Chapter 20: The Kitchen Knife Gang
Tang Cuo enlisted in the army at eighteen, and his very first drill instructor was Jin Cheng. Back then, Tang Cuo was like a wild weed growing against the wind, his edges lined with jagged thorns.
The great Instructor Jin had reportedly been demoted to train new recruits as punishment for some mistake, yet in less than twenty-four hours, he had already earned the moniker “Devil Instructor.”
Thinking back on it, the situation back then was quite similar to the present. Both times Tang Cuo encountered him, Jin Cheng was serving a punishment.
During that time, Tang Cuo was the primary target of Jin Cheng’s “special attention.” Some felt they had a good relationship, while others believed they held a grudge; everyone had their own perspective.
Three years later, after passing through rigorous selections, Tang Cuo joined Jin Cheng’s squad. On his second day reporting for duty, he received the news that his captain had sacrificed his life overseas.
On a rainy April day, Tang Cuo held an umbrella, visited Jin Cheng’s grave, and left a bouquet of flowers.
Exactly three years after that, during yet another April, Tang Cuo also died. But upon opening his eyes after death, he found himself in this place called Evernight City—and ran into the very man who was supposed to be lying in that grave.
A thousand words could only be boiled down to a single phrase—
“What a coincidence.” Jin Cheng generously poured Tang Cuo a glass of whiskey. Seeing his former cadet still wearing a stoic expression, he couldn’t help but smile and ask, “You said you visited my grave. Did you see what was written on my tombstone?”
Tang Cuo: “I forgot.”
Jin Cheng shrugged, unfazed. “Still, I’m quite surprised you actually visited my grave.”
Tang Cuo had no desire to reminisce about the old days. As far as he was concerned, this man had deliberately hidden his identity just to tag along—his twisted sense of humor was exactly the same as before. If you gave him a ladder, he’d try to poke a hole in the sky.
If they were drinking, they should just drink. Why so much nonsense?
He picked up his glass and initiated a toast, clinking it against Jin Cheng’s. With a crisp clink, he tilted his head back and downed the whiskey in one go, without so much as a frown.
“Here’s to you,” Tang Cuo said, setting the glass down and wiping his hands. “Da Li got married a couple of years ago. He said he owed you a drink.”
Jin Cheng chuckled. “If you’re toasting me, why did you down it first?”
Tang Cuo lifted his eyes. “Drink it or don’t. Your choice.”
“Was it with his childhood sweetheart?”
“Yeah.”
Having been in Evernight City for three years, Jin Cheng rarely received news of old friends. Hearing such joyous news out of the blue put him in a genuinely good mood. He still remembered Da Li’s childhood sweetheart—a girl with a very sweet smile who spoke in a soft, melodic Wu dialect. Every time Da Li called her, the rest of the squad would be incredibly envious.
A thought occurred to him, and he wanted to tease Tang Cuo by asking if he had ever dated anyone. But upon second thought, since they were both already dead, asking such things felt a bit too wicked, so he dropped the idea.
For the remainder of their time there, the two sat across from each other, drinking. Sometimes their words were sharp and confrontational, while other times the atmosphere was perfectly peaceful, leaving Wen Xiaoming completely unable to tell whether they actually had a good relationship or not.
But Wen Xiaoming was happy regardless. No matter what, they were old friends reuniting.
The reminiscing ended there. The small tavern was crowded with too many listening ears, and Jin Cheng had no desire to discuss mission details here, so he suggested relocating.
Upon leaving the tavern, one turned left and the other turned right.
Wen Xiaoming stood in the middle, completely bewildered.
Jin Cheng looked back. “Where are you going?”
Tang Cuo also looked back. “To get money.”
Wen Xiaoming immediately chimed in to clarify: “Boss, he’s going to the ATM to exchange points for cash. Why don’t you sponsor him a bit? Exchanging points for cash is a huge rip-off. Since you’re friends, just front him two million to start.”
Jin Cheng shot him a look of sheer disdain. “Why are you still here?”
