Awakened Zhongli Template, Terra Retirement

The Emperor turned his head to check, then proactively handed over the documents:

"I happen to have a piece of intel here meant for the Guard Department. After you read it, just pass it along to Jiu. As for the explosion, I'll have them investigate thoroughly before telling you."

"Alright, no problem. Leave it to me."

Once Officer Chen took the intel documents, the Emperor clasped his hands behind his back and walked away with a slightly comical gait. Texas followed close behind, hurrying off.

In an instant, only Shi Lei remained on the plaza as a Penguin Logistics employee. He hadn't forgotten her kindness of a meal, so he took the initiative to wave and greet her:

"Hey, Officer Chen. How's it going?"

Chen was already buried in the intel, but at the sound of his voice, she paused her movements and sized up the man before her:

"It's you. What are you doing here?"

Shi Lei's left hand hovered in the air for a moment, then stopped, and he pointed back toward the warehouse behind him:

"I just found a job here, but I'm still on probation. I won't be officially hired until three days from now."

Officer Chen's gaze at him turned rather subtle when she heard that:

"You work at Penguin Logistics?"

Shi Lei hadn't yet realized how this company differed from other logistics firms, so he answered honestly:

"Yeah."

This locally renowned logistics company had several troublemakers who gave the entire Guard Department a massive headache. She seemed about to say something, then held back, ultimately restraining herself:

"Mm. As long as you have a job, that's what matters... Anyway, do your best. We have matters to discuss, so I'll take my leave."

With that, Officer Chen led the oni-horned police officer to a corner of the plaza flanked by two walls. That spot offered a wide field of view, with no risk of unrelated people sneaking close to eavesdrop.

Shi Lei could tell there was more to her words, but he couldn't figure out why she had that attitude toward Penguin Logistics. Wasn't the company a partner of the Guard Department? Why did she have to say half and leave half, like some riddle-spouting weirdo?

Sunlight broke through the clouds' obstruction, shining down on the two policewomen's smooth, fair legs—truly dazzling and eye-catching.

Shi Lei turned to head back to the warehouse to find Exusiai, but he hadn't taken a few steps before he noticed the oni-horned police officer and Officer Chen seemed to be arguing. His curiosity was instantly piqued.

As expected, it probably had to do with that list. But why would they be arguing over that?

Unfortunately, they were too far away for him to hear what they were saying. There was no other cover on the plaza, so just walking straight over would be far too blatant.

From the title of the intel file, the information Shi Lei could glean was quite limited. With words like "stronghold," "mole," and "informant," plus Officer Chen's mention of illegal immigrant infected, he inferred that the Lungmen Guard Department had likely planted some moles among the infected and bought off a few informants. They wanted to find the strongholds of the illegal immigrant infected, wipe them all out in one fell swoop, and protect Lungmen's public order.

To be honest, Shi Lei even felt like helping out.

If every infected person could explode, then uncontrollable infected were essentially terrorists carrying human bombs—a major threat that had to be eliminated.

So, were the two of them arguing because they couldn't unify their plans?

Seeing Officer Chen and the oni-horned officer leave one after another, Shi Lei quickly jogged over to the spot where they'd been standing.

In the world of Genshin, stones had memories. Special stones could even act like cameras, replaying scenes from a while ago and providing key clues.

But this was Terra, not Teyvat. Though he possessed the abilities of Rex Lapis, he didn't know if he could communicate with stones. Deciding to give it a try, he reached out and touched the ground where the two women had stood.

Driven by strong intent, Shi Lei actually managed to hear the content of the two policewomen's conversation. The sound was like someone recording from the ground, not very loud.

By the second listen, the audio quality had degraded significantly, proving that stones only retained sound for a limited time. But he'd already grasped the gist of what they'd talked about.

At ten o'clock tonight, Officer Chen would lead the Special Operations Team to District 25 in Lungmen Lower City to carry out a purge operation against the illegal immigrant infected. The oni-horned police officer, named Hoshiguma, said tonight would be extremely dangerous and wanted to join the operation. But Officer Chen refused, saying the leadership had already selected the roster, and they ended up parting on bad terms.

Shi Lei narrowed his eyes, lost in thought. Whether out of personal will or to play the role of Rex Lapis, he had to make a trip to the Lower City tonight.

Officer Chen was such a good person; it would be a shame if she died in the line of duty. Besides, Penguin Logistics had business dealings with the Guard Department—ignoring it would be hard to justify.

His combat strength wasn't strong, but his protective abilities were top-notch. Best case, Officer Chen wouldn't run into danger. If something did happen, Shi Lei could still protect her from a distance remotely. Consider it repaying the favor of a meal, and then they'd owe each other nothing. As for the other officers, he'd save whoever he could without putting himself at risk.

