♂?，，

  Talking about chopping pork ribs is actually a pretty tough and dirty job with low pay. The reason why Fang Lin can always do this job with a sense of enjoyment is that he wants to experience the kind of self-transcendence in that moment of inspiration.

  He Lao looked at Fang Lins slow movements, and finally couldnt bear it. His face had been dark since the morning, and he was about to come over to teach this arrogant kid a lesson. But just as he took two steps forward, the chopping board made a loud "slap" sound, splashing out several pieces of minced meat and blood foam, startling him into retreating hastily, afraid that his expensive clothes would be stained. Just when Fang Lin stopped chopping and He Lao was about to regain his courage to come over and scold him, he saw the young man raise his head, calmly look at him for a moment, then stretch out the hand holding the knife, slowly unwrapping the white cloth stained with blood from it. Seeing Fang Lins movements, He Lao suddenly calmed down, took a step back, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and forced himself to maintain his previous air:

  "Whats the point of doing nothing?"

  Fang Lin said sincerely:

  "My abilities are limited, it seems I can no longer meet your requirements, so Ill just resign myself to this. This months salary, I wont take either."

  He said, and then rolled up the apron on his body, planning to leave immediately. Old Hes heart was suddenly hit hard. If this kid leaves, where can he find such cheap labor? Fortunately, he is also diligent with his hands and feet, and can be used as half a cleaner. Although it takes a bit longer, his hands really dont look like theyre lazy. The most important thing is! Now if you go to the talent market to find another brick, you have to give 1,500 yuan for food and accommodation, not to mention the quality of the person!

  People often say: when something is about to be lost, only then do you realize its preciousness. Old He is also like this, only now thinking of Fang Lins benefits, hastily stammering:

  "No need, I just came in to take a look and urge you on. Youre doing great. Keep it up, everyone work hard, tonight Ill treat you all to dinner."

  On the one hand, he was talking, on the other hand, he was walking out with a humble and flattering attitude, his head nodding and bowing. Fang Lins mouth corners slightly curled up, even a temporary worker who earns 200 yuan a month can do it like this, so arrogant that even the boss is afraid of him, its really a miracle.

  That night, Fang Lin was certainly busy, and later the boss personally took up the knife to help him cut through the pork ribs. Although his hands were beaten into two big blood blisters, it was a typical pain-and-pleasure experience. At over 2 oclock in the morning when they settled the bill, Old He was beaming with joy, having made a huge profit of over 500 kilograms of pork ribs sold out. As a result, Tie Gong Ji also got a rare bonus of 50 yuan each, and for dinner - or rather, supper, which was supposed to be hot pot but actually just a mixture of leftover soup from the customers. After being busy all day, everyone was starving, and they were all wolfing down their food without caring about anything else, just trying to fill their stomachs first.

  Fang Lin was really exhausted that night. Although he had strong endurance, the physical pain could be tolerated, but the spent energy couldnt be recovered instantly. Even when eating, he used his left hand. His appetite was quite big, and he emphasized chewing slowly, so by the time he finished eating, most people had dispersed. Even Zhou San, who was usually very diligent, leaned against the stool beside him and started snoring. Fang Lin took his rice box to wash it, but halfway through, his pupils suddenly constricted!

  Wan Qiang didnt know when, had quietly walked to his own back!

  Fang Lin knew about this, not because he had any premonition of danger, nor was it due to Wan Qiang making a sound that caught his attention, but rather the stainless steel water tap in front of him cleverly reflected the scene behind him!

  "Whats up?" Fang Lin suddenly spoke out, saying lightly. Although he was very interested in the blinking tattoo on Wan Qiangs body, he knew that the more you care about something, the more you have to pretend to be nonchalant, so as to gain the greatest benefit at the smallest cost.

  It was Wan Qiang who was startled, his whole body stiffening as he said:

  "How did you know I was coming?"

  Fang Lins mouth corners slightly curled up, but he didnt answer his question, and instead asked another one:

  "Whats wrong?"

  Wan Qiang was somewhat dissatisfied with this kind of passive way of answering, and the blue veins on his forehead burst out, but he endured it again and said:

  "Theres nothing much, just a university student, recently Ive been feeling a bit uncomfortable in my chest, can you help me take a look?"