Wen Xiaoming: “???”
In the end, Jin Cheng actually did fork over two million for Tang Cuo. In his words, only an idiot would use points to exchange for cash. For the sake of the money, Tang Cuo temporarily accepted this logic.
Cash could also be stored in the equipment inventory, or even the materials inventory, because if necessary, it could be used as kindling. But before Tang Cuo even had the chance to store it, the money was entirely spent within an hour.
Potions, a change of clothes, daily necessities, and the essential chocolate candies—filling three large bags in total. Two million really didn’t go very far.
Jin Cheng had to spot him another 600,000.
Of course, official potions produced by Evernight City strictly required points to purchase. A basic potion cost two points, intermediate was four, and advanced was ten. Tang Cuo bought two basic potions, spending four points and leaving him with six.
On their way back after shopping, passing by an ATM, Jin Cheng suddenly felt a profound sense of kinship with the machine. In all his time in Evernight City, Tang Cuo was the only one who dared to spend his money like this—and with such peace of mind, too.
Jin Cheng couldn’t help but remind him, “When do you plan on paying me back?”
Tang Cuo was perfectly justified: “I won’t. I have no money.”
Jin Cheng raised an eyebrow.
Tang Cuo raised an eyebrow back.
The two of them stood in the middle of the street, looking like they were ready to throw down at any moment.
Wen Xiaoming hid behind a streetlight pole a short distance away, secretly watching them. The more he watched, the happier he felt. What kind of god-tier old friend was Tang Cuo, to actually make the boss swallow his grievances? Over two million spent without even a splash.
He definitely had to go back and tell Lily so she could share in the joy.
With that thought, Wen Xiaoming watched for a little while longer. Once he was sure they weren’t actually going to fight, he headed back to Zone A, fully satisfied.
Over on the street, Jin Cheng and Tang Cuo were still in their standoff. A breakfast stall’s scent wafted over. Catching the smell, Tang Cuo once again decisively shifted his gaze away from Jin Cheng, spending his final five thousand bucks on five steamed buns—two meat, three vegetable.
He didn’t offer a single one to Jin Cheng.
Jin Cheng laughed in exasperation. “I think Mr. Crow specifically brought you here just to piss me off.”
Tang Cuo declined to comment.
Not expecting this little bastard to suddenly grow a conscience, Jin Cheng turned around and bought his own food. Just as he finished, he heard Tang Cuo casually ask, “What exactly is the deal with Mr. Crow?”
Look at that. The stubborn boy who used to be repeatedly pinned to the ground only to climb back up time and time again had finally been worn down by the years into a sly old fox. His green youth was gone forever.
Thinking of the past, Jin Cheng subconsciously became much more forgiving. “You can see him in any corner of Evernight City. The Crow has three thousand clones, and each one is him. He has a terrible temper, though he isn’t always that bad. It mostly depends on your luck.”
“Is he the system?”
“No, but he possesses immense authority.”
Having received a definitive answer, Tang Cuo still harbored some doubts. “When I triggered the easter egg game, I heard a song.”
Jin Cheng understood immediately and accurately named the track: “The Song of Gods, Lambs, and Crows. It’s Evernight City’s anthem. It plays randomly; almost everyone who comes here has heard it. As for what it means or what it has to do with Mr. Crow, opinions vary, but there’s never been a confirmed answer.”
As he spoke, he looked up at the black iron train passing through the sky. “Up there is the true core of Evernight City. Maybe you’ll find out once you’re capable of boarding that train and heading up there.”
Tang Cuo asked, “Have you been up there?”
Jin Cheng shrugged. “I haven’t.”
Tang Cuo left it at that. Prying into the truth too early was a surefire way to get yourself killed. He had already died once, and he had no desire to die a second time so soon. It was bad luck.
Jin Cheng added, “Mr. Crow’s mood over the next few days will likely be very foul. Don’t enter any games for now, otherwise the difficulty won’t just be ‘Hard’, it’ll be ‘Nightmare’.”
