Entering the True Rat District.

This is not the first time Zhou Heng went out of the orphanage. It would be a bad idea to leave the orphanage without a destination in mind.

He took advantage of Alisa's responsibilities at the orphanage, and his relationship with the trio of workers to get information and see the outside a few times in the past.

He visited mostly the Ram district, but his mind was always on the Rat district, after all, it would be more useful to have underground forces than economic ones.

That doesn't mean that the Ram district was useless to him. For a reason he took his time gaining the favor of those three by giving them help with their problems or even with modern ideas of market management, it's not that he is an expert in that area or a business genius, but by using the Record's of the system and his previous labor experiences he could give an advice or two.

Zhou Heng walked on Gray Way Street alternating his gaze from the Ram district to the Rat district.

Taking a deep breath he started walking toward the Rat district, his objective was to make a home base in the deeps of the infamous place of Ariethis City.

His reason for selecting it as his home base wasn't that he wanted to be the darkness that fights the light of the hero, but the fact that he didn't have a better option. The Lion district was simply impossible for him, the Ram district could be great for him and his knowledge but it lacks any other strength that isn't economic. The Bear district is filled with knights and is too controlled by the nobles, creating his own force or information net would be extremely difficult.

The Rat was simply perfect for him, that is, if he can survive, he didn't have more than a good body that can defeat anyone near his age, a pair of small balls that haven't developed, and the mind of a young man that never killed anyone.

He can only trust the plan he formed all these years and his resolution to survive to accomplish his mission.

Zhou Heng was dressed shabbily, he didn't take a bath and his hair was sweaty, it was his attempt of increasing the chance of taking him seriously, he was in danger if a boy dressed nicely and clean appeared in the district.

He did have some money and was safe in his old shoes, he didn't look that out of place in the rat district. He could see bars, brothels, dilapidated houses, and gambling centers. As it was morning the people were more relaxed, the drunkards were sleeping quietly on the floor with what seemed like vomit on one side.

His objective was another orphanage, one in the middle of the Rat district, after walking for a few minutes, he reached his destination.

Comparison with the Gray Way Orphanage was obvious, without the support of a noble or someone with resources the orphanage in front of Zhou Heng was more like an abandoned house that someone used to raise children.

He could see people smoking at the entrance, they didn't look like the type of people that loved children, they glanced at Zhou Heng and ignored him afterward, he can see that if he told them that he was from the orphanage they would probably reply 'Okay' and shrug without caring more.

Zhou Heng naturally didn't come here to exchange orphanage, his objective was a few kids that lived here. He walked to the corner of the orphanage sat down with his gaze toward the entrance and waited.

The Rat district was dangerous but that didn't mean that everyone will kill you at sight or that after a few minutes of staying here someone will come to rob you.

Zhou Heng was a kid, someone may have been curious about him but nothing too important. After waiting for a few minutes while using the Record of the system to evaluate his plan, Zhou Heng saw a few kids coming out of the orphanage.

There were two girls and three boys, who ran out of the orphanage with smiles, going toward the opposite direction of Zhou Heng, the other direction of the street.

Zhou Heng got up and followed them from the distance, he wasn't that careful to be on stealth but he also wasn't that conspicuous about following them.

The kids were too busy talking between them to pay attention to their surroundings, that was until they reached their objective, a small bar a few streets away from their orphanage.

The kids stopped laughing and separated, walking toward different places on the street, at this movement, Zhou Heng hid after a carriage and watched from afar, taking care of not being seen by the kids that are now surrounding the street as if keeping watch.

One of the boys along with one girl walked toward the side of the bar, where a few drunkards were sleeping, they approached them and after seeing around for a bit, they started looking in the pockets of a drunk man and taking what was inside, after successfully stealing from the two drunk men that were on the floor, they stood up and ran away.

The kids that keep the watch also started running away, Zhou Heng waited for a bit and continued following their tracks.

The same thing happened in another bar three streets away. For the next hour, the five kids pickpocketed drunkards, carriages, and even a few people walking. The action wasn't always successful, a man that was on the floor got up and punched one kid, and someone from a bar catch them and took part of the money.

