Wasn't this just like her?
Texas had also come to Penguin Logistics to become an ordinary Messenger in order to sever ties with her past.
Though she performed brilliantly on missions, she had never truly shown her full strength.
Perhaps Shi Lei was like her. Everyone had memories they did not want to face and a past they did not wish to mention.
Such similar experiences made Texas empathize deeply. She understood all too well the feeling of drifting to a foreign place, wanting to change one's identity and live a different life.
"Of course."
Texas agreed readily. Looking at the man who trusted her so much, she did not mind saying a little more.
"The prerequisite is whether you think it'll be troublesome."
"No, no, Miss Texas. You agreeing to this is already a huge help. Also, not touching money is a personal belief of mine. Could you not tell anyone else? Let it be a little secret between us. Even though we haven't known each other long, I think you're very trustworthy."
He had handed over his wages directly. How could he not trust her?
The fact that he had specifically come to discuss this with her made Texas feel acknowledged by him. She immediately stood up and began counting the Lungmen Dollars on his desk.
Shi Lei scratched the back of his head somewhat sheepishly.
"Miss Texas, I said last month that I'd treat all of you to a meal, but this amount is honestly a little embarrassing. How about I buy some snacks for now, then make it up with a big meal after I get paid in January?"
"I don't really care about that."
As the two chatted, Exusiai returned from the restroom and heard a keyword from afar.
"A big meal? What big meal? Don't tell me you two were planning to throw another party behind my back? Spill it!"
Shi Lei laughed and explained.
"No, no. I'd only been officially hired for a few days, so I didn't get much pay this month. I was just saying I'd buy some snacks first and treat you all to a big meal next month."
Exusiai patted her wallet and raised her chin.
"Hey, you've only been here a few days. If anyone's treating, it should be us taking turns treating you. Come on, come on, it's almost noon. Lunch is on me today."
"I packed up quite a few dishes yesterday. It wouldn't be good to leave them in the fridge too long. How about we eat those for lunch first?"
At noon, the three clocked out together. They stood at the hallway entrance, chatting and laughing as they waited for the elevator.
Ding!
The elevator doors slowly opened, and Shi Lei spotted Officer Chen inside at once. Hoshiguma was not with her today. The moment she saw him, she got straight to the point.
"Mr. Shi, can I speak with you alone?"
Could This No Longer Be Kept Hidden?
"Mr. Shi, can I speak with you alone?"
Chen looked somewhat serious as she spoke. Exusiai mistakenly assumed Shi Lei had probably damaged some public property and looked as though she wanted to laugh but was forcing herself to hold it in.
Texas tilted her head and glanced over. She figured Officer Chen would not make things difficult for him, so she did not ask further.
"Sure."
Shi Lei nodded, then gave Texas and Exusiai an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, you two go down first. You can heat up the dishes. I'll come over once I'm done talking here."
"Okay. Hehe, come down soon."
After the elevator doors closed and slowly descended, Chen slightly raised her chin toward a camera in the corner.
"There's surveillance over there. Let's go somewhere else."
"Alright, follow me."
Shi Lei swiped his work badge to open the door and headed toward the northwest corner of the office area. The balcony there was in a surveillance blind spot.
The wind on the top floor was far colder than at ground level, whistling against their cheeks. A red ashtray sat beside the steps, containing only a few extinguished cigarette butts.
Chen valued efficiency and disliked beating around the bush. Once she confirmed there was no one else present, she blurted out.
"Mr. Shi, are you an Infected?"
On Terra, some people could use specific mediums to influence matter in the outside world.
Such mediums were usually Casting Units.
Casting Units received the caster's neural activity and released different forms of energy outward.
Their targets could range from a specific object to the basic particles that made up matter. Ultimately, the target material would produce an effect in accordance with the caster's will.
To enhance the effect, one needed a Casting Staff or Originium products. These products, born from the combination of Originium Arts theory and industrial applications, integrated complex energy conversion circuits to complete an entire casting process.
The Chi Xiao at Chen's waist, for instance, was a sword-shaped Casting Staff that made it easier for Originium Arts to take form.
