Chapter 64
Shi Lei remained expressionless, thinking to himself that if the Rat King truly cared about the Sarkaz, he would have sent them food long ago. Waiting until he arrived to deliver it in person seemed slightly deliberate.
At least it was delivered now, so the result isn't too bad.
"Old Master Lin, thank you for your hospitality. We have other matters to attend to, so we'll head back now."
"Okay, I'll see you off."
Seeing Lin Gerei approaching on crutches, Shi Lei declined, saying:
"No need for that trouble, just have Yuxia take us. Mudrock, come out here, I need to talk to you."
"Yes, Lord Shi Lei."
In Mudrock's eyes, his orders were the highest priority, and everything else could be put on hold.
Texas and Exusiai knew what Shi Lei was going to say next, so they didn't stay to watch. They called Nian to come with them, and walked out side by side with Lin Yuxia.
"Mudrock, I have something to do tomorrow night and can't host a banquet. How about the day after tomorrow? It's New Year's Day the day after tomorrow. Please bring everyone to my house at 7 pm for a family reunion dinner."
After saying that, Shi Lei provided the warehouse address.
Mudrock's squad has 21 members; we can't just take them all in because we're satisfied with her alone. We can talk to the mercenaries and the women and children later before making a decision.
This kind of thing should be taken seriously. If you don't want to accept it, just say so. If you do accept it, take responsibility.
"Lord Shi Lei..."
Mudrock's eyes suddenly reddened for some reason, and his body trembled slightly.
She had endured a long period of hardship and displacement, becoming so resilient that she believed it herself. Leading the infected who were willing to follow her, she persevered through harsh environments. News of enemy pursuit, the devastating loss of comrades, and the hopeless future gradually numbed Mudrock's heart. Only in this way could she withstand the torment and suffering.
Perhaps it was the hope that came with arriving in Lungmen, or perhaps the pursuit of enemies and the devastating news of her death were becoming increasingly distant. A long-awaited act of care, as simple and direct as a stick, broke down her defenses, deeply moving Mudrock.
"You're so... kind..."
"Oh, why are you crying? Stop crying!"
Mudrock pursed her lips, closed her eyes tightly, and forcibly held back the tears that were about to burst forth:
"Yes, Lord Shi Lei!"
"See you the day after tomorrow, I'm off now."
Exusiai saw her recovered motorcycle in the front yard and cheered.
I rushed up and straddled it. Luckily, it was found; I'll have to add more locks next time.
Lin Yuxia saw them to the door and watched them leave.
Texas drove Shi Lei and Nian, Exusiai followed behind on a motorcycle.
By the time we got back to the warehouse, it was already 10 p. m.
Shi Lei, sitting in the passenger seat, spotted Kong and Croissant standing guard at the door from afar, and quickly got out of the car to greet them.
When did you arrive? Why didn't you call and let us know when you didn't see us?
Kong, wearing a red sweater, smiled and said:
"I told Croissant not to Croissant. I guess you must have run into some trouble being out so late. Anyway, we're not in a hurry, so we'll just wait here for a while."
"Yes, Sora, I was just about to look for you."
Shi Lei turned his head and pointed to Nian not far away:
Do you still have tickets for the New Year's Eve Concert? It doesn't necessarily have to be a front row. There are four of us now, but only three tickets, which isn't enough.
Kong shook his head, a troubled look on his face:
"Mister Shi Lei, I wouldn't have gotten these three tickets without you."
"What's the meaning?"
"This New Year's Eve LIVE Concert is sponsored by the Swire Group and will be broadcast live on Terra. The tickets were given by Miss Beatrix; you can call her to ask if she still has any tickets."
Oh, it's Miss Swire.
"Shi Lei, let's forget about it."
Not wanting to put her good friend in a difficult position, she voluntarily withdrew from the competition.
"No need to make such a fuss. It's pointless for me to go to the concert; I don't understand anything anyway. Just come back after you're done. I've bought some delicious food and I'm waiting for you guys."
