"Money!"
"Banknotes!"
"Guns, bring the guns too..."
"Gold... where's my gold?!"
Zuo Tong barged into his home, frantically yanking open every drawer and cabinet, stuffing handfuls of silver and gold coins into his pockets.
When they quickly filled up, he hurriedly pulled out a cloth bundle from under the bed and shoved all his valuables inside. As he packed, he kept glancing at the clock on the table, his breathing growing increasingly ragged.
Urgency, excitement, fear, anticipation—all these emotions tangled together, leaving him trembling like a drug addict.
He had once been just an ordinary enforcer. Two years ago, he'd earned the right to enter the Soldier's Ancient Repositoy but gained nothing from it except for currying favor with a few young masters from Aurora City. After returning to District Three, he'd followed Guo Nan in bullying others and exploiting his authority for personal gain. He never saw anything wrong with it, after all, most enforcers did the same.
A few days ago, he and Guo Nan had offended the newly appointed Enforcer Chen Ling. Not long after, Chen Ling found an excuse to execute Guo Nan. Since then, Zuo Tong had lived in constant anxiety and terror... He didn’t know if Chen Ling would kill him too, but he was certain his career as an enforcer was over.
Zuo Tong was both shocked and elated. He knew this was his chance to change his fate.
"Gold!!"
Zuo Tong dug out several gold bars from the depths of his wardrobe. Instead of tossing them into the bundle, he carefully tucked them against his body. After hastily tying up the bundle, he slung it over his shoulder and scanned the chaotic room. Confirming nothing else of value remained, he strode out the door without a second glance.
He would never return to this house again... Leaving here meant embracing a brighter future!
Zuo Tong’s eyes burned with wild joy and hope.
He ran down the street with the bundle on his back, but the weight of the gold bars and luggage soon left him panting. His gaze swept around until it landed on a rickshaw parked outside a nearby house.
Zuo Tong rushed to the vehicle. Seeing no one nearby, he kicked the door open with a crash!
"Who owns that rickshaw outside?!"
Inside, a dim kerosene lamp flickered silently. A freckled woman sat by the light, squinting as she sewed, her face nearly pressed against the needle. The sudden intrusion left her deathly pale.
"Enforcer Zuo?" A dark-skinned man hurried out from the inner room, his face paling at the sight. "What are you—"
"Is that rickshaw yours?"
"...Yes."
"Hurry, take me somewhere!"
The man hesitated. He had just returned from a trip to District Two, his soul nearly scared out of him, and hadn’t rested long. Physically and mentally exhausted, he was still figuring out how to refuse when Zuo Tong drew his gun and aimed it at his wife, snarling, "I don’t have time to waste with you! Move!!"
The man’s face drained of color. He raised his hands and scrambled toward the door. "I’ll go, I’ll go... I’m going right now!"
Without even grabbing a towel, the man dashed outside in thin clothing and unlocked the rickshaw.
Zuo Tong hoisted his bundle into the seat and coldly ordered, "To the station. You have five minutes... If we’re not there by then, I’ll shoot you dead."
Cold sweat drenched the man instantly. He began sprinting, the rickshaw cutting through the thick fog.
The station wasn’t close. Making it in five minutes was nearly impossible, especially while hauling Zuo Tong... But given the enforcer’s desperation, the threat was clearly real. The man had no choice but to pour every ounce of strength into the mad dash.
Heading to the station at this hour... Is something terrible about to happen in District Three?
The man wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what kind of people these enforcers were. For one to pull a gun and force him to the station at such a critical time, there had to be a life-or-death reason. And with that enormous bundle in tow, it was obvious Zuo Tong was fleeing.
The more he thought, the more frantic he grew. His near-blind wife was still at home. If there really was a train at the station that could escape District Three, he had to hurry back and bring her along.
As the rickshaw raced forward, panicked pedestrians took notice. Spotting Zuo Tong with his luggage, they froze in confusion.
"Did I just see an enforcer carrying bags toward the station?"
"Seriously?!"
"Yes! It was Zuo Tong, he oversees our street."
"Come to think of it, I saw another enforcer running off with his things earlier..."
"Oh no... Xi Renjie’s disappeared too. Are the enforcers planning to abandon us and flee to Aurora City?!"
"If they’re going to the station, there must be a train leaving from there. Quick!! Let’s go check!"
The witnesses’ expressions darkened as they sprinted toward the station. At first, it was just four or five people but as they ran, the news spread like wildfire. Soon, crowds of residents began flocking to the station in a frenzy!
"Dad!!" Zhao Yi slammed the door open, gasping for breath. "Stop packing! Come with me to the station—now!"
"What?"
Zhao’s father, who had been preparing to trek to Aurora City on foot, froze. "The station?"
"People saw enforcers hauling their belongings there! They must have inside info and there’s definitely a train heading to Aurora City! If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss it!"
Before his father could react, Zhao Yi grabbed his hand and dragged him outside, racing toward the station.
"But... we don’t have money for tickets..."
"Who cares about tickets at a time like this?" Zhao Yi’s face was deadly serious. "You’re too old for the journey to Aurora City on foot—you’d never make it. Don’t worry, I’ll get you on that train no matter what!"
Zhao’s father wanted to say more, but as he stared at his son’s determined back, warmth flooded his heart.
Yet as they neared the station, they realized how naive their hopes had been.
The station was already packed to the brim. Crowds of District Three residents clogged the platform, their noisy clamor drowning out all else. Over twenty figures in enforcer uniforms stood on the platform, their luggage piled around them, guns pointed at the mob, their faces grim.
"Dammit!! How did this happen?!" Zuo Tong climbed off the rickshaw, utterly dumbfounded by the scene before him.