A Test

Gu Erin looked at his old friend, he looked a bit different from what he remembered him by, granted he still had his baseline features, it was his demeanor that had undergone a change. Here he stood before Gu Erin like a king, although he wasn't the leader of the Blood Jackets he was its young master. His father Kei Jiahao was the founder of the mercenary group the Blood Jackets. They had further expanded their influence into the criminal underworld. Their lack of hesitation to get their hands dirty was precisely why Gu Erin wanted them to join him.

His black hair had blonde highlights in them, making him look rather handsome, his face was angular and hardened. Although he may look rather dashing the aura he gave off was rather dangerous and unhinged. If Gu Meng Yao were here she would be drooling over her image of an ideal bad boy.

While others floundered in the new world, having to make choices they never thought they would have to. Meanwhile, people like the Blood Jackets would thrive as their base nature to obtain power through whatever means would thrive. If Gu Erin could get them all in one place and firmly on his side the efficiency of his growth and foundation would be exponentially better.

That is if he gets out of this place alive, surely a risk, but one Gu Erin was more than willing to take. If he couldn't he would simply buy for time till tomorrow.

Thinking of this Gu Erin's gaze shifted to the group behind Kei Sung, all of them were clad in suits. Gu Erin could faintly see the handles of a few pistols poking out of their chest holsters. No doubt a blatant threat, but one Gu Erin did not mind. After all he was a stranger who knew the name of their leader's son, no doubt in their minds that meant he already knew about their leader. If he could get that information, wouldn't that mean their information was also at risk? Such a person was a threat to their entire operation and livelihoods.

Taking the long silence as a hint Gu Erin got to the point, "I have a bit of information for you, if your so inclined to listen." His tone was even and there was still not a trace of emotion on his face or in his voice, in fact one could say that he was completely monotone.

Kei Sung frowned, but before he could respond another spoke up, "Sung lets take this inside, if he dies here the clients outside might here it." A tall black man said with an accent, his ability to speak the native tongue showed that there was an adept mind behind all that muscle.

Kei Sung merely nodded as he walked away from Gu Erin without a word, in the end Gu Erin had no choice but to follow so he didn't care to give him instructions. He knew Gu Erin was not stupid, either that or he was a puppet used by someone else. Kei Sung was thinking more of the latter rather than the former. If he truly was alone and he came here without any backing knowing one of the Blood Jackets identities, he might as well be signing his own death warrant.

However, before he could follow he was stopped by a young woman, this woman had a scar on her neck that overlaid a climbing tattoo of a thorny vine. Unlike other women that smelled like perfume, this one had an unmistakable scent of gunpowder and gun oil. Although not unpleasant, it wasn't exactly something you'd expect. Otherwise, the lady was quite pretty, in a scary way that is. Her figure was toned and slightly muscular, with her fiery red hair in a high ponytail.

The only bad thing about her in Gu Erin's mind was… "What the hell are you looking at you little bitch! Didn't your mother teach your wimp ass not to stare! Huh?!" She berated mercilessly while getting right into his personal space. Her breath smelled of cigarettes, however seeing that Gu Erin didn't intent to answer she prepared to scold him again, seemingly angered by the lack of response. Before she started to verbally tear Gu Erin a new one she was thankfully interrupted.

Honestly Gu Erin didn't know what to do with such a violent and vitriolic woman, their type always made him feel wary.

"Lucy, check him and be done with it!" the same tall, dark, and handsome man called out. No doubt this man had some pull in the group.

Audibly growling Lucy tore open Gu Erin's shirt making a few buttons fly out, there was a twinge of pain at the abrupt motion, this body still not used to that particular sensation. Gu Erin's mind however simply paid it no mind as his emotionless mask stayed in place, in fact the pain hardly bothered him, he was more annoyed than anything else. This only further enraged the female tigress known as Lucy, as she violently checked his entire body for a wire or weapon.

It wasn't until Lucy quite literally had him by the balls that Gu Erin's mind jolted, Lucy gave him a wicked smirk as she gave his family jewels a playful yet threatening squeeze. Obviously this lady had no shame, but even more terrifying was the look in her eyes, no doubt she wouldn't have hesitated to actually bring Gu Erin to the ninth layer of Hell if she had found something.