Right at that moment, a commotion broke out ahead of them.
The two turned their heads simultaneously, took a simultaneous step back, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the curb as they watched a massive crowd charge aggressively down the long street.
Some carried weapons, while others wore conspicuously matching custom outfits. They looked ferocious, came with ill intent, and had a very clear target—East Cross Street, just a short distance away.
“It seems Zone F really is quite lively these days,” Jin Cheng remarked.
“The passage of time inside an instance is exactly the same as in Evernight City, right?” Tang Cuo asked.
Jin Cheng nodded.
Tang Cuo frowned slightly. They had been in the instance for less than four days, meaning several waves of newcomers must have arrived in Evernight City. The biggest incident he encountered last time was just veteran players extorting people. What had caused such a massive uproar this time?
The two exchanged a glance and followed behind the crowd toward East Cross Street.
Before they even got close, Tang Cuo heard a clear, youthful voice cutting through the crowd. “Everyone, don’t panic! As long as we stand united, there’s nothing they can do to us! Sure, they’re strong, but we have the numbers! We might not have fancy weapons, but a kitchen chopper can hack someone down just as well! Have you all forgotten the Boss’s heroic deeds?!”
“If one of us isn’t enough, we send ten! If ten isn’t enough, a hundred! Why should we let them exploit us?! Handing over five points a month just to live—if they take all our points, we won’t even be able to afford food! We might as well risk it all!”
The crowd was agitated.
Panic wrestled with hot-blooded courage, and the rising voices became like crashing waves, battering a lone island in the ocean.
The teenager wearing the green dinosaur onesie was that lone island. The outfit looked utterly ridiculous; the hood had been ripped completely off, leaving only a few stray threads fluttering in the wind.
He raised his arm high, radiating vibrant energy. “What does Zone F have the most of?! The most new players! We have people joining every single day, so why should we be afraid?! If anyone dares to exploit us, fucking wreck them!”
Instantly, the crowd’s fervor ignited. One by one, they raised their kitchen knives, sushi knives, and meat cleavers. The surging tide of people clashed against the aggressive veteran players. An all-out brawl was on the verge of erupting.
“Wreck them!”
“Whoever dares to steal my points, I’ll fight them to the death!”
“Get lost, all of you get the hell out of here!”
“Wreck them!”
“…”
Tang Cuo turned around and immediately tried to walk away.
But Chi Yan’s sharp eyes spotted him. Instantly waving both arms frantically, he yelled in pure ecstatic joy: “Ge! Tang-ge!”
He didn’t forget to introduce him to the crowd: “Look over there! That’s the boss of our Knife Gang, Tang-ge! Now that the Boss is back, we don’t have to fear anyone! Wreck ’em!”
A single call rallied a hundred responses.
“Wreck ’em!”
“Tang-ge is back!”
“Drive them all out!”
Like a drop of water falling into a pan of boiling oil, East Cross Street completely exploded from one end to the other. The tsunami-like chants of “Tang-ge!” shocked Tang Cuo so much he froze in place.
What was even more amusing was that, since he and Jin Cheng had arrived later, standing directly in front of them was the very group of veteran players forming the extortion syndicate.
Everyone turned to look back simultaneously. Under the streetlights on the long avenue, Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng stood blatantly in the middle of the road. Tall, handsome, and striking—it was the textbook definition of a grand “Big Boss” entrance.
…Assuming you ignored the supermarket plastic grocery bags dangling from their hands.
“Tsk.” A duet of pure displeasure.
Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng exchanged another glance, both seemingly asking, Why are you copying me? In the next second, as if sharing a telepathic link, both men set their plastic bags down and charged forward.
As the saying goes, if you walk by the river often enough, your shoes are bound to get wet.
“Agh!”
“Bang!”
“Bang, bang!”
“Ahhh—”
The two of them slammed into the crowd like human cannonballs. One fought bare-handed with vicious, whip-like kicks; the other wielded a brick with supernatural mastery. Because this was a chaotic melee, the use of abilities and firearms was heavily restricted, and a single misstep meant getting knocked down. It was impossible to defend against.
