Leaving the incinerator, Ivy’s bike wheels seemed to spin uncontrollably, mirroring her racing thoughts.

Along the way, Ivy stopped twice. She clutched the cold, irregular bead in her pocket, the virtual chat box in her mind suddenly feeling very real.

Ivy rubbed her temples, muttering to herself, “Iron Fragments of Evil and Resentment. Is this even possible in this world? Isn’t this a system error?”

“The game integrates into the world’s background, so it shouldn’t have this kind of outlandish item. The name itself sounds incredibly fantastical.”

“Is this a system update patch? This patch seems to violate the material background. It’s completely illogical.”

“But what if it’s not a mistake? If I consume these Iron Fragments of Evil and Resentment, the properties absorbed by the Iron Eater skill would be…”

Ivy couldn't imagine what those properties might be, but she was certain that the properties absorbed from this special iron would be overwhelmingly superior to those from common cast iron.

Although, she hadn't even fully absorbed the properties of common cast iron yet.

[Detecting special metal—Iron Fragments of Evil and Resentment.]

[Consumable: Yes!]

[Current Consumable Iron Type—Cast Iron. No additional slots available.]

[Reminder: If you wish to consume a new type of iron, please first clear the current slot and reset the absorption rate.]

[Do you wish to reset?]

Her gaze fixed on the prompt, Ivy closed her eyes after a long moment, replying silently, “No!”

She desperately wanted to eat it.

She desperately wanted to replace the cast iron.

But,

She couldn’t.

She only had one Iron Fragment of Evil and Resentment—or, as she now called it, a “black bead”—for now.

One bead wouldn’t fill her up. She’d need at least a … full bag?

As she considered this, her fiery enthusiasm gradually cooled. According to Wang Jian, the drop rate of the black beads was about 10%. To fill a bag, she would have to cremate at least a thousand bodies.

Unconsciously, the horrifying image of decaying evil corpses had transformed into glittering treasure chests in Ivy's mind.

“In short, I have to take that job at the incinerator,” she decided.

...

“My son couldn't have committed murder and gone into hiding,” Zheng Si growled, his glass eye gleaming ominously in the dim light. He tugged at his collar, looking like a vengeful wolf.

The cleared-out bar was surrounded by burly men, all standing silently with their heads bowed.

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“My son has always been obedient. He’s told me about all the people he’s killed before. He wouldn’t have caused me to worry,” Zheng Si muttered, suddenly standing and kicking over a tea table.

He grabbed an underling by the collar, his voice vicious, “Tell me, why didn’t my son tell me this time? Where is he hiding? Is he rebelling, like other children, and refusing to listen to his father?”

The underling’s face paled. Meeting Zheng Si’s cold, white gaze, his teeth chattered. “No, Young Master… he wouldn’t disobey you. He… he might have…”

Zheng Si leaned in closer, his face inches from the underling’s. “Might have what?”

The underling closed his eyes and replied, “Young Master was most likely… accidentally killed!”

The words were barely out when blood spurted from his throat, hot blood splattering across Zheng Si’s face, adding to his already frenzied expression.

Ma Ban entered from outside, his eyes briefly sweeping over the body on the floor, its throat torn open, spasming as it exhaled its last breath.

He frowned and coldly addressed the silent gang members, “What are you all staring at? Clean this up!”

Zheng Si looked at Ma Ban, his anger subsiding somewhat after receiving the offered handkerchief. “Investigate.”

Ma Ban pulled out his phone and opened a file containing several photos from the crime scene.

He scrolled through the images, sneering, “Those officers weren’t telling the truth. There was more than just the woman’s body at the scene. There was a ritual pattern etched into the floor.”

Zheng Si’s face darkened. “A dark ritual?!”

Ma Ban replied gravely, “Yes. I had someone stationed outside the school, and they saw the precinct officers loading a truck with rocks and taking them away. They probably crushed the ritual pattern and transported it to the incinerator for disposal.”

Zheng Si’s eyes widened. After a moment, his eyes welled up. “My son… vanished without a trace. What do you think happened?”

Ma Ban was silent for a moment, then said seriously, “Young Master wouldn’t have been so careless. He’s most likely dead, and we need to avenge him.”

The air grew heavy, the gang members cleaning up stiffening in their movements, cold sweat trickling down their foreheads.

After a long silence, Zheng Si’s lips curled up into a cruel smile. He ground his teeth, his words like a threat aimed at Ma Ban, “How do we avenge him?”

Ma Ban lowered his head, his fingers tracing the frame of his glasses. He answered calmly, “We find the murderer, and we kill they entire family to pay for Young Master’s life.”

Zheng Si: “Can we find them?”

Ma Ban replied, “The crime scene is in the school storeroom. The murderer is likely among the students or teachers. Give me a month, and I'll find them.”

Zheng Si’s eyes were bloodshot. His voice was as cold as ice, “Two weeks.”

A look of hesitation crossed Ma Ban’s face, but he finally bit his lip and said solemnly, “Fine, but everyone in the gang must follow my instructions. You cannot interfere, Boss.”

Zheng Si agreed. His burly body slumped slightly as he slowly walked towards the back room. The gang members he passed remained motionless, their heads bowed to the ground.

“Send that mother to reunite with my son,” Zheng Si said, his cold voice echoing in the hallway, sending chills down the spines of his underlings.

Ma Ban bent down, picked up the bloodstained handkerchief, carefully folded it, and put it in his pocket. He replied quietly, “Understood.”

Then, he sat up straight, looked towards the locked room at the end of the hall, and turned to address several of his men softly, “The people are at the Fourth Hospital. Go.”

“Yes,” the gang members replied in unison.

Ma Ban added, “Oh, and take care of Niu Tong’s family. He spilled his blood for the gang, we can’t neglect his family.”

...

Returning home, Ivy found her father, Eric Ruiz, had returned.

“Why are you back so late?” Eric Ruiz asked, frowning at his daughter, his tone habitually questioning.

Ivy changed her shoes, sat in a corner of the sofa, and said to Eric Ruiz, “I went to the incinerator. A classmate recommended a job there.”

“A job? Didn’t I say I would arrange one for you?” Eric Ruiz paused, then seemed to recall something and continued, “Everything’s settled at school, then?”

Ivy took the thin, slightly crumpled graduation certificate from her bag and tossed it on the table.

This certificate had no practical value beyond a keepsake. Ivy kept it to demonstrate to Eric Ruiz that she was serious about not taking the exam and wouldn’t waste family money.

Eric Ruiz picked it up, glanced at it, then casually put it down, seemingly satisfied with his daughter’s pragmatic decision.

His expression turned serious. “Stay home for a while. I’ll arrange a position for you at the precinct later…”