Hah… hah… my chest heaved up and down.
Stumbling my way into an alley, I collapsed onto the floor.
Eyes filled with grievance, I tried to feel angry, but any scream or rant I tried to let out fizzled down before I could voice it.
I felt…
Defeated.
"Why…"
My lips quavered.
"Why?"
"Why am I stopped at every turn?" My eyes filled with anger.
I clenched my teeth, eyes filling with rage, gripping onto my hair, letting out a muffled scream.
"Gnnnhh!"
Panting, I pushed myself off the filthy floor.
Dashing my bag onto the ground, I zipped it open.
Ransacking it, I came across my I.D—I looked at it—my smiling self, happy, blissful. My gaze faltered—steeling myself, I hurled it. I continued to rummage through my bag before I found it.
The wooden insignia left by that old beggar on the bridge.
Clenching my fist, pushing past the uncomfortable texture, I looked at it with expectation.
Xi Fang Square
Jiyuen Ji Street
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Arriving in Jiyuen Ji Street, houses lined the side of the pavement, running around in a U shape leading back to Xi Fang Square.
The place was desolate. Houses were run down and half-collapsed—in stark contrast to the area it resides in.
The only house to be relatively okay was on the edge of the turn, vertical to me.
Muddled, I gawked at the area.
Looking back at the insignia in my hand, I worried I read it wrong.
"Jiyuen Ji Street," I muttered.
Looking up at the flag sign opposite to me, I read it.
"Jiyuen Ji Street," I said, squinting.
Whipping my head up and down, I repeatedly read both.
Grumbling, I confirmed I read it right.
I observed the street again, this time closely looking at the only half-decent structure here.
Peering closely, I saw ornamental insignias similar to mine hanging off the door. A hazel oak—similar to mine—grey, patina, and silver.
Seemingly finding the place I was meant to go, I strutted over, my body tense, feeling a sense of thrill.
Pushing past the swinging doors, a gruff voice hit me.
I felt drowsy hearing it, as if I was being lulled to sleep.
"Welcome to Jincai Tang," he said, head gradually rising off the desk.
Gulping, I walked over, standing in front of the man.
Fully raising his head, his face was marred with dirt, his eyes bloodshot, his hair long and thin, and his breath smelled rotting.
Clenching my face, I raised the wooden insignia, pushing it in front of his face, trying to put distance between us.
Seeing it, his near non-existent eyebrows raised.
Snatching it out of my hands, he scrutinised the piece of wood as if it were a fake.
But flipping it around, seeing the unintelligible string of words, his suspicion seemed to vanish into thin air.
He sighed, voice rising. "Go to sleep."
"What?" My body staggered back, eyes closing as if I was deprived of sleep for years.
"What did you—?" My voice cut off right there.
Falling to the ground, I saw the man's cold gaze follow me to the floor.
And that was it, I passed out.