Chapter 156

Shen Yue took 14 and Danni La with her as she walked out of the Newcomer Building, making quite a spectacle with just three people exiting the building. Si Chengyou, who was standing at the door, was stunned by the sight.

However, he did not say anything directly about Shen Yue's behavior of bringing an entourage with her everywhere. He simply commented offhandedly, "Sometimes, an individual being deceived is the same as everyone being deceived."

Having just met and already heard Si Chengyou say such mystifying words, Shen Yue did not reflect on herself but instead chose to blame others. "Are you still not fully awake, saying such nonsense?" she retorted.

As soon as she finished speaking, a pleasing feminine laugh sounded from the side. Shen Yue turned her head towards the sound and glanced at Danni La, who immediately stifled her laughter. "Sorry about that!" she said.

Seeing this exchange, Si Chengyou realized something, but since Shen Yue still seemed oblivious, he did not point it out. Instead, he simply urged them onward. "Let's go. It's less crowded now so you can still pick and choose. Once those hardcore gamblers arrive, Building 8 will descend into chaos."

Shen Yue nodded, though she did not understand the implication behind Si Chengyou's words. That didn't stop her from nodding anyway.

The walk from the Newcomer Building to Building 8 was quite far. Si Chengyou drove them over, exploiting his privilege as an authority figure. After all, anyone who dared question that privilege risked getting run over mercilessly by his car.

The reason the Newcomer Building was built so far from Building 8 was quite simple. The newcomers were all broke and had no money to spend on leisure. So they were relegated far away to be out of sight and out of mind.

Money—that single word encapsulated all the rules and intents behind the Grounds of Broken Wings.

After about twenty minutes of driving, the group arrived at Building 8. Si Chengyou carelessly parked the car at the side. Apparently people would come to collect it later.

After about a minute of walking, the extravagant visage of Building 8 came into view. Whereas Building 1 was constructed as a high-class VIP residence, elegant and luxurious in just the right amounts as a symbol of status, Building 8 was gaudy wealth taken to the extreme. Beyond the glittering gold, there was only more glittering gold, with few other colors in sight.

No other building was as eye-catching as Building 8. From roof to foundation, only one word was emblazoned throughout—Money.

The grand doors of Building 8 were also exceptionally spacious. Even with a hundred people standing shoulder to shoulder, there would be no issues passing through.

Si Chengyou explained at the side, "The left wing of Building 8 contains prison cells, while the right wing is the casino. The casino portion has 34 floors from bottom to top. If you win a single round on your current floor, you can advance up one floor. But with each ascent, the minimum bet also increases."

Shen Yue looked at the magnificently extravagant building before her, yet inexplicably felt as if it were a voracious beast roaring to gnaw her flesh and bones down to nothingness.

Si Chengyou walked to Shen Yue's side and softly said, "Can you feel it—the human desires you need to understand?" Shen Yue approached the grand doors without responding, seemingly hesitant as she peered inside.

Si Chengyou asked, "Afraid?"

Only then did Shen Yue turn to face him. Pointing at the disclaimer notice placed at the Building 8 entrance, she asked, "If I sign with my nationality's writing system, can they understand it?"

Si Chengyou glanced at the document. It was a gambling agreement clearly stipulating that upon failure to pay gambling debts with possessed assets, one's physical body would automatically be used as collateral instead.

In other words, losing one's self.

Once a prisoner bets and loses ownership over their own body, it can be subjected to all manners of acts without restraint.

For example, being used for bloody livestreams to satisfy certain VIPs' peculiar tastes, or being made to betray rules they should have upheld.

"Just sign it however you want."

Essentially those disclaimers were meaningless anyway. Those blinded by desire would plunge headfirst into what could be paradise but was surely an abyss, no matter if the path forward was already doomed.

Upon hearing that, Shen Yue simply responded with an "Oh," before casually scrawling out her name with the brush left at the entrance: Si Er Gou (Si's Second Dog).

Having unintentionally caught a glimpse of what Shen Yue wrote, Si Chengyou was momentarily stunned. "Why is it surnamed Si?" he asked.

Shen Yue replied matter-of-factly, "Because you're closest to me."

She pondered briefly before asking again, "Do you not like Er Gou (Second Dog)? How about San Gou (Third Dog) instead?"

Si Chengyou kept silent, unwilling to entertain such silly questions.

Seeing Si Chengyou's lack of response, Shen Yue went ahead and changed the name to Si Da Gou (Si's Big Dog) all on her own.

She then added Danni La · Gottz's and 14's names below.

After finishing, she casually tossed the document aside and fearlessly strode into the lavish grand doors of Building 8, with 14 following closely on her heels.

Danni La also went along.

Si Chengyou brought up the rear, picking up the disclaimer Shen Yue had written on and glancing at the "Si Da Gou" three characters. Without any hesitation, he changed "Dog" into "Cat"—Si Da Mao (Si's Big Cat) instead.

Mm, that sounded much better to him.

Although he owned dogs, he personally preferred cats.

After altering the document, Si Chengyou carefully placed the brush and paper back exactly where Shen Yue had left them, restoring the area to its original untouched appearance. By the time the unhurried Si Chengyou entered Building 8, he discovered Shen Yue's group of three still loitering in the first floor lobby.

He walked over to ask, "Why aren't you going in?"

Shen Yue pointed at 14 sulking in the corner. "14 said there's a very scary man inside. He wants to mentally prepare first before entering."

Si Chengyou showed a sudden realization, as if recalling something. He glanced at 14 with a rare glimmer of schadenfreude in his eyes.

Witnessing that expression made Shen Yue even more curious about what had happened.

She directly strode towards the door marked "Casino Entrance" on the left wing, launching a psychological attack on 14. "14, if you don't hurry up and follow, I'll be going to my death all alone!"

Shen Yue's words were quite effective, immediately spurring the self-isolated 14 to frantically scamper back to Shen Yue's side to resume his self-isolation.

Danni La had also been about to follow, but was called to a stop by Si Chengyou.

"You are called Danni La, correct?"

Glancing back at Si Chengyou, Danni La instantly knew with certainty that this was a man she absolutely could not afford to provoke.

She understood that he was the authority figure of Building 5. Si Chengyou had simply kept his fangs well-hidden in Shen Yue's presence, which was why Shen Yue hadn't noticed the danger surrounding this man.

Although Si Chengyou had merely called out her name, she couldn't help but start feeling afraid.

"Danni La, I need you to do something for me..."

...

On the other hand, it didn't take long after Shen Yue and 14 entered the casino for 14 to get entangled by a certain muscular man.

That's right—14 was the one getting harassed by a man, not Shen Yue.

"Oh 14, you've finally come to see me! I missed you to death! Come here and give me a kiss– Tsk, fine then, no kisses if you don't want any. Why are you hitting me?"

"14 smells so nice, let me take a sniff, what laundry detergent do you use that makes you smell so good... Tsk, fine then, no sniffing if refused. Why are you hitting my nose and making it bleed?"

"Hey, stop that! Don't get near me! This is blood shed for 14! No one is allowed to wipe it away!"

The group of workers standing at the side gawked blankly at each other.

As for 14, he wordlessly continued his attacks against a certain muscle-bound man clinging onto him, with an expressionless yet utterly exasperated face.

Shen Yue's current mood could be summed up in one word: Whoa.