And most Infected could use their infected organs to achieve the same effect as Originium products. They could construct energy circuits barehanded and release specific spells.
To create rocks out of thin air and smash people with them, one had to use Originium products or casting weapons. If someone cast barehanded, then that caster was most likely an Infected.
According to the Golden Hook Gang members' descriptions, Shi Lei had carried no weapon and completed the casting out of thin air. Even Sargon's High Tower Arcanists likely could not accomplish that.
Casting Units themselves were limited by the caster's range and could release different forms of energy only within a certain area. But releasing energy from the sky like Shi Lei and forming a falling meteorite was something that should have been impossible, no matter how astonishing his talent was.
It was precisely because of this that Chen gradually realized the gravity of the matter and hurried to Penguin Logistics.
She did not beat around the bush. The moment she arrived, she directly asked whether he was an Infected.
Shi Lei's expression turned strange, but he answered honestly.
"No. Where did you hear that? I just had a Comprehensive Medical Examination at a Rhine Lab branch a few days ago. There wasn't even a trace of Originium in my blood."
He was not Infected, nor did he use Originium products. Yet he had summoned a meteorite barehanded. It was simply too outrageous!
Having learned the truth, Chen could not hide her shock. Her expression remained grave as she warned him.
"Longmen Governor Wei Yenwu gave an order to the Special Inspectorate this morning, demanding an investigation into the meteorite that fell at the District 20 docks around six last night. I interrogated the Green Shrimp Gang's leader first. He said he only heard a loud boom and did not know what happened. Later, we traced it to the Golden Hook Gang. Their testimony confirmed that you were responsible."
From Officer Chen's words, it seemed that Longmen's upper officials had noticed him. If he had damaged the docks, he could simply compensate them at market price. They would not seize him and turn him into an Experimental Subject, would they?
But since she had put it that way, she surely had her reasons. Perhaps the upper officials were martial arts fanatics who liked challenging others to fights? Or perhaps they were paranoid and would view Rex Lapis's abilities as a threat?
No matter what, it never hurt to heed advice.
Officer Chen had sought him out privately because she did not want to make a big deal out of this. She wanted to turn a major matter into a minor one, and a minor one into nothing.
Rock Spine and Jade Shield alone were enough to deal with most problems. Once he advanced in rank in a few days, he could develop other functions. From now on, he would avoid using Planet Befall in Lungmen whenever possible. If he traveled elsewhere for work, he would decide based on the situation.
Before he could speak, Chen continued.
"Don't worry. I didn't come to hold you accountable today. I just wanted to remind you to be more restrained in the future. I'll report last night's incident as a natural disaster. As long as you don't do anything that harms Lungmen from now on, I can pretend nothing happened. You don't need to worry about those witnesses. I'll eliminate them during the upcoming cleanup operation."
Upon hearing her make her position clear and offer to cover for him, Shi Lei's eyes shifted as he naturally returned the favor.
"Uh... I don't even know how to thank you, Officer Chen. I owe you one. If you run into any trouble in the future, just say the word."
"There's no need. I'm not doing this for that. If you really want to thank me, then thank the kindness and courage you showed when you rushed into that fire to save people. I watched you go from a vagrant to becoming a Messenger for Penguin Logistics step by step. Lungmen is an inclusive city. As long as you haven't done evil, even an Infected can find a place to belong.
"To be honest, the Governor is my uncle. I can't really see through his thoughts, but I know handing you over to him may not be a good thing. In any case, last night's case ends here. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving first."
Seeing that Chen had come to warn him and truly was not seeking personal gain, Shi Lei was surprised and could not help but admire her sense of justice.
"Officer Chen, the promise I just made is a 'contract' I've established with you. This has nothing to do with personal feelings. It is about pursuing objective fairness. You don't need to use it right away, but if you ever truly need help, be sure to come find me."
She did not respond immediately. Instead, she stared at Shi Lei for several seconds before solemnly nodding.
"Alright. I hope that day never comes."
December 2nd, 2:10 P.M.
