Awakening Zhongli Template, Retiring on Terra

The three of them got into a car parked by the roadside and drove away from the scene. In an instant, only he and Lin Yuxia were left at the restaurant entrance.

Shi Lei turned around and stared at her bright eyes. Seeing that she had no intention of leaving, he asked, "Miss Lin, is there anything else?"

Lin Yuxia hadn't drunk much tonight and was completely sober. She tucked her pink hair behind her ear, feeling the hint of late autumn coolness in the breeze:

"Mr. Shi, there's no one else here now, so I'll be direct. With your abilities, you're capable of reaching a bigger stage. Are you interested in working for my family? The compensation would be absolutely generous."

Aha, just as I thought.

Shi Lei had found it strange before. Why would the daughter of a slum emperor specifically invite him to dinner in the upper city? On the surface, she claimed it was to repay a debt of gratitude, but he felt it was too forced, as if she had ulterior motives.

In contrast, Officer Chen Hui Jie, although also treating him to a meal, had a sincere attitude. It truly made Shi Lei feel like she was repaying a debt of gratitude, without any hidden agenda.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lin. I'm very satisfied with my current job and have no plans to change it for now."

"With your abilities, you'd have many opportunities to showcase them at our place, and you could earn a lot of money."

The polite smile on Shi Lei's face gradually disappeared. He couldn't agree with the notion that one should simply follow whoever offers the highest pay.

He really liked the atmosphere at Penguin Logistics, and a signed contract wouldn't be easily broken:

"Miss Lin, a person's life shouldn't be solely about pursuing money. There are many beautiful things in life. I should be going. Thank you again for your generous hospitality."

"Do you think the slums are beneath you? I promise, you'll see a completely different side of the slums."

Shi Lei gave a wry smile, his attitude still firm:

"A contract is a contract, and I have no intention of changing my allegiance. Alright, anything further would be impolite."

035 That Man

December 2nd, 7:50 AM.

After returning home last night, Chen Hui Jie fell asleep immediately.

When she heard the alarm, her body reacted almost instinctively, and she sprang out of bed.

"Ugh~"

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, feeling the lingering fatigue and numbness in her limbs from the previous night's drinking. She splashed cold water on her face, which helped to alleviate the feeling somewhat.

Since graduating from Victoria and returning to Lungmen, Chen Hui Jie had rarely gotten this drunk.

Her days were filled with work, leaving little time for personal pursuits beyond eating and sleeping.

Because of this dedication, coupled with certain reasons she was unwilling to admit, she had become the youngest head of the Special Inspectorate in Lungmen, earning renown in the police force.

Such achievements naturally bred jealousy among many. Chen Hui Jie was aware of it, but she didn't care.

Next to the full-length mirror was a clue board, displaying intelligence and newspaper clippings Chen Hui Jie had collected over the years. A heavily yellowed newspaper from 1087 reported the obituary of Duke Koschei. The rest were fragmented pieces of information, disconnected, but all pointing to the same person.

Talulah.

She looked at the clue board every day before leaving home, like a mirror, constantly reminding herself.

Chen Hui Jie bought breakfast on the street, ate it quickly, and headed to the Lungmen Guard Department's locker room to change into her uniform. She then went to the Special Inspectorate's team leader's office, brewed a cup of hot coffee to refresh herself and alleviate the gastrointestinal discomfort from the hangover.

The smooth liquid went down, bitter yet warm.

Chen Hui Jie quickly regained her composure, ignoring the slight headache, and fully immersed herself in her work.

"Knock knock."

"Come in."

A member of the Special Inspectorate pushed the door open, placed a document on the desk, and said politely, "Team Leader, this is the information the higher-ups requested we investigate. It's all compiled. Please review it."

"Alright, you can go."

After the team member left, Chen Hui Jie picked up the document while sipping her coffee. The document felt cool to the touch, likely printed beforehand.

The first page detailed the police response to an incident at the docks in District 20 around 6:30 PM last night. According to the report, the Lungmen Guard Department arrived at the scene quickly after receiving the call and arrested nearly a hundred members of the Green Shrimp Gang on the spot.

The second page explained the background and circumstances, stating that the arrest was made with the help of Penguin Logistics. Calculating the timing, this should have happened after Shi Lei left.

