Chapter 89: The Dark Side of Kunxu

The large number that came from the doll’s mouth made Zhang Yu’s heart skip a beat, a flicker of desire in his eyes. He was desperate to make more money right now.

After all, in Kunxu, money was potential, a future, and power. Without it, he couldn’t even pay next month’s loan interest. A poor man had no sense of security whatsoever.

The doll continued its persuasion.

“Besides, this matter isn’t as risky as you think.”

“The only reason you feel it’s dangerous is because of corporate propaganda, which constantly drills ideas like ‘never make an enemy of the corporations’ and ‘the consequences for opposing the corporations are dire’ into your mind.”

“The dark world of tutoring has its reasons for existing…”

Only after listening to the doll’s subsequent explanation did Zhang Yu gain a deeper understanding of the situation.

The major corporations had an iron grip on the first layer of Kunxu and could even petition the Eight Ministries of Righteous Gods to help them investigate all sorts of information.

But not every place in the world was under their absolute control, nor was there a lack of powers capable of obscuring the probes of the Eight Ministries of Righteous Gods.

“The poorer the place, the more destitute people there are, the fewer cultivators you find—that’s where the infrastructure is the worst. There are barely any surveillance cameras, making it the easiest place to evade corporate oversight.”

“As for the Eight Ministries of Righteous Gods and the municipal government, which of the large gangs doesn’t pay taxes according to the law and maintain a pious faith? They have righteous gods watching over them all the same.”

Zhang Yu was speechless.

“Pay taxes and be piously faithful, and that gives you a license to break the law?”

The doll stated it as if it were obvious. “Pay taxes and be piously faithful—and you still can’t break the law?”

“Furthermore, every major gang is backed by other large corporations. Gangs are just one of the tools corporations use against each other. After all, the Ten Great Sects may monopolize Kunxu, but the corporations beneath them… they still have to compete.”

“Gangs are the corporations’ chamber pots; they have their own space to exist.”

“Listen to me. If you were an ordinary first-year high school student, I would never recommend this, but you’ve mastered a level 10 cultivation technique. You’re perfectly suited to hide your identity and do some illegal tutoring!”

“Besides, we’re in the same boat now. If you get into trouble, I’ll suffer right along with you. Why would I trick you?”

In the past, Zhang Yu had heard some vague rumors about gangs, but this was the first time he had heard so much inside information.

And though it all sounded plausible, Zhang Yu still couldn’t bring himself to fully trust the evil god before him. He sent a message to Zhang Pianpian, asking her about the dark world of tutoring.

Zhang Pianpian: Why did you suddenly think to ask about this?

Zhang Yu: A friend of mine mentioned it. I’m short on cash, aren’t I? Just looking for a way to make some money.

Zhang Pianpian: Mmm, taking first place in the martial arts track does give you a certain amount of capital.

Zhang Pianpian: Go to this address and give it a try. If you can do it, do it. If you can’t, just keep building up your strength.

Then, a video call from Zhang Pianpian came through.

After Zhang Yu accepted, he saw her draw a talisman with her fingertips, and a concealment talisman shot through the network and settled upon his head.

Zhang Pianpian: “Alright, this concealment talisman will prevent others from discerning your background for twelve hours, helping you hide your identity.”

“Beyond that, if you want to conceal your face and figure, you can also try using that Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi you’ve recently learned.”

Zhang Yu watched the process of Zhang Pianpian drawing the talisman with curiosity and asked, “This skill of drawing a talisman through the net—what faith level do you need to achieve that?”

“Don’t even think about it right now. Just focus on the task at hand.”

After hanging up, he looked at the address Zhang Pianpian had sent. It was a place nearly seventy kilometers from the center of Songyang City—the remote outskirts of an already remote suburb.

Mulling over Zhang Pianpian’s words, a thought stirred in Zhang Yu’s heart.

Sis knows about the dark world of tutoring, but she doesn’t seem to think I’ll be able to land a gig?

Is it because she doesn’t know I already have several level 10 cultivation techniques, so she thinks I won’t be able to make it in the dark world of tutoring?

Zhang Yu’s trust in Zhang Pianpian was, without a doubt, greater than his trust in the doll.

He glanced outside. The night was deep, and the glow of neon signs hung high in the sky. It was the perfect time to head out, and he even had a concealment talisman to mask his identity.

But if I’m going into the dark world of tutoring, I really do need to hide who I am. Sis said I could try using the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi?

At this thought, Zhang Yu’s eyes shifted.

Does she mean I should control my muscles to alter my appearance?

Just as Zhang Yu was pondering how to use the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi to change his appearance, the doll hanging from his neck exclaimed in surprise, “You have such a powerful woman looking out for you? To be able to draw a talisman through the network, her skill in talismans is quite high.”

Zhang Yu ignored the doll, instead attempting to shift the muscles in his face.

With his mastery of Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi at level 10, his control over his body’s musculature had already reached a peak he had never before imagined; he simply hadn’t realized he could use this ability to change his appearance.

With a slight effort, he saw his reflection in the mirror transform dramatically. From elegant and handsome, he became utterly ordinary. After extending control over all the muscles in his body, even his height seemed to shrink. He looked like a complete and total stranger.

