Once a pilgrimage site for backpackers worldwide, Khao San Road in Bangkok is now a self-service restaurant filled with 'monstrous cyborgs'.
Broken signs teeter on the verge of collapse, an eerily green 'Thai Massage' sign glows, and several zombie-like creatures frantically tear at an abandoned tuk-tuk. Although the rain has stopped, the air still reeks of rotting flesh and the pungent aroma of tom yum soup — a nauseating 'apocalyptic scent'.
'Uncle, are you sure we want to find Coke here?' Marlene, clinging to Ah Zhan's broad back and clutching her 'Qingyin' guzheng tightly, scans her surroundings nervously.
'The vending machines here are the most durable in all of Bangkok,' says Ah Zhan calmly, crushing a pair of sunglasses underfoot with his black military boots. His combat power remains rock-solid at '0'.
"Roar—"
Without warning, the second-floor windows of the surrounding shops shattered simultaneously. Dozens of agile, long-limbed 'Shadow Corpses' leapt down like geckos, instantly blocking all of Ah Zhan's escape routes.
Behind them, a two-metre-tall monster with a huge black scorpion tattooed on its bare chest slowly emerged. Barbed chains were wrapped around its fists and dragged across the ground with each step, making a grating sound.
[System Scan: Witch Corpse Minion Leader – Chained Scorpion]
[Combat Power Index Fluctuates in Real Time: 3000... 4200... 5000]
[Evaluation: Strength-type Enhanced Ability User, Danger Level: B+]
"Zero... Got you.' The Scorpion let out a hoarse laugh, his murky eyes flashing with a thirst for blood. 'Kill you, and Lord Black Dragon King will grant me even purer demonic blood!'
'Uncle, watch out!' Marlene exclaimed, preparing to overdraw her spiritual power and activate the 'Holy Water Shockwave'.
However, A-Zhan merely turned his head slightly and whispered, 'Hold on tight.'
"Freeze!" With a whooshing sound, Scorpion's Chain Fist slammed into A-Zhan's afterimage. With a deafening boom, the ground cracked instantly, sending debris flying. However, A-Zhan had vanished without a trace.
'What?!' Scorpion was stunned.
The next second, A-Zhan appeared three metres to the left of Scorpion, as if by magic. There were no supernatural power fluctuations or sounds of air being torn apart; he seemed to have always been standing there.
[System alert: unknown physical technique detected—"Zero-Distance Teleportation"]
"Too slow." A-Zhan's voice came from behind Scorpion.
Scorpion turned around in terror and formed a death defence net with his chains, but A-Zhan's figure dissolved into the darkness like ink once again and appeared directly above Scorpion, who was hanging upside down with eyes as cold as a god.
'This is... a spatial jump? No, this is a speed beyond nerve reflexes!" Marlene was dazzled and horrified. A-Zhan was falling from the sky, his right fist clenched.
There was no exaggerated black aura between his fingers as before; it appeared simple and unadorned instead.
But it was an intense blackness.
"Your 5,000 combat points, built up with drugs, are an insult to the word 'strength'." As A-Zhan landed, his right fist lashed out.
Ultimate Move: Black Star – Gravity Crush! A-Zhan's black fist collided with the Poison Scorpion's crisscrossing iron chains. In that instant, the special iron chains, which were originally capable of withstanding the force of a tank, twisted and snapped like noodles.
The force of the punch pierced the chains and struck the Poison Scorpion directly in the chest. A visible white shockwave erupted in the air and spread outwards, pulverising dozens of nearby Shadow Witch Corpses.
Combat Power Calculation: Iron Chain Poison Scorpion: 5000 -> 2500 -> 500 -> 0.
'Pfft!' The Poison Scorpion was sent flying like a kite with a broken string. It crashed through the walls of three bars before coming to a stop, and its fate was left unknown.
A-Zhan landed steadily and set Marlene down from his back. He strode over to a scratched vending machine, gently pressing the 'Coca-Cola' button with his right hand — the same hand that had just destroyed a 5,000 combat power monster.
'Clang!' A can of ice-cold Coke rolled out.
He unzipped it with one hand and handed it to the still-dazed Marlene. 'Here you go,' he said. 'Your ice.'
Marlene took the Coke, staring blankly at A-Zhan's combat power stat, which was still showing '0', then at the street that had been razed to the ground behind her. She swallowed hard.
