Chapter 28: Swire
— — — Penguin Logistics —
— —
"Miss Reinette, Miss Hong, good morning. I hope I haven't disturbed
your elegant moment of drinking tea, Miss Reinette."
Yith walked
into the lobby, watching Reinette, who was
sitting at the table, telekinetically manipulating a Victoria-style teapot, seemingly conjured from thin
air, to brew black tea.
As for Red, she was just
lying on a nearby sofa, leaning against Reinette.
"If others were to see this scene, they would surely think an
elegant witch, as described in novels or picture books, manipulating objects
with her magic, had appeared."
With Yith's eyesight,
he only needed a quick glance to see the true nature of the floating teapot; it
wasn't a teapot, but merely water summoned by Reinette.
"Good morning, Mr. Yith. You haven't
disturbed me. As for the black tea? It's just boredom. After all, the others
have gone to work, and I have nothing to do for now."
"Oh, where did the others go?" Yith was a bit curious about this, as it was
still quite early, and as far as he knew, those few weren't particularly
diligent.
When there was no work, generally, the four would be here
playing games or watching TV. But today, so early, and with no assignments,
where could these four have gone?
"Texas and Exusiai went to restock on Pocky, and Apple Pie, respectively. Croissant seems
to have gone to set up her stall early in the morning, and Sora went to
practice."
Reinette caught
the teapot with her hand, poured a cup of black tea, then placed it on the
coffee table. The originally blue teapot quickly turned white after being
placed on the table.
"Miss Reinette, I don't
recommend using an ice teapot to hold black tea; it will affect the taste."
"It's alright, Yith, that's my
water. It has only transformed into the shape of ice, not actually solidified
into ice, unless I need it to complete that process."
Reinette briefly
explained, then turned her gaze to the long box in Yith's arms.
"More importantly, has my staff arrived?"
Yith nodded,
placing the box from his arms on the table. Reinette also got
up and walked over. Red looked
up, confirmed that 'Mama' wasn't planning to go out, and continued to lie on
the sofa.
Yith opened
the box, and a staff with an overall bluish hue appeared before Reinette.
"Produced by Rhine Lab, a
high-end custom model, entirely forged from D32 steel. The premium leather on
the grip prevents slipping and ensures an absolutely comfortable feel."
Yith's voice,
combined with his gestures in displaying the staff and his sharp suit, made the
current scene seem as if he were describing a rare treasure.
"For the spellcasting section, the outer casing Yith still made of D32 steel. The internal
Originium circuits simultaneously use sintered core condensates, crystal
electronic units, and bipolar nanosheets, capable of perfectly transmitting and
even storing Originium Arts, provided Miss Reinette needs
it."
Reinette smiled
and nodded: "What an expensive staff. Actually, Mr. Yith could have just gotten any staff, just for
show, and that would have been fine. I don't need the Originium Arts
amplification effect of the staff."
"That would be impolite. Even if it's not needed, it doesn't
mean it can be absent. Besides, this Yith on Mr.
Emperor's tab."
Reinette's hand, which
was picking up the staff, paused slightly: "Mr. Emperor knows?"
"Of course, he knows. This Yith also Mr.
Emperor's intention."
Reinette picked
up the staff and playfully twirled it in her hand: "Then please thank Mr.
Emperor on my behalf. When Mr. Emperor comes to Penguin
Logistics, I will thank him in person as well."
"I will definitely inform Mr. Emperor, but there's one thing I
still want to ask."
"Please do."
Miss Reinette, how do you
make your water achieve an effect similar to healing spells?
Reinette smiled
at the question, holding her staff in one hand and raising the other to release
a stream of water, which coiled around her like a water snake.
"Why not? Nourishing all things Yith the power of water, and nurturing life Yith the instinct of the sea. All things exist
because of the ocean, so why can't my water be used for healing?"
Reinette didn't
know this trick at first; her water truly was just water before.
Even earlier, due to the slow pace of traditional surgical
treatment and a shortage of personnel, Reinette's medical
activities in various cities were initially unable to treat more patients.
After all, Reinette was
always alone. Even with Miss Hong later,
this fact couldn't be changed. Surgical intervention Yith a very rigorous job, and Miss Hong could at most only assist, handing
things over or helping to apply bandages.
There were many people in the Slums who
needed medical assistance. Most of the time, Reinette could only save one person and then
immediately move on to the next. It was only because Reinette basically didn't need to eat much, but even
so, the efficiency was still not enough.
Then Reinette thought
of healing spells, which already existed in games. She couldn't confirm the
effect of healing spells on seriously injured people, but at least for minor
injuries, the effect of healing spells would definitely be sufficient.
