What the hell is the "kill line" when you're in America?

The lights were off in the living room.

The neon lights of the city outside the window are reflected into the room through the glass, casting dappled and colorful light and shadow.

Catherine sat on the sofa, holding Mike's head tightly in her arms.

Mike remained motionless, like a statue that had lost its soul.

His eyes were wide open but unfocused, staring blankly at the ceiling.

The roast turkey on the table was already cold, its aroma gone, leaving only solidified fat.

Nobody touched it.

The bedroom door opened.

Li Ang walked out of his bedroom.

His footsteps were light and silent, like a ghost disappearing into the darkness.

He walked to the water dispenser, poured himself a glass of water, then leaned against the wall and drank it quietly.

Catherine looked up at the man.

His face was expressionless, as if the solidified sorrow in the hall had nothing to do with him.

"Are you done crying?"

Li Ang spoke, his voice not loud, yet it pierced through the deathly silence with the precision of a sharp blade.

Catherine's body stiffened.

She looked at Li Ang, her eyes filled with incomprehension and a hint of anger.

Mike's body also moved almost imperceptibly.

"He's dead."

Li Ang put down his water glass and walked to the sofa.

"An hour ago, the police found him among the corpses in the bar."

"He was holding a gun and had seven bloody holes in his body, each one in a vital spot."

"Beneath him lay Marcus's body."

Li Ang's voice was calm, as if he were recounting a case file that had nothing to do with him.

"The police said he killed twenty-one people before committing suicide."

"But we all know he didn't commit suicide."

"He was surrounded by twenty-one people and fought to the death."

Mike's lips began to tremble, and he slowly sat up straight from Catherine's arms.

He looked at Li Ang, his eyes filled with endless pain and confusion.

Why does he want to go back?

Mike's voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded.

"Because of you."

Li Ang replied.

"Because of your worthless brother, because of you, someone pointed a gun at your head, and you ran away like a stray dog."

Li Ang's words were like an invisible slap, landing hard on Mike's face.

Catherine wanted to say something, but was stopped by Li Ang's gaze.

He thinks you are too weak and too naive.

He believed that only by using the most decisive means could all obstacles in your path be cleared.

"So he went back, all alone, with only one gun."

"He killed everyone who wanted to kill you."

Li Ang crouched down to be at Mike's eye level.

"He gave his life to give you a heroic destiny."

"Now, this hero is dead."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Will you continue like this, holding your woman and crying until dawn?"

"And then tomorrow morning, the police will come knocking on your door and tell you that your brother is a madman who indiscriminately kills innocent people, a sinner who deserves to die?"

Mike's breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved violently.

"No...he's not..."

"Of course not."

Li Ang said.

"He is a hero."

"A hero who will avenge you and clear all obstacles for you."

"I've already written the opening and the ending for this story."

"Now, it's your turn to bear the consequences."

Li Ang stood up and looked down at him.

"From today onwards, you are no longer that fool who works at the docks and tries to change his fate by brute force."

"You are the hero's elder brother."

"You carry his blood, his hatred, and his resentment."

"You must live, and live better than anyone else."

"You need to let everyone know that Jamal Williams is not a drug addict, not a loser."

"He was a man who fought and died protecting his brother."

Every word Li Ang uttered was like a red-hot branding iron, imprinted on Mike's soul.

He wanted to refute it, to say that it wasn't true.

But deep down, a voice told him that this was the answer he wanted most.

He would rather his brother be a tragic hero than an incorrigible scoundrel.

Li Ang stared at the line of flickering text above his head.

[Slay Threshold: Low (Dao Heart Shattered, Utter Despair)]

The ray of light struggled violently, flickering uncertainly.

It seems that it could be completely extinguished at any moment.

It is also possible that it will reignite.

"I……"

Mike opened his mouth, but no complete sound came out of his throat.

"What should I do?"

After a long silence, he finally managed to squeeze out those words.

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Li Ang's lips.

It became.

[The Cutoff Point: Middle (Dao Heart Reforged, Bearing the Souls of the Dead, Death's Omen Has Receded)]

The text above Mike's head changed from dark red to a calm, bright yellow.

"very good."

Li Ang nodded.

"The first step is to eat."

He pointed to the cold roasted turkey on the table.

"Finish it."

"Then take a shower and get some sleep."

"Before the body was disposed of."

"You should tell them that you are proud of your brother."

Mike looked at Li Ang, his eyes still filled with pain.

But more than anything, it's a kind of ignited, cold flame.

He stood up and walked to the dining table.

He didn't use a knife and fork, but just used his hands to tear off a large piece of chicken leg and stuff it into his mouth.

He ate extremely fast and with great effort, like a wild beast that hadn't eaten for three days.

Tears mixed with food slid down the corner of his mouth.

Catherine looked at him, covered her mouth, and tried not to cry out loud.

Li Ang did not look at them again.

He turned and walked back to his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Inside the room, he leaned against the door and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The mental strain is far more tiring than the physical exertion.

In particular, such sophisticated methods of manipulating people's minds.

He walked to the bedside, sat down, and opened the attribute panel.

[Host: Li Ang]

[Attributes: Spirit: 22, Constitution: 18, Strength: 18, Agility: 18]

[Skills: Photographic Memory, Profound Martial Arts (Beginner)]

[Freely Allocable Attribute Points: 0]

[Magic Points: 360]

He looked at the 360 ​​magic points and scanned the exchange list.

[Eloquent Tongue (Beginner): Consumes 400 Magic Points]

40 points to go.

But in no hurry.

What he needs most right now is rest.

Thorough and deep rest.

To conserve energy for future planning.

He wanted that vacuum area in Block Nine.

All he needs to do is light the fuse at the most opportune moment.

Li Ang lay on the bed, placing the cold Beretta bottle beside his pillow.

Inside the hall, the sound of Mike chewing in a suppressed manner could be heard, along with Catherine's low sobs.

Outside the window, the sound of police sirens grew louder as they approached, then howled away.

A new day has begun.

This is America.