25: Chapter 25 Re-entering the Exploration Dimension, The Smile of the Free Starry Sky

On the streets of San Francisco, a disheveled homeless man was looking at a poster on the wall, deep in thought.

"Was I smiling that lecherously back then?"

On the poster, an Asian youth with two bandages on his nose had his eyes wide open; he refused to submit to death and was struggling against fate.

What was most difficult to understand, yet also the most shocking, was the smile on the youth's lips—he was mocking the God of Death!

Looking at this poster titled "The Smile of the Free Starry Sky," Lin Fang felt a rare sense of embarrassment. He had clearly just been excited about the upcoming evacuation, for goodness' sake.

According to what he had just learned, this photo from the Farallon Islands had swept across the entire Americas over the past half-month. After learning the backstory, everyone was moved by the brave and kind spirit of this youth named Cassius. Because of this, several states had even held several vigorous protests to protest against the black man who killed Cassius and the Research Institute's unethical research.

Lin Fang rummaged through his body and found a tattered, light blue card in his back pocket. It was an SNN (Social Security Number), and from it, he learned the name of the homeless man he was possessing: Murray Hawthorne.

The thing Lin Fang wanted to do most right now was—take a shower. He smelled so bad he could barely stand it himself.

After wandering around, Lin Fang found a homeless shelter, where he washed off the three pounds of black grime from his body and had his clothes washed and dried.

After coaxing a piece of bread from a passing little girl and having a cup of free water, Lin Fang finally felt like he had come back to life.

Lin Fang sat on a bench by the roadside, a guess forming in his mind.

This was likely a direct manifestation of the increased plane weight. After entering this time, it was finally not a life-or-death crisis, with RPGs and AKs shoved in his face.

He had become a homeless man on the streets of San Francisco.

【Evacuation Countdown: 19:56:36】

Obviously, as long as he didn't court death, passing this day safely wouldn't be difficult.

So, what should he take out this time?

Lin Fang looked at the shops along the street, pondering, and quickly made a decision.

A gun!

Solving the fear of insufficient firepower was the optimal solution.

Now, the next step was the means of acquisition. Zero-dollar shopping, or washing dishes to earn money? Or perhaps use the properties of the Spacetime Package to become a street magician?

It seemed being a drug dealer was also an option.

Lin Fang arrived in front of a shop called "Old Buddy Firearms" and looked at the various weapons inside with longing eyes.

"Get out, we don't welcome homeless people here."

As soon as Lin Fang entered the door, he was loudly berated by a male clerk who tried to chase him out. Apparently, the tattered clothes on Lin Fang's body still exposed his identity as a homeless man.

"I want to ask how much this pistol costs," Lin Fang said, pointing to a black Glock 17.

"It only costs 600 U.S. dollars."

Another white man behind the counter, who was cleaning a gun, stopped the male clerk and spoke kindly, "We also include 17 rounds of ammunition."

"How could this poor wretch possibly afford it?" The male clerk scoffed.

"Oh, you're right, thank your whole family."

Lin Fang turned and walked out, agreeing with what the male clerk had said. He really couldn't afford it; he didn't even have a single cent coin on him.

What could he do to earn 600 U.S. dollars in one day?

Actually, Lin Fang had a high-probability method to take that Glock 17 out: just touch the gun at the very last moment of the evacuation time; that way, not even the King of Heaven could stop him.

It was just a bit unfriendly to this body, and Lin Fang had other concerns.

First: Would the original owner's consciousness return after he successfully evacuated?

Second: If this body didn't die, would it still be this body when he entered again?

After considering everything, Lin Fang decided to obtain the weapon through legitimate channels.

At a pedestrian intersection in San Francisco, —$100, let you witness incredible space magic.

Lin Fang, or one could say Murray, was standing there foolishly holding a tattered piece of cardboard. He had already been standing there for over an hour.

People came and went on the street, but no one glanced at him.

As expected, asking for $100 all at once was too greedy; no one fell for it. Moreover, his behavior was truly unremarkable on a street filled with body art. Lin Fang put down the cardboard and went to the side of a man performing semi-nude paint art.

He wasn't old, probably only around 17 years old.

"Yuni, can you give me some more paint?"

The young man, who was posing as The Thinker, didn't move his body at all, only his mouth opened, "Of course, Uncle Murray, take as much as you want, just don't wipe off what's on my butt; that's my proudest spot."

"I won't, and that looks like it's already dry."

Lin Fang reached out two fingers and wiped them on his head, then placed the cardboard on the ground and crossed out the $100 on it.

"Uncle Murray, you should have done that a long time ago," Yuni laughed when he saw his action. "I suggest you change it to $5; only then will someone be willing to watch your performance."

Lin Fang did not accept his suggestion and wrote down $1200 on the cardboard again. "My magic is only for rich people to watch; if no one is watching, it must be because I'm not asking for enough money."

"My God, Uncle Murray, you must be crazy. No one would be stupid enough to donate $1200." The youth named Yuni, seeing the number he wrote, couldn't maintain his pose and accidentally dropped his underwear. Yuni hurriedly pulled it up and resumed his pose.

"How will I know if I don't try?" Lin Fang raised the cardboard again.

Yuni curled his lip, just taking him for a delusional, foolish homeless man. Did he really think he had space magic? It was impossible for there to be such stupid Americans here to fall for it.

— — After changing the amount, more gazes on the street were directed at the homeless man, but what remained unchanged was that no one cared.

"I was right, wasn't I? No one will be that stupid. Uncle Murray, you should change it."

Seeing that the homeless uncle hadn't received a single coin after half an hour, Yuni felt a sense of pity. Why was he bickering with a homeless man? After thinking about it, he spoke up, "Uncle Murray, I can watch your performance in a bit."

"Hmm? Do you have $1200?" Lin Fang hesitated.

Yuni replied, "No, my mom only gave me $50, but I can give it all to you."

"Then you don't have enough money; it needs to be at least $1200."

Yuni, who thought he would be thanked, was stunned upon hearing this.

Just as Yuni opened his little mouth to say something, a boy dressed in expensive clothing broke free from the hand of the adult beside him and walked in front of the homeless man. "Do you really know space magic?"

Business was here!

The homeless man in tattered clothes wore a mysterious smile. "Of course."