"You're quite punctual," Xia Yu said, looking at the members of Graytail Hall standing in neat formation in front of the Lungmen Guard Department. She found it hard to keep a straight face.
"It's just, this display of yours..." She looked back at the LGD behind her. The officers were fully armed and on high alert, barely daring to breathe.
Beside her, Chen Huijie's face had already turned ashen.
They had just stepped out of the car when they witnessed this scene.
Graytail Hall, the largest gang in the slums, had gathered a large group of its core members to block the main entrance of the LGD. Anyone seeing this would realize this was no small matter.
The current Commissioner was sweating profusely, frantically checking if the department had arrested someone they shouldn't have or meddled in something they shouldn't have touched. Why else would they put on such a massive show?
While the LGD, as a department that handled both military and police duties in Lungmen, wasn't necessarily afraid of an underground gang, someone in the Commissioner's position couldn't possibly be unaware that Graytail Hall was merely a black glove in the Governor's hand.
A simple gang wasn't scary, but a gang acting according to the Governor's will was a different story.
For various reasons, Lungmen had no standing army. Wei Yenwu's status was simply too awkward; if he formed his own army, Baizao wouldn't be at ease, and if Baizao sent an army over, he wouldn't be at ease either.
Thus, a public security department like the LGD handled some military functions to an extent, making the LGD Commissioner a position of high power and status.
Yet, even so, Wei Yenwu hadn't coordinated with him regarding Bailu's situation. This left the Commissioner completely in the dark about what he had done wrong, and he was still desperately searching for the cause.
LGD Operators had already secured the streets near the building, but he didn't dare issue any orders.
Even if this stalemate damaged the LGD's reputation.
In truth, while the Graytail Hall members looked composed, they were also feeling uneasy.
This was the first time they had faced off against the LGD on such a large scale, and no one knew what their Young Lady was actually thinking.
"Are you two planning to go to war?" Xia Yu blinked, looking at both sides. "Should I move out of the way for you?"
"Lin Yühsia!" Chen Huijie gritted her teeth. "What on earth are you doing?"
"Me? I'm waiting for someone," Lin Yühsia said, her heart far from calm.
She obviously wouldn't have made such a massive scene on her own initiative.
As the designated executor, she was in a difficult spot as well.
Seeing this, Chen Huijie basically knew why.
"Do they have no regard for the public impact at all?"
"Doctor Bailu, we had no choice," Lin Yühsia said with a bitter smile. "Do you know? Just last night, we blocked at least ten thousand Infected from rushing into the city area... News of you has completely spread. Now all of Lungmen knows of the miracle you've brought."
If it weren't for the structure of the Mobile City, it would have been impossible for them to block so many people. To achieve this, Graytail Hall had mobilized nearly every gang in the slums.
"Graytail Hall barely managed to soothe the chaos in the slums, but the slums aren't the only place that's been stirred up."
Lin Yühsia took a deep breath, her exhaustion visible to the naked eye. "Just last night, I don't know how many calls my father received from people inquiring about you—from high-ranking officials and wealthy foreign merchants to respected scholars. Even the newspapers this morning are filled with yesterday's events. If I didn't bring enough men, I really might not have been able to get you out of the city area."
"To tell the truth, my brothers and I haven't slept a wink all night."
"Is it really that exaggerated?" Chen Huijie's mouth hung open before she frowned. "This news traveled way too fast. That's not normal."
Generally, things happening in the slums wouldn't spread across all of Lungmen without a few days of fermentation.
"I don't know," Lin Yühsia gave the perfect response.
But she actually did know.
Xia Yu knew as well.
It was Wei Yenwu's doing.
"Doctor Bailu," Chen Huijie sighed. "With things reaching this scale, the LGD can't stay out of it either."
Actually, she should have expected this—it was the treatment of Oripathy, after all... It just happened sooner than expected.
"I don't care," Xia Yu shook her head dismissively. "Wei Yenwu just needs to pay up."
Making a name for herself was part of the plan anyway; she'd just squeeze a massive sum out of Wei Yenwu when the time came.
"Tell the Commissioner I'm mobilizing Special Service Squads 1 to 3," Chen Huijie turned toward the LGD entrance and announced loudly. "Executing the VIP Protection Plan!"
Soon, someone went to report.
