The battle ended quickly.
Well, of course it was quick—or rather, it was over in the blink of an eye.
After seeing the Draconic Girl's appearance, Texas knew she had stumbled into something massive.
Faced with a dozen small-time thugs, she went all out. Combined with Croissant and Exusiai flanking them, the group didn't last even a minute.
"Hiss," Croissant clutched her right forearm. Those thugs were truly desperate; in their suicidal struggle, she had taken a hit while trying to shield Exusiai from a blade.
"Are you okay, Croissant?" Exusiai rushed over immediately, frantically trying to help stop the bleeding.
Texas delivered a kick to a thug's head, sending him into a baby-like sleep instantly.
"Injured?" Xia Yu stepped forward, looking at the wound on Croissant's arm.
It actually wasn't big. Although it was a slash, it hadn't hit the bone or tendons. Given the constitution of Terrans, it was the type of wound that would heal on its own perfectly fine.
"Ha, it's just a scratch," Croissant waved her hand, pretending not to care. "Little sister, your big sister is super tough. A wound like this will be gone after a nap."
She simultaneously moved to cover the wound, not wanting the child to see it.
But Xia Yu simply reached out and pulled her right hand down, examining the cut closely.
"Eh?" Feeling her strength actually being suppressed by a little girl—and she was someone who was incredibly confident in her own power—Croissant froze. Only then did she truly notice the horns on the girl's head and the tail behind her.
This, this, this...
Croissant understood. In Lungmen, having these features... the characteristics were distinctive enough.
She looked toward the most reliable one, Texas, who gave her a slight nod.
"Little sister, what's there to look at a wound for?" Exusiai, anxious to bandage Croissant up, said to Xia Yu: "Be good, stop playing around. I need to bandage this sister's wound."
Xia Yu shot her a glance, then reached out and pulled out the Supreme Gourd. Switching it to Loong Balm, she opened the mouth of the gourd and handed it to Croissant.
"Take—a sip."
"Huh? This... it smells so good..." Croissant initially wanted to refuse, but the wine gourd was already right in front of her face. The aroma of the wine conquered her instantly.
Though she didn't drink much, being around her boss had given her enough exposure to distinguish between good and bad.
This wine... this wine...
Before she could react, a large gulp of the liquid had gone down.
"Exu... Exusiai," the world began to sway in her eyes. "Why did you turn into... uh, two of you..."
The next second, she collapsed directly onto Exusiai.
"Croissant? This..." Exusiai was completely stunned. She hurriedly supported Croissant and looked at Xia Yu, who was putting the gourd away. "Did you drug her?"
At this, Xia Yu rolled her eyes. "She just has a low tolerance!"
Jade Nectar—smooth on the palate, rich in aroma, and not at all harsh, but it wasn't something just anyone could chug a large gulp of.
This was a Mythical Grade wine! When the Monkey caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace and disrupted the Peach Banquet, this was what he drank!
While Xia Yu could drink it while eating noodles earlier, that was in Firefly's body; the stats were on a different level.
Croissant might be a girl with monstrous strength, but she couldn't withstand that kind of stimulus.
"Drunk..." Exusiai looked down at Croissant. She was indeed drunk...
"Is Croissant's tolerance really that bad?" she muttered, then remembered the wound hadn't been bandaged. "Whatever, never mind. Sora! Where are the bandages?"
"Coming, coming!" Sora ran over hurriedly, handed the emergency bandages to Exusiai, and looked at Croissant worriedly.
Exusiai efficiently flipped Croissant over and grabbed her right arm to start bandaging.
However...
"Where's the wound?" She stared at the smooth skin of the arm, completely dumbfounded.
If it weren't for the blood still smeared on the forearm, Exusiai would have suspected she was hallucinating—Croissant wasn't injured at all.
"Why do you think I gave her that?" Xia Yu shook the gourd. "My precious wine isn't something just anyone gets to drink."
"It's that miraculous?" Exusiai looked at the small gourd, wide-eyed.
