On the Pakeaij, in the ship’s cargo hold.
After Xu Yinsheng asked Chen Kedi to escape with her, the ropes on her hands and feet were untied.
They gnawed on cucumbers pulled from bundles in the cargo hold.
After a conversation, Xu Yinsheng learned Chen Kedi’s story.
Born in an orphanage in a small country, without parents, he received sponsorship from philanthropists, obtained some education, dropped out of high school to work, was crippled by a rich second-generation after an act of bravery, begged with an old beggar by the roadside, then for some reason developed a strong physique, was inspired by wuxia novels, and now works as a chivalrous thief, robbing the rich to help the poor.
“Brother Chen, why do you dislike rich people so much?”
Xu Yinsheng bit into a juicy cucumber. Knowing she would rely on him to escape, she consciously lowered her attitude.
Looking at the silver-haired loli gnawing on a cucumber, her face innocent, Chen Kedi knew she hadn’t encountered the dark side of society.
He broke the cucumber in half, handed it to Xu Yinsheng, who had finished hers, and explained:
“I don’t hate the rich; I only hate the rich who accumulate vast wealth through exploitation under unreasonable systems.”
“Like the people on this ship,” Chen Kedi shrugged.
“When they measure people by money, extinguish their humanity, annihilate their personality, and trample on their dignity, I wish them dead.”
Chen Kedi’s bluntness startled Xu Yinsheng.
Xu Yinsheng had a moment of fear, but after that, she hesitated for several seconds, carefully choosing her words, “Can you explain why?”
As soon as she spoke, she immediately felt a pang of fear:
“I’m just curious, no other thoughts. I also hate Zhao Yicheng, who locked me up.”
Chen Kedi bit into a cucumber, muttering, “Why? I’ve never thought about it. Do you need a reason to hate someone? If so, I’ll think about it.”
He reached out and took the cat tag from Xu Yinsheng’s neck, pondering for a few seconds:
“Let me put it this way, this cat tag alone is worth about 50,000 to 70,000. How much food can it buy? How many blankets can it be exchanged for? In the small country where I was born, with flower rice as the currency unit, this wood-inlaid silver on your neck converts to 400,000 flower rice. Generally, 1,000 flower rice is enough for a normal family of three to live well. So, if it were given to a family with a monthly income of around 9,000 flower rice, how long would it sustain them?”
Xu Yinsheng subconsciously glanced at the cat tag held by the man’s large hand.
Although she had sworn sisterhood in high school and raced cars and dated girls in bars during college, she still knew middle school multiplication and division.
“44 months, nearly four years…”
Chen Kedi nodded, his large hand releasing the cat tag.
“But now, this item, enough to support a family of three for four years, is merely used to satisfy that man’s twisted pleasure, as you said.”
1,000 flower rice is enough for a normal family of three’s monthly expenses.
And the cat tag left on her neck by Zhao Yicheng’s perversion could support such a family of three for four years.
“Let me give you another example. A rich person opens a company. The company’s management keeps it running, employees work diligently, and the market consumes these products. The 10 million generated, after deducting employee wages, all belongs to the rich person.”
Chen Kedi’s lips curved into a sarcastic smile.
“The rich person essentially did nothing but took the lion’s share. Employees created 10 million in profit for them but only receive a monthly salary of five or six thousand. Sometimes, they’d rather use the money for charity to offset taxes than pay their employees.”
“These so-called rich and powerful individuals cling to resources and power for decades and decades and refuse to die. Yet, those who truly create this world, build factories and houses, and maintain social stability are treated as meaningless kindling, burned at will.”
“Why shouldn’t they die?”
His smile was full of malice, his eyes filled with deep hatred. Xu Yinsheng shivered.
Chen Kedi knew he’d scared the red-eyed, silver-haired loli in front of him.
He rubbed his temples.
“Sorry, sometimes I get a bit neurotic. I scared you just now.”
“It’s okay,” Xu Yinsheng whispered, though inwardly still frightened.
After much hesitation, she carefully asked, “Brother Chen, if I didn’t choose to escape with you, or if I clung to your leg like those girls you rescued before and called for help, what would you do?”
“Knock you out, see if I could get you out, find a place to sell you. If not, then I’d kill you, clean up the blood, and then strip you of everything, like that dress you’re wearing, which I estimate is between 200,000 and 300,000 Huayuan.”
Chen Kedi scrutinized the silver-haired loli, his gaze sending shivers down Xu Yinsheng’s spine, like a butcher coldly eyeing livestock.
“Regarding ‘humans,’ in my judgment, I only recognize and respect ‘humans’ who don’t actively harm others’ lives.
Anyone who measures people by money, tramples on their dignity, disregards their lives, loses their self-respect, or abandons their humanity is, in my eyes, expelled from humanity.”
“I don’t kill the innocent. My gun only targets those beasts expelled from humanity, or ‘canine-beasts’ who no longer deserve to be called human.”
“The money obtained afterward, part of it I donate to relatively honest orphanages, giving the children hope of becoming ‘human.’ The other part serves as funds for my next operation.”
Noticing the silver-haired loli’s overwhelming fear, he paused and spread open the gun in his hand.
“Don’t worry, you’ve regained your humanity just now. I won’t lay a hand on you. I equally respect every life born as a human.”
Xu Yinsheng nodded fearfully.
Chen Kedi knew his earlier candid remarks had terrified her, so he said no more, leaning quietly against the shelves, closing his eyes to rest.
For a moment, the dim cargo hold fell silent, with only faint chewing echoing in the darkness.
Suddenly, Chen Kedi’s eyes snapped open.
He sat up abruptly, his hand gripping the pistol at his waistband.
He looked at Xu Yinsheng, who was eating half a cucumber, and lowered his voice.
“Someone’s coming.”
Both spoke in unison.
Chen Kedi was slightly surprised.
His keen hearing, cultivated with the old beggar over several years, was exceptional. Could there truly be someone with such innate talent in this world?
Xu Yinsheng smiled shyly, saying nothing, letting him guess.
In truth, this was a natural vampire ability: dark vision and acute hearing.
“Brother Chen, are they far from us? What should we do next?”
Xu Yinsheng whispered.
Her shapeshifting ability could provide many new forms, but the few she currently possessed either lacked combat power or hadn’t developed yet.
Xu Yinsheng dearly wished she could transform into a more powerful character, then pin Zhao Yicheng to the ground and thoroughly rub him.
“Ventilation duct.”
Chen Kedi patted the ventilation duct entrance behind him.