I Was Just Passing By-Do You Believe Me?

"Now that you're all better, tomorrow you'll come out with me to snatch food." Lying in the tiny shipping container, Luo Ye imagined the future. "Tomorrow, we're definitely getting a huge loaf of bread!" He had not eaten his fill in days. With Feitan joining him, tomorrow would surely be better.

"Got it," Feitan replied, saying nothing more.

The next day, hiding behind a pile of garbage, Luo Ye nudged Feitan's hand. "Hey, that guy looks all puffed up. He must be hiding a lot of food! He's the one." He had foolishly wanted to rob the food distribution point before, only to realize that was not something he could handle. With his strength, at most he could get a few bread crumbs left on the ground.

Feitan nodded without speaking, gripping a sharp piece of iron in his hand. Luo Ye held his wooden sword and leaped out first. Hearing the rush of wind behind him, the man turned and threw a punch straight at him. "You think you can deal with me with a wooden sword, brat? You're looking down on me too much!"

The blow forced Luo Ye back a step, and he bared his teeth in pain. "Seriously? That punch was way too heavy!" Luckily, his wooden sword was a Zanpakutō. Otherwise, that punch would have snapped it in half.

"Little girl, you're not bad-looking," the man said, greedily looking Luo Ye up and down before licking his lips. "If I catch you and sell you, you'll definitely fetch a good price!"

The man's huge hand reached for him, but Feitan swiftly circled around behind him and slit his throat. The man looked at the blood spraying from his throat, then collapsed with an incredulous expression.

"You okay?" Luo Ye took Feitan's outstretched hand and got to his feet. "I'm fine. You got here in time, so I'm okay. Hurry and see if he has anything good hidden on him."

Feitan answered and crouched down to search the body. Luo Ye hung his wooden sword at his waist and crouched beside him to search as well, muttering as he did so, "He looked so stuffed, but he turned out to be a poor bastard too. Whatever. Food is scarce in Meteor City. If there's something to eat, we can't be picky."

How pitiful. He used to have three dishes and a soup; now he had fallen so far that he was eating moldy bread. He really was getting worse and worse.

After taking all the food, Luo Ye stood up and was about to leave when he spotted a little boy quietly watching them from not far away. He had smooth black hair and large catlike eyes that glimmered with an inorganic light.

Luo Ye swallowed. That outfit... could he be Illumi? Was Illumi already in Meteor City at such a young age? Feitan also rose to his feet. Seeing the suddenly appeared little boy, he tightened his grip on the blade in his hand. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly, flashing with cold light.

"Ah, I was just passing by. Do you believe me?" Illumi tilted his head, looking troubled. "I really don't want to fight you." He did not want to do unpaid work.

"Then we won't disturb you. Feitan, let's go." Illumi did not want to fight, and Luo Ye did not want to fight him either. He knew perfectly well what his and Feitan's current strength amounted to. Since Illumi had been sent to Meteor City, he had probably already awakened Nen under his family's guidance. Otherwise, Feitan would not have failed to notice him standing so close.

What troubled Luo Ye was that Feitan seemed reluctant to leave. He was even directing killing intent at Illumi. "We can't do that!" Luo Ye grabbed Feitan's arm and dragged him aside. "We can't beat him right now." A person had to know his limits, so they should not go throwing their lives away.