Chapter 19
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Chapter 19: Crimes Under the Cover of Night
“Not bad, you’ve guessed it correctly.” Joe James nodded towards the group. “There must be something sinister within this theater.”
“Who are they exactly? Why would they do such things?” Zhou Zhi whispered.
“Who cares, as long as they’re not up to any good,” Anthony replied, taking down a compound crossbow from his back. “I’ve been waiting for quite some time now; finally, we can get down to business.”
“Hold on, what are you planning to do?” Zhang Zhiyuan asked with a frowned.
“What else?” The Russian bared his teeth, cold light flickering in his eyes. “Obviously, take them out. Don’t worry, they won’t make a sound before dying. I have experience with that.”
“I’ve observed them,” Joe James added. “These guys aren’t professionals; they are scattered and unable to effectively support each other. Moreover, it’s very dark here, making it difficult for outsiders to spot them, but likewise challenging for them to notice us. With proper handling, we can easily create an opening.”
“But they’re still human beings!” Zhang Zhiyuan reminded him—regardless of how detestable the worst criminals might be, vigilante justice should never be meted out. As an enforcer of law, he instinctively opposed such actions.
Upon hearing these words, the others immediately turned their gazes towards him.
“Hey, has your mind gone haywire? You seem pretty sharp earlier.” Joe James let out a sneer. “This is Paradise, not our real world. The laws you’re talking about don’t apply here.”
“Buddy, are you really here to enjoy Paradise?” Anthony chimed in, “Shouldn’t you have anticipated this kind of thing happening before entering? Forget it, if you won’t take action, just watch from the side. We’ll handle it ourselves.”
With that, he bent down and stealthily disappeared into the pitch-black night, his movements surprisingly light for someone of his build.
Joe James, Tyler, and Asahara Naruko also left the alleyway, leaving only Zhang Zhiyuan and Zhou Zhi hidden behind momentarily.
“You know… even though this world appears incredibly realistic, reality can’t possibly jump through time, right?” Zhou Zhi patted him on the back. “I almost believed it was genuine too, but now I feel much better.”
Zhang Zhiyuan’s face turned pale, remaining silent. Could these people truly not consider the possibility that Paradise might be a real world? No… they weren’t fools. In their conversation moments ago, neither Joe James nor Anthony mentioned ‘game’; instead, they referred to it as ‘Paradise’.
Indeed, they fundamentally didn’t care whether it was real or not, nor did they intend to question its authenticity. Even if it were a true world, as long as legal constraints did not reach them, they would act without any qualms.
In just a brief moment, a dark figure silently collapsed.
Due to the lack of lighting, Zhang Zhiyuan could not clearly observe the entire process, but there was no doubt that it was the compound crossbow in use. Anthony’s chosen weapon was a modern design, silent yet lethal. With bolts as thick as a pinkie finger, even a wild boar could be killed with a single shot.
The deceased’s companions did not notice anything amiss.
“Let’s go over there too,” Zhou Zhi suggested.
“This isn’t our home country; the laws don’t apply to us…” Zhang Zhiyuan repeated these words three times in his mind before nodding, “Alright.”
He still had a mission to fulfill. If he insisted on intervening, not only would he fail to save the missing journalist, but also risk exposing his own identity.
As they approached the eastern wall of the theater, Zhang Zhiyuan saw that the group had already swiftly tidied up the scene. Only three or four feet were visible amidst the bushes near the wall, and some bloodstains from dragging remained on the ground.
At that moment, Anthony still appeared somewhat intoxicated, almost like he had been drinking heavily. Upon seeing Zhang Zhiyuan, he flashed a fist bump and remarked, “You guys really…really missed out.”
“Feels like there’s not much difference between hunting people and hunting wild beasts, right?” Tyler chuckled lightly.
“Or perhaps even simpler,”he said, his eyes now holding a completely different gleam.
He has crossed the line, Zhang Zhiyuan thought to himself, having seen that same expression in many criminals’ eyes before.
Joe James, on the other hand, remained composed. “It’s not time for satisfaction yet. If there are patrols, they’ll quickly notice a gap in their defenses. Our true target is still inside the theater. We need to find a way in. Surely we can’t just use the main entrance.”
“You guys are incredible… It’s as if you’ve done this frequently…” Zhou Zhi marveled, sounding awestruck.
This remark chilled the atmosphere instantly.
Finally, it was the Russian who glared at him, “Kid, haven’t you heard the saying – ‘Even if you haven’t eaten pork, you’ve seen a pig run.’ Besides, these guys were probably high anyway. Even your neighbor’s grandma would have had quicker reflexes than them.” [The Chinese proverb essentially means that you don’t need direct experience to understand something. Even if you haven’t personally experienced something firsthand, you can still have a general understanding of it based on what you’ve observed or heard about it.]
“Ahem, let’s get back to business,” Tyler interjected, breaking the tension. “The front entrance is definitely out of the question; it’s too exposed, and we don’t know if there are guards inside. There are plenty of street-facing windows here; using those might be our best option.”
The group exchanged glances, all agreeing with this assessment.
“Additionally, nobody knows what’s inside, so I suggest splitting our team into two groups. Joe and I will stay in the open, while Mister Anthony and Miss Naruko operate in shadows. This way, even if we encounter enemies, not everyone will be exposed at once.”
“What about us?” Zhou Zhi hurriedly asked.
“You haven’t even chosen your weapons yet, so you’ll have to seize opportunities as they arise.” Tyler shrugged. “By the way, those sentries were carrying basic tools like hand axes and daggers, albeit of poor quality. You can use them for self-defense in the meantime.”
“Uh… alright.”
With the plan set, everyone sprang into actin immediately.
The windows were high, approximately two meters above the ground, but that posed no challenge. By forming a human ladder, they could easily reach them. The windows were locked, but Tyler managed to pry open the wooden bolts within mere seconds using his dagger. With the help of their improvised ladder, each person climbed through one by one.
The adjacent room was small, seemingly designed as a lounge or tea room for guests to relax and chat. In buildings like theaters, which require large spaces, the stage is typically located in the central area.
“Damn, it’s too dark here,” Joe James muttered as he cautiously moved forward in the darkness. “We should’ve had those two with points exchange for torches.”
“Forget it, having torches would only make it easier to see your path but also let enemies spot you more readily.” Tyler suddenly halted, “Besides, I think we’ve already found what we’re looking for.”
Joe James noticed as well—a faint light was visible beneath the large door at the end of the corridor.
It was nearing dawn, and who could be still active at this hour was self-explanatory.
Tyler gently tapped the floor twice, signaling for the group to converge.
Soon, the other four members joined him by the door. They carefully opened it just enough to reveal the spacious theater hall before them.
In reality, the hall was separated from their entry point by merely one corridor.
The scene unfolding before Zhang Zhiyuan made him gasp sharply. This place wasn’t just the crime scene but also the site of executions—three wooden pillars stood on the stage, each bound with a person. Their mouths were gagged, rendering any terrified cries as muffled grunts; despair filled their faces illuminated by flickering firelight. Surrounding these pillars were nine criminals in total.