Of course, Reinette did not
have Originium in her body, so she basically had no chance or possibility of
learning Originium Arts. But, she had the omnipotent System!
Even if she couldn't learn Originium Arts, or even if she
learned them, she couldn't use them. But what about skills exchanged from the
System? Couldn't she use those?
After some searching in the System, Reinette found a skill that pleased her.
[Potion Crafting]
[Type: Skill]
[Effect: Place a jar of water
within a drawn magic circle, continuously input energy for a thirty-minute
crafting process, and the water in the jar will turn into a green liquid. The
liquid itself has restorative effects, but the healing effect cannot restore
severed limbs or reset bones; it primarily has a significant restorative effect
on flesh.]
[Description: A skill mastered
by mages or alchemists in a fantasy medieval world, typically used for
temporary potion production for a team's daily needs. Although the crafted
liquid Yith not as
good as normal medicine, it requires no additional materials and consistently
ranks among the most practical must-have skills for adventure teams.]
[Price: 3000 Medical Points]
[Purchasable with B-grade
Medical Rating]
But how to describe this skill? After using it for a
period, Reinette felt
that its effect was somewhat disappointing compared to what she initially
envisioned.
It wasn't about the healing effect, but the storage issue. The
green liquid produced would turn gray and become ineffective within ten minutes
of exposure to air. Even if sealed in a container, this process could only be
extended to a maximum of 8 hours.
This meant that Reinette had to
wake up at dawn to quickly prepare the medicine for the next day's medical
needs. In a way, after switching to this skill, Reinette became even more tired.
Then, Reinette began to
explore other methods. Her body indeed didn't need much rest, but that didn't
mean she truly didn't want to rest.
The first thing Reinette tinkered
with was her water, as in Arknights, many Operators already used water as a
medium for healing spells.
Even if she couldn't learn Originium Arts, she should still be
able to find some inspiration from it. Reinette originally
thought this would be a difficult task,
But sometimes, what you're looking for Yith often right at your fingertips; you just
overlooked it.
The same was true for Reinette. The attempt
to make water have healing effects went much, much smoother than she had
imagined.
It was as if her water inherently possessed such abilities, and
she simply hadn't realized it. Once she made the attempt and had that
awareness, everything fell into place naturally.
Of course, that doesn't mean the Potion Crafting skill, worth
3000 Medical Points, was useless. Taking some time to craft a bottle. For some
lightly injured patients, a direct sip and then letting them go was enough.
Yith looked
at the water streams swirling around Reinette: "I see.
Thank you for your explanation."
Reinette smiled
and nodded: "Just some minor issues."
As Reinette's voice
faded, the water streams circling her converged at the tip of her staff and
disappeared.
--- LGD ---
"Lungmen slang, Char Siu
Dragon, what are you thinking?!"
A furious shout erupted from an Office in
the LGD. Passing
police officers merely glanced before continuing their work; it was just Police Officer Chen and Police Officer Shire arguing again, nothing major.
And in the Office was a
young woman, about 1.6 meters tall, with blonde hair and green eyes, possessing
a very elegant demeanor. She wore two leg rings over her black stockings,
making her calves appear more slender and well-proportioned. A tiger tail
swayed silently behind her, with its inherent striped allure.
And she was the mascot… ahem, no, Senior Superintendent
Beatrix Swire of
the Lungmen Guard Department.
And now, this Senior Superintendent's face was full of anger.
She slammed her hand on the desk.
Chen raised her hand and picked her ear: "Char Siu Cat, I'm not
deaf, why are you so loud?"
"Then tell me, what do you intend to do?" Swire forcefully slapped the map spread on the
desk.
"Soul Night Yith almost here."
"Of course I know that. You want to find a Mafia to assert authority? Then at least find an
easy one! Look who you've found?!"
Swire slapped
the document on the table, which contained information about a Mafia called Black Hat.
According to the information, this Mafia was very large, with four scattered
strongholds, and they possessed many weapons. Of course, none of this was the
main point. The main point, marked in red in the report, was that they might
have planted bombs in their strongholds.
"These guys are lunatics! Planting bombs under their own
strongholds, what if our police officers go in and they detonate the bombs?
Will we be asserting authority or going to our deaths then, Char Siu Dragon?!"
Seeing the furious Swire in front
of her, Chen's anger also flared up a bit. The two of them were natural rivals,
often creating a scene of intense confrontation.
Hoshiguma, seeing the
brewing trouble, quickly stepped forward to stop them: "Alright, alright, Swire, Old Chen must have her reasons. Let's hear Old
Chen's reasons first."
