Lungn, Guard Departnt Office.
Inside the office, Chen stared wide-eyed at the docunts in her hands. She was the only one busy working there.
Knock knock knock.
A knocking sound rang out, and the door was pushed open.
"Are you still working?"
Seeing Chen at her desk, Hoshiguma asked.
"Oh? Hoshiguma, why are you so late? And you even brought snacks?"
Chen glanced over while continuing her work, noticing the bag in Hoshiguma's hand… was it soup?
So she went out on patrol and brought food back along the way?
Well, Hoshiguma had already finished most of her work anyway so it did not matter.
"Yeah but I did not buy it. Soone I know gave it to ."
Hoshiguma placed the soup on her desk. As for the tea set, she had already hidden it sowhere, no way could that be seen. That was evidence of slacking off during patrol.
"You sure have a lot of friends."
Chen did not care much. Hoshiguma had already done her duties, and there were not any major cases for the Guard Departnt right now.
No… actually, there was one case. They had just received so intel from an informant in the slums.
"It is not that I have a lot of friends, it is that your temper is too explosive. Do you want so?"
Hoshiguma sighed at Chen's comnt.
Chen was too stubborn. Once she found soone's weak spot, she could scold them until they questioned their life choices.
"I am working."
After staring at the docunts for a long ti, Chen turned her deadpan eyes toward Hoshiguma.
"It is from the sa person who made those bento boxes a few days ago, you know?"
Hoshiguma tried to tempt her.
Having so afternoon tea at the Guard Departnt to recharge was pretty common, but when Chen was around, most people did not dare to eat openly because of her authority.
But now… if they got the boss involved too, then there would be no problem.
If the boss joins in slacking off, then there is nothing to worry about, right?
"…Alright."
After hesitating for a mont, Chen decided that having a snack at this hour was not a bad idea. You need energy to work, after all.
Of course, this was only because Hoshiguma invited her. If it were anyone else, they would definitely get scolded.
It definitely was not because she thought the previous bento was delicious and wanted to freeload again.
"You are surprisingly easygoing today. Help call Missy, then I will portion this out."
Seeing Chen agree so quickly, Hoshiguma was a bit surprised.
She had even prepared a couple of backup plans, but today Chen was unusually cooperative.
Less talking was better anyway, she was quite looking forward to how the soup tasted. It had slled amazing back at the shop.
"Call that char siu cat?"
Chen was a bit puzzled but still picked up her phone and called Swire.
Hoshiguma occasionally brought food like this and shared it around, so Chen was used to it.
But why suddenly call that "char siu cat" this ti?
"She knows the person too. Just have her co over and grab so."
Hearing Cheni's confusion, Hoshiguma gave a brief explanation.
When she left the shop earlier, Shirou had specifically asked her to pass along his regards to Swire. And with this much soup, it was clearly ant to be shared with her too.
Of course, since Chen and Swire often clashed, if Chen did not want her here, Swire could just take it back to her own office.
Though… that would be rough on the people in her office, the soup slled incredibly good.
"That is fine. I actually have sothing to discuss with her anyway."
Just as Chen said that, the call connected.
"Oi, you damn dragon? Why are you calling ?"
Swire's puzzled voice ca through. Usually, calling by phone ant sothing urgent.
"Once you are done with your work, co to my office."
Chen had originally wanted to tell her to co imdiately, but after thinking about it, that did not seem appropriate.
What if Swire was in the middle of serious work?
So she added that extra line.
"Huh? Your office? Did you eat the departnt phone or sothing? Why use your mobile for this?"
Swire imdiately started ranting.
She had thought it was sothing serious, if they were both in the office, why not just use the departnt phone? She had almost mobilized people because of this call.
"…There is sothing. Co over as soon as you can."
Of course, Chen rembered the office phones. But using them to call soone over for afternoon tea just felt… off.
Even though they did have so actual matters to discuss.
Still, it did not feel quite right so she chose to use her mobile instead.
"Ugh… seriously. I will be there soon. Do you need to bring anything?"
Hearing Chen say that, Swire could not really keep scolding her.
