The ultimate blue sea

Chapter 52-Dong Jianguo

Passing by the shopfront of a dilapidated "communal bath," you saw a little alley. At the mouth of the alley, the words "for demolition" were written large in white paint with a slightly sinister-looking underline.

Looking into the black alley, at first glance, it looked like a dead end. Only when you went in would you discover that inside was a little passage just wide enough for one person to pass through. Walking through, you had to watch where you put your feet, or you would accidentally step on an overturned paving stone or a patch of some unknown milky white substance sticking to the ground with a thick green growth.

On the scrap building materials by the wall hung a filthy plastic bag. A public toilet stink reverberated in the not very large space, mixing with damp and hitting you right in the face. Su Qing turned up the collar of his trench coat. He was carrying two bottles of wine and a gift box. He turned his head to avoid an open broken window, then turned back to instruct Qin Luo to be careful.

Qin Luo still didn't dare to look at him. She nodded silently and looked down at the little piece of paper she was holding—it was the address of their mysterious dead man, Dong Jianguo.

She hadn't known that there was such an overcrowded place in this city—these grey streets, twisting and turning in all directions, with overcrowded little houses everywhere, garbage flying when the wind blew, and traces of barbecue carts at the intersections. Though she had the address, she was still a little dizzy and turned around. She could only keep her head down and follow Su Qing.

Just then, a woman in pajamas appeared at the other end of the little street. She looked around forty, or perhaps a little older. Her yellowed hair was clipped up high with a plastic clip. She was carrying a garbage bag and met Su Qing head on.

Su Qing's appearance could be considered very remarkable. The woman couldn't resist taking another look at him. Only one person could pass through the little street at a time, so the people at both ends were blocked. Su Qing looked back and pointed behind himself at Qin Luo, indicating that the two of them should retreat and let the woman come out.

The woman looked at the two of them hesitantly, a bit of vigilance appearing in her eyes. "Who do you want?"

Su Qing didn't speak, giving Qin Luo a look—Utopia was likely fermenting some major act. Before operating, they had to report to their superiors. General Xiong had called on purpose to indicate his satisfaction with the current makeup of the RZ Unit's core members and to request that they foster their strengths and circumvent weaknesses, developing on all fronts. They needed to overcome their bad habits. So Su Qing, who had been ready to go out on his own, had taken along this tail that breathed but didn't speak.

Qin Luo gave him a slightly panicked look. With an outsider present, Su Qing seemed a little more familiar, so she at last dared to look at him. Sadly, Su Qing suddenly pretended to develop an interest in an overturned paving stone at his feet. He thought, It's only saying hi, and this is a middle-aged woman, not some devastatingly beautiful young man you wouldn't dare to so much as look at. So he decided not to say a word.

There was nothing for it. She had to shuffle forward a step and say in a quiet voice, "H-hello, ma'am... We're looking for this person."

Qin Luo waved the piece of paper with Dong Jianguo's address written on it in front of the woman's eyes as though afraid someone would be blown away if she breathed too loudly.

The woman took the paper and glanced at it. When she looked up, her expression was even more cautious and vigilant. "Who are you people? What do you want with him?"

Qin Luo didn't know how to continue. She gave Su Qing another harassed look.

Smiling broadly, Su Qing said, "Sister, we're his relatives from back home. We've brought some things for him."