Chapter 283

9th Lungmen Seafood: 321 It's not a lone battle!

From the moment she entered the so-called 'shantytown', Nana felt that the scene before her was very familiar.

The sky was shattered by power lines, the cracked cement road was full of filthy water, the old buildings were dark and had lost their original brick color... and the gang members, although they were all afraid of Swire, most of them would greet Hoshiguma.

Curious children peered through the window at the three well-dressed individuals, while mold and vines vied for the space clinging to the corner of the wall.

An old Fire Department was fitted with a faucet that was clearly illegally operated, and a handwritten sign on the wall next to it read, "Dirty water, do not drink directly!"

The motion-activated lighting in the stairwell had stopped working, and the changing light and darkness as you entered the stairwell from the outside felt like entering the belly of some enormous creature.

The walls were covered in cobwebs and the dead bodies of insects that had been preyed upon piled up in the corners, yet no one seemed to bother to clean them. The only way to get around this old building was through a narrow and incredibly steep staircase. If it weren't for the worm-eaten but still shiny handrails that served as fencing, Nana would have thought she was walking on a mountain path.

Having climbed to the third floor, Swire looked at the unlocked door that opened with a simple push, snorted coldly, and strode into the literally bare house.

"Hey~ Not bad, Rope. I haven't checked on you for a month, and now you're living in a house with a roof~ Which kind soul 'donated' this to you? It's so dangerous to leave the door unlocked in broad daylight."

"This... Oh dear, Officer Shi, you're joking again. I just found this house empty and decided to stay here for a few days... Otherwise, it was raining and cold and damp the other day, and I probably would have had to stay in jail... You can check if you don't believe me, this house really is empty! I even brought that tin lunchbox and cardboard mattress myself! I've been very well-behaved lately, and I haven't caused any trouble!"

Even with two inspectors watching, the purple-haired Cautus, known as Rope, maintained a smile. However, Nana could see that his legs were trembling and shaking. The door lock had been forcibly pried open from the outside and was currently unable to be closed.

On the living room table were rusty iron screws and a flathead screwdriver that had been disassembled and was apparently intended to be used as a door bolt... Judging from the purpose of these 'handicrafts,' this girl from Cautus probably planned to stay here for a while.

Surprisingly, Swire didn't seem to care about the girl's obvious intrusion... Nana guessed it was probably because this was just a bare-bones house without water or electricity.

After all, whether it was the girl's obviously ill-fitting, out-of-season clothes, or the tattered cloth shoes with a simple rabbit drawing on them but unable to hide the frayed heels... it all indicated that the girl known as Rope was living a very unhappy life.

The girl from Cautus's height and weight appeared noticeably low, and her raised hands showed almost no muscle or fat, with clearly visible knuckles. Her fingertips were covered in scars, and her second and third joints had faint calluses, marks left from frequently dragging and pulling with thin ropes by hand.

Based on this initial deduction, if Rope is not someone who enjoys fishing with bare hands using scale lines, then he is most likely a thief who frequently uses ropes and hooks.

Although Nana couldn't quite tell whether the girl from Cautus was the same age as her pet Little Cat, Rabbit, or a little older due to her visibly malnutrition... well, watching this girl, who was barely better off than a refugee, skillfully using all sorts of flattering and obsequious techniques to converse with Swire was dressed in all sorts of luxury goods... because the contrast between the two was so stark, Nana found the scene somewhat unsettling.

Nana decided to interrupt their pointless conversation.

"... Um, Officer Swire?"

"Huh? Oh! Medic Agent..."

"Excuse me for interrupting you, but could this... Rope, perhaps raise your hand a little higher?"

Although she didn't know what Nana was up to, Swire readily accepted Nana's request and gave Rope a look that seemed to say, "This is your chance."

As the girl hesitantly adopted a gesture of surrender, Nana smiled and nodded:

"Hmm, raise it a little higher?"

He tugged at his clothes and lifted his arm, only to see the black-haired woman, Feline, who wasn't wearing Guard Bureau, squat down in front of him. Realizing what was happening, Swire Rope withdrew his hand, but Swire stopped him.

As Rope hesitated before speaking, the stranger, already wearing blue disposable medical gloves, began to grope her lower abdomen.

"Um... Sir Poetry, does this person... know I'm the Infected? They should be able to see it clearly..."

"We know, she must know since she saw it... Don't worry, she's a doctor at a specialized hospital for the Infected ... So, Medic, are you examining this child's condition?"