It didn't feel right to leave her here alone on New Year's Eve. Shi Lei pondered for a moment, then asked:
"Miss Flight Attendant, the concert is at 7 PM. When does your show start?"
"At 7:30, I'll be the second performer. There will be a group song and a medley of solo songs, and the performance will end at 7:45. You can wait for me to leave the stage and then meet up with Miss. Nian."
Shi Lei nodded, thinking the suggestion was good.
They went to the event to see Miss Air, not to see any girl group idols.
Sora and Croissant didn't stay long before saying goodbye and leaving. Croissant took on a backstage security job, which allowed her to freely enter and exit the backstage area without needing a ticket.
"Come on, four people are just enough for one table."
Exusiai got hooked on mahjong and played with everyone until 2 a. m. before going back to the warehouse to sleep.
New Year 1095, 6:35 pm
Shi Lei looked incredibly handsome in the high-end suit and trousers Swire had bought him. Texas thought he was being too flashy and insisted he wear a mask.
The three of them set off at 6 o'clock, and Nian had already gone for a stroll. With her abilities, she shouldn't run into any trouble.
With Croissant's help, they sneaked into the dressing room to cheer on the flight Miss. She looked adorable in an elegant black and red dress.
At 6:50, the three of them went around through the fire escape and entered the site through the main entrance with their tickets.
Row A is indeed the first row, very close to the stage.
Shi Lei looked back and saw that the seats behind him were almost completely full. People were whistling, waving light sticks, and holding banners; the scene was spectacular. If it weren't for Swire's help, they might have only been able to watch from a distance.
This LIVE Concert will be Live Broadcast live by Lungmen Television. Once the time is up, the male and female hosts will immediately go on stage to warm up the audience.
We chatted until 7:20 before the first singing competition started. A group of girls dressed in short skirts, dressed as animals, were jumping and dancing on stage, singing and rapping.
After they stepped off the stage, the audience behind them began to scream and shout at the top of their lungs:
"Oh, Miss, I love you!"
"Miss, I want to have your baby!"
As soon as the background music started, many audience members sang along. Even the security guards near the stage swayed to the rhythm of the music like fans.
Wow, I didn't expect Miss Kong to be so popular. No wonder she's always on gigs and it's hard to see her around.
Kong's voice was melodious and pleasant to listen to, even for someone like Shi Lei who had never heard her sing before. Compared to the other idols in the chorus, there was a clear difference in their abilities.
After the first chorus finished, a medley of Miss Flight Miss's hit singles followed. Just then, a male fan suddenly rushed onto the stage from the left. The nearby security guards didn't even stop him; I really don't know what they were doing.
Shi Lei immediately cast a shield on the flight Miss to protect her safety. Texas, on the other hand, acted swiftly, leaping onto the stage like a gray flash, decisively subduing the male fan and handing him over to the belated security guards.
She only jumped off the stage after security guards took over.
At the same time.
In an unknown country, in a dark and damp room.
The silver-haired Female Lupo, wields a strange weapon and rides on a man's back. A television screen nearby is broadcasting a live Live Broadcast of the Lungmen New Year's Eve Concert.
Upon seeing the familiar figure in the scene, the Female Lupo's silver eyes widened dramatically, and a smile curved her lips:
"Heh, so you're in Lungmen. Texas, that's awesome!"
The person at her feet was bleeding profusely, as if dead.
104 I eat
Two bowls
Lungmen Upper City, 7:29 pm
Instead of going to the concert that year, I wandered around the city alone and unknowingly ended up in front of Temple Street.
Besides the Grand Theatre, there are many other places to go on New Year's Eve, such as Temple Street, where a lantern festival is held.
It was seven o'clock, and the gates of the neighborhood were wide open.
Countless vendors set up stalls under the walls of the neighborhood, their shouts and calls filling the air, creating a lively and bustling scene.
