The world has turned into Hell's Game, why should I stay human?
Chapter 214 - 213: The most important thing in the underworld is loyalty

Chapter 214: Chapter 213: The most important thing in the underworld is loyalty

Virtue, decorum, righteousness, faith, benevolence— which of these could he claim as his own?

Honestly, Liu Zheng felt he couldn’t lay claim to any of them.

Decorum hardly needed mention, he was an orphan, savagely raised from a young age, and it was only thanks to the old dean and government welfare policies that he hadn’t become a complete delinquent.

As for faith, although he couldn’t be said to be a blatant liar, he did use his fair share of superficial talk with leaders and colleagues.

Virtue and benevolence were more out of the question; the security guards, the 11th-floor attendants, and the "Sunshine" pet store’s human pets who had died by Liu Zheng’s hand would not acknowledge these qualities in him.

Righteousness was the only one he could remotely relate to, seeing as he had just been about to betray the landlords who provided him with information when the diagnosis of his motor neuron disease interrupted him.

"Let’s start with righteousness then."

He decisively said.

Although Liu Zheng still didn’t feel capable of bearing it, it presumably wouldn’t crush him, would it?

"Okay."

Si Xue wasn’t going to give him a chance to regret it, and she reached out and grasped it.

A patch on the Five-Colored Phoenix’s leg, resembling a "Sheep" hieroglyph including feathers and flesh, was torn away.

"Screech!"

Though the Phoenix didn’t stir, Liu Zheng’s ears were filled with its mournful cries.

For this, he could only express his helplessness.

Not only did he lack the ability to rescue it, but he even needed the Phoenix’s power to protect himself.

A mass of bloody feathers was pulled from the Obsidian Pillar, reaching above Liu Zheng’s head.

Si Xue released her grip, and the bloody feathers instantly transformed into a colorful oracle bone script character for "Righteousness" and fell towards him.

And the two strokes at the bottom of "Righteousness," like two sheep hooves, heavily stepped onto his shoulders.

Liu Zheng grunted, feeling as if he was not bearing a word but a mountain.

And this mountain was not pressing on his body but on his soul.

"Righteousness" pressed down further, and countless scenes emerged in his mind.

There were memories of young Liu Zheng fighting other kids to protect a child who had bought him bubble gum.

Memories of high school, when a female classmate slipped him a note confessing her feelings, only for the teacher to notice— Liu Zheng promptly ate the note.

Up to Liu Zheng holding a cleaner, sacrificing his heart to block a fart bomb aimed at her.

Countless scenes solidified into bricks, stacking from the soles of his feet upwards, finally surpassing the top of his head and propping up the mountainous "Righteousness."

These bricks were unstable, even trembling under the pressure of "Righteousness."

But ultimately, they still supported the "Righteousness" mountain above Liu Zheng’s head, making his entire soul feel lighter.

"You actually managed to hold it up."

Si Xue looked somewhat surprised, but not excessively so.

"True enough, if by the standards of morality in Metropolis, you could almost run for sainthood."

Her tone was slightly mocking.

"If that’s the case, why doesn’t City Hall try to improve the moral standards of the masses?"

Having just recovered from heavy pressure, Liu Zheng’s mind hadn’t quite caught up as he asked reflexively.

"Morality? Whose morality?"

Si Xue retorted.

"Humans have human morality, Niu Ma have Niu Ma’s morality, Vampires have vampire morality. With thousands of recognized species in Metropolis, which species’ morality should be the standard?"

"A common denominator could be sought."

As Si Xue didn’t silence him, he continued.

"Then who determines this common denominator?"

Si Xue pressed on.

"A committee could be formed, representatives from each race could negotiate it together, then from these delegates further elect a standing committee to take charge of the specifics."

Liu Zheng said without hesitancy.

As a journalist who had gone through compulsory education and higher education, he still had some political understanding.

"Then, for which races would this greatest common denominator of morality be most advantageous?"

Si Xue asked again.

"It’s most beneficial to those weaker races."

Liu Zheng replied.

"So, do I need to keep asking?"

Si Xue said with a cold laugh.

"No need, boss."

He sighed.

This world was a supernatural one, where the disparity in power between individuals was even greater than the difference between humans and bugs in reality.

At least a bug could still bite or spray some Poison Liquid.

In this world, a powerful being like Si Xue could kill him with just one look.

The order in Metropolis was maintained, not by any greatest common divisor of morality or by compromises between races, but by the violence of the City Hall, capable of suppressing all races.

"If one day you get to see beyond the borders, you will understand that Metropolis is not so bad after all. Of course, by then you will have forgotten about this conversation."

Si Xue said indifferently.

"I just want to stay in the restaurant and work properly, not going anywhere else."

Liu Zheng immediately professed his loyalty.

Given the trouble he was currently in, without the protection of his restaurant employee status, he would have been torn apart by a mob long ago.

Even hiding in the sewer might not be safe, unless he went directly into a shelter.

But hiding in a shelter, Liu Zheng would gradually forget, and eventually might even forget about the matter of returning, and then decay completely.

"I am not Niu Ma, I don’t need you to keep brown-nosing. Are you choosing or not?"

Si Xue asked.

"Is one word enough, boss?"

"It’s hard to say, it depends on how much attention he pays to you."

Si Xue shook her head.

The president of the Writers Association was a very mysterious person; she hadn’t interacted with him much and couldn’t accurately gauge his power.

"Then let’s add another word."

Liu Zheng said through clenched teeth.

"Okay."

Si Xue gestured, and the word "信" was torn from the body of the Five-Colored Phoenix.

Like a guillotine, the word "信" landed on his neck, no longer presenting the mountain-like pressure but a sharpness accelerated by gravity.

Liu Zheng felt that he was about to be decapitated in the next second, and this soul-level beheading left even "Blood and Flesh Rebirth" ineffective.

At that moment, countless images appeared again, turning into chains wrapping around his neck.

Being trustworthy was both a restraint and a protection.

Chain after chain was continuously severed by the guillotine of "信," yet kept regenerating until the sharpness of the guillotine was exhausted.

"Phew~"

He exhaled deeply, knowing he had survived another ordeal.

"Two words now, do you want more?"

Si Xue was not surprised that he withstood the word "信."

The two characters for trustworthiness and righteousness often go together; a person truly righteous is often also trustworthy.

"Come on, this time I want the words ’德’ and ’仁’."

Liu Zheng said through clenched teeth.

He did not like to leave his fate to chance.

It would be better to be crushed by these "words" now rather than possibly being killed by the president of the Writers Association later due to not carrying enough "words."

Besides, Si Xue likely wouldn’t actually let him die there.

"Okay."

Si Xue stretched out her hand again, and the words "德" and "仁" were torn off together.

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