Lungmen.
City Hall, Governor's Office.
As if jolting awake from a dream, Ch'en shot upright from where she had been slumped over her desk. The coat draped over her shoulders slipped off and fell to the floor.
She drew in a sharp breath.
"I fell asleep?"
"Yeah, Old Ch'en. You were out for quite a while. Feeling sick or something?"
Hoshiguma was half-reclining on the sofa, making no effort to conceal her striking figure. Seeing her friend wake up, she rose and walked over, pressing the back of her hand to Ch'en's forehead before comparing it to her own.
"Doesn't seem like a fever..."
Ch'en did not answer. She only stared blankly at the desktop, as though she still had not fully awakened. Hoshiguma noticed right away that something was off and immediately patted her on the shoulder.
"You okay? Want me to take you to the hospital?"
Ch'en shook her head, then murmured,
"I dreamed about him."
"You dreamed about who... wait, don't tell me it was him?"
Hoshiguma pressed her lips together. The worry on her face deepened, and for a moment she seemed to want to say something but did not dare.
Ch'en, however, failed to notice. She simply gazed ahead in a daze, a bitter smile hanging at the corner of her lips.
"You know? I dreamed about the first time we met."
Hoshiguma let out a sigh. "Of course I know. How could I not? Back then, you suspected the Rat King was involved in the smuggling case, so after meeting Bai Xiao, you recruited him as an informant. Right?"
As if recalling her younger self, Ch'en smiled. The corners of her lips lifted, and she sank completely into the memory. Who would have thought that the newly appointed Governor of Lungmen—always stern, always impartial, never one to smile—could look so sweet when she did?
But the brighter Ch'en smiled, the more worried Hoshiguma became.
In the end, she could not help trying to persuade her.
"Old Ch'en, I know you're hurting, but it's been so many years already. Bai Xiao, he..."
"Don't."
Before Hoshiguma could finish, Ch'en cut her off sharply.
"I don't believe it." Ch'en drew back her smile, clenched her teeth, and said word by word, "Alive or dead, I want proof. If there's no body, I won't believe he's gone. He has to still be alive!"
Hoshiguma opened her mouth, but in the end, nothing came out.
Then again, that made sense. Old Ch'en had always been deeply loyal, someone who valued bonds and righteousness above all else. So many years had passed, yet she still could not let go.
And who was she to talk?
Was she not the same?
No one could have survived that explosion. It had taken Hoshiguma half a month of drinking herself numb before she could barely force herself to accept that fact, but every time she thought of it, the ache in her chest still lingered.
She shook her head and let the matter drop.
By now, Ch'en had fully recovered. She handed the coat draped over her shoulders back to Hoshiguma, then rubbed her brow.
"What brings you here? Everything alright at the Guard Department?"
"Oh, come on, what could happen at the Guard Department? Missy's keeping everything running perfectly. I just came because Victoria sent an invitation—they're inviting us over."
Ch'en frowned. "Victoria? An invitation?"
"Yeah." Hoshiguma nodded. "I took a look at it. That empress who only recently took the throne is getting married."
Getting married...
For some reason, the moment Ch'en looked at the gilded lettering on the invitation, she felt only irritation and unrest. She waved a hand dismissively.
"I'm not going. What does the empress's wedding have to do with me?"
"...Old Ch'en, I know you're not in the best mood right now, but Lungmen and Victoria have had a lot of cooperation over the last few years—especially through the Swire family. I think Lungmen should show a positive attitude about this. Otherwise Missy's side will be in a difficult position too."
Ch'en shot Hoshiguma a sidelong glance.
"Well, look at you. Staying near the vermilion long enough really does dye you red. You've gotten a lot sharper than before."
Hoshiguma scratched her head and grinned.
"When you spend all day around Missy, you're bound to learn a thing or two."
Ch'en said nothing further. She only let out a long sigh.
"Leave the invitation here. I'll think about it."
"Alright then, Old Ch'en. I'll head out first. We'll have dinner together tonight."
Hoshiguma left, and the Governor's Office fell silent once more.
Leaning back in her chair, Ch'en kept her gaze fixed on the ornate invitation, lost in thought.
...
Back in the present.
Bai Xiao had truly never imagined that, in a daze, he would somehow end up becoming Ch'en's informant. He was even going undercover in the underworld now, turning the whole thing into some kind of Infernal Affairs setup.
