Chapter 77

Chapter 77

District One was nothing like District Four—even late at night, it was rarely quiet: people brawling, sobbing, or having sex right out in the open.

Another thing: even the most expensive rooms had walls as thin as paper.

Rong Wazi lived in just such a room.

It measured five meters square—a single-room unit crammed haphazardly with belongings.

His neighbors were going at it, their moans and groans unrelenting. Rong Wazi clicked his tongue in annoyance and rolled over irritably. Ten minutes passed, yet the noise didn’t subside—in fact, it grew louder. The bed-shaking sounds ceased, replaced by the heavy thud of a table slamming into the wall—the very wall adjoining his room.

“Damn it!”

Rong Wazi swung out of bed, intending to march over and “politely” remind the couple to show some neighborly consideration. He’d barely slipped on his slippers when—*knock, knock, knock*—someone rapped sharply on his own door.

He yanked it open, scowling—then paused. “Well, well. It’s you?”

The visitor wore a hood and a mask, revealing only a pair of eyes. Yet those jagged, uneven bangs were unmistakable; Rong Wazi recognized him instantly.

Bai Tu said simply, “Let’s talk inside.”

Rong Wazi glanced behind him. “Just you?”

“Just me.”

Rong Wazi raised an eyebrow, gesturing down at himself. “Alone—and you’re *sure* you want to come in?”

He wore an old man’s sleeveless tank top and loose shorts. His frame was lean and wiry; the mole above his eyebrow, combined with his plain features and mocking expression, gave him the look of a local thug.

Bai Tu didn’t react. “Is there a problem?”

“Of course not.” Rong Wazi grinned and stepped aside. “It’s been ages since anyone visited my place. I was just thinking it’s gotten too quiet. I’m certainly welcoming—if you’re willing to step in.”

His words dripped with innuendo—but Bai Tu feigned ignorance.

He knew Rong Wazi’s friendly demeanor stemmed entirely from Huo Changfeng. Coming here alone, without Huo Changfeng’s backing, Rong Wazi would naturally drop the pretense.

Bai Tu entered, glanced around, and as Rong Wazi closed the door, he reached out and flicked the wall switch with a soft *click*.

The sudden light made Rong Wazi blink. When his eyes refocused, he saw Bai Tu had already claimed a stool and sat down—uninvited, unceremonious, and clearly in no hurry to leave.

Rong Wazi propped an elbow on a nearby cabinet, watching idly as Bai Tu removed his hood and mask, revealing a fair, youthful face. “You’re new here, so you might not know the base’s unwritten rules. Since you’ve dropped by—and I happen to be in a good mood—I’ll spell them out for you.”

Bai Tu neatly folded his mask and tucked it into his pocket. “Such as?”

“Such as? Well—entering someone’s room at night means you’re offering a different kind of service. As for *what* kind… listen to the racket next door. Get it? And since you came voluntarily, I won’t charge you the standard rate. Voluntary entry means it’s free. But—if you make me happy, I might toss you something nice to make *you* happy too.”

Rong Wazi even smacked his lips as he spoke, his expression utterly lewd. To his surprise, Bai Tu remained perfectly calm—glancing down at his own crotch and replying in a flat, lifeless tone: “I don’t think you have that interest.”

*What the hell?* Rong Wazi thought inwardly. *This pretty boy is even more of a dirtbag than I am. Is this part of the essential skillset of a top-tier pretty boy?*

“How do you know I’m not interested? What man wouldn’t get hard listening to that noise next door?”

Bai Tu had heard far worse profanity; this level of crudeness didn’t faze him in the slightest. Still, he had no patience to waste words on such filth with Rong Wazi.

“I came to make a deal.”

Rong Wazi’s expression said, *Then what was all that nonsense earlier?* Before he could speak, Bai Tu continued: “As long as my conditions are met, you can name your price.”

Rong Wazi blinked, taken aback. “Huo Changfeng can’t satisfy you?”

Bai Tu’s brow twitched. “Don’t joke about him.”

