Chapter 109

Chapter 109

The three of them walked out of Bitao Tang's territory and boarded an empty bus heading to Kosa District in the northern part of the city. The further the bus went, the more dilapidated the houses on both sides became, with the streets pockmarked by uneven craters.

"These houses are so colorful," Shen Juanjuan pointed out the window, "colorful houses."

On both sides, steel buildings were reinforced with layers of metal bars, and the walls patched with iron sheets, resembling patches of mottled skin.

Seeing that he was still holding the flower, Chu Ya wrapped it in cardboard and placed it in his backpack. Teddy Bear and Black Wolf also handed over their flowers for him to wrap and store.

"My flower is the biggest; don't mix them up," Shen Juanjuan worriedly peeked into the backpack, with Teddy Bear and Black Wolf crowding around. Chu Ya said, "I won't mix them up. Look, each one has its own spot. This one is yours, this one is from Bao Long."

"Growl!" Teddy Bear pointed to his flower, indicating that the paper wrapping was smaller than Shen Juanjuan’s. Chu Ya loosened the wrapping to make it look fluffier.

"Now it's big enough," Chu Ya said.

Teddy Bear nodded in satisfaction, and Black Wolf tapped his arm with a paw.

"Alright, you want it bigger too."

Finally, Chu Ya managed to satisfy all three, heaving a sigh of relief and glancing at Yun Tuo beside him. He noticed that Yun Tuo seemed to be dozing off but was actually propping his head up with his hand and laughing.

Seeing Chu Ya looking at him expressionlessly, Yun Tuo laughed even harder, his shoulders shaking.

"Nothing, nothing, just find you particularly patient," Yun Tuo put his arm around Chu Ya's shoulder and patted it, "But it's normal. When you were a kid, you could sit for hours drawing a picture. How many kids can do that?"

"My brother draws so well, especially animals," Shen Juanjuan said proudly from the side.

"Right, colored pencils," Chu Ya sat up straight, "We need to buy colored pencils today."

Yun Tuo leaned forward to look out the window, "It's easier to find colored daggers in Linya City, but colored pencils might be a bit tricky. We haven't seen any stationery stores along the way..."

"Can we find colored pencils? It's such a big city, there must be kids, and they should have colored pencils, right?"

"I'll keep an eye out. I'll try to get some for you in the next few days."

After everyone quieted down, Yun Tuo leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, while Shen Juanjuan and the two quantum beasts played with a deck of cards Yun Tuo had given them.

Chu Ya stared out the window, occasionally gently touching the chip he kept in his inner pocket.

They were heading to the address provided by Director Liu to find a researcher named Xu Wangduo. Would Xu Wangduo agree to continue researching this chip? Did Linya City have the necessary research facilities? What if the required equipment wasn't available here...

"Shen Miaomiao."

Hearing Shen Juanjuan's voice, Chu Ya snapped back to reality, "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you answer me?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about something."

Shen Juanjuan stared at his face, as if observing him, then hugged his arm and whispered, "Are you scared?"

Chu Ya paused, "No."

"Don't be afraid. If those people outside dare to attack us, I'll beat them back."

The road was bumpy, and the bus jolted violently, with the driver constantly muttering curses. The security situation in this area was clearly worse than in the western district, with people openly robbing others on the street, and passersby turning a blind eye.

"I told you, I don't have a single cent," a man raised his hands, allowing a large man in front of him to search him.

"Your card? Give me your card!" The large man held a knife to his throat.

The man remained silent, and the large man kicked him, causing him to clutch his stomach and bend over in pain.

"Do you want to bleed before giving me the card?" The large man raised his dagger toward the man's arm, but halfway through the motion, his hand suddenly went limp, and the dagger clattered to the ground.

Kosa District was one of the most chaotic areas in Linya City, controlled by various small factions with very few sentry guides, who rarely appeared in such places.

The large man, ignoring the fallen dagger, clutched his wrist, his face filled with panic as he looked around.

"You hit others, you're so shameless. I'm going to report you to Chief Administrator Chen," Shen Juanjuan stuck his head out the window, pointing at the man, "You'll be locked in the punishment room, and you won't be allowed to eat because you're so shameless..."

