Awakened Zhongli Template, Retiring in Terra — Chapter 33

"I haven't got anything to wear lately. Come on, keep me company while I pick out an outfit for tonight."

"An outfit? Is there some event tonight?"

Swire stopped in her tracks and looked him over strangely.

"Tonight is Christmas Eve. You didn't know?"

"Oh. Then tomorrow is Christmas?"

Swire felt like he was messing with her. She clenched her tiger fists, badly wanting to give Shi Lei a couple of solid punches. But remembering that she might not be able to break through his shield, she withdrew her hand resentfully.

This world had Christmas Eve and Christmas too?

Shi Lei remembered that Terra didn't have Jesus, so who exactly were they celebrating Christmas for?

When Swire entered a women's clothing store, he obediently stood outside and waited.

When it came to picking clothes, naturally, whoever paid got the final say. If you weren't paying, then don't point fingers.

More than twenty minutes later, Swire finished choosing and had the purchases put on her account at the counter. When she came out, she gave off a completely refreshed, stunning impression.

Her red-and-black qipao fell just to her thighs, while a dark blue wide-sleeved robe lent her an air of nobility. Her thigh ring had been removed, replaced by black stockings with plaid trim. A handbag, red on the sides and plaid on the front, hung from her shoulder, matching both the qipao and the stockings perfectly.

"Well? Pretty, right?"

Swire looked pleased with herself and deliberately spun around in front of Shi Lei. Only after showing herself off did she pick up her handbag and leave.

"Come on. We should head to the venue after getting something to eat. Is there anything you can't eat?"

Shi Lei could stay silent about other questions, but not this one.

"I don't eat seafood."

Plain and Unadorned

Swire didn't pull any tricks during the meal. Afterward, she touched up her makeup and brought him to the new product launch venue. Although everyone wore black suits and black trousers, the quality of Shi Lei's outfit immediately set him apart from the other bodyguards.

A huge crowd of Lungmen citizens had already gathered beneath the broad red stage. They weren't die-hard fans of the product; they had come for the red envelopes promised by the organizers.

The bodyguards on site were highly professional, occupying every elevated position suitable for shooting. Aside from surprise attacks by people hidden among the crowd, which were impossible to fully guard against, they had accounted for everything else.

Shi Lei's task was to protect Swire. If anyone else ran into trouble, he could lend a hand as well.

In a commercial center with massive foot traffic like Taigu Plaza, it was unlikely that a large number of assassins could flood in. That would provoke the Lungmen Guard Department's wrath and inevitably lead to another purge.

"Welcome, honored guests..."

Ignoring the host's passionate promotional speech, Shi Lei considered the situation from a criminal's perspective.

Swire had once pointed out that danger did not necessarily come from enemies. She seemed to know the inside story, but she hadn't said it outright.

Based on that clue, he concluded that whoever wanted to cause trouble behind the scenes might be a member of the Schwayer family.

If they truly wanted to assassinate Miss Swire, they shouldn't strike when security was at its tightest. They should wait for a more relaxed moment, when the chances of success would be higher.

In other words, interrupting or sabotaging tonight's new product launch to give Miss Swire a small warning was likely the mastermind's true goal.

Once Shi Lei had identified the target, he could think of countless methods through divergent thinking. Collapsing the stage, bribing the host, physically cutting off the power—any of those could accomplish the goal.

Matters of interpersonal intrigue were not his responsibility.

Before Miss Swire went onstage, Shi Lei quickly stopped a bodyguard and asked, "Has beneath the stage been checked?"

"It's been checked. No explosives."

"What about the electrical box?"

"No. But the electrical box is in the alley over there. If anyone dared to smash it, we'd definitely hear it."

Shi Lei asked several questions in succession, and the other party had arrangements in place for every one of them. It was no wonder they were a professional team.

This product launch was aimed at the general public, and very few media outlets had been invited. Only when it reached eight o'clock was Miss Swire asked to go onstage and hand out red envelopes. Judging by the host's lingering enthusiasm, he could probably keep talking for several more hours.

The bodyguards opened the red envelopes prepared for distribution and performed one final inspection to make sure nothing had been overlooked.

Swire knew exactly why everyone had waited here on Christmas Eve. After saying only a few words onstage, she began scattering red envelopes, drawing wave after wave of cheers.

