The smoke from the base of Bangkok Tower had not yet dissipated when another sharp aura instantly shattered the suffocating pressure of the purple light.
'Inspector 0715, Senior Superintendent Zack, is on a blockade mission.' A cold, rigid voice echoed through the ruins like the clanging of precision instruments.
The special police teams with supernatural abilities who had been guarding the tower's base had vanished without trace. Only twisted standard-issue rifles and scorched police badges remained on the ground. The air was thick with the acrid smell of something 'purified' by divine power.
Amidst the billowing purple radioactive dust, a man walked against the light. He wore a spotless white police overcoat and gold-rimmed glasses that reflected a cold light. His leather boots tapped the rubble with an eerily steady rhythm of precisely sixty steps per minute.
[System Monitoring: High-Intensity Order Domain Detected! Target: Zack!] Nickname: The Stubborn Justice, the Golden Arbiter of the Police Force! Real-time Combat Power Index: 18,000 (stable normal version)! "Roar—"
Three 'demonic police officers', devoid of reason and with combat powers exceeding 7,000, leapt from the shadows. Their 10-centimetre-long fingernails shimmered with a poisonous green light.
Zack didn't even bat an eyelid. He swung his right arm sharply and a massive, pure gold revolver with a 12-inch barrel engraved with holy runes sliced through the air.
'Weapon unleashed: Golden Arbiter – Holy Light Edition!' Zack gripped the gun with one hand. Due to the immense recoil, the air around him was blasted apart at the moment of firing, forming a ring of transparent ripples.
'Bang!' Bang! Bang!' Three gunshots overlapped into one. The bullets weren't made of lead, but rather 'purified bullets' compressed from solid spiritual energy.
The bullet streaked across the night sky, leaving behind not the smell of gunpowder, but the scent of sandalwood — like a passing church choir. When the three 'enchanted officers' were hit, their purple demonic energy hissed and dissipated rapidly, like snowflakes catching the sun, with no visible bloodshed.
Enveloped in holy light, the demonic markings on their bodies were washed away and they collapsed from exhaustion, falling into a deep coma. 'Evil can be cleansed, but life is protected by law.' Zack skilfully twirled his gun, then sheathed the smoking gold revolver in its ivory holster. "Hey, you in the white uniform, officer." A-Zhan, carrying Marlene, slowly emerged from the shadows of the Bangkok Tower. Looking at the 'purification' marks scattered on the ground, a rare hint of seriousness flashed in his eyes. 'Your marksmanship is good, but if you want to use that toy gun against the Black Dragon King, I suggest you go and burn some incense at a nearby temple.'
Zack turned his head and A-Zhan's stats flashed rapidly on his gold-rimmed glasses:
[Combat Power Index: 0]
'An illegal immigrant with a value of zero, and… a suspect in the abduction of a girl with superpowers.' Zack looked at the unconscious Marlene on A-Zhan's back.
He drew his golden revolver again, this time pointing the muzzle at A-Zhan's forehead. 'According to the Bangkok Emergency Response Law for Supernatural Abilities, you have the right to remain silent, but I have the right to kill you on the spot.'
The atmosphere fell silent again. A-Zhan tilted his head slightly, a defiant smile playing on his lips. 'Kill me? With your 18,000 combat points? Officer, didn't your police academy teach you that some people cannot be measured by numbers?' The black bandage on A-Zhan's right hand began to crumble, and golden-purple energy flickered between his fingers.
Zack's finger was already on the trigger; the golden runes on the gun emitted a blinding resonance.
'My duty is to uphold the logic of this world,' he said, his voice cold and hard. 'If 0 can defeat 18,000, then the law is meaningless.'
'Then let's try it,' Azhan replied coldly. 'Let's see if your so-called logic is stronger or if my fist is heavier.'
[Combat Power Index Soars in Real Time]
[Zack: 18,000 → 22,000 (Activating 'Heart of Justice' Amplification Mode!)]
[Azhan: 0 -> ???? (Manually disabling the detector!)]
Just as the two were about to strike, a huge mechanical claw suddenly descended from above the Bangkok Tower, tearing a deep crater into the ground between them.
'Gentlemen, our reminiscing is over.' The Black Dragon King's chilling laughter echoed from the sky. 'Zack, your once-proud police force is now nothing more than cogs in my machine.' Looking for them? Go rummaging through hell's garbage cans!'
Zack stared at the massive crater, the veins on the back of his hand bulging as he gripped his gun. He glanced at A-Zhan, then at the distorted purple vortex in the sky, and took a deep breath.
'A-Zhan,' Zack said, still not turning his head. His tone was curt but without a trace of hostility. 'This time, I'll allow you to assist me as a "temporary auxiliary police officer" in my mission to destroy the Black Dragon King.'
A-Zhan snorted coldly, lifting Marlene further onto his back. His eyes sharpened. 'I'm not helping you. I just hate having cops in my way when I'm drinking cola.'
