Chapter 350

Could it be that...

Do strong people really attract each other?

July 20th, 6:28 AM

Shi Lei out of Liyue City, carrying a box of souvenirs back to the familiar skies above Lungmen.

It's been a long time.

Going to Kazimierz to buy goods, taking on a commission that took almost half a month to complete—that was work. Coming back to slack off, drink, and party—that's real life.

When Shi Lei landed, none of the three warehouses were open.

It's summer vacation for Lisa right now, so she doesn't need to get up so early. The six Sarkaz mercenaries who had switched careers to become chefs have all resigned and gone to Liyue City.

Golden sunlight streamed onto the warehouse, creating a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

"Splash!"

The roller shutter door of Warehouse One opened.

Mudrock doesn't usually wear makeup. After a quick wash, she prepared to go to the market to buy some fresh vegetables.

Upon seeing the masks of different materials, she paused for a moment, stunned. Only after confirming it was the owner did Mudrock's lips curl into a smile as vibrant as a summer flower.

"Sir, how long did it take you to get back?"

He removed the mask with a wave of his hand and explained:

"Just arrived. The sun's nice, so I'll stand here for a bit. Oh, going out to buy groceries?"

"Ah, yes..."

Mudrock smiled and responded, her hands nervously trembling, unsure what to do. After a moment, she slowly raised her head to meet her owner's gaze and asked happily:

"My lord, what would you like to eat?"

Although Shi Lei has no need to eat, Mudrock Yan, who is a disciple of Lee, makes truly delicious hearty dishes:

"I'm not picky, as long as it's something you can do. I took on a job that took almost half a month to complete, and I really miss your and Texas's skills."

"Hehe, I'm glad you like it."

Although hearing the names of other women made Mudrock slightly displeased, happiness still took over her mind, making her smile.

"Then I'll cook a few more dishes for lunch, so you must eat a lot!"

"Hehe, okay. Go ahead and do your grocery shopping. I'll go inside and rest for a bit, then I'll come out again at noon."

"Um!"

Seeing Mudrock leave with cheerful steps, Shi Lei created a key to open the roller shutter door of Warehouse No. 2.

"Splash~"

Shi Lei entered the warehouse's main hall and casually pulled down the roller shutter door, but did not lock it.

After finishing these tasks, he prepared to go back to his bedroom to read.

But then they saw Texas, still half asleep, walking out in her pajamas.

Huh?

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Seeing her appear in Warehouse No. 2, Shi Lei looked puzzled and asked:

"How could you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Texas interrupted him. She explained using gestures:

"Lisa had some trouble sleeping last night, so I came over to help her fall asleep. I was going to go back to my room after that, but I was worried about the noise from opening and closing the roller shutter. So I stayed in your guest room for the night. Don't worry, I'll go back now."

Hearing that it was to put Lisa to sleep, Shi Lei didn't investigate further. Kids are energetic, it's common for them to have trouble sleeping. Besides, he was already so familiar with Texas, there was no need to be so formal.

"It's alright, my rooms are mostly vacant. If your place is full, you can come and stay here for a few days anytime, it's just a short walk away."

"Okay, it's settled then."

With the homeowner's permission, Texas's lips curled into a fleeting smile. She tossed her hair behind her ear, revealing a radiant smile:

"What would you like to eat? I'm making breakfast right now, I can make an extra portion, and you can go back and change your clothes while you're at it."

Since becoming Archon Realm, Shi Lei has rarely eaten breakfast. During his work hours, he waits for Texas and Exusiai to finish eating before setting off.

I only eat a little when attending parties or when there's delicious food; otherwise, I don't eat at all.

"No need, you can do your thing. I just got back from Liyue City and ate on the way. I'm going to take a nap first, see you at lunchtime."

"Okay, sure."

Texas, a smile on her face, arrived at the door of Warehouse Number Two. After watching Shi Lei enter the bedroom, she pulled down the roller shutter and went back to change her clothes.

Shi Lei said he was taking a nap, but actually it was so he could read quietly.

Even though he can read one or two books a day and has an amazing photographic memory, the number of books he has read to date is less than one percent of all the books in Terra.

The sea of learning is boundless and has no end.

Shi Lei may not have the knowledge of the Rex Lapis spanning thousands of years, but he has been working toward this goal all along.

Whether or not he becomes the Rex Lapis is not important. What matters is that he is satisfied with his gradual improvement.

July 20, 11:35 AM

Maena spent the morning wandering through the streets and Liyue City, experiencing the local customs and culture.

Since he's going to help Lucky Knight recruit talent, he must have some understanding of this place.

Otherwise, it's all empty talk and meaningless rhetoric. If you can't even convince yourself, how can you convince others?

Liyue City is centered around a main avenue, with the buildings on both sides being very symmetrical.

The area is home to a diverse range of ethnic groups, including the Feline, Sarkaz, Kaster, Liberi, and Perro.

Maena even saw a dark-skinned man who resembled Sargol near the drainage ditch outside the city.

After wandering around for several hours, all I can say is that this is the most inclusive city I have ever seen.

Whether or not they are infected, people can find a sense of security and a strange sense of belonging here.