Red envelopes drifted through the air like falling snow, forming a unique spectacle.

Just as everyone scrambled for the red envelopes, the lights suddenly went out. Shi Lei immediately deployed the Jade Shield and had the other bodyguards escort Miss Swire off the stage.

Following the faint remaining light, he ran toward the electrical box. In real-world commercial competition, the most plain and unadorned methods were often used. Things like leading people to snatch a company seal, having a Security Guard cut network cables, or shutting off the power on a timer—Shi Lei had heard plenty of such stories before his transmigration, and he was no longer surprised by them.

But the alley was pitch-black now, and there was no sign of anyone.

He refreshed his shield, then ran to the electrical box. Crouching down, he placed one hand on the ground and tried to listen.

Tap tap tap, clink.

Rapid Footsteps were followed by the sound of keys falling to the ground. Shi Lei switched on his phone's flashlight and quickly found a key in a puddle on the ground.

He didn't do it himself. Instead, he had the accompanying bodyguard pick it up and unlock the box. With a click, the electrical box opened. With such irrefutable evidence, finding the mastermind would no longer be difficult.

Shi Lei had not forgotten his duty. He quickly returned to his employer's side to refresh her shield and reported his discovery.

"The Murderer who damaged the electrical box was likely an electrician. He had the key to the distribution box and knew what he was doing. Follow that lead, and you should be able to find whoever's behind this."

"Alright, I understand."

Strangely, Swire did not seem particularly invested in the matter. It was as though she already knew who was behind it, but simply could not be bothered to expose them or pursue the matter further.

Seeing his employer's attitude, Shi Lei was happy to take it easy. From then on, he honestly played the role of bodyguard and stopped butting in.

The sudden blackout did not affect the evening's event much. Countless citizens still crouched on the ground, eyes wide as they searched for the red envelopes scattered across the floor.

After confirming that the electrical box could not be repaired anytime soon, the organizers simply ran a cable from across the street to reactivate the lights, allowing the product launch to continue as normal.

Swire stepped down after handing out the red envelopes, without lingering onstage. However, her expression was grim now, carrying the severe look of someone nobody wanted to provoke.

After a long while, once she was certain no further incidents would occur, Swire tilted her head and instructed him:

"Mister Zhongli, you can clock out and go home now. Just send the fare receipt to the Lungmen Guard Department tomorrow."

Seeing her turn and leave, Shi Lei felt as though she was headed off to settle accounts with the mastermind. He hesitated for a moment before ultimately hurrying after her.

"Miss Swire, how about I come with you? Better safe than sorry."

Swire stopped and turned at his words. Her tiger eyes shone brightly, exuding an inexplicable pressure.

"No need. He wouldn't dare do anything to me. He only resorts to these petty tricks behind my back."

"Just think of it as taking me sightseeing. I won't charge you."

Otherwise, he might leave only for his employer to get into trouble because of a conflict. That would violate the "contract."

Seeing how insistent he was, she did not try to dissuade him further. She pressed her lips together in a meaningful smile and headed for Commercial Union's headquarters in Lungmen.

With something like sabotaging an electrical box, even if they caught the Murderer, he would not reveal the mastermind. Without evidence, there was nothing they could do to anyone. But Beatrix would not stand for this crap. If you dared to Cause Trouble, she would strike back without hesitation.

United Commercial held a pivotal position in Lungmen's economy, and its headquarters towered far above Penguin Logistics' building. Swire took the elevator to the twenty-third floor and pushed straight into one of the offices.

A middle-aged tiger-eared man in his forties sat in a leather chair, holding a conference call. He was briefly stunned to see her, then immediately asked with a false smile:

"Who allowed you to come in? Get out!"

The two bodyguards standing by in the room rose at his command and immediately stepped forward, intending to drive her out through Physical Means.

Seeing this, Shi Lei put a Jade Shield around himself and stood expressionlessly before the two men. His meaning was clear: if they wanted to throw her out, they would have to get past him first.

The bodyguards did not take him seriously at all. Only after shoving him did they realize something was wrong. Their force vanished like mud sinking into the sea, having no effect whatsoever, forcing them to use all their strength. Yet the result remained the same. He did not move an inch.

"Urgh..."

Shi Lei calmly watched the two burly men, their faces flushed red from exertion, as though he were looking at infants.