The air at the foot of the Bangkok Tower trembled.
The demonic cyborgs, who had been attacking A-Zhan with great ferocity, froze as if they had encountered their natural enemy. A feeling of awe arose in their virus-damaged brains.
"Criminal ID: 092. Demonic Intentional Assault. Illegal Damage to Public Property." A perfectly calm and even voice, as if reciting a legal code, spoke.
'Bang!'
A golden streak of light shot from the darkness, shattering the air and leaving a lingering holy trail. The bullet grazed A-Zhan's shoulder, striking an elite zombie with a combat power of 9000.
[System monitoring: high-level order armament detected – golden revolver.]
[Ultimate Skill: Golden Purification Bullet].
The moment the zombie was hit, the black energy within it was forcibly drawn out by golden flames, causing it to emit a human-like scream. Then, its body began to shrink, eventually reverting to that of an unconscious civilian.
"Officer, your bullet seems to have missed." A-Zhan turned his head coldly, looking at the man who had emerged from the shadows.
Officer Zack adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his right hand gripping a long-barrelled revolver engraved with the word 'Justice' in solid gold. The badge on his chest gleamed in the darkness, radiating an aura of righteousness that was impossible to look directly at.
[Character Profile: Zack]
Nickname: The Golden Arbiter of the Police Force, Stubborn Enforcer
Real-time Combat Power Index: 18,000 (constant)
"A-Zhan, 'Subject Zero'." Zack spoke coldly, slowly moving the muzzle of his gun to lock onto A-Zhan's forehead. 'According to the Siamese Supernatural Abilities Law, the energy you carry is extremely unstable, classifying you as a major threat to public safety. Now, please put your hands behind your head and come with me to the police station for 'purification treatment'."
"Officer, is this your opening line?" Ah Zhan smirked. The black bandage wrapped around his right hand started to move of its own accord, despite there being no wind. "I just cleaned up the trash here. You should give me a medal, not point this toy gun at me."
My gun is never a joke." The instant Zack spoke, he pulled the trigger. Three golden purification bullets flew out in a triangular formation, blocking all of Ah Zhan's evasive manoeuvres. The bullets crackled with golden arcs of electricity, and his combat power surged instantly — [Purification Bullet Enhancement: 20,000]!
Instead of retreating, Ah Zhan charged directly at the bullets. His figure created overlapping afterimages in the air, a visual illusion caused by his rapid movement. He swung his right fist and his hand, covered in black magic runes, collided head-on with the golden bullets. With a 'crack', the golden bullet was crushed by Ah Zhan's fist and turned into a shower of golden dust.
Ah Zhan appeared before Zack, the distance between them less than ten centimetres. Black demonic energy and golden light clashed violently between them, producing a thunderous thud. "Your 'justice' won't save Bangkok, but it can end this 'chaos'," said Zack defiantly.
"Enough! All of you, stop!' Marlene poked her head out from behind Ah Zhan and slammed her guzheng between them with a loud bang. 'Officer Zack, look around! Your police force, your brothers — they've all been captured by the Black Dragon King! And you still have the nerve to play cat and mouse with me here?"
Zack's hand, which was gripping his gun, trembled slightly. He looked around and saw that the dozens of superhuman police officers who should have been stationed there were now just broken walkie-talkies and bloodstained uniforms.
'They… went inside the tower.' Zack took a deep breath and his combat power index fluctuated again, reaching 22,000 (Desperate Gamble).
"The Black Dragon King has set up a 'Demonization Array of All Things' at the top of Bangkok Tower," said A-Zhan, pointing to the spire, which was flashing purple constantly. 'With every passing minute, your men have a greater chance of turning into monsters.'
Zack holstered his gun, adjusted his glasses and his eyes sharpened like blades. 'A-Zhan, given the current emergency, I'm temporarily recruiting you as a "temporary informant" in my capacity as Senior Superintendent. If the mission is successful, I'll consider adding 'meritorious service' to your sentencing.'
'Don't be ridiculous, officer.' A-Zhan tightened the bandages on his hands again and slung his black machete back over his shoulder. 'I just want to go up there and beat that masked bastard to a pulp. As for your 'code', keep it for the ghosts.'
Just then, the doors of the Bangkok Tower burst open. Hundreds of 'demonic guards', dressed in police uniforms but with bloodshot eyes and covered in barbed bone spurs, poured out.
'That's... my Second Squadron,' Zack said hoarsely. His right hand gripped the gun; the golden revolver spun wildly as holy light soared into the sky. "Since they've lost their souls, I'll send them on their final journey."
Golden Ultimate Strike — [Holy Light Judgement — Hundred-Mile Purification]!
Zack fired six shots in quick succession. The bullets split into countless golden raindrops in the air and forcefully cleaved a gap in the demonic tide directly in front of him.