Chen, stopped by Hoshiguma, also sat
back down, pointing to the red-marked text on the document: "Char Siu Cat,
haven't you considered that if they plant bombs in their own strongholds, it
means they have bombs and might also plant them elsewhere?"
"…You mean… Alright, I understand, but this Yith too risky. To prevent them from acting
desperately and having time to detonate bombs, it must be a covert operation at
least. If problems arise, we'll have to forcefully suppress them."
Swire also sat
back down and pointed at the map, saying: "Their four strongholds are so spread
out; we don't have enough manpower."
Chen also understood Swire's concern
about manpower and could only sigh: "That's still not a reason to let them get
away with it. As long as they exist, they will pose a threat to Lungmen's safety."
"Then you also need to consider the situation!"
Hoshiguma stood
by, watching the two of them about to argue again, feeling a bit helpless, but
she also had no good solution.
Old Chen was right; if they dared to plant bombs under their
strongholds, they would certainly dare to plant them elsewhere. But Swire's worries were also justified, as the manpower
issue was a real one.
While in a difficult spot, Hoshiguma's gaze swept
across the table, landing on the USB drive she had previously placed on Old
Chen's desk—the one Penguin Logistics had
used to bail out someone before.
'This could be an opportunity.'
"Since we're short-handed, we can find someone else." Hoshiguma raised her hand and pointed at the USB
drive.
"Ah, Hoshiguma, who are you
going to find? This is Lungmen official
business." Chen turned to look at Hoshiguma, her face
full of displeasure, then her gaze followed Hoshiguma's raised hand
and saw the USB drive.
"Penguin Logistics? You want to
find them?"
Hoshiguma nodded:
"If Penguin Logistics can take care of
one to two strongholds, our operational manpower will be much more abundant."
Before Chen could speak, Police Officer Swire, who was nearby, had a gleam in her eyes: "That's
right, how could I forget those guys? Aren't they more professional than us
when it comes to covert operations?"
"Char Siu Cat, what are you thinking? This is Lungmen official business, how can we let them
interfere!"
Swire waved
her hand: "It's no big deal, Chen. Compared to this, do you think we'll get
anywhere by stalling here? Think about our manpower problem, Rice Noodle
Dragon, or do you think the LGD's face is
more important than Lungmen's safety?"
Chen's expression stiffened. She hadn't expected Police
Officer Swire to use
her previous words against her.
"Don't worry, I won't use the Department's funds. I'll pay for
it myself."
Police Officer Swire, having
gotten the better of Chen, was in a great mood. She took out her phone from her
bag, started sending messages, then swung her tail and pushed the door open to
leave.
— — — — Penguin Logistics —
— — —
"Woo~ As expected, Apple Pie is
the best." Exusiai held the
still-steaming Apple Pie, slumped on the
sofa, eating bite by bite.
"Eating dessert right after dinner, be careful of your
weight, Exusiai."
"It's fine, Reinette. Want a
piece?" Faced with Reinette's
reminder, Exusiai waved her hand
indifferently, broke off a piece, and handed it to Reinette.
At this moment, everyone's phones rang simultaneously. Texas, who was scrolling on her phone on the sofa,
casually glanced at the message and then sat up.
"Everyone, grab your gear. We have a big job."
Chapter 29: Armed Support
"A big job? What kind of job?" Exusiai quickly
finished the remaining Apple Pie in her
hand, "Cross-city transport?"
"Armed support commission, the client is… the Lungmen Guard Department."
"Hmm?" A question mark made of water once again appeared
above Reinette's head.
Exusiai, seeing the
question mark above Reinette's head,
reached out and curiously touched it, only to have her hand slapped away
by Reinette.
"Stop messing around, I'm giving a hint."
This question mark was actually a practical little skill
developed by Reinette, named the
Automatic Question Hint Device.
Because Reinette absolutely
detested riddlers and people who didn't like to finish their sentences, who
almost always assumed the other person already understood their meaning and
wouldn't ask if you actually did.
So Reinette invented
this Automatic Question Hint Device. After all, her question mark was quite
large and could grow in size according to Reinette's level of
doubt.
She believed that as long as the other party wasn't deliberately
blind or ignoring it, they would understand that Reinette currently didn't grasp what they meant.
Of course, if the other party genuinely intended to be
deliberately blind and ignore Reinette, didn't
everyone think the shape of a question mark was quite suitable for being frozen
into ice and used to hammer people?
"Oh, oh, Reinette is
wondering why the LGD would
look for us?"
