Waiting for Gains without Pains

The old district was exactly that—an old district, where the scent of life mingled with the wear of time.

The ground floor had been completely converted into shops—a convenience store, a barbershop, and a greasy little eatery with a sign reading "Budget Stir-Fry," its presence shrinking the already narrow entrance to a mere one-person-wide passage.

Still, the necessities of life were all accounted for here.

As he walked, Old Yang exchanged greetings with familiar faces from the neighborhood.

"Old Yang, eaten yet?"

"Long since done!"

"Alright then, drop by for tea when you're free."

Old Yang smiled as he bantered with the neighbors, though the warmth didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"Decades-old neighbors, seeing each other morning and night," he muttered under his breath as he turned away.

Lin Mo’s spiritual sense swept over the scene—nothing but the ordinary hum of city life, not a trace of anything unusual.

Liu Zheng shook his head slightly, keeping his voice neutral as he followed behind. "Neighbors are the least likely suspects, Old Yang. Try to recall if there’s anyone new who’s moved in nearby."

"New tenants?" Old Yang paused mid-step, waving a hand dismissively. "There’s a flood of 'em. Rent’s cheap here, so young workers come and go like seasons. Anyone with a spare room rents it out."

The blunt truth made Liu Zheng frown, and he instinctively glanced at Lin Mo.

But Lin Mo seemed unbothered, strolling leisurely behind Old Yang, his gaze drifting over the peeling walls and rusted handrails.

"These old buildings mostly have staircases—no elevators. Heard they’re planning to install some, but folks on the first and second floors aren’t too keen. Who knows if it’ll happen."

Old Yang sighed as he trudged up the steps.

Compared to the cramped stairwell at the Sunshine Paradise staff dormitory, this one was spacious enough for three people to walk side by side.

They reached the third floor.

Old Yang fished out his keychain, easily picking out the one for his door.

But now his hand trembled slightly—what if the home he remembered wasn’t the same anymore?

Click. The door opened.

Right in the center of the living room sat a high-end sound system.

Old Yang’s tense shoulders relaxed instantly, relief washing over him.

"Not bad at all. This setup’s just as good as the one in your shop," Lin Mo remarked, eyeing the speakers and tube amplifier.

"Berliner speakers? You really splurged, Old Yang."

Seeing his prized possessions untouched, Old Yang’s tone lightened. "Let me tell you, this system’s even better than the one at the store—"

Before he could launch into a full explanation, Liu Zheng cut in, his calm voice like a bucket of cold water.

"Old Yang, you might want to check if the rest of your valuables and cash are still there."

Old Yang’s face paled, realization dawning. His lips quivered as he stumbled past them, no longer caring about hospitality, and rushed into the bedroom.

Liu Zheng didn’t follow. Instead, he stood still, palm outstretched as if sensing invisible ripples in the air. After a moment, his brow furrowed slightly, and he shook his head.

"I caught a fading energy trace on Old Yang earlier, but it’s gone now."

Lin Mo replied casually, "I dispersed it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have snapped out of it."

The words made both Liu Zheng and Old Bai freeze.

Dispersed?

Energy could be dispersed like that?

A loud clang came from the bedroom—something metallic hitting the floor.

Then Old Yang staggered out, looking hollow, as if all the life had been drained from him.

Clutched in his hands was a chipped metal box, its lid hanging open, completely empty.

"Gone... all gone..."

Old Yang’s eyes reddened instantly, his voice cracking. "The money, the gold bars—everything! That was my life’s savings, my coffin money!"

Older folks never trusted banks much. To them, real cash and gold in hand were the only things that felt safe.

Lin Mo asked offhandedly, "A lot?"

"Over a hundred thousand in cash, plus the gold bars—close to three hundred thousand total."

Old Yang’s voice shook as he grabbed Liu Zheng’s arm like a drowning man clutching a lifeline. "Officer Liu, what do I do now?"

The room grew heavy with silence.

Only Lin Mo remained unfazed, his fingers tapping lightly on the worn wooden table—knock, knock—drawing everyone’s attention.

"Don’t do anything. Just wait."

Now it was Old Bai’s turn to speak.

"Wait? You think he’ll just show up?"

Lin Mo nodded. "Of course. He hypnotized Old Yang into selling off the shop’s goods—he’ll definitely come for the money. My guess? He’ll be here by tonight."

The words hit like a revelation.

Liu Zheng and Old Bai exchanged glances, seeing the logic.

Even Old Yang found it convincing, though he still eyed Lin Mo warily.

"Lin Mo, you really think he’ll come? Why wait till night?"

"He’ll come. Probably keeps vampire hours—parties all night, sleeps all day."

Lin Mo stood up. "Enough overthinking. Let’s put on some music and enjoy your precious setup."

He started flipping through Old Yang’s record collection, though most were old classics. After some digging, he finally pulled out a Jacky Cheung album.

—System: Sometimes, you just gotta wait for the rabbit to run into the tree.—

The room was sealed tight by blackout curtains, turning it into a lightless box.

In one corner, towers of discarded instant noodle cups and takeout containers emitted a stale, greasy stench.

An old fan whirred weakly, its lukewarm breeze only stirring the foul air into a more even miasma.

Three people lay tangled on the bed.

The man in the middle woke to an itch, scratching his face before his hand wandered to the plump curves beside him, giving a teasing squeeze.

"Hey! What’re you doing?"

The woman stirred, half-asleep, lazily swatting his arm—more a flirtatious tap than a protest.

But then she jolted upright, scrambling for her clothes at the foot of the bed. "I’ve really gotta go. My husband’s probably back by now."

The man didn’t even open his eyes, waving her off dismissively. "Go on, get out."

Then he pulled the other girl closer.

"Factory girls living alone are the best—no strings, no one to answer to."

His hands roamed freely over her youthful body.

Much later, he finally dragged himself up and yanked open the curtains, revealing the bustling old district outside.

"Once I’ve drained these old fools dry, I’m upgrading to someplace fancy. Money’ll never be a problem again—I’ll have everything I want!"

He threw his head back and laughed. On the bed, the woman he’d exhausted all night rolled over, still fast asleep.

The man glanced back, his grin growing even more wild and arrogant.

Once his power grew stronger, he could have as many of these lowly creatures as he wanted in the future!