Finally with one last look promising all the world's pain she let go, at the same time she turned away to join the group. Gu Erin followed after, nonchalantly adjusting his manhood which had recently undergone a life and death crisis. Gu Erin also made a mental note, to avoid all mentions of dual cultivation around her, no doubt she was the type of lady who wouldn't hesitate to make a man a eunuch in his sleep. His mind trembled, this was no doubt a true female demoness.

Gu Erin walked into a luxurious common room, each piece of furniture made for comfort, and their surroundings mirroring the success of the Blood Jackets. The faint scent of cigarette smoke lingered in the air, a few of the members already having lit up.

Gu Erin simply took all of this in stride, not intimidated by their piercing stares, without any ceremony Gu Erin sat opposite of Kei Sung, another one of the blood jackets sitting on his right side.

Silence ensued for a second, that second soon turned into a minute. All the while, Gu Erin kept up his emotionless mask, no trace of discomfort on his face. Finally, Kei Sung spoke seemingly having enough of the stare off.

"What's the information your selling?" He asked, his voice was far from cordial, after all it was his name that was being used here. He was hoping that this guy who looked no older than him was selling out the leak for money, but doubted it.

"I'm simply here to share a piece of information, and an offer." Gu Erin said, his mind was working overtime in how to present his case, one wrong move and he would be dead for sure, aura master or not.

"Again, this information is?" Kei Sung asked, his patients obviously wearing thin.

"The information necessary to survive an artificially created disaster, that certain powerful entities are planning to unleash." Gu Erin answered smoothly, not even a single fluctuation in his voice.

The Blood Jackets stared at him with blank looks on their faces, no doubt Gu Erin's casual statement about mass destruction was not computing well with their minds.

Seeming to agree with Gu Erin's thoughts Kei Sung was the first to come to his senses and clarify. "Come again, I'm not quite sure I heard you correctly."

Gu Erin simply shook his head. "No, you heard me correctly, that is if you heard me say that an artificially made disaster will descend and will no doubt result in the death of countless individuals." Gu Erin calmly answered keeping the same monotone.

Gu Erin could practically see the neurons in Kei Sung's mind firing at a mind-boggling speed. Though in the end Kei Sung said the word's Gu Erin didn't want to hear the most. "Your proof?"

Keeping up the act Gu Erin shook his head. "Inaccessible, my job is simply to inform, as a reward my family will be offered the same thing as you. If needed I am to stay here as a guide when it occurs." Gu Erin lied through his teeth once again. Granted some might argue that he hasn't lied once yet.

Again, a few long moments of silence passed, nobody could believe what they heard, meanwhile Kei Sung was still doubtful, yet he couldn't outright deny Gu Erin's claim. He doubted that he could get him to spill his employer's name. All he knew was that his backer was knowledgeable enough to know who they were, and that in itself was a threat.

Finally, it was Lucy who broke the silence. "Hey Sung, why don't we give him a little test? He helps us, we help him, that sort of thing?" She said casually, with an almost carefree attitude.

Gu Erin saw one of Kei Sung's eyebrows raise, "That would be?" Obviously doubtful about Lucy's intentions. Gu Erin could tell even Kei Sung was wary of her which only reinforced Gu Erin's feelings about this woman.

"Remember that person our last client dropped off, why not have him do it. Let's see how serious he is about this. I think a wimp like him will immediately go crying back to mommy as soon as he hears what he has to do." Lucy replied leaning further back into the chair she was seated in. The cigarette hanging loosely in her mouth.

Kei Sung hesitated, but the other prominent speaker the black man spoke up yet again. "Why not, might as well, if he's being offered to us as leverage, we might as well work him while we got him." The man shifted in his seat. "You okay with that kid?" He asked rhetorically, though Gu Erin knew that it wasn't much of a question.

"Perfectly, what does this entail. Note although I would like to leave, I am more than willing to stay till midday tomorrow, given that you'll listen to me and the instructions I've been told to follow." He answered back easily.

"Ah nothing much, we had a client bring in her business rival, she wants him to suffer… greatly, before we make him disappear." Kei Sung answered this time a trace of bitterness in his voice.

Gu Erin didn't react to this, in fact he had once been on the receiving end of betrayal, to say that he had many ideas about torture would be an understatement. To put some of those methods into practice would be a harsh test for himself and his resolve. But, it would be best to do in now while he still had time.

"Alright… do you have any salt?"