"Yes. Exactly."
The Rat King placed his terminal on the table.
"I have Wei's number. One call and he'll know."
Lin Yuxia's eyes lit up. Her tail snapped upward. Her puffy, bun-like face brightened instantly.
Wei Yenwu was Lungmen's Governor—and the highest commander of the Guard Department.
If he ordered an investigation, this would be solved quickly, and those rotten elements in the Guard Department would face severe punishment.
Just as Lin Yuxia was about to snatch the terminal—
The Rat King's tone shifted.
"What, you really plan to bother Wei over something this small? You've got guts."
"How is this small?" Lin Yuxia argued. "You prevent disaster by addressing it early. Do we wait until the Guard Department rots completely before cleaning house?"
"Principles are principles. Reality is reality." The Rat King tapped the table. "Black and white are two sides of the same coin—just like downtown and the slums are Lungmen's two faces. We are Wei's nails in the dark. We watch the gangs, and we also supervise the city institutions."
He recalled Lungmen's early days, when he and Wei had established this structure together.
He chuckled at himself.
"Some things you can hide from everyone—above, below, left, and right. But you can't hide them from rats who live in the gutters listening for secrets."
Lin Yuxia thought it through and began to understand.
"This case isn't serious enough to report to Wei… but if I dig up heavier evidence inside the Guard Department—"
"Exactly." The Rat King promised, "When you have something big, I'll call Wei myself."
"Of course, you'll need solid proof. This isn't playtime."
Lin Yuxia's heart tightened. She knew he was warning her not to be clever without substance.
She understood the weight.
"I understand." Her eyes sharpened, confidence blazing. "I'll uncover the Guard Department's filth."
The Rat King watched her walk away and fell silent for a long time.
He believed she'd seen it too—this was a test, improvised from the moment.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have started by slamming Wei's private contact on the table like a "final prize" for passing.
She was motivated.
She didn't ask why they couldn't just call an inspector.
She went straight for the top.
That stubborn refusal to settle—she really was his daughter.
The Rat King stroked his beard, stern face softening with pride.
But he didn't expect much from the outcome.
She was still young—heat and drive, but not enough depth.
"Fine." His gaze dimmed slightly. "Let the young see how high the sky really is."
Lin Yuxia knew it wouldn't be easy.
Even mobilizing Grey Tail Hall wouldn't be enough to dig deep into the Guard Department.
Unless she pried core resources from her father's palm—but doing that would be admitting defeat.
What else did she have?
Her not-yet-built "new team"? They'd be lucky not to drag her down.
As she frowned, Uncle Niu ran over.
"Bad news, Miss! That kid from this morning—he's suddenly been marked by Zhongyi Hall!"
Lin Yuxia's mind snapped back.
"What happened?" she demanded. "How did he provoke those bastards? Tell me everything!"
"I don't know." Uncle Niu reported. "I only heard Zhongyi Hall is looking for him everywhere. The reason's unclear, but it's definitely Third Brother Tiger giving the order."
Zhongyi Hall's third-in-command ran smuggling. Everyone in the slums knew that.
A ridiculous guess formed in Lin Yuxia's head.
Could that fugitive have been something Chen Xiu stole from Zhongyi Hall?
But if he had that ability, how could he have nearly starved to death?
Lin Yuxia couldn't make it fit.
But the priority was finding him, warning him to hide.
Finding a drifter with no fixed address in the slums was hard.
So she changed approach.
"Uncle Niu. Tell everyone below: no one acts without my order."
Gang territory in the slums was tangled and divided.
Zhongyi Hall could only act freely inside its own turf. Elsewhere, they'd have to request help from local controllers, who would usually "symbolically" assist.
So as long as Chen Xiu stayed in Grey Tail Hall's area, he should be safe for now.
And with his demonstrated caution, Lin Yuxia doubted he'd run around right after getting money.
Once he heard the wind, he'd hide on his own.
…
Chen Xiu lay on the double bed with his legs crossed.
The bed was empty except for him. Texas had chosen the sofa.
He'd wanted the sofa, but Texas insisted she should sleep outside—closer to the door—because protecting him was a bodyguard's duty.
The slums were dangerous, sure.
But it wasn't like criminals would break in the first night, right?
Texas, however, was stubborn about this.
So Chen Xiu ended up on the bed.
He closed his eyes and counted down silently.
A new day arrived.
[Ding. Daily Intel has refreshed.]
After more than a day of observation and tailing, you have earned Emperor's preliminary approval. He witnessed your meeting with Texas, your cooperation, and your cohabitation, and has decided to watch in secret what kind of storms you can stir in Lungmen with your own strength—acting as a backstop to clean up the aftermath.
Chen Xiu: ?
Zhongyi Hall's third-in-command, Pan Hu, is furious over Huang Mingjie's capture. Impulsive and violent, he learned from Han Jin that you turned the man in for the bounty, and has issued a search order for you in the slums. They will break your door down in 22 hours and 17 minutes.
Chen Xiu: !!!??
Due to longstanding friction, the conflict between Zhongyi Hall and Grey Tail Hall has accumulated to a critical point. Zhongyi Hall's boss is planning an attack on Grey Tail Hall. The exact date is unknown.
Today's "peach-tinted" intel: During her investigation, Ch'en Hui-chieh will accidentally collide with Zhongyi Hall's manhunt. To escape pursuit, she will jump into an artificial canal—putting on a "soaked temptation" show.
Chen Xiu stared at the intel, his headache doubling.
First—where did Emperor come from? That fat penguin?
Second—what was that second line!?
He'd finally thrown the blame away, and Lin Yuxia had somehow tossed it right back onto him?
-------
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