Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 773: 6. Scavenger

Chapter 773: 6. Scavenger

Pa—

The jade shattered, crystal-clear fragments scattering everywhere.

The red cord binding the jade lay beside it.

Dark eyes turned to the Spiritual Guide, with its water line recalibrated, pointing forward—still towards the bustling urban market.

Yang Chunxue had little remaining yin energy, regretfully stepping back, leaving Lu Li to venture alone into the depths of the market.

As he progressed, the number of pedestrians on the market street dwindled, turning from bustling to sparse, most of the doors of the rundown houses on both sides tightly shut.

The view slowly opened up, houses lined together began to show gaps, built chaotically on this barren land by the river, far from the city.

Lu Li’s gaze fell on a yard not far away, where the frame of a discarded car remained, only the iron skeleton left.

This reminded Lu Li of something; the jade glanced at the street sign next to a nearby house in the market.

Flag Street, No. 809

By chance, in his search for clues, he inadvertently approached the base of ‘Health and Happiness Every Day’.

The exterior looked like an ordinary residence, encircled by a fence, plain and unremarkable.

Noticing that the Spiritual Guide wasn’t pointing there, Lu Li withdrew his gaze and continued forward.

He had already left the market area, and the river gurgled nearby, its flow muddied by recent rains.

The Spiritual Guide at this moment turned confused. Lu Li’s steps didn’t halt, continuing forward until he stood by the river.

Lu Li bowed his head, looking at the murky stream, only shin-deep but more than ten meters wide.

His silhouette cast a reflection.

“Sir, do you need any help?”

A voice with suppressed dialect echoed from behind.

Lu Li turned his head, looking at a poorly dressed Scavenger behind him.

After a brief silence, he nodded slightly: “I’m looking for someone.”

“Looking for someone?” The Scavenger smiled, revealing uneven yellow teeth. “Want to come in for a chat? I live here, maybe you can ask me something.”

His Mandarin was poor but he tried hard to sound somewhat normal.

“Alright.”

Lu Li agreed, discreetly surveying the surroundings, following behind the Scavenger.

The summer rainy season brought comfortable temperatures; perhaps the frail would wear a coat, but no one would wear a down jacket.

This Scavenger was an exception, with a gray, shabby down jacket wrapped around him, wool squeezing out from holes. His legs wore padded trousers, a faded red cord served as a belt.

Following the Scavenger, Lu Li approached a bungalow close to the river.

The bungalow was simply constructed of bricks and planks, low and crude. In the yard, piles of various garbage resembled small hills, sewage flowed, trash scattered. An indescribable stench wafted around.

Passing the garbage hills in the yard, Lu Li lowered his head and entered the house.

Wires were messily strung overhead, bedding piled chaotically, surrounded by newspapers and scrap metal. The room was cramped, appliances buzzed noisily.

Surprisingly, there was a black-and-white TV and refrigerator.

Noticing Lu Li looking at the fridge, the Scavenger chuckled: “All picked up, many city folks discard things that can still be used, lucky me.”

“Please have a seat.” He pointed to a low table.

Lu Li glanced at the Spiritual Guide, still confused.

He sat silently.

The Scavenger took off his down jacket, tossing it onto the bed, revealing a sweater smeared with oil. He grinned at Lu Li: “Sorry, I haven’t eaten yet, mind waiting a moment?”

“Go ahead.”

Eccentric from start to finish, Lu Li answered indifferently.

The Scavenger nodded, ignoring Lu Li.

He walked to the fridge, picked up a box of wild vegetables, and briefly glancing, Lu Li saw a few black plastic bags, blood seeping out, pooling at the bottom.

Thunk.

The Scavenger shut the fridge, carrying the wild vegetables to a fryer, lighting the fire.

After several seconds, the pan heated, and the Scavenger poured the vegetables in, with a hiss, white smoke rose.

He picked up a black spatula and stirred, retrieving pebbles soaked in water, adding them to the pan.

Shush—

Steam boiled up, spreading across the low ceiling. The scent wafted to Lu Li, without any aroma.

The sound of pebbles agitating was sharp and unsettling. After a minute, no steam rose, the Scavenger extinguished the fire, and served the cooked vegetables and stones into a bowl, carrying it to the table.

The vegetables were dried up, blackened like charcoal. Each pebble coated in a rough, uneven salt layer.

The Scavenger retrieved a bottle of homemade liquor from under the table, pouring it into a cup.

Picking up a pebble, he lightly nibbled a piece, using its lingering saltiness, to gulp down the liquor.

“Ah~”

The spicy taste involuntarily made him exhale.

He then remembered Lu Li sitting across, showing a consistently kind smile: “Excuse the spectacle, this is my drinking snack. Poverty breeds ingenuity.”

The glass lowered, odd strands floated in the slightly cloudy liquor.

“I noticed there seems to be some meat in the fridge,” Lu Li said.

The Scavenger paused momentarily before resuming, tossing a pebble into his mouth.

He squinted slightly, tongue manipulating the pebble to savor its saltiness, only removing it when flavorless, placing it on the table like leftover bones: “Can’t be eaten hastily, must savor slowly, savor slowly…”

“You could get a job. In today’s society, with hands and feet, you won’t starve,” Lu Li suggested, seemingly forgetting his purpose there.

The Scavenger seemed to forget the reason for inviting Lu Li inside, too, answered with a chuckle: “Pardon my jest, I’ve accustomed to a free life, can’t bear such days.”

Possibly having had some drinks, he no longer kept awkward Mandarin, his words carrying slight dialects.

“Understandable.” Lu Li nodded.

The two engaged in casual chat, the pebble count in the bowl dwindled, stones tasted collected on the table.

Upon reaching his second cup, the Scavenger reached into the bowl, but found it empty.

“All done… excuse me for not restraining my appetite with a guest present…” The Scavenger laughed heartily, stood up: “Seems I must cook the meat from the fridge”

Lu Li shook his head: “No, I’m not accustomed to eating human flesh.”

The atmosphere in the small room froze.

The Scavenger stiffened momentarily, maintaining his genial smile: “Sir, you’re jesting, I’m a law-abiding citizen.”

“Do citizens eat human flesh?” Lu Li retorted.

The Scavenger’s smile gradually faded before resurfacing: “You’re quite humorous, if you’re convinced there’s human meat in the fridge, why not check?”

“Alright.”

Lu Li stood, walked to the fridge, and opened the door.

Cool air rushed forth, two black plastic bags laid inside.

Silently, the Scavenger appeared behind Lu Li, brandishing a grimy cleaver, raising it overhead, his gentle smile undiminished.

“Sir, do you see any human meat?”