"By the way, just now we were talking about your little sister..."
As Le Yuxin put on his clothes and got ready to leave, Yin Yinyin suddenly called out to him.
"For so reason, Le Yuxin always felt like this conversation had happened before."
"Did you listen carefully to the conversation between Dong Heng and Kui Zhao?"
"Not really, all my attention was focused on locking onto the streetlight back then." Le Yuxin shook his head. Qian Yuliu didn’t really have much talent as an ADC—neither at throwing nor shooting. The only reason Le Yuxin managed to hit the streetlight with a rock in one shot was because he spent over ten seconds locking on with his Spiritual Power."
"This counted as a surface-level application of Spiritual Power, kind of like Le Yuxin was simulating his own throwing arc, gradually finding the force and angle to guarantee a hit."
"Only soone like Le Yuxin, a close-combat brawler, would need so long to lock on. Practitioners of Combat Technique like Feihua could lock onto a still target instantly as a reflex, and even for moving targets, less than three seconds. Rumor had it that randomly throwing chopsticks to skewer mosquitoes was a traditional pasti for army snipers."
"Aside from the focus required to lock on, Le Yuxin also had an unspoken reason—for tonight was his first ti taking the initiative to attack, and he couldn’t help but feel nervous."
"Before tonight, every fight was either a Statistical Departnt mission or an ambush, aning Le Yuxin was in a ’no choice but to fight’ situation, so there was nothing to discuss, you just charged in. But this ti, he was lying in wait to ambush others, and it was high-risk. That feeling of ’after years of guarding against thieves, it’s finally my turn to be the thief’—was both thrilling and nerve-wracking."
"According to Dong Heng, there were probably only a handful of trains recently running from Star Engraving District to Yanjing—maybe even just one." Yin Yinyin said, "In fact, trains from Chenfeng District to Yanjing have been cut back to only two or three runs a month for months now. That’s probably the consensus between Ding Yi and Lv Zhong, to cut off Chenfeng District’s ties to Yanjing’s center."
Le Yuxin was shocked, "They haven’t openly rebelled, right? Just cutting off traffic is that easy?"
Yin Yinyin said, "They have a million reasons—Twilight rebels, Sea Barbarian raids, or maybe the track is just too old. With the Imperial throne in Yanjing still undecided and the uprising unresolved, the little maneuvers in Chenfeng District won’t draw attention."
"But for Lv Zhong and Ding Yi, keeping the local nobles from escaping to Yanjing, binding them to their own chariots, is pure profit. Whoever controls the right to move controls their lives, and they see that very clearly. Whoever wins control of Chenfeng District will need to reshuffle everything, and they need not just money and resources, but talent—and all these nobles, whether by choice or not, are the foundation for the future."
"This one train? That’s probably tacit agreent between Lv Zhong and Ding Yi. They’ll permit so nobles’ children to leave as a fallback plan, so those who stay, will commit totally to them."
"So, if you want your sister to leave Star Engraving District and study in Yanjing, that one train in a few days—that’s your only chance."
Le Yuxin asked weakly, "Can I just buy a ticket like normal...?"
"Of course not, you need connections." Yin Yinyin said, "But that’s not a problem—I can hook you up. Next ti I et you, I’ll give you the ticket, you just have to get your sister on that train on ti."
"Hmm..." Le Yuxin sighed, "About that, I’ve got a bit of a problem."
"What’s the problem?"
Le Yuxin explained simply about Qian Yuya’s ’special feelings’ toward him, making even stone-faced Yin Yinyin show a stunned expression:
"That’s on you, I can’t help with that. You’ll have to figure it out yourself."
He paused, then added,
"Guess it’s true what they say—birds of a feather."
...
...
The next day, Le Yuxin went to work, expecting a storm but finding only calm seas.
"Soone ntioned in passing that ’I heard Dong Heng died,’ but no one pressed the issue. After all, it wasn’t really a Statistical Departnt matter, and Dong Heng didn’t have much of a presence. Like how Chen Fu dumbly asked, ’Who’s Dong Heng? Does that have anything to do with ?’—proving Chen Fu was actually a pretty competent Statistical Departnt agent; his first reaction to soone dying was ’Did I kill them?’ "
"Well, that’s just competent."
"A great Statistical Departnt agent, when hearing about soone’s death, should think, ’Can I use this to my advantage?’"
"Le Yuxin sat by the Statistical Departnt office window on the second floor, watching an ard light truck pull into the yard. The officers escorted prisoners off the vehicle and into Building Two—what they called ’the Bottomless Pit,’ since that’s where they kept detainees."
"Neither Le Yuxin nor Qian Yuliu had ever been inside Building Two. Soundproofing and hygiene were great, nothing looked unusual. The Statistical Departnt didn’t have the right to detain criminals long-term, only seventy-two hours, after which it was release or transfer to the Imprisonnt Departnt for formal charges."
