Bab 6: Chapter 6: *High-Risk Individual*
Before leaving with her suitcase the next day, Song Shi searched for a suitable rental on the housing platform in her wristband.
First, the rent had to be affordable—she only had 30,000 in her account, so every bit counted.
Second, it needed to be as close as possible to Renxi High School, where she was studying.
After entering her requirements, the platform displayed numerous rental listings.
What caught her attention immediately were the bold red numbers next to each listing, indicating monthly rent:
20,009 Federation Coins, 19,999 Federation Coins, 30,000 Federation Coins...
Song Shi: "..." She finally understood how much the 30,000 her mother had given her was worth.
She added another filter: monthly rent ≤10,000 Federation Coins.
This narrowed her options to just four listings.
Song Shi planned to visit them one by one.
Dragging her suitcase, she pushed open the apartment door one last time. The living room was empty, and she glanced at the two closed bedroom doors. She had gotten up early and hadn't heard anyone leaving; the others were probably still inside their rooms.
They didn't want to see her.
Song Shi didn't care. She picked up her suitcase and left.
She carried the suitcase down seven flights of stairs without breaking a sweat.
On her way out, she bumped into an older woman carrying soy milk and fried dough sticks. The woman scanned her from head to toe, her eyes lingering on the suitcase before rolling them slightly and brushing past her into the building.
Song Shi chose to ignore her and continued walking toward the neighborhood gate.
She encountered many people along the way, all of whom gave her side glances. Those who noticed her suitcase seemed relieved, even smiling.
Song Shi hadn't realized how much of an impact she had on this neighborhood. Quickening her pace, she left as fast as she could.
Her first choice of rental was only two kilometers away, so she decided to walk there.
Using the opportunity to work on her stamina, she carried the suitcase without letting it touch the ground, moving briskly toward her destination.
Fifteen minutes later, Song Shi stood at the door of the rental unit with the landlord.
The 25-square-meter apartment was small, with each area tightly compartmentalized. Still, it was fully furnished and move-in ready, located 4 kilometers from school, and cost only 8,999 Federation Coins per month.
This was the largest and best-equipped of the four options on her list. If the place matched its description, she wouldn't need to waste time visiting the other three.
"Renting or not, little miss?" The landlord was a portly middle-aged man leaning against the doorframe, cleaning his fingernails with a toothpick. He gave her a lewd whistle.
Song Shi made up her mind. "I'll rent it."
"Okay~" The man tapped a few times on his wristband, and a scanning beam shot out from a small hole on its side. "Put your lightbrain here."
So this device was called a "lightbrain."
Song Shi followed his instructions.
A "ding" sounded from the landlord's lightbrain, indicating the scan was complete. Then she noticed his face turn red.
It wasn't a blush from embarrassment or heat but from the red glow of his lightbrain's screen.
"You... y-you…" His voice rose, and he repeatedly looked between Song Shi and the screen. "You're actually…"
Song Shi stood behind her suitcase, clutching its handle and blinking innocently.
"I'm not renting to you!" He snapped his wristband shut and slammed the door.
"Why?!" Song Shi protested.
The man grew impatient. "Someone just offered three times your price to rent this place. Highest bidder wins. You need to leave."
"I reserved this place first." Song Shi couldn't help but argue. In her previous life, she had rented apartments and had never encountered such a dishonest situation.
"There's no such rule here," the landlord retorted, waving her off. "Plenty of rentals around. Go find another one."
Gritting her teeth, Song Shi dragged her suitcase to the next rental.
The same thing happened.
After scanning her lightbrain, the landlord claimed the water supply system was broken and refused to rent the place to her, suggesting she look elsewhere.
Song Shi began to suspect the real reason.
Her Berserk genes made her unwelcome in her old neighborhood, and people elsewhere weren't any different.
She had thought that moving to a new place, keeping a low profile, and staying anonymous would protect her. But now, with a single lightbrain scan, her differentiation information was fully exposed.
The excuses—like someone outbidding her or water issues—were just lies from landlords.
Realizing this, Song Shi headed to the third rental.
The process was the same. This unit cost 7,600 Federation Coins per month and was a mere 15 square meters, located in a basement with no windows, no living room, and only a narrow bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.
When she expressed her interest in renting, the landlord, as expected, asked to scan her lightbrain.
Song Shi stood still. "I'll pay half at the beginning of the month and the other half mid-month. No contract."
The landlord scrutinized her. People who avoided contracts often had something to hide.
"Fine, but the price…"
"9,000 a month," Song Shi countered.
"10,000."
"Deal." Song Shi had anticipated this and left room for negotiation.
The landlord's curly hair bobbed as she laughed in satisfaction. Opening her lightbrain, she said, "I'll scan you—for payment, not a contract."
Song Shi reluctantly extended her hand.
She thought everything was settled.
But then—
"I'm not renting to you anymore. I've got other business to attend to." The landlord twisted her bulky frame and tried to squeeze up the stairs.
Song Shi had had enough. She grabbed the landlord's arm and pulled her back. "Why? I can pay more!"
The moment Song Shi's hand touched her arm, the woman's body trembled violently, her face rippling with fear.
Startled by her reaction, Song Shi immediately let go.
The woman's legs gave out, and she collapsed at the base of the stairs.
"W-what are you doing? There are cameras here!" she stammered, pointing to a spot above.
Song Shi glanced where she indicated and withdrew her hand, which she had intended to use to help the woman up.
"Calm down. I just want to know why." Song Shi couldn't understand why, without signing a contract, her differentiation information was still known.
The woman, slightly calmer now, shakily switched her lightbrain to public mode.
Song Shi first saw a pending payment page, then noticed her own profile with a label in parentheses: **"High-Risk Individual."**
Song "High-Risk Individual" Shi: "..." What kind of world was this? Was there no concept of basic rights? This treatment would drive even the most peaceful person to desperation.
Taking advantage of Song Shi's lowered head, the woman tried to flee again. Song Shi called out, "I'll leave right now. Stop running."
If she tripped, it wouldn't be Song Shi's fault.
*(End of Chapter)*
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone