"Miss, would you like to buy some flowers?"


    A scruffy little boy with a dirt-streaked face approached Sophie, holding out a bunch of wilted flowers.


    Sophie''s heart melted a bit. She was about to take the flowers when, in a split second, Colby grabbed the boy''s wrist. "Ouch!" The boy yelped as the wildflowers fell to the ground, revealing a hidden short knife among them.


    Sophie was taken aback by the sight.


    Colby''s voice was icy, "Robbing people in broad daylight? Do you have a death wish?"


    The boy turned pale under Colby''s cold stare. Without bothering to pick up the knife, he stumbled and ran off.


    Sophie looked down at the crude knife. It was roughly made but the de was sharp, likely handcrafted by the boy.


    "Why would they resort to such measures?" Sophie asked.


    "Thewlessness in these impoverished areas forces people to extreme actions just to survive," Colby exined calmly. "Kids here target wealthy people, pretending to sell flowers to gain sympathy, then try to stab them and grab their stuff in the chaos."


    Sophie frowned. "Aren''t they afraid of the police?"


    Colby replied, "There are no surveince cameras in these slums. They dirty their faces to avoid recognition. With so many kids like this, the police can''t identify them quickly. Eventually, these children save enough money and try to leave the city. But how can they seed with money obtained through theft? In the end, all they know is how to steal and rob. Without these skills, they can''t survive."


    Sophie fell silent, never having imagined such dire conditions abroad. But wasn''t it the vast gap between the rich and the poor that led to this situation?


    Sensing thepassion in Sophie''s


    eyes, Colby gently smoothed the


    furrow in her brow and said, "The


    situation here isplicated,


    е


    beyond our ability to change Let''s go


    Sophie could only nod.


    Colby drove the car out of the parking garage. Sophie, in the passenger seat, asked, "Where are you taking me for a drive?"


    "To thergest legal betting house here."


    The biggest legal betting house was in the tallest skyscraper downtown.


    When Sophie and Colby arrived, a staff member greeted them. "Is this your first visit? Are you here to buy stocks or..."


    "We''ll look around ourselves," Colby cut in coldly, shutting down the conversation.


    Sophie, linking her arm through


    Colby''s, took off her sunsses and said to the staff member, "We were referred by a friend. We heard there are more interesting activities Kere than just buying stocks. Could you show us around?"


    Momentarily dazzled by Sophie''s beauty, the staff member was at a loss for words. Sophie added, "Of course, won''t skimp on your referral fee or tip." She ced a


    stack of bills in the staff member''s


    hand.


    The staff member hesitated, "To participate in the special games, you need an entry ticket."


    Sophie asked, "What kind of ticket? Can''t we buy one?"


    "Well, it''splicated. Only our VIP clients can get one," the staff member said, embarrassed. "I don''t even have the authority to issue one."N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.