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She couldn't help but smile with genuine relief, and placed her hands on either side of 001's round body to help it maintain its balance, lest the little cutie fall off her shoulders due to the overly affectionate gesture.
"Chirp?" Can we have it now? 001's beady eyes lit up with excitement, and she didn't forget to give 002 a smug and cute look.
002 exhaled cartoonish white breath from its beak, turned around with a look of disapproval, and took out its terminal to start modifying it with a "beep beep beep" sound.
001 thought 002 was unwilling to give up, so it smugly put its hands on its hips and then rubbed its wings.
Its face, covered in pale yellow down, suddenly displayed a cartoonish "?" expression, and its round body twisted into a coy pose in Yun Yi's eyes. "Chirp chirp!" Commander, please, please!
"Okay, okay, I'll give you the clothes right now," Yun Yi, who was dizzy from the cuteness, agreed without saying a word. Only after agreeing did she come to her senses.
Huh? Wait a minute, I don't think there's anything 001 needs to do right now...
Just as a hint of hesitation appeared in Yun Yi's eyes, 001 raised its wings high and chirped joyfully, "Yay!" This quickly dispelled her hesitation.
Never mind, I can't let my little cutie down!
Yun Yi's mind raced, and soon she remembered something. "By the way, 001, didn't you finish building the employee apartments last time? How about it, are you still interested in finishing them?"
"Chirp chirp!" Yes, yes, thank you, Commander! 001 immediately agreed.
For it, any job assigned by the commander is the best job, and it's impossible for it not to be interested.
On the contrary, 001 was in high spirits, "Chirp! Chirp~" Commander, please take me to my apartment right now! Please~
"Okay, Commander, I'll take you there right away~" Yun Yi couldn't help but chime in response to 001's adorable voice. She reluctantly stroked 001's soft, warm back fur twice.
After 001 waved goodbye, Yun Yi sent it to the apartment with a thought.
Staff apartments.
Due to Hoshiguma's sudden and abrupt attack, as well as the loud noises from the outside, the prospective employees in the apartment spontaneously gathered around each floor on alert.
Subsequently, under the direction of the three-person team of former temporary workers and now quasi-management personnel, everyone gathered in the lobby on the first floor and discussed the two baffling anomalies.
Due to a lack of intelligence, no matter how much they discussed, these hundreds of people were unable to reach a definite conclusion.
Ultimately, hoping that the person behind the apartment might reveal the truth, the group, under Minerva's arrangement, simply slept together on the floor in the spacious lobby on the first floor.
001 was teleported over at that moment.
That iconic, familiar pale yellow body and chick-like appearance brought great joy to everyone who remembered him as the apartment builder and someone who seemed to have a very good relationship with the person behind the scenes.
Minerva immediately stepped forward as a representative and politely led 001 to the center of the crowd.
However, what awaited them was not accurate information about the current situation, but rather 001's continuous release and revision of additional apartment construction tasks.
Volume 2: Fireworks at Lungmen: Chapter 231 (Main Story Micro-Post) Hoshiguma (to herself): Calm down, be composed, don't panic.
After Yunyi delivered 001 to the apartment and confirmed that everyone's reactions were normal, he withdrew his thoughts and looked at Hoshiguma again, opening his mouth to speak.
Just then, several bright beams of light appeared in the dimly lit elevator shaft projected on the screen. With a low hum, the elevator car in front stopped operating, and the doors swung open.
The vibrations and roaring sounds from many people stepping on the ground were transmitted to the cockpit through the mech's sensors.
Yun Yi glanced at it, silently shut his mouth, and manipulated the Nirvana to attach itself to the mist, passing directly through the steel surface of the elevator car, and suddenly the view opened up before him.
This already enormous underground space was expanded and renovated by the hotel staff using some unknown means. As Yun Yi looked around, the crystal chandeliers hanging from the dome cascaded down like a silver river.
The myriad rays of light pierced through the glass dome, which was tens of meters high, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime.
On the spacious central exhibition stand, the exquisite and heavy mahogany display stand gleamed with an oily sheen. Twelve gilded square spiral columns stood on the four sides, their bodies wrapped with fiber optic cables of unknown purpose, shimmering with a faint light.
In contrast, twenty protruding private boxes are arranged along the circular wall, overlooking the entire venue from above, while silk curtains hang outside the boxes.
