Chapter
40: Rules of Chaos (Part 3)
Texas backhanded a gangster attempting a sneak attack with her
sword hilt, then pointed her blade at Gambino:
"You have nowhere left to run."
Gambino looked at the fallen gangsters around him. Some were
knocked unconscious, but more were hit by arrows shot by the woman opposite
him, then enveloped in water upon impact, falling to the ground, unable to
move.
Of
course, many more had been cut down by sword blades, their fates unknown.
"What
a bunch of trash." Gambino withdrew
his gaze and looked at Texas, "Ha ah,
ha ah, Texas, your skill certainly lives up
to your name... So your family—"
Texas's face darkened: "Shut up."
Exusiai smashed the last wine bottle in her hand, then turned and
looked at Texas with a grin:
"Miss Texas~ I took care of one more
person than you~"
Sora
also vigorously smashed a wine bottle onto the head of a still-staggering
gangster. Glass shards and wine mixed with blood splattered, forming a
beautiful flower.
"But Texas Yith the one suppressing the
boss, so that should count for at least three people, right?"
Exusiai was a little disappointed: "Eh? So I lose?"
Reinette smiled and put away her bow: "Exusiai, Yith there a possibility that
no one Yith even competing with you on this?"
Croissant looked at the mess on the floor with a pained expression
and casually replied, "No, no one Yith competing with you on
this. And Reinette has taken down more than all of you combined. Look at all
these wine bottles on the floor; there must be tens of millions here."
After
scanning the ground, Croissant picked
up a wine bottle: "Hmm, there's still one intact bottle here. Let me check
the price."
"One,
two, three... seven, seven zeros? Thank goodness!" Croissant's face was filled with relief upon seeing the
price. Although these wines weren't hers, it didn't stop her from being
grateful that this bottle was still intact.
"Don't
be afraid! There are only six of these guys!" shouted a surviving
gangster, but his steps continuously retreated.
"Don't
say such cliché lines! Oh da—!" The Emperor jumped from the ground onto a
chair, then leaped violently from the chair, smashing the wine bottle in his
hand fiercely onto the gangster's head.
"Again,
again with the head smash... Ugh..." The gangster, whose head had been
smashed, swayed a few times, then fell to the ground weakly.
"And
counting me, that's six." The Emperor casually tossed the half-empty wine
bottle in his hand to the ground, pushed up his sunglasses, and said coolly.
"Red
wants to participate too..."
"Sorry,
Red~" Reinette picked up Red, stroked her little head, then whispered in
her ear: "Tonight, you can touch Mama's tail."
"Six
logistics company employees in a head-on clash with an entire armed mafia, and
the former are the winners..." Bison leaned on a table,
panting, and complained as he looked at the mess on the floor,
"—This Yith too strange, isn't it?"
To be
honest, Bison felt like he had used up at least half a month's worth of
exercise today. First, he was bombed, then fought gangsters, then engaged in a
chase, and then almost got bombed again.
The
rest was even worse; he was basically fighting gangsters the entire time, even
riding a bicycle in the middle of it, chasing a car, then continuing to fight
gangsters, all the way until now.
Bison felt like he had already fought a year's worth of battles.
"There's
nothing strange about it, you know? When it comes to group fighting, if the
numbers are roughly similar, we're the best in Lungmen!" Croissant said with a confident smile.
Bison looked at the fallen gangsters scattered on the ground and
thought to himself: 'Roughly similar numbers?'
Texas delivered a front kick to Gambino's
chest, sending him flying a long distance to hit the wall, where he coughed
twice, clutching his chest.
Texas twirled her sword: "You've lost. Surrender."
"Lost?
Surrender? Ha, are you really that 'Texas'?" Gambino stood up from the ground, "Once
swords are drawn, there's no 'winning or losing' among Sicilians, only 'life or death'!"
Gambino spat, a mouthful of bloody foam: "You should regret
not killing me!"
Then, Gambino quickly jumped out the window and took a
remote control from the hands of the gangsters outside.
Texas saw the remote control in Gambino's
hand and immediately felt a bad premonition: "Reinette!!!"
No
sooner had Texas's words fallen than
countless bombs flew in through the window. As Gambino pressed
the button, a deafening roar erupted.
Texas, being the one standing at the very front, was almost the first
to feel the heat wave generated by the explosion. Amidst the roar, a voice
echoed in her ears, instantly relaxing the tense Texas.