The LGD Commissioner looked at the tiny figure on the monitor that seemed more familiar the longer he looked, recalling the bombshell news in this morning's paper.
"Such a massive escort... So someone really did cure Oripathy?!" He sucked in a breath of cold air and approved Chen Huijie's request without hesitation.
It wasn't that he believed it so much as the fact that once things had reached this scale, he couldn't possibly oppose Chen Huijie. She was the Governor's successor, after all. He could listen to the Governor and suppress her normally, but choosing to play petty tricks at a time like this would be truly short-sighted.
Before long, a fully armed LGD squad lined up before Chen Huijie.
"Actually, there's no need for all this trouble. Sigh, whatever," Xia Yu shook her head helplessly. "Shall we head out now?"
"Yes. Doctor Bailu, we marked all the Infected settlements in the slums last night," Lin Yühsia got into the car and handed over a spreadsheet. "Which one shall we visit today?"
"Last night? I doubt that," Xia Yu looked at the dense map in her hand and curled her lip.
This had definitely been in the works for a long time; they just happened to bring it out now. After all, the Infected were an unstable factor for any city.
"Go straight to the entrance of your Graytail Hall," Xia Yu said. "These settlements range from several thousand people to just a dozen... Do you really expect me to run to each one individually?"
"Rope, I'm leaving them to you," she looked at Rope, who had been nervous in the passenger seat for a long time. "Take the people I treated yesterday with you and have them help bring those Infected over."
"Compared to them, the Infected should trust you all a bit more. Of course, don't force anyone. You can't convince someone who's hell-bent on dying. Let those who are willing come, and forget about those who aren't."
"Eh? Something this big is being left to me?" Rope looked distressed. She was just a thief; she had never handled such a major task.
"Don't worry, people will help you," Xia Yu straightened herself up and gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "It's fine if you don't understand; you can learn slowly."
Tsk, this loli body is just too tiny. Even a pat on the shoulder is a lot of effort.
"I don't have many people I can trust anyway," Xia Yu looked to the side. "Xiao Chen has to help me maintain order. Lin Yühsia... you go get some proper rest. Put your subordinates to work; don't let any chaos break out."
"No need for rest," Lin Yühsia forced herself to stay alert. "I can continue..."
This was the first time the Rat King had entrusted her with such a heavy responsibility. Although she had handled matters within Graytail Hall before, they were all minor, trivial things. This matter was the only one she truly had full authority to organize.
Naturally, Lin Yühsia didn't want to miss this chance; her greatest wish was to prove herself.
But before she could finish her refusal, Xia Yu reached out with her gourd and plugged her mouth. Facing the fragrant liquid, Lin Yühsia subconsciously swallowed.
And then? Then there was no 'and then.' She was now sleeping quite soundly.
"Have the LGD bring more people," Xia Yu said unceremoniously to Chen Huijie. "Many from Graytail Hall haven't slept all night. Let them rest and have your people take over their shifts!"
"I understand," Chen Huijie sighed and could only comply.
She also knew what a massive opportunity it would be for the city if all the Infected in Lungmen were cured.
Or rather, this kind of large-scale Free Clinic event should have been coordinated by the LGD from the start. If Graytail Hall kept organizing it, it would be seen as improper.
Thus, the grand Free Clinic (?) activity began in Lungmen with great fervor. Countless skeptical or firm-believing Infected were gathered before Graytail Hall as Xia Yu cast her Incantations like they cost nothing.
With the Elden Ring providing power and the Tiny Tarnished and Mimic Tear handling the automatic casting, she herself set up a small hut. Completely ignoring the events outside, she began researching her own abilities.
She was trying to find a way to fit Firefly into her Vision.
Mainly, she lacked combat power. She desperately lacked a powerful bodyguard (it's not what you think). Terra was full of dangers, and who knew how many perils she would face in the future, or what identity she might randomly roll next?
If her identity was too weak, having Firefly as an escort would at least prevent her from being too passive (for real)!
It was absolutely not because she wanted to see a tiny Firefly! (Serious face)
Absolutely not!
But after working for a whole day, Xia Yu still had nothing to show for it.
The main issue was that Firefly was simply too over-the-limit. Trying to fully compress her into a Vision... the Vision really couldn't take it.
However, she had grasped a few clues.
