Lungmen's actual Ruler, Governor Wei Yenwu, came to the balcony after dinner as usual and gazed into the distance.
As far as the eye could see stood a steel jungle of towering buildings. Under his governance, the mobile City-State of Lungmen had become one of Yan's most important economic centers.
Wei Yenwu looked down from on high, as though admiring the paradise he had built with his own hands. Every time he looked out, he felt immensely accomplished. The prosperity of these myriad lights existed because of him.
Suddenly, a dazzling streak of light appeared in the northeastern sky. Something seemed to have fallen from above, but everything returned to normal after only two or three seconds.
A supreme expert like Wei Yenwu possessed exceptional dynamic vision. Even though it had flashed by in an instant, he had still caught it.
It was a meteorite.
His curiosity was piqued. He returned to the living room, took the brown coat from the rack, and prepared to go take a look at the scene.
At the same time, Wei Yenwu's wife, Madam Wen Yue, entered the living room carrying a plate of fruit. She had purplish-red hair and looked elegant and delicate.
Seeing her husband put on his coat as though he was about to leave, Madam Wen Yue's red lips parted:
"It's so late. Where are you going?"
Wei Yenwu crouched down to put on his shoes, turning his back just in time to avoid his wife's gaze:
"I just saw a meteorite fall in the distance. I wanted to go take a look."
Wenyue placed the fruit platter on the table, folding her hands one over the other as she spoke calmly:
"Did that meteorite land on the ground, or did it fall into your heart? Or perhaps some woman has taken Meteorite as an unconventional codename?"
Wei Yenwu's movements froze when he heard that. He turned back and explained to Wenyue:
"You misunderstood. There really was a meteorite."
"A misunderstanding? No, what misunderstanding could there possibly be between us? If a meteorite really fell from the sky, then as Mr. Wei's wife, I should accompany you to see it."
"..."
Wei Yenwu knew it was improper to go over now. He should first send the Lungmen Guard Department to investigate. As the Ruler of Lungmen's Core City, how could he personally rush into the fray so casually?
He took off the shoes he had put on and returned them to the shoe cabinet by the entrance. Then he removed his coat and put it back on the rack. With a placating smile, he walked to the table and gave up on going out:
"Forget it, forget it. I'll wait for the Guard Department's report tomorrow. Sit down. I'll peel some fruit for you."
Wenyue still held her hands folded one over the other, looking exceptionally elegant. Seeing her husband reach for the fruit, she frowned slightly:
"Wash your hands first."
Wei Yenwu grinned, completely lacking the imposing air he had before his subordinates:
"Yes, yes, yes. I'm going right now."
December 1st, 6:45 P.M.
Croissant called the police. Only after the Lungmen Guard Department accepted the report did she ride back with everyone to the restaurant in District 20.
There was nothing much going on at Chen's table. After all, there had originally been four people. Even without Shi Lei, they could still chat about recent work and would not be too bored.
Lin Yuxia, alone in the private room next door, had it rougher. She idly played with her phone, feeling uncomfortable as she listened to the officers next door chatting so merrily.
Fortunately, nobody took too long. They returned half an hour later. Croissant went straight to the Guard Department's table and drank three penalty cups, apologizing for delaying the gathering.
Shi Lei followed by pouring himself a drink and apologizing to Lin Yuxia. She did not take it to heart, and after he finished drinking, she asked:
"Mr. Shi, what's your phone number?"
"Uh, I haven't bought one yet. How about you leave me your contact information? I'll contact you after I get one."
For a moment, Lin Yuxia almost wanted to give Shi Lei her phone. But considering that its appearance and color scheme were too feminine and he might refuse it, she decided against it for now.
"Fine."
Shi Lei found a restaurant server, asked for paper and a pen, and had Lin Yuxia leave her contact number.
He had not known her identity before and had thought she was just an ordinary citizen. Only later did he learn that Lin Yuxia was the Rat King's daughter, Lin Gerei. Penguin Logistics often delivered things to the Slums. Making friends with her might prove helpful for work.
The people in this room had drunk about enough, so Shi Lei carried his beer to the private room next door. With Croissant livening things up, the atmosphere here was much more festive.
