Chapter 98 Spider Mark

In a corner on the southwest side of Shuishe town, there are several rows of abandoned warehouses. They are now the stronghold of the "Golden Finger".
As the sun sets behind the distant mountains and the silver moon has not yet risen, the purplish-blue sky casts its final light. It's evening, which means it's time for the "Golden Finger" to return to its nest.
Stephanie was surrounded by a group of little rascals, returning to their lair with their heads held high, exuding a bossy demeanor. Others could tell they had a fruitful day just by their raised chins and eyes looking towards the sky. The "little pinkies" who didn't complete their tasks, on the other hand, were downcast and dejected, all wearing a lethargic expression.
In normal circumstances, they are in for a misfortune today.
Sure enough, the sound of a whip cracking against flesh and stifled groans of pain came from the passage behind the warehouse door. A tough young man was fiercely disciplining two teenage boys with a whip. Their shirts had been taken off and they knelt on the ground, while the horsewhip mercilessly landed on their thin and weak backs, leaving trails of blood. Several young children huddled together in fear, trembling like quails. A little girl, scared to cover her eyes, was loudly scolded by the young man.
"Don't cover your eyes! All of you look closely, they are being beaten because of your laziness, cowardice, carelessness, and clumsiness! When you grow up, you will also have to suffer this kind of punishment for the mistakes made by your younger siblings."
The young man's name is Zode, and he is the second-in-command of the gang. Of course, the "Godfather" gang is not called a gang, it is called a "family". If Pim is the head of this "family", then Zode is the "family's" eldest son.
Children are all afraid of Zode because he is very fierce. Stephanie also doesn't like Zode, but she has to admit that Zode does have ability. The "head" Pim also praises Zode's "skill" surpassing his own back in the day. Zode replaces the "head" in disciplining the children, punishing those who haven't completed tasks, hidden money, or broken rules; he also rewards children who follow rules and contribute money.
Sade immediately changed his expression to a smile when he saw Stephanie. He placed his right hand over his heart and slightly bowed, saying, "The little princess is back home. From your radiant look, I can tell you had a fruitful day today."
Stephanie lifted her skirt, bent her knees and greeted politely, even though she was wearing a rough servant's dress, her posture was as elegant as a noblewoman.
It is hard for ordinary people to imagine that children who grew up in a thieves' den not only have to learn stealing skills, but also have to learn cultural knowledge and various cumbersome etiquettes.
When Zade lightly pressed his left thumb on the handle of the whip, it came alive, swirling and automatically wrapping around his wrist.
Stephanie watched with gleaming eyes. Zade's skill with this trick was truly impressive. She had tried to secretly learn it for a long time but failed. Unbeknownst to her, Zade, her "brother," was well aware of her little scheme and deliberately showcased his trick in front of her as a small reward.
This is also a common motivational method used by "parents", which has obvious effects on talented and competitive children.
Zuo De stretched out his right hand and opened his palm. Stephanie made a face and took out three full money bags and put them in his hand. Zuo De weighed the money bags, with a satisfied smile on his face, he flipped his palm, and the three money bags disappeared magically.
The children immediately exclaimed in astonishment and admiration, crowding around and staring at Zode with worshipful eyes, trying to find the hidden money bag.
However, the slightly older young thieves, including the two boys who had just been whipped, were only envious and jealous. They could also perform the trick of transforming a money bag, but not as skillfully as him.
They secretly made up their minds to practice more whenever they had time, so that the young kids under their command would know how awesome their leader was.
Zode chuckled in his heart and calmly waved his hand, saying, "Let's go, let's have a meal!"
There's nothing that makes this group of orphans happier than eating. They rush into the dining hall with excitement. Inside the hall, dinner is already prepared with ten long tables lined with wooden platters filled with food, emitting a delicious aroma.
Tonight's food is quite abundant, including grilled meat, chicken salad, thick fish soup, fresh fruits and vegetables. The main course is stewed beef with pumpkin chunks, and there is also chilled sheep milk beer made with well water, which surprises the children exceptionally.
They quickly found their seats and drooled over the full table of food, but no one started eating.
"Elder Pim" and everyone else sat down and reached out to shake hands with the people on their left and right. So, everyone held each other's hands and recited together with "Elder Pim": "Thank you for my hand, thank you for the children's hands, thank you for the hands of brothers and sisters, thank you for the parents' hands that give us food today."
Complete this simple ceremony and you can start enjoying today's dinner. "Golden Finger" Nest only serves two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. The children are always starving as they come and go throughout the day, but they eat quickly and quietly, hardly making any noise. However, there are nearly a hundred people in this nest, mostly children, along with some adults and teenagers, and the scene of them eating together is quite spectacular.
Several small thief heads, including Stephanie, are qualified to sit with everyone and Dr. Pym. As they eat and chat, they talk about their experiences, exchange information, and any conflicts are resolved by the "parents" in this harmonious atmosphere.
Pym raised his glass and gestured to everyone, saying, "This sumptuous dinner is specially prepared for Bobby's farewell party as he is about to leave the nest. Let's all wish our Bobby good luck in the future."
