Chapter 792: Deadly Joke (19) (Patreon)

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Selena took two steps forward again, holding Bruce's face in her hands and said, "Sorry, dear. Maggie told me before that your mental state was off, and I didn't quite believe it. Now I do."

"I know, I know..." Selena leaned in closer to Bruce's face. "You're a billionaire, spending thousands of US dollars on a single meal. Even if you don't know, can't you at least tell that these boots are fake??"

Selena let go of Bruce's head and pointed at his boots. "Even if you can't see the details, can't you see that the upper and sole are different colors? Are you color blind?!"

By the end of her words, Selena had started yelling. Bruce had no response to her question because he really didn't know what rain boots in the slums should look like.

Bruce didn't usually wear rain boots. When he was Batman, he wore combat boots with the Bat-suit, which, apart from looking like shoes, had little to do with regular footwear. As Bruce, he mostly wore leather shoes.

"What? What about rainy days?" you might ask.

On rainy days, Bruce would simply make a call, instructing someone to have a blanket ready, drive the car to the door, and before he stepped out, waiters would cover the path from the car to the hall with thick waterproof blankets and umbrellas. If a drop of rain touched his shoes, the waiters would get scolded.

Now, the rain boots Bruce was wearing had a slight color difference between the upper and sole. The upper was a normal green, while the sole was army green. Bruce recalled that the lighting was very poor where he bought these boots, and after the owner handed them to him, he did take a look but didn't notice any color issues.

Selena sighed, "My dear, these shoes have soles salvaged from discarded ones, and the upper is made with inferior rubber. It holds up at first, but once soaked in water for a while, it will start leaking. Even if they paid me five US dollars, I wouldn't wear them!"

Selena hugged Bruce's neck and said, "It seems you've been doing foolish things this past month. Find a quiet place, tell me everything, and we can go get our money back."

Bruce really wanted to say it was unnecessary, but looking into Selena's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Selena led him through a series of twists and turns into a very dark alley. She knocked on a window on the first floor, and a heavily made-up old lady poked her head out, saying, "Oh, isn't this Selena? What brings you here?"

"Ma'am, we're looking for a place to stay." Selena was quite polite with this old lady, who looked puzzled and asked, "What happened to the place you used to live in? Why did you leave?"

Selena rolled her eyes, "Don't mention it. I've had enough of that softie Hef. I want to find a place in Living Hell, a bit more expensive is fine, but it must be safe."

The old lady withdrew her head, then took out a newspaper, wrote a series of words and door numbers in the blank space, and after putting on her glasses, she carefully said, "There are two vacant houses in the north of Living Hell. The conditions are good, but the rent is a bit high, 8 US dollars per week..."

"Can it be cheaper?" Selena asked. "I'll pay the protection fee on time, and I'll also subscribe to newspapers and milk."

The old lady shook her finger, "Then I know where you should go. There are new houses available in the south area, with newspapers and milk already arranged. You can move in for 6 US dollars per week, no price hike, how about that?"

Selena nodded, "Help me inform the gang there. I might occasionally go out at night, oh, and occasionally bring men back. Let them not be too surprised..."

"In Living Hell, they don't worry about such things now," the old lady flipped through the newspaper. "You get what you pay for. You'll know when you move in."

Selena took out her wallet, found a 20-cent bill, handed it to the old lady, said goodbye with a smile, and then waved to leave.

On the road, Selena explained to Bruce, "There are many old women like her in the East District. They used to be social butterflies of the older generation, and many were mistresses of gang leaders."

"After they age, men no longer fancy them, but they've managed well, familiar with various gang leaders, adept at social etiquette, and can easily enter the mansions of major gangs. They are reliable for renting houses in East District."

Bruce nodded somewhat puzzled, but he wasn't bothered by it because he genuinely didn't know about this. Anyone new to the area probably wouldn't know either.

Selena pulled him to the side of the road and said, "We'll hitchhike over."

"Hitchhike? Hitch a ride on what?" Bruce asked.

"Just hitchhike, okay? Living Hell is far from here. Don't tell me you plan to walk; that would be exhausting... Here comes the car!"

Bruce turned his head and saw a large truck approaching, the same type he had driven before.

Selena reached out to stop it, but after a glance, she withdrew her hand. The truck sped past them, and Bruce turned to Selena.

"This one won't work; he won't pick us up," Selena shrugged. "His truck is loaded; he's probably a night driver busy with work and won't have time for hitchhikers."