The Green Shrimp Gang members were detained and confessed to their crimes. They also implicated recent months' worth of robberies and disappearances, involving a large number of cases.

During her tenure at the Lungmen Guard Department, Chen Hui Jie advocated for the eradication of illegal activities within Lungmen and for combating violent and organized crime. Gangs that endangered Lungmen's public order like this must be severely punished!

The final page was issued by her uncle, Wei Yenwu, requesting an investigation into everything that happened at the docks in District 20 around 6:30 PM last night. However, there was no detailed description of what specifically needed to be investigated.

She held the document, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. Wei Yenwu resided in Core City and rarely issued such directives. Why was he specifically investigating an illegal organization this time?

It was difficult to fathom the thoughts of a superior.

If she assigned this to a subordinate, it would likely be a hot potato. It would be best for her to visit in person to understand the other party's true investigative needs. Even if there was a trap, it wouldn't implicate anyone else.

Chen Hui Jie reread the report but found nothing unusual. It mentioned that Croissant was robbed by the Green Shrimp Gang, asked a colleague for help, and together they knocked out the gang members and called the police.

The report also included clearance information, mentioning that what Croissant was transporting was a motorcycle. However, it wasn't contraband, and it didn't warrant dedicating significant manpower and resources.

What exactly does he want to investigate?

At 9 AM, Chen Hui Jie took a car to Core City. The scenery and amenities here were much better than in the upper city, a truly modern metropolis.

In her capacity as the leader of the Special Inspectorate, she requested a personal meeting with the Governor to report on her work. After her request was approved, she took the elevator to the reception room.

At this moment, Wei Yen Wu held a pipe in his right hand, took two puffs of the tobacco, and slowly exhaled a smoke ring.

Perhaps due to his ancient lineage, he exuded a suffocating aura of pressure just by sitting on the sofa without speaking.

Seeing his niece appear before him, Wei Yen Wu regarded her with an amused gaze:

"What matter requires a personal report?"

Chen Hui Jie, as if going through a routine, spoke very formally, not at all like a conversation between relatives:

"Governor, I have two matters to discuss with you today. First, I received a task this morning and want to know what exactly you intend to investigate. Without a clear direction, it will severely impact the efficiency of the Inspectorate. Second, there have been many illegal gang organizations appearing in the upper city recently. I hope you can issue an order so that I can have the departments cooperate in their suppression, bringing peace back to the people of Lungmen."

Wei Yen Wu took another puff, staring at his niece. He neither agreed nor refused.

The name Chen Hui Jie was deeply meaningful. "Hui" referred to noble light, and "Jie" meant clean. When the name was chosen, it was with the hope that she would become a noble and clean light in the future. Now, it seemed a bit too noble, like a sword without a sheath, its edge exposed.

Seeing Wei Yen Wu extend a finger, she understood immediately and handed over the documents she was holding. He took them and flipped through them for a moment but didn't find the content he was looking for.

Just as he was about to speak, his wife emerged from a side room:

"Oh? Little Chen, why are you here? It'll be noon soon, why don't you stay for lunch?"

Chen Hui Jie politely declined, citing official business:

"No need, I'm here on official duty. As long as the Governor approves, I'll leave immediately."

"You child."

Wenyue shook her head and glanced at her husband. The latter smiled, and the sternness on his face instantly vanished:

"Ahem, suppressing the illegal organizations in the upper city is indeed beneficial to the people of Lungmen. I will notify the various departments of the Lungmen Guard Department later to fully cooperate with your actions."

"Regarding the incident at the Pier 20 docks last night, what exactly does the Governor want to investigate?"

Wei Yen Wu turned his head to look at his wife, unsure if she would have any other reaction upon hearing about the meteorite.

Wenyue found him strange and raised an eyebrow:

"She's asking you a question, why are you looking at me?"

Wei Yen Wu grinned slightly, his smile awkward:

"At 6:30 last night, something fell from the sky onto the Pier 20 docks. Once you've clarified the specific reasons, report back to me."

During that time, the employees of Penguin Logistics were fighting with members of the Green Shrimp Gang. And the confession from the leader of the Green Shrimp Gang did mention a loud noise at the time.

Chen Hui Jie often dealt with messengers like Exusiai and Texas, so she was well aware of their capabilities. Could it be that man?

