Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 570 - 479 Stranger Letter_1

"Do you know what my name is?"

"...Huai, Huai Shi?"

"What about my gender?"

"Male..."

"Age?"

"I heard... you're seventeen..."

"Occupation?"

"The, the Astronomical Society... Xinhai Inspector."

In the chaotic office, where the smell of gunpowder had yet to dissipate, only ragged breaths, thick with tension and fear, could be heard.

Behind the office desk, the old man, gasping for air under the pressure of the sword and axe, bowed his head. He answered the intruder's questions, shivering from the palpable chill.

Across the desk, the young man was idly browsing his phone, looking over the day's absurd comments from online friends. He asked distractedly, "Anything else?"

"There's, there's more..."

The old man's lips trembled. He felt the sharp coldness pressing down on his neck and swallowed involuntarily. He didn't know whether to cooperate, nor did he understand what the intruder wanted to hear, or even how he should respond.

Before this, the lunatic in front of him hadn't asked any questions; he had just barged all the way in. The operation the old man had run for so long at the border was finished. His men had been slaughtered like chopping vegetables, sparing only him.

Back then, they had tried everything to communicate with him, but he never spoke.

Now, he had finally spoken, but the old man didn't know how to answer.

The old man's mind raced. He tried to figure out Huai Shi's intention, desperately hoping he wouldn't be beheaded like those unfortunate men a few days ago over a mere disagreement.

Huai Shi, seventeen years old, Xinhai Inspector, the Beheading King of Jinling, the Astronomical Society's most notorious Executioner in Asia, the King of Murder.

What did he want to hear?

No, it should be about what I can offer, right?

"I... I understand now." He paused, then, looking toward the safe behind the painting on the wall, he had an epiphany. "I'm new here, unaware of the local rules. Please, be magnanimous... allow me to offer a token of my Intention."

Spending money to avoid disaster.

These border smugglers, even if they seemed wealthy and powerful, were like dogs compared to the truly mighty.

Even if Huai Shi had barged in today and killed him like those other unobservant fools a few days ago—as easily as slaughtering a chicken—no one would dare to seek justice for him. Huai Shi could simply file a report and submit a Black Envelope afterward.

To live long, one had to bribe generously, both above and below.

There shouldn't have been such an oversight. The problem was this Inspector's rise had been too rapid. He was aloof and inaccessible, never entertaining irrelevant invitations.

No one could connect with him, nor could they quickly ascertain if this man was as ruthless and apathetic as rumored. Then, disaster struck.

Now that Huai Shi was asking questions, he felt not fear, but a flicker of joy.

It was just a matter of spending some money. If he could buy his life with it, nothing could be better.

But then, he felt the axe on his neck suddenly press down a fraction, the bone-chilling coldness intensifying.

The young man sitting opposite rolled his eyes. When he looked up, his expression turned indifferent.

"Was I asking you about that?"

Huai Shi coldly countered, "Do you think a Xinhai Inspector can't handle you? Or that a seventeen-year-old kid is easy to fool? Or perhaps you believe I took down all your men, barged into your den, and pressed you against an axe just to ask you questions for fun?"

In the room, shrouded in subtle darkness, it suddenly felt as if winter had arrived.

Despite the onset of summer, the gloomy killing intent felt like a chilling wind, freezing everyone in place, sending shivers down their spines.

The young man looked down at him and asked, word by word:

"—Do you know what time it is now?"

"..."

The old man froze. His lips quivered as he tried to beg for mercy, but no words came out. He racked his brain, trying to recall if anything significant had happened recently, but he couldn't think of anything amiss.

It was just an ordinary May, no different from usual, and nothing seemed out of place. Even the Astronomical Society's crackdowns on smuggling usually happened at the end or beginning of the year...

But in an instant, he had a revelation. "Could, could it be... Your Excellency's birthday?"

"Birthday my ass!"

Huai Shi exploded, "My birthday is in April! It's long past! Do you really think I give a damn about your money? Do you even know that today is May 29th?"

"Ah?" The old man was dumbstruck.

In a fit of rage, Huai Shi slammed his hand on the desk and bellowed, "Do you have any idea that I have my college entrance exams in a week?!"

What the heck?

The old man couldn't process it.

"You know I'm Huai Shi, you know I'm seventeen, but you don't know I'm also a high school student who's been swamped studying for exams?"

Huai Shi pulled out the Sacrificial Knife and thrust it in front of the old man's face, staring into his eyes. "Do you know what it feels like when you're cramming for an exam and suddenly get a text saying, 'You damn well better get to work,' and then you have to go out under the scorching sun to chop down you smuggling Wang Ba scoundrels?"

"Uh..."

After a long, stunned silence, the old man said incredulously, "Just... just because of this?"

A dozen or so border smugglers. Their life's work. All their savings. More than four hundred lives. Dozens of smuggling routes with combined monthly revenues in the billions. All of it... just because of this?