That's when you can stop cursing me

"By the way, we were just talking about your sister..."

As Le Yu got dressed and prepared to leave, Yin Yinyin suddenly called out to him.

For some reason, Le Yu felt that he had heard this conversation before.

"Did you listen carefully to Dong Heng and Kui Zhao's conversation?"

"Not really. I was using all my attention to lock onto the streetlamp at the time." Le Yu shook his head. Qian Yuliu himself had never had much talent as an ADC—whether throwing or shooting. The fact that Le Yu could hit the streetlamp with a single pebble was entirely because he had spent more than ten seconds locking onto it with his Mental Power.

This was a shallow application of Mental Power. It was equivalent to Le Yu simulating the parabola of his throw, slowly finding the strength and angle that would let him hit the target with absolute certainty.

That was why it took someone like Le Yu, a close-combat fighter, so long to lock onto a target. For practitioners of the Flying Flower Combat Arts, instantly locking onto a stationary target was practically instinctive. Even locking onto a moving target with a hundred percent accuracy took less than three seconds. Supposedly, casually throwing chopsticks to pin mosquitoes was one of the military snipers' favorite pastimes.

Apart from the time he needed to spend locking onto his target, Le Yu had another reason he could not explain—the attack tonight was his first time taking the initiative, and he had been somewhat nervous.

In his previous battles, he had either been carrying out Statistics Department missions or had encountered enemies by chance. He had always been in a situation where he had no choice but to fight, so there had been nothing to say about it—he simply charged in. But this time, Le Yu had ambushed someone, and the danger level was extremely high. It gave him the thrilling feeling of, After defending against thieves for a thousand days, it's finally my turn to be the thief. Naturally, he had been both excited and nervous.

"According to Dong Heng, there may only be a few trains traveling from Star Engraving Prefecture to Yan Capital in the near future—or perhaps only one." Yin Yinyin said, "In fact, over the past few months, the number of trains between Morning Wind District and Yan Capital has gradually decreased. There are now only two or three a month. This is probably the consensus Ding Yi and Lu Zhong reached: sever Morning Wind District's ties with the Yan Capital central government."

Le Yu was shocked. "They haven't rebelled yet, have they? Can they just cut off transportation whenever they want?"

"There are too many excuses," Yin Yinyin said. "The Anti-Light Rebels, barbarian raids from across the sea, or discovering that the tracks are old and in disrepair. With the Yan Capital throne still undecided, before they put forward a new emperor and before the rebellion on the horizon is quelled, Morning Wind District's little actions won't attract any attention."

"But for Lu Zhong and Ding Yi, preventing the local nobles from fleeing to Yan Capital and binding them to their own chariot is an enormously profitable choice. Controlling the right to migrate is equivalent to controlling their lifelines. They understand this very clearly. Once they determine the victor in this struggle and take control of all Morning Wind District, they will inevitably have to carry out a major reshuffle. At that point, they will need not only wealth and resources but also talented people. And those nobles, whether willingly or forcibly involved in this struggle, will form the foundation of Morning Wind District's future."

"This train is probably an unspoken agreement between Lu Zhong and Ding Yi. They are allowing the nobles to send some of their younger family members out of Morning Wind District as a fallback, so that those who remain will wholeheartedly follow them."

"So, if you want your sister to leave Star Engraving Prefecture for Yan Capital to study, that train in a few days may be your only chance."

Le Yu asked weakly, "Can I get a ticket if I buy one normally...?"

"Of course not. You'll have to rely on connections." Yin Yinyin said, "But that isn't a problem. I can help you find someone and get one. The next time I come to see you, I'll give you the ticket. You only need to send your sister onto the train on time."

"Mm..." Le Yu sighed. "I have a bit of a problem with that."

"What problem?"

Le Yu briefly explained Qian Yuya's "special feelings" for him. Even Yin Yinyin, the expressionless one, could not help showing a look of surprise.

"I can't help you with that. You'll have to solve it yourself."

He paused, then added, "Truly, birds of a feather flock together."