Parents and older brothers obviously knew the news earlier, while several little rascals looked at Bobby, some surprised, some jealous, and some reluctant.
"Old man, I don't want to go," Bobby grumbled unhappily. At the age of sixteen or seventeen, with naturally curly hair and a round face with a snub nose, even if he looked troubled, he still had a humorous look.
Peter the old man hadn't said a word, and Zode was the first to jump out and admonish, "How do I usually teach you? Don't break the rules at home. Look at what you've become now, all fat! Every bite of meat you eat means less for your younger siblings. It's time for you to go out and find food yourself... Don't think I, as your elder brother, don't take care of you. This is my gift to you."
Sade revealed a small knife from his hand and handed it to Bobby. The small knife looked ordinary on the surface, but it was actually made of gold and had a substantial weight. It could be used for practicing theft skills and, when necessary, could also be sold to help the skilled thief overcome difficulties outside the nest. Therefore, it has a special name, "Hand-Cutting Knife," implying that the skilled thief's departure will sever the family relationship.
The practice of "Jin Shou Zhi" originated from the Orphan Gang. Its origins can be traced back over 400 years ago, during a time of turmoil and decline for the City-States when the Great Earth Goddess Sect lost its power.
During the heyday of the Great Earth Goddess Sect, the control over half-elf commoners was very strict. Unattended half-elf orphans were taken care of by the Sect. However, after the decline of the Great Earth Goddess Sect, the half-elf city-states went through decades of turmoil, resulting in a significant increase in the number of half-elf orphans. These orphans were neglected by the city-states, and in order to survive, they could only band together. Older children would take care of younger ones by begging, picking up trash, gathering information for others, and running errands to earn a living. Of course, they might also engage in theft, fraud, and territorial disputes.
The harsh living environment has prompted the orphan gang to continuously adjust their survival strategies, gradually forming rules and even unique rituals. For example, if a young thief fails to complete a theft task, they either endure physical punishment from their older brothers or choose to go hungry as a group. Today, two young thief leaders were beaten by Zode, but they also gained the trust of their younger siblings, making the small group more cohesive.
"God Mode" has inherited almost all the traditions of the Orphan Gang, mainly taking advantage of adults' sympathy and tolerance towards children to engage in activities such as theft, fraud, espionage, and running errands. However, orphans will eventually grow up. Just like Bobby, who is turning sixteen and a half this year, he will soon become an adult. He has grown taller and has a strong need for food. He can no longer fit through the dog holes and narrow passages he used to easily pass through as a child. If he is caught in a theft and fails to escape, it will be difficult for him to gain the forgiveness of the victim and he may end up being severely beaten. So he can only assist his parents in their work and do some logistical support tasks."
However, Bobby's job is already being done by someone else, so it's not possible for his family to support him indefinitely.
In reality, there is a limit to how many orphans can be supported on each piece of land. Snake Water Town is considered a good place with plentiful resources, but Old Pim, who is in charge, already has over a dozen adult "parents" under him, and there are already too many little hands, over seventy in total.
Orphaned children who grow up need to "nest", that is, choose a few compatible siblings to form their own "family" in another place.
The number of orphaned children who nest continues to increase, occupying every piece of territory in the United City-States. Over time, they have formed a loosely structured but closely connected thieves' guild, controlling the underground world of the Disa Alliance.
This brings a new problem, every territory in the underground world has an owner, and the "orphaned" children cannot find their own territory. As a result, the traditional orphan gang has evolved into a "cheat code", and "splitting nests" has become "leaving home" alone.
Nowadays, it's not easy for thieves to find a meal. According to the rules of the "magic hand", each parent should prepare a valuable gift to give to their "leaving home" child, equivalent to a severance package.
Bob grew up in a gang of thieves. Despite having a hundred objections in his heart, his elder brother Zode did not allow his younger siblings to compete for the position of heir.
With Zode leading the way, other elders also presented various jewelry and accessories to Bobby. The young thieves didn't have personal property yet, so they didn't need to give anything.
Finally, everyone turned to Pim and he asked, "Bobby, have you decided what you want to do in the future?"
Bobby stuffed the gifts he received into his pocket and replied, "Old man, I have already decided to try awakening my agile traits and become an archer warrior to go on adventures and save money for promotion."
Pim grabbed his sparse hair, and said in distress, "If you want to become a 'thug' professional, I can provide you with a ready-made opportunity and introduce you to the Northern Brotherhood to secure a job...If you want to become an 'archer warrior' and be an adventurer? To be honest, the money I have prepared for you is only enough for you to attempt awakening. If the awakening fails, you might die; even if the awakening is successful, you still need a considerable amount of money to be promoted to an archer warrior."
"Child, you still have time to regret now."
"Bobby shook his head and said firmly, 'I don't regret it!'"
"Pim sighed, dropped the napkin, and stood up, saying, 'Well then... say goodbye to your siblings first, then come to my room, I have something for you.'"
Stefanie's mood became very bad. After dinner, she sat in her room, everyone else was asleep, and Bobby didn't come to say goodbye to her. She felt that she couldn't wait any longer, and raised her left hand to take a look. A small spider pattern gradually appeared on the palm of her hand.
