Starting as a dockworker

Chapter 6 A treasured possession: worn-out cloth shoes!

Huang's Rice Shop, a granary.

The granaries were round, sturdy buildings with black-tiled roofs, standing side by side.

The job of Li Xiao and the other laborers was to move the sacks of grain from the carts into these granaries and stack them neatly in circles, following the shape of the circular buildings.

This job is much easier than working at the docks, and no one is rushing me.

Everyone was working at a leisurely pace.

Anyway, we have to keep watch here tonight, so there's no rush to finish it all at once.

When everyone realized that there was no one supervising them, they could even sit down and rest.

For manual laborers who do moving and carrying work year-round, this job is too easy.

"Huh, what's that... something with blood on it!"

During the process of moving the goods, Li Xiao found a very worn-out black cloth shoe in a corner.

These cloth shoes have several patches on them, and the original black color has faded to white after washing.

Most importantly, the cloth shoes emit a rather unusual 'white fluorescent light'.

Of course, only Li Xiao could see this white light; outsiders could not see it, as it was a product of his lifeblood.

Li Xiao immediately reached out and took the cloth shoes into his hand.

In an instant, a long-forgotten memory surfaced in Li Xiao's mind.

["Mom, the cloth shoes you sewed for me fit so well..."]

"Mother, Ah Qi will give you a good life!"

["Mom, these cloth shoes are worn out, can you sew them for me..."]

["Mother, I'm so sorry. I didn't give you a good life. May you rest in peace..."]

"Wife, help me sew up my cloth shoes..."

"These shoes were handmade by my mother, I can't throw them away..."

[......]

In his memory, Li Xiao saw some memories from the perspective of these tattered cloth shoes.

A rice shop assistant named Ah Qi wore these cloth shoes that his mother had sewn for him through many ups and downs. He never gave them up even after getting married and having children, and ultimately regretted not being able to give his mother a better life.

The final scene is complete darkness, then it abruptly ends.

What's strange is that there's only one shoe left?

[The tattered cloth shoes: bearing the emotional sustenance of a mother and the lifelong debt of a filial son, having survived a life-or-death crisis, have acquired a touch of spirituality.]

[Equipment Effect: Stabilizes the lower body and boosts vitality]

"This seems to be working quite well?"

Li Xiao was overjoyed; this was the second "heart's blood artifact" he had discovered since transmigrating.

He had tried to find this kind of thing before.

I even went to streets that sell old items to look for them, but I found nothing.

It's like finding something you've been searching for everywhere without even looking for it!

The effects of this "heart and blood" item are somewhat similar to those of a manual laborer.

It simply doesn't increase strength anymore; instead, it stabilizes the base and fills the space with vitality.

The lower body is estimated to be stable, making it less likely to fall.

As for the abundance of vitality, Li Xiao wasn't sure what use it was, but he'd find out once he tried.

"Equipped with tattered cloth shoes."

Finding a secluded spot, Li Xiao silently prayed.

The tattered cloth shoes immediately disappeared from his hand, replacing the old handkerchief he was originally wearing.

However, the old handkerchief did not appear in his hands, but was stored in the warehouse.

With a mere thought, the two pieces of equipment can be switched at any time.

"It feels like my physical fitness has improved..."

After equipping himself for a while, Li Xiao began to feel the effects.

After taking a couple of steps, I first felt that my feet were more stable, and I had a feeling of being in perfect harmony with my body.

Secondly, the fatigue from moving the goods was quickly relieved, as if a breath of fresh air had been injected into me.

Upon closer inspection, you'll also notice that your eyesight and hearing have improved significantly.

"Is this the effect of being full of vitality?"

Li Xiao was overjoyed and planned to wear these tattered cloth shoes for the next period of time.

After all, moving goods is bad for your health, and over time it can accumulate a lot of hidden injuries.

A surge of vitality can just make up for these hidden injuries and improve one's physical condition.

As long as the eating and moving of goods continues, the effects of stabilizing the base and replenishing vitality can continue to improve.

With the strength gained from the previous "old handkerchief", he became more well-rounded.

Once you've saved enough money to enter the martial arts school, you can quickly improve your skills...

.......

With no one supervising them, the ten laborers gathered together to chat and pass the time, all at the behest of the old man.

