terms, he wanted to push hypocrites and idealistic fools into an even deeper dilemma: whether they had the right to choose suffering on someone else’s behalf. Then, taking on the role of a mentor, he’d fill Gussy’s head with his own ideas and brainwash it. If he could persuade the evil spirit to join his side, Yinya was sure he could change its mind.

At the very least, he had to survive.

“There’s darkness only I can hold back. If I’m gone, someone worse will take my place. They’ll be even more ruthless than I am. Child, come with me. I’ll teach you how to carry out justice…”

“What are you babbling about?”

Gussy hadn’t listened to a word of Yinya’s rambling. Growing impatient, it raised its hand, and the thread fell. The man’s head rolled away. The demonic tyrant who had once dominated the world of power and wielded influence to its fullest extent had met his end.

Gussy tucked the three heads into his backpack. Outside the manor, a commotion broke out. Soldiers were on their way, and several squads were carrying weapons like grenades and rocket launchers.

Gussy kicked a bottle of wine apart. Flames surged up with the spilling liquor, blotting out everyone’s view. At last, fear got the better of them, and the crowd scattered in every direction. From within the flames came a clear voice: “I am the Flame Sovereign. I have something to tell you all—you may keep doing evil, but you can’t afford the price. These three are only the interest.”

By the time the soldiers arrived in force and put out the flames, all that remained on the ground were more than a dozen charred corpses. The evil spirit had vanished, but it left everyone there with a psychological scar they would never forget.