Mixed in the apocalypse, become a fairy alone. 27

Chapter 27: An Unforeseen Aura

Thomas recounted his difficult and downward spiraling first half of life with a sorrowful demeanor. Wang Jixuan played the role of a perfect listener. For Daoist Wang, Thomas’s story, while not particularly interesting, offered a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people, enhancing his understanding of the mortal world.

The handmade car, navigating the bumpy, winding road, ascended to the 49th level. It cleverly avoided the confrontation zone between the Black Fire Gang and the Wanli Jin Gang, smoothly entering Wanli Jin territory. Just as the Black Fire Gang’s controlled area had the moniker “City of Rebirth,” Wanli Jin’s territory had its own unique name: “Jade Garden.”

This was a large farm providing materials for winemaking. Jade Garden occupied an area comparable to the City of Rebirth. White greenhouses used for cultivating crops were everywhere, while the main residential area was compressed into a narrow space, creating a peculiar sight resembling a “box house forest.”

Wang Jixuan suddenly heard children’s joyful screams. He looked out the car window. Children were playing and frolicking in the labyrinthine “box house forest.” Energy-saving lamps illuminated the entrances of many box houses, where adults were sewing and mending under the soft light. Jade Garden consumed the most electricity for lighting in the Lower City, second only to the City of Joy. Aside from fermenting alcohol and supplying vegetables and fruits to the Upper City, Wanli Jin’s third largest business was hand sewing. Forty percent of the clothing and hats in the entire Lower City originated from this box house forest, including the green sweatshirts of their rival, the Black Fire Gang.

Wang Jixuan also saw many people drinking and chatting in groups on platforms, with numerous armed men and women patrolling the area. His attention was quickly drawn to the greenhouses. In his perception, the spiritual energy there… was exceptionally pure! And slightly more abundant! Was this due to the abundance of plants? This accidental discovery filled Wang Jixuan’s heart with eagerness.

It turned out his luck was exceptionally good that day. Thomas, the intermediary, “Goat Butt” Thomas, finally stopped his self-reproach and reflections. He pointed to a sprawling area of greenhouses, his voice hoarse:

“We’ll go there in a bit. Thank you, Brother Zhou. I’ve never told anyone my story, except my driver… Just now, you made me reconsider my life. As a reward, I’ll introduce you to my foster mother. That’s where I grew up, my former home. She’s the most respected elder in the Wanli Jin Gang. Alright, I’ll be honest with you. Because your uncle is a powerful person, I’d planned this from the beginning—to arrange you to my old home, hoping you could get along with my younger brothers and sisters, and that you could offer them some help in the future if they need it. Just a moment, I need to change my style, otherwise, that grumpy old woman will hit my sexy buttocks with her broom.”

Thomas began to wipe off his makeup.

“Thank you,” Wang Jixuan said softly.

Daoist Wang, having listened to the story along the way, felt somewhat moved. Thomas was this guy’s stage name, convenient for doing business in the City of Joy. This guy also had a rather poetic real name—Hua Queyue (Flower Missing Moon)—which he rarely used now. The contrast was the key. Thomas “claimed” to be sexually conservative and had a secret girlfriend. His flamboyant attire, manner of speech, and style of conduct were all meant to enhance his acceptance among different groups of people. For his line of work—getting people from the Middle City to settle in the Lower City and vice versa—connections were paramount.

A few minutes later. Thomas removed his eye makeup, foundation, and bright red lipstick. He changed into a black shirt, expertly applied sticky hair gel to his hands, and quickly transformed his rooster comb hairstyle into a neat six-four part. A charming middle-aged man in his forties with a well-built physique quickly appeared before Wang Jixuan.

Daoist Wang thought: This world’s transformation techniques don’t even require spells or incantations!

“What do you think?” Thomas deliberately used a breathy voice, “Could I be a cover model? Actually, my first job in the City of Joy was as a window mannequin, you know.”

Wang Jixuan offered a wry smile: “What are we doing next?”

“Follow me. Suppress that rebellious expression… just try to be calm, and look like an intellectual.” Thomas rubbed his nose: “My foster mother has a terrible temper. She hates lazy good-for-nothings. Don’t tell her why you’re forced to come to the Lower City; she hates murderers. Just say you offended some powerful people in the Middle City, they wanted to kill you, and your uncle arranged for you to hide here for a while. That’s enough. Understand?”

“More or less.”

“Wait in the car for a moment; I’ll go make some arrangements so they’ll take better care of you in the future.”

Thomas changed into a pair of ordinary sneakers, opened the car door, and slipped out. Immediately, warm greetings followed: “Brother Hua! Long time no see!”

“Hahaha! Long time no see!”

