Shi Lei unpacked the clothes and caught the faintly pungent smell of chemical dyes common in new garments.
He definitely could not wear them straight away; it would be bad for his skin. He needed to rinse the shirt and pants, then wash and air them out to disperse the lingering smell from the fabric.
He went downstairs to the Safe House and soaked the clothes
and pants in water, wrung them dry, then searched around the room. There were no hangers anywhere, so he simply hung them on the coat rack.
By the time Shi Lei took the elevator back to the top floor, Texas and Exusiai had already arrived.
"Morning."
"Morning."
While he was pouring himself some water, Texas took a pure black eye mask from a drawer and tossed it onto Exusiai's desk.
"Here. Your gift."
Almost all Sarkaz were affected by the halos above their heads, which seriously disrupted their sleep at night. This oversized, light-blocking eye mask delighted Exusiai.
"Wow, thanks, thanks."
When Shi Lei returned with his water, he saw it too. His gaze lingered for a moment before he asked,
"Exusiai, I don't know what to give you. Is there anything you want?"
Croissant had bought the motorcycle, beer, barbecue, and pizza. He had not spent a single Lungmen Dollar.
"Ah, no need. Your company last night was already the best gift."
As they spoke, Emperor emerged from the office.
Seeing his employees arrive only now, his expression darkened somewhat. With slightly comical steps, he walked over to Shi Lei and instructed him,
"Little Shi, there's a commission specifically asking for you. Meet at the Lungmen Guard Department building at five this afternoon. If you don't have anything else going on, you can clock out early now."
Clocking out just after starting work? This was way too great.
"Boss, who's the client?"
"If you shouldn't ask, don't ask. You'll know when you get there. Clock out. Today won't count as tardiness or leaving early."
Ever since Emperor learned of Shi Lei's outstanding performance in the cleanup operation, his attitude toward him had improved considerably. An employee who could bring profits to the company was a good employee.
Exusiai envied that treatment. She poked her head out from behind her desk and raised her hand with a grin.
"I was late today. Can you not dock my pay?"
Emperor looked a little annoyed, like a penguin that could screech at any moment.
"Hmph, you've got the nerve to ask. You've got more compensation lawsuits than anyone in this company. You want an exemption after being late? Impossible. Dock her pay! It must be docked!"
"Boss, I haven't been sued this month."
"Don't think you can fool me just because I spend all day recording songs. You haven't been sued because there's been no business this month."
Caught out, Exusiai stuck out her tongue mischievously. Since she was used to calling everyone by codenames, after Shi Lei took one, she was the only one who kept using it.
"Then can I go with Zhongli?"
"The client asked for him. What are you going along for? You're not allowed to go anywhere today. Stay at the company."
Emperor could not be bothered to argue with her. He still had a music demo to deliver to the studio, so he turned and left.
Seeing Exusiai seemingly in low spirits, Shi Lei was about to comfort her. To his surprise, she smiled brightly the next second and looked up at him.
"Aren't you getting off work? Why are you still here?"
He quickly tidied his desk and stood up.
"I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow."
Shi Lei clocked out and went to the Safe House for a two-hour nap. He had drunk a little too much last night, and his head still felt foggy.
At two in the afternoon, he headed to the public library and spent two and a half hours reading to earn Roleplay Value.
As he read more, Shi Lei developed a deeper understanding of Originium-related illness. Once he advanced to the Immortal Realm, perhaps he could combine the systems of two different worlds?
Right now, his roleplaying of Rex Lapis felt somewhat half-hearted. Whenever he encountered injustice, he would deal with it, but if he did not see it, he would not actively seek it out.
The Embarrassing System was unlike the roleplaying systems he had seen in other novels. It imposed a daily limit on Roleplay Value. No matter how convincingly he acted, he could only earn a maximum of ten Roleplay Value per day. This allowed Shi Lei to maintain his sense of self while learning to become someone as outstanding as Rex Lapis.
Wanting to roleplay this god, peerless throughout ancient and modern times and possessing the virtues of emperors from countless dynasties, at one hundred percent was nearly impossible.
He had known that damn well from the moment he bound the system.
How could you expect a young man in his twenties to imitate an old man who had lived for thousands of years? Even if he had watched the game's story and fully understood his life, he still could not do it.
Without having endured the passage of time and the washing of history, without traces of years flowing through one's heart, the gap was simply too great.
Shi Lei had spent over half a month reading books and had covered the geography of many countries. He knew Terra was not as safe as he had imagined; danger lurked everywhere. Perhaps Lungmen's public security was simply better, so he had not felt it yet.
Texas had said that they occasionally received commissions requiring business trips. If he had the chance to participate in the future, he could use work as an excuse to experience the scenery beyond Lungmen.
Leaving the library, he arrived at the Lungmen Guard Department building. It was 4:55 now, so he was not late.
Since he did not know who the client was and his boss had been mysteriously unwilling to tell him, Shi Lei stood alone beside the steps, silently watching the crowds come and go.
Before long, some Lungmen Guard Department employees recognized him. They came over to thank him and even asked for photos.
Shi Lei refused twice, but they would not leave. He could only cooperate and take pictures to send them on their way.
"Mister Zhongli, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, I would've lost this secure job."
"What do you mean?"
"Ah, you don't know. Some of the brothers who stormed District 21 that day were hit by Originium bombs before you arrived and contracted Originium-related illness. Half a month has passed now. Some resigned, some retired..."
Halfway through, the employee abruptly stopped. He looked behind Shi Lei with an ingratiating smile, then quickly left.
Before Shi Lei could turn around to check, a voice arrived first.
"I told you we would meet again."
So today's client was Miss Swire!
Shi Lei was not particularly surprised. The only people he knew at the Lungmen Guard Department were Swire, Chen, Hoshiguma, and Jiu. He was unfamiliar with everyone else.