  Fang Lins heart skipped a beat, he indeed wanted to take a closer look at the tattoo on Wan Qiangs chest, but was always thinking of how to do it without arousing suspicion. Who would have thought that this person would actually come knocking on his door! A bad premonition flashed through his mind - after all, everything in the world has its pros and cons, and things that are too smooth often hide some extraordinary crises behind them.

  If it were up to Fang Lins cautious nature, he would have liked to speak out and shirk the responsibility, but at this moment, the man in front of him suddenly tore open his shirt! The buttons "clattered" to the ground!

  That tattoo!

  That sneering crimson tattoo appeared before Fang Lins eyes once again!

  At this time, he was even more keenly aware that, with the exception of his upper garment, Wan Qiangs muscles were exceptionally clear and distinct, bulging out one by one, as if they had been tempered through years of rigorous training!

  But to be honest, in this kitchen, he is the laziest one. Every day, he either sits with his hands clasped or wanders around like a supervisor. The reason why this demanding boss can tolerate him is that Wan Qiangs sister also works in the store and has a close relationship with He Tie Gong Ji.

  This tattoo is... quite eerie.

  Fang Lin could only describe it with two words: strange and weird.

  Since he first saw this tattoo, he has consulted a large amount of information. There are two methods for tattoos: one is to use shark teeth and animal bones tied to a wooden stick dipped in ink, and then tap it into the skin with a small hammer. The second is to use a bone needle bound together with the first kind passed down by the Maori people, tied to a wooden stick, and manually poked into the skin. However, neither method can create such vivid and lifelike patterns!

  Suddenly, that ferocious and sinister tattoo suddenly grinned at him with a wide smile!

  Even Fang Lins psychological quality was extremely strong, he could do it after murdering someone and immediately fell asleep, but he was also suddenly shocked by this matter. The surrounding area was quiet, the light of the street lamp turned pale, the water from the faucet was dripping, and there was a mysterious atmosphere brewing in the air. Wan Qiangs face changed several times, and finally, he expressionlessly said:

  "Does it look good?"

  Fang Lin took a deep breath, and he noticed that Wan Qiang seemed calm, but his index finger and thumb were already rubbing together restlessly, his eyeballs slightly bulging out, and even the fine hairs on his arm were standing up. This showed that he was in an abnormally excited state at this moment. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, but suddenly, his eyes met those deep, piercing eyes again, and he involuntarily replied:

  "Very... strange appearance."

  Wan Qiang suddenly rushed forward, grasped Fang Lins arm, and with red veins visible in his eyes, he exclaimed in a voice that was almost unrecognizable:

  "...... Indeed, I can see this nightmare branding!"

  Fang Lins self-control was incredibly strong, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he knew it wasnt good. He wanted to shout loudly, but suddenly felt a chill on his waist, followed by a faint stinging pain, as if something extremely sharp had pierced his skin and was trembling in the flesh on the surface of his waist. Wan Qiangs voice turned dark and mysterious, saying word by word:

  "Go."

  Fang Lin had already judged that he was being held at knifepoint and calmly said:

  "Where are you going? Be careful not to hurt me. There may be people coming here at any time."

  Wan Qiang didnt say a word, he just slightly moved his hand, and the knife tip that had pierced into his body for half an inch indicated the direction to Fang Lin with a sharp and painful feeling.

  There is the staircase.

  Fang Lin originally thought that Wan Qiang was going to take him hostage to the rooftop, a place where people rarely go, but instead they were heading downwards. He was somewhat perplexed - could it be that this guy planned to drag him down to the lobby? Didnt he fear someone would call the police? Even if he wasnt afraid, Fang Lin, as a wanted fugitive, certainly was!

  Unfortunately, Fang Lin had no choice but to follow him down the stairs. Faintly visible, Wan Qiangs eyes were half-closed, and the ferocious ghost tattoo on his chest emitted a dim glow, which, when shining on the stairs, created an unreal refraction effect! It was as if the hard ground had ripples like water waves, as if there was a barrier separating another world.

  The two of them easily pierced through the past!

