Harbor City. The largest port in the East.
It was 8:00 PM. The night view of the harbor was dazzling, with neon lights reflecting on the dark ocean surface like shattered gems.
At Pier No. 9, a massive cruise ship was docked. It was painted pitch black, blending perfectly into the night. On its hull, the golden letters "THE ELYSIUM" glowed ominously.
This ship was a legend in the underground world. It sailed to the high seas, where no law existed. On board, money was the only god.
A line of luxury cars—Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris—snaked toward the VIP entrance. Men in tuxedos and women in stunning evening gowns stepped out, their faces filled with excitement and greed.
Screech—
A worn-out green taxi stopped abruptly at the tail of the luxury convoy.
"Hey! You can't park here! Get lost!" A security guard in a bulletproof vest waved his baton angrily at the taxi driver.
The taxi door opened.
Jiang Daolin stepped out. He wore a simple gray trench coat, carrying a battered red wooden box on his back. His old canvas shoes looked out of place on the pristine red carpet.
"Hey, kid!" The security guard blocked his path, sneering. "Are you lost? This isn't a place for beggars or street performers. The crew entrance is at the back."
Around them, several wealthy guests chuckled.
"Look at him. Does he think this is a public ferry?" "Maybe he's here to deliver seafood? He smells like the countryside."
A young man in a white suit, holding a champagne glass, walked over. He was hugging a supermodel. "Guard, toss him out. He's ruining the view for my girlfriend."
"Yes, Mr. Li!" The guard nodded and reached out to grab Jiang Daolin's shoulder. "Did you hear that? Scram!"
Jiang Daolin stood still, his expression indifferent.
He didn't speak. He simply reached into his pocket and pulled out a black metal card with gold edges.
He flicked his wrist.
Whoosh!
The card spun through the air like a shuriken and embedded itself into the wooden pillar right next to the guard's ear.
Thud!
The guard froze. If the card had been an inch to the left, his ear would have been sliced off.
"Are you blind?" Jiang Daolin asked softly.
The guard swallowed hard and looked at the card. When he saw the crowned skull emblem, his knees instantly went weak.
Black Gold Invitation. Only the top 1% of the VIPs—those who spent over 100 million on the ship—possessed this card.
"I... I..." The guard was trembling so hard he couldn't speak.
The young man in the white suit, Mr. Li, also saw the card. His face turned pale. Even his father only had a Silver Card! Who was this guy? A hidden prince from an ancient family?
"Sorry! I am so sorry, Sir!"
Suddenly, a fat man in a manager's uniform rushed out from the checkpoint. He pulled the card out of the pillar with both hands and bowed to Jiang Daolin at a 90-degree angle.
"Please forgive my subordinate's ignorance! Welcome aboard, distinguished guest! VIP Passage No. 1 is open for you!"
The manager was sweating buckets. People with this card could buy his life ten times over.
Jiang Daolin took back the card and wiped it casually on his coat, as if it were a piece of scrap metal.
"Can I go in now?"
"Of course! Of course! Right this way!" The manager gestured respectfully, clearing the path. The arrogant Mr. Li and his girlfriend quickly stepped aside, not daring to make eye contact.
Jiang Daolin walked past them without a glance.
As he stepped onto the deck of The Elysium, a blast of warm, perfumed air hit him.
Inside, the ship was a golden palace. Crystal chandeliers, velvet carpets, classical music, and the clinking of wine glasses. It looked like heaven.
But Jiang Daolin stopped.
He twitched his nose slightly.
Stitcher's Sense: Olfactory Resonance.
Beneath the expensive perfume, the aroma of fine wine, and the scent of cigars... he smelled it.
Rot. Blood. And the distinct, metallic stench of formalin.
To ordinary people, this was a paradise of pleasure. To a Stitcher, this was a giant, floating morgue.
"Welcome to The Elysium," a beautiful hostess in a red cheongsam bowed to him, handing him a golden mask. "Sir, please wear this. On this ship, no one asks for names, only desires."
Jiang Daolin took the mask. It was a smiling fox face.
He put it on, covering his cold expression.
"Desires?" he muttered to himself.
He looked toward the center of the ship, where a spiral staircase led down into the darkness. His intuition told him that the "Auction Hall" he saw in the dead man's memory was down there.
"My desire is simple."
Jiang Daolin touched the red box on his back.
"I'm here to close down your business."
He stepped into the crowd, blending into the masquerade of monsters.