Actually, compared to Infernal Affairs, he felt more like 007. After all, he had more to do than just pass along information. But reality was nowhere near as thrilling as it was in the movies. Bai Xiao simply spent another two days selling fish at Dong's stall, and during that time, nothing particularly special happened.
Until that evening.
Dusk was falling as Bai Xiao and Jaye began packing up the fish stall. Uncle Dong passed by him.
"Bai Xiao, leave that for now. Come out with me for a bit."
That was all Uncle Dong said. Jaye, meanwhile, took the things out of Bai Xiao's hands.
"You go ahead. I can finish packing up by myself."
Bai Xiao found it a little strange, but he still changed clothes and left Lungmen with Uncle Dong.
The two of them rode in a car, leaving Lungmen proper and heading toward a private dock west of the slums.
"Uncle Dong, this is...?"
"Don't ask. You'll know soon enough."
After saying that, Uncle Dong closed his eyes to rest, while Bai Xiao began to think.
If his guess was right, then tonight was probably the night Uncle Dong was going to formally introduce him into the trade.
And something done this late at night definitely could not be anything good.
With that thought in mind, they soon arrived at their destination.
At the outer perimeter of the dock, the moment they stepped out of the car, a burly Forte man walked over and helped support Uncle Dong.
"Mr. Dong, what brings you here in person?"
Uncle Dong waved a hand and tapped Bai Xiao lightly with his cane.
"Let me introduce someone. Bai Xiao. From now on, he'll be handling matters on this side. I've brought him here first so he can get familiar with things."
Bai Xiao smiled and extended his hand to the Forte man.
"Hello."
The two exchanged greetings, and then Uncle Dong led Bai Xiao deeper into the dock.
Night had already fallen, but the entire dock was brightly lit, almost like broad daylight. Groups of sturdy Forte laborers were carrying cargo off the ships and onto the shore.
Once unloaded, the goods were transferred to waiting trucks, which drove off one by one into the depths of the slums.
Bai Xiao's breathing quickened slightly.
He had never been involved in anything like this before, but even he could guess what was going on now.
This was clearly the smuggling of some sort of goods.
Otherwise, why would they be unloading everything in the middle of the night?
Who would believe nothing suspicious was going on?
He had definitely boarded a pirate ship this time.
As if reading the worry on his face, Uncle Dong smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't overthink it. Everything on these ships is just daily necessities. Your Uncle Dong is a respectable man."
Then, perhaps worried that Bai Xiao would not believe him, Uncle Dong let the smile fade from his face.
"To Lungmen, the slums are like a disease. Lungmen's officials have never cared whether the slums live or die. Because of that, it's nearly impossible for the slums to get supplies from Lungmen proper. They can't buy them, and even if they could, they can't afford them."
He lifted a hand and pointed toward the ships on the water.
"So we have no choice but to do it this way. Goods from Ursus are still relatively cheap. The quality isn't great, admittedly."
Ursus?
Bai Xiao did not know much about that country. He had only heard of it in passing.
"These ships all come from Ursus?"
"More or less." Uncle Dong patted him on the shoulder again. "Xiao Bai, I told Mr. Lin about you. Handing this route over for you to manage was his idea as well."
He paused, then looked at Bai Xiao with unusual seriousness.
"We've only known each other a short time. Even I don't know why I trust you so much... but don't betray that trust. Understood?"
-------
My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (400 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (254 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (140 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (158 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (400 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (140 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (172 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(80 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (200 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (200 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (120 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (96 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (140 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (160 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (140 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (Ending)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (70 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (80 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (140 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (165 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (70 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (100 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (100 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (80 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (80 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (40 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (40 Chapter)
Warhammer 40K: My Fiancée, Fulgrim (180 Chapter)
Classroom of the Elite: Trying to Capture Me! (120 Chapter)
Genshin Impact My Named Senji Muramas (150 Chapter)
A Chef, the Vice-Captain of the Rocks Pirates? (160 Chapter)
Naruto : My Uchiha Girlfriend is Too Tsundere (130 Chapter)
Type-Moon: Reincarnated in a Lostbelt, I Became the Alien God (90 Chapter)
The Way These Horse Girls Look at Me Is Terrifying! (160 Chapter)
Naruto: Tsunade's Deskmate (130 Chapter)
I Just Want to Live a Normal (50 Chapter).