005 Party Animal Exusiai

Not long after, Exusiai poked her head out from the edge of the No. 2 warehouse door. After confirming that Officer Chen Huijie and Officer Hoshiguma had left, she finally stepped out.

She often got ambushed during deliveries, and damaging public property was a regular occurrence. Avoiding the Guard Department just now wasn't out of fear—it was more of a tactical retreat.

Exusiai knew she was wrong, but she'd do it again next time.

Her monthly performance bonus was almost completely docked already. If they took any more, she'd have to borrow money from Texas just to get by. She didn't mind the deductions—at least let her get her salary first before taking them.

Seeing Shi Lei squatting alone in a corner of the plaza, Exusiai found it a bit odd and walked over to call out:

"What are you squatting there for? Find some money? Come on, I'll take you to get some baked apple pie."

"Coming, coming."

Shi Lei stood up and followed her back into the building.

But this time, Exusiai didn't take the elevator. Instead, she led him to the basement level. She swiped her work badge at the door lock, then flicked the light switch with a click:

"This is the company's safe house. Everyone usually rests or throws parties here. Besides this, there are several safe houses around Lungmen City. Once you become a messenger later, I'll take you to check them all out."

A logistics company having its own dedicated safe houses—no matter how he thought about it, it felt off. Considering the company also had bodyguard services, Shi Lei didn't say much.

In the center of the wall was a large Penguin Logistics company logo. Aside from the hanging fluorescent ceiling lights, there was also a high-power floor lamp in the northwest corner that seemed to be used for lighting. Combined with Exusiai's...

Introduction: this thing might be a lighting device used to set the mood at a party.

The west side is partitioned off by a sliding door, with soft red sofas inside. The hall has a fridge, a wine cabinet, a snack rack, and an old-fashioned record player in the northeast corner.

Exusiai took ingredients from the fridge, prepped them simply, and slid them into the oven. After repeated experiments, she'd mastered the exact baking time for the perfect texture.

Once the timer was set, Exusiai hopped onto the table, sat down, and tilted her head to say:

"Texas has to deal with some gang stuff—probably won't be back for a while. To celebrate you joining Penguin Logistics, how about we throw a party tonight?"

Shi Lei had things to do outside, so he had to politely decline: "Thanks for the Good Intentions, but I'm still on probation. It's only three days anyway—we can celebrate after I'm confirmed. Plus, I need to head back tonight to pack up my old stuff."

"Oh, that's how it is. Alright then."

Hearing the party was off, Exusiai looked like all her joy had been drained away, disappointment plain on her face.

She was absolutely obsessed with throwing parties—fanatical, even. Like a fish out of water; she couldn't live without one.

"What, you bored? Is it really okay to let Texas handle some gang stuff all by herself? Maybe you should go help her?"

Exusiai shook her head at that and explained: "You probably don't know this, but Texas is the daughter of some gang Leader. I don't know the details—she's only hinted at a bit—but she knows her way around gangs."

"Oh? That impressive? Which gang is she from, and how big is it?"

"Hey, curious, aren't you? But she doesn't like talking about it, so you'd better not pry unless you have to."

Everyone had their secrets, Exusiai included. She knew Shi Lei's Originium Arts were tied to rock, but she'd never asked.

Based on the two clues—'daughter of a gang Leader' and 'doesn't want to talk about the past'—Shi Lei pieced together a mental image: a rebellious Eldest Daughter who'd left home to prove herself, refusing to follow her father's plans.

"By the way, the Boss said room and board are covered. If you don't mind me asking, where do I sleep tonight?"

Exusiai pointed toward the room behind the Safe House's partition wall, her tone a bit uncertain: "Maybe in there? Or you could ask the Boss later. He never set up employee dorms for us—we all rent our own places. You'll probably be like Isu, sleeping at the office or the Safe House."

"Isu? Who's that?"

Mentioning a coworker, Exusiai shifted her position: "He handles a ton of stuff—busiest employee in the company. Business negotiations, attending parties, intelligence gathering, network security maintenance, even weapon upkeep—it's all Isu's job. When you get your employee badge after probation, I'll take you to meet him."

They chatted for a while until the oven beeped. Exusiai hopped off the table, put on oven mitts, and pulled out a fresh apple pie, plating it and bringing it over: "Come try it—this is my 'Burning with Passion' apple pie."

Fresh out of the oven, the pie was scorching hot. Shi Lei couldn't handle that kind of passion just yet. He took it with an empty plate and waited for it to cool before eating.

After lunch, Exusiai got a call from the Emperor. Probably a new delivery job. She left Shi Lei in the Safe House with a map and went out alone.

Shi Lei was happy for the peace and quiet. It was the perfect private spot to test Rex Lapis's abilities, so he wouldn't make any stupid mistakes during the night's operation.