The large man dared not move, and the man picked up his empty bag from the ground, quickly getting up and leaving.

"That's outrageous," Shen Juanjuan sat back in the bus, angrily telling Chu Ya, "Always hitting people, it's outrageous."

Chu Ya, who hadn't noticed the situation outside, now looked at the panicked large man and asked, "Did you deal with him?"

"I did." Shen Juanjuan said, sticking his head out again, "I'm going to hit you with a ruler... what are you doing? Are you stealing someone else's toy?"

A young man who was trying to snatch a purse turned his head and saw a bus passing by, with a child with braids glaring at him from the window.

He immediately shouted, "Where did you come from, little brat—"

Before he could finish his sentence, he flew backward, crashing into a metal-sheeted wall with a dull thud.

Chu Ya used his mental power to throw the man, then pulled Shen Juanjuan, who was still scolding, back into the bus and closed the window.

"These people will be punished by Chief Administrator Chen," Shen Juanjuan said.

"Yes, they will all be punished."

Shen Juanjuan then looked at Teddy Bear sitting on the seat to the right, "Did you see? Those who steal flowers will be treated the same."

"Growl!" Teddy Bear pointed to Chu Ya's backpack, indicating that the flower inside wasn't stolen by him.

"Some of them started stealing later, but the ones who started first ruined the flowers."

Teddy Bear remained silent, and Black Wolf glanced at Shen Juanjuan. Seeing that he had finished speaking and was staring at him, Black Wolf immediately growled.

Shen Juanjuan said, "I know, you didn't take it. You're not like some people, no, some raccoons. You're a good big dog."

Some raccoons only pretended not to hear, turning their heads to look out the window.

The bus stopped at a certain station, and Chu Ya and his two companions got off. After walking through an alley for about ten minutes, they stopped in front of a gray, rusty metal house.

"Is this the address Director Liu gave you?" Yun Tuo asked.

Chu Ya nodded: "He said Xu Wangduo lives at No. 16, Five Sons Alley, Hongming Street, Kosa District."

Yun Tuo glanced at the door number on the metal house: "The address is correct; it's indeed here."

But the metal door of the house was tightly locked, with thick layers of dust on the door panels and windowsills, as if no one had lived there for a long time. Chu Ya extended his mental power through the door crack and saw that the furniture inside was also covered in a layer of dust.

Chu Ya's heart sank, but Yun Tuo said, "The locks are all intact, so he must be fine. Linya City isn't that big. Even if he moved somewhere else, we'll definitely find him."

Chu Ya saw that there wasn't a single piece of clothing in the wardrobe by the wall and finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, nothing happened to him; he just doesn't live here anymore."

An old man came out of the neighboring house, eyeing the two men warily before trying to retreat back inside.

"Excuse me—"

The old man quickly retreated, about to close the door, but Chu Ya swiftly blocked it with his hand.

"Don't be afraid, we're not bad people. We just want to ask you something."

The old man replied with a fierce expression: "Don't ask me, I don't know anything."

Chu Ya kept the door open, his tone and expression still gentle: "Just two minutes of your time, we'll leave after asking a few questions."

The old man pushed hard, but the door didn't budge, so he impatiently said, "Ask quickly then."

Chu Ya pointed to the neighboring house: "Where did the person living in there go?"

"I don't know, I don't recognize him," the old man replied gruffly.

"At least you should know how long it's been since he last came back, right?"

"I don't know either, I haven't paid attention."

Yun Tuo walked over and slipped a rolled-up bill into the old man's pocket: "When did you last see him?"

The old man looked down, his eyes still filled with suspicion, but he finally revealed some information: "About half a month ago?"

"Half a month ago?"

"Tell us more details, including what he looks like, what he usually does, and what happened when you saw him half a month ago. The more detailed, the better." Yun Tuo slipped another dark red bill into his pocket.

"I've lived here for three years. This person moved in six months ago. He rarely goes out, maybe once every two or three days to buy food. He looks to be around forty, about this tall." The old man gestured with his hand. "Long face, very thin, with a red birthmark the size of a fingernail on his left eyelid."

