Chapter 185: Schoolgirl

“You only have thirty minutes! Those who can’t gather ten thousand Credit Points will be killed outright!”

Responding to some protests with cold indifference, the third Horse-Face Ghost held his long blade toward the woman protesting the loudest. “If you truly can’t get ten thousand Credit Points together, come over here right now and let me cut you down.”

“Y-yes, I can! I can gather it!” the middle-aged woman stammered, her face filled with fear.

The Horse-Face Ghost sneered. “Worthless wretch!”

These three were the Yellow River Three Ghosts, notorious bandits operating around Hetang County. With the emergence of Primordial Force and the spread of the Primordial Ultimate Art, some individuals wielding newfound power swiftly fell into corruption.

Martial power bred lawlessness. Using Primordial Force to bully the weak, they seized what they wanted without restraint, unafraid of murder and arson, treating human life as if it were grass.

Crime rates within the Shenxia Alliance soared. Daily deaths far exceeded those of the Old Era by ten or even a hundred-fold. The Yellow River Three Ghosts were precisely such fallen Practitioners, the social dregs the Flourishing Tang Empire sought to eradicate first.

“I… I’ve gathered it.”

Just then, a chubby man spoke cautiously.

The Blue-Face Ghost grinned, motioning towards him. “Good. Come here. Look at this account number, transfer the ten thousand Credit Points immediately.”

“Yes, yes, of course!” The man promptly took out his phone, looked at the Blue-Face Ghost’s bank account number, and transferred ten thousand Credit Points. After receiving the confirmation SMS, the Blue-Face Ghost pointed outside. “Well done. You may leave. You’re safe now. Wait outside. You can board the vehicle and depart thirty minutes later.”

“Yes, yes, thank you, thank you!” Clearly surprised the bandits kept their word, the man lowered himself off the bus, trembling all over, and took cover beneath the highway overpass. Behind him, the Ox-Headed Ghost’s harsh voice rang out. “Don’t go too far. Stay where I can see what you’re doing. If you dare call the police, I’ll put a bullet through you.”

As he spoke, the Ox-Headed Ghost drew a pistol and aimed it at the man. Terrified, the man hastily bowed. “I’ll stay right here! I won’t run off! Don’t shoot!”

The Ox-Headed Ghost nodded curtly, his gaze on the man. Witnessing someone pay and escape safely, the dozens of remaining passengers surged forward instantly. “I have enough! I have money!” “I have it too! Let me pay next!” “Me first!”

“Line up one by one!” the Blue-Face Ghost barked coldly. “Stop pushing! Anyone shoving gets cut down!” His icy tone sent chills through the crowd, making them hastily form an orderly line to purchase their lives with money.

Soon, more than half of the passengers paid their ten thousand Credit Points and left. The rest scrambled in panic, making frantic phone calls, pleading with family or friends to wire them money.

Time passed slowly. One by one, those who had managed to gather enough funds disembarked. The number of people left on the bus dwindled rapidly until only one passenger remained: a beautiful girl, around eighteen or nineteen.

There were now only a few minutes left of the thirty-minute deadline. Frowns deepened on the faces of the Yellow River Three Ghosts. The Blue-Face Ghost and the Horse-Face Ghost approached her. “Still haven’t scraped together the money?”

“My… my parents are gone,” the girl said, lifting a tear-streaked face. “Only my grandmother is left, she collects scrap just to live. She’s working extra hard to get me the money right now… please, just wait a little longer?” Her delicate, heart-shaped face was meek and flawless, almost like a painting. Her large eyes brimmed with tears, making her look pitifully alluring. She wore glasses, which, combined with her quiet, intelligent aura, gave her an indescribably captivating appeal. Crying like this only heightened her delicate vulnerability, tugging unbearably at the heartstrings.

The Blue-Face Ghost and the Horse-Face Ghost both paused, startled. They hadn’t noticed before. This plainly dressed, unimposing girl was actually breathtakingly beautiful.

Exchanging a glance, a lewd smile spread across the Blue-Face Ghost’s face as he reached out to grab hers. “You had thirty minutes. Time’s almost up. We wait for no one. If you can’t pay, you’ll repay the debt with your body.”

“Hah, not half bad!” the Horse-Face Ghost chuckled lecherously. “Definitely worth ten thousand Credit Points. Spend a month entertaining us properly, and that’ll be your price for life. Let’s go.”

He scooped her up despite her struggles against his chest and started heading off the bus. “Let me go! Please! I’ll get the ten thousand points soon! I swear!” she cried desperately.

“Release you?” The Blue-Face Ghost smirked as they walked towards the exit. “Why waste a beauty like you?” He called out to the Ox-Headed Ghost near the front. “Second Brother! Time to go! This girl can’t cough up ten thousand. She’ll settle the debt personally.”

“Got it! Women that please the Big Boss are never duds!” The Ox-Headed Ghost turned, his eyes lighting up instantly. “What! Seems this one’s completely untouched! Rare! Almost twenty and still a virgin?”

“Really?” The Blue-Face Ghost sounded surprised.

Laughing, the Ox-Headed Ghost patted his chest. “With my vast experience with women, do you think I’d get that wrong?”

“Hell yes! This girl isn’t worth just ten thousand, she’s worth a hundred thousand!” The Blue-Face Ghost roared with laughter. “Her first blood is definitely mine! Loaded another fifty thousand anyway – time to live it up for a few days! And with her, we’ll save plenty on finding other beauties.”

“No! Please let me go!” Tears streamed down the girl’s face as she pleaded from the Horse-Face Ghost’s shoulder. “I can find the money! My friends can help! They’re all students at Tianhai University, many are quite well-off! Just let me try! Please!”

The Ox-Headed Ghost’s expression instantly stiffened. “You’re a Tianhai University student?”

“Yes! I study at Tianhai University! I have my student ID! Please let me go, just this once!” She hurriedly fumbled through her pockets and pulled out her student card.

The Ox-Headed Ghost snatched it over. Taking one look, he burst into loud, raucous laughter, his face twisting with even greater greed. “Perfect! Excellent! This time we’ve really hit the jackpot! Zheng Xinxin, first-year student of Class 1, Tianhai University School of Foreign Languages! Good! Good! Couscous never imagined we gutter rats could ever land such a high-class beauty! Hahaha! Never had a girl from a famous university like Tianhai before! And she’s still a pure flower! Double the win!” His laughter echoed harshly.

“A treasure like this? A month won’t be enough! I want at least a year!” the Horse-Face Ghost grunted lustfully.

Waving dismissively, the Blue-Face Ghost quickened his pace. “Drive! Stop wasting time. Damn it, I wanna be inside this woman right now! Find a hotel quick!”

“Showtime!” The Horse-Face Ghost and Ox-Headed Ghost whooped together, steering Zheng Xinxin towards their vehicle parked behind the bus.

Tears smeared Zheng Xinxin’s face as she struggled vainly. “Please… please let me go… w-wuwuwu…”

Inside, a crushing emptiness filled her. Her desperate cries for help were useless. Barring a miracle, she faced unspeakable suffering ahead.