"So paper docunts from the slums… and a spoon?"
Chen thought for a mont and asked Swire to bring the slum-related docunts.
She also checked on Hoshiguma's side and there were three big bowls. She was not sure if Swire had any cleanliness quirks, so it would be safer to have her bring a spoon.
"Slum docunts… and a spoon?"
Although she did not quite understand why a spoon was needed, Swire still brought the docunts and grabbed a spoon from the drawer.
If there was not a proper reason, she was going to use that spoon to drum on that damn dragon's head.
"Tch, the more I think about it, the more annoyed I get."
After hanging up, Chen looked displeased.
If she and that "char siu cat" were together, there would definitely be conflict, after all their ways of handling things were very different.
But judging purely as a person, aside from coveting her position and once forcing her to arrest soone using lipstick and costics, that cat was not actually that bad.
"Should I put it on the coffee table?"
While the "dragon-tiger showdown" was brewing, Hoshiguma had already portioned out the soup.
The amount Shirou provided was quite generous, after three large bowls there was still so left.
Considering Chen had asked Swire to bring docunts, the only place in the office where all three could sit was the coffee table.
"Just put it there. Thanks."
Chen rubbed her eyes first. After staring at the computer and docunts all day, her eyes were sore.
Once Swire arrived, they would have to go through more materials so she needed a mont to rest.
"No problem. It would be even better if you do not start arguing with Missy later."
"I will try."
"Sigh… you two may not be tired but I, the one who has to ditate, am exhausted."
As the two chatted, the office door was suddenly pushed open. Swire walked in carrying a stack of docunts.
"Soup? You damn dragon, did you take the wrong ds today? Asking for help and even providing snacks?"
As soon as she entered and slled the soup, Swire started to suspect sothing was off with Chen today.
"Hoshiguma brought it. She happened to be looking for you. I also have sothing to discuss with both of you, so lock the door."
After confirming Swire had entered and locked the door, Chen stood up, holding a stack of docunts.
"I knew it would not be anything good."
Seeing the thick pile of files in Chen's hands, Swire began to worry whether she would be able to get off work on ti.
Still, she placed her docunts on the coffee table. Work was work.
After Swire sat down, Hoshiguma pushed her portion over.
"Hoshiguma, did you run into soone you know again? This slls pretty good, what shop is it from?"
Looking at the soup and recalling what Chen said, Swire knew Hoshiguma had received food again.
During patrols, people often gave small snacks, and Hoshiguma was both approachable and eye-catching so she frequently got them.
"Shirou made it and he gave it to when I ran into him during my patrol."
Hoshiguma concealed what Shirou was doing in the slums. It was fine if it was just her, but if officers from the Guard Departnt kept going in and out of that place, it would easily attract attention.
People in the slums particularly disliked the Guard Departnt even in neutral areas like markets.
She understood these rules, but that did not an Chen and Swire did.
"Shirou, huh? Got it."
Hearing that, Swire nodded while looking at the soup.
No wonder Hoshiguma specifically called her over, it seed Shirou had not forgotten her.
Maybe there is a chance to poach him!
"Shirou? Oh, the one from Penguin Logistics."
Chen, listening to their conversation, did not imdiately recall who Shirou was.
Which was normal as she had only t him once. That fried at dish he made was really delicious.
But Hoshiguma said the soup and the lunchbox were made by the sa person… so Shirou was making als for her?
And Swire wanted to recruit him away from Penguin Logistics?
…This was getting a bit complicated.
"Yeah, after that day, Penguin Logistics has been a lot more restrained. It saved us a lot of work."
Swire loosened a button slightly and stretched.
With just Chen and Hoshiguma here, she could relax. The door was locked anyway, there was no need to worry about anyone barging in.
"Now that you ntion it, I have not seen their tickets these past few days…"
Thinking back on recent work, Hoshiguma suddenly realized sothing was missing.
It was the tickets for Penguin Logistics!
"That is a good thing. ans they have learned their lesson."
Chen said. Penguin Logistics causing less trouble was clearly a good thing but coming from Hoshiguma and Swire, it sohow sounded like sothing was missing.