More importantly, both Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng were incredibly fast, their moves ruthless, and their teamwork flawless. They were on a level far beyond what ordinary people who had played a few rounds in Evernight City could ever compare to.
No matter how tough the veteran players in Zone F thought they were, they were still the absolute bottom-feeders of Evernight City.
In a mere ten minutes, the veteran players were left wailing on the ground. Using the two men as the center, not a single person was left standing within a ten-meter radius.
Right then, Tang Cuo spotted a familiar face. The person was turning to burrow into the crowd in an attempt to flee, his plump body wiggling as nimbly as an earthworm. Tang Cuo weighed the survival evaluation report in his hand and hurled it with force.
Smack! A direct hit to the target.
The man collapsed. The surrounding crowd, terrified by Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng’s sheer strength, rapidly scattered, deeply afraid of accidentally offending these two demons.
Tang Cuo walked over, grabbed the man by the collar, and dragged him to the center of the street.
“B-b-b-big bro, spare my life!” The man looked up. It was Zhang Xing.
Tang Cuo, however, didn’t think he valued his life at all. He turned to look at Jin Cheng. “Got a knife? Lend me one.”
Jin Cheng watched him with an amused expression. His hands didn’t idle; without a second’s hesitation, he tossed over a dagger. Tang Cuo caught it and pressed the blade against Zhang Xing’s neck. “Take a guess. How many lives do you have?”
Zhang Xing was frightened out of his wits, his face draining of all color. “This really has nothing to do with me! I just came along with them, I swear it wasn’t my idea!”
Tang Cuo: “Where’s your boss?”
Trembling, Zhang Xing looked into the crowd. Wherever his gaze landed, people scrambled to avoid it. The blonde-haired thug was nowhere to be seen; who knew where he was hiding. Tang Cuo watched coldly, twirling the dagger in his palm, and asked—
“Are you all still not running?”
The question was asked with such genuine sincerity, like the midnight whisper of a malevolent spirit. By the time the crowd snapped out of it, their backs were already drenched in cold sweat. Regaining control of their stiff limbs, the crowd scattered like frightened birds.
The new players were all dumbfounded, staring at Tang Cuo and Jin Cheng in disbelief, entirely speechless. Only Chi Yan was fueled by sheer excitement, shoving his way through the crowd and sprinting over.
But at that exact moment, a sudden anomaly occurred.
Within the dispersing crowd, several bright flashes suddenly appeared. From four different directions, they transformed into streaks of light hurtling toward them. Tang Cuo couldn’t identify what kind of attack it was, but the intense energy radiating from them was something even a rookie like him could sense.
Yet he didn’t move. He simply cast a glance at his former drill instructor.
Being stared at like that made Jin Cheng feel utterly helpless. He raised his hand, summoned a mechanical bow, and plucked the empty bowstring.
Twang—
An invisible sonic wave expanded forcefully. The two forces collided in mid-air and collapsed. In almost an instant, those four streaks of light were shattered into stardust, raining down from above.
Amidst that shower of stardust, Jin Cheng smiled, sweeping his gaze across the entire street, and asked, “Who’s looking to die?”
I’ll gladly grant your wish.
The people fleeing all froze in their tracks. Those who had seen the streaks of light and were just contemplating turning back to fight felt as if invisible hands had seized their throats. They gripped their weapons tightly, cold sweat pouring down. Everyone had been around the block in Evernight City; it was obvious to anyone that Jin Cheng was strong. Unbelievably strong.
Seeing that no one dared to answer, Jin Cheng finally nodded in satisfaction. He turned to look at Tang Cuo. “Are you going to die this time?”
Tang Cuo opened his system panel and glanced at it. After the negative penalty was cleared, his HP had returned to a normal state and was slowly ticking back up toward 100%. That entire brawl just now had only cost him a mere 3%.
Currently, his HP sat at— 56%.
Fighting another ten rounds wouldn’t be a problem at all.