  He continued to walk down half a flight of stairs, and Fang Lin immediately sensed that something was off! He went in and out of this place every day, so as not to let his brain idle, he was always looking for data to remember. Normally, this half-flight of stairs had eleven steps, each fourteen centimeters high, but he found that the previous half-flight was normal, but after turning the corner, the stairs under his feet became thirteen steps, and the height of each step also decreased slightly!

  Wan Qiang was panting with excitement, urging Fang Lin to hurry up and move forward. Under normal circumstances, they should have already reached the lobby of Huo Guo City by now. However, what appeared before Fang Lins eyes was another dimly lit turn, and the endless winding staircase seemed to lead all the way down to the depths of the earth!

  All of this cannot be described with modern science. The surroundings were quiet, and there was even the sound of water and heavy, excited breathing mixed together. Fang Lin felt as if his arm had been shackled to an iron hoop, being effortlessly dragged forward by Wan Qiang.

  Five floors, six floors, seven floors... Fang Lin silently counted in his heart, paying attention to the stairs going down. Although ordinary people can observe their surroundings, Fang Lin can notice a lot of details from it and store them in his mind. Moreover, he can use logical reasoning to predict some facts that are about to happen.

  As I walked to the eleventh floor, I could already faintly hear the murmur of voices. Fang Lin had mentally prepared himself, but he still couldnt help feeling a thrill of excitement. In such a gloomy environment, moving forward slowly was really psychologically oppressive, even his breathing was a bit labored. When I reached the thirteenth floor, there were no more stairs to go down, and the sensation coming from underfoot was soft and sticky, as if he was treading on... internal organs.

  At this time, the ferocious tattoo on Wan Qiangs chest emitted a faint green glow, which was quite cold and illuminated the surrounding area, but only within a few meters of their bodies. It was as if a dim green light ball had enveloped them. Suddenly, a sharp white light flashed in the distance, and Fang Lin saw it and immediately closed his eyes reflexively. He felt a stinging pain in his eyes, and just being exposed to that light for half a second made him feel like his body and mind were injured!

  Wan Qiang let out a loud, mournful cry. His eyes bulged out of their sockets by almost a centimeter, and the veins on his neck stood out one by one. It looked like all the blood in his body was boiling, as if he would explode at any moment! His hands danced wildly in the air, grasping at nothing, while his throat emitted a low, choking gasp of pain:

  "Wait...... wait a minute!"

  A faint, cold voice came from the darkness, with a metallic hardness and texture that said:

  "He broke the rules, so he should accept punishment!"

  At the moment when the sound came, Wan Qiang had already shouted out hoarsely:

  "I dont! This person can see nightmare brands!"

  His roar echoed through the illusory and mysterious space, overlapping and colliding with each other. In the distance, a white light suddenly burst forth, then disappeared, but at this moment, the feeling given to Fang Lin was somewhat warm. Next, the light gradually spread out like mercury pouring down, just like a vast white road, directly extending to the front of the two peoples eyes.

  Under the overwhelming joy, Fang Lin hastily pulled along with Bai Guang and ran forward. As they approached, Fang Lin noticed that a massive outline gradually appeared in front of them. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it was an enormous bronze-colored gate with neatly arranged rows of long, sharp teeth on its surface. The gates height exceeded 100 meters, standing upright and supporting the sky. Simply gazing at it evoked an inexplicable sense of reverence, making one feel an overwhelming urge to kneel down and worship.

  At the gate, there is someone sitting.

  The mans face was covered with a mask, identical to the tattooed ghost head on Wan Qiangs chest. He just sat there, and Fang Lin felt that Wan Qiangs hand gripping his forearm was trembling, whether from fear or excitement.

  "Is it him? The visible nightmare brand?" said the ghostly masked man.

  Wan Qiang hastily said:

  "A thousand truths and ten thousand certainties!"

  The man in the ghost mask turned to Fang Lin, his gaze sweeping over him from top to bottom. Fang Lin immediately felt all the hairs on his body stand on end, as if he had been pierced by some kind of electric charge. But he still stood calmly in place, silently staring at the other person.

  "En." The ghostly masked man slowly said, "No lies were told, 13776. He can indeed see the Nightmare Branding. According to the worlds laws, a request that fits his identity can be made."

  Wan Qiang swallowed a mouthful of saliva with a "gulp" and let out a dry, raspy sigh:

  "I... I want to get out of this place! To live a normal life again!"