"Leave the rest to me." A-Zhan, like black lightning, instantly cut into the centre of the gap. 'Ultimate Technique: "Life-Eating - Chaotic God Slash"!'
His greatsword slashed out a black crescent, blasting the surrounding demonic figures away.
Freeze! One was the embodiment of order, dressed in spotless white and with an unfaltering aim. The other was a son of the abyss, dressed in black and demolishing everything in his path. They forcefully carved a bloody path to the top of the tower one after the other, amidst the swirling purple mist.
The observation elevator at the Bangkok Tower, which is made entirely of transparent, high-strength, bulletproof glass, usually offers superb views of Bangkok at night. However, now it's a one-way iron cage to hell.
Ah Zhan, Zack and the newly awakened Marlene are trapped inside it as it ascends rapidly. Marlene is so weak that she can only lean against the wall.
Ding!
The lift suddenly stops on the thirtieth floor, its lights flashing wildly.
'Officer, did your "sense of justice" foresee that this elevator wasn't meant to carry people?' Ah Zhan stares at the lift doors, holding his large machete horizontally to his chest.
Zack adjusts his glasses. 'My code tells me that any enclosed space is a trap. All six rounds of the Golden Revolver's purification mechanism are loaded.'
Boom!
The steel plate at the top of the lift is torn apart instantly, and four 'mechanical killers', their bodies encased in liquid metal with black dragon markings on their chests, slide down the cables. Their arms transform into high-speed metal drills, sealing off the elevator instantly!
[System Monitoring: Black Dragon Guard – Liquid Reaper]
[Combat Power Index: 15,000×4]
'Marlene, crouch down!' Azan shouts. The cramped elevator prevented him from using wide-ranging attacks, so he had to abandon his sword and use his fists instead.
His fists generated extremely high-frequency vibrations over a short distance. 'Ultimate Technique: Zero Value – Compression Collapse!" With each punch, the monster, which was originally immune to physical damage, emitted a shriek as if its circuits had short-circuited. Officer Zack leaned against the lift mirror, moving with the elegance of a shooting demonstration.
'Close Combat Gunfighting Technique — Golden Waltz!' He repeatedly leapt back and forth in the narrow elevator, firing his golden revolver close to the monster's core. Golden purifying beams swept through the lift, melting the metal monster into a pile of slag.
'Heh, heh... You thought this was the end?' The Black Dragon King's sinister voice echoed from the lift speakers.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The three main cables supporting the lift snapped simultaneously, causing it to lose its weight instantly at a height of 100 metres and plummet towards the ground like a meteorite.
"It's over! It's really over!' Marlene screamed. Due to the weightlessness, her guzheng flew wildly through the air.
"Zhan! Catch her!' Officer Zack suddenly roared. His golden aura burned brightest at that moment. Instead of trying to grab the cables, he turned and hugged the core support frame at the bottom of the lift.
[Combat Power Rampage: 22,000... 28,000... 35,000...]
[Warning: Zack is forcibly overdrawing his life force, activating 'Golden Overload' mode."
'Officer, are you crazy?' Zhan steadied himself and tried to pull him back.
'Shut up! As a police officer, protecting citizens is my ironclad rule. Take her up!' Zack pressed the hidden trigger of the golden revolver. The gun instantly disintegrated, transforming into countless golden chains that locked the tracks on both sides of the elevator shaft with force.
'Go!' Zack braced his feet against the lift floor and gripped the chains tightly with both arms. He used his body as a final brake, sparking terrifying friction that scorched his police uniform and emitted a pungent, acrid smell. But Zack didn't budge an inch!
"Uncle! Please save Officer Zack!' Marlene cried out.
Azan looked at Zack — the man he had once mocked as 'stubborn' — who was now radiating a willpower more terrifying than the Black Dragon King.
'I'll remember your life.' Azan didn't mince words. He put one arm around Marlene and grabbed a large machete with the other, stabbing it through the top of the lift. Taking advantage of the brief moment of stillness created by Zack, the two of them transformed into afterimages and rushed towards the ventilation duct.
'Boom!'
There was a deafening crash from below as the lift shaft shattered completely, followed by a final silent burst of golden light. Azan stood at the entrance to the ventilation duct, listening to the deathly silence below. After a full three seconds, he pulled a roll of black bandage from his pocket. The strips of cloth, dishevelled from the battle, were slowly and meticulously re-wound around his right hand.
'To die for such pointless logic... Zack, you're truly the worst cop in all of Bangkok.' Azan's voice was soft, but his murderous aura caused a layer of frost to form on the surrounding duct walls.
He looked up. Ahead lay the final flight of steps leading to the lair of the Black Dragon King.
'Marlene, don't cry.' Azan looked at the girl, who was sobbing uncontrollably with fear and sorrow. The abyss-like darkness in his eyes finally exploded.
'The policeman risked his life for this road. Even if there is a true god ahead of me, I will drag him down and smash him to pieces, punch by punch.'