Even with that, the kids ran away and cursed, continuing their actions on another street, the process finally ended when the kids got into a kind of circus where they went to a man and talked with him for a few minutes until he let them in.

Zhou Heng hid watching from afar, with his eyes on the entrance, waiting.

''Do you want to enter? I'm sure that you will be entertained inside.'' A cold voice sounded on his side, Zhou Heng looked quickly and saw a man smiling at him with yellow teeth ''Boo''

Zhou Heng fell to the floor with his eyes and hands trembling a little.

''...Who are you?'' Zhou Heng took a deep breath and asked.

''Me? I'm just a friendly child kidnapper.'' With a pleased smile, the man said, he was satisfied with Zhou Heng's reaction.

''On daylight...?'' Zhou Heng said while getting up from the floor and slowly distancing from the man.

''Well, I need to look for breakfast.'' The man was squatting to get to Zhou Heng's height, he also got up and said while licking his lips. He looked very thin and tall.

The man was quite surprised, the boy in front of him looked scared yet maintained his calm and even tried to escape while distracting him with small chattering, but he decided to keep playing along, ''Still little shrimp, you aren't from here, do you? Also that you don't look like the friends of the brats from earlier, so tell your friendly uncle about you.''

The man said that with a big smile and walked slowly toward Zhou Heng, his eyes were filled with amusement.

Zhou Heng understood why his eyes were like that when he heard that from his back came the sound of steps, he stopped and without turning around showed a helpless expression.

''How did you know that I'm not from here?'' He asked.

''Hehe, well I am a very sociable person around here, so I know most of the neighbors.'' The man grinned and scratched his nose with a shy expression.

Zhou Heng's lips twitched a little seeing his shy act.

''But...'' The man stopped and with some playfulness in his eyes, he looked at Zhou Heng and continued, ''Imagine my surprise when I saw my good nephew being followed by a stranger kid when he was such a good child.'' the man looked very concerned when he said that.

''So... why are you following my nephew, boy?'' At this moment he took a knife from his pocket and started 'shaving' his non-existent beard without taking his eyes from Zhou Heng.

Zhou Heng frowned and looked down for a moment, taking breaths to calm himself he raised his head, meet eyes with the man, and said.

''I want to learn.''

''... Eh?'' The man blinked, taking the knife away from his face, he raised his other hand, using his pinky finger, which had a very long nail, to clean his ear, ''Sorry kiddo, can you repeat that?''

''I want to learn.'' Zhou Heng replied.

''... What do you want to learn?'' The man had a confused face, he knew the answer to his question but was still very confused, usually, they worked with kids to get information, distractions, or to get small sums of money like the group earlier.

But they are the ones that approach those kids to tempt them with small rewards, and if a kid took the initiative it's because he is either a relative of a member or they are half dead and in complete desperation.

The blue-haired didn't look near death, he looked very healthy, his clothes certainly weren't in good condition, but his face wasn't malnourished and his arms had quite the appearance for his age.

''I want to learn to steal.'' The boy calmly answered.

''Why?'' The tall man asked with a frown.

''... Because I want to regain what that man took from my family.'' The boy whispered with a small voice, biting his lips until a bit of blood fell from them.

Even if it was a whisper the tall man heard it because he was near, he raised his eyebrows and a trace of mockery flashed in his eyes, but with a concerned face, he approached him and put his hand on the shoulder of the boy.

''Hey, hey, don't injure yourself, come, tell your Uncle Anthony about that man, my good nephew.'' He asked while patting Zhou Heng's shoulder.

Zhou Heng's body tensed but did nothing, he looked at the man and said ''I want to learn, if, if you teach me then I will give you part of the money I got.''

Anthony smiled at his words he found the situation very interesting, he dragged Zhou Heng with friendly pats toward the circus ''Come come, how can your Uncle have the heart to take your things, let's go quickly, nothing to be afraid of... Right, what was your name kiddo?''

Zhou Heng walked along and replied while looking at the circus ''Heng.'' his hand clenched in a fist for a second and continued walking.

He cleaned the blood off his lips with his palm so the man by his side couldn't notice the small smile he had for a second.