  The man in the ghost mask paused for a moment, seemingly taken aback, before responding in his cold, hard voice:

  "Do you know the price?"

  Wan Qiangs face twitched, and his eyes revealed a crazed glint, the kind of gaze that Fang Lin had seen many times before on those gamblers who had lost all reason!

  "I... know... the way! As long as I can walk out of that door behind me smoothly, I can cut off all ties with this damned place! Wan Qiang Wan"

  "The second child gritted his teeth and said, If others can get out, why cant I?"

  Upon hearing this sentence, Fang Lin let out a sigh in his heart. There are many things in this world that others can do but he cannot.

  The person wearing the Oni mask said in a flat tone without any ups and downs:

  "Come on in!"

  Behind him, a worn-out wooden door appeared instantly, and if there was anything unusual about it, it was the faint red glow emanating from the doorknob.

  Wan Qiangs facial muscles twisted, and he suddenly let out a loud roar, grabbing the door handle and slamming it shut. The door opened and closed extremely quickly, but Fang Lin could still see a faint red glow emanating from within. Suddenly, a series of strange noises erupted from inside the room, like a ferocious beast gnawing on bones or seventeen people sawing through wood with all their might. However, just one minute later... or to be precise, when Fang Lin had silently counted to fifty-five, a blood-curdling scream of despair pierced the air from within the house!

  "Kill me! Kill me quickly!"

  As soon as the words fell, after a series of extremely powerful and dull thuds, black foam poured out from the gap in the door, hitting Fang Lins face with a stinging sensation, and slowly slid down. However, Fang Lin did not reach out to wipe it off, but instead savored the last sound that came from the room with great interest, and couldnt help but think:

  "It turns out that the sound of a persons bones being crushed is exactly the same as the sound of a pigs bones being crushed."

  The man with a ghost mask gazed at him quietly for a while before saying faintly:

  "Come over here."

  Fang Lin thought for a moment before saying:

  "Now that Ive come here and seen so many unbelievable things, if I dont join, the consequences will probably be severe."

  "The consequence is just like him." The Ghost Masked Man said calmly, his eyes fixed on the bloodstain that was slowly forming on Fang Lins face.

  "So, what are the benefits of joining?" Fang Lin smiled, and at this time he could still smile! "Its like a very demanding boss hiring an employee, you have to show off the welfare treatment first."

  The man in the ghost mask didnt expect this young man to be so calm, he was stunned for a moment before saying:

  "If... can complete the ten golden mainline tasks delivered, then a request can be made."

  Fang Lin suddenly took a deep breath, his head hung low, and others couldnt see the expression on his face, but they could sense that this young man was having an extremely intense mental struggle. After a long time, he spoke very cautiously:

  "So...... is this requirement something that can be accomplished, which modern science cannot do... or even think of? For example... bringing back to life a person who has died and been cremated?"

  "Can." The Ghost Masked Man only replied with one word. Apparently, he wasnt the first person to be asked this question either.

  Fang Lin suddenly clenched his fists, not as a prelude to attacking someone, but because of excessive excitement and tension, the muscles all over his body were taut, and his lips were unconsciously bitten, with a salty and fishy smell lingering in his mouth.

  Thats the taste of blood.

  "Im in." Fang Lin quickly regained his composure and said: "What do you want me to do?"

  "Have you ever killed someone?" The masked man suddenly asked a question that was unrelated to the current situation. But Fang Lin knew that he had seen through his calm demeanor after witnessing people die, so he skillfully replied:

  "Lets just forget about what happened in the past."

  The man in the ghost mask gazed at him deeply and suddenly snapped his fingers.

  Only behind him, that one bronze-colored giant door that seemed to connect the sky and the earth, suddenly emitted a faint glow. The color of the glow was extremely eerie and terrifying, as if thick blood had been splattered onto the giant door. The Ghost Head Masked Man ordered:

  "Go ahead."

  Fang Lin took a deep breath and slowly walked past, but when he was still one meter away from the giant gate, he suddenly noticed that there were countless tiny patterns and strange flower-like markings on it. Just as he was about to take a closer look, a massive and irresistible suction force came from in front of him, followed by a scorching pain in his chest, and then he fainted.

  Complete works txt download, full text free, e-book, remember 77 reading books