bookbashuk Chapter 140 Old Shadows
Chapter 140 Old Shadows
Chapter 140 Old Shadows
Leaving the bustling area of the trading market, filled with a mixture of smells, Xu Mo carried a screwdriver set and walked unhurriedly back to the inner city.
He had barely walked a dozen meters when a feeling of being watched quietly rose within him. Xu Mo frowned; someone was observing him from a short distance away. The gaze wasn't particularly sharp or malicious, but it carried a clear sense of probing.
Xu Mo's mind raced. He hadn't spent much time in the trading market and, apart from haggling, had hardly interacted with anyone.
Who could it be? A street vendor? Unlikely; those shrewd individuals are more likely to scan the goods and contribution points. A passerby? Even less likely. The only possibility is Vivi, the ice-type ability user they "coincidentally" encountered before.
"Does she still think I'm following her?" Xu Mo found it somewhat amusing. It seemed his previous candid demeanor hadn't completely dispelled her suspicions, or perhaps she was just naturally suspicious. Maybe she just happened to see him in the market and decided to follow him on a whim?
Xu Mo's lips curled into a playful smile. Since the other party was so curious, it wouldn't hurt to play along.
After taking a few more steps forward as if nothing had happened, Xu Mo suddenly stopped without warning, turned around abruptly, and shot his gaze like lightning in the direction he sensed.
Just as he turned around, about ten meters away, at a secondhand stall, Sister Weiwei seemed to be holding an inconspicuous little trinket, facing away from Xu Mo, talking to the stall owner. Her speech was slow and even, as if she was really haggling over the price.
However, her posture was noticeably stiff, and her peripheral vision was quickly sweeping towards Xu Mo, where she met his gaze as he suddenly turned around.
She clearly hadn't expected Xu Mo to turn around suddenly. A flicker of panic, as if she'd been caught red-handed, flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She tried to maintain a normal shopping demeanor with her hands and facial expressions, but her deliberately lowered profile and slightly tense shoulders betrayed her unnaturalness.
Seeing this, Xu Mo was even more delighted. This superhuman clearly had little experience with "counter-surveillance" or "tracking," and his acting was endearingly clumsy. He probably relied on his strength and team to act directly and rarely needed to do this kind of covert observation.
Since the other party's acting skills were not up to par, Xu Mo didn't mind cooperating with the performance and adding fuel to the fire to completely dispel her pointless doubts.
His expression changed rapidly, from an initial sharp scrutiny to a mixture of doubt and realization, then quickly turned into an undisguised frown, disgust, and even a sense of nausea as if he had encountered a pervert.
This series of expressions and movements, flowing smoothly and full of emotion, perfectly portrays the image of an "unlucky guy being stalked and harassed by a female pervert".
Sure enough, Sister Weiwei, who had been "observing" Xu Mo out of the corner of her eye, saw his expression clearly.
For a moment, Sister Weiwei was stunned, then her face flushed red and then turned pale, as if a paint palette had been spilled. Shame, embarrassment, absurdity, and even a hint of anger at being wronged—all these emotions intertwined, and she almost couldn't help but crush the jewelry in her hand.
But Xu Mo's utterly genuine expression of disgust was like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing any lingering doubt in her heart.
A truly malicious person who was stalking her wouldn't react this way after being discovered.
Realizing this, Sister Weiwei felt her cheeks burning, wishing she could disappear into the ground. She was, after all, a formidable ice-type ability user and an important member of the team, yet she was being treated like that kind of person! If word got out, where would she put her face?
She no longer cared about observing Xu Mo, and even forgot about the trinkets she had originally wanted to buy. She hurriedly handed them back to the stall owner, muttered "Never mind," and turned to leave as if fleeing, quickly walking away in the opposite direction from Xu Mo. At that moment, all she wanted was to get away from this embarrassing place as quickly as possible, while cursing that despicable guy countless times in her mind and secretly vowing never to do such a stupid thing again.
Xu Mo had no idea about the rich and fascinating inner thoughts of the superhuman woman behind him. After finishing his act, he continued walking briskly, a hint of a triumphant smile still lingering on his lips.
However, just a few dozen meters before Xu Mo saw two figures appear not far ahead, his smile vanished instantly, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
One of the figures, wearing a faded gray denim jacket with worn cuffs, was slightly hunched over. He was speaking in a low voice to a young survivor next to him who looked travel-worn and had a bulging old backpack. His face wore a smile that seemed warm but was actually slick and calculating.
As he spoke, he pointed deep into the alley, seemingly leading the way.
Man in gray jacket.
Xu Mo recognized the guy almost immediately. Wasn't this the guy he had almost been robbed on the street when he first arrived in Jiangcheng, and then tricked by this broker to that small courtyard hideout to "teach him a lesson," but ended up getting beaten up by him instead? Unexpectedly, after so long, he actually ran into him here again, and he was accompanied by a survivor who looked like a newcomer and lacked vigilance.