Rong Wazi shrugged. “You’re serious? You buy, I sell?”

“Yes.” Bai Tu pulled two small cloth bags from his pockets, one after the other. He looked up at Rong Wazi, catching his bewildered, incredulous expression—and only then realized he hadn’t been making a dirty joke but had genuinely misinterpreted. “…I’m not buying *you*. I’m buying your information.”

Rong Wazi straightened slightly, stared at him for a moment, then said, “You’re joking, right? What information could I possibly have to sell?”

Bai Tu untied the drawstrings of both bags, revealing their contents. “One bag of crystal cores and one bag of medicinal herbs—as a deposit. I want information on one person: everything he’s done since arriving at the base, everyone he’s contacted—including what he’s doing *now*, and what he’ll do *next*. As long as you have it, I’ll pay any price.”

Bai Tu remembered Rong Wazi. He had another nickname: “Three Connections”—meaning well-informed, well-connected, and shrewd. Bai Tu didn’t know his Superpower. Though his rank was only C, the title “Three Connections” was undoubtedly tied to it.

Moreover, it aligned with Bai Tu’s own capabilities. In his memory, personnel at the inspection checkpoint rotated constantly—yet Rong Wazi had held the position of overall head there steadily for years. District One’s checkpoint was the largest in the base. In that role, Rong Wazi saw everyone’s information upon entry or exit—and maintained connections across other districts.

Still, Rong Wazi was highly cautious. To be precise, he looked down on Bai Tu. With someone who could only survive by clinging to others, he saw no need for serious business.

Dealing with incompetents risked getting implicated someday.

Yet despite these thoughts, Bai Tu stirred a flicker of interest in him—something he hadn’t felt before.

“Hey—does anyone else know you came here tonight?”

Bai Tu replied indifferently, “That has nothing to do with what I want to discuss with you.”

“How is it unrelated? In business, both sides value sincerity. I don’t demand much sincerity—just a little good faith is enough. Look at us now: we know nothing about each other. If the relationship isn’t close, business is hard to do. Especially in this environment—without some foundation of trust, I really wouldn’t dare strike a deal. What if I get sold out someday? I’d lose big.”

Rong Wazi tapped his wristband. “Look at me—just a C-rank. Very weak.”

Bai Tu remained impassive. “When you do *that* kind of business, do you also start with nonsense chatter?”

“That situation isn’t nonsense chatter—it’s called flirting.” Rong Wazi leaned sideways and plopped onto the bed. “I’m not flirting with you now either. I’m just trying to chat—and you’re not cooperating. How can we negotiate later?”

Bai Tu glanced toward his right side—and was about to speak—when suddenly, *BANG! BANG! BANG!* A thunderous knocking shook the door. The person outside pounded so hard the entire frame rattled, shouting while hammering: “Bro! Open up! Give me a cigarette!”

Rong Wazi opened the door. It was none other than Lu Touzi—the same man who’d seen Bai Tu a few days earlier.

The moment the door cracked open, Lu Touzi smoothly squeezed inside. The room was so cramped you could take in everything at a glance. The instant he spotted another person sitting inside, he let out a loud, exaggerated whistle. “What’s the occasion today? You even have a visitor? Should’ve said so earlier—I’d have told that woman to come later. We could’ve had a lively night tonight. What a shame—missed out!”

He sidestepped to face Bai Tu—and his voice abruptly cut off. His caterpillar-like eyebrows shot up, and he sneered, “Well, well—who do we have here? So it’s *you*, the billy goat. Weren’t you playing the chaste martyr a few days ago? Oh—can’t keep up the act now that your backside itches? Your taste isn’t bad, though. My big brother here is handsome and virile. I’ll give you credit for that.”

The corner of Rong Wazi’s mouth twitched. He dug a pack of cigarettes from the cabinet, plucked one out, and tossed it—along with a lighter—to Lu Touzi.

Lu Touzi stood bare-chested, fresh scratch marks marring his skin, the sharp scent of sex clinging to him. When he raised his arm to catch the cigarette and lighter, the motion stirred the air—and intensified the smell.