Exusiai heard Reinette's words and, combining them with the floating
question mark above Reinette's head,
understood what Reinette was
trying to express.
"The LGD almost
never looks for us, unless they need us to gather some intelligence. For armed
support commissions like this, generally only one person would possibly seek us
out."
"LGD Senior
Superintendent, Police Officer Beatrix Swire." Texas, who had already stood up, casually helped Exusiai complete her sentence, and, fearing
that Reinette, being new,
might not understand, she elaborated a bit more.
Although they usually called her Police Officer Swire, Reinette didn't
know or might not understand that Police Officer Swire's surname wasn't Shi. If she blurted out 'Police
Officer Shi', that little tiger might get very angry.
So, Texas decided to
introduce her in more detail. After all, while Police Officer Swire's nagging might not have the same all-day
intensity as Police Officer Chen's, that
tiger's roar could still make one's eardrums ache.
"Then what's the reason?"
"The commission says to meet at the Lungmen
Guard Department for an interview." Texas,
having put on her jacket and secured her fanny pack, looked at Reinette, with a hint of question in her eyes.
Seeing the inquiry in Texas's
eyes, Reinette smiled
and picked up her staff from beside her: "I am a doctor, and I think your need
for a warrior on the battlefield will be far less than your need for a
accompanying doctor."
Texas nodded,
looking as if there was no need to worry that some building in Lungmen would be flooded tonight.
Reinette stood up
and said to Texas: "Actually, you're
worrying a bit too much. There's no need to be so nervous. My reputation is
very good."
Texas's movements
paused slightly: "Sorry…"
"It's okay, you're just a little nervous."
Exusiai looked
at Reinette and Texas in
front of her strangely: "What riddle are you two talking about? Can you tell
me?"
Reinette smiled
and tapped the curious Exusiai's head with
the staff in her hand: "Next time, if there's a chance, I'll tell you."
Exusiai covered
the spot where she was tapped, but still leaned towards Reinette: "Don't be like that, tell me! You're really
making people curious by teasing like this!"
However, Reinette had no
intention of explaining to Exusiai. Holding
her staff, she walked directly out of the hall with Texas.
Red retrieved her small knife from her room, put it away, and
then quickly followed.
"I feel like I've become an outsider." Exusiai stood in the hall, looking at Croissant, and sighed.
Croissant walked
over and patted Exusiai's shoulder: "Don't
worry, I'm just like you, I don't understand what they're talking about."
"Comrade!"
"Friend!"
The two reached a consensus in an instant, shaking hands in
friendship. At the same time, a click sounded. The two looked in the direction
of the sound, only to see Reinette standing
at the door with her phone; that sound had come from Reinette's phone.
"Quite a nice photo, a testament to friendship. You two remember
to ask me for it later."
Seeing the two look over, Reinette quickly
chuckled and turned to leave.
— — — Lungmen Guard Department —
— —
Reinette got out
of the car, holding her staff. She had to admit that the staff was actually a
little too long, making it not very convenient for Reinette to carry. As for the trench coat's storage
space, that was just a 1x1x1 space, too small for this item.
'Perhaps I can switch to an item with storage space. The storage
space on this outfit is indeed a bit small. I originally took it because it was
cheap, but now I'm not short on medical points. I can find some time to look
for a better one later.'
Reinette looked
at the LGD sign,
recalling her encounter just a few days ago after coming out of it, and
chuckled: "I really didn't expect that we were just leaving here two days ago,
and today we've become collaborators?"
Exusiai came
over, raised her hand, and patted Reinette's shoulder:
"You have to get used to it, this is Penguin
Logistics' daily life~"
"In every sense of the word, a very exciting daily life."
"Hehe." Exusiai's gaze looked
forward. At this moment, Hoshiguma and
Police Officer Swire had just
walked out.
"Good afternoon, Officer
Hoshiguma and Police Officer Swire."
"Ah, good afternoon, Exusiai." Hoshiguma raised her hand and greeted Exusiai, then walked down the steps with Police
Officer Swire.
"Hmm, everyone from Penguin
Logistics, um, wait, who are you two?" Police Officer Swire was about to greet everyone from Penguin Logistics when she saw Reinette being hugged by Red at the leg, and Red
hugging Reinette's leg.
Reinette patted
Red's head, telling her to be serious; they were on a job now.
"Good afternoon, Officer
Hoshiguma and Police Officer Swire. My name
is Reinette, and this is Red. We are new recruits
who recently joined Penguin Logistics."