The interweaving and collision of classical and modern elements seemed to directly elevate the overall style of the venue. Among the crowd in front of the Nirvana, gasps of astonishment and exclamations of admiration were heard incessantly.
Yun Yi also vaguely saw many people looking up at the exhibition booths and private rooms, their eyes gleaming with an uncontrollable longing and ambition. There were also quite a few people who quickly lowered their heads, their whole bodies trembling with each breath, unable to look directly at each other and filled with fear.
The instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm is always particularly evident when people gather.
Hoshiguma watched this scene, a glimmer of light flickering in her eyes.
This is also why the Konoebu (Kinmen's Guard) has difficulty defining whether something is voluntary, and why it is difficult for them to stand in front of the victims and steadfastly protect them.
On this land, suffering devours everyone equally, even Hoshiguma, even though she is the police officer who should know the most about laws and regulations, cannot break free from the chaos created by this chaotic environment.
Terra, where victims and perpetrators are one and the same, is the norm for most people.
The emotions that had risen in Hoshiguma's heart were still lingering in her mind when Yunyi reached out and tugged at her fingertips.
Yunyi's body temperature was slightly lower than Hoshiguma's. When her fingers touched Hoshiguma's fingertips, the slightly cool temperature, which conveyed the warmth of another person's body, was more intriguing to Hoshiguma than the soft touch that seemed to melt into water.
The warmth of their fingertips touching felt like hearts accidentally touching, bringing a subtle electric shock that interrupted Hoshiguma's faint sigh.
Hoshiguma's body tensed involuntarily before she subtly lowered her gaze and cast a questioning look at Yun Yi, who was looking up at her. "What's wrong?"
"Look over there." Yun Yi raised her chin, gesturing for Hoshiguma to look towards the private room. Hoshiguma followed her gaze, and the external projection magnified, placing the image of the private room in the center.
In the video, the private rooms that are surrounded by high-rise buildings have floor-to-ceiling windows that appear to be adjustable for either one-way or two-way visibility.
Therefore, apart from the majority of private rooms that no one can see, a few private rooms have leather sofas and cigar smoke that can be vaguely seen behind their glass windows.
Yun Yi and Xing Xiong ignored all that and focused their attention directly on the conspicuous electronic screen in the private room.
Holographic projections of items to be auctioned are scrolling across the screen, ranging from proper literary manuscripts to breathtakingly distorted human figures. The light and shadow cast by these images stretch and dance wildly in the air like demons, relentlessly proclaiming that the human world is the origin of hell.
No matter how grand the scene was, it couldn't mask the stench of human depravity, causing Yun Yi and Xing Xiong to frown almost simultaneously.
Hoshiguma immediately noticed Yun Yi's "discomfort" out of the corner of her eye and moved her body slightly.
She moved closer to Yun Yi, her expression serious, and spoke to divert Yun Yi's attention, "Little Yun Yi, when you investigate those people who may belong to government corrupt officials, be extra careful. They are not the corrupt officials themselves, but 'doubles'. Therefore, even if you gather intelligence, please be sure not to bring them into the Nirvana."
"Isn't it him?" Yun Yi was surprised.
How dare these parasites allow outsiders to get involved in their illegal activities and even give them full authority? Aren't they afraid of being betrayed?
Then, Yun Yi felt that it was reasonable and correct. With preparation and shared interests, the probability of being betrayed was actually very low. Even if one was betrayed, knowing the other's background would give them room to resist or escape.
Conversely, if the parasites themselves get involved, they seem more likely to encounter the possibility of being completely ruined. Rather than gambling on certain death, it's better to place a shield in the middle.
Even if this shield might turn into a venomous snake that coils around one's heart.
These thoughts flashed by, and Yun Yi's attention returned to Hoshiguma's reminder not to grab the other party.
That's not hard to understand. It's simply a matter of, "I understand that arresting people might alert the enemy. We have channels running from top to bottom, so we don't need to risk touching the lackeys of the corrupt officials."
“Yes, that’s right. And since we’re about to leave, it’s better not to get involved from the start than to walk away halfway through.” Hoshiguma’s serious expression softened slightly, and her familiar, cheerful smile met Yun Yi’s eyes. “Let’s trust Governor Wei.”