Judging from the direction they were heading, it was clearly the path leading to that small courtyard from my memory.
"A leopard can't change its spots," Xu Mo thought with a cold laugh. It seemed these people were still doing what they used to do, specifically targeting newcomers and lone survivors.
The man in the gray jacket happened to turn his head at that moment, and his gaze inadvertently swept over Xu Mo. When his eyes landed on Xu Mo's face, he froze.
The smile on his face froze instantly, then receded like the tide, replaced by an expression of fear and dread.
Clearly, Xu Mo left a deep impression on him. The skills Xu Mo displayed that night in the courtyard became his nightmare for a long time. He never imagined that he would encounter Xu Mo again in this place.
Xu Mo looked at his terrified expression and instead revealed a half-smile. His gaze calmly fell on him, then swept over the bewildered young survivor next to him who was still unaware of what had happened.
The man in the gray jacket felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head as Xu Mo swept over him. Despite it being the height of summer, it felt as if he had suddenly fallen into an ice cave, and his limbs became stiff and unresponsive. He instinctively wanted to back away, to turn and run, but his legs felt as heavy as lead.
The young survivor also sensed something was wrong. He looked at the stiff-looking man in the gray jacket, then at Xu Mo, who was carrying something and looking at him with a half-smile, and his face showed confusion and a hint of unease.
Xu Mo's mind raced. If he hadn't seen it, he could have let it go—out of sight, out of mind. But since he'd stumbled upon it, and it was clear the man in the gray jacket was up to no good, he couldn't simply ignore it. The young survivor looked like a newcomer; he could easily be tricked if he wasn't careful.
Thinking this, Xu Mo quickly put on an expression of "enthusiastic reunion with an old friend," quickened his pace, and walked towards the two men in gray jackets, calling out loudly, "Hey! Isn't this Brother Wang! I'm so glad to run into you!" Xu Mo made up a name on the spot, his voice rising with just the right amount of surprise, "I've been looking everywhere for you! That part I asked you to find last time—have you made any progress? I need it urgently!"
As he spoke, he naturally walked in front of the man in the gray jacket, blocking the view between him and the young survivor. He patted the man in the gray jacket's stiff shoulder in a seemingly affectionate manner, but actually with hidden force, rendering him unable to move.
The man in the gray jacket was nearly scared out of his wits by Xu Mo's address of "Brother Wang," and the force on his shoulder terrified him. He dared not utter a single word of "no," and could only manage to squeeze out a few broken syllables from his throat: "Ah—it's, it's you—that, that part—"
"Yes, yes, that's it!" Xu Mo picked up the conversation, giving him a knowing look, then, as if just noticing someone else nearby, turned to the bewildered young survivor and gave him an apologetic smile. "Brother, I'm sorry, I have something urgent to discuss with Brother Wang, something very important. You see—"
The young survivor glanced at Xu Mo, then at "Brother Wang," who couldn't even finish a sentence, and frowned. He was clearly annoyed by the sudden appearance of this "acquaintance" in the gray jacket and by the interrupted "leading the way."
But seeing that Xu Mo and this "Brother Wang" seemed genuinely familiar with each other, and given Xu Mo's relatively polite attitude, he couldn't afford to make a scene. His expression, however, darkened considerably, and he said in a muffled voice, "You have something to say? Then I—"
Xu Mo immediately replied, "I'm so sorry, brother, I really apologize. How about this, Brother Wang, you come with me first to explain the situation, and we'll make arrangements for this brother later? Or—" He looked at the young survivor, "Brother, if you're not in a hurry, you could find a tea stall to sit down for a while? I've taken up your time, let me buy you a bowl of cold tea as an apology?"
The young survivor looked suspiciously at the man in the gray jacket, then at Xu Mo. Although he was filled with doubt and displeasure, he was unfamiliar with the place and the people around him. In the end, he just snorted heavily, said "No need," slung his bag over his shoulder, turned around and walked out of the alley. As he walked, he looked back a couple of times and muttered something to himself, probably thinking that he was having bad luck.
As the young survivor walked away, Xu Mo's "enthusiastic" smile vanished instantly. He released his hand from the gray-jacketed man's shoulder, but his icy gaze only made the man feel even more pressured.
"Brother Wang?" Xu Mo looked at him with a half-smile. "Looks like your business is doing quite well, my friend."
Hearing Xu Mo's sarcastic words, the man in the gray jacket's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down. His face turned pale, and he hurriedly waved his hands, explaining, "B-Big Brother! It's a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding! I really didn't mean to do anything bad!"