The maximum release distance for Rock Spine was about 50 meters. Each use applied a Jade Shield to targets within a certain range, lasting 20 seconds. But Shi Lei had no cooldown on his skills—as long as he timed it right, he could keep the shield up constantly.

The upper limit for Rock Spine was two pillars, also lasting 20 seconds. But if two were already out, releasing it again would only shield himself and those nearby.

In principle, the Jade Shield could absorb all physical and Originium Arts damage. Reapplying it refreshed the shield's value. Shi Lei couldn't find any guns or knives in the Safe House to test the exact Upper Limit.

But one thing was certain—it was tough enough!

Year 1094, November 27, 9:56 p.m.

Lungmen, Lower City, District 24 Main Road.

If Lungmen's Upper City was the optimal resource layout designed for the rich, then the Lower City was a jumble of cramped residential blocks stacked for survival.

At some point, Districts 22 through 29 of Lungmen's Lower City had come to be called the Slums. If too many elite Guardsmen were involved in tonight's operation, they'd have to pick a suitable entry point on District 24's main road.

Shi Lei had come early to scout the area, choosing a spot with a good view. He folded the map to cover half his face, silently observing his surroundings.

He was flat broke—no money for a mask. And wearing one in the Slums would stick out like a sore thumb. His gaze drifted back and forth with the dim Lights.

District 24's main road was one of the few wide stretches in this cramped Slum. Vendors lined both sides, their noisy clamor carrying far and wide.

The barbecue stall owner was slick with grease, and crowds of people passed through the thick smoke. The air was heavy with oily smells—unhygienic, but delicious.

Long streets and narrow alleys—together, they were the glow of life; apart, they were the world itself.

As five cars marked with the Lungmen Guard Department emblem came into view from south to north, Shi Lei's eyes narrowed into slits. He sucked the cold air into his lungs, then slowly exhaled. The noise on the main road continued unchanged. He shoved his hands in his pockets and quickened his pace to follow.

006 Little Mouse here needs your help.

The dim streetlights flickered now and then, making Shi Lei, who hadn't slept well last night, feel drowsy. But the harsh stench of fish and the complex mix of foul odors quickly snapped him back to reality.

The five cars stopped about a hundred meters away, and over a dozen fully armed elite Guardsmen got out. Once they'd all slipped into the alley, the drivers sped off.

Such blatant behavior was nearly impossible to hide in plain sight. If even one infected accomplice tipped anyone off, this squad would be walking into a trap.

Shi Lei didn't know who was commanding tonight's operation. He just hoped they'd finish fast and avoid any trouble.

He feigned passing by the alley entrance, stealing a glance from the corner of his eye. No one was stationed inside—likely all had already Swiftly headed to District 25—so he doubled back and delved deeper.

The narrower and more cramped the terrain, the more it favored Shi Lei. Tight alleys meant he could seal off the path completely with just two Rock Spines, serving the tactical roles of protection and enemy obstruction.

He crept forward, keeping his steps low, but found no civilians in sight along the way. Given the Lungmen Guard Department's prestige in Lungmen, the best explanation might be that common folk steer clear of officials.

When Shi Lei reached the fork, he crouched down and lightly pressed his palm to the ground, picking up faint, continuous Footsteps. Based on the approximate direction of the sound, he quietly tailed the rear of the formation.

Gradually, something felt off. According to the map, he should have entered District 25 by now, yet Shi Lei had followed the whole way without spotting any sign of a fight with the infected.

The road was too quiet—eerily so.

The Lungmen Guard Department's elite, sharp as bayonets, had charged into District 25, presumably to crush all illegal infected with Thunderous Means. Yet here they were, still unable to find their target?

It felt like stepping into a pre-set ambush, giving him a suffocating sense of a trap slowly tightening.

"Ahhhh, murder!"

The scream cut off abruptly, but it rang out sharply in the night. Accompanied by continuous gunfire and the shatter of glass some forty or fifty meters ahead, battle erupted in an instant.

Soon, civilians unwilling to wait for death at home fled with their families, bursting through doors. Since they had nothing valuable inside, running out to save their skins was clearly the priority.

"Murder! Run!"

Someone took the lead, triggering a chain reaction. Near the engagement point, many residents fled, gradually merging into a human tide surging toward the main road of District 24.

Shi Lei's movement was blocked, so he could only cover half his face with a folded map and stand still with his back to the wall. After the fleeing civilians passed, he continued his search.

At the engagement point, aside from a few bodies lying in pools of blood, there was no sign of the Guard Department's elite. As expected, they must have Swiftly moved on to the next infected stronghold.

To let the fleeing civilians go first, Shi Lei had lost some time. Now, crouching down and pressing his hand to the earth, he could no longer discern the direction Officer Chen and the others had taken.

He had lost the trail.