CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 42: URBAN SURVIVAL RULES

After doing all this, Li Xu felt refreshed, humming a tune as he returned to the office, propping his legs high on the counter.

At that moment, the office door was pushed open again.

He didn’t even lift his eyelids, impatiently saying, "We’re closed, no commissions accepted, come back tomorrow morning if you have anything."

The tall figure walked up to his counter.

"Can’t understand human speech or..."

A gun was slammed onto the counter.

"Alright, sir, do you want to issue a commission or accept one? Need a commission package?"

Xu Xiaoyou looked at the boy before her, who changed expressions faster than flipping a book, her mouth twitching slightly.

But to maintain an air of mystery, she merely let out a dull cold snort, her entire face buried under a brown-gray cloak, voice hoarse:

"You’re about to die."

Hearing this, Li Xu jumped up with wide eyes, cold sweat breaking out all over:

"What?"

His spirit instantly became taut, and his hand instinctively reached under the counter where there was a hunting gun; though not very powerful, at such a close distance, even a hit on a Two-Tier Cleaner would be enough to severely injure them.

If someone else had said this in another place, he might have thought it a joke and laughed it off, but this was the slum of Nest City, where people live in extremely unstable mental states, and who could guarantee that the person, whose entire body was hidden under the cloak, wouldn’t suddenly lash out given his height of almost two meters.

This sentence didn’t sound like a provocation, it was more like the death announcement killers make before murdering someone.

"Take your hand out from under the counter, a hunting gun can’t hurt me."

Xu Xiaoyou said with a deliberately mysterious cold laugh, slowly approaching.

Li Xu suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pressure, looking up at the mountain-like figure, cold sweat sliding down his forehead.

The other party’s senses were sharp, having noticed his small actions so quickly.

Little did he know, under Xu Xiaoyou’s gray robe, a white-haired little girl was using all her strength, hugging tightly to the girl’s legs to maintain her tall image.

Having lived in the slum for many years, Li Xu was somewhat perceptive, and he gradually calmed down, making an inner judgment.

If the person before him intended to attack him, they would have done so already.

"Is there something you want to say to me?"

"Do you recognize these three people?"

The person handed over three yellowed photos, slapping them onto the counter.

Li Xu saw the photos clearly, and his heart was shocked.

The three people in the photos had the characteristics of a rabbit, fox, and pig, not exactly the three Cleaners from his office who went missing days ago!?

Like they evaporated into thin air; in this city, losing contact often meant death, and he already suspected they met with misfortune.

"Are they dead?"

"Yes, I killed them," Xu Xiaoyou said coldly.

Li Xu’s eyes widened abruptly.

What kind of guy would dare come looking for the office’s boss after having killed his subordinates so flagrantly?

Too gutsy, do they think he’s a pushover!?

Xu Xiaoyou watched the boy’s expression, seeing his clenched teeth, tightened fists, and blood-red eyes.

Then, he plopped to his knees in front of her.

"Sir, those three Cleaners have nothing to do with me, if they provoked you, they deserved to die, I’m just the one handing over the commissions, please, sir, be magnanimous, spare me?"

Xu Xiaoyou: "?"

Li Xu eagerly leaned over, his face full of ingratiating intent:

"Well done sir! I’ve disliked those three for a while!

"Damn, not one of them is honest, I gave them shelter, and behind my back, they always plotted to frame me and take over the office."

"I even heard them secretly plotting to break into my room and kill me at night, seriously!"

Xu Xiaoyou restrained her urge to shoot this ridiculous guy before her.

She couldn’t be bothered to judge his words’ authenticity; it wasn’t important. What’s important was that she needed to use this guy next.

"Also, sir, what did you just mean by saying I was going to die?"

"You’ve really got guts like a bear, daring to take on any commission; do you have any idea what kind of mess you’ve stirred?"

A thunderous shout shook Li Xu, making his body tremble.

His mind was flooded with thoughts of political intrigues, gang wars, and he wondered if this commission involved some big shots.

His face turned pale, his heart skipped a beat.

All this from a small commission dragged into such matters, so unlucky.

If so, his little life would be over for sure!

Would he face revenge, buried in concrete, body lost to the sea, or become a neatly sliced sashimi platter?

His three missing Cleaners surely faced such treatment; he didn’t even dare to think about the trouble they’d caused him.

"Damn, what kind of trouble have they stirred up for me?"

One ruthless method after another floated to his mind, and he was scared out of his wits, kneeling beside Xu Xiaoyou, his speech stammering:

"Wha...what should I do?"

Like a drowning man clutching at straws, desperate for a lifeline.

The person before him was his only hope for survival.

Though unclear what role the person played in this event, their powerful presence was certainly not simple!

"Soon, a woman will come; if she questions you about those Cleaners, say they’re not from your office, sever all relations if you don’t want to die."

"But..." Li Xu’s throat bobbed.

"Don’t ask what shouldn’t be asked!"

Xu Xiaoyou’s stern shout cut off Li Xu’s words.

He meekly nodded.

He remembered every one of her instructions clearly.

Urban survival rules prioritize knowing the time and tide.

"Also, here’s my contact information, come to me if there’s anything."

Before leaving, Xu Xiaoyou left a paper with a string of numbers written on it.

Li Xu hurriedly put the paper away and then politely saw Xu Xiaoyou out.

Watching the tall figure fade into the distance, he breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he was drenched in sweat.

This time, he didn’t close the office door, instead sat in his chair, nervously waiting for the woman mentioned by the sir to appear.

Until the sun was nearly setting, turning to dark, a bright white figure finally appeared in the alley by the office door.

Upon seeing the figure for the first time, Li Xu rubbed his eyes, thinking he saw wrong.

The person’s face was gentle, with eyes clear as a stream, wearing a black ponytail, in the prime of youth and beauty.

Bai Youyou looked at the map in her hand with some confusion, confirming the Raven Office sign once more: "Hmm..."

"Is it here?"

The girl leaned forward, hands behind her back, curiously looking into the yard, the white investigator’s uniform making her figure appear tall and slender.

"Is anyone in the office? I’m coming in."

Li Xu was just about to send her away until his eyes skimmed the Three-Winged Badge on her shoulder, and his mind exploded.

His heart roared:

The woman the sir casually mentioned was a Three-winged Investigator!?