Esoteric Buddhism: To live as king in America

The wardrobe pressed heavily on the motionless corpse, and the stench of decay finally erupted, mingling with the strong scent of candles, making one feel an urge to vomit.

"Resolved?"

"Mian asked in a low voice, his heart still pounding in his chest. Even though he was mentally prepared, seeing such a rotting corpse actually rise up still gave Mian a considerable shock."

On the contrary, Ain only showed a little surprise, but there was no discomfort on her face, as if she was already familiar with this kind of scene.

She nodded, about to speak, when a series of chaotic footsteps and terrified screams came from the corridor and downstairs.

"My God! What's that sound?!"

Mian's expression changed. The loud crash of the corpse hitting the wall and the sound of the wardrobe collapsing were like a thunderclap in this dilapidated and quiet neighborhood, and sure enough, they attracted the attention of the other residents.

Once the police intervene, their falsified identities and unauthorized intrusion will be immediately exposed, not to mention the strange, unidentified corpse in the room.

"Walk!"

Mian acted decisively, grabbing Ai Yin's wrist and giving Ai Yin a foothold to lift her up, and was skillfully lifted up by Ai Yin.

"Go through the window!"

Without the slightest hesitation, the two rushed toward the window through which Li Zhaoning had jumped out and escaped into the complex alleyway where there were no surveillance cameras.

……

The back alley was dimly lit and filled with a mixture of cheap alcohol and vomit.

Thanks to Ain's extraordinary strength and physical abilities, the two of them arrived here without much effort, avoiding everyone's sight.

"Zara... Sister, what should we do?"

After putting Mian down, Ai Yin tilted her head and asked him about Li Zhaoning.

In response, Mian simply patted her head and took out his phone from his pocket.

"Don't worry, I'll send her a text message. If she has time to read it, she'll know how things are going."

As Mian was saying this, preparing to move to the other end of the alley, a figure huddled in the shadow of a huge trash can caught her attention. It was a woman.

Her clothes were disheveled, her thin sundress torn askew, revealing large patches of pale skin on her shoulders and neck, with what appeared to be some purplish-blue marks. A strong, cheap perfume and the sour smell of vomit emanated from her, mixed with what seemed to be the scent of some kind of chemical.

Anyone could see that this person had suffered a lot of torment before.

Mian's teacher's instincts made him stop in his tracks; even with this mission, he simply couldn't ignore such a person.

He pulled Ayn a few steps closer to the woman and asked softly:

"Ma'am? Are you alright? Should we call the police?"

The woman abruptly raised her head, revealing a young but unusually haggard face. Perhaps due to an overdose of medication, her pupils were somewhat dilated, but she immediately perked up when she heard Mian say the word "call the police."

"No, no! I'm fine."

The woman quickly stood up, but then her body went limp and she almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Mian stepped forward in time to support her.

"Madam, this doesn't look like nothing's wrong. What happened to you? Was it the mafia?"

"Mian asked calmly. The woman hadn't answered yet, but having spent quite some time navigating the streets of this free-roaming place, Mian immediately guessed what had happened to her.

For some reason, in the vast slums of Freedom City, the authority of gangs surpasses that of the police and the government. Civilians living in these areas, often harassed by gangs, are frequently afraid to report it to the police, knowing that even if they do, the outcome may not be good—something Mian has experienced firsthand.

He had already started thinking about a way out for the woman in front of him, based on this premise, but to his surprise, she still shook her head.

"I can't call the police, they'll retaliate... and I don't have the time, I need money, I need..."

She tried to break free from Mian's support, but her eyes drifted to the sky. When she saw the bright sun overhead, a look of despair flashed in her eyes, and she collapsed.

"It's late, it's already dawn, my work..."

Tears welled in the woman's eyes, and she slumped weakly onto Mian's shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

Mian asked in the calmest and gentlest voice possible.

"I'm late... This is the third time this month... They'll dock all my pay..."

The woman answered, sobbing.

"Those gang members drugged me and forced me into their room... I finally managed to get out... I really finally managed to get out."

The woman's voice was filled with deep helplessness and weariness.

Just then, her eyes caught sight of Mian again. A sense of self-abandonment and a thirst for money led her to a bizarre idea.

She licked her chapped lips, leaning forward slightly, letting her disheveled clothes slip down further, revealing more of her pale skin.

"gentlemen……"

She leaned closer to Mian, her voice suddenly softening and becoming sticky, as if trying to create an ambiguous atmosphere.

"You...you're a good person, could you give me some money? I'll make you comfortable, I promise..."

The sudden action surprised Mian, but he ultimately didn't show any disgust on his face. He simply quietly pulled the woman's hand away and took off his coat, draping it over her bare shoulders.

"Madam, that's not necessary."

The flicker of light in the woman's eyes vanished instantly, leaving only a deeper emptiness and despair. She pulled Mian's coat tighter, as if it were her last line of defense, and slumped back against the cold wall, murmuring:

"...I'm sorry...I just...I really have no other choice. If I can't pay the rent...I'll have to sleep on the streets...sleep on the streets...if that happens..."

Mian's feelings were complicated. What kind of pressure could drive a woman to try to sell herself for survival after being forced into it?

Regardless, the woman's behavior made him realize that he ultimately could not save her with a moment of kindness.

Giving her some money to alleviate her immediate crisis is the most I can do.

Mian reached into his pocket, thinking of giving the woman in front of him some money, but this action was misunderstood by the woman.

She seemed to think Mian was about to leave, so she quickly came up and grabbed Mian.

"Please, I just want to pay my rent... Oh... right, you're a respectable person, you must have something to do here. I can help you, show you the way, run errands, it only costs 100... no, 50 eagle dollars, I can do a lot, please..."

The woman's pleas were earnest and painful. Mian knew she had misunderstood him and was about to clarify when something suddenly flashed through his mind.

Are you familiar with this place?

Mian helped her pull her coat tighter and asked calmly.

The woman was stunned for a moment, then a faint light shone in her cloudy pupils.

"I live nearby. I used to work as a deliveryman, so I know this area very well, even the residents."

"Alright then."

Mi An took out his phone from his pocket, showed the photo of the old scarred neighbor that Li Zhaoning had found, and placed it in front of the woman.

"I'm asking you, have you seen this woman before?"