He tossed the cigarette butt to the ground, crushed it beneath his foot, and called out,
"Hey, Officer Chen. Hello."
Seeing Texas beside him, Chen raised a hand and pointed toward a corner of the plaza.
"Can we talk over there? I have something to ask you."
"Sure. Let's go."
She had spoken with Hoshiguma at this same spot last time. Walls enclosed both sides, while the view remained wide open.
"Mr. Shi, where were you after 10 p.m. on the night of the 27th?"
Shi Lei froze at the question, his mind racing. Rat Girl was the only one who had seen him act in secret that night. Had she come specifically because of those Infected?
His strength was still limited. When dealing with the Infected, all he could do was crudely detonate them. Perhaps only after advancing could he improve the precision of his control over the Rock Element.
"Mr. Shi, don't be nervous. I'm not here on official business. I just wanted to know whether you were the one who secretly helped out in District 25 that night. If so, Jiu and I would like to treat you to a meal as thanks. Also, the Rat King has had his eye on you lately, so be careful when you go out."
Shi Lei was slightly stunned. He recalled indeed encountering a pink-haired Rat Girl that night. But she was a woman—why was she called the Rat King? Shouldn't she have been the Rat Queen?
"Sorry, Officer Chen. I don't know what you mean. If someone secretly saved you, it was because your usual good deeds had borne good fruit. Perhaps the person who helped you doesn't need any tangible reward."
After reviewing the surveillance footage, Chen had already determined that he was the kindhearted person who had helped them that night. As for why he wished to conceal it, that was not something she needed to dig into.
"Mr. Shi, if you don't wish to honor us with a simple meal, we won't force you. On behalf of everyone in the Special Inspectorate, please accept our sincere gratitude."
Her certainty made Shi Lei realize his identity had already been exposed. Yet he had only infiltrated District 25 that night to repay a meal, never expecting anything in return.
"Officer Chen, let the past stay in the past. There's no need to bring it up again. I'm doing very well at Penguin Logistics now, so you needn't worry about my personal safety."
"Alright. My number is XXXXXXXX. If you run into trouble in the future, contact me right away."
"Sure, sure."
Shi Lei agreed readily, but he had not remembered it at all. He had no money to buy a phone, so there was no point in memorizing the number. As for the Rat King, he could ask Texas about him later. This Eldest Daughter from a gang background should know more about certain underground matters than a police officer.
"Well, if it isn't Officer Chen. Calling him into a corner—were you planning to use interrogation tactics?"
Hearing the barbed voice, Shi Lei craned his neck to look. He could not help it; Officer Hoshiguma was tall and broad, and the triangular shield she carried blocked his view.
The pink-haired Rat Girl he had seen in District 25 that night had actually appeared here, accompanied by four lackeys.
Though Chen and Lin Yuxia had known each other for a long time, certain matters had soured their relationship so badly that they could barely stand the sight of one another.
Seeing Lin Yuxia immediately accuse her of violent law enforcement, Chen shot back,
"The Lungmen Guard Department doesn't need to explain its cases to you."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course you don't need to explain. Are you done asking him, then? I have something to discuss with him."
As she spoke, Lin Yuxia walked over to Shi Lei and took a position directly opposite Chen. The subordinates she had brought were kept outside by Hoshiguma and her shield.
Perhaps merely to provoke Chen, Lin Yuxia lowered her eyes and spoke in a strangely mocking tone.
"Officer Chen, did you come here today to invite him to dinner? You'd better not agree. What delicious food could she possibly treat you to? Rice noodle rolls, at most."
"Hmph. What's wrong with rice noodle rolls? At least the ingredients are clean and hygienic. Aren't you afraid of getting diarrhea from eating your food?"
Caught between two women, Shi Lei instantly found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. Seeing the tense atmosphere, he cast Texas a pleading look. She remained perfectly calm, with no intention of breaking up the argument.
"Benefactor, you saved me before you saved her that night. Even if we both invited you to dinner, I should be first in line."
Chen gave a cold snort, clearly displeased with her.