'Uncle, tell me honestly, did you hack the combat power detector's server?'
A-Zhan didn't answer, but simply bought another can, leant against the ruins, tilted his head back and took a sip. The bubbles burst in his throat and he squinted slightly.
'The world's splendour is nothing compared to a sip of carbonated water.'
Marlene had just taken a sip of her cola when the fizz made her squint. Suddenly, a blinding golden light tore through the darkness at the other end of the street.
'Bang!'
A bullet, glowing with a golden light, grazed Azhan's temple and hit the remains of a sorcerer that had been about to launch a sneak attack from the ruins. The corpse let out a shrill scream the moment it touched the light, turning into a wisp of smoke and vanishing.
'Unauthorised brawls and vandalism of public facilities (vending machines) during Bangkok's curfew... According to the New Bangkok Security Regulations, I have the right to conduct 'humanitarian education' on you.' Heavy, rhythmic footsteps approached, the sound of leather shoes clicking crisply on broken bricks growing louder.
The newcomer wore a crisp police uniform with gleaming medals and slowly holstered his flamboyant, gold-plated, long-barrelled revolver.
[Character Introduction: The Stubborn Justice – Officer Zack]
[Combat Power Index: 18,000]
[Ultimate Skill: Golden Sanction Order]
'Officer Zack?' Marlene whispered to Azan, shrinking back. "This guy is a notorious 'stubborn' officer. His combat power is off the charts, and he's always quoting regulations. He's a real pain.' Azan, clutching his Coke can, raised an eyebrow. 'A policeman? In this day and age, even ghosts wear police uniforms?'
'Watch your words, citizen.' Officer Zack pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and looked at him sharply. 'I sensed a huge energy fluctuation just now, and that unsettling demonic aura emanating from you.'
He raised his golden revolver again, pointing the muzzle at Azan. 'Your combat power index shows zero, but that's precisely the most suspicious thing about you. Before my Eye of Truth, no evil can hide.'
The atmosphere froze. A-Zhan remained expressionless, his right hand bent slightly — a sign that he was activating his 'Zero-Value Domain'. Meanwhile, Officer Zack appeared righteous and awe-inspiring. His gun muzzle gleamed with holy light and his combat power index remained steadily at 18,000, unwavering. Marlene, clutching her cola, felt sandwiched between the two big shots, like popcorn ready to explode at any moment.
Just then, a strange buzzing sound came from the shadows of the ruins: 'Heh heh... what a magnificent "justice versus evil" battle.' Three cyborgs, their bodies entirely encased in liquid metal with red flashing eyes, tumbled down from the roof. Jet-propelled devices were implanted in their backs and their combat power indexes spiked wildly the moment they hit the ground.
[System scan: Black Dragon King's direct mechanical corpse]
[Combat Power Index: 8000, 8000, 8500]
[Combination Warning: After the three are linked, their combat power will increase exponentially."
'Another lackey of the Black Dragon King.' Officer Zack frowned, but didn't lower the gun pointed at Azhan. Instead, he sneered. 'Citizen, you have ten seconds to leave. I'll handle this 'trash'."
'Ten seconds?' Azhan gave a self-deprecating smile. The black bandage in his hand moved of its own accord. 'Probably not enough time for me to finish this can of cola.' The mechanical corpse didn't allow for pleasantries. The three of them instantly formed a triangle and the pulse cannons in their palms rapidly charged.
'Holy Light Retribution — Scatter!' Officer Zack fired first. He turned gracefully, the golden revolver spinning rapidly at his fingertips. He fired six shots in one second; each golden bullet had anti-magic properties and accurately intercepted the mechanical corpse's pulse wave.
Boom!
An explosion of energy erupted in mid-air, instantly extinguishing the neon lights of Khao San Road. In the brief flash of light that followed, Ah Zhan disappeared. A mechanical zombie was preparing to activate the serrated disc on its back when Ah Zhan suddenly appeared in its blind spot.
'Teleportation?' The mechanical zombie's electronic eyes frantically calculated.
'No, it's a funeral procession,' said Ah Zhan coldly, slamming his black fist heavily onto the mechanical zombie's metal shell. There was no crisp metallic clang, only a dull thud. The mechanical zombie's prized liquid metal defence caved in like dough before Ah Zhan.
Meanwhile, Officer Zack lowered his gun with one hand while drawing golden handcuffs from thin air with the other.
