Chapter 63: The Pitiable

Pei Keke’s body trembled slightly as she watched Su Ziling walk away.

She recalled the praise for the Protean Witch in that post, and resentment gradually welled up in her heart.

She didn’t understand why, despite both having defeated monsters, her reputation was completely different from the other’s. Was it a looks issue? Was it a strength issue?

Or was it, as Black Feather had said, that what she had done hadn’t shown its value yet? But why? She had been working so hard, yet she wasn’t getting any return, while the other had only appeared in the media once and already garnered so much attention.

She had made a wish! She had wished to become a star that everyone admired! Why had she ended up like this? The more she thought about it, the gloomier Pei Keke’s face became.

“No… I need to find that Flame Monster first.”

So without any hesitation, she stood up and rushed toward Kensington Block. She had to stop Su Ziling and the others’ capture operation. Once they caught the Flame Monster, she would have no way to pin the cause of the fire on that monster.

—

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Lin Yizhou entered Kensington Street. Like Su Ziling and her group, the moment he stepped into this chaotic and dark block, countless eyes fell upon him. After all, someone dressed in bright, clean clothes with a different demeanor was bound to attract the attention of the locals. This was also why Su Ziling’s group, despite using Camouflage Magic, still drew so much attention. They could disguise their appearance, but they couldn’t mimic that aura of lifelessness, rot like dead wood, and numbness to life.

However, Lin Yizhou couldn’t be bothered by these gazes and walked forward openly. Sure enough, someone quickly recognized his identity. Although Ashes’ reputation and influence were not as great as Red Rose’s, they were still not something these thugs could afford to provoke.

Lin Yizhou walked forward along the path he remembered. He ignored the people lying twisted on the street and those with severely contorted limbs curled up into balls. He had once wanted to change this place, but later he realized that changing here was futile—what needed to change… was never this place.

Soon, Lin Yizhou arrived at Sun Biao’s residence. The place was dilapidated, the doorplate covered in rust, the staircase littered with filthy garbage, and unknown yellow liquid seeping from the bags. A stench of decay filled the air. But when Lin Yizhou looked up, he found that the place was already empty. It seemed Sun Biao knew how serious his offense was.

Seeing that he was no longer there, Lin Yizhou went downstairs. After looking around, his gaze fell on a person wearing a black jacket, a hood, and a face mask. Seeing that this person seemed relatively sane, Lin Yizhou walked over and asked.

“Got a minute? I want to ask something.”

As he spoke, he lit a cigarette for himself and offered one to the other. Actually, Lin Yizhou didn’t smoke, but every time he came to Kensington, he brought a pack of good cigarettes. He lit this one just for social courtesy—he didn’t inhale, just held it.

This person originally didn’t want to bother with Lin Yizhou, but upon seeing the cigarette he offered, the hostility and distance in his eyes instantly vanished. He took the cigarette and squeezed out a wrinkled smile.

“What’s your name, bro?”

“Just call me Xiao Zhou. You?”

Cigarettes were a rare commodity here. A single cigarette as a “tip” was enough to pry open many tight lips.

“Just call me Old Tang.”

The man in black promptly gave his name. After the introductions, he unceremoniously plopped down on the dirty curb of the green belt and patted the spot next to him, signaling for Lin Yizhou to sit.

“Looking at your getup, you don’t look like you’re from this dump,” Old Tang said, taking a drag of his cigarette and squinting at Lin Yizhou. “What’s up? You here… looking for ‘ladies’?” This “ladies” was not the usual kind, but both understood and chuckled knowingly.

“Uh… no.”

“Hahaha!”

Hearing this reply, Old Tang couldn’t help but laugh out loud. After his laugh, Old Tang kindly warned him.

“I don’t know what you’re here for, but let me give you a heads-up: if you’re looking for that kind of thing, the stuff here is mostly not clean. Seeing that you’re a respectable person from the New City District, I suggest you go to a foot bath place…”

“Stop, hold it right there!”

Lin Yizhou quickly cut him off. If he let him continue, this would sooner or later be censored.

Old Tang was a sly one. Seeing his strong reaction, he grinned and wisely stopped, then asked:

“So, brother, what are you doing coming all the way to this godforsaken place?”

Lin Yizhou pointed at the dilapidated, silent building next to them and asked directly.

“Brother Old Tang, I’m asking about someone. The tenant in this building—do you know where he went?”

“Oh?”

“He’s a friend of mine. I heard he’s in trouble recently, so I came to check on him.”

“Oh.”

Old Tang, who had been wary, saw that Lin Yizhou’s response seemed fine, so he took another drag and slowly spoke.

“Him? He’s hiding in the sewers under East Bridge.” Old Tang sighed, speaking with a hint of sympathy. “He’s a pitiful man too. He owes a mountain of debt trying to cure his daughter. Now his daughter’s illness isn’t cured yet, and he’s gone and gotten himself into big trouble.”

“What happened?”

“To collect a debt, he went to the New City District to demand money from a foreman, and ended up burning his whole family. I don’t know the specifics. Since you’re his friend, go ask him yourself.”

“Thanks.”

Lin Yizhou handed him another cigarette. The latter didn’t refuse and carefully put it in his pocket as if it were a treasure.

After parting with this small-time informant Old Tang, Lin Yizhou headed toward the East Bridge sewer that he had indicated. That place wasn’t far, so Lin Yizhou quickly found Sun Biao hiding in the sewer.

Sun Biao at this moment could be said to have completely changed. Half a year ago, he was a strong young man, but now he was sallow and thin, like a skeleton, wearing tattered clothes full of holes and stains, curled up in a corner like a beggar.

When he heard someone coming, his eyes were full of terror and fear. But fortunately, Lin Yizhou spoke first.

“It’s me, Xiao Zhou. I’m not a cop here to arrest you.”