Chapter 96: New Home
The next day, Su Hao went into the city to look for work. However, what frustrated him was that no one believed that a boy of around four years old could do anything. After they understood Su Hao’s intentions, they all directly rejected him, leaving Su Hao in a dilemma. Finding a job wasn’t easy these days, and neither was surviving.
But he couldn’t keep living a life of theft and deceit. After all, if you often walk by the river, you’re bound to get your shoes wet. After another stroll around the city, Su Hao clapped his hands and made a decision, secretly saying to himself, “Since nobody wants to hire me, but I still need to make a living, then don’t force me to do things I’d rather not!”
For the sake of his pursuit, dropping some moral boundaries seemed perfectly normal, didn’t it?
After causing chaos recklessly in the previous world, Su Hao’s heart gradually settled. He gained new insights into his own thinking and human thinking as well.
Everyone had different life goals and made different choices. In the end, which path to take was influenced by their surroundings. In other words, thinking was not only limited by genetics but also by the environment.
Everyone was born destined to be entrapped by a vast network called social relationships, and it was difficult to break free. The difference was where each person was positioned within this web.
Like a moth stuck on a spider’s web, it struggled with all its might but couldn’t escape its ultimate fate. However, this particular moth was different. It could break free from one web and fly towards another.
This led to a gradual transformation in his way of thinking. After experiencing multiple deaths, each time reborn, he began to develop a certain fearlessness and recklessness.
It seemed that he couldn’t truly die unless he lost himself one day and forgot that his name was Su Hao.
When he was Luo Zhaohui, he gained high fame and had more money than he could spend. He lost the genuine love for money. When he was Wu Xiangwu, he was filled with the desire to accomplish something earth-shattering and leave a lasting legacy. However, after changing to a different world, that enthusiasm was suddenly doused with a bucket of cold water. Perhaps, that passion to change the world could never be found again.
The only things that remained constant were his never-ending quest to explore the world and his curiosity about the universe.
What made him truly excited were four simple words—so that’s how it is.
Su Hao looked at his sharp nails and asked himself, “Am I still the same human as before?”
One could say he was human, but one could also say he was no longer the same. He had sensed that he was gradually shedding his human shell, and in the future, who knew when he would also shed his human cognition.
Then, in breaking one moral boundary after another, he would reshape a new soul.
So, what was a soul?
Su Hao didn’t know, but he believed a soul was self-awareness.
What was willpower?
Su Hao didn’t know, but he believed willpower was the logic of understanding things.
Once his cognition departed from the realm of humanity, was he still human? If not human, what was he?
Su Hao slowly realized that in the future, he would gradually change his own cognition, gradually depart from the thinking patterns of a normal person, and the only determining factor for his actions would be what he wanted.
As long as he achieved his goals, he might do many unconventional things!
The rules that governed humans would have less and less hold over him.
For example, in this life, he had no qualms about theft for survival.
Besides the pressure to survive, he found it difficult to develop a sense of racial identity with the crimson people. Although he didn’t dislike them, he also didn’t feel a strong connection.
It could be imagined that in the next world, if he were lucky enough to become a human again, would his sense of identity with humans decrease accordingly? Maybe not!
This was something unknown but would undoubtedly be revealed in the future…
When Su Hao had saved up enough money, he decided it was time to find a new place to live. Regardless of the circumstances, having a house was better than staying in that cramped little hideout. As his body grew stronger and taller, that tiny place could no longer meet his needs.
Su Hao carried his money bag and found a dental intermediary who specialized in housing. He selected a remote house with a courtyard.
Guided by the tall dental intermediary, Su Hao arrived at this small courtyard. The tall dental man was an ordinary person who didn’t look down on Su Hao just because of his young age. Even if he did, he wouldn’t show it on his face because people like them only cared about money. His curly hair was woven into small braids hanging all over his head.
