"Building 91 in the slums…"
Chen Xiu had only been near it once—last night, when they captured the fugitive.
Back then, while scouting the area, he and Texas had circled Building 89 multiple times, passing Building 91 again and again.
It was just a plain unfinished building.
No different from the other unfinished hulks in the slums. No obvious noise of entertainment.
But if the intel pointed there, then it meant he'd only seen the surface.
Building 91 definitely hid something.
Was it necessarily connected to the missing-girls case?
Chen Xiu couldn't be sure. Coercion and trafficking were not the same category.
He couldn't just glue two "maybe related" intel lines together and call it truth. That was how you mislead yourself.
Still, verifying it would be easy.
He had a ready-made tool.
Ch'en Hui-chieh was a righteous, stubborn, perfect blade—and most importantly, her backing was strong enough to absorb the fallout.
Chen Xiu splashed warm water over his torso. His lean body was all bone definition and tight lines, his pale skin lacking color.
His back was crisscrossed with scars—whip marks from Ursus.
The tub was too small. He couldn't even straighten his legs, forced to curl up awkwardly.
But his thoughts remained sharp.
He needed to find a way to feed the intel to "Hardhead Dragon" and let her probe the waters.
If he hit the mark, everyone wins—she cracks a major case.
If he missed, she still cleans out an illegal den, and he gets a first connection with her.
Then he'd have both black and white channels in Lungmen.
Either way, he wins.
He raised both hands unconsciously, about to mime pulling an accordion—
Then came a loud clang outside the curtain.
Chen Xiu jolted so hard he nearly swallowed his own heart, snapping his head toward the sound.
A silhouette shaped like Texas approached quickly, and his brain went pure white.
What's she doing? Is it… is it suddenly that time for Lupus heat?
With these skinny arms and legs, I can't even fight back if she wants—
Chen Xiu shrank in the water, trembling, debating whether he needed to die to protect his "last virtue," when Texas said nothing, turned around, and hurried out again.
He blinked.
What…?
After confirming she'd left, Chen Xiu lifted a corner of the curtain.
On the toilet lid sat new clothes.
So that's what she'd come for.
Was she getting revenge for the earlier "bathroom incident," trying to scare him the same way?
Chen Xiu thought seriously about it and decided: Texas probably wasn't that petty.
So… she just didn't want him wearing old clothes?
He chuckled quietly.
"Looks like I can only accept her kindness."
It was his first time having a girl buy him clothes.
It felt… oddly exciting.
By rights, he should've had a mother.
But most people who get isekai'd were orphans. Chen Xiu was no exception.
"Let's see what Texas bought me. The young miss's taste should be good, right?"
He climbed out, rinsed quickly, humming as he tore open the box—and froze.
A black traditional Yan-style outfit.
A Columbian young mistress…
Buying him Yan traditional wear?
Then again, in Yan, this was mainstream. Even Wei Yenwu wore formal Yan robes at important events.
The problem was, Chen Xiu had no idea how to wear something this complicated.
He flipped the box and found an instruction diagram on the inside of the lid.
Then he saw the price tag.
"Two thousand!? This set cost two thousand Lungmen dollars? This is robbery!"
His first conclusion was simple:
Texas had been conned by a merchant.
Then he saw the brand name: One-Pick Mountain.
Alright. Case closed.
But it was done.
He couldn't drag Texas to return it. It was her gift.
He'd write the debt in a little notebook—then later ask where she bought it and get his money back with interest when the chance came.
With a bleeding heart, Chen Xiu put on the black Yan outfit.
He pushed his wet hair back. He hated it—should cut it soon. He'd never worn long hair, didn't know how to care for it, and washing it was a nightmare.
He wiped the fog from the mirror and looked at himself, full of expectation.
His brows knitted. Something felt wrong.
He stared again—
"…What the hell? Why do I look like Erlang Shen?"
He knew he was handsome.
He just hadn't known he was this handsome.
No wonder Ursus soldiers had kept him alive even after capturing him—this face was valuable.
With the jewel-like "third eye" at his brow, and faint golden cross-lines on his forehead, he looked like something out of myth.
Mysterious. Noble. Commanding. Not quite human.
Chen Xiu stood there, stunned, so dazzled by his own face his scalp tingled.
So this was what it felt like to "eat with your looks."
If he wanted a rich patron and ten years of shortcuts, it'd be easy.
He shook his head.
The face could be used—but never relied on.
People age.
Though… strong Sarkaz did keep youth longer.
He smiled at the mirror, curious whether he'd look even better smiling.
Instead, maybe because of the "unpolluted tribal" vibe—or because he'd never been infected by modern social conditioning—his smile came out pure and a bit… innocent.
Like a "cheese snow leopard."
Chen Xiu immediately wiped the smile away.
He couldn't smile casually anymore.
Damn it—why was a face this good ruined by that kind of expression?
"Once more time passes, I should be able to cancel out this illiterate aura."
Sarkaz might lack education.
But Chen Xiu didn't.
He was, in fact, a genuine top student.
In the living room, Texas sat with her legs crossed, stockinged ankle bobbing lazily.
She kept glancing toward the bathroom. Chen Xiu still wasn't out.
Did the clothes not fit? Or did he dislike them? She'd chosen by instinct…
Texas grew nervous. When she heard the door open, she looked up fast—ears standing straight.
A tall, straight silhouette stepped out—like a god descending and walking toward her.
-------
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