The First Ally

Just like that, Fang Ze bought a lot of things he needed and didn't need by borrowing money from Bai Ling.

There were fruits, food, some daily necessities, and also… Awakening materials mixed in the goods.

Furthermore, Fang Ze's debt had been successfully compounded to 3,100 Rini.

To be honest, Fang Ze did not feel any heartache at all. Perhaps it was because he was in debt and it was not his money that he was spending.

However, looking at how dumb Bai Ling looked as she happily dug into her purse, Fang Ze felt a little sorry for her.

Was he bullying this child too much?

Although he had borrowed the money with his own ability…

Or… Should he at least pay the interest?

As Fang Ze contemplated this, he was also planning about the Awakening materials.

To Fang Ze's surprise, most of the Awakening materials were relatively common.

Even if he didn't buy them for the time being, Fang Ze had asked for and seen most of Awakening materials after only shopping in the market all morning.

The only problem was that Bai Ling kept following him. He was completely afraid to buy the materials.

He did not think that the people from the Security Bureau would not know about the materials for the Spiritual Awakening Method. If he bought too much, he might be discovered.

Therefore, Fang Ze was also wondering how to obtain these Awakening materials.

As he thought about it, he suddenly thought of the Late-Night Investigation Room.

"I wonder if I can send and receive items in the Late-Night Investigation Room…"

"It should be possible in principle. After all, I've actually brought the Magazine back to the real world…"

"So, I can actually verify it tonight."

"If it really works… I'll trick someone into helping me buy Awakening materials. That way, I can avoid the Security Bureau perfectly…"

While Fang Ze was thinking about this, what he didn't see was that Bai Ling was looking at the sky and then at Fang Ze, as if she were planning something.

A moment later, she pinched her small waist and said to Fang Ze crisply in her pleasant voice, "Fang Ze. It's noon. Are you hungry? I'll treat you to a meal."

Fang Ze was still calculating the Awakening materials when he suddenly heard Bai Ling's words. He was stunned for a moment and immediately became vigilant.

Although he had only interacted with Bai Ling for a morning, Fang Ze thought he knew most of her personality.

She was optimistic, generous, cheerful, lively, and a little money-grubber.

It was possible for him to treat such a girl to a meal. However, for her to treat him to a meal… Hehe.

Therefore, in that instant, Fang Ze knew that something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

However, Fang Ze was also curious about what this girl or the Security Bureau was planning to do, so he did not refuse. Instead, he asked calmly, "Where are we going to eat?"

Bai Ling said, "I know a really good bun place around here. Shall we go there together?"

Fang Ze hesitated, then agreed with a smile. "Sure. I happen to want meat buns too."

Just like that, Fang Ze followed Bai Ling out of the market and began to circle around the city.

Fang Ze realized that his surroundings were changing, but they were getting shabbier and shabbier. The environment also became poorer over time.

If the original main city area still had a little of the boldness and grandeur of a mountain city, then the place they were going now was a little like a slum. There were dilapidated brick houses everywhere, with dirty streets and smelly ditches…

However, the more he walked, the more familiar Fang Ze felt. It seems… This was where the original owner of his body once lived.

Fang Ze looked thoughtful. He could roughly guess why Bai Ling had brought him here…

Just like that, the two of them walked and chatted casually all the way until they reached a street.

It was a street lined with flagstones.

The street looked a little old, and the brick houses on either side looked a little run-down. It had the style of a slum, but it was a lot neater than the other streets in the slum.

It was as if someone was maintaining and cleaning it every day.

He studied the increasingly familiar street as he followed Bai Ling to a bun shop.

"Boss, I'll have four pork and onion buns!"

Bai Ling called the owner of the shop.

"Coming!" The owner of the bun shop agreed with a smile at Bai Ling's greeting.

A moment later, he came out smiling with a plate that had four meat buns on it.

As soon as he came out, he saw Fang Ze.

In that instant, his expression changed and his smile quickly faded.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but when he saw Fang Ze's outfit and the huge hammer on Bai Ling's back, he eventually stopped.

Even so, he didn't look as enthusiastic as he had earlier. He came to the two of them and slammed the plate down on the table. Then, he said, "Thank you for your patronage. That'll be 12 Rini."

Fang Ze gave him an odd look.

Meanwhile, Bai Ling was grinning as she took 12 Rini out of her purse and handed it to the owner.

After paying, Bai Ling pushed the plate toward Fang Ze and said, "Eat."

With that, she picked up a bun and ate it herself.

The meat bun was obviously very heavy. When she bit into it, juice splattered everywhere and the fragrance of meat assaulted her nose.

Bai Ling's eyes instantly lit up. Then, she began to eat noisily.

Fang Ze looked at her, then back at the owner of the bun shop.

Then, he picked up a bun as well and ate in silence.