She winked slyly. "They're just a few parasites who need to collude with gangs and human trafficking organizations in the lower city. With the little intelligence we provide, it's nothing more than a 'minor hardship' for them."
The big trouble was left to Wei Yanwu, since it was his duty to fulfill anyway.
Hoshiguma's strange pronunciation made Yunyi and Hoshiguma blink in unison. Okay, she understood. It seems that these few parasites are not a trivial matter that Wei Yanwu can easily handle.
This made Yun Yi's opinion of Wei Yanwu rise a little.
Hoshiguma's certainty that Wei Yanwu would resolve the issue suggests that, at least in maintaining order in Lungmen, Wei Yanwu seems to be genuinely sincere and capable of taking the necessary actions, just as Swire and Chen Huijie stated.
Otherwise, Hoshiguma, who seems indifferent to whether he has a boss or not, adheres to his moral principles, and cares more about whether people can live better lives, wouldn't be so relaxed at this moment.
Subsequently, Yun Yi quietly lowered her evaluation a bit. She was discovered as soon as she arrived. Wei Yanwu's intelligence system was terrifyingly powerful. She didn't believe that the other party hadn't discovered these parasites or found the corresponding clues.
The truth is, this parasite danced unscathed right in front of her and Hoshiguma, and there's no need to elaborate on Wei Yanwu's background.
No wonder Old Chen, with his stubborn and inflexible nature, "defected" so quickly.
Finally, Yun Yi dismissed these pointless evaluations. As an outsider who had never experienced anything firsthand, judging the locals by his own standards would be rather arrogant.
PS:
Rest assured, while I'm not arrogant, I'll still scold you when necessary :D
Volume Two: Fireworks at Longmen: Chapter 232 (Main Story) Yun Yi: You're really playing around!
If you want to evaluate someone, you should at least be on equal footing with them in terms of their ecological niche and have faced similar situations before, right?
With this thought in mind, Yun Yi clenched his fist, planning to give Wei Yan a good scolding in front of him after he had achieved fame and success, and then have each of the local Lungmen employees in his driving space give him a punch—
With so many victims in your own city, has your benevolence as a local official been eaten by dogs? Are you really just going to ignore it for now?
As for whether the Yan Kingdom might not have the concept of benevolence? (Actually, it does.) She doesn't care. I'm on equal footing with you now, so it's perfectly normal for me to criticize people of the same social standing according to my own ideas.
The thought of those among his prospective employees who had been forced into disability, especially the children, fueled Yun Yi's anger, making his eyes contort. Hoshiguma looked at him with a puzzled expression, "Little Yun Yi? Are you... alright?"
Why does it feel like the topics I'm trying to bring to the other person's relief are actually making them feel more uncomfortable, or even hostile?
Noticing Hoshiguma's puzzled look, Yun Yi immediately suppressed his urge to beat up her boss and coughed awkwardly to change the subject, "Ahem, don't worry, I'm fine. Well, we don't have much time, let's find a suitable place for you to stay quickly."
Hoshiguma carefully scanned Yun Yi, and only after confirming that she had indeed returned to her normal mental state did she look away and nod in agreement, "Mm."
After a brief response, Hoshiguma and Yun Yi both turned their gaze to the projection, which, under Yun Yi's mental control, displayed the drastically changed venue.
The stands, cascading upwards like terraced fields, contain tens of thousands of seats, sofas, and cubicles of varying sophistication.
In front of each seat and compartment, a digitally integrated LCD screen demonstrates:
"The game of blood and gold is about to begin! — There are no rules here, only winner-takes-all chips and madmen who dare to bet everything!"
"Source? Destination? It doesn't matter! The moment you raise your paddle, you're not buying an object, you're buying a privilege that tears the rules to shreds!"
The passionate male and female voices mingled, and the advertising slogans, specially made in blood black and white gold, formed a flowing river of light on the screens covering the stands.
Below, the crowd no longer gathered, but, just like their lives, split into two streams under the guidance and drive of the people in black and white.
One group ascended the stairs, settling down with composure and excitement; the other descended step by step, disappearing into a blurry, descending staircase with trepidation and determination, while the noisy whispers, extravagant drinks, and waiters never ceased from beginning to end.
Yun Yi, who had never seen such a scene before, was stunned for a moment, then his attention was drawn by a crisp knocking sound.
That was the sound of the auctioneer's gavel striking the glittering, decadent hall.