'Unauthorised body modification, sentenced to death!' The bullet traced a perfect arc, piercing the energy core of another zombie.
'Hey! You two are pretty well-coordinated!' Marlene waved from behind, giving herself a defensive buff as an added bonus. 'Why don't we just become sworn brothers — the "Bangkok Duo"!'
"Shut up!"
"No interest."
Ah Zhan and Zack spoke simultaneously. As they cleared out the mechanical zombies, their fists and gun barrels were once again pointed at each other.
Officer Zack's eyes were sharp. 'Not bad, but your power doesn't belong to "Order".' Ah Zhan's tone was cold. "Order? That kind of thing died the day Coke prices went up.'
[Combat power index fluctuates in real time: Zack: 18,000 -> 21,000 (entering combat stance); Ah Zhan: 0 -> ???? (System reports another error).'
The wind on Khao San Road turned chilling again.
On the ruins of Khao San Road, golden holy light and pitch-black demonic energy collided like tidal waves. The air crackled as though space itself might shatter like glass at any moment.
Officer Zack's hand was steady as a rock; the muzzle of his golden revolver didn't even tremble. 'Citizen Azhan, your level of danger has exceeded the tolerance limits of the Bangkok Extraordinary Law. This is your final warning. Put your hands behind your head and come with me to the station for 'purification'."
Azhan sneered and the empty Coke can in his right hand crumpled into an iron ball as black demonic patterns spread to his neck. 'Officer, did your "Eye of Truth" tell you that if you pull the trigger, this street will instantly become a vacuum where not even God can find it?'
[Real-time Combat Power Index: Zack: 21,000 (maximum energy); Azhan: 0 (deep silence).
Marlene seized the opportunity, suddenly rushing between them and slamming the guzheng to the ground with a loud bang.
'Stop! Stop! You two idiots! Didn't you realise that these mechanical zombies are just bait?' Before she could finish speaking, a dark purple beam of light shot from the top of Bangkok's tallest building, the Bangkok Tower (Maha Nakhon), spanning the sky.
Boom!
The beam exploded in the clouds, forming a massive, slowly rotating purple vortex from which countless tiny black crystals rained down on the city like hail.
Officer Zack's face paled. His communicator blared frantically: 'Report! Massive supernatural contamination has been detected throughout Bangkok! All citizens with a combat power index below 3000 are entering the early stages of demonisation collectively! The Black Dragon King has activated the All-Encompassing Demonization Array!'
'What?' Marlene exclaimed. 'Is he going to turn everyone in Bangkok into his bio-slaves?' Azan stared at the massive purple vortex in the sky; a complex emotion flashed in his eyes. It was the colour of the hell he had once inhabited — the colour he loathed most.
'If we don't cut off the signal source at Bangkok Tower, there won't be many "citizens" left for you to enforce the law on in ten minutes, Officer Zack.' A-Zhan lowered his fist and the magical runes on his body gradually dissipated, returning him to his listless state as 'Zero'.
Officer Zack remained silent for three seconds, the golden revolver spinning gracefully between his fingers before being returned to its holster. 'According to regulations, in the event of a city-wide catastrophe, police officers can temporarily conscript citizens with supernatural abilities to assist in law enforcement.'
He looked at A-Zhan seriously and rigidly. 'This doesn't mean I approve of you, A-Zhan. After this is over, I will still handcuff you myself."
"Suit yourself." A-Zhan turned to Marlene and said, 'Keep your guzheng on; the road ahead might be a bit bumpy.' A police motorcycle, painted pure gold and named 'The Roar of Justice', cut through the long night.
Officer Zack was driving, while A-Zhan sat on the back with his eyes closed. Marlene huddled between them, clutching a half-finished can of cola.
"Hey, sir, officer, is this Bangkok's version of The Avengers?" Marlene asked excitedly. Her combat power, boosted by the background music, had miraculously recovered to 9000.
'It's the Bangkok City Management Squad,' Ah Zhan corrected.
'It's the Law Enforcement Team,' Zack said coldly.
The motorcycle sped through the burning streets, heading towards the Bangkok Tower, which exuded an aura of death. At the top, the Black Dragon King surveyed the chaos below with a slight smile playing on his lips beneath his golden mask.
'It's here? The fusion of justice, spiritual power and the abyss... this is the perfect sacrifice.'