Awakening Zhongli Template, Retiring on Terra Chapter 9

Chen Huijie fell silent for a moment, her thoughts seemingly pulled back to the summer when the two of them had a falling out:

"Actually, you don't need to become me. Everyone walks their own path."

Lin Yuxia opened her mouth, but said nothing. Some things were truly beyond one's control.

Once upon a time, she had been inseparable from Chen Huijie and Swire. Back then, she had naively believed the three of them would be friends for life. But time had passed, and they had all become the most familiar of strangers.

It was as if they had parted ways at a crossroads called 'life,' one going left, the other right.

Sensing the silence from the microphone, Chen Huijie felt the emotions within it and proactively broke the stalemate:

"You didn't just call me to catch up, did you? Just tell me what you need."

Hearing this, Lin Yuxia instantly snapped out of her melancholy. She stopped being polite and got straight to the point:

"When you guys were fighting at the basketball court in District 25 last night, I happened to be nearby. There was a man who seemed to be cooperating with the Lungmen Guard Department, protecting you from the shadows. I'm looking for you now because I want his personal information."

Mentioning protection, Chen Huijie immediately recalled the brown membrane shield that blocked Originium particles:

"The man you're talking about, Nine and I are also looking for him. We want to thank him in person. Did you see what he looked like? Can you be more specific?"

Although Lin Yuxia was the one asking the question, she was met with a barrage of counter-questions, leaving her momentarily speechless.

However, given Chen Huijie's straightforward personality, she wasn't the type to play dumb. If she said she didn't know, it meant she truly didn't know, proving that the man had no connection with the Lungmen Guard Department. If that was the case, where did he learn about the night's operation, and why did he decide to help?

Lin Yuxia didn't reveal any more information. Once she confirmed that Chen Huijie couldn't provide the answer she wanted, she promptly ended the communication:

"It's fine if you don't know. Goodbye."

"Hey, you!"

Hearing the dial tone, Chen Huijie was utterly speechless. Lin Yuxia coming to her meant she had likely already searched from District 22 to 29 without success.

This situation could be investigated in reverse. Perhaps she could gather some intelligence from informants in the slums.

November 29, 1094. 0:23 a.m.

Last night, under the leadership of their boss, the Emperor, numerous Penguin Logistics employees had sent those who tried to regain their footing scrambling and fleeing in disarray.

Texas took on ten people at once, still handling it with ease. Each fatal blow was precisely aimed and held back, never going too far, her control over her strength terrifying.

Croissant was a true powerhouse, able to lift an adult male with one hand. Grabbing one person in each hand, she performed a human windmill, clearly having a blast.

With the shield's enhancement, Exusiai, who hadn't brought rubber bullets, also joined the fight. While not as efficient as the other two, she could still easily handle a few ordinary people.

The onlookers were ecstatic, as if they had personally participated in the brawl. They swayed to the energetic music, occasionally kicking someone when they were down.

Seeing everyone hyped up like they'd had too much caffeine, Shi Lei's mindset began to relax. After applying the shield, he decisively joined the fray, experiencing the thrill of direct combat.

Once all the troublemakers had fled, he returned to a booth, drenched in sweat, and sprawled out like Ge You, feeling utterly refreshed.

The bar owner saw the recently cleaned area in disarray once again and forced a wry smile. Fortunately, he knew the customers would pay for the damages, so he wasn't as despairing as before.

As they drank and chatted, it was already past midnight.

Sora and Croissant were the first to get up, helping the slightly tipsy Emperor, who was quietly rapping, get home.

Texas had drunk quite a bit but remained clear-headed, escorting Exusiai back to her dorm. Compared to drunk driving, they had broken more Lungmen regulations while making deliveries.

Shi Lei walked back to the company's safe house alone, bathed in the starlight, to rest.

It was past midnight, and the night wind was biting. It should have been the time to open NetEase Cloud and wallow in emo, but he felt no sadness or loneliness in his heart.