Just then, Texas, having handled all the thugs, walked over and wordlessly placed a supportive hand on Exusiai's shoulder. She said: "Alright, things like this are common in Yan. Don't make a fuss."
In truth, she was just saying that. There was no such divine medicine in the world, but since the other party's identity was special, she couldn't let Exusiai keep questioning her.
"Is it really like that?" Exusiai didn't quite believe it, but she hadn't been in Yan for very long, so she couldn't argue.
"Alright, little girl," Sora knelt down, giving Xia Yu a friendly idol-like smile. "Why are you here all alone? Where is your daddy?"
Xia Yu's eyes darted around, and she answered: "I don't have a daddy."
"Uh..." Sora's face froze, and her tone softened. "Then what about your mommy?"
"I don't have a mommy either," Xia Yu replied seriously.
"...I... this..." Sora was completely lost. Such a small child, homeless, wandering the Slums at night and targeted by such scum...
I actually said such insensitive things to her!
With teary eyes, she looked up at the most reliable person in the group, Texas, hoping for a rescue.
"Miss," Texas didn't know what to say either. Asking these questions was standard procedure, but who knew...
However, a Draconic Girl appearing in Lungmen saying she has no parents...
Texas felt a headache coming on just thinking about the storm of blood and intrigue that might be hidden behind this.
She asked: "Then what is your name?"
"Just call me Bailu," Xia Yu tilted her head. "Are you guys a logistics company?"
"Yes, Miss Bailu," Texas pondered for a moment, then said: "Do you have a place to stay in Lungmen?"
"Lungmen? No," Xia Yu shook her head decisively.
"...Then do you want to come back with us?" Texas made a decision. "Penguin Logistics is quite safe."
"Uh, Texas, shouldn't we notify the LGD at this point?" Exusiai was a bit confused.
"No, it's late. It's not good to trouble the LGD now," Texas lied through her teeth. "Let's take her back first and go to the LGD tomorrow."
This was, of course, an excuse.
Texas was clear that today's event was by no means simple. Heaven knows how many schemes were at play or if the LGD was trustworthy.
So, it was better to take her straight to Penguin Logistics. The Boss is well-acquainted with Governor Wei anyway; it would just be a phone call away. Penguin Logistics was already involved, and no matter what, they couldn't afford to offend the Chief Executive of Lungmen.
Handing her directly to the Governor later would be the safest move.
She was already imagining a grand drama of palace intrigue.
And while Exusiai and Sora didn't understand why, they chose to listen to her.
After all, Texas was the most reliable person in the team.
"But little sister, your horns and tail are so special," Exusiai said as she picked up Croissant, looking at Xia Yu. "They look so pretty!"
"Uh, those horns..." Sora also noticed something was slightly off.
"Exusiai," Texas cut off her question in time. "We can't just leave these thugs. Call the LGD and say we took down a group of human traffickers."
"Okay, I'll call as soon as we're back in the van." Exusiai carried Croissant to the van. After making the call, she saw Texas leading Xia Yu and Sora into the vehicle.
"Uh, aren't we leaving someone to watch them?" Exusiai asked.
"No need," Texas said, starting the van. "This is fine. Also, stay ready for combat."
"Remember to load your live rounds. I know you brought them."
"This... okay, I understand." No matter how optimistic Exusiai was, she realized things were wrong.
But she still couldn't keep quiet. She looked at the serious-faced Texas driving, then whispered to Sora.
"What's going on?" she asked softly.
"Nothing's going on," Xia Yu, sandwiched between them, answered. "Don't scare yourselves."
Even though the words were serious, said with Bailu's "bun-face," the atmosphere was completely ruined.
"So, little sister, is this all because of you?" Exusiai looked down and poked Xia Yu's cheek. "Speaking of which, I wanted to ask—what species are you..."
"Exusiai!" Texas said helplessly. "Don't be rude!"
"Oh, looks like you really are a big shot, little sister," Exusiai said, pulling her hand back.
