Neon lights flickered along the street. Night had just fallen, yet traffic still flowed in an endless stream.
Shi Lan had just eaten her fill and was strolling down the street. Her delicate mixed-race features drew plenty of eyes.
As she aimlessly scanned the streets on either side, Shi Lan started doing the math. The money she had wouldn't last long, and she still had no prospects for the most important thing of all: identification.
Without identification, she couldn't take a single step.
Shi Lan slowly came to a stop and looked at a hiring notice posted by the roadside.
Hiring an internet café attendant: Excellent benefits, salary negotiable, meals and accommodation provided.
Her gaze lingered on the words "meals and accommodation provided" for a moment. Then she stepped forward and pushed open the door.
Ding-a-ling—
"Young lady, you can't come in here."
Behind the counter, the owner, dressed in a black T-shirt, looked up at her and pointed to the sign nearby.
'No minors allowed.'
"Boss, I saw the notice outside saying you were hiring an attendant. Are you still taking applications?"
"An attendant? You?"
The owner looked Shi Lan over, then shook his head.
"We don't hire minors here. There are night shifts, so it's not suitable for you."
"I can take a lower salary. I just need meals and a place to stay."
The owner frowned slightly, then got up from behind the counter. He called to an employee in the distance before opening the door to a small room beside the counter.
"Come inside and we'll talk."
City Police Department, reception room.
With the composite sketch in hand, Xiao Teng was no longer as agitated as before. He summoned his subordinates and gave them their instructions.
"Put out a thirty-thousand-dollar reward. Send out missing-person notices