After these past few days, Shi Lei had grown to like the team atmosphere at Penguin Logistics. If his realm improved in the future, he would likely still stay here.

Humans are a collection of contradictions.

These colleagues, who were different on the outside and inside but possessed distinct personalities, gave Shi Lei a new perspective on embodying the Rex Lapis.

Embodying Zhongli couldn't just be about outward appearance, mimicking his leisurely and lazy demeanor. Constantly thinking about having the best food and the best things, a simple imitation of external behavior. Even if it looked similar, it wouldn't help with self-improvement.

As the saying goes, it's easy to draw a tiger's skin but hard to draw its bones. One must fully understand Zhongli's inner spirit. Peeling back the layers of the retired old man, one finds the great righteousness of protecting all living beings. One must understand the ways of the world without being worldly, and strive to become as outstanding as him.

Only then could such an embodiment be called true embodiment.

016 The Capitalist's Smile

The red sofas in the safe house's cubicle could be pushed together to form a bed. Shi Lei finally didn't have to sleep rough anymore and slept comfortably until he woke up naturally.

When he opened his sleepy eyes and checked the wall clock in the lobby, he realized it was almost ten o'clock.

Holy crap, I slept that long?

Shi Lei didn't have time to bake apple pies. He quickly grabbed two boxes of cookies and took the elevator to the top floor.

After swiping his card to enter, he found only Texas in the office area. Exusiai and Croissant weren't there yet; he figured they were still hungover from last night.

As he poured water into a paper cup, he remembered that the boss had approved a day of paid leave yesterday. He was supposed to go to a Rhine Lab branch for a comprehensive experience test.

But Shi Lei hadn't been there before and didn't know the exact location. Maybe he should ask Texas later?

He returned to his workstation and ate cookies with lukewarm water, considering it breakfast.

During this time, Shi Lei heard the news playing from Texas's phone, reporting that the leader of the Sarkaz, Theresia, had been assassinated and would be succeeded by Theresis.

Shi Lei wiped his mouth, checked his small mirror to make sure there were no biscuit crumbs, then leaned forward and asked:

"Excuse me, sorry to bother you. Do you know where the Rhine Lab branch is? My boss told me to get a physical check-up today, but I don't know where it is."

The map only showed streets, and the companies listed weren't updated in real-time, so it couldn't be used as a reference.

Upon hearing this, Texas tilted her head and glanced towards the office. She immediately withdrew her gaze, stood up, and said:

"Follow me."

"Okay, thank you."

Perhaps because they weren't well acquainted, she didn't speak a word along the way. She led Shi Lei downstairs and through three streets to Rhine Lab's branch in Lungmen.

It was a private security consulting firm headquartered in Columbia, and one of the most well-known security contractors on Terra. Its core business was providing private security consulting and defense contracting services. Services like comprehensive experience testing could be performed by other security agencies as well, and here it was, at best, a side business.

Texas stood by the reception desk. Seeing him fill out the registration forms, she said with a calm expression:

"You can go in now. I'm leaving, goodbye."

"Hey, please wait a moment!"

They had all had a great time at the bar last night, yet her attitude today was still as cold as ever. This left Shi Lei very confused, and he wanted to take this opportunity to ask for clarification:

"Did I do something wrong and make you angry? Or are you usually not much of a talker? No offense, I just feel like I might have upset you."

Hearing this, Texas rarely showed a smile:

"I don't talk much? Actually, I don't have much of an opinion on most things, so I just don't say anything. You don't need to worry about angering me; those who could anger me no longer have the ability to do so."

Hiss, she's truly a mafia princess. Her words carried the weight of experience, a sharp decisiveness.

"I see, so you're not angry. It's still working hours, you should get back to it. Once I get paid, I'll treat you and Exusiai to a meal."

Texas grunted and turned to leave.