Seeing Mr. Shi himself, Jiu, Hoshiguma, and the others all poured drinks and stood up to toast him:
"Mr. Shi, thank you so much for what happened that day. We'd like to offer you a toast."
"No problem. It's all in the drink. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Six glasses clinked together, and everyone drained them in one go.
Shi Lei could not just leave after finishing his drink, since that would have been too impolite. He pulled out a chair and sat down, taking a fresh pair of chopsticks to pick up some food and fill his stomach. After all, working as a Messenger meant he would inevitably deal with the Lungmen Guard Department. It was always good to build better relations now.
In the past, traveling between Upper City and Lower City required passing through an intermediate station guarded by the Lungmen Guard Department. Once they learned it was a Penguin Logistics vehicle, they generally waived inspection and readily let them through.
Chen poured herself a drink and toasted him:
"I hope your company causes less trouble in the future. Don't make things difficult for us."
Only she could say something so unsuitable for the occasion. Although she had not named anyone, she was probably referring to Exusiai, whose performance rating had nearly been deducted into nothing last month.
"We will, Officer Chen. When we encounter criminals trying to rob our cargo during transport, we sometimes do tend to act a little excessively. Please be understanding. Besides, we earned you some performance points outside just now."
"Oh? What did you do?"
They had actually wanted to ask earlier, but held themselves back. Now that Croissant had brought it up, they naturally asked.
"It was nothing much. I imported a batch of goods from elsewhere. While they were being stored at the docks, we ran into a gang harassing us and trying to seize them by force. I couldn't deal with so many people alone, so I called my colleagues over to help."
The righteous policewoman Chen immediately could not sit still. She stood up with Chi Xiao in hand and demanded sternly:
"How outrageous! Where was it? I'll go deal with it immediately."
Shi Lei pressed one hand downward, signaling for her to sit:
"Don't rush, Officer Chen. It's all been resolved. The officers already took them away. You should be able to interrogate them once you get back to the Guard Department. Waiter, bring another two cases of beer!"
It was not like he was paying today anyway. If they could not finish it, they could pack it up and take it back to drink later. Before long, Shi Lei felt he had accompanied them long enough and got up to check on the room next door.
Texas was quiet and reserved. Exusiai alone probably could not liven things up, so he needed to go over more often.
But when he got there, he realized he had overthought it. Lin Yuxia got along well with the two of them, and they had even added one another on social media.
Most of Penguin Logistics's business in Lungmen involved transporting goods from Core City and Upper City down to Lower City. Between the former two, many customers transported goods themselves to save money. Only wealthy people who could not be bothered to make the trip used same-city express delivery.
Come to think of it, Shi Lei had never been to Core City. But since he lived in Lungmen, he would have chances in the future.
This meal had been incredibly enjoyable. The dishes were hardly exotic delicacies, but they tasted quite good. Hearing the cheers from next door growing louder and louder, he stood up and went to check. He found that the two cases of bottled beer they had ordered earlier had somehow already nearly run out.
This Hoshiguma Is Such a Lightweight
Shi Lei entered the private room next door and found Officer Hoshiguma already sprawled across the table. Her huge, six-foot-tall frame looked like a small hill.
Croissant reached out and nudged her. Seeing that Hoshiguma did not react at all, a smile appeared on her flushed cheeks:
"Haha, look at this Oni Clan officer. She got drunk after only eighteen bottles. What a lightweight."
Chen's expression darkened slightly when she heard that. With a pop, she opened a bottle of beer and lifted her chin:
"Oh? So you're saying you're pretty tough?"
Croissant's cheeks were slightly red, and it was uncertain whether she was fully conscious. But she often attended parties organized by Exusiai, so her alcohol tolerance was far beyond that of ordinary Dolans.
Relying on her slight drunkenness, Croissant raised her right thumb and pointed it at herself:
"Are you kidding? I'm super tough, okay? It's just beer. I'm amazing at drinking it."
Officer Hoshiguma lay across the table, barely able to open her eyes as she muttered:
"I... I can still drink... hic..."
Croissant laughed after hearing that. Then she looked up, spotted Shi Lei coming in, and waved him over:
"See? This officer is such a lightweight."
