Tokyo Metropolis, District One, Holy Dwelling.
If the ruins that Fang Zheng first encountered highlighted the decadence of this world, then the towering white structure before him represented its most prosperous part. Fang Zheng stepped out of the car and gazed at the white edifice before him, the residence of the Tokyo Region ruler, the Holy Son.
However, such prosperity was also built on an equal measure of sin.
With a smile, Fang Zheng walked into the Holy Dwelling led by an Attendant, through corridors sufficient to confuse anyone, and tiresome elevators, until he finally reached a huge door.
"Please come in."
The Attendant ahead bowed his head respectfully and pushed open the door, and Fang Zheng entered the room.
It was a rather lavish reception room, and in front of Fang Zheng sat a girl with skin as pure white as snow and silver-white hair, dressed in a gown reminiscent of a wedding dress. Behind her stood an old man with white hair and beard, his face serious and earnest, dressed in a kimono.
As Fang Zheng entered, both raised their heads to look at him. Then, the girl with pure white skin smiled slightly and gestured to Fang Zheng.
"Hello, Mr. Fang Zheng, I am the head of state of the Tokyo Region, the Holy Son. I’m very pleased to meet you."
"I am Fang Zheng... It seems you both already know my name."
Facing the greeting of the Holy Son, Fang Zheng nodded and then naturally sat on the sofa opposite the girl, smiling politely and scrutinizing the girl who appeared to be under twenty but was already the head of the Special Zone. Fang Zheng’s knowledge of the Holy Son was not extensive, only gleaned from bits of information in magazines. He knew that the Holy Son had ascended to power after the death of her predecessor, and with her beauty and shrewd political maneuvering, held an overwhelming approval rating. However, these were all magazine exaggerations, and Fang Zheng intended to make his own judgments after seeing for himself.
"I had heard rumors about you and the Heavenly Dao Palace a long time ago."
The girl seemed to be someone who liked to take initiative in a conversation, as soon as Fang Zheng was seated, she immediately began speaking.
"I deeply admire your actions, Mr. Fang Zheng, providing refuge for those ’Cursed Children’ is not an easy task..."
"Thank you for your praise, but let’s quickly get to the point."
Had it been someone else, perhaps they would have been carried away by such flattering words from a beautiful girl, but Fang Zheng felt nothing and, wearing a polite smile, he interrupted the Holy Son, getting straight to the point.
"You invited me here not for this, Miss Holy Son. If I remember correctly, our Heavenly Dao Palace isn’t under the jurisdiction of the Tokyo Special Zone, so... could we not waste time?"
"...I am very sorry."
Hearing Fang Zheng’s reply, the Holy Son’s expression changed slightly, just as Fang Zheng had said. Her previous words, besides showing recognition for Fang Zheng’s actions, also subtly implied an attempt to assert a senior-subordinate stance. But clearly, Fang Zheng wasn’t playing along, cutting her off directly, which made the girl’s face stiffen, though she quickly regained her composure.
"Since Mr. Fang Zheng has put it that way, then I will be straightforward. I believe you might have heard about the civil police system..."
"If you’re referring to that ridiculous idea proposed by those idiots at IISO, then yes, I know about it, and I have already rejected them."
Fang Zheng waved his hand and once again interrupted the Holy Son.
"Pairing ordinary people with ’Cursed Children’ to deal with Intestinal Creatures? That’s an idiotic idea. Look at the people they have chosen; for the IISO, it doesn’t matter who partners with the ’Cursed Children.’ Fugitives, gangsters, criminals... How could any good result from such people partnering with ’Cursed Children’? Sorry, but I don’t think exposing those children to criminals is the right choice. In the Heavenly Dao Palace, they don’t have to worry about being bullied, let alone being threatened and scolded. I can’t understand why I should push children who barely climbed out of a pit of fire back into hell. Can you give me a reason?"
"But..."
Hearing Mr. Fang Zheng speak, His Majesty furrowed his brow, clasping his hands tightly and looking anxiously at Mr. Fang Zheng.
"Mr. Fang Zheng, I admit that many of the ’Cursed Children’ have pitiful fates, but we must protect the entire Tokyo’s security. And now the Self-Defense Force is short of personnel, with ordinary people being attacked by Intestinal Creatures every day. Our manpower is stretched thin, the civilian police system may be flawed, but it still helps us fill the gaps. After all, those ordinary citizens are innocent..."
"’Cursed Children’...pitiful?"
Hearing this, Fang Zheng narrowed his eyes, staring at the young girl before him. For some reason, at that moment, His Majesty and the old man behind her suddenly felt a surge of intense fear deep inside; for an instant, she even felt her legs weaken, and had she not been sitting on the couch already, she might have collapsed.
"That’s also true."
And looking at His Majesty’s pale face, Fang Zheng smiled slightly.
"Speaking of which, for someone as high and mighty as Her Royal Highness, those children are just ’pitiful’... Well, speaking of which, I haven’t given you a welcome gift yet; that’s not very polite..."
As he spoke, Mr. Fang Zheng fumbled in his pocket and then threw a small object across the air, which fell with a "clatter" onto the table in front of His Majesty.
"Is this...a memory card?"
Looking at the pitch-black memory card in front of her, His Majesty was a bit dazed, gazing at Mr. Fang Zheng, unsure of what he meant by giving her this item.