"Isn't it strange? This is the first time we've ever had a boss who doesn't supervise us while we're working."

A laborer named Wang Sheng sat on a burlap sack in a corner of the warehouse, pulling out a cheap hand-rolled cigarette from his person, ready to light it and smoke.

"Are you crazy? This is a granary. If it catches fire, we couldn't afford to pay for it even if we sold ourselves."

The oldest laborer, being the one with the most authority, immediately spoke up to stop it.

"Don't make a fuss. Just be careful. There's no one around."

Wang Sheng chuckled and offered a few cigarettes to Lao Gang and the brothers around him.

Old Gang accepted the cigarette but didn't stop them, telling everyone to be careful when smoking.

If anything catches fire, everyone quickly take a piss and go there...

Wang Sheng handed them out to everyone, and after hesitating for a moment, he also handed one to Li Xiao.

It's probably because she was thinking about what the fortune teller had said earlier, that Li Xiao was blessed.

"I won't."

Li Xiao waved his hand in refusal.

"Don't learn it if you don't know how; it won't do you any good."

Wang Sheng immediately withdrew his hand and carefully put the cigarette back into the box.

Soon, the area was shrouded in smoke...

They continued their conversation, picking up where they left off.

"Not only is no one supervising us, even the original employees of this rice shop don't come here anymore."

"It really is! That's so strange. We've been doing this job for so many years, and this is the first time we've ever seen anything like it."

"Do you think this place is haunted? That's why those guys are too scared to come here..."

At this point, the atmosphere suddenly turned cold, and everyone fell silent instantly.

"Brother Wang, do ghosts really exist in this world...?"

Hearing this, Li Xiao could no longer suppress his doubts and asked cautiously.

"Of course it is..."

Wang Sheng gave Li Xiao a mysterious look, then suddenly slapped him on the head. "No, you're such a naive kid. There are no ghosts in this world. Back in the day, I slept on a grave and no ghosts came looking for me."

Immediately, a burst of laughter erupted from the surrounding area.

"I've even worked in a morgue, and there wasn't a single ghost in there."

"What's a morgue? I've even worked in a mass grave."

"What a load of bull! You think you'd dare go to a mass grave...?"

"Don't disbelieve me, I went there when I was eighteen. If I'm lying, you'll regret it..."

The feeling is that everyone is just making fun of this, and nobody actually believes in ghosts.

"....."

Hearing this, Li Xiao was speechless for a moment, but his unease was greatly relieved.

"You guys chat, I'm going out for some fresh air."

Unable to stand the chaotic atmosphere, Li Xiao turned and left the granary.

There were hardly any people around the granary; it was deserted.

He jumped onto the truck loaded with sacks, intending to lie down and rest for a while.

I don't know if I'm asleep or not.

In a daze, Li Xiao felt as if he was being watched by something.

He suddenly opened his eyes wide, and then shivered.

Those same cloudy, pupil-less eyes...

The fortune teller was staring intently at him.

Li Xiao was so frightened that he shuddered, got goosebumps all over his body, and almost jumped up.

Ghosts... that was the first thought in Li Xiao's mind.

But now the sun is shining brightly, and the yang energy is at its peak, so how could there be ghosts?

Moreover, the laborers just discussed that there are no ghosts in this world.

For a moment, Li Xiao's thoughts were in turmoil, and his heart was pounding.

His gaze swept to the ground, and he saw that the blind old woman had a shadow, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"That's weird, he got tougher just by taking a piss..."

The fortune teller scrutinized Li Xiao for a long time before suddenly uttering these words.

Outsiders might not understand what he was saying, but Li Xiao's expression changed drastically.

Because she changed into tattered cloth shoes full of vitality, this fortune teller said that her fate had become strong.

Li Xiao reached out and waved his hand left and right in front of the fortune teller's eyes, but found that she didn't react.

Is he really blind or is he pretending?

Without anyone to guide me, how did I find my way?

The old woman tapped her cane and said leisurely, "You young man, you have no manners. Stop swaying, the wind is blowing in your face. I can't see, I'm truly blind!"

Li Xiao asked curiously, "Then... how did you find me, sir?"

The old woman grinned, her wrinkles bunching together, making her look exceptionally kind in the sunlight.

"Who says that just because you're blind, you can't see?"