1230: Insane Female Beggar

Insane Female Beggar

Yun Xi realized that the information-collection mission she'd been given was simple, but it was not easy. She had to locate where the information could be found, obtain what Yi Qianmo wanted, and gather the money needed to find their meeting place in the city. 1

In her two lives, Yun Xi had never known what it felt like to be a beggar. Moreover, the mission called for her to be a crazy beggar. This was indeed a challenge for her.

She was happy that Mu Feichi had not seen her in this sorry state. She could kiss her image good-bye after that.

The city they were in was rather large. Most of it was old, and there were a lot of homes that had been demolished or were on the verge of demolition. Other homes were small sheds made from zinc pieces that had been constructed by the inhabitants.

Overcrowding was also an issue here. The sanitary and living standards were much lower than those of Jingdu, and crime was common in these areas.

Yi Qianmo had left her here as a test. It was a lesson for her to see if she was able to adapt to the chaotic surroundings and pick up information even in this state.

It seemed to be a great challenge, but it was just another obstacle to get over for Yun Xi.

She had never been a beggar, and she had never been insane. Her only points of reference were what she had seen on television. Yun Xi picked up a ragged nylon bag at the gates of the village and put in a few bottles from the trash. She studied her surroundings cautiously as she did that.

She was thankful that she had grown up in the countryside so she was rather immune to the chaotic environment around her. She could identify the individuals who lived in the sheds and the others who were living in the surrounding trash heaps.

As she turned a corner into an alley, she caught the attention of a few children who were playing on the street. The sight of a crazy beggar prompted the children to start to throw rocks at her.

Yun Xi frowned as she gripped the nylon bag in her hands tightly. She started running around and yelling.

The homes that lined the alley were in a terrible state. A few homes had left their doors open, and Yun Xi could pick up the sound of television from some of the sheds.

Yun Xi ran, and she shrieked. The children chasing her were giddily happy at the sight of this crazy woman, and they chased after her with laughter and rocks in their hands.

The residents on the alley picked up on the screams as well, and many emerged from their homes to take a look. As Yun Xi ran, she noticed the residents in the homes. Many were middle-aged women who were watching out of curiosity, and some were elderly couples. She did not see a single young man.

This particular area was near the site of a new construction project, and many of the young men had left for work at the nearby construction site. It made sense that those who remained at home were the children, wives, and other family members of the construction workers.

As she fled from the alley, she quickly spotted a young man walking along a corridor of the second floor of the building in front of her.

The man was carrying a water basin and his hair was dripping wet. He must have just taken a shower.

Using her judgment and a sixth sense, Yun Xi quickly scanned the blue zinc-plated shed. The house was old, and parts of it were rusting away from the elements.

The man was holding a rather new-looking basin of water. Noon seemed like a weird time for a bath. Either he had slept in after a long night, or he had just returned home.

Autumn was slowly settling into the area. The air was getting cooler, and a short trip around the block would not cause one to be covered in sweat from head to toe.

Locking down on her target, Yun Xi turned a corner in the alley and made her way to the back of another shed. She found a shortcut that led to the back of the blue shed and quietly crept over.

Yun Xi settled herself down in a narrow passageway behind the blue shed. She positioned herself outside an open window and strained her eyes to catch any movement from inside the shed.

The conversations were quiet, but it was clear enough for Yun Xi to make sense of their words. Their voices were also intermingled with the crisp sound of fingers on a keyboard.

"You know, if the person can't find us today, could we ask for a break from the Young Commander? I haven't seen my wife in a while."

"It's our fate in this line of work."

"..."

Yun Xi listened silently to their conversations as a slow smile appeared on her face. She raised her hand and methodically tapped a series of Morse code numbers on the metal door of the shed.

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