Chapter 16: Lu Yi

"Time for eating... go queue to get your food..."

"let's go to get our food... this is your time to find your husband," the old lady tells her the time.

Ni Qing can see all the woman refugee are genuine flea from the chaos for a better life. She can see the soldier under Lin Yue is working hard, but there is some that slacking off. It is apparent to her eyes that the security in the surrounding area gets tightening.

It is not far from her place to queue food, she can see a group of man gather and discuss something while gambles. Ni Qing walks closer to them and looking at their game.

"what are you looking at women? Go away..." one of the burly men tries to make her go. Her suspicion is to the point with his reaction.

"I thought you all gamble in that table... I have a silver tael if you are interesting?"

"did you say a silver tael?" one of the men is asking her unbelievable. Ni Qing flaunts her pouch full of silver. They got hook with her pouch.

"I still have more... however, I am only wanting to gamble with your boss... all of you seems do not have anything except some poor clothing," Ni Qing is boasting her stake higher. If she can get into their inner circle, it means she can get a more accurate spy.

"You do not want to gamble with our boss... he still busy to deal with Bai Lan official," one of the youngest guys accidentally spills the bean which makes him got a smack behind his head.

"How about? We play one game if you are lost, I wanted that tiger seal hides on your waist... otherwise, I change my mind," Ni Qing is turning her back and slowly walks away when one of them calling her back.

"How do you know about this tiger seal?" the fat guy who has the seal on his belly is asking her.

"I hear the person who held the tiger seal can rule the realm of the underground world. I am looking for someone and I do need the tiger seal…" Ni Qing talks her way through them.

"Are you serious? I never know brother Huo tiger seal is really powerful…"

"Brother Hou never tells us that he holds such power… He is so humble…"

"He supposedly becomes our leader… not that fake prince Yu Tian… I hate him and I want to kill him…"

"true… brother Huo has to be our leader and not that Yu Tian…"

There is a loud bang on the table from Brother Huo hand. He even did not know about his tiger seal. His woman from some brothel house asks him to buy those from the street vendor as it looks exquisite and matches his image as the king of the street. He did not believe the jade token hold such power, otherwise, he can not purchase it at a cheap price. In his mind, that pouch full of silver tael holds more important value rather than this cheap fake jade token. However, Ni Qing just makes up the story behind the tiger seal to derive more information from them.

"Do not talk BullShit… I will put my tiger seal in exchange with your pouch…" Brother Huo is pulling out the seal from his waist. The sunset glow makes the jade turn its colour on the table. It makes Ni Qing wants to possess the jade more with its values in front of her eyes. She is bound to something glittery or expensive and her eyes never judge wrong for some treasures.

"I accept your wager… what we are playing, brother Huo?" Ni Qing decides to sit down opposite of this fat old man.

"Hey… You know my name, how about your name, little girl?"

"Ahhh… sorry… my name is Lu Yi…" Ni Qing puts one of her feet up on the stool like a man and chews a string of hay inside her mouth.

"So, what game do you propose we play?"

"I am choosing the game… are you sure, brother Huo?" Ni Qing shows her surprising reaction to her opponent.

"Yes… you are the girl here… I need to become a perfect gentleman..."

Damn, what should I do? What game I can win easily?

"Let's say… There is no dice or card in this place. How about we play something called the most shameless game? Whoever can be the most shameless among us, he or she will be the winner… do you agree, Brother Huo?" Ni Qing is proposing her crazy idea.

"Sure… we can play those… I have lived long enough to do all the shameless stuff on the street. I live and grow up on the street, so do not underestimate your opponent miss Lu Yi," Brother Huo is giving out the big laugh to Ni Qing face who has no facial expression.

"You do not know me also, brother Huo… I live and survive on the street and I can manage to flea by myself to this refugee camp," Ni Qing is spitting the hay from her mouth to see around and see a latrine room used by the soldier.

"So… tell me what we should do?" Brother Huo is looking smug with his pride shows on his face in front of all his subordinate who surrounding them.

Apparently, two guys are coming with a bag of bun and two bowls of porridge for brother Huo and Ni Qing for their dinner. Some of them take turn to get their bowl of porridge to make their stomach full. It is a standard meal within the barrack as the soldier also eat the same menu, porridge with steam bun. Ni Qing drinks the porridge in a hurry until it finishes before she spits out the sentences. She puts the empty bowl down and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. She looks like a different person with her dirty appearances.

"The things we have to do is drinking a bowl of dunk and pee from the latrine bucket from there… who can do that thing will be a winner?"