Fang Ze felt a familiar taste in his mouth as he ate the bun.

It tasted good and the meat was fresh. As a bonus, it was familiar. Thus, it whetted his appetite.

Meanwhile, just as he was about to finish eating the meat bun, he suddenly heard something land behind him.

Accompanying that voice was the excited voice of a girl. "Fang— Fang Ze?"

Fang Ze turned at the sound of someone calling his name.

He saw a familiar girl.

She was six feet tall, her frail body concealed by a voluminous burlap garment, preventing others from seeing her physique.

She had an oval face. However, it was not round enough, perhaps because she was malnourished.

Her face was dirty and stained with dust. It also hid her plain, pretty face.

Her hair was long and tousled, and it took another point off her looks.

These points turned her from a plain beauty into an ordinary girl…

The only thing that seemed out of place was her eyes.

What kind of eyes were those? She had double eyelids, and the ends of her eyes were slightly curved and upturned. Her eyelashes were dense and long. When she looked at people, she looked pitiful. When she looked around, it was as if a clear spring was flowing in her eyes.

With his outstanding "appreciation" experience from his previous life, Fang Ze easily made a judgment about this girl. She was like a stock that had the potential to increase in value. No… It should be said that she had already started to "grow" her "achievement stocks", but she deliberately covered up her beauty.

After all, if it weren't for those eyes, even Fang Ze probably wouldn't have noticed her beauty under the dust…

However… Who was this girl?

Fang Ze couldn't help but study her again.

Then, he noticed more details he hadn't noticed earlier.

The left side of the girl's face was slightly swollen, as if she had been slapped. Her wrist was also bruised, as if she had been hit.

When she saw him, she was so excited that her body trembled a little. However, when she looked over, she shrank back reflexively and avoided his gaze.

That mixture of surprise and fear was so strange for a thin girl…

It also made Fang Ze realize something.

Was this the girl in his dream?

Combined with the purpose of the Security Bureau that he had just guessed, Fang Ze immediately had a guess.

Thus, he deliberately looked puzzled. He looked at the girl and asked, "Hello. Do you know me?"

There was obvious surprise in the girl's eyes when she heard Fang Ze's words.

She took an involuntary step forward, wanting to explain and ask questions.

However, at this moment, the door of the brick house beside the bun shop was suddenly opened from the inside.

A chubby woman came out from the door.

As soon as she saw the girl, she smiled and said, "Miao Miao, why are you back so late today? I happen to have something to discuss with you. Come, let's go to my house."

With that, she walked over. Then, she turned her back to Fang Ze and took the girl's hand in both hands.

The girl looked at the chubby woman and then at Fang Ze. For a moment, she was a little confused and conflicted. "Auntie, Auntie Fatty? I, I…"

She seemed to want to say something else, but Auntie Fatty didn't listen to her at all. She just pulled the girl into her house.

Fang Ze watched the scene unfold with his usual expression.

Judging by the fat woman's slightly stiff movements and stilted voice, she was probably a "rescue crew" assigned by the Investigation Department or the Security Bureau.

Furthermore, from the fact that the girl could call out the woman's name, they probably knew each other.

Thus, the girl shouldn't be in any danger.

With that thought in mind, Fang Ze turned back to the table. Unconcerned, he picked up a meat bun and started chewing again.

Seeing Fang Ze's extremely normal state, Bai Ling tilted her head and asked, "Fang Ze? Don't you feel anything?"

Fang Ze looked up at her and pretended to be confused. "Feel what?"

Bai Ling looked a little conflicted. She tried to explain, "Like… For example, do you feel that anything is strange, unusual, or familiar?"

Fang Ze pretended to give her an odd look. "Why would I feel that way?"

Then, he feigned alarm. "Don't tell me! Is there a case on this street?"

Bai Ling was silent.

Looking at Fang Ze's expression carefully, Bai Ling confirmed that Fang Ze really didn't seem abnormal. She pouted and was a little disappointed…

While he was happily dealing with Bai Ling, Fang Ze's mind was actually racing…

From the schedule Bai Ling had arranged.

The Security Bureau was obviously trying to stimulate his memory with familiar scenes and familiar people.

Furthermore, from arranging for this girl to interact with him and this girl's reaction just now, this girl's relationship with him was probably not ordinary.

At this thought, Fang Ze suddenly had an idea.

Now that he was under control, he indeed could not reject the arrangements of the Security Bureau. However… Could he use this opportunity to achieve some of his goals?

For example, by summoning this girl at night to investigate.

Then, he would figure out the arrangements of the Security Bureau.

For example, he could also get this girl to "buy" Awakening materials for him.

After all, compared to other ordinary people and agents who were difficult to control and trust, the girl in front of him had at least an extraordinary relationship with him…

She was his first ally.