Stephanie's senses became extremely sharp, able to perceive the flow of air and even the slightest vibrations around her and form a vivid mental image. She didn't even need to see with her eyes, she could tell there were parents patrolling the hallway from behind the closed door.
She pushed open the door and walked straight to the patrolling "guardian", taking the initiative to say, "Uncle Bart, I want to go see Bobby."
Bart is a very strong middle-aged man who is usually quiet, but compared to the other strict guardians, he is very lenient with children. All the little fingers in the den of thieves like Uncle Bart, and being by his side gives them a sense of security.
Stephanie, however, knew that Bart was anything but ordinary. She could feel the strong vitality within him, as evidenced by the spider patterns pulsating in the palm of her hand, just like a towering tree.
Fortunately, Bart did not notice Stephanie's special change. He looked at this favorite little thief of the "parents" and smiled, saying, "Go quickly, Bobby is about to leave. The old man will take him to the treasure room to get money in a moment, and once he has the money, he won't come back."
Stephanie said thank you, and then ran barefoot to Bobby's room. Several parents saw her, but everyone knew that Stephanie nearly froze to death when she was homeless outside, and it was thanks to Bobby that she was rescued from the thieves' den. Because Stephanie is several years older than the other orphans, Mr. Pym was reluctant to take her in at first. It was only after Bobby begged and pleaded that she wasn't kicked out.
It is a fact that Stephanie is exceptionally talented, and Bobby is lucky to have found her.
The relationship between the two has always been close, so it is normal for Stephanie to want to say goodbye to Bobby. The "parents" always look at Stephanie differently, so naturally they would not stop her.
Bobby has his own little room in the thief's den. When Stephanie barges into the room, the curly-haired boy is busy packing. He sees Stephanie running towards him in her coarse cotton nightgown and bare feet, and can't help but laugh and say, "Little girl, I'm about to leave, but I have no gift to give you."
Next, Bobby communicated with Stephanie using lip movements: Pim secretly approached me and said that the Northbound Brotherhood has already started investigating the Island Street orphans, and they will soon find out about me. I must leave, leave tonight, and never return again.
鲍比和斯蒂芬妮其实有一个共同的秘密，他们都是孤儿，都来自岛街，而且还表兄妹的关系。
斯蒂芬妮的妈妈是鲍比的姨妈。他小时候父母双亡，就被姨妈的家庭收养。姨夫、姨妈对他视如己出，他和斯蒂芬妮的关系就像亲兄妹。可惜，没过几年，姨夫也死了，斯蒂芬妮的妈妈不得不带着两个孩子改嫁。但继父是个黑帮成员，他可以接受的年幼的斯蒂芬妮，却不待见8岁大的鲍比，就把鲍比偷偷买给了金手指。
Over the years, Stephanie's memory of Bobby has faded, but Bobby never forgot the kindness of his aunt's family.
After the Island Street Massacre, Bobby found an opportunity to send a message to the Northmance Brotherhood and specifically went around the Island Street area hoping to gather information about his aunt and cousin. As a result, he found Stephanie, but his aunt's family, including the stepfather who sold him, had all been killed.
Stephanie followed Bobby to Watersnake Town and joined the Golden Finger gang there. Besides Bobby, no one knew that she was a leftover from Island Street. But the "Godfather" of the Golden Finger gang, Pim, knew about Bobby's Island Street background.
Now, the Brotherhood of the North is also beginning to eliminate the orphaned street children internally. It can be seen that the nobles of Fallen Leaf City are determined to exterminate the common people of Street Island.
Bobby actually has nothing to do with the Shepherd Wolf Girl, and now he has to escape for his life. Stephanie is both hateful and afraid, and especially panicked. Because she has a special relationship with the Shepherd Wolf Girl, the spider mark in the palm of her hand was left by the Shepherd Wolf Girl as a kind of blessing, but now it is her death knell.
Stephanie, who has experienced a tragic event, has a maturity far beyond her age. She is grateful for Bobby's help, but cannot fully trust him.
Originally, the two of them were tied together like crickets, but now Bobby wants to leave. Stephanie is really worried that he will reveal her identity to the "authority figure". But she has no plan at the moment and can't spare any attention to the fact that someone is eavesdropping outside the door. She directly asks, "Bobby, can you take me with you?"
Bobby laughed and said, "You're like the old man's precious eyes now, how could I dare to take you away? Stephanie, you should learn your skills here. When I become successful in the future, I'll come back to see all of you." He caressed Stephanie's head and whispered with his lips:
After I leave, no one will know your identity. Take care of yourself, as long as you don't expose yourself, you will be safe staying here.
Stephanie turned her eyes and suddenly grabbed Bobby's hand, biting it hard. Bobby felt a sharp pain in his palm, as if being stung by a spider, and quickly pulled his hand back.
Without waiting for Bobby to interrogate her, Stephanie stomped her foot and cried out, "I hate you!"
After saying that, she covered her face and stormed out of the room. The "parents" who were secretly monitoring them thought that little Stephanie was upset and resentful because she didn't want to be abandoned by Bobby, so she bit Bobby's hand.