Li Mei looked stunned as she glanced at the brightest corner of the alley. Another soldier stood there, waving toward her. Since it was dark inside, it was impossible for the person standing in the broad daylight to see what was happening there.
She hesitated before finally covering up the man's body with some garbage bags thrown on the side as she coughed and spoke in a deep tone, trying to mimic a man but, at the same time, trying to sound too weak even to move, "Don't come…." Cough, cough, cough…. "I just vomited…"
The man standing outside frowned as he asked with a trace of suspicion in his heart. "Why do you sound like a girl?"
Li Mei suppressed her urge to run away and answered, "Because I'm weak. I can't even talk right now. Why don't you go ahead? I'll join you later."
The man outside was still doubtful, but he didn't want to bother with this weak man anymore. Even though he was suspicious because of that strange-sounding voice, he didn't doubt it since the man already had a girlish voice to begin with.
In this aspect, Li Mei was really lucky to have found a man whose voice was weak from the start.
Seeing the man nodding and walking away, she released the breath she was holding. At this time, she hesitated. If she ran away wearing these robes, the imperial guards would surely realize what had happened once this weak soldier woke up. After all, it was an imperial guard who was attacked unknowingly like this. The security of the imperial family would be at stake.
But if she doesn't, she will probably end up at the hands of that fatty man.
Seeing that the weak soldier wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, Li Mei decided to sneak into someone else's house and find some clothes for herself. Then she would return and get the damned soldier dressed up before running away.
She didn't want to add more people to search for her. She already had a bunch of people chasing her day and night so much that she hardly had time to steal food and eat!
Thus, she ran outside the alley wearing the imperial guard's robes through another path to reduce suspicions from the eyes of people. Seeing an imperial guard taking a stroll, the commoners didn't raise their heads, but internally, they ridiculed such a guard who could still have leisure time to take a stroll when he should have been doing his duty in the first place.
Li Mei quickly walked through the crowd as she tried to find some clothes, but she didn't dare to walk further away from that alley. What if the guy woke up before she could find some manly clothes and a proper disguise for herself?
Since she was a woman, especially belonging to the demon class, her face was exceedingly beautiful. If her doe-like eyes glanced at anyone with an innocent expression, they would surely feel the urge to spoil her to the point of becoming poor themselves. Every trace of her facial features was beautiful, making her look extremely enchanting, as if a fairy had descended on the planet.
It was a good face, but the fact that she carried a demon's identity made it difficult for her to continue living on the streets' as danger was lurking everywhere. Thus, she resorted to crossdressing, and she still had a disguise mask that she had crafted herself using scraps from the garbage.
She still remembered her facemask had accidentally fallen to the ground while she was running away from those shopkeepers. It should be around this place….
Just then, she glanced at the alley as her eyes glinted with a hint of surprise.
Her mask!
She was just thinking about it, and she found it at first glance! How fortunate was she today!
Thus, she quickly headed over, threw away the helmet, altered the facemask a little, and finally wore it on her face. She altered it for a reason. The old facemask was already famous for being a thief across the street. So she would definitely be chased again if they ever saw her walking down the street.
Even though it wasn't much different, people still wouldn't be able to connect the two.
After this, she pulled her hair up in the form of a bun as she walked out of the alley once again. Her gait didn't have a single trace of ladyship as she strolled in an unruly manner through the street.
The place was filled with people, rich and middle-class ones at that. Since there was a brothel on this street, all kinds of people came, but most of them included rich and high-class people of the society. Thus, even the shops were bigger than the average, and the hotels would be full of elite travellers.
Maybe she should go to some hotel posing as a guard to get some luxurious clothes from there. Perhaps, she would also be able to get some makeup from there.
Li Mei walked unhurriedly toward a hotel and entered. The entire place was brimming with staff and guests as they sat on the chairs, eating food. Several of them contained commoners from the middle-class family background. Thus, they chatted casually while eating with their mouths full. Some of them even chewed so loudly that the corner of Li Mei's mouth couldn't help twitching.
Can't you eat with less noise?! This is so irritating!
But since Li Mei still had to get some clothes, she continued onward and tapped her finger on the counter where a lady sat while writing something in a book. The lady raised her head, and instantly her nose wrinkled.
Why wouldn't it wrinkle? After all, the facemask that Li Mei wore was terrible, filled with scars and birthmarks, giving her a horrible and terrifying look. No one would ever like to go closer to that kind of face after seeing her.
Of course, Li Mei could have created a better facemask for herself if she were to pose as a man, but why would she do so? She didn't need people eyeing her and realizing her identity. So wasn't it a better choice to just become an ugly monster who was out on the street so that people avoided her automatically?
Thus, the receptionist at the desk quickly averted her eyes and didn't spare a single glance at the 'man' standing not far away from her. She coughed and asked, "What if it?"
"I want a room." Li Min really tried her best to lower her voice, but she still couldn't do anything about it. Sure, she did have to thank her small stature because of which people might still consider her as a young boy with an immature voice.
Sure enough, the receptionist didn't care about that soft voice and pointed ahead toward the stairs, placing a coupon paper on the desk, saying, "This is your coupon, and it stays with you until you're here. I need half of the advance payment."
Li Mei nodded. She had already collected some money from the weak soldier. Thus, she searched his pocket and finally placed the required money on the desk before heading toward the room number upstairs.
Since everything was written on the coupon, they usually didn't bother sending staff members to go and get the guests to their rooms. The latter could find the rooms easily with the coupon's help.
At this time, the moment Li Mei opened the door and entered her designated room, another door adjacent to hers opened up instantly. Almost at the same time, a young man walked out with his silver boots shimmering because of the bright sunlight that came through the corridor.
His straight, black hair was tied in a ponytail behind his head, and the rest of the hair waved with a gust of wind that passed through him. Although his complexion was slightly tanned, it perfectly complimented his golden robes with an intricate blue design. His expression was serious and firm as he continued walking, but there was certainly a hint of laziness floating in his eyes as he gazed around, utterly bored.
Behind him, of a similar build, another young man walked with his slightly brown hair tied behind his head. His eyes glanced at the people sitting downstairs as the corner of his lips twitched.
"Third brother, we can't stay here anymore." The brown-haired man sneered. "Looks like we have been found."