[Black Bullet] Bar
This is one of the few entertainment venues within the Forward Base. Although it's referred to as a bar, it exclusively caters to military officers, to be more precise, those with Opulent status.
So, when Tianyang approached, it came as no surprise that he was stopped at the entrance.
Since the bar is located within the base's residential area, there's no need for protective gear. After leaving the diagnostic center, the young man changed into casual clothing. The attending physician even thoughtfully provided him with a black eye patch.
Tianyang also found a pair of fingerless gloves to conceal his rank insignia.
Once stopped, he produced a silver card with the Night Stalker emblem and the letter "L" on it. This card symbolized Lingfeng's authority.
It was sent to Tianyang by Lingfeng's adjutant right after his eye removal surgery. With this card on him, it ensured all his rights.
Tianyang used it to obtain the information he desired.
Seeing the card, the bartender, who was moonlighting at the bar, promptly saluted Tianyang and escorted him inside.
The bar was lively, with groups of upper-class military officers laughing and conversing. Since it was within the base, there was no music or dancers.
The bartender asked Tianyang what he wanted to drink, but he declined. He wasn't there for a drink.
He was there to find someone.
Upon entering the bar, he immediately spotted his target.
Qin Wu!
The unscrupulous captain was seated at the bar with two friends, boasting loudly.
"...The situation was extremely dangerous at the time, with probably twenty or thirty Cursed Children. They were staggering through the corridor towards us, so I had to stay behind to hold them off while my subordinates escaped. Sadly, we lost one."
Qin Wu sighed, "He was a new recruit, only seventeen years old, such a pity."
While he lamented, a smile played on his face, and he took a big sip of malt beer.
"Is that really how it happened? I heard a different story, though. It goes that Captain Qin Wu intentionally shot that new recruit in the leg to attract the attention of the Cursed Children, so he could make his escape," an unexpected voice chimed in.
Qin Wu, already a little tipsy, got angry, "Who's spouting nonsense here!"
Then he noticed Tianyang sitting beside him.
Qin Wu was taken aback, "Is that you? You're not dead!"
Tianyang smiled, "Thanks to Captain, I'm back."
Two nearby officers exchanged glances, and by moving aside a bit, they left Tianyang and Qin Wu without any barriers between them.
Qin Wu's face darkened as he said, "How did you get in here? Since you're back, take a good two-day rest and stop wandering around. Especially, watch your tongue!"
Tianyang reached into his pocket and pulled out a small chip, placing it on the bar.
"Captain should know that our helmets have recording devices. Coincidentally, it captured everything you did. If I were to submit it to the Base Committee, I wonder if I'd get justice?"
Qin Wu's expression changed, and he snatched the chip.
He crushed it!
"Now, get out!" Qin Wu pointed to the door.
Tianyang remained unmoved, even ordering a glass of water, which, of course, the bartender behind the counter dared not serve.
Everyone could see that the young man was provoking this upper-class military officer.
"If you don't accept a toast, you'll have to drink a forfeit!" Qin Wu made a gesture, and someone closed all the bar's doors and windows. This way, people outside wouldn't know what was happening inside.
Qin Wu sneered, "Kid, don't play tricks on me. I'll give you two choices. One is to leave, do whatever you want, and I can pretend nothing happened."
"The other path, I'll leave you with a memory, probably a few months in the hospital kind of memory. Then I'll throw you in jail. Don't doubt my capabilities. Oh, by the way, you still have a mother. She came to see you off when you enlisted. She's still quite young and pretty. Perhaps, for her poor son, she'd be willing to make some trades she wouldn't normally."
Saying this, Qin Wu laughed and exchanged a knowing look with his two friends.
Tianyang's eyes flickered with anger, and he sneered, "Qin Wu, you violated the rules of the battlefield, shot your own team member, and left me to die there! Now, not only do you not admit your guilt, but you're also threatening me. Don't you care about the fortress's rules?"
Qin Wu, looking smug, stared at him and said, "It seems you don't understand. The rules of the fortress are designed to protect us, the upper class. Someone like you, living in the lower city, is nothing more than a rat in the gutter, a cockroach in the trash can! When have you heard that the rules protect rats and cockroaches?"
"Someone like you, with no right even to a surname, dares to talk to me about the rules? What a joke. I'll tell you, your hard work, your lifetime of effort and struggle, all you've created, will ultimately become the foundation for raising our status."
"You can be angry, furious, and even vent your frustration, but I'm sorry, no matter what you do, it won't change a thing. Your destiny was determined from the moment you were born."
"So now, are you still going to discuss the rules with me?"
The bar fell into silence.
Some of the officers' expressions were far from friendly, clearly not in agreement with Qin Wu's privileged background.
But no one would stand up for a lower-class soldier; that was the rule of the game.
Tianyang looked at that smug face and suddenly felt that, compared to Qin Wu, even the Cursed Children were more lovable.
The young man hopped down from his high stool, hands in his pockets. "Originally, I thought that if you were willing to admit your mistakes and accept the consequences of the rules, it would benefit both of us. It seems I was too naive. Weaklings are indeed not entitled to voice their own opinions. Thank you for making me realize this. I won't make the same mistake again."
Tianyang walked in the direction of the bar's exit, his eyes slightly raised as he looked at a recording device in the corner.
"Stop!" As he expected, Qin Wu's loud voice came from behind.
Pulling out a live ammunition pistol, Qin Wu strode up, spun Tianyang around, and pointed the gun at his forehead. "Did I say you could leave?"
"Oh, can't I leave?" The young man showed no fear, which made Qin Wu very uncomfortable.
A mere lower-class citizen dared to oppose me!
"You can leave," Qin Wu said, his expression contorted, "if you kneel down and lick my shoes clean, then I might consider letting you go."
Tianyang's lips curled up slightly. "You're insulting my dignity."
Qin Wu laughed heartily. "If I want to, I can also throw you into a black cell, where those maniacs will show you what real hell is!"
The young man nodded. "I'm glad you said that."
"What?" Qin Wu was slightly taken aback.
A faint light floated from Tianyang's silver-blue hair.
"Did you ever hear about the Three Fundamental Laws of the Fortress? They're the laws that supersede the Fortress Regulations. One of them says, 'Ascendants are not to be infringed upon! Whether as individuals or groups, regardless of status, they must not, in any form, including provocation, harm, or speech, attack an Ascendant.'"
"Furthermore, when their lives are threatened, Ascendants have impunity and can counterattack limitlessly!"
As Tianyang finished speaking, a cold gleam sliced across Qin Wu's wrist. The captain's pupils dilated slightly, staring in disbelief at his hand, which had become detached from his body.
Tianyang's hand now held a dagger.
Only then did Qin Wu notice that the young man was emitting a faint light throughout his body, a sign of the externalization of star energy.
The dagger swung once more.
Qin Wu felt a cold sensation on his neck, and he reached up to touch it. When he opened his palm, it was covered in crimson.
"You..."
He staggered backward, a gurgling sound in his throat, but he couldn't utter a word.
Finally, he collapsed, eyes wide open, as if in disbelief that Tianyang had dared to kill him.
It was then that Tianyang spoke, "To correct it, life is filled with infinite possibilities, and no one's fate is predetermined."
This time, Qin Wu couldn't argue.
As he turned to leave, Tianyang felt a sudden change in his mind. He received a piece of data, information about his rank, and something subtle had changed...
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