"You're the Rat King's daughter. Who in the Slums doesn't know Lin Yuxia, the Lin family's Eldest Daughter? Do you really need someone else to save you? Mr. Shi, don't let yourself be fooled. Some women look delicate on the outside, but they're filthy inside."
"Filthy? Chen, who are you calling filthy?"
At the Entrance/Exit of the plaza, Croissant had secretly slipped downstairs and leaned against the wall, watching the show with relish.
She often delivered goods to the Slums, so she naturally knew this young lady of the Lin family.
Who would have thought that Lin Yuxia, the Rat King's daughter, and Chen, the niece of Longmen Governor Wei Yenwu, would argue over a man?
But what was the fun in merely arguing? Hurry up and fight already!
I'll Tell Mom
Shi Lei had finally understood. Chen and Lin Yuxia seemed to have some personal grudge against each other. Having run into each other here by chance, they could not resist trading jabs.
Shi Lei did not know the source of their conflict, but he could not just let the situation worsen until it erupted into a fight.
"Stop, stop, stop! Everyone, calm down! Can you please stop arguing?"
Chen crossed her arms, shot Lin Yuxia a disdainful glance, then quickly looked away.
"I had no intention of arguing. Someone just had to come out and act like a squeaking rat. What could I do?"
"You!"
Shi Lei hurriedly stepped between the two women, acting as a mediator.
"Could you all do Shi a favor and leave things at that, so we don't damage everyone's harmony?"
Lin Yuxia gave a soft snort, her delicate pink nose lifting slightly. With one hand on her hip, she refused to let the matter rest.
"Then agree to have dinner with me first."
"Uh, can I refuse both of you?"
"No!"
After receiving that firm rejection, Shi Lei twitched his lips and began considering how to handle this. If neither side agreed today, it seemed unlikely this would end peacefully.
"Then let's all sit down and have a meal together."
Lin Yuxia immediately objected to the proposal.
"Impossible. I refuse to sit at the same table as her."
Chen seized the chance to sneer back.
"What a joke. As if anyone cares."
The two resumed bickering, and the conflict intensified once more. Shi Lei felt a headache coming on and raised his voice to interrupt them.
"Stop! How about this? We'll choose a restaurant near the boundary between the Upper City and Lower City, and nothing too expensive. You don't want to sit at the same table? Fine. We'll order two tables of food, and if there aren't enough people, I'll invite some colleagues. That way, you can thank me without having to see each other. As for the bill, will you split it equally or what?"
This pair of sworn enemies, Lin Yuxia and Chen, naturally had to argue over the expenses.
"I'll cover everything except her share."
"You don't need to treat me. We'll each pay for our own table."
Seeing that they had finally reached a consensus, Shi Lei wisely stopped while he was ahead and settled on a rough time.
"Alright, then it's happily decided. We're a bit pressed for time today. Let's make it 6 p.m. tomorrow. We'll meet here at the company building. If neither of you has anything else to ask, I'll be going now."
Once he confirmed neither side objected, he turned and left.
The warehouse work was already done, so he could slack off until noon without any problem. But he could not get dragged into this whirlpool. Better to slip away while he could; however much they wanted to argue was their business.
When Shi Lei passed the Entrance/Exit of the plaza, Croissant followed him over. Only after the two entered the elevator did she finally burst into laughter and tease him.
"You've got skills, kid. You've only been here a few days, and you've already charmed two gorgeous women."
He knew she was joking, but he still felt incredibly awkward. He waved his hands repeatedly as he explained.
"Croissant, you misunderstand. From a standpoint of universal reason, I have no such relationship with either of them."
"Hahaha, no such relationship? Then why are they fighting over who gets to treat you to dinner for no reason?"
From the sound of it, Croissant did not seem to know the full story, so Shi Lei gave her a simple explanation.
"I saved them in the Slums before, so they both want to treat me to dinner. There really isn't anything else."
Croissant did not believe him and gave her own opinion.