Bai Tu rose silently from the stool and took a few deliberate steps farther away. What crossed his mind, however, was: *So, in other people’s eyes, Huo Changfeng and I really *are* that kind of relationship.*

Rong Wazi popped a cigarette between his lips, gestured for Lu Touzi to toss back the lighter, lit up, and drew in a deep, blissful drag.

Say what you will—the cigarettes Bai Tu provided were truly excellent.

He teased, “Want one?”

Bai Tu clearly didn’t look like a smoker—but surprisingly, he accepted the cigarette and lighter, and began smoking in silence.

Rong Wazi paused, waiting for him to make a fool of himself.

But the expected cough from inhaling smoke never came. Although Bai Tu's smoking was unpracticed, it wasn't clumsy.

He lowered his eyes, slowly exhaling smoke. For a few moments, he was clearly lost in thought, his brow faintly knit with melancholy.

Rong Wazi heard a loud gulp. Turning his head, he saw his good brother staring, his eyes glued.

*Pathetic.*

He sneered and said, "Alright, I admit I'm not interested in you, but my brother here is different. I'm sure you can tell he's been very interested in you since you met. How about this: you spend one night satisfying his cravings and promise not to tell your lover, that Huo guy, and I'll do business with you. No deposit required, and I'll even give you a discount. How's that? A pretty good deal, right?"

"Great idea!" Lu Touzi's eyes lit up. "I misspoke just now. My Rong-ge is handsome, and I'm no slouch either. Spend a night with me, and I promise I'll treat you right."

As he spoke, he took a few steps closer, reaching out to touch Bai Tu's face. Before his fingers could even brush a single strand of hair, Bai Tu lifted his gaze. There was no trace of melancholy in his eyes—only icy coldness. Lu Touzi was taken aback, finding it even more exciting. But in the next instant, his vision blurred, and a sharp pain shot through his wrist. Before he could cry out, he felt something whiz past the top of his head, scorching hot, so hot he thought his scalp would peel off.

Immediately after, he heard his brother shout, "What are you doing?!"

Lu Touzi's brain felt rattled from his scalp down to his jaw. It took him nearly half a minute to regain his senses, and then he felt pain in his head, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. He shook his head violently, fully coming to his senses only to find his wrist pinned to the countertop by the very person he had intended to harass.

The hand holding him down was pale and clean, still holding a cigarette between its fingers, the tip still glowing steadily. Lu Touzi's entire arm was twisted, completely powerless, numb and aching. But even more numb and painful was his scalp. Looking more closely, he saw that what Bai Tu held in his left hand was unmistakably a silenced pistol.

A cold sweat broke out over him as he realized what had just flown past his head. Trembling, he reached up to touch his scalp and felt blood.

Bai Tu stared at him and said, "If you lust after me like that again, I'll kill you."

Lu Touzi's legs went weak, and he hurriedly said he wouldn't dare.

Bai Tu released his hand and stubbed out the cigarette on the countertop.

Lu Touzi stumbled back to Rong Wazi's side, calling out repeatedly, "Brother! Is my brain still there? Is it okay? Check for me, please. I'm not going to turn stupid, am I?"

Rong Wazi thought to himself, *You're already plenty stupid as it is*, but he only said irritably, "It's just a scratch, nothing serious."

Lu Touzi touched his head again and cried out, "Then what about my hair?!"

Rong Wazi ignored him, chuckling a few times toward Bai Tu. "A true master doesn't show his hand. I never would've guessed you're such a good shot."

Lu Touzi wore an expression of utterly bewildered disbelief. "If you have skills like this, why would you still be a 'billy goat'?"

"Billy goat" was another term for those wearing gray wristbands. Compared to "Qiangren," this term was more direct and vulgar, better satisfying certain unspoken urges. For women, the term was "nanny goat." Goats were livestock, equated with being easy to bully and humiliate in the eyes of most people. Unless the goat's owner was strong enough to instill fear in others, if you fancied them, you could just make a move directly.

