CHAPTER 221: CHAPTER 221: FRIENDS

Ackman came from a highly chaotic Undersea City, where he witnessed many things that couldn’t see the light of day.

Zone 103, commonly referred to as H103, is an Undersea City that’s both prosperous and filthy.

Various forces are interwoven there, building one picturesque little city after another for those wealthy ’nobles’ to revel in. But on the other side of Zone 103, countless impoverished and weak Beastmen reside.

Ackman also lives in that dirty and chaotic environment, relying on hunting Fallen Species to make money, striving to leave Zone 103 as soon as possible.

He once had a friend who told him, "By killing Fallen Species like this, when will you accumulate enough money to leave Zone 103?"

"Ackman, let me tell you, there’s a place where you can earn in one night what you can’t make in a year, or even ten years! You’re so skilled, I’m sure you can do it too! How about I take you there?"

Ackman didn’t need to think to know where his friend was talking about.

Going to where the rich indulge themselves; if you can entertain them, then naturally everything will be yours.

But Ackman disdained it, preferring to boldly hunt Fallen Species!

"I won’t go, and I advise you not to either. That money isn’t something you should earn."

"Why not? The money those rich people squander was originally exploited from us poor folk. What’s wrong with taking their money? It’s not dirty work!"

His friend suddenly flaunted the balance on his Light Brain account, "Look, just one visit yesterday, and I earned this much! I can’t even make this in a month!"

"What did you do?" Ackman frowned, "You shouldn’t go over there anymore!"

"What could I have done? Do you think I sold myself?" His friend snorted, "I’m not as good-looking as you. Otherwise, I would’ve hooked up with a wealthy woman and left this dump already!"

"I found a job selling drinks there; as long as you speak nicely, those rich folks looking for a sense of superiority will throw money at you! Especially someone as handsome as you!"

Ackman frowned, puzzled by why his usually righteousness-indignant friend suddenly changed his demeanor.

Despite his disdain for the wealthy, his friend still wanted to take money from them. To get money, he’d even forsake his dignity...

Could the ’charm’ of that place be so great as to change someone overnight?

"That kind of place isn’t somewhere you can casually enter and leave." Once you’re in, you might never come out.

Ackman advised, "Quit that job!"

His friend, meeting Ackman’s complicated gaze, angrily retorted, "Ackman! Don’t be so stubborn! Some money is meant to be made! If you weren’t my friend, I wouldn’t even tell you about this way to make money! Since you’re unwilling, then I’ll see you later!"

After that day, his friend grew cold, rarely contacting him unless to boast about how much money he’d made.

Until one day, his friend came seeking him, dropping to his knees with a thud, "Ackman! For the sake of our years of friendship, help me! Without your help, I’m doomed!"

From his friend’s mouth, Ackman learned that colleagues had set him up, intending to throw him into the Beast Arena to battle ferocious sea beasts!

"Ackman, you know my skills! If I go in, I won’t come out! But if I don’t, I must pay a sum that I couldn’t earn in ten lifetimes!"

"I beg you, help me! Or I’m truly dead!" His friend, amid tears and snot, ultimately promised Ackman, "As long as you help me win this time, I swear I’ll never go there again! I’ll quit!"

Out of sympathy, Ackman agreed to help him this time.

But Ackman didn’t expect to be betrayed! His friend of ten years, for the sake of money, betrayed him without hesitation, using deceitful means, exploiting his kindness, to thrust him into the Beast Arena.

"Boss, I told you, as long as I went, he’d agree! Don’t worry, Ackman is skilled! He’ll definitely entertain you thoroughly! Unlike those weaklings before, who got torn apart by sharks as soon as they entered!"

"You don’t know, he even killed an A-level Fallen Species once!"

"Well done! Here’s your bonus! If you can bring more people like him, I’ll give you more!"

The friend had never been set up; he simply wanted to curry favor with the rich for a fat sum, choosing to deceive Ackman into this...

Through the immensely solid cage, Ackman saw his friend’s ingratiating manner and felt utterly desolate, "How could you deceive me this way?"

"Ackman! Don’t get agitated!" The friend advised, "You’re already in, the only way out is to kill the sea beast inside! Once out, you’ll gain a huge sum!"

The friend scolded him for being ungrateful, then turned and fawningly flattered the wealthy nearby...

Ackman had no choice but to fight for his life amid the harsh jeers, breaking three ribs and an arm, ultimately slaying the Fallen Species within!

"Great! Wonderful! Hahaha! Haven’t seen something this entertaining for a long time! Reward him!"

Ackman, bloodied all over, walked out, glaring at his betraying friend, "Now, can I leave?"

"Of course..." His friend’s eyes flickered with guilt, staying several meters away from Ackman, fearing he might rush over to kill him!

"Ackman, the money’s been transferred to your account, take a good look!" The friend straightened up again, "I did it for your own good. You go in for one match and earn so much!"

"Anyway, you usually hunt Fallen Species; what’s different doing it here? You can make dozens or even hundreds of times more than usual!"

"Go back and rest up! Recover for a few weeks, and you can come back here to earn again!"

Ackman stepped out of that opulent place, telling him, "I won’t come back."

But Ackman’s words made his friend anxious.

"No! You must come back! I’ve already told the boss!"

He thought that seeing so much money would make Ackman relent. If Ackman didn’t go, how would he explain to the boss? He had barely earned the boss’s favor; if he screwed this up, he’d be in big trouble!

"The boss is nice, not forcing you onstage; don’t be ungrateful!"

Ackman sneered.

Nice?

Just the perverse amusement of the rich.

They wanted to see brothers turn against each other, wanted to see a dog biting the bone hanging off a cliff!

"I’ll go back and consider it... I need to heal for now!"