He took a breath, trying to keep his voice from trembling: "This young man is new to the city and looking for a cheap place to stay. Our little courtyard is a place where people really live now, renting a few beds to make a living. You can ask him if you don't believe me!" He pointed to the back of the young survivor who hadn't gone far. "We've agreed on a price: two contribution points a day, hot water included, absolutely no coercion."
Seeing Xu Mo's still cold gaze, the man in the gray jacket swallowed hard, quickened his pace, and forced a bitter smile: "Brother, after you taught us a lesson last time, we were really scared, and we've figured things out. In this world, if you go down the wrong path, you'll run into a tough nut one day and lose your life. Jiangcheng is undergoing a major construction project right now; as long as you're willing to work hard, you won't starve. My brothers are all carrying bricks and transporting materials on the construction site now. It's tiring, but the contribution is real, and we can sleep soundly."
He pointed to himself: "I stayed here to manage the place because I've been in the trading market for a long time, I know some people who can deal in small things, and the location of the yard is not bad. I also do some small rental business on the side. It's a way to make things convenient for everyone and earn some hard-earned money to supplement my income. I will never do any of those kinds of shady things again."
The man in the jacket, his eyes filled with lingering fear and a desperate desire to prove his innocence, added, "Brother, if you don't believe me, you can come and see for yourself. It's spotless now, and seven or eight honest men live there, all earning their living through physical labor. We've really fixed it up!"
Xu Mo stared into his eyes, his keen perception allowing him to roughly judge the sincerity of the other man's emotions. Although the man in the gray jacket was afraid, the eagerness to defend himself and even the hint of grievance he showed towards the end didn't seem entirely fake. Moreover, when he mentioned his brothers working on the construction site, there was indeed a sense of helpless but resigned composure in his tone.
"Lead the way." Xu Mo paused for a few seconds before uttering two words. He decided to see for himself. If the other party had truly reformed, he naturally wouldn't make things difficult for him; if it was a lie, it wouldn't escape his eyes.
The man in the gray jacket dared not be negligent and hurriedly bowed and scraped as he led the way, hoping that everything in the yard would be normal and that he would not anger this evil star again.
After walking through two alleys, the two arrived at the entrance of that familiar courtyard.
Unlike the dilapidated state I remembered from last time, the gate to the courtyard was open, and I could see that it was fairly clean inside. Several faded work clothes were drying in the yard, and some neatly stacked bricks were piled up in the corner, probably brought back from the construction site. The midday sun shone into the yard, giving it a surprisingly ordinary, down-to-earth feel.
The man in the gray jacket stood nervously to the side, looking at Xu Mo and saying cautiously, "Brother, you see, this is how it is now. There are still a few empty beds in the rooms over there, which are rented to people looking for temporary work. We also stay in these rooms ourselves. It's more lively when we come back from work in the evening with more people."
Xu Mo nodded slightly. The scene before him was completely different from what he had seen last time. Although the environment was still simple, it was orderly, exuding a raw and realistic sense of the struggles of the working class for survival. It seemed that the lesson learned last time, coupled with the way out provided by Jiangcheng's rapid development, had indeed led this group of people down a different path. Although this "landlord" business might still have some shady aspects, at least it was no longer violent fraud.
"Remember what you said." Xu Mo withdrew his gaze and looked at the man in the gray jacket. "It's a good thing that you're on the right path."
"No! Absolutely not!" the man in the gray jacket quickly assured him. "We really just want to make a living peacefully; we would never dare to cause any more trouble!"
"Take care of yourself." Xu Mo said no more and turned to leave the courtyard.
On his way back, Xu Mo's feelings were somewhat complicated. On one hand, he was happy to see it happen. In the apocalypse, the more people who get back on track, the less potential chaos there would be. The transformation of the group of men in gray jackets, to some extent, also reflected the shaping power of the current environment in Jiangcheng on the lower classes—when there is a relatively stable way out that can be rewarded through labor, many people will choose to give up high-risk illegal activities.
On the other hand, Xu Mo is also keenly aware that this transformation is fragile and depends on Jiangcheng's continued construction needs and relatively stable order.
If external pressure increases or internal turmoil occurs, and resources become scarce again, it's hard to guarantee that these people won't revert to their old ways, or even become more brazen.
"Order still needs a more solid foundation and more effective constraints," Xu Mo sighed inwardly. Individual military force can only solve problems temporarily in one place. True long-term stability requires systems, hope, and the possibility that people can survive, or even live better, through hard work.
Jiangcheng is working hard to build all of this, from giant walls to satellites, from summer harvests to residential buildings. But the gaps and dark corners still need time and more meticulous work to fill.
Xu Mo stopped thinking about the man in the gray jacket. Everyone has their own path. He had already given a warning and seen the possibility of change. The rest was up to them to choose.