Police Officer Swire looked
at the work ID Reinette displayed
and nodded. She hadn't expected that the lawless Penguin
Logistics could actually recruit new members that suited their
taste, or rather, that anyone would dare to join an organization like Penguin Logistics.
"Is it okay to bring new recruits on this mission?" After
confirming that the two were indeed from Penguin
Logistics, Police Officer Swire's gaze turned
to Texas.
"This is not a simple mission."
"Police Officer Swire, please rest
assured. Both Red and Reinette have
wandered in the wilderness for a long time. Their combat capabilities are
guaranteed, and Reinette is also
a medical operator and will not directly participate in combat."
Hearing Texas's words, Police
Officer Swire nodded
and didn't press further. If they thought it was okay, then it was okay.
Although these people usually gave the police officers high blood pressure,
there was no denying their high work efficiency and professional standards.
So, since they thought this mission was suitable for bringing
new recruits, let them. Anyway, they'd pay for it. And Police Officer Swire guessed that these two new recruits were
probably just coming along for the ride, their purpose being to get familiar
with Penguin Logistics' exciting work
environment.
"In that case, come in. We'll tell you about our commission this
time." Police Officer Swire beckoned,
signaling for the Penguin Logistics members
to follow her.
As they walked, Police Officer Swire occasionally looked back at Reinette, or more accurately, at the two blue ear-feathers
on Reinette's head.
"What is it, Police Officer Swire?" As the
object of observation, Reinette naturally
noticed Police Officer Swire's actions and
asked.
"Hmm… no, nothing for now. Let's talk after this is over."
Hoshiguma, standing
beside Police Officer Swire, nodded at
Police Officer Swire's actions.
'Indeed, compared to Old Chen, Police Officer Swire is more focused on matters outside the city,
and it looks like Police Officer Swire seems to
have recognized Reinette as
well.'
It had to be said that such smooth progress was what Hoshiguma wanted to see, as she still hadn't figured
out how to bring it up with Old Chen.
'Speaking of which, I wonder how Chief
Wei will handle things on An Suo's
side. I'll ask about it after this matter is over.'
Soon, Police Officer Swire led the
group to the Office.
"Ahem, this commission is for armed support. I need you to help
us deal with this Mafia called Black Hat."
Hoshiguma handed a
document to the Penguin Logistics members.
Texas briefly
scanned the information. For them, knowing the enemy's location, manpower,
armament level, and any precautions was enough.
"Because bombs have been planted, you need to act covertly and
eliminate everyone in the Mafia, is that
right?"
Police Officer Swire nodded:
"Yes, because all four strongholds of the Black Hat Mafia are suspected of having bombs. If there are
bombs, they could dismantle them and rebury them elsewhere. So we need to
eliminate them before they even think of doing that."
"They're really asking for trouble." Texas shook her head, expressing contempt for
the Black Hat Mafia's suicidal behavior.
"But I imagine you're short on manpower, otherwise you wouldn't
have come to us, right?"
Police Officer Swire nodded,
confirming Texas's statement: "That's right.
Because this operation primarily requires covert eradication, ideally, we
eliminate them all without alerting anyone. But the LGD is very short on personnel in this area."
"If we force our way in, they might get desperate and detonate
the bombs, right?"
"Yes. Other SWAT teams will also be involved, but they won't
intervene directly for now, unless the operation is discovered. Then we'll have
to apply strong pressure, forcing them to surrender or…"
"Or they just detonate the bombs. Too risky."
"If we let them continue to possess bombs, this matter becomes
even more dangerous. So, I need you to help us deal with one to two
strongholds. Is that a problem?"
Texas pondered
for a moment. With their original setup, they could only clear one location in
a short time. After all, only she could conduct covert operations. Croissant was more suited for demolition, and as
for Exusiai… her halo wasn't suitable for
stealth.
"Please wait, let's discuss this."
Police Officer Swire nodded.
If Penguin Logistics agreed
immediately, she might have asked them to leave. After all, this matter was
indeed very difficult, and those who promised too readily were not to be
trusted.
The five left the Office. Reinette casually took the document with her and
handed it to Red once they were outside.
Texas's gaze also
turned to Red. Here, the second person skilled in covert operations could only
be her.
"Red, finished." Red handed the document back to Reinette.
"How is it?"
"Red can handle one location herself." Red patted the small
knife at her waist.
Exusiai, unaware of
the truth, heard Red's words and said nervously, "Eh, Red, are you sure? That's
a stronghold, one stronghold, that's dozens of people. It takes hours for one
person to catch a dozen pigs."
"No need, Red can handle it herself." A red glow seemed to flash
in Red's eyes.