Nodding in confirmation, Nana frowned as she looked at the fact that more than half of the Oripathy were inflamed. She then took out a medical spellcasting unit from her bag and used it to emit a bright green light in the dimly lit room to begin the most basic anti-inflammatory treatment.

Seeing Nana's serious expression as she tried to press Rope's lower abdomen and thigh on the same side with her gloved hand, Swire asked with some concern:

"How is the child? Why do you look so serious...? The Rope's skin don't seem to make up a large proportion?"

"Oripathy isn't just about the surface appearance. Actually, this child's condition is now entering stage two... Where are the child's family members?"

Seeing Swire's silent shaking of her head, Nana blinked, sighed, and continued:

"The Originium on her skin doesn't seem to have been treated. The Active Originium has a tendency to erode into her body and organs... Is she an informant for your Guard Bureau? Why didn't you take her for a medical check-up and treatment... even the most basic conservative treatment...?"

"Actually Ch'en has already taken the child to see a doctor... Also, the informant is just a pretext. It was a back door that Ch'en and I opened so that she could stay temporarily in the Guard Bureau prison under the pretext of detention during bad weather."

"Members of the Lungmen Guard Department are required to not be the Infected, and we can't openly register the Infected's file with the Guard Bureau... Adding more meat to the meals the people in the cell deliver while she's in custody is already the limit."

While Hoshiguma sighed and explained, Nana had already reshaped the Originium on the girl from Cautus... cutting off the protruding sharp crystals, shaving off any parts that might be snagged or broken... finally disinfecting it, and then separating it from the discolored and tattered clothing with dressings and gauze.

After administering an inhibitor to the glowing-eyed girl from Cautus's, Nana packed the disposable instruments and Originium fragments from this minor surgery into a specially made Originium Pollution storage bag.

After completing all this Nana looked up at the girl codenamed "Rope" and the other two police superintendents:

"I see. So, the reason you introduced her to me as an 'informant' this time is..."

"Of course, it's because her skills are really suitable~ Don't let her young age Rope, An Suo is quite the know-it-all in the slums. Although she keeps her distance from all the gangs, she can still chat with each one... When you mentioned looking for a target, Nana, I immediately thought of her."

"Besides... it's hard to say that I didn't have any ulterior motives in introducing her to you. After all, I'm not familiar with Oripathy, Ch'en, or Hoshiguma... and this child was kicked out of her family, so she's basically in a state of forced independence... I heard from Ch'en that you brought a Nine-Tails child back to Rhodes Island when you came to Lungmen before, so I was wondering if it was possible for you to bring Rope back with you."

"Sure."

Nana agreed readily, then took off Nana gloves and adjusted the tightness of the bandages on Rope's body and thighs. She then looked at Rope with the same gaze one would give a child:

"So, what special skills does Little Rope have?"

"Oh... she actually..."

While Swire carefully considered his words, probably pondering whether to reveal that the girl was a thief, the girl from Cautus was the first to raise her hand:

"I have excellent hearing! Even in Cautus, I'm the type who can pick out faint sounds in complex environments. I can also help gather clues, and I'm also very good at negotiating with... well, social activist groups? I'm very good at talking to those people."

Seemingly struggling with something, the purple-haired Cautus finally managed a slightly embarrassed smile.

"As long as you don't mind that I'm a petty thief... I'm ashamed to say, I have quite a few criminal records in Lungmen... Of course, I've served all the jail time I was supposed to! I'm innocent now!"

"Is that how you determine guilt or innocence? You'd better not commit any more crimes..."

Seeing Swire's exasperated gesture of poking the girl's cheek with his finger, Rope simply reverted to his usual witty and charming tone:

"There's nothing we can do about it... After all, I've been taught since elementary school how to steal food from other people's pockets..."

Seeing Nana's questioning expression, Swire sighed and explained:

"That was when this child was kicked out of his home and had just arrived in Lungmen... There was a gang that specialized in trafficking, training, and abusing children, forcing minors to steal for them, Rope was trained by them to become a pickpocket... However, that gang was wiped out by the Guard Bureau many years ago, but because of Oripathy, this child couldn't go to a public orphanage and could only struggle in this slum area."

"Although she has successfully honed her skills in surviving and loitering in chaotic environments, stealing has almost become an instinctive behavior for her... Can she go to Rhodes Island?"

Seeing that Swire and Hoshiguma were both looking at her with great anticipation, Nana naturally followed suit:

"As long as it wasn't a matter of malicious intent, even if someone stole something in a rush, as long as they realize it and return it, the people of Rhodes Island probably won't be too angry... especially after learning about her background..."