The next day, when Le Yu went to work, he found that there had been no earth-shaking upheaval as he had imagined. Instead, everything was calm and peaceful.

Someone mentioned in passing, "I heard Dong Heng died," but no one continued asking about it. After all, the murder had nothing to do with the Statistics Department, and Dong Heng had not been very conspicuous. For example, Chen Fu foolishly followed up by asking, "Who's Dong Heng? It wasn't me, was it?" From that, it was clear that Chen Fu was quite a competent Statistics Department agent. The first thing he thought of upon hearing that someone had died was, Could I have killed him?

Of course, that only earned him a passing grade.

An excellent Statistics Department agent's first thought upon hearing that someone had died should be, Can I use this as an excuse to make trouble?

Le Yu sat beside the window in the Statistics Department's second-floor office, watching an armored light truck drive into the courtyard. The agents pulled the prisoners out of the vehicle and escorted them into the Statistics Department's second building—also known as the "Bottomless Pit," because that was the Statistics Department's detention prison.

Neither Le Yu nor Qian Yuliu had ever entered the second building. Its soundproofing and sanitation were quite good as well, and nothing unusual could be seen from the outside. In fact, the Statistics Department had no right to hold prisoners long-term. It could only detain them for seventy-two hours. After that, they either had to be released or sent to the Judicial Department to enter the formal judicial process.

However, very few people could leave the Statistics Department's detention prison "normally." Make no mistake—the Statistics Department was a law-abiding department and would not use torture to torment suspects. At least, the people who came out of the second building were physically normal.

However... one should not forget that the medical officers of this world could revive the dead, restore flesh to bones, and reconnect severed limbs. Besides, even without harming the body, there were plenty of ways to torment someone. For instance, Le Yu had discovered that he could control light and make it "seep" into his fingernails. As long as he exerted a little force, his fingernails would slowly be pried up.

Just thinking about it was painful.

Even so, Le Yu felt no sympathy for the people about to be sent into the "Bottomless Pit." He asked, "If I'm not mistaken, these people seem to be..."

"The Yuan Family, the people secretly controlling the White Wave Gang." Chen Fu, standing beside him, explained, "All the dockworkers at Sea Pearl Port have to pay protection money to the White Wave Gang. They claim that half the docks belong to them. The gang has committed countless crimes, and murder and arson are everyday occurrences. I've even heard of a major case where they coveted a ship's cargo and slaughtered everyone aboard... The Judicial Department has had many clashes with the White Wave Gang, and Dong Heng was also on very bad terms with the Yuan Family."

After his previous embarrassment, Chen Fu had looked into the Judicial Department as well. He analyzed the situation, saying, "Perhaps Deputy Director Kui thinks the White Wave Gang hired the killer? But shouldn't the Judicial Department handle this case itself? How did it end up falling into the Statistics Department's hands again...? Fortunately, we aren't responsible for it."

Looking at Kui Zhao's long braid below, Le Yu wondered, Did Kui Zhao really fall for Yin Yinyin's story? Does he believe Yin Yinyin is merely a killer who takes people's money to eliminate their troubles?

Will he think that the two assassins from last night already left Star Engraving Prefecture through special channels overnight to avoid his pursuit? Will he give up investigating because of that?

Just then, Kui Zhao suddenly turned around and glanced at the Statistics Department building. His gaze happened to meet Le Yu's.

Kui Zhao's expression remained as gloomy as ever, as if the entire world owed him a wife. Le Yu's heart skipped a beat, but he did not dare turn around directly. That would look far too guilty. Instead, he turned his head toward Chen Fu and asked, "Hey, look at Deputy Director Kui's tail. Doesn't it look like a dog's braid?"

Chen Fu stared blankly at Le Yu. "Brother Qian, did you get that backward...? No, even if you did... at this distance, Deputy Director Kui might be able to hear us."

"What are you afraid of? I'm the Coastal Lieutenant of the Coastal Army now, and Director Lan's trusted aide. Can Deputy Director Kui instantly kill me? Can he really kill me instantly?" As Le Yu spoke, his confidence grew.

