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墨書 Inktalez
As he was lost in his thoughts, the corner of his eye caught sight of a rope among the clutter. Zhang Hui's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had grasped a lifeline. He jumped to his feet: this could work! By using the rope to descend from the rooftop into the apartment of someone living on the top floor, he could quietly take some valuable items and return the same way, which would yield a handsome profit without requiring much skill.
It was decided; for the sake of his family, he would steal just this once. Zhang Hui clenched his fists, his nails leaving deep crescent marks in his palms.
Though he was a novice, Zhang Hui carefully considered suitable locations for his endeavor: some houses were too low and old, inhabited by poor people—easy to enter but with little reward; others were too high, usually secured with locked doors to prevent accidents, leaving him with no opportunity; and some were located in busy areas where passersby might notice someone attempting to steal.
After much deliberation, Zhang Hui spotted an excellent target—Cosine Mansion. Although it was called a mansion, it was only thirteen stories high and had been designed and built by Yu Group a decade ago. It was one of the earliest spacious high-rise residential buildings in Jiangjiang City. To enhance the overall aesthetic of the building, the developers prohibited residents from installing security bars, which provided him with an advantage. Over time, the walls of the mansion had become dull and mottled, losing their former grandeur, with only the E-shaped billboard on the rooftop still bearing remnants of its past glory. Meanwhile, Yu Group's operations had also declined significantly, teetering on the brink of collapse. The last construction project had been halted halfway through, leaving Zhang Hui several months behind on his wages, which filled him with resentment towards the company and all its properties.
"Stealing from a building they constructed will be my compensation for my unpaid wages," Zhang Hui justified his actions in his mind as he wrapped himself tightly in his coat and headed toward Cosine Mansion.
The summer night breeze carried a chill as it howled across the empty rooftop, causing Zhang Hui to shiver involuntarily. He looked around to ensure no one was watching before securely tying one end of the rope to a concrete support beneath the E-shaped billboard and fastening the other end around his waist, repeatedly checking that the knot was secure. "Oh God, I'm stealing just this once for my daughter and wife; please bless me with success," he murmured silently, feeling uneasy about such underhanded deeds. He climbed over the railing and leaned out cautiously until he confirmed that directly below him was the balcony of the thirteenth floor before slowly lowering himself down using the rope.
The distance from the rooftop to the balcony was only about two meters, but the wall was as smooth as if it had been oiled. Zhang Hui could only grip tightly onto the rope while using his toes to dig into any protrusions on the wall. With the help of the rope, he finally managed to land softly on the balcony. The glass door leading into the apartment was unlocked and left slightly ajar—a careless homeowner had undoubtedly done him a great favor. Holding his breath, Zhang Hui pushed open the glass door with trembling fingertips; every slight sound made his heart race.
As he passed through nearly transparent sheer curtains, darkness enveloped him inside. Zhang Hui crouched low and crept cautiously into the living room like a wary mouse. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he could make out vague outlines of furniture illuminated by outdoor lights: a television, sofa, coffee table, dining table… Where could money be hidden? He pondered while carefully moving toward the bedroom, each step feeling as though he were walking on cotton.
Hmm? In the darkness, he noticed that the bedcovers were neatly folded without a single wrinkle—clearly no one had slept there. Zhang Hui took a few more steps forward to examine closely; indeed, it was empty. He tiptoed into another bedroom where there were also no signs of life.
"How lucky! It seems even fate has begun to pity me," Zhang Hui sighed in relief as his tense shoulders finally relaxed, casting aside his initial anxiety about stealing for the first time. Finding it too slow and cumbersome to search in darkness, he gritted his teeth and switched on the living room lights. Under bright illumination, he began rummaging through everything without restraint—drawers were yanked open violently and wardrobes turned upside down.
A thick stack of cash caught his eye—easily amounting to half a year’s salary; a brand-new laptop; a crystal statue that sparkled beautifully and seemed quite valuable; along with some shiny jewelry and scattered electronic devices. As he stuffed these items into an Adidas backpack left in the room, Zhang Hui's hands trembled uncontrollably—not out of fear but from overwhelming excitement—he could earn so much money without sweating under the scorching sun or laboring in cold winds! It made him want to cheer aloud. "This haul could cover several months' interest on my loans; if I do this a few more times, maybe I can pay off my debts and buy back my family's house that I sold!" With this thought in mind, greed sparkled in his eyes.
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