“It’s been a while since you brought someone here. Got another money-making prospect this time?”

“This time is different. His uncle is in charge of logistics on the 11th level; he’s quite influential… Don’t tell anyone this, especially my old lady.”

“Wow! Why would someone like that come to our slum?”

“They have enemies, and this poor guy was set up and framed, so he has to come here to lie low…”

Wang Jixuan got out of the car and saw Thomas chatting with seven or eight men and women under a streetlamp. More Wanli Jin gang members rushed over, surrounding Thomas and receiving cigarettes from him. The driver opened the trunk and brought out two foam boxes.

“Brother Zhou, give me a hand.”

“Okay,” Wang Jixuan took a box and found bags of wheat flour inside. The staple food in the fortress was starch bars, not made from this wheat flour. Flour was a relatively expensive item in the Lower City.

Wang Jixuan and the driver waited for more than ten minutes before Thomas finally finished his smoking and chatting. This guy walked over with a beaming smile, patted Wang Jixuan’s shoulder hard, turned on a small flashlight, and headed towards the greenhouse area.

The closer he got to the greenhouses, the stronger Wang Jixuan’s perception became. The spiritual energy here was indeed purer. Unexpectedly, he had stumbled upon a good place for cultivation!

The greenhouses were arranged densely. Each greenhouse was a standard ten meters long and three meters wide, with a family living in each one. Those who could live here were all family members of the Wanli Jin gang.

Thomas shone his light while introducing the place to Wang Jixuan:

“The formula soil for growing crops is a top-secret technique of Wanli Jin. Don’t underestimate this seemingly ordinary soil. Each household has a fixed quota of formula soil allocated annually. Correspondingly, each greenhouse must produce a sufficient amount of crops each year, mainly grapes for winemaking, and vegetables for the Upper City. If they fail to meet the specified quantity, the family will lose their planting rights the following year. Taking care of the plants is the easiest job in the Lower City. If they can increase their yield, they’ll get extra rewards. For fairness, harvesting is done uniformly by the Wanli Jin Gang. If a cultivator is caught stealing, they’ll permanently lose their planting rights and receive a severe beating.”

Wang Jixuan said, “It sounds pretty good, actually.”

“Environmentally, choosing Wanli Jin is the wisest choice, but as an intermediary, I have to say that the chances of getting ahead here are relatively low, unless you go fight the Black Fire Gang.”

As he spoke, Thomas cleared his throat, his posture instinctively straightening. He looked at the three-story wooden building that stood out among the greenhouses and sighed softly. The building was somewhat old, having stood there for many years.

News of Thomas’s return had already reached the house. Seven or eight children, ranging from three to thirteen years old, huddled under a yellowish lamp at the entrance, eagerly looking towards them.

“Brother Hua!” A little girl shouted with surprise.

“Hahahaha!” Accompanied by laughter, Thomas spread his arms and rushed over, his flashlight swaying. The eight children rushed towards him, like a group of magpies chattering noisily.

Wang Jixuan had listened to Thomas’s rambling all the way, learning about Thomas’s rough, violent, and racy personal story, and hearing Thomas repeatedly mention his “foster mother’s hut.” These children were adopted by the old woman. The reason they could have this area, this small courtyard where they planted some light-resistant fruit trees and some simple vegetables, was all thanks to Thomas—after becoming a prominent figure in the Lower City, Old Thomas fully repaid his foster mother who had raised him.

Wang Jixuan, witnessing this scene, was moved. This was the emotion of ordinary people…

Hmm? Wang Jixuan frowned involuntarily, looking at a newly appeared figure under the lamp. It was a frail old woman, appearing to be sixty or seventy years old, wearing a light-colored floral dress and a brown cardigan. She was leaning against the doorframe, smiling at her foster children playing in front of the house. In the Lower City, it was rare for an elderly person to live to this age, but this wasn’t what caused Wang Jixuan to frown.

Perhaps because Wang Jixuan’s gaze suddenly became sharp, the old woman looked up. In the light from a nearby greenhouse, she saw Wang Jixuan’s disguised appearance as “Zhou Tiantian.” She scowled, “Xiaohua! You scoundrel! You finally brought your business here!”

“Mom! This young man is different!” Thomas chuckled, approaching and opening his arms for a hug, but was forced back by a threatening kick from the old woman.

“You’re still so healthy,” Thomas exclaimed, secretly beckoning to Wang Jixuan and the driver.

Wang Jixuan’s expression returned to its previous smile. He carried the foam boxes forward, and upon getting closer, carefully sensed. That’s right. A mottled and chaotic aura surrounded the old woman—the aura of Wen Heisen, the third-in-command of the Black Fire Gang and a D-level spiritual energy user.

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