It was raining heavily, the sound of the rain was like firecrackers, the neon lights of the hair salon on the wall were malfunctioning and flickering, the light shone into the alley.
In a broken cardboard box in the corner, a child of about six or seven curled up inside, water dripping down. His eyes were dull, he was wearing a T-shirt with cartoon patterns, and his bare toes were missing two little toes.
He coughed from time to time, and the dripping water could not extinguish the stuffiness on his face.
I have a fever.
Ten steps away from him, two figures stood in the middle of the road, with countless vehicles passing through them.
Long Shaoming and a Taoist priest whose face could not be seen clearly.
"That's me..."
Long Shaoming seemed to be affected by something. He didn't think about it, and had no doubts about why he appeared here.
Pointing at the child hiding in a cardboard box in the distance, he seemed to be introducing himself, or telling something to God.
"When I was four years old, I was kidnapped by a gang that was involved in mutilation. They trained me to be a pickpocket. That's why they didn't break my arms and legs or blind my eyes. At that time, there were many tourists from all over the world, and children could easily win their sympathy."
"Then I found a chance to run away. This was the third time. The first two times my little toe was cut off. The next day I ran to the police because I found a children's book at that time. It said to contact the police if you have any problems."
The picture seemed to flow along with Long Shaoming's thoughts. In a blink of an eye, they came to a large factory building. It was full of garbage and excrement. The stench was so bad that people couldn't open their eyes.
On both sides were rows of torn quilts, as dirty as coal, and on top were children, all of them were dirty, with hair that was tangled and fluffy as if it hadn't been washed for years.
What is most striking is their condition. Most of them are disabled, blind or lame. However, their twisted legs show that they are not born with disabilities.
Caishengzhege means taking the ears, eyes, internal organs, etc. of living people, and cutting off their limbs. Cai means gathering, Sheng refers to children who are still growing and developing, and Zhege means chopping with a knife or an axe.
In ancient times, there was a beggar in Huqiu who took a bear out on the street. The bear could not speak but could write and recite poems. The so-called bear was actually a child they kidnapped.
The child's skin was scraped off with a knife, and dog hair was glued to the wound. When the wound healed slowly, the dog hair grew into the child's skin, so that the child looked like a dog.
But in modern times, it has a new meaning.
Artificially create disabilities in children and force them to beg to gain sympathy.
At this time, the young Long Shaoming was dragged in and thrown directly onto the dung pile in the corner.
He was beaten black and blue, with bruises all over his body. There was no fear or tears in his big, round eyes, only numbness and despair.
He had a fever, was covered in wounds, and felt like a candle in the wind.
Long Shaoming continued, "Then I was sent back by the police, to those people. At that time I didn't understand why it turned out like this? Why did the police send me back?"
His words seemed to confirm the desperate and helpless expression of the child lying on the dung heap.
"Later I learned that the book I was reading was from China, and our police are not called public security. They don't care about our life or death, let alone protect me. They will only drive me away and get rid of me like garbage."
"The police only patrol the neighborhoods of the rich, not the slums where I live. They also won't protect me. They say I'm an illegal resident, but I obviously have a family. I remember where my home is. It's in a small alley, in a very warm place."
The god holding the umbrella did not show any sign of fluctuation. Instead, Long Shaoming clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. The little remaining flesh was stretched tight, and his thin face became extremely hideous.
The surrounding scene collapsed, and countless memories flowed rapidly, as if he was showing his misery to the gods. It was also like he was reviewing his life, a life that was like garbage.
"Later, it seemed that because the gang leader died, those scumbags got involved in a power struggle. I took advantage of the chaos and ran away. This time, I never asked anyone for help."
"Fast food restaurants throw out their garbage at 12 o'clock at night. You can get money for cleaning cars outside supermarkets and for polishing shoes on the roadside. You can spend the night under a bridge in spring and summer, but you have to leave during the rainy season. It's best to find a heating pipe in autumn and winter, otherwise you will freeze to death. I know when new garbage is piled up at each garbage dump, and I know when each fast food restaurant throws out garbage!"
"I was like a rat in this city, living on garbage all my life. Until I met a star, the star you gave me."
Long Shaoming knelt before the god, his expression showing a strange joy and a hint of lingering excitement.
"I should be the chosen one, right? The one chosen by you. I should smash this damn garbage dump to pieces, kill all those gangsters who kidnap children, and trample those high-handed rich people into the mud."
He put his hands on his chest, and he felt as if his body was burning, a flame spreading from his heart to his lungs. He looked up at the Taoist holding an umbrella, seeking his approval, to confirm that he was not trash but a chosen hero.
"I'm not trash, am I? God."
"Please, please, I don't want to be a piece of trash anymore. I hate my own incompetence. I am suffering from being an incompetent piece of trash."
"I pray to you, give me the strength to let them go to school and have a meal."
The Taoist raised his hand slightly, his figure was no longer calm. The murderous intent surged like a tsunami, all memories were washed away in an instant, and everything around him was only red.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com