Shackles of Humanity

"It’s you!" they both shouted at the same time.

Luo Kai squeezed the brakes, looking a bit embarrassed. "Sorry about that. I wasn’t paying attention and almost ran into you."

The young woman, a mix of shame and anger on her face, said, "Are you going to let go of me or not?!"

Luo Kai quickly released the arm he had wrapped around her waist, apologizing profusely.

Lu Qing didn’t believe a word he said. She shot him a hateful glare, then looked behind her in a panic. In the distance, several large men were chasing after them. She immediately jumped onto the back seat, tense. "Hurry, go! Some thugs are after me!"

Luo Kai glanced back. He saw several men in uniforms. ’No doubt about it, it’s just like last time,’ he thought. ’Looks like being too beautiful is a crime in itself.’

"Hold on tight." Luo Kai straddled the bicycle and pushed off hard. The bike shot forward like a gust of wind, and in no time, they had shaken off their pursuers.

He could feel the hands gripping his waist still trembling; the girl was clearly terrified. Luo Kai couldn’t help but advise her, "Next time you go out, you should probably wear a mask or a veil."

Lu Qing snapped angrily, "You creep, mind your own business!" Then she added resentfully, "Not a single one of you men is any good."

Luo Kai wisely chose to shut up. After a moment, he couldn’t resist asking, "Where are you headed?" He received no answer for a long time and just kept riding aimlessly.

They gradually reached the bustling downtown area. Lu Qing, finally feeling relieved, yelled, "Stop the bike!"

"How about I just take you home?" Luo Kai didn’t stop. He turned back and smiled at her, his pearly white teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

The refusal that had been on the tip of Lu Qing’s tongue somehow vanished. It had been over a month, and this cyclist seemed to have gotten even better looking. His chiseled face was sharper, more rugged. And then there were his eyes—deep as the Abyss. A single glance felt like enough to pull a person in. He also had a strange new air about him, a feeling that reminded her of facing her own father as a child. The words he spoke left her unable to refuse.

"Is it the Puming Iron Plant again?" Luo Kai turned the bike and headed toward the East District.

Lu Qing snapped out of her daze, her pretty face blushing slightly. She said softly, "No, to the Garden District." Her voice had suddenly become gentle and submissive.

The tigress from a moment ago had turned into a kitten. Luo Kai found it amusing. "Oh."

They rode for a while longer before turning onto a narrow path. The tree-lined lane was dense and dark, the branches and leaves blocking out most of the sunlight. Since the Great Cataclysm, it wasn’t just the animals that had changed significantly; the plants had become different too. Even now, in the dead of winter, the trees remained lush and thick. A cold wind blew, and Lu Qing couldn’t help but lean a little closer to the human furnace in front of her.

His nose once again caught the delicate, orchid-like fragrance. The question on Luo Kai’s mind slipped out. "You smell so good. What perfume are you wearing?"

Lu Qing blushed crimson. ’How could he be so bold?’ she thought. She wanted to get angry, but instead, she found herself answering, "My grandmother makes it from wildflowers."

"Hmm... masters are hidden among the common folk. This perfume smells wonderful. If you sold it, I bet girls would love it."

"It wouldn’t work. Gathering the wildflowers is a lot of trouble, and the yield is very low."

Luo Kai offered an idea. "You could sell the formula to some businessmen, or become a shareholder. They have money and people. You could aim for the high-end market. A perfume that smells this good would definitely sell for a great price."

Somehow, the two of them had ended up talking about perfume. Having lived two lives, Luo Kai was worldly and knowledgeable. He was well-versed in all sorts of marketing strategies and offered several ideas for promoting the perfume.

Lu Qing had never expected a low-level cyclist to speak so eloquently and logically about business methods. She couldn’t help but ask, "What is it you actually do?"

Luo Kai answered casually, "Me? I’m just like you, trying to make a living. By the way, how come you didn’t go to work today?"

Lu Qing sighed forlornly. "The factory shut down. I’m out of a job now."

Luo Kai was taken aback. He asked doubtfully, "The Puming Iron Plant belongs to Black Stone Heavy Industry too?"

"Yeah. They couldn’t get any coal, so they shut down operations."

As they spoke, they arrived in the East District. At the entrance to a beautifully arranged residential complex, Lu Qing gracefully hopped off the bike. "I’m here. Thank you."