Reinette patted
Red's head. Although Reinette had
always raised Red like a little nurse and daughter, she hadn't forgotten Red's
true identity: she was a Hunter of wolves,
born for the hunt.
Texas nodded:
"Then we can clear two locations."
Subsequently, Texas stood
up, pushed the door open, and walked back into the Office.
"Reinette, are you
really sure? Red is going to a stronghold, you know."
Exusiai, seeing that
she couldn't persuade Red, turned her attention to Reinette. But Reinette's attention
didn't seem to be there. Just as Exusiai was
about to call out again, Reinette began
pulling things out of her trench coat.
Well, although Reinette understood
Red's skills and abilities, she still worried. Medical points could be acquired
again, but if Red got hurt, Reinette might
genuinely get angry.
So Reinette began to
equip Red with some gear. Red probably didn't need weapons, so Reinette equipped her with clothing and a few
defensive items.
[Phantom Hunter]
[Type: Armor · Night Ops Trench
Coat]
[Effect: Phantom: Increases
mobility by 10% when in stealth mode]
[Description: Suitable for
assassins, not recommended for the healer themselves.]
[Price: 3000 Medical Points]
[Purchasable with C-tier Medical
Rating]
[Protective Bracelet]
[Type: Item]
[Effect: Triggered by thought,
creates a highly defensive barrier. Its defensive effect is sufficient to
withstand the explosion of a defensive grenade at close range. Requires one
hour to recharge.]
[Description: Cheap, practical,
and reliable]
[Price: 600 Medical Points]
[Purchasable with D+ tier
Medical Rating]
"Red, put on your clothes, wear the bracelet, and be
careful." Reinette took off
Red's jacket and handed her the clothes she was holding. Considering Red's
preference for red, Reinette had
specifically chosen a dark red tone for this outfit.
"Thank you, Mom~"
"Mm, be safe. When you need me, just call me anytime,
preferably in a place with water." Reinette patted
Red's head.
Chapter 30: Red Shadow
---Lungmen Guard Department ·
Underground Parking Lot---
"Everyone understands what I mean, right?!" Chen stood
on the back of a police car, shouting to the gathered officers.
"Understood!"
"Very good. For the safety of Lungmen,
for the safety of its citizens, we must deal with these dangerous elements
today. The infiltration team must be careful not to attract attention. This is
an anti-terrorism operation. I think you all understand!"
"Understood!"
Several officers in lighter attire responded. They wore only the
simplest body armor for ease of movement.
They carried only three types of weapons: lightweight crossbows
strapped to their arms, daggers at their waists, and short knives for when they
were discovered.
They didn't even carry handcuffs or zip ties, because for
heinous terrorists, such things were acts of mercy, unnecessary.
They already knew what kind of people they were facing. Their
strongholds contained bombs, so whether they would detonate them in a crisis
was not a possibility to consider, but a fact to be assumed.
To prevent such a thing from happening, they absolutely had to
be incapacitated.
But in this situation, knocking them out was unreliable; those
knocked out would wake up, and those tied with ropes could break free. Only one
method could completely stop their actions.
Under the lights of the underground parking lot, the matte
daggers at their waists seemed to swallow the light, reflecting not a single
glint.
"Oh, Police Officer Chen is
quite good at motivating people." At this moment, a somewhat cheerful
voice broke the grim atmosphere in the underground parking lot.
The officers present turned to look. From the direction of the
parking lot entrance, although the view was slightly obstructed by vehicles, a
remarkably bright halo could still be seen through the car windows.
Combined with the cheerful voice just now, all the officers
present showed helpless expressions. They had already guessed who had arrived.
It was a Sarkaz. That
cheerful voice, and being able to appear in the underground parking lot at this
time, who else could it be? It must be those people from Penguin Logistics.
And just as the officers expected, the group from Penguin Logistics soon appeared in their sight.
Following them were Swire and Hoshiguma, who had gone back to their Office to put on their gear, which was why they
were a step late.
After all, they had been picking people up earlier and it wasn't
time for a fight yet, so they naturally didn't need to carry weapons in
advance.
Chen jumped off the car and walked over: "What's the result
of the discussion? One location or...?"
"They said they could clear two locations."
Chen nodded upon hearing this, not asking why they could handle
two such situations. She was well aware of Penguin
Logistics' efficiency.
Although Penguin Logistics often
caused trouble, keeping her blood pressure consistently high, Chen could not
deny that Penguin Logistics' work efficiency
and professional capabilities were indeed formidable, directly proportional to
their ability to cause trouble.
"Then the two locations in the east of the city are yours.