"If you said you saved Lin Yuxia, I could barely accept that. Although she inherited the Rat King's Originium Arts, she usually looks like a refined young lady. When faced with something bloody, she might not be able to bring herself to act. But saving Chen... honestly, I'm skeptical. With her skills and strength, it would make more sense for her to save you."
Shi Lei recalled the scene of Officer Chen carrying someone and leaping down from the third floor that night. Her physical capabilities had been terrifyingly strong. Croissant did have a point.
"No, the person I mainly saved that day was her superior, Jiu. That's why she wants to treat me to dinner as thanks."
"Oh, so that's how it is."
"Hey, Croissant, don't just laugh. Are you free for tomorrow night's dinner gathering?"
"Haha, yeah, absolutely. This has to happen. You really have pull, getting them to treat everyone to dinner. I usually don't even qualify to mooch a meal."
She had no grudge against Chen or Lin Yuxia, so there was no problem with joining them for a free meal. If there were plenty of leftovers, she could even eat to her heart's content.
"Ding."
Once the elevator doors opened, the two found Exusiai and asked whether she was interested. She agreed without hesitation.
"Hehe, how could a lively gathering like this be complete without me? But I won't be sitting at Officer Chen's table. I'd feel uncomfortable all over."
"Mm, same here."
Croissant was certainly not as good at causing trouble as Exusiai. Still, she was often chased by the Lungmen Guard Department for charges like obstructing roads and setting up illegal stalls, so she avoided them whenever possible.
Now that two colleagues had confirmed they were going, Shi Lei glanced toward Emperor's office and asked,
"What about Kong, Texas, and the boss? I don't have a phone. Could you send them a message and ask?"
Croissant immediately ruled out two of them.
"Kong has been recording songs in the music room lately, and the boss is handling the sound mixing and producing. They didn't finish until after midnight yesterday, so they probably won't have time. Texas should be free."
Exusiai pulled out her phone and began tapping away.
"I'll send her a message. Give me a sec."
Two minutes later, she raised her head and formed an OK sign with her fingers, indicating that Texas had agreed to come.
With three Messengers accompanying him, Shi Lei felt reassured. Even if something unexpected happened, they could handle it easily.
November 30, 1:02 p.m.
The bleak autumn wind and deepening chill made pedestrians on the streets wrap their clothes tighter. Yet in the Slums, a place known for poverty, the Lin family estate remained anything but shabby.
Lin Yuxia stormed into the hall in a huff and dropped onto the sofa. Firewood crackled in the fireplace, and the flames made her cheeks look even pinker.
Lin Gerei leaned on his cane, a snow-white fur coat draped over his body. His daughter was usually very gentle and quiet, rarely showing such
openly negative emotions.
"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"
Lin Yuxia did not respond. One of the lackeys who had returned with her approached the Rat King and quietly recounted what had happened.
After a moment, he slowly rose with the support of his cane.
The Rat King rarely lost his temper. In public, he always wore the appearance of a kindly old man. Only when his family was involved did he reveal the authority worthy of his title.
Simply being watched by those red eyes was enough to send a chill down one's spine.
"The Chen family brat is one thing, but why is that man so ungrateful?"
"Father, it's not his fault. Ugh, I can't explain this to you. Anyway, don't touch him."
"What if I want to test that?"
Anyone else hearing those words would surely weigh them carefully before making a decision. But Lin Yuxia showed no fear at all, staring straight into the eyes of the emperor of the Slums.
"I'll tell Mom you bullied me."
The Final Delivery
Shi Lei remained at his workstation until noon, then went with everyone to Penguin Logistics' Safe House to prepare lunch.
Exusiai took out the cheese and roasted meat she had brought from the refrigerator, making a huge cheese, onion, sausage, and roasted meat pizza. Croissant contributed half a bottle of Mom's Hot Sauce, said to be one of the best-selling sauces on Terra.
The fragrant aroma spread through the room and stirred everyone's appetite. Those who could eat spicy food helped themselves to the hot sauce, while people like Texas, who did not eat much spice, simply avoided it.
There were no octopus balls this time, so he could finally eat normally. Overall, it tasted pretty good, though it was a little salty.
Before you continue