Genshin Impact: A Hundred Confessions? It's Just a System Task (70 Chapter)
OnePiece : Starting as a Veteran of the Roger Pirates (60 Chapter)
Uma Musume : I Have Special Horse Taming Techniques (190 Chapter)
Uma Musume : My other self is a Horse Girl (130 Chapter)
Jujutsu Kaisen : All Affection Stats Maxed Out (200 Chapter)
Satou Kazuma's Decision to Live by Swindling, Starting from Re:Zero (60 Chapter)
Bleach : Ichigo! Take Over the Soul Society (89 Chapter)
Crossover Anime: The Master of Plagiarism with a 'Love Obstacle (140 Chapter)
Arknights Succubus Nurturing System, But I'm a Quiet Office Worker (90 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: Using My Personas to Break the Hearts of Players (50 Chapter)
One Punch Man : i am King? (150 Chapter)
Genshin: My Stats Are Irresistible (70 Chapter)
Naruto: Master of Dream Fulfillment! (70 Chapter)
Why Are All My Chat Group Friends Spin-Off Characters? (130 Chapter)
Arknights : Batman System (30 Chapter)
Chat Group: Swapping Bodies with the Bad-Ending Herta from the Start (80 Chapter)
DanMachi: Why Did My Dungeon Turn Into a Soulslike Game? (130 Chapter)
Losing Money on Uma Musume...What Do You Mean You Actually Won? (120 Chapter)
I'm Gotou Hitori—Who Are You? (40 Chapter)
Were You Ever Even a Uma Musume? Stop Making Things Up! (78 Chapter)
Moon Project: A Full-Time Love Adventure for the Lobotomy Corporation (75 Chapter)
The Leisurely Days of the Hyuga Main House (65 Chapter)
Arknights : A Draco Surviving in a Matriarchal Terra (189 Chapter)
Arknights: What if My Luck Is Too Good? (135 Chapter)
Honkai: The Romance System Only Shows Up After I Marry Mei (55 Chapter)
Arknights: Who Are You Calling Repressed, X?! (145 Chapter)
The Chat Group Only Arrived After I'd Cleared the Game (102 Chapter)
Gojo Satoru Flat-Out Refuses to Admit He's a Supporting Character (40 Chapter)
Chat Group Isn't Supposed to Be Like This! (30 Chapter)
If You're Moriarty…then Who Am I? (140 Chapter)
Uma Musume: Since I "Can't See," They Take Turns Stealing My Underwear (50 Chapter)
Arknights: Why Are All My "Brothers" Girls? (54 Chapter)
Danmachi: Start Training Haki (59 Chapter)
Emiya Shirou's Rebirth (30 Chapter)
I Can Get Stronger Just by AFK'ing—So I Joined a Chat Group (50 Chapter)
Endfield: I Can Always Pull Out One Yuan (65 Chapter)
Limbus Company : I Started a Company in Project Moon (50 Chapter)
Lobotomy: Do Cooks of Alley 23 Dream of Bloodfiend Knights? (50 Chapter)
DanMachi: Freya Familia's "One-Blade Shura" (60 Chapter)
DanMachi: Emiya, the Great Hero Becomes the Protagonist (90 Chapter)
TYPE-MOON: One Special Instance Every Week (40 Chapter)
From Danmachi: The Abundance Apothecary (70 Chapter)
Lord Shadow Descends on DanMachi (90 Chapter)
Fuse with Me, Exusiai! (41 Chapter)
Honkai: Star Rail — After I Die, I Forge Their Madness (60 Chapter)
DanMachi: The Last Zeus Familia (75 Chapter)
Endfield: Arknights Heroic Spirit Summoning (75 Chapter)
Toyokawa Family Finances (105 Chapter)
Starting From DanMachi to Become Stronger (80 Chapter)
DanMachi: My Familia Is Made Up Entirely of Heroines from Every World! (65 Chapter)
Arknights: My Intel Refreshes Daily (90 Chapter)
Digimon : I Never Meant to Do Evil, Even Though I Wasn't Chosen (40 Chapter)
Miss Holmes Could Never Be the Losing Heroine! (40 Chapter)
Takayama Gamu at Tracen Academy (40 Chapter)
Legendary Trainer Takes on MYGO (40 Chapter)
Arknights : Yandere Game: The Operators Have Come Knocking (70 Chapter)
Arknights: This Dating Sim Is Seriously Wrong! (70 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it