Yun Tuo nodded at Chu Ya: "That's him, alright."

The old man stopped talking suddenly, looking at the pocket where Yun Tuo had taken out the money.

After Yun Tuo slipped another bill, the old man continued satisfactorily: "We never spoke, and I never saw anyone visit him. But one night about half a month ago, a lot of people suddenly came to his house and took him away. I heard them urging him to hurry, telling him not to pack, saying everything would be provided there."

"Who took him away?" Chu Ya asked.

The old man closed his mouth again, his small eyes gleaming. Shen Juanjuan, who had been standing nearby, suddenly stepped forward and slipped a dark red card from her palm into his pocket.

The old man finally spoke, lowering his voice mysteriously: "It was the Guangta Gang."

Having learned Xu Wangduo's whereabouts, the three left the alley, with two quantum beasts closely following behind.

"Xu Wangduo has been taken by the Guangta Gang. We need to get him out," Yun Tuo said.

"That's a big gang, right? Can we really get him out?"

As they were discussing in low voices, they suddenly heard footsteps behind them. The old man hurriedly caught up.

"How can you deceive people? You used fake money to deceive us."

Chu Ya stopped, and the old man ran up to him, angrily spreading his hand to reveal an old playing card lying in his palm.

Chu Ya looked down and asked, "What do you mean?"

"This, this isn't money."

"So what?" Chu Ya countered.

The old man fumed, "I told you about that person because you gave me money."

Chu Ya, frustrated at not finding Xu Wangduo, coldly replied, "How many times did you take our money? Shouldn't you have told us the information?"

"I've been on the streets for decades, you young whelps..." The old man's voice suddenly cut off.

Behind him stood the Black Wolf, its paws resting on his shoulders. The old man dared not move, staring fearfully at Chu Ya.

Chu Ya took the playing card from his hand and handed it to Shen Juanjuan, who blinked her eyes, then led him forward.

Yun Tuo remained silent throughout, only commenting as they left the alley, "Not bad, you've grown. In the past, you wouldn't have had the nerve to do this, let alone do it so confidently."

Shen Juanjuan, holding her playing card, asked unhappily, "Why didn't he want mine? He took Yun Tuo's."

"Maybe yours was too pretty," Yun Tuo smiled.

Standing at the alley entrance, Chu Ya asked, "Should we go to the Guangta Gang now?"

Yun Tuo shook his head: "Xu Wangduo used to work at the top research institute in Cloud Peak. The Guangta Gang must have a reason for taking him. It will be difficult for the two of us to get him out."

Without waiting for Chu Ya's response, he continued, "You two head back to the orphanage first, I'll think of a way."

"What kind of way?" Chu Ya asked.

Yun Tuo smiled, "I'll visit an old acquaintance and ask him for help to get Xu Wangduo out."

After hesitating for two seconds, Chu Ya probed, "Xiao Rui?"

Yun Tuo seemed surprised at the name, his entire body freezing for a moment before he replied, "Of course not. I'm going to find someone who escaped from the Morning Star Club."

The bus arrived, and the three of them got on, preparing to return to the West District.

Half an hour later, when the bus stopped at a certain station, Yun Tuo got off in advance.

"There's a high-ranking official from the Morning Star Club who has fled to Linya City and seems to be living nearby. I'll go look for him. You two get off at the next stop and head straight back to the orphanage."

"Do you need me to come with you?" Chu Ya asked.

"No need. Instead, you two should take care of yourselves. Although one of you is an A-level Sentinel and the other is a Light Guide... the Light Guide is fighting with his quantum beast."

Chu Ya raised his hand to separate Shen Juanjuan and the Teddy Bear, who were tangled up in the seat next to him.

"Ao!"

"I just want to take a look, don't be so stingy. I won't take it from you, just let me see it. You're my quantum beast, the best raccoon, we're so close..."

Yun Tuo added, "By the way, if things don't work out, I might not be able to come back today."

"Then take care." Chu Ya said.

Shen Juanjuan asked, "Brother Yun Tuo, where are you going?"

