Sleeping On The Job Is Bad

Time flew by and it was the boys' summer holiday.

Ever since that day they disrupted the order of things, the military trucks hadn't come back to their area or the slum they had worked with. Whether it was something to be wary or grateful about was unknown to the boys but they continued on with their daily routine.

They had aquired quite a lot of weapons and ammunition from the trucks which gave them added protection. However, the boys weren't allowed to practice firing the bullets as this would waste ammunition. This was a problem Lukas wanted to deal with quickly.

* * *

"Pack your stuff. It's time we find another base in the capital."

Wu Shen was rendered speechless for a few seconds. This guy had walked into his room uninvited to suddenly say something like this?

"Please repeat what you just said."

"We're gonna go on a raid."

"Oh shit. You're fucking crazy."

"Bring all the weapons with you. Oh, and tell Yu Jing to prepare a few cabs for us."

"...? I don't understand."

"Doesn't matter."

"...Whatever. How could this lowly one possibly comprehend what your greatness is thinking." Wu Shen gave in to his fate and began stuffing items into a backpack.

"Have you been spending time with Yu Jing lately? That's nice of you."

"F*ck."

Nobody knew why, but recently Wu Shen and Yu Jing had been spotted talking to each other with a positive vibe around them. They seemed to have finally put their past behind them and started anew.

"Where will we be staying?" Wu Shen threw a random question to dispel the silence.

"We'll decide when we get there."

Wu Shen's hands froze. "Dude, are you stupid?"

"You're saying I'm an idiot?" Lukas cocked an eyebrow. He hadn't been called stupid in a long time.

"Look bro. Look how many of us are here. You want us all to go to a hotel or something?"

"What's wrong? It's the holiday, right? Just say we're the baseball club going on a group trip."

"...I suppose it could work."

"Yeah. We're leaving tomorrow by the way. Ask your parents for permission." Lukas walked out of the room and as he closed the door,

"Have I ever told you how much I hate you?"

Lukas simply chuckled at Wu Shen's exasperation.

"...Tsk. Really gets on my nerves."

. . .

The fated day came quickly. Getting permission from their parents was a simple thing. To have your rowdy child out of the house for a couple of weeks? Pure bliss. The boys were sent off with smiles that seemed to say, 'Take your time.'

In town, three large cabs were called to squeeze everybody inside. Lukas calculated the amount of money they would have after the trip and his expression crumpled.

"Would it have been better to take a train or a bus?..."

Mike clapped him on the back, "Cheer up."

Wu Shen approached Lukas with a strange look on his face.

"Some of my boys are missing. Where are Jin Wei and the others? I can't find them."

"They've got a special job to do, so I left Jin Wei in charge of them. They won't be coming with us."

"Hmm..."

"Anyway, hurry up and get in. Since you're getting along so well with Yu Jing, why don't you sit next to him?"

"...Fine."

Everybody climbed into the cabs and began to chatter excitedly. This would be their first time going to the Capital they heard so much about.

The steady movement of the cab had a calming effect on the hyper boys and they finally quietened down. Yu Jing smiled to himself and peered out of the window. What met his view was the speeding scenery of green, blue and grey. The colours seemed to weave in and out of each other.

'This feels nice...'

Gradually, the gaze that was once clear and bright faded and became distant. Yu Jing recalled a certain moment in the past that was remarkably similar to the situation he was in right now. And as he remembered this buried memory, an overwhelming feeling of giddiness washed over him. Light-headed, he giggled. His measly attempt to suppress the feeling backfired terribly, and finally, he let it take over. The result was, well...

Unpleasant.

. . .

"This brat is seriously the most useless thing I've ever met. Not joking."

Yu Jing's head lowered even further until his nape was visible. Wu Shen's words had coloured Yu Jing's face a ripe red.

"It wasn't intentional, I swear."

"Yes, well... not many puke on purpose. Don't be so harsh on yourself."

Xiaozhi's attempt at consoling Yu Jing appeared to be effective for his voice regained its former energy.

"You'll forgive me?" As Yu Jing raised his head hopefully, the unmistakable glistening at the corner of his eyes did not escape Mike's attention.

Kicking Wu Shen on the back of the knees, Mike spat, "F*cker, stop being so harsh on the kid."

"F*ck!" Wu Shen found himself on his knees and could only swear.

"We had to f*cking pay extra for the mess that brat made! Is there any reason I shouldn't be angry at him? Furthermore-" Wu Shen made a weird howling sound and his expression turned into one that a constipated man might wear. "Furthermore! He got half of it on me! And you're telling me I shouldn't be f*cking mad?! F*ck!"

"Yeah yeah bro. I get what you're saying. I feel for you bro." Mike's monotone failed to hide his lack of concern for the spiky haired boy.

"Arghhhhh!" Wu Shen clutched at his head and tried to suppress his anger.

Mike waved off Wu Shen and approached Lukas who was fiddling with his phone.

"Whatchu up to bro?"

"Playing a game."

"...Aha?" The unexpected answer left him momentarily speechless. He would have thought that this smart friend of his was busy looking for a place for the large group to stay.

Eyes still glued to the phone, Lukas reassured Mike. "Tingting will find us a place to stay. Just relax a bit."