Around the archway, every household had already hung their banners high. As far as the eye could see, the flags and banners stretched as far as the eye could see, almost obscuring the entire sky above Temple Street.
Following the steps and the crowd upwards, one can see a towering lantern several meters high deep within the Temple Street. Colorful tassels hang from each corner of the lantern, and candlelight flickers.
Most shops displayed several uniquely shaped lanterns at their entrances, supported by bamboo poles and perched high up, resembling twinkling stars.
The further you walk into Temple Street, the more tourists you see. The atmosphere of welcoming the New Year grows stronger. Colorful lanterns are adorned with ribbons that hang down like silken threads.
Tourists strolled among the lanterns, some looking up at them, others pointing and commenting. A Shangshu acrobat performed a fire-breathing Special Skill, drawing cheers from the onlookers. Only one man with lifeless eyes and white hair, Ursus, squatted at a seafood stall, head bowed, showing no interest in the performance.
The stalls on both sides of Temple Street sell a wide variety of things. There are desserts from Lungmen, snacks from Shangshu, fine wines from Jiangqi, fish from Gouwu, and naan bread from Jade Gate.
The neighborhood was decorated with lanterns everywhere; you could catch a glimpse of lanterns wherever you went. Perhaps due to limited space, or perhaps because of the cold weather, although there were quite a few people watching the lanterns tonight, it was far from being shoulder-to-shoulder.
According to the usual practice of the lantern festival, the number of visitors will reach its peak on New Year's Day. Judging from the current prosperous and lively scene, the festive atmosphere is already overwhelming.
Standing on the pedestrian overpass opposite Temple Street, her red hands gripped the vermilion railing. Her gaze was fixed on Temple Street, whether she was admiring it or reminiscing, it was unclear.
"Hey, don't run so fast! Wait for me!"
"Hehehe, come and chase me. If you can catch me, I won't run away."
Ah, Hong, and Waai Fu from the Koi-Style Detective Agency chased and played on the overpass, quickly weaving through the crowd.
As the last Lee passed behind Nian, he only glanced at him briefly before slowing down.
It's a dragon!
In previous years, the average winter temperature in Lungmen was between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. This year, perhaps due to the influence of two Cold Tide from Ursus, the temperature dropped to around 10 to 15 degrees Celsius.
Even so, you don't see women wearing Qipao on the street just anywhere, let alone a dragon!
Lee slowed its pace, and slowed it even further. Not long after the New Year, it simply stopped.
The white Qipao with its slit almost reached her upper thigh. The glimpses of her mysterious area and her alluring figure made him want to look but dare not.
Lee rested his arms on the vermilion railing a few meters away, pretending to admire the scenery, but his peripheral vision caught sight of Nian's red hands, which looked like tattooed arms.
The Red-Handed Dragon...
When Lee was young, he was the eldest son of a merchant family in Jiangdong. He had heard of a dragon with red hands, but never had the chance to meet him.
Could it be her?
Nian quickly noticed the Lee and turned his head away.
He was dressed in black and had a pair of golden dragon eyes. However, he had fin-shaped ears and a tail covered in scales like a carp.
Staring at the several burn marks on her tail, she raised her eyebrows slightly and grinned.
The carp Lungmen but fails to enter; that's quite interesting.
At the end of the pedestrian overpass, Ah, Hong, and Waai Fu, who hadn't seen their boss following, turned back.
Waai Fu was the first to see Lee leaning on the railing side by side with a beautiful woman in a Qipao, seemingly preparing to strike up a conversation.
She immediately flashed a sly, gossipy smile, gesturing for her two companions to crouch below the steps and keep quiet:
"Look over there, everyone. Doesn't the boss look like he's come back to life?"
Hum found it interesting and smiled as he corrected him:
"It must be Old Tree blossoming."
Ah Tan Tan revealed an even more sly smile:
"Hehe, it should be 'heart-fluttering,' right?"