Chapter 3 - Seeking Solace

The third day as per promised, he waited near the market to give her the report.

The young lady drove over in her fancy BMW. "Where is it?"

"I can't give it to you here. Lets meet at the spot you met me initially," Zou Yue said and dashed away.

The young lady frowned and took off her shades. "So annoying. Butler, get the payment ready!" she stomped away into the distinct place she met him.

Zou was already waiting there with a small file in hand. It had four leaves of dirty yellow paper, but the handwriting on it was clear and pristine.

She happily took it from him and tossed the promised payment. "We shall see again." without even a word of gratitude the young lady left.

Zou Yue watched her leave his familiar area with a smile. "This is so good; I hope I get gigs like this every day. But I really can't find a man like Fan Xui everywhere can we,"

After his through overseeing, he had confirmed three things. Fan Xui usually only ate per schedules meal and on a particular time. Secondly, the man preferred to make a small vigilant round around the premises of the settlement every day at noon. And last and not the least, Fan Xui seems to hate men.

He frowns away from any kind of touches from of young males. He seemed normal with his other lady friend Bai xi, but when he was conversing with his beautiful male friend Liwei, he always kept his distance. Even his trusted warrior Qian was kept at a hand's distance.

He laid on the cold ground, hugging La Trexa to his chest. "Trexa, Fan Xui is pretty I think he might have been traumatised by men after the end of the world. No wonder he keeps his distance."

The rat squeaked and slid into his sleeve right to the hole where he had hidden a flattened loaf of bread. "Ah-ah, no, baba needs that. I want to take a break from work." he gently pulled the scurrying rat from his sleeve and pinched its fluffy cheeks.

The rat squealed and rushed away to another corner.

"Sleep now, let's dream of a better tomorrow," he whispered and slowly let sleep take over his body.

Deep in sleep he heard small crisp sound of a branch snapping. His blood-shot eyes opened immediately. 'They found my spot so soon.' he silently packed all his belonging and put the sleeping la Trexa into one of his undamaged pockets. Without even wearing shoes on he crawled through the hidden door in the back.

Zou Yue slowly crawled out of the bush and away into the dark streets. He did not stop, nor did he look back. He ran lie his life depended on it, because it did. He had been hiding away from the hooligans for almost three days now; if they found him, they would skin him alive.

The rubble on the ground tore on his delicate feet, but he did not bother at all. He just ran... ran until he stooped in a corner with a small restaurant.

He slowly walked over to the side of the restaurant and leaned on the wall tiredly. The little rat peaked out and squeaked. "I know, I hate running too... I just wish I was powerful enough to fight my enemies. Powerful enough to carve out my destiny."

The darkness was unnerving; he walked though the familiar road and ended up in front of a small house. He stood hesitantly outside, pondering whether he should knock or not.

Before he could decide, the door opened on its own and a grey haired old man glanced at him. His blank white eyes met his terrified one calmly. "You finally threw away your prestige and came here,"

"Geez, you didn't have to smear it on my face," Zou Yue walked past him onto the house. "I'll pay you rent. One loaf of bread for a place to sleep."

"I don't need your pity," the old man scoffed and slowly walked shakily over with his crutches. "It's me who pities you,"

Zou Yue rolled eyes with a groan. "Got it. You pity me and let me stay here. Let's keep it like that," he mumbled and laid on the cold floor.

The dl man walked closer and hit him with his crutches. "Get up. Don't catch a cold and die in my house,"

Zou Yue pushed his crutches away and rolled himself tightly. "I won't get sick nor would I die."

There was a loud sigh in the room.

The old man squatted down with difficulty and caressed his small head. His eyes immediately turned slight blue as he saw vision after vision of Zou running. "Who did you offend? Those people did not look happy to see your empty mushroom,"

He pushed his hands away. "Don't meddle, old man."

"Youngsters these days, tsk, tsk, There is no respect for the old," he silently continued caressing Zou's head. He saw through all of what Zou did in this past week. "That was stupid accepting an assignment to spy on Fan Xui."

"I said stop looking in," Zou sat up and glared at him. "My life is pitiful as is; don't make me feel worse."

The old man smacked his head loudly. "Everyone's life is messed up, not only yours."

"Huh really, then what about the perfect Fan Xui, I bet he did not even face difficulty a single day in his life?" He shouted. After doing so, all the rage left his body. Panting, he held the old man's shoulders. "I know that everyone is suffering but.... but I only wished that I would suffer tighter with my family,"

He held back his tears and moved away from the prying old man. "Don't look into my life. Let me be. I shall leave early in the morning,"

He heard a soft sigh from behind.

"Even the great Fan Xui has suffered a lot, little kid. I once met him eight years ago, back then he was just a budding hero. I got the chance to read his life and let me tell you o saw nothing but darkness."

Zou turned over and glanced at him. "Let me guess, his parents were going through a divorce scenario, or oh I know he was the popular kid that everyone loved but he was cold to everyone around him."

Crutches flew towards him. Zou immediately sat up with a glare. "Old man! I could have died from that attack!"

"Fan Xui's life was dark because he was blind almost all his twenty years of his life,"