"Mmm~" Xia Yu stretched and checked the energy consumption in the Elden Ring.
It was almost negligible. Of course, it wasn't that treating so many Infected consumed very little, but rather that the Honkai Energy she had squeezed out of the Herrscher of Thunder back then was simply too much.
With such a massive base, this consumption was naturally insignificant.
It was roughly equivalent to a single blast from the Might of An-Utu.
Mhm, looking at it that way, it's still quite a bit... Looks like I'll have to squeeze a big sum out of Wei Yenwu.
"Let's stop here for today," seeing that it was getting dark, she rubbed her eyes and put on an exhausted look. "Sigh, I really can't hold on anymore."
"By the way, how many people did we treat today?"
"Thirteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty-one!" Chen Huijie looked at Xia Yu with awe, as if looking at a deity.
Counting ten or so people at a time, she must have performed the technique about a thousand times. Releasing Originium Arts a thousand times in a single day, and Originium Arts of this scale at that...
Heavens, she's practically an iron woman!
Chen Huijie couldn't imagine anyone who could withstand such a drain. Could she really not feel fatigue at all?
A normal person would be struggling after casting Originium Arts a dozen or twenty times a day. Military Casters and similar people with specialized training might do more, but a hundred times was considered the limit.
Of course, this refers to Originium Arts of a certain scale; rubbing a spark to light a cigarette obviously doesn't count.
Yet the tiny Bailu before her had cast them over a thousand times and only had slightly sore eyes...
Chen Huijie recalled—she seemed to know Lightning Arts as well?
Over a thousand Lightning Arts... honestly, that would be enough for her to flatten a small Mobile Town single-handedly.
She was practically a humanoid war machine.
Even the peerless Witch King of the past might not have been able to endure so long—without being connected to the Spires, of course.
"Over ten thousand people, huh," Xia Yu yawned. "Alright, let's call it a day. Pack up and go home."
"Right, we can't forget the old rule. Let the banquet begin!"
"Graytail Hall has already prepared it," Lin Yühsia walked over, having slept the whole day. "We've invited chefs from half of Lungmen. The continuous banquet outside hasn't stopped since morning."
"Well done," Xia Yu gave a thumbs-up. "Remember to send the bill to Wei Yenwu."
I treat the entire slums to a meal, and Wei Yenwu pays.
Excellent.
"Over ten thousand people a day, the efficiency seems pretty high," Xia Yu started calculating. "Should be finished in about seven days..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a commotion broke out ahead.
"What do you mean 'that's it for today'?" A well-dressed man grabbed the collar of the LGD Operator responsible for guiding the crowd. "We've been waiting in line here all day! Right in the middle of these Infected!"
That statement was hard to judge; he was an Infected himself, but he naturally distinguished himself from the Infected of the slums.
"Do you know who I am? I have a title! Three companies under me!" He poked his finger against the thick armor on the LGD Operator's chest. "Is this how you people in the LGD do your jobs?"
"Get the person in charge out here. I want to see who dares to act like this. Do you have any medical ethics? So many people are waiting here for their lives to be saved, and you just stop treating people?"
Hearing this, a group of people behind him started jeering.
Xia Yu glanced over. "Note down everyone who's jeering. I won't treat those people."
Medical harassment? Right here in front of me? Do you really think I'm a doctor who won't hit back?
I have plenty of strength and means!
While Chen Huijie was still hesitating, Lin Yühsia gave a wave of her hand. Graytail Hall members swarmed out, directly surrounding those people.
Among them were men and women, some well-dressed like the man—clearly not people from the slums—and many locals in rags.
"All of you, come over and register," Lin Yühsia said coldly. "Bring the cameras."
"Hmph, it would've been over if you'd just done this earlier," the man let go of the LGD Operator. "Not tactful at all."
Lin Yühsia only glanced at him before handing a camera to her subordinate. "Start with him."
"What's with your tone?" The man started shouting again. "What kind of attitude is this? Believe it or not, I'll file a complaint against you!"
Hearing this, the members of Graytail Hall looked at each other, barely stifling their laughter as they tacitly nudged the LGD officers out of the way.
Lin Yühsia had no intention of being nice to him. Seeing that these people were already surrounded, she gave a broad wave of her hand.
"Strike!"