Touching the girl's unkempt purple hair, Nana, under the girl's expectant yet worried gaze, took out a small knife and slightly trimmed the bangs that were a bit too long for the girl:

"Hmm, she looks much better this way. With her eyes showing, she seems much more cheerful... But this outfit won't go with us on the mission. How about we take her to get some new clothes before we begin?"

Upon hearing Nana's suggestion, Hoshiguma and Swire exchanged a glance, with the latter taking the lead and unleashing an extremely high level of enthusiasm for shopping.

However, Nana made it clear that there was no need for them to return to the city center, and besides, what kind of devilish idea was it to suggest taking Rope to Taikoo Plaza right from the start?

Swire said that there were better services at Taikoo Plaza shopping mall. Nana understood that she wanted to make up for Rope's feelings, but taking a child directly to such a high-end luxury service center for a haircut and even a body wash without any preparation... it wasn't a question of whether Nana could adapt, but whether Rope would panic and run away.

Obviously Rope, it wasn't something that could be made to accept by saying "I'll treat you today." In the end, Nana, led by Hoshiguma, found a second-hand clothing store in the shantytown and got Rope's entire outfit done for less than 100 Lungmen Dollar.

The outfit was unremarkable: a simple T-shirt and hot pants, topped with a black casual jacket commonly seen in Lungmen. The rabbit head logo on the chest likely indicated that this jacket had previously been worn by a certain Cautus. The long hem of the jacket even covered the hot pants, making the girl's jacket appear like a mini-dress, a perfect blend of energy and sexiness.

Because her left thigh was still wrapped in bandages from the recently treated Originium, the area that should have been showcasing her "absolute territory" (area of skin) was currently just a patch of white gauze. The black lace stockings weren't exactly what a girl her age should be wearing as outerwear, but since Rope seemed to like the style, Nana and the other two didn't object.

Even after Rope expression was still somewhat unnatural, had changed his clothes, Hoshiguma took out a complete set of special triangular harness equipment, including a leg accessory pouch, which she had also bought at the same store, as a celebratory gift for Rope finding a new job. Dad

Swire spent a long time browsing through several shops nearby, finally choosing a black ribbon hair accessory for the girl that could be tied behind her ears.

While the two superintendents were encouraging the girl, hoping she would contribute more to the mission and thus gain more recognition and avoid being looked down upon on Rhodes Island... Nana's gaze lingered on Cautus bunny ears on the girl's head.

It seemed to be some kind of gang mark, or perhaps simply a direct identification for 'gang thieves'... Both of Rope's ears had neatly arranged holes in the middle, like slave marks.

Two earrings in the left ear, three in the right ear, plus a cheap-looking metal earring... because those were pierced a long time ago, and now that the wounds have fully healed, the only way to heal them is to reopen them.

Watching the purple-haired girl, with the help of the two police superintendents, put on her headdress and uniform, and reveal a shy smile unlike her usual social expressions... Nana thought for a moment, but decided not to mention it. Liu

Physical injuries can heal at any time, but only she herself can shake off the psychological burden... Looking at Rope's heartfelt smile and gratitude, Nana felt that perhaps she had seen through her own turbulent life.

Compared to the marks that represent past traumas, Nana felt that guiding her into a completely new future as quickly as possible might be the truly helpful thing to do.

The four of them got back into the car, and it was only then that Rope took the initiative to speak to Nana for the first time.

"Speaking of which... you... you still haven't told me what kind of help I need... what task do you need me to complete?"

In response to the girl's question, Hoshiguma, in the passenger seat, turned around and explained:

"Well... we need to investigate with Rhodes Island about a dangerous organization that might have infiltrated Lungmen... the Guard Bureau will mainly be responsible for strengthening entry checks and surveillance in the new city area. As for the shantytown area..."

"Oh! You want to identify outsiders, right? That's easy, leave it to me, I do it all the time!"

Seeing the girl from Cautus's enthusiastic expression, Nana reached out and touched the slightly damaged bunny ears, then added:

"We're all in this together... I'll protect you, and besides me, we have plenty of reinforcements... You're not fighting alone."

Feeling the warmth of Nana's fingers occasionally brushing against the entrance of his ear, An Suo, his face slightly flushed, Rope emphatically, unsure whether it was from excitement or the stimulation of his ears.

"Uh-huh!!"

PS: Waaaaaaah!

I've posted this a few times already, but it's just so cute. ↑

PSS: That's pretty much it for Rope's arrival on the island. Now, let's officially begin the search phase. Let's welcome the chaotic organization of Exusiai's mishmash, Penguin Logistics!