That's right. Although Kui Zhao is a deputy director, I'm still a captain, and I have Lan Yan behind me! Putting aside the fact that Kui Zhao probably can't recognize me, even if he does, what can he do to me without solid evidence?

Ding-a-ling-ling—the internal phone rang. Ai Lili answered it, then broke into a delighted smile and called out, "Captain, the director wants you in his office!"

Look at that. Le Yu gave Chen Fu a smug, self-satisfied look, raised his chin, and strode to the director's office on the third floor.

When he pushed open the door, Lan Yan, who had been handling official documents, immediately stopped working. He adjusted his glasses and smiled. "Captain Qian, good afternoon."

"Director, is there something you need me to do?" Le Yu asked.

"Sit down first. There's no rush." Lan Yan gestured for Le Yu to sit opposite him. He lowered his head and looked at the messy documents on the desk, then sighed helplessly. "To be honest, there are too many things I want to assign to you. You know that the situation in Star Engraving Prefecture has been extremely tense recently. There are a thousand interwoven threads: the Anti-Light Rebels, the local clans, and all the consequences caused by the lockdown... I wish I could split myself into ten people to deal with everything."

"The more capable you are, the more work you do." Le Yu shamelessly showered him with praise.

"Let's set that aside for now." Lan Yan rolled his pen between his fingers and suddenly asked, "Yuliu, I heard you have a younger sister? She's about to graduate from middle school, isn't she?"

The way you're asking this is making me nervous... Le Yu nodded.

Lan Yan continued, "How are her grades? Which department does she want to enter?"

"They're quite good. She'll have no problem getting into the Cultural Academy. She wants to study in the Medical Officer Department."

"The Cultural Academy in Star Engraving Prefecture is quite good, but when it comes to the Medical Officer Department, the Royal Academy is the most advanced and cutting-edge."

Le Yu smiled. "Which department of the Royal Academy isn't the most advanced and cutting-edge?"

Lan Yan nodded and smiled. "That's true... Has your sister considered going to Yan Capital to take the Royal Academy's entrance examination? I believe it's in a little over ten days."

Le Yu suddenly felt that something was wrong. He forced a smile. "It's not that she hasn't considered it... but isn't Star Engraving Prefecture under lockdown right now?"

"The lockdown won't last long. But even after the state of emergency is lifted, there won't be many trains from Star Engraving Prefecture to Yan Capital. There is only one in the near future. It leaves in eight days, so she can make it in time for the Royal Academy's entrance examination." Lan Yan spoke seriously. "If you want your sister to take the Royal Academy's entrance examination and fight for a brighter future, I can get you a train ticket."

Although Lan Yan's manner was as pleasant as a spring breeze, Le Yu only felt a chill run down his back. It was like a condemned prisoner eating his final McDonald's family meal—he could only feel genuine terror. However, it was impossible for him to refuse Lan Yan's goodwill. Or rather, even if he did refuse, it would be useless. He could only brace himself and nod. "Thank you for looking after me, Director."

"It was only a small favor. You're my trusted aide, after all. Naturally, I should take good care of you." Lan Yan spoke gently. "Now that we've finished discussing personal matters, let's talk about official business."

"Please go ahead."

"The lockdown will end soon, but afterward, Star Engraving Prefecture will not open all six gates. Only the 'Twilight Gate' passage in the northwest will open. Originally, the Judicial Department was also responsible for handling entry and exit through the city gates. But Director Dong died yesterday, so the prefect handed the inspection duties to me. I believe you're the best person for the job, Yuliu."

Lan Yan tapped his fingers against the desk. "If Lu Zhong wants to undermine Star Engraving Prefecture from within, his only opportunity will be the period immediately after the lockdown ends. I want you to thoroughly inspect everyone entering and leaving, as well as all goods entering and leaving. You must not allow any dangerous individuals or prohibited items into Star Engraving Prefecture."