More than half an hour later, the closer Zhang Yu got to the location, the worse the infrastructure on the roads became. When he was still more than ten kilometers away, even the bus stops disappeared.

Zhang Yu had no choice but to rely on his own two feet to run the rest of the way. Fortunately, with his current physical conditioning, he was neither slow nor easily tired.

But along this path, the buildings grew shorter and the roads rougher. The side alleys were pitch-black and silent, with barely a light to be seen.

Zhang Yu felt as if he had journeyed from a futuristic metropolis to a dilapidated county town.

Compared to this place, Zhang Yu felt his own rented room could be considered luxurious.

Seeing such a quiet night made him feel a little out of place.

That’s right. The people who live around here are all mortals, so nighttime is naturally for sleeping.

Sleep. The word was gradually becoming a distant concept for Zhang Yu, and for a moment, he felt a wave of wistfulness.

But it’s precisely because this place is poor enough that it lacks surveillance and management. The corporations are unwilling to invest much in construction here, which must be what gives the gangs room to survive.

He continued onward. Just as Zhang Yu felt his body begin to warm and a light sweat form, he finally arrived at the location on the address.

An imposing gate, cars frequently entering and exiting, a security booth by the entrance, and a sign that read ‘Songyang North Moon High-Tech Service Industry Park’… all of it was completely different from the dark, damp gang headquarters Zhang Yu had imagined.

Zhang Yu said, surprised, “This is the territory of a gang involved in illegal tutoring? It looks far too legitimate.”

The doll said, “They pay their taxes and are piously faithful. They are a legitimate gang, after all.”

Zhang Yu frowned, having never imagined the words ‘gang’ and ‘legitimate’ could be used together.

Zhang Yu asked doubtfully, “Shouldn’t gangs be all about fighting and killing, skulking in the shadows?”

The doll let out a soft laugh. “The ones you’re talking about are the low-level thugs at the very bottom, disposable tools to be used and thrown away. Success in this world is about money and connections. If all you know is how to fight and kill, you’ll end up dead on the street sooner or later.”

The doll seemed to know this world like the back of her hand.

“You see this service industry park? This is the Dark Learning Gang’s turf. They specialize in illegal tutoring, cracking and modifying cultivation techniques, distributing pirated arts, and all sorts of other business. The corporation backing them is the Deep Sea Education Group.”

Zhang Yu was surprised yet again. “The Deep Sea Education Group?”

He remembered that the tutoring center his predecessor had found was registered under the Deep Sea Education Group’s name.

Zhang Yu asked, confused, “I thought the Deep Sea Education Group was an educational conglomerate that develops its own cultivation techniques and runs tutoring centers. Why would they support the Dark Learning Gang?”

The doll laughed again. “Isn’t it obvious? They aren’t the only company in the education business. The Dark Learning Gang is the tool they use to crack their rivals’ cultivation techniques, assist with experiments on those techniques, and strike at hostile gangs… In short, it’s a tool for doing all their dirty work.”

As they spoke, Zhang Yu had already walked into the park. Following the address Zhang Pianpian had provided, he found the number plate of a small building.

Along the way, the park’s security guards were polite and the roadside scenery was pleasant. Zhang Yu couldn’t see a single thing that suggested this was a gang’s territory.

Looking at the small building before him, Zhang Yu pushed the door open. After a moment’s thought, he followed the phrasing Zhang Pianpian had taught him and said to the receptionist, “I’m here to offer a class.”

The receptionist smiled. “Of course, sir. Please wait for a moment in room 105. Our sales representative will be with you shortly.”

Zhang Yu walked in the direction the receptionist indicated. As he passed several rooms, he heard the faint sounds of arguments from within.

“Damn it… To sell this one martial art, two of my brothers were fined into bankruptcy, and another was dismembered and sold off by a corporation, and you’re still trying to lowball me?”

“You dog-eyed bastard, getting fierce with me won’t do you any good. These are the gang’s rules. This is the price for offering a level-seven class.”

“Rules! Rules! When I went to smash the Golden Class Gang’s operations by myself, I took out sixteen of their underground tutoring centers single-handedly! Why didn’t you talk to me about rules then? Now that I’m old and can’t learn anymore, you want to talk to me about rules…”

Sensing that someone was approaching, the door to the room was shut, and Zhang Yu could no longer hear the commotion inside.

After entering room 105 and waiting for a short while, a well-mannered, middle-aged man walked in, closed the door, and asked politely, “How can I help you, sir?”

Just then, the doll’s voice echoed in Zhang Yu’s mind.

“Tell him I have a batch of classes to offer, and that he should inspect the goods first. You don’t understand the local gangs. Do as I say. Don’t let him take you for a rookie. Let me handle the price negotiations for you; I can definitely earn you more.”

Zhang Yu was slightly taken aback, not expecting the doll to be able to transmit her voice directly into his mind.

But he felt there was nothing wrong with what the doll wanted him to say. He decided he would use the information the doll provided to guide his conversation with the man.

Zhang Yu lowered his voice and said, “I have a batch of classes to offer. You can inspect the goods first.”

With a tremor, streams of milky-white astral qi surged from Zhang Yu’s body, instantly transforming into a swirling mist that enveloped him.

It was the level 10 Limitless Cloud Hand.