When he spoke, he liked to pinch one of the small braids with his fingers, smiling as he introduced the courtyard to Su Hao, “The previous owner of this courtyard was also a young kid like you. His father suddenly passed away two months ago, leaving behind some property. Later, due to livelihood issues, he sold this house. The price isn’t high now. If you take it, you’ll definitely make a profit.”
Su Hao walked around the courtyard and was very satisfied. He said, “I’ll take this courtyard for 2,000 Zhu. But how can I guarantee it?”
The dental man glanced at Su Hao in surprise and said, “All the property transactions in this small city are guaranteed by the ‘Shanghe’ Merchant Association. You can rest assured about that.”
Su Hao took the opportunity to ask, “What is the ‘Shanghe’ Merchant Association?”
With money, you were the boss. The dental man patiently explained, “The ‘Shanghe’ Merchant Association is a large organization formed voluntarily by various small and large merchants within the Seirei City. Nine individuals with the highest prestige are chosen as representatives to settle all kinds of commercial disputes in the Seirei City. Of course, it’s more than that sometimes. In any case, the ‘Shanghe’ Merchant Association can handle everything in the city.”
Su Hao nodded to show his understanding.
The dental man took out two contracts from his bag and asked, “Can you write?”
Su Hao looked at the paper filled with words and simply shook his head, “I can’t.”
The dental man took out a box and handed it to Su Hao, gesturing, “You just need to put a handprint on this paper.”
Right after he finished speaking, the dental man immediately added, “Don’t worry, there won’t be any problems.”
Su Hao didn’t hesitate at all. He pressed a large handprint on it and handed over the money.
He wasn’t afraid of any problems. If anyone dared to trick him, he would sneak in at night, beat them up, and take the money back.
The dental man took the money bag, handed one of the contracts to Su Hao, kept one for himself, and then glanced outside the courtyard. “Kid, it seems like a few older kids are eyeing you. What do you plan to do?”
Su Hao took out another handful of money and handed it over, asking, “Can you help me deal with them?”
The dental man took the money with a smile and said, “Of course, just wait and see!”
Saying that, he took out a club from somewhere, rolled up his sleeves to reveal a scorpion-like creature tattoo on his arm, pushed the door open, and immediately rushed towards the few older kids, threatening them, “You brats, take a good look. This is the territory protected by the Sandworm Gang. If you dare to cause trouble here within a month, each of you will have a leg broken, do you hear me?”
Several seven or eight-year-old kids scattered and fled in all directions.
Su Hao then thought to himself, “It seems that this Siling City is indeed controlled by various gangs.”
Then, he paused for a moment. What did he just hear? What did ‘within a month’ mean?
The dental guy smiled and walked back in, saying, “Alright, I’ve settled it for you. If any trouble arises within a month, you can find me to sort it out.”
Su Hao’s mouth twitched a bit, and he replied without expression, “What about after a month?”
The dental guy said, “After a month, I don’t know. After all, this money is only enough to guarantee one month, and I’ve given you a discount. If you want to continue receiving protection from our Sandworm Gang after a month, you can come and find me to pay the full management fee.”
Su Hao nodded and didn’t say anything more.
The dental guy was very happy to have completed a transaction today. Humming an inexplicable tune, he left.
After the dental guy had gone a distance, Su Hao couldn’t help but comment, “What kind of gangs are these? They’re really shady.”
Su Hao quickly moved his belongings into the small house. He didn’t have much, mainly warm clothing and blankets. After a bit of tidying up, he could move in.
Although it was simple, it was still a normal shelter. He sat on the roof, staring blankly at the empty courtyard and suddenly remembered the small courtyard of the Teashan Watchtower in his previous life. His father, Wu Yuntian, often sat at the stone table in the courtyard, drinking tea. He also thought of the time when he was Luo Zhaohui, the small villa where he stayed with his parents and younger brother.
Su Hao muttered to himself, “The more people you meet, the emptier your heart becomes…”