"But few people ever ’normally’ left the Statistical Departnt holding cells. Don’t get it wrong. The Statistical Departnt followed the law; they didn’t use torture on suspects. At least, physically, everyone who ca out of Building Two seed fine."
"But...don’t forget, in this world, dical Officers could heal the living dead and reattach limbs. And even if the body stayed uninjured, there were plenty of tricks—for example, Le Yuxin discovered he could channel light to ’leak’ under his fingernails, and if he pressed a little, the nail would slowly pry up."
"The very thought of it was painful."
"That said, Le Yuxin didn’t really feel sympathetic to whoever was about to be tossed into the ’Bottomless Pit.’ He asked, ’If I’m not mistaken, those are...’"
"The real power behind the White Wave Gang, the Yuan Family." Chen Fu explained, "Every Haizhu Port dockworker pays the White Wave Gang protection, half the docks are theirs in practice, the gang’s laundry list goes all the way up to murder, arson, and even slaughtering entire ship crews to take their cargo...lots of run-ins with the Imprisonnt Departnt, and Dong Heng was always butting heads with the Yuan Family."
After so mistakes, Chen Fu had looked into the Imprisonnt Departnt and offered his take, "Maybe Deputy Director Kui thinks the White Wave Gang paid for a hit? Still, shouldn’t the Imprisonnt Departnt handle that? Why’d it end up with the Statistical Departnt...good thing it’s not our job."
"Le Yuxin looked down at long-braided Kui Zhao, wondering if he’d really swallowed Yin Yinyin’s story. Did he really believe Yin Yinyin was just a contract killer? "
"Would he figure the two assassins from last night had already slipped out of Star Engraving District by special channels to escape his pursuit? Would that make him stop digging?"
"Just then, Kui Zhao suddenly turned his head and glanced at the Statistical Departnt building, his gaze eting Le Yuxin’s."
"Kui Zhao’s face was as gloomy as ever, like the whole world owed him a wife. Le Yuxin’s heart skipped a beat, but he didn’t dare look away—it would be too guilty-looking—so he tilted his head and asked Chen Fu, "Hey, doesn’t Deputy Director Kui’s ponytail look just like a dog’s tail?"
Chen Fu stared blankly at Le Yuxin, "Did you get that backward, bro...? Wait, even if you flipped it...and at this distance, Deputy Kui could totally hear us."
"Who cares, I’m a Linhai Army joint officer now, Director Lan’s right hand, what’s the deputy gonna do, kill instantly? What’s he gonna do, execute in a second?" Le Yuxin said, sounding more confident as he went.
"That’s right. Even if Kui Zhao was a deputy director, I was still a team leader, with Lan Yan backing ! Plus, he probably wouldn’t recognize , and even if he did, as long as there was no hard proof, what could he do?"
The phone rang, and Ailili answered, an excited smile on her face as she called out, "Captain, the Director wants you in his office!"
See? Le Yuxin shot Chen Fu a look of smug triumph and swaggered upstairs to the third floor office.
He pushed open the door, and Lan Yan, who was working on paperwork, imdiately paused, adjusted his glasses, and smiled, "Captain Qian, good afternoon."
"Director, is there sothing you need from ?" Le Yuxin asked.
"Take a seat, no rush." Lan Yan motioned for Le Yuxin to sit across from him, glanced at the ssy desk, and sighed, "Honestly, there’s no end to what I could ask you for. You know the situation here in Star Engraving District—chaotic, rebels everywhere, nobles’ drama, fallout from the lockdown...sotis I wish I could clone myself ten tis over just to keep up."
"You gotta share the load, right?" Le Yuxin shalessly buttered him up.
"But let’s not get into that now." Lan Yan spun his pen, then suddenly asked, "Yuliu, I hear you have a sister? About to graduate from middle school?"
"The way he asked made nervous..." Le Yuxin nodded.
Lan Yan pressed, "How are her grades? Which departnt is she looking to apply for?"
"She’s doing well, should be no problem getting into the Cultural College—she wants to major in dical Officer studies."
"Our Star Engraving District’s Cultural College is good, but for dical Officer studies, the Royal Academy is more advanced, more cutting-edge."
Le Yuxin laughed, "Is there any departnt at the Royal Academy that isn’t cutting-edge?"
Lan Yan nodded, smiling, "True enough...So, what about your sister, has she thought about applying to the Royal Academy in Yanjing? Entrance exams are in about ten days, I think."
Le Yuxin suddenly got a bad feeling, forcing a smile, "It’s not out of the question...but isn’t Star Engraving District locked down?"