The smiles on the faces of the residents who were on guard duty, patrolling, tilling the land, logging, forging, and feeding the Fowlbeast were genuine.

Before leaving, Shi Lei mentioned a blond man named Kuranta who was helping with recruitment.

Patriot, knowing he was loitering in town, did not stop him. He simply summoned Ines and instructed her to secretly follow Maena. This was partly to ensure the guest's safety, and partly to be on guard.

It is City Lord's business to bring guests. But protecting the safety of Liyue City is the duty of the Qianyan Army.

Maena sensed something was amiss, but didn't expose it. She pretended the person in the shadows didn't exist.

This is, after all, their territory, and I haven't done anything wrong. I'm just wandering around to get to know the city; being followed won't hurt me.

The Qianyan Army on the city wall greeted the strangers warmly:

"Hello, sir. Are you new here? How are you finding it?"

He heard from his colleagues when he changed shifts in the morning that these Kuranta were his future neighbors.

"To be honest, it's not bad."

Standing on the city wall, gazing at the vast snow-capped mountains, Maena felt a sense of peace.

"This place is built against the mountain, away from the hustle and bustle of big cities and the encroachment of capital. It is a very suitable place for health preservation. If I didn't have a mission, I would like to stay here for a while before leaving."

"Oh, is it a very urgent mission?"

"I don't think so, but it takes a lot of time."

The Qianyan Army stationed there didn't think too much about it; they simply hoped to make another friend from afar.

"You just arrived today, so there will definitely be a welcome party tonight. If the mission isn't too urgent, why not stay a few more days and relax?"

As Maena gazed at the snow-covered mountains, she knew that finding her brother and sister-in-law would not be a matter that could be accomplished overnight.

In the past, he would have thought that attending such a welcome party was a waste of time.

Perhaps it was because she was free from work and felt relaxed, or perhaps it was the other person's simple and honest nature that touched her deeply. Maena, without putting on any aristocratic airs, nodded and agreed.

"Okay, I'll stay a few more days."

"Hehe, then I'll come find you for a drinking contest tonight. By the way, sir, you're holding a newspaper, aren't you? I can't read, could you tell me about what's happening outside?"

Around noon, Mudrock personally cooked the dishes.

Texas, not to be outdone, showcased her signature dishes.

Since there are many people living here, if we cook too much food and can't finish it, we can reheat it in the evening and eat it later.

"Hahaha, here comes the ice-cold beer!"

Exusiai brought out a case of beer and gave a bottle to everyone except Lisa and Surtr.

Surtr can drink ice-cold beer, but she prefers ice cream. Sometimes, she can even skip a meal by licking two icy ice cream sticks.

"Pop".

Exusiai opened the bottle cap and said:

"Sigh, Zhongli, you're finally back. You have no idea how boring this month has been. We haven't had any commissions this year, and we've been spending all our time in air-conditioned rooms playing mahjong. There's no passion at all."

I was only employed by Rhodes Island for three months at the beginning of this year, and I haven't had any on-site requests at other times.

Exusiai wasn't complaining about not earning money; it was just that she couldn't sit still. Sarkaz's innate destructive urge always wanted her to shoot something.

Those days of dodging pursuit while causing destruction are gone forever.

Now when she goes to cause trouble in the Lower City, people know she's a logistics employee and treat her with great respect.

"You're really not a good friend. You went on vacation for over a month and didn't even think to take us with you."

Shi Lei is not taking the blame for this:

"I went there on business, not for a vacation. I was a little delayed because I took on a commission. Here, these are souvenirs I bought for you, one for each of you."

After saying that, he beckoned with his finger, causing the black iron box to open automatically and distributing the items inside one by one.

Texas, Mudrock, and Evening were all delighted with the gifts they received. This had nothing to do with the value of the souvenirs themselves, but rather with the person who gave them.

After the food was distributed, everyone began to eat. Before long, they started chatting about their recent lives.

"If you're so bored, why don't you go out and set up a stall with Croissant to make some money?"

"Why would anyone set up a stall in this sweltering heat when there's perfectly good air conditioning? I..."

Exusiai was speaking, Texas suddenly stepped on her foot under the table, and she immediately realized what was happening:

"By the way, Zhongli, do you have some time lately?"

Yes, what's wrong?

"I heard from my boss the other day that Sistag is going to host the Obsidian Music Festival. Sunset Band and D. D. D will be performing live. If you have time, could you take us there? I don't want to drive."

Shi Lei thought she had something to do, but it turned out she just couldn't stay still and wanted to go out and play.

"Sure, when does the Obsidian Music Festival start?"

Lisa starts school on September 1st, and must return to Lungmen on August 31st to attend the school's Opening Ceremony. Excluding travel time, she will have about three or four weeks to play outside.

"We can plan our time carefully for August 1st. We'll arrive a day or two early to avoid not being able to book a room."

"Okay, I'll check where it is. As for how to play, you can arrange it."

Seeing that Shi Lei had agreed, Texas gave Exusiai an encouraging look.

While Sistag has the Obsidian Music Festival, its most important feature is its beaches.