"A Princess... or Your Highness," Texas said solemnly. "My companion didn't mean it. She's just... a bit too curious."
"I don't really mind," Xia Yu shook her head, then corrected her. "But you're mistaken. I'm not a Princess, nor am I royalty. I'm just an ordinary Vidyadhara."
"You're joking," Texas glanced at her dragon horns through the rearview mirror. "Features like these... only someone like Exusiai, who just arrived in Lungmen, wouldn't recognize them."
"So she really is a big shot?" Exusiai asked weakly.
"Yes, I'm a big shot," Xia Yu turned to her. "Now, bow your head."
"Huh? Oh." Exusiai looked at her serious bun-face, suppressed a laugh, and bowed her head.
Xia Yu reached out and poked her face in return.
"Alright, we're even. But if you laugh out loud..."
"Okay, I definitely won't." Exusiai mimed zipping her lips.
"Um, Miss Bailu," Sora said carefully from the other side, "she didn't mean it."
"I know," Xia Yu said with a hint of resentment in her eyes. A child's body was just so inconvenient.
"Exusiai! Call the Boss," Texas sighed from the driver's seat. "He has to know about this!"
"Ah? Oh." Exusiai pulled out her phone and called Emperor.
"Hello, Exusiai. Don't tell me you guys blew another order," the voice on the other end was not pleased. "I don't care about the performance, but you guys can't do this every day!"
Emperor had a reputation to maintain.
"The bad news is, the order is indeed blown," Exusiai joked. "We also beat up the clients. They're all lying on the ground now."
"Oh, what heinous thing did they do this time?" Emperor didn't scold his employees, sounding used to it.
"Boss, are you that certain it's their fault?" Exusiai chuckled.
"Texas is a reliable person," Emperor's voice rang out slowly. "With her leading, I'm at ease."
"Now tell me the good news."
"Alright, alright," Exusiai pouted. "Boss, we picked up a major treasure for you!"
"What major treasure?" At The Ends of the Earth Bar, Emperor sat on a sofa with a glass of red wine, asking languidly.
"A Princess? Or Her Highness," Exusiai looked at the tiny girl beside her. "Anyway, that's what Texas says."
"Hmm? You guys kidnapped that henpecked man's niece?" The first person Emperor thought of was that LGD Superintendent. "Wait, no. Did you guys get caught by her again? Do I have to go bail you out?" Who else in Lungmen could be a Princess?
"Uh? What do you mean?" Exusiai was confused. "We didn't do anything wrong."
"Didn't you say you kidnapped that old dragon's niece?" Emperor was puzzled. Unless they had committed a crime, why would they be in contact with that serious, rigid Superintendent?
"To be precise, we saved her from a gang," Texas felt she had to speak up. Surely the Boss knew the identity of this Draconic Girl.
"What?!" Emperor jumped up instantly. "What do you mean 'saved her from a gang'?"
"A Lungmen gang actually dared to try and kill her?!"
Is that "Dead Rat" suicidal? Does he really want to break ties with the Old Dragon?
"Uh, when we got there, those people were discussing killing the hostage," Texas added.
"I see. Bring her back immediately," Emperor said, his mind filled with astonishment. "I'll make a few calls first."
He hung up and excitedly called Wei Yenwu.
"Do you know what time it is?" The call connected quickly, and Wei Yenwu's voice was full of resentment.
"Old Wei..."
As soon as "Old Wei" was uttered, the disinterested Wei Yenwu snapped to attention.
Such an affectionate address... there's definitely something fishy going on!
"Do you still want your niece?"
"What do you mean 'do I still want my niece'?" Wei Yenwu was baffled.
"Your niece was kidnapped and they were about to kill her," Emperor said with a smile. "But don't worry, my people have already rescued her."
"They're bringing her to my bar now, so I'm asking if you still want her. After all, if such a thing can happen in Lungmen, I thought you didn't want her anymore."
"What?!" Wei Yenwu felt as if his world was collapsing.