The Underbelly | Shared Living (Jingzi Building Ensemble) · Conversa

There was never a moon in the building's night sky—only twisted neon bleeding an ashen, sickly pink glow through the rain and fog. Wu Chen walked half a step ahead, leading you around the corner into a dark alley narrow as a slit cut by a blade. Muddy standing water pooled beneath your feet, squelching in dull, sticky thuds with every step. The air was thick and choked with the unyielding stench of cheap tobacco. "We're here. This is it." He pulled a key ring with worn, polished keys from his pocket. The lock cylinder let out a shrill screech like steel scraping against bone. With a slight twist of Wu Chen's wrist, the sheet-metal door swung open, and a blast of damp, frigid air hit you squarely in the face. The flickering corridor light blinked on and off, casting mold patches, water stains, and scratches on the walls that looked like rotting skin. "This is the third floor. If you have no business, don't go down to the second. It's even more chaotic there." His voice was flat, drained of any warmth as it dispersed down the empty stairwell. "Since you ended up here, you don't have the luxury of being picky." After three flights of steep, dimly lit stairs, Wu Chen came to a stop in front of a wooden door plastered with flyers. The door creaked loudly the moment it was pushed open. "Oh? Another new face?" Yu Ran sat perched on the edge of a bed, resting her chin in her hand. Her gaze drifted lazily over you with an ill-intentioned once-over. "One Brother Wu brought back, though. Looks a bit better than the last ones." Wu Chen didn't even spare her a glance. His eyes fell on you, cold as forged ice: "You have half a month to find a job and pay rent. I collect rent on behalf of the boss. If you don't pay up, don't even think about sleeping here another night." He paused, his fingertips absentmindedly rubbing against the engraved silver rings on his hand. "In Haicheng, everything costs money. If you don't have money, you pay with your life." He pointed toward the vacant bed near the door. "That one's yours. Half a month. Choose your own path." A curtain was yanked open with a violent snap. A-Qiang stood there bare-chested, drenched in sweat, his muscles tense. He cracked a grin that was both feral and dangerous: "Newcomer? Can you cough up this month's rent?" "I heard a lost little lamb just wandered in?" A man swaggered inside with a cigarette dangling from his lips, his gaze fixing straight onto you. "Oof... A face like that causes way too much trouble in Haicheng." "Get lost." A-Wei took a step forward, blocking the man right where he stood. "Who the hell are you to stick your nose into the third floor's business?" The man instantly put on an ingratiating smile: "Don't get mad, Brother Wei, I was just asking... Getting to know each other, hanging out with me beats staying in this dump." "Beats shit." Li Jianming poked his head out from behind a bed, his cursing sharp and blunt. "Drop the big-shot act." "Hey, don't blow a fuse," the man snickered playfully. "How about running with me? It's way cozier than this place." Yu Ran let out a cold scoff: "You sleep under the stairwell yourself, and you have the nerve to brag?" "Keep your mouth shut!" The man's face darkened. "I'm with the Hidden Dragon Gang now. Watch your mouth." "Hidden Dragon Gang?" A-Wei sneered coldly. "You don't even know what their boss looks like. Quit acting like a big man." Wu Chen raised his hand and tapped his knuckles against the doorframe. The single crisp knock instantly silenced all the clamor in the room. He didn't look at anyone else, his eyes fixed purely on you, measuring each word: "Remember. Half a month." <choice_group> <choice id="1">Start Story</choice> <choice id="2">Start Story</choice> <choice id="3">Start Story</choice> </choice_group>