To Four Thousand Years Later

Katie was tired, hungry and cold. She touched her cold and red nose, rubbed her eyes vigorously, yawned under the ventilation pipe, and couldn't help but lightly stamped her feet. She only wore a plush coat, a pair of silk stockings and small cashmere leather shoes—these three clothes were almost the most valuable things in her family.

Of course, she didn't buy it from a branded clothing store, and she didn't have that spare money.

This coat was considered a windfall for her. When she was working as a maid, she passed Iron Water Bank on her way home, and met a woman who was about to rot.

She seemed to have been thrown down from the canal, and was washed out in the middle of the canal. Her face was so blurry that she couldn't see her original appearance, but her body showed no signs of being soaked. Katie and her two companions found the female body. After feeling sick for the first time, she reversed her shirt and was stabbed with a dagger. Add up the other odds and ends, even if they are sold to the most black-hearted businessmen, they can still exchange for the money that they can only earn after two or three years in the factory I in the black area. After the three of them decided to take off the clothes of the female corpse. It soon fell into a quarrel. The strongest of them beat them both, took all the valuable jewelry from the corpse, and ran away and never came back, nor did he go back to work in the factory.

As for the rest, Katie, the youngest, took her plush coat and boots. The other person took away the shirt and thick trousers that were cut by a knife. She said that the two repairs were still usable, and the material was good. He also showed off the "second-hand goods" he bought to other female workers. That courier is really nice, and Katie will feel a little regretful when she sees it immediately. They also know in their hearts that it is immoral to steal the clothes of the dead. But after the first few days, they often go to Iron Water Bank together to see if there are any new corpses washed down to Bijing. When you go alone, you will always be afraid. As a result, on the day they were paid, when they went to Tieshui'an again, they found that the female body had been completely stripped clean, even her hair had been pulled out, and there were wounds cut by knives on her naked body. Surprisingly, there were no traces of further decay.

It was the result of the brutal ritual of "knife-testing" by boys with sharp weapons.

These wild kids always stick together. wander around. They look down on the kids who are going to work as helpers. I also feel that those children who go to school every day to read and write are naive fools.

They have many barbaric and dangerous rituals - such as stopping the high-speed carriage and cursing the merchants in the carriage, climbing up the top of the Hesse bell tower in one breath, staining the knife they carry with them with blood, and attacking those who carry corpses on their backs. The gun-bearing corpse guards threw stones, or cut the clothes of the "night campers" on street corners. head goose. When they rarely get a dead body that no one wants, they are even more precious. Only by showing your "cruelty and bravery" can you get the admiration of other children. They are like wild dogs, but sometimes they are like wolves. When Kay's women found out that those "Little Bells" were trying to dig out the eyeballs of the corpse with a spoon, they immediately stopped them. The children were taken aback, and then immediately looked fierce, trying to force her back with knives.

But she didn't back down. Instead, he bravely stepped forward and continued to accuse them.

The leader of the group of children became furious and felt that his face had been broken, so he drew a knife and slashed at her face. In the end, she didn't retreat but advanced, she didn't think that the child really dared to stab herself with a knife, so she wanted to scratch the child's face. As a result, when both of them were stunned, the knife cut her neck . The group of children froze for a moment, then dispersed in a panic. Katie thought her girlfriend was doing the right thing... but she didn't dare to speak out, she just hid in the corner from the beginning and didn't dare to speak out. Just when she was hesitating and huddled in the corner in fear, not knowing whether to call the police or run away, or to take the money from her before calling the police, she discovered an amazing secret. Not long after, a man sneaked over and gouged out the eyeballs of the female corpse or two female corpses, put them in test tubes, and then hurried away.

That person is the boss of their factory!

Katie was too scared to move, her mind went blank.

She swore she was even breathing when the man gouged out her companion's eyes, and Katie clearly saw her body **** in pain.

...But she didn't have enough courage, like her friend, she didn't dare to go back to the previous factory. She was always worried about whether her eyes would be stolen, and she even had nightmares about it for several days. But what could she do if she wasn't working? Katie could not read or read—because her father thought reading was useless. Why not follow her mother to work as a **** shop in the factory. No one at home can take care of her. She thought so too... until she saw the advertisement for recruiting female accountants who could read and write.

If you don't need to work, as long as you sit there and do the math, your daily wages will be three times that of your twelve hours!

Katie was very envious, even jealous.

She wanted to study now, but it was too late. Her mother died of lead poisoning five or six years ago, and she still has a younger sister and a younger brother to support; and she is already ten years old, and the free school no longer accepts...even the cheapest her younger brother can just walk , she was sent to a missionary school, and she didn't have to worry about food and clothing for the time being—but Katie also wanted to send her younger sister to study. At least don't even understand a part of the words when you see the advertisement for recruiting female accountants. Moreover, she has to provide food, drinking water and gas for two people. Even though the cooking could save money by using firewood, her sister always had to light the gas lamp while she was studying. Even if it is turned on for two hours a day, the gas bill for a month is still a lot—what else can she do? What else could she have?

Just when Katie was almost desperate, she saw her plush coat and patched leather boots. Her sister is very sensible and often helps her repair and take care of the clothes, even though Katie never wears them.

It's so beautiful—even a slender figure like Katie can look like a troubled lady in it.

After checking her appearance in the small mirror, Katie froze for a moment. Surprised to find she wasn't desperate - she still had at least one other thing! It's not the worst time yet, Katie secretly warned herself. She removed the rest of her clothes, washed her face carefully, wore only a plush coat and boots, and wandered around the theater in the south every day—this is the place farthest from the north. Those annoying "little guys" don't like to run here, so some rich people will come here to watch the theater.

Of course, these "rich people" refer to the group of doctors, policemen or lawyers, or even the level below them. But compared to the slums in the north, they are also rich masters.

They could afford governesses, and one or three servants. You can take a horse-drawn carriage or a steam bus when you go out. Can wear clean and beautiful clothes, and don't worry about food and drink. Isn't that a rich person?

Occasionally meeting single men, Katie can earn three or four shillings. Her coat and boots make her look like Veil, and when asked, she'll lie about being Nightingale from the Black Boots gang—even if she's only heard of the gang and doesn't even know it's what for. As for the silk stocking, it was a gift from a silk stocking merchant after he had spent the night. However, judging from the reactions of those guests, she should be considered very cheap. They just regarded themselves as private money, and didn't think much about it. Maybe two shillings should have been added later—she belatedly realized that she didn't seem so worthless. But even so, she now earns several times more than before. As for shame—that is but a luxury of the superior.

Earn money every day, my sister has books to read, new clothes, lights at night, heat when I get up early... There is no life that can be better than this.

Katie felt relieved. However...it would be even better if the rain could stop.

At this moment, she heard a warm and soft voice ringing beside her.