Lungmen Lower City, Lin Residence.
Though this was the brightest time of day, the Slums felt none of autumn's warmth.
The firewood in the fireplace crackled. The flames sometimes leapt energetically, sometimes dwindled low.
A gang member knocked on the door. After receiving permission, he pushed it open and entered. There was a clear temperature difference between indoors and outdoors. He bowed slightly and reported to the Old Man studying a painting.
"Boss, last night's incident in District 20 has been classified as a natural disaster. The case has been closed for now."
"Oh?"
When he had noticed the unusual sight in the sky last night, Lin Gerei had sent people to investigate District 20. The Lower City was not within his sphere of influence, but money could open the way. A meteorite falling from the sky was unprecedented in Lungmen.
Later, he hired an artist from the Slums to draw a portrait of the man based on witnesses' descriptions.
What puzzled Lin Gerei was why the Lungmen Guard Department had concealed something clearly man-made as a natural disaster.
Just as he was pondering this, Lin Yuxia passed by, preparing to head out. Her gaze swept over the portrait, and she suddenly stopped.
"Why do you have his portrait?"
Today's Hanging Picture.jpg
Talking Past Each Other
Lin Yuxia had already found Shi Lei, but she had not told her father any personal information about him.
Having learned from the previous incident where a maid had leaked information, she took precautions. When she sent someone to track him to Penguin Logistics, she used newcomers in the gang who wanted to rise through the ranks and prove themselves.
No matter what, Lin Yuxia was Lin Gerei's daughter. When a father and daughter had a conflict, those caught in the middle had the hardest time. So before employing them, she had made it very clear that anyone daring to play both sides would not meet a good end.
Even the Rat King would not be able to protect them. She said so!
Now that her father even had Shi Lei's portrait, if it was not one of her subordinates leaking information, there was only one other possibility.
"You had people watching me?"
Lin Gerei had no idea what relationship this man had with his daughter. But seeing her surprised expression, he quickly reacted. After dismissing his subordinates, he said.
"Could he be the person you've been looking for?"
Seeing her father still playing dumb at this point, Lin Yuxia crossed her arms, her tone carrying some resentment.
"Hmph, you knew and still asked?"
Lin Gerei leaned on his cane with his left hand while stroking his beard with his right.
He had never expected that the future son-in-law his daughter had kept hidden, refused to mention, and spent so much effort searching for would be the same man who had summoned a meteorite from the sky.
Good!
This was excellent!
Lin Gerei had a daughter late in life and doted on her greatly. Lin Yuxia had reached marriageable age, yet she had never found a suitable marriage partner.
As a father, he naturally hoped for an outstanding son-in-law. Someone who could always cherish her, care for her, and love her. After he retired, that man would also need enough strength to take over the Slums' immense underground power.
Yet throughout the entire Slums, there was not a single promising young man who met those requirements. Anyone with such ability would surely prefer to marry a wealthy young lady in Yan's interior.
Looking in the Upper City or Core City was not particularly realistic either. Most young men showed fear and disdain once they learned she was from the Lin family, making a good match difficult to arrange.
Originally, he had planned to wait until his daughter found someone she liked, then step in and break them apart. But judging from the situation now, there was no need to do that at all. If the two could marry, it would solve both of Lin Gerei's greatest concerns: his daughter's lifelong happiness and succession of his enterprise.
At that thought, he narrowed his eyes slightly, and a kind smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. His daughter had always been unwilling to share this with the family. Could it be that she had not yet managed to start a relationship with him? He spoke to confirm it.
"How are things between you and him now?"
Lin Yuxia felt utterly helpless, but there was no medicine for regret in this world. What else could she do now that the matter had been exposed?
Recalling the scene from that night, her brows furrowed slightly. She shook her head and sighed softly.
"Unfortunately, he rejected me."
That brat actually dared to reject my daughter!
Lin Gerei grumbled inwardly, but outwardly he acted as though he were considering things for his daughter's sake as he sought a solution.
"Tell me, what did he say? I'll help you analyze it and see whether there's a way to win him back."
Before you continue