Su Ci panted heavily, her voice so weak it sounded like it might give out at any moment.
Yet in her eyes lingered a trace of fear born from despair.
“It’s not that I won’t give up the seat…”
“It’s just… my body… I really can’t move…”
“Ugh—”
She covered her mouth and gagged, as if she were about to cough up blood.
Auntie Wang was startled, her foot frozen midair, unsure whether to step down or pull it back.
“Y-you… what are you pretending for?”
The auntie felt a little shaken, though she still tried to sound tough.
“Weren’t you lively just now when you were eating meat?”
Su Ci lifted her head.
Those beautiful peach-blossom eyes were filled with tears—tragic yet chilling.
She lowered her voice, speaking just loud enough for those nearby to hear:
“Auntie, you don’t understand.”
“My illness… I was born with it. It’s consumption… tuberculosis…”
“The doctor said I need to eat well to keep myself alive. If I don’t get enough nutrition… I won’t make it…”
At this point—
She cast a frightened glance at the still-crying child.
Her body shrank back abruptly, as if terrified of touching him.
“And this illness… spreads very easily.”
“Especially to children. Their resistance is weak. Just a bit of saliva… and it could take an entire family’s life…”
“That’s why I wiped the bowl earlier… I was afraid of harming the child…”
“Cough cough cough! Cough cough cough!”
After speaking, she broke into another earth-shaking coughing fit.
The once-white handkerchief was pressed tightly over her mouth.
To others, it looked like—
She was coughing up blood!
Boom—!
Those words hit like an atomic bomb in the carriage.
Tuberculosis! Consumption!
In this era of scarce medicine, it was practically synonymous with death.
Whoever caught it, died!
Auntie Wang’s face turned from black to pale, then from pale to green—like a dye shop opening.
She had just tried to grab that bowl?
Even wanted her grandson to lick the sauce?
That wasn’t eating meat—that was swallowing poison!
“Mother of heaven!”
Auntie Wang shrieked.
Her reaction speed rivaled a monkey’s.
She snatched up her wailing grandson like he was a hot potato and bolted toward the other end of the aisle.
She didn’t even bother with her shoes, running barefoot over the scattered sunflower seed shells.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?!”
Her voice cracked in terror as she covered her grandson’s mouth and nose, wishing she could disappear entirely.
“Are you trying to kill people?! You’ve got a fatal illness and still run around! Trying to harm my grandson!”
“Everyone, stay away! This woman has tuberculosis!”
In an instant—
A two-meter radius around Su Ci became a no-man’s land.
Even the air seemed thinner.
Everyone covered their mouths and noses in fear, their eyes filled with avoidance.
Who would still envy her braised pork?
That was her “last meal”!
Who would still call her delicate for taking up space?
She was a critically ill patient who could collapse at any moment!
The world grew quiet.
The nauseating smells of sweat and feet vanished from around her.
Su Ci sat alone in the spacious seat.
Leaning weakly against the window, she wiped at tears that didn’t exist.
Hidden in the shadow of the handkerchief—
The corner of her lips curved into a faint, mocking smile.
Comfortable.
This was what it meant to win without drawing blood.
As long as she had no “sense of propriety,” no one could morally pressure her.
She twisted open a bottle of orange soda and took a small sip.
The cold carbonation burst on her tongue, soothing the itch in her throat from the fake coughing.
Just then—
A sticky, cold gaze wrapped around the back of her neck like a snake.
Su Ci remained expressionless.
Using the motion of drinking, she glanced sideways toward the dark corner.
It was that gaunt man again.
Now, he was staring intently at the plum-blossom brand watch on her wrist.
The watch face glinted delicately under the dim carriage lights.
Not only that—
When Su Ci had taken out her medicine earlier, she had deliberately left her bag slightly unzipped.
The glimpse of cash inside had not escaped his notice.
The man licked his cracked lips.
The greed in his eyes almost overflowed, even outweighing his fear of her “illness.”
In his view—
This was a lone traveler, carrying a fortune, seriously ill…
A perfect fat target.
A sickly person was ideal.
Too weak to resist, too weak even to cry out.
Find a secluded place, grab that delicate neck—
The money would be his.
The watch would be his.
And if she wasn’t dead yet… maybe he could even have some fun first.
A vile glint flashed in his eyes as he secretly felt the folding knife hidden in his sleeve.
Su Ci withdrew her gaze.
Her fingers lightly tapped the soda bottle twice.
Interesting.
She had just arrived in a new place. Though she had supplies, she lacked cash and ration coupons.
This “settlement fund” delivered to her door—
It would be rude not to accept it.
The train broadcast crackled again:
“Attention passengers, the train is about to arrive at Binhai City Station. Stop duration: thirty minutes…”
Su Ci stood up.
Her movements still carried the fragile elegance of a sick beauty.
She picked up her seemingly heavy bag and walked unsteadily toward the carriage connection.
As she passed the corner—
She clearly sensed the gaunt man standing up as well.
His footsteps were light, like a rat, trailing behind her at a measured distance.
The smile on Su Ci’s lips deepened.
Binhai City.
A place full of maze-like alleys.
Perfect for hunting.
Want to eat the lamb?
Then be prepared to break your teeth.
After all, this lamb could gore—and shock.
The sun in Binhai City was scorching.
The asphalt road softened under the heat, the air thick with the smell of the sea and coal smoke.
Sticky. Stifling.
Su Ci lowered the brim of her straw hat and stepped out of the station with her “heavy” bag.
She didn’t hurry.
Her steps were weak, her figure swaying as if she might collapse at any moment.
At a corner, she leaned against the wall to catch her breath, lifting her wrist slightly.
The watch flashed dazzlingly in the sunlight.
Behind her, footsteps quickened.
The fish had taken the bait.
Smiling faintly, Su Ci turned into a cluster of low, ramshackle shacks.
Alleys crisscrossed, sewage flowing.
The deeper she went, the darker it became, with only distant barking breaking the silence.
A perfect place for underworld dealings.
At the end of a dead-end alley, she stopped.
Ahead was a moss-covered red brick wall, with several foul-smelling pickle jars at her feet.
No way forward.
She calmly set down her bag, even taking the time to brush nonexistent dust from her skirt.
Footsteps stopped behind her.
Three men blocked the alley entrance.
The leader was the gaunt man from the train—nicknamed “Rat Brother.”
With a click, his switchblade snapped open.
“Run, why don’t you?”
He grinned, revealing yellowed, rotten teeth, his eyes roaming over her body.
“Why stop now, you sickly little thing?”
The two thugs beside him laughed crudely.
“Boss, this girl’s really something. That waist—I feel like it’d snap with one squeeze.”
“Heard she’s got tuberculosis? Hope she doesn’t die under me later.”
Filthy words echoed in the dark alley.
They stepped closer, like predators eyeing a lamb.
In this deserted dead end, it was a hopeless situation.
Su Ci turned around.
Leaning against the brick wall, her expression was eerily calm.
She looked at the three filthy men as if they were rats in a sewer.
“Three people.”
Her voice was cold, carrying a hint of regret.
“A bit few, but enough for my first deal.”
Rat Brother froze.
Why wasn’t she crying?
That look in her eyes made his back go cold.
“Stop pretending!”
His face twisted viciously as he shouted, waving the knife:
“Hand over the money and the bag! Kneel down! Or I’ll carve up your face!”
Su Ci said nothing.
She simply reached into her shoulder bag.
“Don’t move! What are you taking out?!”
“Something good.”
Her wrist flipped.
A black metal baton appeared in her palm.
Matte finish, with two sharp metal prongs at the tip.
A modern high-voltage stun baton.