Hannah walked to the left, where the busiest part of the street market was located.

Someone had cordoned off a small area and was performing juggling acts.

It somewhat resembled the nights on Blue Star.

Hannah walked alone, standing on the outskirts of the crowd.

Someone was following her, and they also stopped.

There was a short distance between the two of them.

The light shone from the front, casting long shadows of the people in the crowd.

He stood beside her shadow, as if he were standing right by her side.

In the crowd, someone excitedly clapped and cheered.

The performer was a little boy, wearing worn-out adults’ clothes that had turned white at the seams, and his little face, flushed red, held a pretense of being absolutely serious.

As a spectator threw a copper coin into the bowl ahead, someone stepped forward to pick up the coin, thanking the giver as they did so.

In District Nine, life spared no one, regardless of age, weakness, sickness, or disability; everyone was fighting hard to stay alive.

Halfway through the performance, Hannah glanced sideways and saw a middle-aged man skulking in the shadows.

It was the leader of the mercenaries from the hotel lobby earlier.

By the looks of it, he was probably a captain as well.

Captains of mid-tier mercenary groups could barely handle a Split-tooth Direwolf on their own.

So weak.

Weak and oblivious of it.

Hannah lowered her head and chuckled, the light that fell on her shimmered splendidly.

She bent over and left a small purse in front of the boy, then continued walking ahead.

There was even more lively performance up front.

Someone was doing a fire-breathing act.

This time, the cordoned area was bigger. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Hannah only glanced at it twice before turning into an alley beside it.

The alley was gloomy, lit only by a dim lamp at the corner.

When the wind blew through, the light flickered, as if growing dimmer still.

The middle-aged man followed closely and also entered the alley.

This alley had only one path, left and right, intertwined and connected.

The middle-aged man looked left and right, saw no one, and spat on the ground in irritation, "Damn, really good at hiding. Don’t let me find you, or else..."

"Or else what?"

In the silent alley, the light and eerie female voice seemed to carry a chill with it.

The voice came from behind.

The middle-aged man turned his head and immediately saw Hannah standing in the light.

The girl was slender, the white light on her face made the eyes that looked towards him seem pure and clean, conveying an innocent, non-threatening charm.

She smiled beguilingly, "Are you looking for me?"

The middle-aged man was dazzled, but he quickly regained his composure, showing a twisted, feigned friendly smile, "Little girl, I mean no harm, don’t be scared."

Hannah leaned against the wall, her hanging hand gently stroking the rough surface. Her fingertips picked up some dust, which she carelessly flicked away.

"Do you need something?"

She stepped out from under the light, and with it, her eyes seemed to melt into the darkness, deep and murky.

It was as if a breeze blew through the alleyway, bringing a chill that wormed its way into one’s body.

The middle-aged man inexplicably felt a rush of panic, but then laughed at the ridiculousness of it.

He, Second Turner, had been roaming around for so many years, and now he was a squad captain of a mercenary group. Was he scared of a little girl?

With that thought, he straightened his back, and the smile on his face turned sinister, "Actually, it’s nothing. I just wanted to invite you to my place for a visit."

Hannah said, "And if I refuse?"

Second Turner smiled coldly, "Then don’t blame me for being rude. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s your bad luck for coming to District Nine..."