"No order from anyone will change that. Not even a written order from Prefect Ding! You must investigate every person entering the city and open every shipment for inspection. Make sure every agent checks everything thoroughly! Understood?"

"Understood."

Lan Yan adjusted his glasses. "I trust you won't disappoint me."

When Le Yu left the director's office, he happened to run into Kui Zhao passing by.

The two exchanged a glance. Kui Zhao stopped and suddenly asked, "I heard you have a younger sister?"

This is the third time I've heard this conversation today... Le Yu nodded speechlessly.

"When the lockdown ends, send her away as soon as possible." Kui Zhao walked past him, leaving behind a strange remark. "Don't leave yourself too many weaknesses."

Le Yu looked at Kui Zhao's back in confusion, wondering whether those words had been a threat or a warning.

And Lan Yan actually handed me the task of inspecting the city gates, with such strict requirements at that. This is going to be a huge problem...

He returned to the First Team's office with a heavy heart. Chen Fu came over and said, "It's almost time to get off work. We haven't eaten together in ages. I'll treat you tonight. Let's go to Sister Xu's Tavern and have a good meal."

"No. I'm going home to eat with my sister."

"Oh, right. You have a younger sister... Ah!"

Chen Fu took a step back and rubbed his battered head. He asked, aggrieved and bewildered, "Why did you hit me?"

"I can't beat those three, but can't I beat you?" Le Yu muttered, gathering his things. "Anyway, I'm eating with my sister. If you want to treat me, do it at lunch."

Chen Fu thought for a moment. "Then why don't I go to your place tonight and freeload a meal?"

"No..." Le Yu instinctively wanted to refuse, but then he had a wonderful idea. He immediately changed his tone. "That's just like you! Come on, let's go!"

After leaving the Statistics Department at the end of the workday, Le Yu reminded him on the way, "Chen Fu, I think you're quite eloquent. You must spend a lot of time badmouthing people, right?"

"Of course... not! Why would I badmouth anyone?" Chen Fu shook his head repeatedly.

Hah. Then were all the rumors I heard the results of your righteous investigations?

Le Yu continued, "In short, when we eat later, use a proud tone, an exaggerated voice, and an engaging storytelling style to describe every bad thing we've done, one by one. Exaggerate how evil we are, and how miserable our victims were. Remember that?"

"Why?" Chen Fu looked bewildered. "Your sister will be there, won't she? Wouldn't that be embarrassing?"

That's exactly why I want you to say it!

Le Yu's idea was quite simple. Right now, Qian Yuya thinks her brother is a villain who may be bad, but still has flashes of humanity. So I'll have Chen Fu shatter her foolish fantasy and make her understand that her brother is a complete and utter bastard!

Then I'll add a few inhuman remarks of my own. That should make Qian Yuya give up on her brother completely, obediently leave this sorrowful place, and go to Yan Capital to begin her legendary life!

"I told you to say it, so say it. Why are you wasting your breath?" Le Yu gave Chen Fu another hard knock on the head. "Do more and ask less. Would I ever trick you?"

The two arrived at the Qian Family's home. As soon as Le Yu pulled open the horizontal gate, Qian Yuya, wearing an apron, walked out from the rear courtyard. "You're back?"

She saw the stranger and wiped her hands on her apron. Confused, she asked, "Who is he...?"

"He's my trusted aide in the Statistics Department, Chen Fu! Everything I've achieved today is thanks to Brother Chen Fu's help!" Le Yu enthusiastically praised Chen Fu. Chen Fu shook his head modestly, flattered by the praise, and even felt that the head Le Yu had just battered no longer hurt as much.

However, Qian Yuya's expression turned cold. "Oh. A shameless wretch who sells his life to the Statistics Department."

Before Chen Fu could say anything, Le Yu leaped in. "Qian Yuya, I've tolerated you for a long time! You can curse me all you want, but if you curse my brother—"

"Then that's when you can stop cursing me."

Chen Fu, who had just been about to advise Le Yu not to get angry: "?"

P.S.: A huge 4,000-word chapter!

It's Sunday today. Please let me slack off a little.