"So what is tonight's assignment?"
Swire's eyes traveled up and down his body, a faint smile playing around her lips.
"No rush. First, we'll get you a new outfit. With the way you're dressed, you won't be able to enter a high-end venue."
It looked like tonight's job was close protection. This sort of work suited him perfectly.
Swire walked down the steps, her curls bouncing with the rise and fall of her movements, while her tiger tail swayed back and forth.
A driver had already opened the car door and waited before the Lungmen Guard Department building. Yet Swire did not get in first; instead, she had Shi Lei take a seat in the back of the luxury car.
Heh, quite a perky ass.
Kept by Someone
Shi Lei did not hesitate and directly got into the back seat.
The driver did not know his identity, but he quickly ran around to the other side and opened the door. Only after Swire got in did he return to the driver's seat.
"Missy, where are we going next?"
"Taigu Plaza."
"Yes."
The driver adjusted the rearview mirror, started the engine, and drove away from the Lungmen Guard Department building. Swire crossed her legs, and her 30D black stockings pressed into the flesh of her thighs.
"I originally planned to hire many security guards today, but with you alone, I can replace most of them."
Hearing her speak, Shi Lei turned his head toward her, maintaining the most basic social etiquette and distance.
"I'm honored by Miss Swire's favor, but I'm better at protection than offense. To handle all kinds of emergencies, you should hire more people."
"There will still be basic security personnel, so you needn't worry about that. Also, my full name is Beatrix Swire. You can call me by my codename as well. It's the shi from poetry—Swire."
Shi Lei gave a polite smile and nodded, without pursuing the conversation further. He was out working tonight, not making small talk and friends.
By the time they arrived at Taigu Plaza, it was already five thirty. Swire was clearly familiar with the place and led Shi Lei into an exquisitely decorated men's clothing store.
"This one, this one, and this one. Have him try them all."
"Yes, sir. The fitting room is this way."
The female clerk knew who Swire was, so her attitude was extremely warm. In this line of work, good judgment was the most important thing.
In high-end clothing stores like this, there were generally no clerks who looked down on customers like in novels. The price tags on the clothes alone were enough to discourage ordinary families. Even if they felt dissatisfied, they would not show it.
Shi Lei took three black suits into the fitting room and drew the blue curtain. When he saw the tags, he was stunned. Even the cheapest one cost 128,888 Lungmen Dollars.
The materials of such high-end goods were certainly impeccable. They felt comfortable and breathable. The extra price was usually brand markup, or a deliberately inflated figure intended for later discounts.
Trying them on was free anyway. After changing, he walked out of the fitting room and examined himself in the mirror.
"May I ask, are the clothes you're buying for me included in the payment for this commission, or..."
"No." Swire interrupted him. "This is my personal investment in you."
Shi Lei understood that she wanted him at her side to add some presence, but there really was no need.
"An investment? I'm afraid that wouldn't be appropriate. I can protect you just as well without standing beside you."
Swire shook her head, sent the two female clerks beside them to wait at the entrance, then spoke.
"I'm not only investing in you. I'm also buying another layer of insurance for myself. Sometimes, danger doesn't necessarily come from enemies. You understand what I mean?"
She had only returned to Lungmen this year, 1094. At first, she had not joined the Lungmen Guard Department, instead interning in her family's business, the Commercial Union.
Later, due to a conflict with the head of the Victoria branch, she had a huge argument during an internal meeting. She exposed the other party's scheme to drive a wedge between the Commercial Union and Lungmen for profit, but resigned from the company as a result.
The head of the Swire family, her grandfather Adams Swire, had been bedridden for many years. His prestige remained undiminished on the surface, but his control over those below had grown weaker and weaker.
The power struggles within the family were unfathomable. Relatives openly and secretly fought over profit. Who knew when they might drag her into it?
Swire was uncertain whether that day would come, but after learning that the shield he wielded could withstand flames, bullets, Arts attacks, and even Originium bombs and dust particles, she began to entertain the idea.
Using her allowance to add another layer of insurance to her future safety was a deal that could not lose, no matter how she looked at it. Even if what she anticipated never happened, she could simply consider it making a friend.
"Missy, I understand, but I can't accept this gift. It's too valuable."
Swire acted as though she had not heard him. She waved over a female clerk and instructed her,
"Put this suit on my tab."
After saying that, she turned back and asked for his opinion.
"Why don't you try the other two suits and see which one you like better? Or we can buy all three."
Just as Shi Lei was about to refuse, a notification appeared in his mind.
Based on the host's performance, 1 point of Roleplay Value has been obtained.
Current Roleplay Value: 152
All right, when his colleagues paid for meals before and it did not add Roleplay Value, it was because the unit price had been too low. Based on this ratio, one hundred thousand Lungmen Dollars converted into one point of Roleplay Value.
While he was distracted, Swire picked out two more pairs of black dress pants and stuffed them into his hands, grinning.
"Try these. See if you like them."
Shi Lei wanted to say something but stopped himself. Still, he entered the fitting room to try them on. He would have to buy them sooner or later anyway; buying them now or later made little difference.
After they finished shopping, they had bought two high-end suits, two pairs of high-end dress pants, two belts, and two pairs of leather shoes. His Roleplay Value had increased by 2 points, reaching 154.
Once the midnight settlement for being penniless added another 3 points, it would become 157 Roleplay Value. He would need around eight or nine days in total. At the latest, he could advance to the Immortal Realm by January 2nd.
Swire asked Shi Lei to take off his hat and mask, but he firmly refused. These two items were what kept him anonymous when he did good deeds in the future. How could he take them off?
She could not outstubborn him and could only give up. Watching Shi Lei carry the large and small shopping bags, she tilted her head and said:
Before you continue