When Rong Wazi had explained this a few days ago, he had used very euphemistic and proper language. Huo Changfeng had never experienced such things and would never have imagined such a filthy world. If he had known, he probably would never have agreed to let Bai Tu wear a gray wristband.

In his previous life, when Huo Changfeng entered the North China Base, the wristband system wasn't very well-defined. Later, when strict regulations were enforced, Huo Changfeng insisted that Bai Tu wear a white wristband.

Bai Tu didn't respond to the comment. Instead, he said to Rong Wazi, "I know you're looking for someone."

Rong Wazi's expression changed, and he drew himself up to look at him.

His room wasn't particularly tidy, except for one spot that was spotlessly clean, with no clutter, holding only a photo frame. The frame was placed by the bedside, visible the moment he opened his eyes each day. It was completely dust-free, either frequently wiped or often held and caressed.

The photo showed only three people: Rong Wazi, a woman, and a little girl. Judging by their positions and body language, they were likely his wife and daughter.

In his previous life, Rong Wazi charged high prices for information, but he would waive all fees if someone brought him news about two specific people.

Bai Tu hadn't known who those two people, worth a fortune in information, were. But now, it seemed clear they were Rong Wazi's wife and daughter.

Even Lu Touzi stopped his wailing, covering his head and looking at Bai Tu with a serious expression.

Bai Tu knew he had hit the mark.

"Your daughter is still young, and your wife is frail. The sooner you have news, the sooner there's hope of finding them. This deal should be far more attractive to you than the worldly possessions I offered earlier."

Rong Wazi's body tensed, and he watched Bai Tu warily. But before he could speak, Lu Touzi couldn't hold back.

"How do you know all this?"

"I guessed. This photo must be very important to you, otherwise you wouldn't keep it by your bedside." Bai Tu pointed at the photo frame. "As for your information channels, someone bought information from you before, so naturally, I could find out. I know you currently have ways to gather information in the four outer districts, but you can't get into the core district. You should know I'm in District Four now. The core district has no residential areas, so all its staff live in District Four. Similarly, District Four is the area closest to the core district. I'll help you gather information in the core district, and you keep an eye on someone for me."

Rong Wazi didn't refute this, nor did he show surprise at Bai Tu being in District Four. Bai Tu knew he had guessed correctly again.

Indeed, by this time, Rong Wazi already had connections in all four outer districts.

After a moment, Rong Wazi said, "The core district is airtight. Even I haven't been able to gather a single scrap of information. How are you going to help me gather intel? Don't tell me you can actually get in?"

Bai Tu declared flatly, "I can."

Lu Touzi looked skeptical, but remembering the wound on his head, he said nothing.

Rong Wazi took several deep drags of his cigarette. Finally, he walked over to the table where Bai Tu had placed the two cloth bags. He picked out a piece of dried medicinal herb. "How is this herb used?"

Bai Tu directly took a piece and ate it.

Rong Wazi put the piece in his hand into his mouth, chewing a few times. "Good stuff."

Chewing, he asked, "Who do you want me to watch?"

Bai Tu glanced at Lu Touzi.

"Don't worry. My brother here has a loose tongue when it comes to money and lust, but when it comes to serious matters, he's tighter-lipped than someone without a mouth. Money and lust are one thing; business is another. In this regard, he's even clearer-headed than I am. If you need information, he'll contribute too."

Bai Tu then said, "Song Lan. An A-rank wind-type ability user. Currently works in the District Four military. He's on good terms with the son of the military commander-in-chief. Be careful when you're gathering information."

Rong Wazi scoffed. "Quite the big shot, huh. How much do you want?"

"Everything."

"That won't be cheap."

"I can afford it. But I won't pay you in points. If you want points, I'll convert them into equivalent goods for you."

"Oh, don't want your lover to find out, huh?"

"..."

"Fine, I won't mention him. It's rare to get such a big deal. How about this: I'll throw in a little bonus. See if there's anything else you want."