Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant-Chapter 144: Drink Now

Su Zhan glanced at the skinny yellow dog trembling under the counter and turned to ask, "Boss, since it's so dangerous here, why haven't you moved away?"
"Move?"
The boss scoffed, casually flicking cigarette ash onto the floor: "I'm an old bachelor, Old Zhou. I've been holed up in this dump for over ten years, and my savings aren't even worth as much as this pack of cigarettes. Now you want me to go to the city? I couldn't even afford to sleep in a public toilet!"
Su Zhan slightly frowned: "After ten years, you should have saved up some..."
"Save money? Hahaha!"
The boss laughed loudly, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Young man, do you know what people in the eastern suburbs call me? 'Half-Month Zhou'! Meaning my shop only opens for half a month at most each month.
When I have money, I go to Red Romance to find Xiao Cui, or go to the club to have fun. I only come back to tighten screws when I'm broke."
Su Zhan found his attitude rather amusing.
He was truly living a "carpe diem" lifestyle.
That was actually quite good.
Spend when you have money, work when you don't. If you're neither rich nor poor, then just rest.
Happy and comfortable.
The dog under the counter whimpered.
"Coward!"
The boss kicked the counter, then turned back to Su Zhan: "But recently those black-uniformed guys from the Aberrant Purge Division have been coming around frequently, patrolling here every few days.
So this place isn't as dangerous as the rumors say, but there's still some risk. Someone like you, an outsider, should go back where you came from for safety."
Su Zhan pointed at the still-trembling dog under the cabinet: "What about this dog..."
"Who knows what evil this beast has encountered!"
The boss scratched his head irritably: "Ever since people started disappearing, it howls over ten times a day."
As he spoke, the yellow dog suddenly rushed out the shop door, barking furiously at the empty street, then tucked its tail and scrambled back, burying itself under the shelves.
The boss's face also changed: "See? It's happening again!"
Su Zhan raised an eyebrow slightly: "How long have you had this dog?"
"Almost five years now."
The boss rubbed Da Huang's head: "It used to be very clever, great at guarding the place. But these past few months... it's like it's possessed."
The yellow dog huddled in the corner of the counter, but its eyes kept staring at the boss's right hand.
Su Zhan secretly looked.
The boss's right hand had large, coarse knuckles covered with calluses, but no scars were visible.
"Has it bitten anyone recently?"
Su Zhan asked casually.
The boss lifted his right hand to take another drag of his cigarette, shaking his head: "No, it hasn't."
The yellow dog whimpered and buried its head in its front paws.
Su Zhan glanced at his watch: "Boss, are there any hotels nearby?"
"Hotels? Who would dare open a hotel in the eastern suburbs now."
The boss smiled strangely, pointing west: "Walk about two kilometers that way, there's a bus stop. Last bus is at 6 PM."
"Thanks."
Su Zhan shouldered his backpack and walked out.
The boss rocked in his recliner, living quite contentedly.
Su Zhan squinted in the sunlight.
He casually turned into an alley, but his mind was already working.
"This boss is suspicious, and that dog... it's not barking randomly, it's scared."
Su Zhan remembered how Da Huang had stared at the boss's right hand: "Like it's seen something terrifying."
The sound of a rolling shutter door closing came from afar.
Su Zhan already had a plan: "First, scout this area, familiarize myself with the terrain. Wait until nightfall... see if any aberrants appear.
As for that boss... I'll observe him a bit longer."
There was a small convenience store still open at the alley entrance.
Su Zhan walked over and bought a pack of biscuits.
While paying, he deliberately asked: "Shopkeeper, how long has the hardware store owner across the street been running his shop here?"
"Old Zhou?"
The shopkeeper counted change: "Must be over ten years... lazy as he is, he's really good to his dog. No matter how poor he gets, he never sells the dog."
Su Zhan took the change, already forming a judgment.
Stay put for now.
If it really is an aberrant, wait and see if they slip up.
Su Zhan munched on biscuits as he walked toward the bus stop.
Thinking to himself: "Need to find a hidden spot to stake out. How about a high-rise rooftop? Good open view..."
But even as he thought this, he continued walking to the bus stop.
Only after getting on the bus, he got off at the next stop and walked back.
...
Evening.
A 6-story stairwell building.
Rooftop.
The biting night wind was particularly cold at night.
Because Yun City was surrounded by mountains, the mountain wind blew cold and fierce.
Su Zhan looked up into the distance from here.
Not far away.
Old Zhou's hardware store had already turned off its lights.
The entire eastern suburb was already deserted after 6 PM, no one dared go out.
But one light on the street was particularly conspicuous.
A young man with dyed blond hair was holding a selfie stick, with a fill light, swaggering down the empty street.
"Check this out, folks!"
The blond guy grinned at the camera, turning the lens toward a utility pole plastered with missing person notices: "This is the most haunted intersection in Yun City's eastern suburbs! Last month, an old lady vanished into thin air right here!"
Su Zhan understood - this was one of those young people Old Li the taxi driver mentioned, who risk their lives just for online clout.
He opened a video app on his phone.
Clicked into the local livestream category.
After scrolling briefly, he found the blond guy's stream.
While observing the situation below, he entered the blond guy's livestream.
The night wind made the missing person notices rustle loudly.
The blond guy pointed his phone camera at his face, deliberately lowering his voice: "Folks, your host is risking his life to bring you this on-site investigation!
When I passed the hardware store earlier, that dog was barking like crazy... did you hear it, bros?
Just for this dedication, shouldn't you send some gifts to encourage me?"
The chat immediately filled with strings of [Chicken, run!] and [Greed over life].
"Thank you 'Explorer Old Liu' for the three planes!"
The blond guy raised his volume: "Folks, I go where you dare not, I investigate what you want to know. As long as the gifts keep coming, I'll do anything!"
A flashy special effect suddenly exploded in the livestream.
"Wow! Thank you boss 'Midnight Ring' for the super rocket!"
The blond guy's voice cracked with excitement: "Boss is generous! Let's charge! But... in the dead of night like this, your host doesn't even have any self-defense tools..."
The chat immediately filled with [Here we go again] [Starting the equipment beg].
"Alright folks!"
The blond guy pulled a peachwood sword from his backpack: "Just five more rockets, and I'll perform an exorcism with this peachwood sword right here!"
He waved it around randomly: "See? Genuine Dragon-Tiger Mountain blessed artifact! Original price 9998, now only..."
The livestream chat scrolled frantically:
[Host run!]
[Something behind you!]
[Sent gift, turn around now!]
The blond guy grinned: "Don't try to scare me, folks. I wasn't raised to be frightened."
Before he finished speaking, the streetlight behind him flickered.
The blond guy spun around sharply, but there was only empty road.
"Hahaha, look how scared you all are!"
The blond guy made faces at the camera: "That was just voltage instability..."
On the rooftop, Su Zhan straightened up.
There really was something that flashed behind this blond guy just now.