"I have something to do and can't go back to the orphanage with you."

"Then be good, don't fight with anyone."

"Okay, I won't fight."

Shen Juanjuan instructed, "If someone hits you, tell me, and I'll deal with them."

"Understood." Yun Tuo touched his forehead in a military salute, "Light Guide."

Once Yun Tuo got off the bus, Chu Ya and Shen Juanjuan continued to the next stop.

Finally, the bus was quiet. The Teddy Bear sat next to the Black Wolf, while Shen Juanjuan lay half in Chu Ya's arms, looking out the window at the steel buildings flashing by. Chu Ya looked down at the small black mark on his wrist.

"Are you two getting off at the Black Plague Station?" the driver suddenly asked.

Chu Ya, who had been thinking about the Black Plague, felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing this, "What station?"

"The Black Plague Station." The driver turned the steering wheel, "New to Linya City, right? You should hurry back to your place. It's fine during the day here, but don't go out at night. There's always fighting in the city at night."

"Alright, thank you." Chu Ya asked again, "What do you mean by the Black Plague Station?"

The driver explained, "There used to be a hospital near that platform, but it was more like a prison. All the people in the city with the Black Plague were kept there. Later, everyone protested, saying they couldn't keep them there because of the risk of infection, so the hospital was moved to the docks. Even though the hospital moved, the name stayed, and the platform is still called the Black Plague Station. I don't know why, but the Black Plague is becoming more common in Linya City."

The driver, who had been silent until now, once he started talking, couldn't stop, speaking non-stop: "Though everyone gets vaccinated at birth and won't become zombies, those who fall ill now... well, they look no different from zombies."

Shen Juanjuan lifted his head from Chu Ya's arms, "What are zombies?"

"Zombies are even scarier than bombs," someone in front was fighting, bloodied and chasing after each other with knives, the driver drove around them, "But in this world, what's the difference between people and zombies?"

"Yeah, what's the difference between zombies and people?" Shen Juanjuan shook his head in agreement.

They got off at the Black Plague Station, which was very close to the exit of the West District. They returned to the orphanage without any trouble. Shen Juanjuan, holding his flower, eagerly went to play with Liu Sijin, while Chu Ya found Rong Chen and handed over the lease contract.

Chu Ya was somewhat restless all afternoon, unsure how to get Xu Wangduo out of the Guangta Gang, and could only wait for Yun Tuo to return to discuss it.

But by evening, Yun Tuo still hadn't returned to the orphanage. Though he had mentioned he might not come back tonight, Chu Ya was still worried.

The battle in Linya City was particularly intense tonight, with the sound of artillery rumbling continuously, and a large fire burning in the northeast, illuminating half the sky.

"It's so noisy outside, are they setting off fireworks?" Shen Juanjuan asked from the bed.

"Hmm." Chu Ya sat on the edge of the bed, folding the washed clothes.

"Will those shells blow us up?"

Chu Ya said, "This house is very sturdy. It hasn't been blown up despite being abandoned for so long, so it won't be blown up now."

"But what if I get blown up?"

Before Chu Ya could comfort him, Shen Juanjuan said excitedly, "Then I'll fly up into the sky and swim in the clouds... I'll only take you and Xiao Wangwang, not Chu Baolong."

The Teddy Bear, sitting on the opposite bed, wiped the Black Wolf's tail with Gan Luo, and upon hearing this, affectionately nuzzled the Black Wolf.

—If I get blown up into the sky, I'll only take you, not him.

"Hmph!" Shen Juanjuan pouted.

"Ao!" The Teddy Bear twisted its body, pulling the Black Wolf's tail taut, almost making the Black Wolf jump up.

The gunfire in the city continued deep into the night. Chu Ya couldn't sleep, got up, and took a walk outside. He found the caretakers also wandering in the courtyard, standing under the eaves, watching in the direction of Linya City.

"Will the shells land here?" one of the caretakers asked anxiously.

Chu Ya shook his head, "There's no sound of artillery now, so they must be engaged in close combat."

"Will they just keep fighting like this?"

Rong Chen sighed, "That's just how it is in Linya City, always fighting."