With a polite smile, he appeared behind the mahogany booth at some point. His delicate and inexplicably comforting face was magnified by the suddenly activated pillars around him, forming a projected image that covered most of the booth.
The auctioneer delivered a witty welcome speech that contrasted sharply with his composed demeanor, easily eliciting cheers from the entire audience.
He raised his hands high as if enjoying himself, and a low rumble suddenly came from the ground beneath his feet.
Amidst the rumbling sounds, the marble tiles in the exhibition area unfolded layer by layer like lotus flowers, sending the auctioneer high into the air and revealing a ten-meter-deep fighting arena below.
Bloodstained tempered glass barriers slowly rose, separating the muddy and metal arena from the stands, while the auction area above instantly transformed into a wraparound commentary platform for the fighting arena.
The auctioneer standing on it tore open his refined gentlemanly suit jacket to reveal a body with some scales and clearly defined muscles. The thick snake tail behind him was no longer hidden and began to swing wildly. In an instant, he completely transformed into a wild and untamed host.
The revamped Phidiah yanked the microphone into the air with her tail, then grabbed it with her right hand. The scales above her elbow, reflecting the light, were magnified on the projection screen, eliciting a chorus of whistles that even the loud, energetic music couldn't drown out.
With the microphone held close to his mouth, his voice instantly amplified through the surround sound system, making people's eardrums vibrate.
Yun Yi frowned uncomfortably, her initial shock instantly turning into disgust. "So noisy." Her gaze towards Fydia shifted from curiosity to indifference.
Hoshiguma's gaze had been fixed on him ever since Fydia appeared. Hearing this, she chuckled softly, "It is indeed noisy, but it brings good news."
"Good news?" Yun Yi looked at Hoshiguma curiously.
Hoshiguma pointed at Fydia, her expression relaxed. "This is the head of a gang—the person behind it all has come forward."
"Huh?" Yun Yi's eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at the wild and seductive Fydia, then at the hotel staff in black and white uniforms who looked perfectly normal, and couldn't help but sigh softly, "...The gangs really know how to play dirty tricks."
Spending money to the point that people think the other person's brain is smaller than a sesame seed, and personally participating in a heavily publicized escape campaign—is this courting death or courting death?
As for the boss using his looks and disregarding his image, that's secondary. Yunyi has seen plenty of that in movies and TV shows and is already desensitized to it.
“Haha, some gangs’ behavior is indeed very confusing,” Hoshiguma laughed and patted Yun Yi’s head, who looked speechless. “Well, no matter how strange it is, most of these behaviors are for self-preservation, but they are usually not very effective.”
"So, this person did it to save himself?" Yun Yi looked around at Fydia, who seemed to be enjoying himself, his eyes filled with confusion. "I don't see it at all. Does he really not just enjoy doing this?"
“According to intelligence from a year ago, on the contrary, he quite dislikes showing his face in public.” Hoshiguma shook his head, his fingertips touching his chin as he looked thoughtful. “The informant’s reason was that he had had enough of the humiliation of being an object of spectacles. The accuracy of that reason is yet to be determined, but he should indeed dislike showing his face in public.”
She watched as Phidiah lowered her eyelids and revealed her disgust, thinking that he didn't seem to feel humiliated; at most, he just disliked her.
Yunyi didn't notice Fydia's momentary emotional outburst, but trusted Hoshiguma's judgment.
Following Hoshiguma's words, she pondered, "Do I still need to gather clues? The leader is already here, wouldn't it be faster to just pry them open up?"
Halfway through his sentence, Yun Yi remembered his extra task, "Right, those wanted criminals and targets with bounties! But, we can't waste time..."
She looked conflicted, and Hoshiguma gently patted her head with his hand that he hadn't withdrawn.
The smooth, slightly cool strands of hair between her fingers relaxed Hoshiguma's expression. "Don't worry about it. This person is notoriously difficult to deal with. Trying to get information from him will most likely be far less efficient than you, with your exceptional talent, searching for it yourself."
Volume 2: Fireworks at Lungmen: Chapter 233 Hoshiguma: Cautious, but mission first; mission first, but companions most important.
As the hand rested on his head gently stroked his hair, Hoshiguma's slightly elevated body temperature seeped into his hair and was transmitted to the nerves on his scalp.