…as if they felt it was a pity to lose their daily routine tasks.
Chen casually picked up the docunts Swire had just placed on the coffee table and flipped through them, confirming they were what she needed.
"True."
Hearing Chen's words, both Hoshiguma and Swire found it reasonable.
As long as no trouble was caused, that was enough. Lungn had safely made it through another day thanks to Penguin Logistics for behaving.
"By the way, you damn dragon, what do you want these docunts for?"
Swire held her bowl, sipping the soup as she watched Chen seriously reviewing the files.
"Soone tipped off that recently, in the slums, soone seems to be targeting the Infected. They told to keep an eye on it."
After confirming the docunts were correct, Chen set them aside and spoke to the two.
Strictly speaking, this matter was not under the Guard Departnt's jurisdiction, there had not been any report and it was happening inside the slums.
Chen simply could not ignore it, so she wanted to investigate.
"Targeting the Infected… are they children?"
Hoshiguma felt the timing was a bit too coincidental.
Shirou was currently taking in Infected children, and Chen was investigating soone targeting the Infected… it could not be that coincidental, right?
"So are children, but most are adults."
Chen shook her head. It was unclear where those people had gone after disappearing but for now most of the targets were adults.
She also did not know what the culprit wanted with these Infected. The informant's information was very limited so she could only investigate slowly on her own.
"Oh? Then it sounds troubleso."
After confirming it was not related to Shirou's side, Hoshiguma felt relieved.
Shirou only took in children and there was no coercion at all so it definitely was not a problem.
At the very least, she would not have to see Chen and Shirou clash. She was even hoping to find a chance to have Shirou cook a full Higashi-style al for her soday, to relive the taste of ho.
It would not be good if soone got hurt.
"It is very troubleso. Affairs in the slums are not easy to interfere with."
Swire sighed. Life was not easy.
These kinds of cases were the most difficult and hard for the Guard Departnt to intervene, and the clues were scattered.
Even if they found the culprit, locating soone in the slums was not easy. So people there were openly hostile toward the Guard Departnt.
"There will be a way."
Chen said.
"Just do not do anything reckless."
Seeing Chen like this, Hoshiguma felt worried. Chen often handled things this way and frequently ended up covered in injuries.
Usually, she already had to worry about Chen's daily life, if only soone could share that burden.
For so reason, Hoshiguma suddenly thought of Shirou.
If she rembered correctly, Shirou seed to be taking care of all four mbers of Penguin Logistics by himself and even had ti to look after Infected children like Rope.
If sothing ever happened to her, asking Shirou to look after Chen… did not sound like a bad idea?
"Put those thoughts away. Be careful you do not end up hospitalized again. I have had my eye on your position for a long ti and if you are gone too long, I will take over."
Swire was also worried about Chen but unfortunately her mouth just could not say those softer words.
They were too used to arguing and without a bit of sharpness she could not talk to this damn dragon at all.
"Heh. Let's wait for the informant's news."
Hearing Swire is words, Chen let out a dismissive scoff.
There was too little information at the mont so they could only wait for further updates. She was just using this ti to review recent developnts in the slums.
That way, it would be easier to act when the ti ca to go in.
"As long as you have thought it through. Contact if anything happens."
Seeing tension rising again between the two, Hoshiguma felt exhausted.
Still, she reminded Chen that if anything happened she should make sure to contact her.
She was very familiar with the slums. In certain situations, she was even more effective than the Guard Departnt.
"I will."
Chen set down the docunts and rubbed between her brows.
There were still too many limitations, many things could not be done easily and manpower was also an issue.
She glanced at the still-warm soup in front of her and at the two enjoying it with gusto. Setting the docunts aside, she picked up her bowl and took a sip.
Warm, smooth, and comforting.
She could roughly understand why Hoshiguma and Swire kept thinking about that person from Penguin Logistics.
If she could eat food like this every day, her work efficiency would definitely skyrocket.
After all, she was not a workaholic, work when it is ti to work and relax when it is ti to relax. She understood that rest was necessary to go further in the long run.
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