Though she knew it was a joke, it still stirred Chen's competitive spirit. She patted Croissant's thigh with her left hand and issued a challenge:
"Since you can drink so well, I'd like to see it for myself and find out who gives out first. You two each drank eighteen bottles, so I'll drink that many first as well. Then we'll go bottle for bottle. What do you say? Dare to compete?"
"Why wouldn't I dare?"
Shi Lei sat down and looked at the empty beer bottles all over the floor. As her colleague, he tried to persuade her kindly:
"If you can't drink anymore, then don't. The important thing about tonight's gathering is having fun, so don't force yourself."
Croissant pouted, feeling that he was looking down on her. The blush on her face deepened as she slapped her chest and declared:
"Don't worry, I'm fine. I can keep drinking. Waiter, bring another two cases of beer!"
Hearing the shout, a restaurant worker carried over two cases of beer. Chen wrapped her tail around a bottle, knocked off the cap with an empty-handed palm strike, then tilted her head back and chugged.
"Glug glug glug glug glug..."
Watching her down eighteen bottles in a row was like watching a talent show, making Shi Lei and Jiu clap and cheer.
"There. Your turn."
Croissant accepted the challenge and tilted her head back to chug a bottle. The two went back and forth, neither willing to yield. The lively atmosphere even drew Exusiai over from next door. She cheered them on from the side, more excited than if she were the one drinking.
In the end, after drinking her twelfth bottle, Croissant's eyes gradually became unfocused. Her head felt as though it had been filled with alcohol, accompanied by nausea and the urge to vomit:
"I'm not in good form today. I lost. We'll fight again another day. Officer Chen, you really can drink."
"Of course. I often attended gatherings as a child and started drinking early. This is only thirty bottles. It's nothing. Waiter, the bill!"
Jiu stood up on her own initiative and politely apologized to him:
"Mr. Shi, our budget was limited, so we couldn't treat you to a more upscale restaurant. Please forgive us."
Shi Lei did not mind at all. If they had not gotten into an argument, this dinner gathering might not even have happened today:
"No, no. It wasn't a big deal to begin with. The thought is what counts. Thank you for your hospitality."
Chen stood up, only to suddenly feel the world spin around her. She nearly lost her footing. She braced herself against the edge of the table with her right hand and waited for the surge of alcohol to pass.
The elite Guard Department officers present had no tact at all. It would have been one thing if they merely noticed, but they even pointed it out:
"Why do I feel like you're drunk?"
Chen raised her brows and shot the other person a glare.
"An illusion."
The server entered the private room and began calculating the bill. Shi Lei did not linger and got up to return next door.
Lin Yuxia's table had ordered quite a few dishes, all the restaurant's most expensive signature dishes, but they had not eaten much. They could pack them up later and bring them back to the Safe House, then store them in the refrigerator.
They could reheat them and make do for the next few days. Otherwise, eating pizza and apple pie every day would get tiresome quickly.
"Miss Lin, it's getting late. How about we call it here? Thank you for your hospitality today."
"No problem. Waiter, the bill!"
Once both private rooms had settled their bills, Shi Lei stood in the middle with four people on either side as they all walked out of the District 20 restaurant together.
"Mr. Shi, we'll be leaving first. On behalf of the colleagues from the Lungmen Guard Department who couldn't come, I once again offer our sincere thanks."
With that, Jiu and Chen said their goodbyes and left.
Hoshiguma and the elite Guard Department officers trailed behind them, maintaining a certain distance. Their steps did not sway from side to side at all, making them look nothing like they were drunk.
Texas and Exusiai supported the drunken Croissant from either side as they headed toward the car parked by the street. Texas suddenly looked back and offered him a ride:
"Want to come with us? I'll give you a lift."
It had taken more than ten minutes to drive here from Penguin Logistics. Walking back would probably take over half an hour.
Shi Lei had eaten too much tonight and wanted to take a walk after dinner to help digest, so he waved and declined:
"No need. Take Croissant back first. Drive slowly on the way and be careful. I'll walk back myself and sober up while I'm at it."
"Mm, okay."
Before you continue