Any problems?" Chen asked Texas,
looking at her.
"No."
Chen nodded, then turned to shout at the officers of the covert
operations team: "Four people per group, be extra careful, and absolutely
do not give the enemy a chance to react."
"Understood!"
Chen nodded: "The mobile team will depart shortly. The
covert team will take Penguin Logistics'
vehicle to the destination. Do not alert them. Everyone, get in the car!"
The covert team officers checked their equipment one last time,
then approached Penguin Logistics. The lead
officer extended his hand.
"Hello everyone, we'll be relying on you for this next
part."
Texas nodded,
raised her hand, and shook his. She naturally led them to the entrance of the
parking lot, where Penguin Logistics' truck
was already parked at the exit.
"Reinette."
Hearing Texas's voice, Reinette poked her head out of the driver's side
window.
"Hello everyone, I'm a new member of Penguin Logistics. My name is Reinette. Please take care of me during this
mission." Reinette greeted
the officers behind Texas, then raised her
hand and tossed over the car keys.
"Oh, oh, hello." The officers looked at Reinette, somewhat dazed. Of course, they were a group of
professionally trained police officers, so their daze wasn't due to Reinette's beauty, but rather surprise that Penguin Logistics could actually recruit new
members.
Texas took the
keys and opened the cargo compartment. Several officers immediately got in.
Compared to their police cars, Penguin Logistics'
vehicles, which could roam around without raising suspicion, were clearly more
suitable for them.
After confirming everyone was inside, Texas closed the door but didn't lock it. Then she
and Exusiai got into the driver's
cabin.
Reinette also
consciously moved to the passenger seat before Texas arrived.
After all, Reinette didn't
even have a driver's license yet; she had to abide by the law and regulations,
at least for now.
---Lower District---
"Someone's here." A thug standing by the window
suddenly said.
A thug sitting on a chair immediately stood up: "Is it the
cops?"
"No, it's those people from Penguin
Logistics." The thug looked at the laughing and chatting group in
the alley below. Exusiai's halo was simply
too easy to recognize.
"They're also dragging a large box into the building next
door."
The thug breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down on the
chair: "If it's not the cops, don't call. What's there to worry about with
those delivery people from Penguin Logistics?
I've been on edge these past two days, can't even sleep properly."
This was Black Hat's
stronghold, located in the Lower District of
the city's east side. The reason they were so nervous was, naturally, the batch
of bombs in their stronghold. Black Hat was
now terrified of outsiders coming.
At the time, they had also tried to persuade their boss not to
accept that batch of bombs, but the boss said the person who offered them was
very generous, and insisted on taking the bombs.
Then the boss showed them the so-called reward that person gave:
a whole large box of pure gold. It was a whole large box of pure gold, and
under the light, the pure gold directly illuminated the entire gray-white house
with a brilliant golden glow.
Moreover, according to the boss, after the job was done, they
could even get another box.
Under the temptation of money, everyone had no objections. After
separating the bombs and placing them in their four strongholds, everyone
became incredibly nervous.
Of course, they hadn't thought of moving the bombs earlier, but
that was the Upper District. It was difficult to get there normally, let alone
with such a large pile of bombs.
But the boss came up with a brilliant plan: they planned to
transport the bombs through the sewers. And they were already halfway
successful; they had already moved the bombs underground, just needing to saw
open the grate on the other side of the sewer to get through.
The thugs could almost see the glittering pure gold beckoning to
them.
"Alright, stop fucking sleeping, come take over the shift.
My eyes are tired from staring. How long will this anxiousness last?"
The thug who was by the window, after seeing the Penguin Logistics people leave below, walked over
and kicked the other thug sitting on the chair.
"Alright, alright, geez, I'm coming."
During the changing of shifts between these two, a red shadow
suddenly darted out from the building across the street, as if the distance
between the two buildings was nothing to it.
"Alright, alright, don't..." The thug waved his hand,
just about to get up, when a dark shadow from outside the window suddenly
pierced his temple, choking the words he hadn't yet spoken in his throat.
The other thug's mouth hung open. He saw what the flying object
was: a small knife that had completely buried itself in the other's brain.
The thug turned around in terror, looking in the direction the
flying knife had come from, his mouth agape. He saw the figure leaping through
the air. Just as he was about to shout out.
Another dark shadow struck, another small knife directly
piercing his throat, along with his cervical spine. His words were forever left
unspoken.
"Red, infiltrate..."
The attacking dark shadow was Red. After Texas had dropped off the other officers at their
respective destinations, she drove to the vicinity of this stronghold.