9th Lungmen Seafood: 322 Lin Yuhsia

The Guard Bureau arrived with three officers in a police car, but only two superintendents drove back to the new commercial district filled with skyscrapers as dusk fell.

After introducing Nana to a helpful informant, the superintendents of the inspectorate had essentially completed their task. What followed—accompanying Rope to style her long hair and choose new clothes—was entirely their own business.

It's clear that although the purple-haired Little Bunny is a thief, her relationship with the police may not be as strained as it usually is.

Ultimately, if a child cannot survive without committing a crime, then what reason do adults have to criticize this child who is struggling between life and death?

Even though Yan's policies the Infected are much better than those of Ursus, for the Infected like Rope, job postings that specify "non- the Infected preferred" implicitly mean that the Infected should stay away... Ultimately, the number of people who get sick is always a minority.

Among the non- the Infected, there are also many who spend their days searching for work, selling their labor, their intellect, their reputation, and even their souls... just to earn enough for their own and their families' next meal. For the even more miserable the Infected group, crime and imprisonment become the only way out.

Over time, the term "The Infected" naturally became synonymous with "criminal."

Fortunately, Rope encountered Rhodes Island... Nana treated her, and the superintendents picked out new clothes for her. From then on, she could proudly hold her head high and say that she was not a criminal and that she had a respectable job.

But sometimes Nana can't help but wonder, how many people will be lucky enough to encounter their own 'Rhodes Island'?

Sigh... As a social problem, Nana still hopes that Oripathy can just be 'Oripathy' in the future... She hopes it will be something that can be cured with medicine, rather than some social term.

With this free time, letting her thoughts wander, Nana looked at Rope, who was turning to look at her in the setting sun:

"So, is everything prepared? The smoothed-out Originium on the body surface won't hook the threads anymore, right?"

"The new clothes are so comfortable! All the handy tools are in the new pockets... Can I carry this hook and chain openly now?"

"As long as you wear your Rhodes Island work permit as required... I can only give you a temporary work permit right now; we'll discuss the official one when you return to the Rhodes Island main ship."

Looking at Nana's overly gentle expression as an 'employer,' Rope felt a strong urge to accomplish something to avoid being fired.

"So, boss, shall we start that investigation now?"

"Now?"

Looking at the setting sun in the distance, Nana's smile became slightly forced.

"It's after get off work hours now, and we're not done with our work yet..."

Is there anything else we need to prepare?

"Well, for example, where to stay, and the preparation of necessary supplies..."

At this point, Nana subconsciously touched her armpit and thigh holster. All of Nana's Firearms Arts were empty; Nana didn't have a single Etch Rounds on her.

Because using lethal Etch Rounds in Lungmen is illegal, and it could also cause the Seaborn to evolve an adaptive resistance to Etch Rounds... Gladiia emphasized this point in a previous meeting with Ch'en Hui-chieh.

It's not just Firearms Arts; even advanced weapons like the Originium Lightsaber face the possibility of granting the Seaborn resistance to high heat and particle tearing. It's fair to say that most of Nana's weapons are restricted due to Lungmen's local laws and the Seaborn's characteristics... This isn't just a devastating blow for Nana; it's enough to make her feel like she's going to faint.

However, Nagisa was present at the meeting, and afterwards, Nagisa would liaise with the ICA on behalf of Nana to arrange equipment resupply. Presumably, her manager would help her resolve the issue of her unusable Firearms Arts and technical weapons, which necessitate equipment downgrading.

If all else fails, Nana can borrow Specter's circular saw. After all, the nun whom Gladiia called Shark fell into a coma after her Originium activity was adjusted, and as Abyssal Hunters, her weapon naturally meets the standard of 'not stimulating the adaptability of the Seaborn '.

By this standard, perhaps the most suitable equipment to deal with Seaborn would be industrial machinery... guaranteeing that all the damage dealt would be basic physical damage, making it impossible for those guys to adapt.

The problem is that Nana can't drive a road roller to deal with the troublesome Seaborn... However, if it's just to deal with cult members, then finding the target and letting the road roller ram through at 170 miles per hour is also part of Nana's fighting style.

Just as Nana was lost in thought, Rope, who was beside her, subtly reminded her by holding Nana hand:

"That kind of thing can be easily handled... Even if I can't go to a hotel, Medic, you can stay at the house I found... But before that, I suggest you take care of other things first."

"Other... things?"

"Hmm, for example... go and say hello to the local... um... elderly people?"