Request

After staying in this room until after dusk, Li Wei pulled the slip of paper Li Ming had given him from his pocket.

It contained only one address—118, 1st Labor Community.

With the path through The Church blocked, this was the only way Li Wei could think of that might help him enter the White Tower.

Although the labor union president named Li Ming appeared to have no real power, even a dog of The Council was not something a laborer from Yuguang could become just by wanting to.

He was clearly the highest-ranking person among the laborers; if he reached out to him, how much help could he provide?

Li Wei pondered while looking at the address on the paper, ultimately deciding to go find Li Ming and give it a try.

This time, Feng Zi definitely could not come along. Her physical condition seemed even more severe; not only had she returned to her previous limping state, but she was also coughing frequently and looked incredibly frail.

Li Wei did not know if this was because of the medicine she had taken to forcibly repair her body, but he could guess that she had paid a heavy price to recover at the time.

So that night, Li Wei left Feng Zi to stay carefully in the rented room alone, pushed open the door into the rainy night, and snuck toward the direction of the 1st District.

Tian Yuan had transferred almost all the police officers to Yuguang, conducting carpet searches during the day and arranging patrols everywhere at night. Anyone encountered on the street in the middle of the night would be arrested without a word.

After obtaining [Cellular Regeneration], Li Wei's control over his body had become even more superior. He silently avoided all the police officers on the road, crossed the entire 2nd District, and finally arrived at 118, 1st District.

This was a shack that looked no different from the others. The lights inside were off, suggesting the owner had already retired for the night.

He knocked lightly on the door of the shack.

Before long, a vigilant inquiry came from inside.

"Who is it?"

"The person who returned your eyes," Li Wei replied in a low voice.

After his words fell, the room went quiet for a few seconds. Then, without turning on the lights, a faint sound of footsteps walked to the door and opened it.

Li Ming's weathered face poked out. After looking left and right to ensure no one was following Li Wei, he brought him inside.

As the labor union president and the head of hundreds of thousands of laborers in Yuguang, his home was surprisingly simple and plain.

The furnishings and decorations were no different from the rented room Li Wei lived in.

When he brought Li Wei in, the bedroom door was tightly shut; it was clear that Li Ming's wife and child were inside. He did not want his family to meet Li Wei or get them involved in this matter.

"I want to ask for your help. Is there any way for us to enter that White Tower?"

Li Wei did not exchange pleasantries or waste words; he went straight to the point.

To this, Li Ming shook his head decisively.

"You can't get in. That tower is usually only accessible to councilors or major factory owners. Even during the Festival of Radiance, they only invite Yaoguang residents of special status to celebrate inside. No one from Yuguang, including myself, has such qualifications, unless they are related to The Church."

Hearing this answer, Li Wei couldn't help but click his tongue.

However, Li Ming was silent for a moment before he stared at Li Wei and spoke.

"But if you just want to sneak into Yaoguang and get closer to that tower, I might be able to find a way."

This made Li Wei lift his head again. He thought for a moment and felt that sneaking into Yaoguang first was acceptable; being closer to the White Tower would make it easier to find an opportunity.

Moreover, because of the trouble he and Feng Zi had caused, the Police Department had launched a thorough investigation of Yuguang, and it was no longer safe for them to stay here.

"Fine, you arrange it. About what time and what location?"

"Tomorrow morning, a batch of metal components produced in the Barrier Field District will be transported into Yaoguang by train. It needs to stop at the dedicated station in Yuguang to resupply coal. Wait for me near Station 76 before 6:00 AM. Don't let anyone else see you, and I will bring you in."

"Then it's settled."

Just as Li Wei thought this trip had come to an end—considering sneaking into Yaoguang a decent result—and was preparing to leave, Li Ming called him back with a hesitant expression.

"Can I... please ask you for a favor after you go to Yaoguang?"

When he saw Li Wei's gaze fix on him, he hurriedly added.

"This favor has nothing to do with me helping you get to Yaoguang. Even if you don't agree, I will still fulfill our agreement, but if you are willing to help, I can offer a certain reward."

Li Wei, who had been about to stand up, sat back down in the chair. He picked up the tea on the table that hadn't been touched.

"Let's hear it."

"I have a niece. Her father was a brother who shared life and death with me. Later, her parents died in a factory accident, and she was the only one left in the family. It was very difficult for a girl to live on her own, and she was very proud; she didn't want to accept my financial support for nothing. At that time, there happened to be a councilor in The Council with a good reputation who wanted to find some suitable maids from Yuguang, so I introduced her."

"I have been corresponding with her all these years. She says she lives very well there and that the master's family takes good care of her, but I always feel she is hiding something. After you get to Yaoguang, can you go see her for me? If she is truly living well, then don't disturb her. If that family treats her poorly, please bring her out, and I will find a way to bring her back to Yuguang."

He finished his request with a hesitant face, then hurriedly added.

"Of course, I am willing to pay a reward. This is what I have saved over the years. It's not much, but you will definitely have places where you need money once you reach Yaoguang."

Just as his voice trailed off, two lines of prompts popped up in Li Wei's mind.

[Triggered Quest "Visit": Find and visit a girl from Yuguang. If her situation is dire, bring her back.]
[Quest Reward: 30,000 Legal Currency]

Looking at this triggered quest, Li Wei looked at the three stacks of money Li Ming had dug out from a safe on the side.

Under Li Ming's expectant gaze, he did not agree immediately, but after pondering for a moment, he asked.

"Do you have any IOUs here from factory owners living in Yaoguang who owe laborers wages or compensation that they have never paid?"

Li Ming looked at Li Wei with a blank expression, not understanding why he would suddenly ask for such a thing, but after thinking about it, he said.

"Laborers deal directly with foremen and factories. Even if such IOUs existed, they wouldn't be in my hands. But if it's other contracts and IOUs that haven't been paid..."

As he spoke, he turned back to the safe, and after a bout of rummaging, he found a ledger from the very back.

Holding the ledger, he sat back down in front of Li Wei.