Chapter 164
Within Lungmen city limits, there's a ban on carrying large weapons. If Surtr wants to live here, he can no longer take Reine des Neiges. It's best to entrust it to Shi Lei for safekeeping, allowing him to gradually adapt to life without it.
"Okay, let's talk about it during the day then. From now on Reine des Neiges in your care, okay?"
With Shi Lei's current strength, he has absolutely no need for this Flame Greatsword. And what's even more intriguing is that this sword possesses its own consciousness. If he carried it on his back, it might suddenly unleash a torrent of fire like it'd been poisoned by Wallace.
He was merely curious about this weapon that possessed sentience, but did not intend to possess it for the long term.
Surtr's willingness to let him keep it safe was, in a way, a way of indirectly demonstrating his determination to correct his mistakes.
To admit one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue.
There was no conflict between Shi Lei and her; the key factor was the attitude of the neighbor.
"Okay, I'll keep Reine des Neiges for now. I'll return it to you when you need it. It's getting late, go back and get some rest. It'll be dawn in a few hours, so take a nap."
"Thank you."
Surtr nodded solemnly; she had done her best to stay.
Surtr had actually considered using seduction, but she quickly rejected the idea. Mainly, Shi Lei was probably thousands of years old; what kind of woman hadn't he seen?
There's absolutely no need to humiliate yourself like that.
Surtr could think of was to serve this peerless powerhouse well.
If one day in the future she decides to search for the original body, she hopes that Shi Lei will remember her hard work and help her.
"I'm so sorry to bother you so late. Well then, I'll head back now."
Shi Lei nodded in response.
He didn't get out of bed the entire time, waiting for Surtr to gently close the door. Then he continued to sit cross-legged in meditation, consolidating and reviewing his medical knowledge of human organs.
June 16, 7:20 am
Today is not the weekend, and employees of Penguin Logistics need to clock in before 9 a. m.
Taiheng Road is very close to the company building, so everyone usually gets up at eight o'clock, washes up, has breakfast, and then sets off.
Alternatively, you can wash up and go directly to the Safe House, wait until you've made and eaten breakfast, and then leisurely take the elevator to the top floor.
But today, Texas and Exusiai got up very early. Their neighbor, Mudrock, did the same.
The latter don't have a job and can go back to their rooms to catch up on sleep later. Texas and the others can also rest in the company's office area without affecting their ability to get up early.
After everyone finished making breakfast, they stood outside the warehouse to eat, silently waiting for the roller shutter door of Warehouse No. 2 to be opened.
It was 7:20 in the morning. Shi Lei hadn't slept at all, but when he noticed that Lisa was awake, he pretended to have just woken up, opened the door, and greeted her with good morning.
There was no sound from Surtr's room; she was probably too tired and asleep. Besides, she didn't have a phone, and there was no alarm clock in the room, so the exact time was impossible to determine.
After a moment's thought, Shi Lei decided to wake the other person. After all, there were some things that Surtr himself had to say.
However, before that, he moved Reine des Neiges, who was sealed with the Rock Element, to a safe location for hiding.
After he finished, he raised his hand and knocked on her temporary door:
"Get up."
"They're here! They're here!"
Surtr slept fully clothed and didn't wash up after getting up. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and went to the washbasin. She splashed cold water on her face to quickly refresh herself.
Shi Lei cooked at home this morning, heating up a cup of milk and a few slices of toast for each of them.
During the meal, he gave Surtr some advice:
"Whether I keep you or not is none of my business. But if my friends object or think you have a bad personality, I won't let it cause any unpleasantness between us."
"Yes, I understand, I get it."
Surtr had no friends before, and during the time she had Reine des Neiges, she spoke very bluntly. As a result, even when she didn't mean anything by it, she would still offend others.
After a night of mental adjustment, Surtr had figured out his problem. However, his bad habit of talking was something he couldn't easily break.
For example, last night, she hoped Shi Lei would take her in. She should have used more polite phrases like "please," but it ended up sounding like she was making a request. This kind of wording comes across as somewhat arrogant.
If it weren't for his good temper and personality, and his inability to fuss over such details, the conversation might have ended on the spot.
Lisa sat on the rock chair, her two little feet in white socks gently swinging. She gulped down the rest of her milk, licking the milk off her lips. Seeing Surtr's worried expression, she smiled and comforted him:
"Beautiful lady, don't be nervous. The people here are all very nice, and they've been good to me too. As long as you're not as arrogant as you were yesterday, there shouldn't be any problems."
Looking at Lisa's smile, she felt as if she were being bathed in a warm ray of sunshine in the Ursus winter:
"I've got it, thank you."
After finishing breakfast, Shi Lei took the cup and plate to the sink to wash them.
Surtr, who hadn't even swallowed his toast yet, saw this and, wanting to make a good impression, stepped forward:
"Um, let me wash it."
"Need not."
Shi Lei turned on the tap and rinsed the cup with water, which still had milk stains on it. He tilted his head and said:
"I don't care about other places, but the rule here is to do your own things, wash your own dishes and chopsticks, and try not to bother others."
Surtr nodded, knowing it was time to open the door. She quickly finished the toast and milk, then rushed to the sink to wash them and wiped them clean with a cloth.
June 16, 7:41 AM
Shi Lei arrived at the Entrance/Exit and pulled up the roller shutter.
Exusiai, Texas, Mudrock, and a group of Sarkaz mercenaries were all standing outside.
Seeing this commotion, Shi Lei glanced back at Surtr and said jokingly:
"It seems everyone has a lot of opinions about you."
At the same time, several pairs of eyes were cast over, staring at the red-haired Sarkaz who was causing them so much trouble.