The tiger-eared man sensed that something was off and frowned.

"Niece, what are you trying to do?"

Smack.

Beatrix slammed a palm onto the desk. "I know you don't like the sight of me, but everyone has their limits. Pull any more underhanded tricks, and don't blame me for getting nasty!"

The Storm Approaches

Shi Lei had only ever seen infighting within great families on television before. He had never expected to personally witness it today as a bystander.

The tiger-eared man was still in the conference call. Being shouted at and warned by his niece made him feel humiliated, and his expression turned awful.

"Y-You, what do you mean?"

Beatrix was not afraid of this middle-aged elder from a branch family. In terms of influence and backing, she had no reason to fear him.

"Don't think I don't know you've always had your eye on those plots of land at Taigu Plaza. Let me tell you: no chance! And stop playing dumb with me. If there's a next time, I'll throw the evidence I've collected straight onto the table at the family meeting."

Having said that, she did not waste any more words. She waved for Shi Lei to follow her out. Once they left United Commercial's headquarters building, the bodyguard team from earlier came to pick her up. His commission for the other party was officially complete.

Thankfully, there had been no explosion today. As a bodyguard, he naturally hoped nothing happened. But if there was a Roleplay Value bonus involved, then pretend he had not said that.

Shi Lei hailed a taxi by the roadside. As soon as he got in, he directly stated that he had no money on him.

"You can write up a receipt for the cab fare. Go to the Lungmen Guard Department tomorrow and get Officer Suiya to reimburse you."

The driver examined him through the rearview mirror for a moment. His clothes did not make him look like someone who could not afford a fare, so he agreed.

"No problem. Where are you headed, sir?"

Seeing that he really could pay on credit, Shi Lei even considered having future bills sent to Penguin Logistics.

After all, he could not have money in his account, or it would ruin his penniless status. He would hand all his wages over to Texas, who could pay for him from now on.

At this hour, his coworkers had long since gone home. As for a holiday like Christmas Eve, it had nothing to do with Shi Lei. He had never been interested in these foreign holidays.

"This is absolutely outrageous!"

After Beatrix left, the tiger-eared man quickly ended the conference call. Yet it felt as though something invisible was lodged in his chest, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

"Damn it, damn it all!"

The two bodyguards were the tiger-eared man's trusted confidants, which was why they had been allowed to remain in the room. Seeing this, they tried to persuade him:

"Boss, don't act rashly. Calm down."

"Yeah. Even if you don't do it for her father's sake, you should at least consider the CEO's dignity."

"Hmph, what dignity does the CEO have? He's an old bastard who's been paralyzed in bed for years and still throws his weight around. Look at him giving orders now—does anyone even listen?

I didn't kill her because I didn't want outsiders saying I was bullying a weak woman. Tch, why didn't I think to talk back then? Even if I couldn't win an argument, I could've at least taken it out on the bodyguard beside her. What a loss. Such a damn loss!"

The tiger-eared man replayed the incident in his mind afterward, growing angrier the more he thought about it.

"Boss, that man's got some skills. The two of us pulled and dragged with all our strength, but we couldn't move him at all."

"Quit spouting bullshit. Go find out whether that man belongs to the company's bodyguard team. If I don't find someone to vent on, this anger won't go away. I'll make everyone understand that crossing me ends badly!"

The bodyguards did not try to dissuade him again and made some calls to inquire. After several minutes of back-to-back calls, they ended the communication.

"Boss, that bodyguard works for a Logistics Company. Apparently, Miss Beatrix bought him several hundred thousand worth of clothes today without even batting an eye."

The tiger-eared man sneered disdainfully and ordered:

"Tch, if he's Beatrix's kept pretty boy, then I should teach him a lesson even more! Tomorrow, pay a deposit anonymously and arrange for him to go to some remote area in the Lower City. The Lungmen Guard Department doesn't bother with places that rundown. If you think you can't beat him, call all several hundred of your men. Give him a proper lesson."

"That might not be a good idea, boss. What if—"

The tiger-eared man cut him off without the slightest courtesy.

"What the fuck do you mean, 'what if'? If I don't see some blood, this fire in my gut won't go out. Understand? As long as we insist we have a personal grudge against him, it won't matter even if Beatrix brings it to the family council. And if you lose, don't come back and embarrass yourselves."

December 25, 9:00 a.m.