"The lockdown won’t last long. Even once it’s lifted, there will only be one train to Yanjing from Star Engraving District, in eight days—just in ti for the Royal Academy entrance exam." Lan Yan said seriously, "If you want your sister to go take a shot at her future, I can get you a ticket."
"No matter how kind Lan Yan sounded, Le Yuxin only felt a chill, like a death row inmate having his last al. He couldn’t possibly refuse a kindness from Lan Yan, even if refusing was an option, so he forced himself to nod, "Thank you for looking out for , Director."
"It’s no trouble at all, you’re my right hand, of course I take care of you." Lan Yan said warmly, "Personal business aside—let’s talk official duties."
"Go ahead."
"The lockdown will be over soon, but after that, Star Engraving District isn’t opening all six gates—just the northwest Twilight Gate. Normally, gate security is handled by the Imprisonnt Departnt, but Director Dong died yesterday, so the Governor handed inspection duty to , and now I think you’re the best person for the job."
Lan Yan tapped his finger on the desk, "If Lv Zhong wants to sabotage Star Engraving District from within, his only real chance is right after the lockdown ends. I want you to investigate everyone and everything going in and out—don’t let any dangerous people or contraband get through."
"No matter whose order it is, even if the Governor himself hands you a note! Check all personnel, open all cargo, make every officer check everything. Understood?"
"Understood."
Lan Yan pushed his glasses, "I trust you won’t let down."
...
When Le Yuxin left the director’s office, he ran right into Kui Zhao in the hallway.
The two exchanged a look, and Kui Zhao stopped, suddenly asking, "Heard you have a sister, right?"
"This conversation...that’s the third ti today..." Le Yuxin nodded, exasperated.
"When the lockdown is lifted, send her away as soon as possible." Kui Zhao strode off, tossing back, "Don’t leave yourself with too many weaknesses."
"Le Yuxin stared after him, wondering if that was a threat or advice."
"And to think Lan Yan handed gate inspection duty, and so strict about it—this is going to be a nightmare..."
"Worried, he headed back to the Team One office, where Chen Fu ca over, ’Almost ti to get off work. We haven’t had dinner together for ages. My treat tonight, how about Xu Da Sao’s Bistro?’
"Nope, I gotta go ho and have dinner with my sister."
"Right, you have a sister...Ow!"
Chen Fu rubbed his head where he’d just been hit, looking both wronged and confused, "Why’d you hit ?"
"If I can’t beat those three, at least I can beat you." Le Yuxin grumbled, gathering his things, "Anyway, I’m eating with my sister. If you want to treat , make it lunch next ti."
Chen Fu thought for a mont, "Then how about I mooch dinner at your place tonight?"
"No..." Le Yuxin started to say no, but then a brilliant idea hit him. He turned right around, "Knew you’d say that! Let’s go, let’s go!"
After work, on the way out of the Statistical Departnt, Le Yuxin reminded, "Chen Fu, you’ve always got a slick tongue. I bet you gossip plenty, right?"
"Of course...not! I’d never gossip!" Chen Fu shook his head fiercely.
"Heh, so you an all that office gossip I heard is just the result of your righteous fact-finding?"
Le Yuxin went on, "Long story short, when we sit down for dinner, I want you to brag, exaggerate, explain in vivid detail every bad thing we’ve ever done, make us sound as rotten as possible, make the victims as miserable as you can. Got it?"
"Why?" asked Chen Fu, bewildered. "But your sister will be there, isn’t that embarrassing?"
"That’s exactly why you have to do it!"
"Le Yuxin’s thinking was simple: since Qian Yuya thought her brother was a ’bad guy with a heart of gold,’ Chen Fu would shatter that idiotic delusion and make her see her brother for the irredeemable scumbag he was!"
"Then I’d top it off with a few truly heartless lines—she’d finally give up on , and go off to Yanjing for her legendary start!"
"Just do what I said and can it." Le Yuxin knocked him again, "Talk less, do more. You think I’d jerk you around?"
The two arrived at the Qian house together. As Le Yuxin opened the gate, Qian Yuya ca out from the backyard in her apron, "You’re ho?"
She saw the stranger, wiped her hands on her apron, and asked, confused, "He is...?"
"That’s Chen Fu, my right-hand man at the Departnt! I owe my career to Chen Fu’s help!" Le Yuxin talked him up, and Chen Fu, surprised and flattered, sheepishly shook his head, his skull still smarting from that earlier knock.
But Qian Yuya’s face froze, "Oh, another shaless minion of the Departnt."
Before Chen Fu could respond, Le Yuxin jumped in, "Qian Yuya, I’ve put up with you long enough! You wanna insult , fine! But if you insult my bro—"
"Then don’t insult ."
Chen Fu, about to say sothing nice, "?"
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