It was an old-fashioned flip phone. Zhu Xi Ning pulled up the contact list and saw the phone numbers for Nan Yue and the others.
A notification pinged from inside Nan Yue’s bag. She reached in, checked her phone, and snapped it shut with a practiced motion.
This was the advantage of having a mature team. Everyone knew their role without needing instructions, and Nan Yue didn’t have to investigate every little detail herself.
"By the way, I forgot to mention earlier. My name is Nan Yue."
Shi Xiaojie was struggling a bit under the weight of his suitcase. His face was flushed as he held his breath and nodded.
"Here, let me help you with that."
Gu Xiang Kai lifted Shi Xiaojie’s suitcase with one hand and gave it a little toss to gauge the weight. "You’ve got quite a lot of belongings here."
Shi Xiaojie thanked him repeatedly. "I’m just picking up some work at the construction site ahead. Everything I own is in here."
Yin Qian looked back. They had noticed earlier that just a street away from these dilapidated tenement buildings was a newly built residential complex.
The complex was surrounded by railings, creating a stark divide between it and this urban village.
Inside, the area was lush with green trees, and a fountain could be seen in the distance. Young couples were seen pushing strollers, enjoying the shade under the trees.
It was currently mid-August, and the weather was like a furnace. Yet, the complex across the street looked much cooler and more beautiful than this side.
The urban village on this side of the road was a ruin. Just looking at it made one feel a sense of suffocation, the air itself seemingly burning the throat.
Furthermore, the sanitary conditions here were clearly inferior. Two large black trash cans by the roadside were overflowing and had clearly been neglected for some time. Swarms of flies circled above them, emitting a nauseating stench.
The road was far from clean. Tissues and packaging bags were scattered everywhere. There was even a bouquet of withered pink roses that someone had discarded, lying pitifully in front of a shop with its rolling shutters closed, their color stained by the sewage they soaked in.
Yin Qian narrowed his eyes slightly and turned to ask Shi Xiaojie.
"That place over there looks finished. Which construction site are you working at?"
Shi Xiaojie craned his neck and stood on his tiptoes to point. "Up ahead. It’s the same complex, just a different plot. They’re finishing the roof now."
"I only came here because they offer short-term rentals. The project might be over in two months, and then I’ll have to find the next site."
Yin Qian smiled. "It’s a high-end complex, isn't it?"
Shi Xiaojie clicked his tongue. "You bet. I heard it goes for forty or fifty thousand per square meter. If it weren't for this urban village being right across from it, they’d probably be selling for a hundred thousand."
Yin Qian let out a soft exclamation of surprise. Shi Xiaojie smiled, feeling a bit closer to the group.
Initially, he thought their clothes didn't look like those of people who would rent a room in an urban village. But then he figured there were all sorts of people in the world. What if they were the type who just needed to keep up appearances?
Yin Qian’s reaction made Shi Xiaojie feel like they were more like him—people who had no way to truly find a place for themselves in this city.
The name Xuanhe Court sounded somewhat scholarly, but the place itself possessed none of that charm. It was located on the second floor of this dilapidated building. Everyone moved carefully as they walked up the external fire escape.
The stairs looked like they could snap at any moment.
Pushing open the fire exit door, they entered the interior of the ruined building. The rooms were arranged in neat, dense rows like an ant’s nest.
These rooms were all locked, their doors covered in thick dust. Occasionally, a door would be open, revealing an empty space inside; everything that could be moved had already been taken.
Everything indicated that the building was nearly empty, with most people having already left.
At the end of the corridor hung a flickering sign that read: Xuanhe Court.
The group walked slowly, taking in their surroundings. In reality, there was another indoor staircase at the end of Xuanhe Court, but it seemed abandoned. There were no lights, and it was impossible to tell if it was even usable.
Shi Xiaojie, however, was well-adjusted to the environment. He stepped forward and knocked on a door. With a rustle, the curtain of the small window next to the gray iron door was pulled back.
Inside stood a gaunt man, roughly fifty years old. One of his eyes seemed to be disabled and remained closed, while the wrinkles around his eyes carved deep lines into his face.
"Renting?"
"Yes!"
Shi Xiaojie greeted him loudly. The man looked past him at the others. "You’re late. There are only four rooms left. Just enough."
Shi Xiaojie wanted to say they weren't together, but he kept his mouth shut upon hearing there were only four rooms left.
Nan Yue and the others might not care, but he needed a place to stay.
"Fine, we'll take all four," Nan Yue said.
Shi Xiaojie opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.
Gu Xiang Kai set the suitcase he had been carrying on the floor. "The two of us in one room?"
A spark of hope returned to Shi Xiaojie’s eyes. "Is... is that okay?"
Gu Xiang Kai acted like he didn't care. "When you’re out making a living, you can’t be too picky. I’d love my own room too, but there aren't enough left."
"Besides, we can split the rent."
These words struck a chord in Shi Xiaojie’s heart.
He didn’t mind having a roommate to share the rent with. People who came out to work weren't that precious.
He had been observing them along the way. There were several men in Nan Yue’s group, but the only ones he felt comfortable with were Gu Xiang Kai and the guy with glasses at the back.
Now that Gu Xiang Kai had taken the initiative, Shi Xiaojie felt relieved. He stole a glance at the gentle-looking man standing beside Nan Yue.
For some reason, Shi Xiaojie was a bit afraid of him.
If the pollution world required someone to stay in a room with an NPC, the best choice was Nan Yue, followed by Gu Xiang Kai.
Yin Qian and Jiang Haoyu had average self-defense capabilities. While Jiang Siyan was suitable, it depended on whether he was willing. When it came down to it, Gu Xiang Kai was the only real choice.
"Keep your keys safe. There are no spares."
Yin Qian stepped forward. "How should we address you, sir?"
The man looked at him with his half-open left eye. "Uncle Zhong."
Yin Qian took the opportunity to push further. "Why are there so many empty rooms in this building? This place isn't about to be demolished, is it? We were hoping to stay for a while."
Uncle Zhong let out a couple of cackles that sounded like a saw cutting through wood.
"No."
Seeing that he couldn't get any information, Yin Qian turned to look at Gu Xiang Kai, who handed over a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
With the gift in hand, Uncle Zhong became more talkative.
"People are always dying here. Business owners thought it was bad luck, so they moved out."
While the others didn't react much, Shi Xiaojie was startled. He stammered, "D-Dying?"
Uncle Zhong looked at him, seemingly intending to scare him, and craned his neck forward. "You didn't know? Quite a few people have died in this building. Rumor has it that this place is a living mass grave."
Shi Xiaojie’s face turned pale with fright. He suddenly didn't want to rent anymore, but he had already paid the money...
Uncle Zhong let out a cold snort, as if seeing right through him.
"Scared of dead people?"
Shi Xiaojie nodded.
"Then are you afraid of being poor?"
Rate on N.U.
