21: Chapter 21 Demolition is Coming! I'm Going to Buy Up Dilapidated Houses in the Slums

Lin Chen stared at the cold notification on the screen, his eyes suddenly sharpening. The Los Angeles Slum District... the demolition was really coming.

He didn't hesitate for a second, his fingertips flying as he switched back to the futures interface—the oil price position was the lifeline that could not be neglected right now.

The K-line chart was steadily rising, the red bars solid.

The AI's notification was concise and direct: "Oil prices are rising steadily, support is firm, you can add to your position."

Lin Chen's gaze swept over the real-time data and key points, his fingers tapping lightly as he added to his position without hesitation.

The trade confirmation popped up, and he calmed down slightly, immediately switching back to the demolition details from earlier.

The AI had used striking red borders to clearly mark the few blocks in the Slum District where low-priced housing sources were most concentrated, with key information such as housing prices, property rights status, and transaction history analyzed in detail, without a single word of nonsense.

Time was tight. Once the news spread, housing prices would inevitably soar.

Lin Chen shoved his phone back into his pocket, grabbed a jacket, and rushed out the door. He had to get ahead of everyone else and find Uncle Zhao.

The car drove into the small alley near Chinatown and slowed down.

The alley was quiet and secluded, with few pedestrians. Black garbage bags piled in the corner emitted a sour, rotting smell, and a few stray cats darted past the wall, disappearing without a trace.

Most of the storefronts in Chinatown had their rolling doors half-open; it was still early, and many had not yet opened for business.

Faded red lanterns swayed gently in the morning breeze, and the character "Fortune" was already a bit mottled, yet it still carried a familiar sense of earthly life.

Lin Chen was familiar with the route, heading straight to that inconspicuous Grocery Store deep inside.

Uncle Zhao was sitting on a small stool at the entrance, slowly wiping apples in a basket. Looking up and seeing Lin Chen, a smile appeared on his face: "Little Chen, did the sun rise from the west today? Not guarding that board of yours that jumps with numbers?"

Lin Chen sat on a low stool nearby and got straight to the point: "Uncle Zhao, I want to ask you about something. Do you have any leads on houses in the Los Angeles Slum District?"

Uncle Zhao's hand, which was wiping the apple, paused. His smile faded, and his brows furrowed: "Dilapidated houses in the Slum District? Why are you asking about that? It's chaotic and run-down; it's either homeless people or day laborers just making do there. Even if given away for free, it's too much of a hot potato."

"I want to buy them," Lin Chen said, his tone calm but firm. "No matter how dilapidated, as long as the property rights are clear, I want them. The price is negotiable."

Uncle Zhao was completely stunned. He put the apple back into the basket, leaned forward, and lowered his voice: "Are you out of your mind, kid? Buying that kind of house, are you waiting to lose your pants? A few years ago, there were rumors of demolition too, but it was all thunder and no rain, and in the end, it all just got stuck in their hands!"

Lin Chen smiled, his tone certain, though he avoided mentioning the source of the news: "Uncle, I know what I'm doing. This time is different. The demolition is real, and it's going to start very soon."

"Are you really sure?" Uncle Zhao was skeptical, his eyes full of scrutiny. "Even if it really is demolished, how much compensation can you get in a place like that? If you buy them in large quantities and something goes wrong, it's not a small amount of money."

"I can't be wrong," Lin Chen said, his expression becoming more serious. "Uncle, I only trust you with this job. Please keep an eye out for me. If there are suitable housing sources, notify me immediately. The commission will be according to the industry standard, and I'll pay more than that."

Uncle Zhao looked at him for a long while, sighed, and finally nodded: "Alright, you've always had your own ideas, so I'll arrange it for you. But I'll say the ugly words first: the risk is too high, you must weigh it clearly yourself."

"Thank you, Uncle Zhao, I understand." Lin Chen felt relieved and asked again: "What's the market situation over there now? Are there any who are in desperate need of money and willing to sell at a low price?"

"There are plenty who are anxious to sell," Uncle Zhao rubbed his fingers. "It wasn't worth much to begin with; a small single room is at most a few tens of thousands of dollars. For those who really need money for an emergency, you might be able to get it for forty or fifty thousand. Many landlords are afraid it will just rot in their hands."

Lin Chen was slightly happy; this price was even lower than expected. If he could buy in bulk, once the demolition compensation arrived, the profit would be extremely considerable.

He carefully urged Uncle Zhao again to contact him the first moment there was news, his tone carrying an unmistakable urgency.

Seeing him like this, Uncle Zhao couldn't help but laugh and scold: "You're usually as steady as anything, but now you're in a hurry. Don't worry, Uncle will keep it in mind. If there's news, I'll be sure to come to you first."

With the main business settled, Lin Chen was about to stand up to leave, but Uncle Zhao suddenly reached out and pulled him, his expression turning somewhat serious, his voice lowering even more: "By the way, there's one more thing, you have to be careful."

Lin Chen stopped his movement: "What is it, Uncle?"

"That kid Li Wei, I'm afraid things haven't been good for him lately."

Uncle Zhao's brows were tightly locked, his tone filled with worry. "I heard he got entangled with Marcus's people. It seems he owed a sum of money and didn't pay it back. They are blocking him every day, pushing him quite hard; he's almost at his wit's end."

Lin Chen's eyes darkened. He knew Li Wei; he was a fellow villager who came to Chinatown to make a living a few years ago, an honest and dutiful person.

Marcus... this name made his fingertips tighten unconsciously. That was a character who would eat people without spitting out the bones; once you got entangled with him, it was hard to get away.

"How much does he owe?" Lin Chen's voice turned a few degrees colder.

"The exact amount is unclear. I heard the principal wasn't much, but that group of Marcus's, you know how it is, the interest compounds and it's rolled into an astronomical figure."

Uncle Zhao shook his head and sighed. "I just wanted to remind you to try to steer clear of Marcus's people lately, don't get involved. Especially since you are going to the Slum District to look at houses, that area... it has his shadow."

Lin Chen nodded and noted this down: "I understand, Uncle, thank you. I'll find some time to check on Li Wei."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Lin Chen turned and walked towards the alley entrance.

Just after taking a few steps, a hurried, weak, and terrified cry for help suddenly drifted over from the other end of the alley, piercing clearly into his ears—

"Help... help! Is anyone there... save me!"

It was Li Wei's voice.