"This is a collection I obtained from some ordinary citizens of the Tokyo Region... Well, I suggest Miss His Majesty should find a private place to look at it now, and then we can discuss the next topic."
"This......"
Faced with Mr. Fang Zheng’s unexpected request, His Majesty was a bit stunned, but she hesitated for a moment before reaching out to pick up the memory card, then stood up.
"Then, please excuse my departure for a moment."
Although somewhat uneasy, His Majesty still took the memory card, temporarily left the reception room, and returned to her room, where she skillfully opened the screen and computer, then inserted the memory card. Soon, an image appeared on the screen in front of His Majesty.
"Is this... footage recorded with a video camera?"
Looking at the screen showing a middle-aged man, dressed like a mechanic, His Majesty was a bit startled. She couldn’t entirely understand why Mr. Fang Zheng wanted her to see this. However, she still patiently continued watching.
"Wednesday, the weather is clear. Damn, no customers came in today either, it’s really abysmal!"
This uncle seemed to have the habit of recording a video diary. He spoke a few gloomy words to the camera before turning around and heading deeper into the warehouse, then with a "snap," he turned on the light.
At the moment when she clearly saw the "object" illuminated under the electric light, the Holy Son covered her mouth, nearly crying out.
She saw a "Cursed Child" only about five or six years old, bound in chains at the repair shop. Her body was covered in unhealed knife wounds from which blood dripped, with flies buzzing all around.
"It stinks, this thing is getting smellier, but how come you’re not dead yet!"
The repairman stepped forward, glaring at the "Cursed Child" with disgust, then pulled a small knife made of Hua steel from a plate next to him and plunged it into the body of the "Cursed Child".
"It’s all because of you! If not for you creatures! My wife would not have died! Taro would not have died! You creatures! Creature! Go die! It’s all because of you, I have no business at all! Damn it! Damn it!!"
While shouting angrily, the man madly stabbed the girl with the knife in his hand, creating cuts, while all the girl could do was emit muffled moans. And it was at this moment that the camera shook slightly, followed by a hand reaching out.
"Hey, hey, wait a minute!"
Did someone finally come to stop it?
Upon hearing that voice, the Holy Son finally breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment, her heart turned ice cold.
"I paid money, it’s my turn now!"
"Ah, sorry, sorry."
Upon hearing that, the repairman faced the camera, showing an apologetic smile. Then he walked over to take the camera, and soon another man appeared on the screen, holding a baseball bat filled with nails, smiling at the camera.
"See? Honey? I’m going to kill this creature now, to avenge you!"
"Bang!!"
While speaking, the man raised the bat and struck the girl’s face forcefully, immediately distorting her face with blood and flesh. But he seemed unmoved, just raising the bat, continuing to hit her with it again and again.
"It’s all your fault! It’s all because of you creatures! You Intestinal Creatures! You all deserve to die! Give me back my wife! Give me back my unborn child!!"
"Thud, thud, thud!!!"
The man kept smashing the bat on the girl’s head until with a "crack," the bat splintered, and he finally stopped and stepped back to take a breath, spitting at the girl with a "ptui."
"Damn, this thing must be dead now."
"Don’t worry, it won’t die, this creature is very enduring. You’ve booked an hour today, you can enjoy it slowly."
"Woo...!"
Upon hearing this, the Holy Son reached out and covered her mouth, her eyes widened, unable to believe what she was seeing on the screen. But just then, the scene changed, and another entirely different scene appeared. On the screen was another Cursed Child, tightly tied to a pole, twisting her body desperately, crying loudly.
"Mom! Mom!!"
And next to her, a group of white-collar workers and students in uniforms were watching her.
"Hahaha, look, this creature is actually calling for her mom."
"Where did she get a mom!"
"Hahahaha..."
"Help me, mom...!!"
"Shut up!!"
Soon, a student stepped forward and forcefully stepped on the girl’s face.
"It’s because of you Intestinal Creatures that my home was destroyed, you damn creatures! If it weren’t for you, my family wouldn’t have died!"
"Kill her! Let this creature taste our pain too!"
"Use this, use this!"
Soon, an old man excitedly raised a bottle in his hand, then turned it upside down, and with that, he thrust it vigorously into the battered body in front of him.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!!!"
Accompanied by the girl’s piercing scream, the onlookers once again burst into joyous laughter, filled with happiness, mirth, and delight.
"This isn’t over yet, watch me."
Soon, another man came forward, he spat twice on his hand, then picked up a nearby hammer, smiling at the girl in front of him.
"Die, creature!!"
Yelling loudly, the man lifted the hammer high, and struck the bottle forcefully.
"—————Woo———!!!"
At that moment, the Holy Son could no longer hold back, and she rushed into the bathroom as if escaping, vomiting violently. The scenes she had just seen seemed to echo bloodily in her mind, so much so that the Holy Son didn’t even remember how she had made it back to the drawing room. She only knew that when she felt the soft touch of the sofa beneath her once again, she finally seemed to regain her senses.
And, across from her, Mr. Fang Zheng was staring at the pale-faced girl.
"Now, please tell me, Miss Holy Son, do these so-called ’ordinary citizens’ deserve to be protected?"

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