Then another truck passed by, but Selena didn't signal either. She explained, "This one won't do either; it's a female driver. She won't let male passengers on board."

"Oh, this one... no, this won't do either. The driver is too thin, not as strong as you. If he sees you, he'll get suspicious."

"Ah, this one!" Selena finally extended her hand, waved vigorously, and the truck stopped. Two strong men sat in the driver's seat, covered in tattoos, looking fierce.

But Selena wasn't afraid. She leaned in, holding two banknotes, and said, "Hey, guys, I need a ride to Living Hell. Are you available?"

One of the men smirked, but before he could speak, Selena said, "Tonight, I've got plenty of time. I can keep you company, but..."

Selena sweetly smiled, and the other driver exchanged a look with his companion. The companion coughed and said, "You can only go in the cargo area, get off quickly when we arrive, and pay up."

Selena threw the money into the driver's cabin, took Bruce into the cargo area. The truck was transporting frozen beef, and there was a strange smell inside. Bruce and Selena found a box to sit on. After a bumpy ride, they finally reached their destination.

After getting off, Bruce asked Selena, "Did they just want..."

Selena shook her head, "They were just talk. They didn't dare let me into the driver's cabin."

"Women in the East District are not to be trifled with. They would rather spend money on prostitutes than approach a woman hailing a cab late at night because, as a customer, you just need to pay. Asking me to get into the car could mean trouble."

In Living Hell, Selena didn't take anything but walked directly to a room. After a while, knocking on the door began. Selena didn't open it; she just slid the rent under the door, and the other party stopped knocking.

Bruce observed the room. It was much better than the one he had lived in before, not just a bedroom but also a living room, a south-facing balcony, a toilet with a kitchen, and even a shower. This almost transcended the scope of the East District and could be compared to an apartment building between the north and south districts.

Selena pulled Bruce to sit on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and said, "Now you can tell me what happened these days."

Bruce finally spoke, recounting his experiences of the past few days. In the narrative, he emphasized the traps he might have encountered, the experiences of being deceived, and various encounters that led him back into a low point. However, Selena showed no surprise, just listening quietly.

Bruce finally finished telling everything. He said, "This is why I feel absurd. People here have no room for error. One misstep, and they might..."

"Who told you that?" Selena squinted, saying, "Bruce, how did I not notice before that you're so stubborn? Why didn't you think that, since you weren't born here, you have no relatives or friends, no gang affiliations or brothers here? You're an orphan; of course, you'll have a tough time."

Selena sighed, covering her forehead. "I never thought you were a fool, but I have to say today, why is your mind so inflexible?"

Looking at Bruce's slightly confused expression, Selena said, "Take me, for example. My dad died a long time ago, my mom doesn't care about me. I joined a thief gang early on. Sounds like a bad thing, right?"

"But those sisters I knew as a child, I still have contact with them. The house I rented before was introduced by one of my sisters, and at a discounted price!"

"The thief mom who taught me skills made it correct for me to steal things for her. Through her, I met many fences, people with connections to various gangs who could sell the things I stole. Right next to where I used to live, there's a market, and I go there to buy whatever I need. They're acquaintances; they won't cheat me."

"Later, I started as a cat burglar. I know the famous cat burglars in the East District well. Sometimes we play together, exchange information, share experiences."

"I also teach some of the gang's little girls the skills of stealing. They give me money, and they help me with things. I subscribe to newspapers and milk at a discount."

"And about buying groceries, cooking. Why do you think you got diarrhea when you first ate? It's not because your digestive system couldn't adapt, but because the place you went specializes in cheating outsiders."

"Do you know what I usually eat?" Selena looked into Bruce's eyes. Bruce shook his head, and Selena glanced at her watch. "Alright, it's not bad for a late-night snack. Come with me."

Selena took Bruce out of Living Hell again, hitchhiking in the same way, arriving at a more prosperous area of the East District with many restaurants and truck drivers queueing up everywhere.

However, Selena didn't join the line. Instead, at the end of the street, she found a dark little shop, pulled Bruce inside, and as Bruce observed the environment of the shop, he said, "You better make sure you can take me to a place to treat gastroenteritis; otherwise, I'm afraid I'll get sick after this meal."

The next second, a steaming hot meal was served, and Bruce was astonished to find marbled beef, the kind that cost hundreds of US dollars per meal, placed in front of him.

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 793: Deadly Joke (Part Twenty)