"..."

Mike looked around him. The boys were either throwing rocks at each other, dozing off, or annoying passerbys.

They were really making a nuisance out of themselves. People were looking at them strangely too. It wouldn't be long before someone actually said something to them.

'Is this really ok?'

"Hey, Mike. Could you help me?" Tingting's sweet voice rang behind Mike. Mike turned and was met with Tingting's stressed face.

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot since I've been away from the Capital for so long, but... Everything's ridiculously expensive. The cheapest place still costs way more than we can afford."

"...Ha..."

The cabs cost them quite a bit. And there was only so much you could earn through their 'part-time job'.

Mike could only suggest that they rob a bank to which he got a light punch on the arm. He watched on as Tingting relayed this problem to Lukas.

"No problem." Still absorbed in whatever he was playing, Lukas chucked those words at Tingting.

"Huh? You have a solution?"

"As expected of my smart bro."

Lukas' fingers danced on the screen as he gave them his solution.

"Find a park."

Wu Shen who was secretly listening to the entire conversation almost screeched at this.

"Stop with the b*llsh*t! I don't f*cking think so!"

Lukas' fingers paused for a moment. "Watch your language idiot. Tingting and Yu Jing might pick up something bad from you."

"What the f*ck are you gonna do about it? You've never cared before anyway. F*ck this. You're f*cking stupid!"

"Are my words air to you? I told you to stop." Lukas glared at Wu Shen. The moment he heard anything vulgar from Yu Jing or Tingting would be the day Wu Shen died.

"F*ck. I'm not staying in a f*cking park like some homeless f*cker!"

Lukas frowned once more. As far as he was concerned, though he was a bit rowdy, Wu Shen never used to be so vulgar. In fact, he was pretty obedient. Was he being too soft nowadays? All that fear had somehow disappeared.

"...I suppose that would be a bit too harsh. I guess I don't have a choice. I'll take you to a place I used to play in."

After an uncomfortable bus ride and a short walk, they arrived at their destination. Lukas stopped at a boarded up building.

"I guess it's still here. We're lucky."

The area they stood in was slightly deserted. A few people walked by now and then but that was it.

"Now I know why you're so f*cked up." Wu Shen gawked at Lukas' old play area. To play in this sort of environment... no matter how you put it, wasn't it a little strange?

'Maybe he liked haunted places as a kid...'

"Hmm, this brings back some nice memories."

Lukas spoke as he strode over to his secret entrance.

"You associating this place with 'nice' is something to be pitied."

"Shut up." Mike shoved Wu Shen forward who continued to grumble to himself.

'Was expecting a hotel, got another rat-infested dump.'

One of Wu Shen's boys crept up to Wu Shen and tugged on his sleeve.

"Huh? Oh, it's you Xiaodong. What d'you want?"

"Are we really gonna stay here, leader?"

"What can we do? Blame that b*st*rd, not me."

Xiaodong immediately dropped his head.

'Wanna go home.'

. . .

After forcing their way through a gap wide enough for a 5 year old, the group looked around their temporary base.

Apart from the dust, oddly familiar dark stains splattered here and there, and the unmistakable stench of cigarettes, the place was in a much better shape than the mansion.

"I'll take my boys and rob a shop. I'll be right back." As Wu Shen attempted to round up his members to squeeze back out of the hole, a firm grip on his shoulder kept him in place.

"I'm sure this is only temporary. Just wait for a bit, ok?"

Mike stopped Wu Shen and dragged him back.

"Tsk"

"Right. If you're gonna go exploring, there's a certain room you're better off not entering. It's got a really bad smell around it, so you'll definitely know where it is."

Lukas continued playing his game and warned them lightly.

A certain room came to Mike's mind.

"Is it like the master room?"

"Something like that."

"Sh*t."

Was it bad that he wished for a place with heating, a comfy bed and no tell-tale signs of a murder in sight?

Meanwhile, Xiaozhi was doing her own bit of exploring and came across a bunch of cans and cups of noodles. Her gut feeling was telling her that something was wrong. Placing her pinky in the noodle's broth, her eyes widened in alarm.

'It couldn't be?-'

She rushed to all the doors and windows and gingerly tried to move the boards. Finally, she came across a wide window with boards that felt loose. With just a little bit of strength, the boards could be easily removed and put back.

Moving away from the window, Xiaozhi could hear a sound that was out of place. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest and she glanced at Lukas who leaned against the wall looking quite unbothered.

She danced around the boys blocking her path until she reached Lukas. Wrapping her arm around his, she proceeded to question him,

"Hmm~ Lukas dear~ Mind telling me why these cups of noodles are warm?"

Xiaozhi's words acted as a hammer that mercilessly crushed the boys' fearlessness.

"Maybe the hot air made it warm?" As if he were addicted, Lukas continued killing little aliens on his screen.

"Haha... is that so~? Then... why is the air so thick with the smell of cigars?"

"Dunno. Maybe 'cause there's no ventilation?"

Mike and Wu Shen both felt something gnawing at their nerves. Now that they looked properly, it was quite obvious that-

"And why can I hear the sound of a large man snoring above us? Hmm?"

"Probably because he was left to guard the place but got bored and fell asleep?"

"...hmm?"