Chapter 210: Human Skin Mask

North City District.

A middle‑aged man who looks in his thirties walks down the street, walking while looking at his phone.

"According to the description on the mission, that loan company is right around here."

The middle‑aged man thought to himself.

This person is no one else but Jiang Cheng.

The reason he appears to be in his thirties is that he is wearing a Human Skin Mask on his face.

He also got the idea from the Black Market.

People who enter the Black Market, some wear masks, some wear face masks and sunglasses, and some wear nothing at all.

Jiang Cheng originally thought those people were daring artists unafraid of exposing their identities, but after Niutou Mianju explained, he realized those people actually had Human Skin Masks on their faces.

So before carrying out this mission, he also bought a few.

Wearing this thing is stifling, but it makes movement easy and doesn't attract much attention.

When his strength reaches Seven-level, he also plans to wear the Human Skin Mask, return to Pingxi Street, and deal with the Iron Fist Gang and Xiao Yuanqing.

For now, he'll finish the task at hand first.

Just an hour ago, he received a call from Bing Li, who gave a rough outline over the phone.

In North City District, there is a loan company called Dingshi that issues usurious loans, causing many married women to be separated from their children and left homeless.

Anyone who can conduct such business must have a deep background.

The backing behind this loan company is a nearby martial arts school, Kuangfeng Martial Arts School.

The Gym Master of that school is an Eight-level Force Warrior, who has many disciples ranging from Level Five to Level One, making it a considerable force in the area.

It is precisely because this school backs it that Dingshi Loan Company can continue to exist.

The mission target is to kill a Second-level Force Warrior of Kuangfeng Martial Arts School, or two First-level Force Warriors.

According to protocol, Jiang Cheng plans to gather some intelligence first; his previous cooperation with Qiu Feng also gave him a reminder.

Along the way, he saw many small advertisements posted on walls and utility poles.

Among them was Dingshi Loan Company's loan phone number.

Surprisingly, the loan interest rate is only 20%—still usurious, but not excessively high.

After a short walk, he saw the main place.

A blue sign bearing the six characters of Dingshi Loan Company hung above a modest storefront, inside two people sat, heads down, playing with their phones.

Jiang Cheng didn't intend to go in directly; his gaze swept the surroundings—there were no street vendors, but he did notice a security guard standing idly at the entrance of the complex.

He went to a nearby shop, bought a pack of cigarettes, and walked toward the guard.

At first the guard was still very wary.

After being handed a pack of cigarettes, the guard immediately let his guard down and began to speak without reservation.

"Brother, you said you want to get a loan from that company?"

"Ah."

Jiang Cheng sighed and said, "Isn't it that your business cash flow ran into trouble and you urgently need capital?"

"Then borrow from people around you? Those who run loan companies are shady!"

"I do want to, but this sum isn't a small amount; the people around me can't produce it, so I have to look for other ways. Just now I was walking and saw their advertisement on the roadside—annual interest rate 20%, a bit high, but in desperate times I can only grit my teeth and accept. So I came over to inquire about their reputation—whether they're a scam or not?"

"I see."

The guard's eyes showed a hint of sympathy, then he glanced at the location of the Dingshi shop, hunched his shoulders, and said, "I don't know whether they're a scam, but I've heard that many people who borrowed from them were forced into hopelessness, selling cars and houses." "That serious?"

Jiang Cheng said in surprise.

"Exactly."

The guard took a drag of his cigarette,

"Speaking of it, in our complex there are two people who borrowed their money and eventually couldn't repay, even selling their house—this happened two or three years ago, I don't recall clearly. But just two days ago I saw someone come to confront them, saying he only borrowed 200,000 but now has to repay 800,000, got scammed, and demanded that the people inside repay; if they don't, he won't leave."

"And then?"

"Then, the people inside beat him up; I heard one of his legs was broken, and he crawled away."

The guard kept shaking his head.

"No one intervenes?"

"Who would?"

"At that time someone called the police, and the Law Enforcement Bureau sent two people over, saying the contract was fine, the man signed his own name, no one forced him, and repaying debts is a moral duty, but we can all see there's something fishy about this case; it's not the first time—people have come before and said the same, yet what can be done?"

"Today, when I was walking the street, I even saw that crippled man begging on the main road. I wanted to toss him a few coins, but I don't have much money myself, sigh."

Jiang Cheng felt a stir in his heart at those words.

After all, it's best to ask the parties involved directly.

"Brother, I advise you, if you can avoid borrowing from there, don't—these days those little ads can't be trusted, just like my second uncle who believed a remedy for premature ejaculation advertised there, spent a few hundred bucks, guess what happened."

"What happened?"

"He just withered away directly."

"……"

Jiang Cheng didn't know what to say, so he silently mourned the guard's second uncle in his heart for a few seconds.

"It's not just this one; similar companies elsewhere can't be trusted either."

"You think lenders of usurious loans could have a kind heart? Their business is downright inhumane; they won't stop until they drive people to bankruptcy. Yet they all have backing, and we ordinary folks can't match them."

"Alright, I understand, thanks brother, I won't go to that place anymore."

"Hehe, you're welcome. Just the words I said earlier—just don't tell anyone I told you, okay?"

A flash of fear crossed the guard's eyes.

"Don't worry, brother, I'm not the type to break my word," Jiang Cheng pounded his chest and said, "By the way, brother, you said you saw that crippled man at night—where exactly did you see him? Hearing about his plight makes me feel a bit sorry; I can't do much for him, but giving him some money for a meal would be fine."

"Ah, you really are a good person."

The security guard was greatly shocked, then pointed to the road Jiang Cheng hadn't taken: "It's right on that street; if you go a bit farther forward you'll see it. Though it's not certain— it was there in the morning, but whether it's still there now is hard to say."

"Alright, thanks, brother."

Jiang Cheng smiled, then turned and walked toward the other side.

From his account, he has basically confirmed that the loan company is indeed no good.

After learning a bit more from the parties involved, they can take action.

A loan company—just by the name you can tell it's wealthy.

"This brother of yours is really kind."

The security guard looked at the pack of cigarettes in his hand and smiled, his mouth crooked.

(End of chapter)