Luo Kai smiled. "Don’t mention it. Just remember to wear a mask or something next time you go out."

Lu Qing shot him a playful glare and started walking into the complex. After just a few steps, she suddenly turned back. "Oh, right! I forgot to pay you for the ride last time. I lost my wallet. Wait for me."

Luo Kai waved his hand dismissively. "Don’t worry about it."

"No, I insist. Wait here, I’ll be right back."

Luo Kai sighed and leaned his bike against the curb, taking in his surroundings. This complex wasn’t much different from the residential communities of his past life. It was clean, quiet—a good place to live.

A short while later, Lu Qing came back out with another equally pretty young woman. A tall, handsome young man trailed behind them. The three of them were chatting and laughing, looking like good friends.

"Right, I still don’t know your name," Lu Qing said, pressing one hundred Star Dollars into Luo Kai’s hand.

"My name is Luo Kai." Luo Kai casually stuffed the money into his pocket. Just as he was about to leave, the young man’s expression suddenly changed. He pointed at Luo Kai and said, "You’re Luo Kai?"

Luo Kai looked at him, confused. "What about it?"

The young man’s eyes glittered. He turned to Lu Qing and asked, "Qing’Er, how do you know him?"

Lu Qing was also a bit confused. "Didn’t I just say? He’s the cyclist who brought me home. I forgot to pay him."

The young man gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Heh, how could Liu Hou’s personal disciple be a mere cyclist? Don’t let this kid fool you!"

Lu Qing asked blankly, "Who’s Liu Hou?"

The other young woman beside her studied Luo Kai for a moment before saying softly, "Liu Hou is the Vice Principal of Pan Shi Sports School, the Prison Director of East City Prison, and a member of the Body Technique Research Association. He’s a very important figure."

"See? This kid is definitely up to no good! Qing’Er, you can’t let him deceive you!"

Luo Kai frowned. He didn’t want to deal with this. He got on his bike, but the young man darted in front of him, blocking his way. He said viciously, "Kid, stay away from Qing’Er from now on, or I won’t be so nice!"

Luo Kai was bewildered. ’It’s true what they say: you don’t look for trouble, trouble finds you.’ While he had a favorable impression of Lu Qing, it was nowhere near love. Besides, he had no interest in pursuing romantic entanglements in this life. Suppressing his anger, he said, "Move."

The young man had no intention of moving. He said loudly, "So what if you’re Liu Hou’s disciple? Do you have any idea who I am?"

Luo Kai was losing his patience. "If you don’t move, I won’t be so polite," he said coldly. Luo Kai was now a full one-meter-ninety tall. His long-term Cultivation of Body Techniques had made him extremely well-built, and over the past few days, he had developed a fierce and deadly aura. When angered, his presence was incredibly intimidating.

The young man instinctively flinched back, but with the woman he liked right there, he couldn’t show weakness. He stood his ground.

Lu Qing had witnessed Luo Kai’s brutal fighting style before. Fearing he would suddenly erupt and hurt someone, she quickly pulled the young man back. "Lang Wei, I don’t even know him! If you keep this up, I’m going to get angry."

The young man took the opportunity to back down gracefully. He moved aside, but his words remained defiant. "Qing’Er, don’t be fooled by him. This guy is one of Zang Haisheng’s people. Black Stone Heavy Industry is about to collapse any day now. People like him will definitely come to a bad end. We shouldn’t have anything to do with them. In a couple of days, I’ll find a way to get you a position at the County Affairs Bureau. Stop wasting your time at the Puming Iron Plant."

Luo Kai had been about to leave, but now he changed his mind. He sneered, "What was that you said about who you are? Your surname is Lang. Does that mean you’re related to Lang Zhennan?"

The young man puffed out his chest. "That’s right. The City Lord is my great-uncle, and the Captain of the Security Department is my father!"

Luo Kai chuckled. "Oh, so you’re Lang Kun’s son. Tell your dad I’ll pay him a visit when I have the time." With that, he kicked the pedal and sped away, vanishing down the road.

Luo Kai, however, had no idea that this one threatening sentence would scare Lang Kun half to death. Not only did Lang Kun give his son a harsh lecture, but he also didn’t dare to leave the Security Department’s headquarters for over a month. The strange techniques Luo Kai had displayed that day had left a deep shadow in his heart.