Surtr was still very nervous, like a child who had done something wrong, her head bowed and staring at her chest. She put her hands behind her back, afraid of messing things up.
Suddenly, Surtr felt something being stuffed into her right hand. She quickly raised her hand to check and found a candied melon in a green wrapper.
Surtr turned around and saw Lisa smiling. That gentle smile seemed to have a healing power, instantly making her less nervous.
This child is so kind.
Seeing the audience remain silent, Shi Lei glanced around and broke the silence:
"I've already verified what happened last night with Mudrock and Texas. The main reason was that Miss Surtr came in carrying a greatsword and spoke very aggressively, which led to the conflict. I've confiscated the greatsword and am keeping it for safekeeping. As for the rest, you can tell me yourself."
Having said that, he voluntarily stepped aside, making Surtr, who was standing still, the center of attention.
"I'm so sorry, I really apologize!"
Surtr immediately bowed ninety degrees to apologize to everyone. If it weren't for the Sarkaz Blackhorn, an uninformed person might mistake him for an official from the Higashi.
"What happened yesterday was entirely my fault. I ignored the Lungmen Guard Department's warnings and walked around the city behind Reine des Neiges, which led to your misunderstanding."
I don't have many friends and rarely interact with others. Sometimes my words might be harsh, but I don't really mean them that way. I will try my best to correct this, so please give me some time.
Texas's expression turned slightly strange upon hearing this.
What do you mean by giving her some time to correct her mistakes? Does this mean this red-haired Sarkaz is going to stay?
Surtr's attitude was sincere, and he gradually got into the zone:
"Don't laugh at me, but I have severe memory and cognitive impairment. I have no family or friends. When I'm not using Reine des Neiges, I'm just an ordinary Sarkaz."
I want to obtain your forgiveness in every possible way. If I have offended you in any way, I am truly sorry. From now on, I will live as an ordinary person, and I hope everyone can keep an eye on me.
Having said all that, everyone present wasn't stupid; they basically understood.
The red-haired Sarkaz, who once defeated them and made them incredibly difficult to deal with, will stay.
Everyone reacted differently to this.
Mudrock was very pleased and welcomed his fellow Sarkaz compatriot, Surtr, to the team.
Her thoughts were entirely influenced by those war years.
Before coming to Lungmen, Mudrock was already a powerful leader of a group of mercenaries in Kazdel.
Hiring, as the name suggests, means doing something for money. Today you might be on one side, tomorrow on another. One day you might be teammates, the next you might be enemies. One day you might be enemies, the next you might be teammates.
Such things are common on the battlefield.
Mudrock would be very happy if a very troublesome enemy became a friend or teammate.
This feeling of joy is even stronger than having a completely unfamiliar and powerful person join the team.
Mudrock had fought Surtr before and knew his opponent's skill level very well.
Whether it's melting the iron hammer or cutting down the White Stone Golem, it's all a demonstration of her strength.
Even if they are unwilling to admit it verbally and show various forms of strategic contempt, some things cannot be changed.
Mudrock, having served as a mercenary, understands this all too well. No matter how strong she becomes, the enemy still exists; they won't simply disappear. Increased abilities can only lessen the pain inflicted by the enemy. But if the enemy becomes a friend, that pain will be completely eliminated.
When yesterday's formidable enemy becomes today's ally, Mudrock will know just how much trouble this powerful ally will cause today's foe.
How can I describe this pleasurable sensation?
It's like the first person to perform on stage, enjoying the anxiety of the performers who follow.
I know exactly how nervous you are, how scared you are, and what harm you might suffer.
Why?
Because I've experienced it before!
Therefore, in Mudrock's view, turning an enemy into a friend is a valuable resource.
She felt how formidable her opponents were when they first met; she would only have a deeper understanding of the challenges she faced in the future.
Kazdel's mercenaries show no mercy to their enemies on the battlefield. You must let them know your strength, you must instill fear in them. Only then, when they become teammates...
They will respect you the most.
Besides this unusual perspective, there's another reason why Mudrock welcomed Surtr.
As the leader of the mercenaries, she gradually developed the ability to deploy troops and allocate resources.
Surtr possesses high mobility, area-of-effect fire damage, and strong individual combat capabilities. These advantages largely compensate for Mudrock's weaknesses. She is better suited for holding strategic passes alone, a type of positional warfare focused on siege warfare.
In the future, if the master is not present, or if the master is unable to intervene, as long as Mudrock and Surtr work together, they can put on a dazzling performance in various arenas.
As for the Flame Greatsword named Reine des Neiges Shi Lei was keeping, Mudrock will probably return it to her later.
With such powerful teammates joining her, and all of them being Sarkaz, how could she not be happy?
Seeing that no one answered, Shi Lei blurted out:
"Alright, everyone, feel free to express your opinions. Whether Surtr stays or leaves is up to you to decide."
Mudrock was the first to raise its hand in support:
"I welcome her to the team."
Surtr was deeply moved upon hearing this.
She thought that Mudrock and the Sarkaz mercenaries would be resentful of their defeat the previous night and would hurl insults at her. So she prepared herself mentally before going on stage.
Unexpectedly, they agreed.
The Sarkaz mercenaries exchanged glances, none of them uttering a word, communicating only through their eyes; no one dared to speak first.
In the end, V slyly said:
"Whether she stays or leaves is none of my business. I'll listen to Lord Shi Lei, or I'll listen to the boss."
Seeing this, the other mercenaries chimed in.
Seeing that everyone in Warehouse One agreed, Shi Lei turned his attention to his colleagues in Warehouse No. 3.
Exusiai waved her hand, indicating that she shouldn't ask her.