She put Red in a box, just like the other officers, disguised as
a normal delivery, and successfully arrived at the building next to the
stronghold.
Red glanced at the ground. The thug, who was still alive because
only his throat had been pierced, wouldn't live much longer. Such a wound would
quickly claim his life.
Of course, he couldn't do anything either. His cervical spine
was pierced by the flying knife; even if he could live, he would be a
high-level paraplegic.
"There are still many enemies. Mom said Red needs to be
careful, or she'll be angry."
Red had never seen Reinette angry,
but Red didn't want to make Mom angry, so she would definitely be careful and
not disappoint Mom.
As for what would happen if Red actually got hurt? Well, it
certainly wouldn't be something that would make Chief
Wei happy.
------
"Is Red really going to be okay? I still think this is
unreliable." Exusiai poked her
head out of the car, looking at the stronghold behind them.
"Hey, you two, say something, especially Reinette."
Reinette replied
with a smile: "It's fine. Red is very strong. Besides, I'm always
watching."
?
"Watching? How are you watching?" Exusiai looked at Reinette curiously, "Ah, you didn't put a
tracker on Red, did you? A wiretap? A surveillance camera?"
At this point, Exusiai's gaze
towards Reinette was a
bit off.
Then Reinette's staff
reappeared on Exusiai's forehead.
"Ouch!"
"What are you thinking? I'm not that kind of controlling
person. I am indeed watching, but not with your methods."
Exusiai rubbed
her head, and hearing Reinette's words, she
was a bit curious: "If it's not those, then what is it? An Originium
Arts?"
"Something like that."
--------
"Why is that damn railing so hard? It already broke one
saw."
Two thugs walked side by side in the hallway. One of them held a
saw with its teeth already worn smooth.
"That's the most convenient way to smuggle. It's normal for
the authorities to make the materials there hard. Just get another one. Once
the bombs are transported, never mind the saw we broke, what if we give you a
golden saw?"
"Ha, you're right, but saws aren't worth much. Other things
are."
"Exactly, exactly. Hmm, why isn't this room door
closed?" One of them noticed a door in the hallway ahead that wasn't
closed.
"Hey, sharp eyes, as expected of a Liberi. It's not facing outside the building, so why
care? Besides, isn't Old Li over here? Don't worry, it's fine."
Just as the two passed by the open door, the door directly
opposite suddenly opened, and a dark shadow darted out, knocking the two into
the room across the hall.
The person pinned underneath groaned in pain. Just as he was
about to curse, 'Which bastard is this? Don't have eyes,' he felt his hand
touch something warm. Immediately, as a Perro, his nose caught a strong scent
of blood.
Someone's here, that was his last thought. He had a chance to
shout, but the moment he was distracted by the smell of blood, he lost the
opportunity to cry out.
Red silently stood up and flicked the blood from the dagger in
her hand: "Two more..."
Red walked out of the room and closed the door, leaving the two
tragically dead bodies in the dark room.
"There are still many scents. Red's mission isn't over
yet."
---City Lord's Mansion---
"Lord Wei, the LGD has begun its operation. Do we need to go and see?"
In the hall, a person wearing a bamboo hat and a black straw
cloak knelt on the ground.
Wei Yanwu, standing by
a large floor-to-ceiling window, raised his hand and waved: "No need.
Since Chen is willing to take on this matter, let her do it. You don't need to
interfere."
The black straw cloak's bamboo hat moved slightly, looking like
a nod, then he spoke again: "Lord Wei, that person
also came out with Penguin Logistics. Do we
need to do anything?"
"What can you do? They are just a bunch of foolish thugs
lured by money. Since that person has come out, let her do what she wants.
Don't disturb her, and don't spy on her. It's good that she wants to be a
medic."
The person under the black straw cloak nodded again: "What
about her dependent, or rather, her daughter?"
"One or two people watching is enough. Don't let anything
truly unexpected happen to her. Everyone else, investigate the person who gave
them the bombs. He should not have left the city yet."
"Understood, Lord Wei. Do you need
him alive?"
"No need. Deal with him on the spot."
After receiving the order, the black straw cloak left. Wei Yanwu looked out the window at the brightly
lit Lungmen.
How could he not know something that the LGD knew? Of course not. The so-called document itself came
from his intelligence department, only passed to Chen's hands through the LGD.
As for the reason, Lungmen was
too big and too prosperous. Too many people wanted a piece of this rich pie,
and this time was no different.
As for this time, it was just a small Mafia, so Wei Yanwu simply
handed it over to the LGD, or rather,
to Chen, to resolve.
"Don't disappoint me."