A smiling Rhine Lab service staff member approached him, speaking words that sounded strangely familiar to Shi Lei:

"Sir, there's a discount if you sign up for a card now. The more you deposit, the bigger the discount. Would you like to know more?"

November 29th, 1:02 PM

The Emperor arrived at the company in the afternoon. As the company's boss, there was no need to worry about clocking in late.

As usual, he poured himself a hot coffee and turned on the record player. Today's music was an album by D.D.D, an artist under the music studio. The passionate music filled the Emperor with energy.

He turned on his computer and received an email from the Rhine Lab branch. After completing the QR code payment, he successfully opened the comprehensive medical examination report:

[Codename] Shi Lei
[Gender] Male
[Combat Experience] No combat experience
[Place of Origin] Refuses to disclose
[Birthday] June 24th
[Height] 176cm
[Originium Infection Status] According to medical test reports, confirmed as non-infected.

The following are the comprehensive physical examination tests:

[Physical Strength] Standard
(The Arts Unit is fluid, and the summoned Rock Spine is very strong, but its usage is not flexible enough. With training, there is potential for improvement.)

[Battlefield Mobility] Normal
(No evaluation)

[Physiological Tolerance] Excellent
(Shi Lei displayed surprising tolerance in this test. The relevant data has exceeded the limits of what the branch can measure. Under Shi Lei's Originium Arts coverage, others can also enjoy the same tolerance. It is recommended to go to the Columbia headquarters for more precise measurements.)

[Tactical Planning] Good
(Possesses creative tactical command, able to fully utilize on-site resources for deployment.)

[Combat Skills] Normal
(No evaluation)

[Originium Arts Aptitude] ■■
Imaging test results show clear outlines of the operator's internal organs, with no abnormal shadows detected.
No abnormalities were detected in the Originium particle test within the circulatory system, with no signs of Originium-related illness. At this stage, he can be confirmed as a non-Originium-related illness infected individual.

[Somatic Cell and Originium Fusion Rate] 50%
An unusually high fusion rate, but Shi Lei shows no signs of Originium infection. After repeated tests, the results remain unchanged. It is recommended to go to the Columbia headquarters for more precise measurements.

[Blood Originium Crystal Density]0u/L

No Originium crystals were detected in the blood, yet it possesses strong Originium adaptability. It is recommended to go to the Columbia headquarters for more precise measurements.

"Aha!"

The Emperor finished browsing the comprehensive experience report and excitedly slapped the table with his Penguin Logistics-branded hand.

Exceeding the test limits, how exaggerated.

No wonder the stinking rats in the slums are offering a bounty for his whereabouts under the guise of a distinguished guest's disappearance.

This Originium skill, which not only grants strong resistance to oneself but also protects others, has limitless future potential.

If that Lin Gerei fellow got his hands on it, wouldn't he be able to do whatever he pleased in Lungmen from now on?

The Emperor smiled like a capitalist, feeling like he had struck gold. An Originium skill like Shi Lei's, which allows one to protect oneself and others, is perfect for a bodyguard.

In the future, when Exusiai and Texas undertake dangerous missions, they should try to bring him along. Reducing employee combat damage can save a significant amount of money.

With this thought, the Emperor hopped off his leather chair, hands behind his back, and headed towards the company's office area. Exusiai and Texas were not present; they were likely out on a mission.

He walked straight to Shi Lei's workstation and, like a leader caring for a subordinate, patted his shoulder:

"Little Shi, I've seen your comprehensive physical examination report, and you meet the conditions to be a courier. As I said before, it ultimately depends on your personal willingness."

If Shi Lei didn't want to be a courier, he wouldn't have had to go to Rhine Lab for a physical examination. Since the boss wanted to go through the motions, he would cooperate:

"I have no problem with that."

"Good, good, good."

The Emperor said "good" three times in a row, then walked over to Croissant's workstation and gave an order:

"If you have time this afternoon, take Little Shi on some ordinary delivery runs to familiarize him with the business."