"He... He killed the host!"
For a few seconds, the auction hall was deadly silent. The VIPs in their masks stared at the headless body on the stage, unable to process what had just happened.
Then, chaos erupted.
"Murder! Security! Kill him!" "Run! This guy is a maniac!"
Screams and curses filled the air. The wealthy elites, who were just enjoying the show a moment ago, now scrambled like rats, knocking over chairs and trampling each other to get to the exits.
Wee-woo! Wee-woo!
Red alarms flashed throughout the hall. Heavy iron gates slammed down, sealing all the exits.
"Attention all units! Level 1 Threat in the Auction Hall! Eliminate the target immediately!"
A mechanical voice blared from the speakers.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Doors on both sides of the stage burst open. Dozens of elite mercenaries in tactical gear rushed in, holding automatic rifles. They didn't care about the hostages or the VIPs; they pointed their guns straight at Jiang Daolin.
"Fire!"
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Bullets rained down like a storm.
On the stage, the girl in the cage screamed and covered her head, waiting for death.
But the pain never came.
She opened her eyes and saw a back. A thin, yet unshakeable back standing in front of her cage.
Jiang Daolin didn't move. He didn't even dodge.
He simply raised his left hand and spread his fingers.
Buzz—
Countless almost invisible silk threads shot out from his sleeves, weaving a dense net in the air in the blink of an eye.
Stitcher's Defense: Sky Net.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The bullets hit the net and were sliced in half! Sparks flew everywhere. These threads were made from "Heaven Silk," tougher than steel and sharper than lasers.
"What the hell?!" The mercenary captain's eyes widened in horror. "He blocked bullets with... string?"
"My turn."
Jiang Daolin lowered his hand. The red wooden box on his back suddenly popped open.
Thirty-six silver needles floated into the air, hovering around him like obedient soldiers.
"Go."
He pointed a finger.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The needles turned into silver streaks of light. They didn't aim for the mercenaries' bodies; they aimed for the gaps in their armor—the neck, the eyes, the wrists.
"Argh!" "My eyes!" "Help me!"
In less than ten seconds, the first wave of twenty mercenaries collapsed. Some were blinded, some were paralyzed, and some clutched their slit throats, choking on their own blood.
The stage turned into a river of crimson.
Jiang Daolin walked through the blood, his shoes making a wet, squishing sound. He approached the cage.
Creak—
He didn't use a key. He just swiped his finger, and the tungsten steel bars were sliced apart like tofu by his thread.
The girl trembled, shrinking into the corner. She looked at Jiang Daolin's fox mask, terrified. To her, this man who just slaughtered twenty people was even scarier than the kidnappers.
"Don't be afraid."
Jiang Daolin took off his mask, revealing his pale, handsome face. He took off his trench coat and gently draped it over the girl's shivering shoulders.
"Do you have a name?" he asked softly.
"Nine... Number Nine..." the girl whispered, pointing to the tag on her chest.
"No," Jiang Daolin shook his head. He reached out and tore the tag off. "You are human. Not a number."
He looked into her eyes, which were so similar to Xiaoyu's.
"From now on, just stay behind me. Close your eyes if you're scared."
"Because the road ahead... is going to be a bit bumpy."
Boom!
Suddenly, the ceiling of the auction hall exploded.
A giant figure jumped down from the upper deck, landing heavily on the stage. The impact cracked the floor.
It was a monster. He stood three meters tall, his skin gray and covered in metal plates. one of his arms had been replaced by a rotating mechanical drill.
"The Butcher! It's the ship's enforcer, The Butcher!" A surviving VIP screamed in terror.
The Butcher roared, the sound shaking the glass walls. He looked at the dead mercenaries, then turned his glowing red mechanical eye toward Jiang Daolin.
"Little mouse," The Butcher's voice sounded like grinding gears. "You made a mess of my kitchen."
Jiang Daolin stood up, shielding the girl behind him. He looked up at the giant monster.
He didn't panic. Instead, he pulled out his black ruler—the Corpse Suppressing Ruler.
"A kitchen?"
Jiang Daolin sneered, his killing intent exploding like a volcano.
"Wrong."
"This is your graveyard."