"Yes, Governor, your subordinate understands."

036 A Little Secret with Texas

December 2nd, 11:45 AM.

Shi Lei, as usual, went to the warehouse downstairs to gather the goods according to the inventory list. He prepared the music albums, posters, and merchandise issued by Emperor, waiting for the employees of Fengchi Logistics to pick them up.

After that, his morning was free. He could return to the office area to slack off and wait for lunch.

Yan, like his world before transmigration, celebrated Spring Festival in February. As the end of the year approached, fewer customers ordered online, so the workload wasn't as heavy.

Around 11:30 AM, the logistics manager, Isu, came to Shi Lei's workstation and placed a stack of Lungmen Dollars on his desk:

"This is your salary for last month, including commissions for regular deliveries. If you want to check the salary details, you can log in to the employee backend. Report any issues within three days; no exceptions."

"Okay, okay, thank you very much."

After watching Isu distribute the salaries and leave, Shi Lei stared at the Lungmen Dollars on his desk, troubled.

He had transmigrated to this world about a week ago. During that time, he had carefully read the system announcements and understood how to obtain and the rules for "Acting Value."

Participating in rescues or eliminating evil forces could earn 1 to 5 points of Acting Value. Embodying Zhongli's demeanor and tone could earn a reward at most once.

Maintaining a state of having no money for an entire day would earn 3 Acting Value the next day. This baseline Acting Value was Shi Lei's most stable source of income.

If he took the money now, those 3 points would be gone immediately.

If the Rex Lapis himself came to Lungmen, he wouldn't die from not eating, drinking, or sleeping. His monthly expenses could easily be reduced to zero. But Shi Lei couldn't do that; he was a living person, just with Zhongli's ability template.

For this reason, he had specifically learned about the financial system of this world. Online payment functions had not yet been introduced. Commercialized cities like Kazimierz already had credit cards, but in Lungmen, payment was still primarily in Lungmen Dollars, with Red Gold transactions as a secondary method.

Shi Lei had asked the system; there were no bugs to exploit.

Whether it was Lungmen Dollars, Red Gold, a bank card, or a credit card, carrying any of them would be considered having money. When the settlement was done at midnight, he would not be able to obtain the 3-point baseline Acting Value.

Since he couldn't take the money himself, he had to let someone else keep it for him. This way, whenever he needed to spend money, he could ask the client to handle the payment.

Considering the entire company, excluding Emperor, who would put their salary in the boss's pocket?

Miss Sora was also ruled out. She only visited the company occasionally, so the chances of running into her were slim. Isu, the head of logistics, was usually very busy and unlikely to help with something like this. Exusiai and Croissant lived paycheck to paycheck, often short on cash. If they were entrusted with the money, they'd likely spend it all.

After much thought, there was only one person in the entire company suitable for the task and willing to manage it.

Texas.

But how could he ask her for help without a good reason?

Shi Lei sat at his desk, pondering for a long time, when a flash of inspiration struck him with a solution.

Croissant had slipped away after clocking in that morning, and Exusiai had gone to the restroom. It was just the two of them there.

Shi Lei stood up, waved, and offered Texas a polite smile as he asked:

"Can I discuss something with you?"

Texas, who was playing on her phone, raised an eyebrow at his words and replied, as concise as ever:

"Speak."

"It's like this, there's a religion I follow in my hometown that views money as the root of all evil. Touching it causes us to become entangled in karma, affecting our spiritual cultivation in the mortal world. So, I wanted to boldly ask if you could keep my money for me from now on? Of course, I won't have you work for free. You can take 20% of the deposit as a management fee."

Shi Lei couldn't change the system's rules, so he proposed this workaround. Using a new contract to solve the problems of an old one was a viable plan.

Texas had never heard of a religion that forbade touching money. In her experience, both religious organizations and criminal gangs would go to any lengths to amass wealth.

But the world of Terra was vast and full of wonders. Especially in some remote areas, such beliefs that seemed bizarre to normal people might genuinely exist.

Last night at the Pier 20 docks, only Texas had seen Shi Lei single-handedly drive away the reinforcements from the Green Shrimp Gang. He had repelled over two hundred people with just one move, causing such a commotion. It was evident how profound his cultivation was.

Someone who was clearly powerful but deliberately hid their strength and never spoke of their past.