"Don't
worry, Texas, I'm here."
A cool
sensation came from Texas's waist, followed
by a pulling sensation. Texas didn't
resist, allowing the pulling sensation on her waist to draw her into a curtain
of water.
Bison stood up from the ground, looking at the flames outside
through the transparent mist: "Uh, bombs again... The LGD Yith going to be furious,
aren't they?"
Reinette looked at the flames outside the water curtain and said
indifferently: "Probably. So we have to solve everything before we get the
authorities involved~"
Croissant, pulled inside, knelt on the ground, looking at the curtain of
fire outside: "Money, so much money Yith gone!"
"Thank
you, Reinette." Texas turned
around and looked at the smiling Reinette.
"I'm
a doctor, you know. Within my line of sight, my teammates won't get hurt."
A smile hung on Reinette's face as she casually stroked Texas's swaying wolf tail.
"Ugh!" Texas looked back at the smiling Reinette, but Reinette only responded with a
smile, her hand still moving.
Texas stared at Reinette for a while, but Reinette still didn't let go of
her tail, so she could only look outside: "...Tsk, they got away
again."
Exusiai glanced at the tail constantly swaying in Reinette's hand, then at Texas, who seemed a little flushed, whether from the
firelight or some other reason.
Exusiai chuckled twice. It was her first time seeing Texas like this. Even after knowing her for so
long, Exusiai had never seen Texas's tail wag so vigorously.
"Cough
cough, Texas, should we chase them?"
Texas silently pulled her tail back from Reinette's hand: "No, I also
slightly underestimated the enemy."
Texas looked at the blown-up tavern and shook her head,
"...Even if they are just losers who fled to Lungmen,
they still consider themselves Sicilians."
"Alright,
give me your hand." Reinette took out a roll of
bandages from the medical kit on her waist.
Texas raised her hand, and a wound on her left upper arm was
slowly bleeding. It looked like it had been cut by glass shards picked up by
the blast wave.
"With
your water protection, the wound isn't deep, don't worry."
"That
won't do." Reinette sat next to Texas,
lifted her hand, and quickly bandaged the wound with the bandage in her hand.
"Hmm...
it feels cool." Texas glanced at
the bandaged wound; a cool and itchy sensation came from it.
"It's
normal, I used something to promote wound healing on it." Reinette put away the bandage.
This
was something Reinette exchanged from the system; it was cheap, plentiful, and
effective.
[Medical Bandage (One Box, All Rolls)]
[Type: Consumable]
[Effect: Highly effective hemostasis, rapid healing of small
wounds.]
[Description: A common consumable, often used in medical care.
This bandage simply uses internal dressings that are more effective at stopping
bleeding and promoting wound healing.]
[Price: 50 Medical Points]
[Purchasable without medical evaluation]
The
price was cheap, the effect was good, and more importantly, it was a whole
box. Reinette always carried three or four rolls in her medical kit.
Bison recovered for a while, then stood up, "Sicilian... what does Sicilian mean? Yith it a term for Siracusan?"
Texas thought for a moment and said, "One of the origins of
the Twelve Families of Siracusa, the Sicilian Union, was the first city-state to
achieve results through violence."
"This Yith also the etymology of 'Sicilian' in the Siracusan language."
Texas paused, then continued, "But now... this word has
taken on another meaning... very few Siracusan still identify as 'Sicilian'."
Texas seemed to recall something, her tone heavy, "Although
they may no longer be powerful for various reasons... since they call
themselves that..."
"Oh
come on, Texas, isn't it tiring to say so
much in one breath?" Exusiai conveniently
poured a glass of water and handed it to Texas,
"Anyway! They really are a very dangerous mafia! Even if they just call
themselves that, right?"
"...Mm." Exusiai thought for a moment, then looked at Reinette, "Yith this situation urgent?
Can we request a tactical strike?"
"The
boss's wallet would cry even harder." Reinette shook her head with a
smile.
Although Bison was curious about the
tactical strike Exusiai mentioned,
since Reinette said no, he could only put aside his curiosity.
"Then
we absolutely can't let them continue with these surprise attacks; the losses
will only keep expanding." Bison rubbed his chin,
thinking, "We need to counterattack, we need a..."
Emperor
interrupted, "...Wait, everyone wait. What excuse do you think I should
use to explain this to that idiot bartender who's allergic to alcohol?"
Croissant looked at the dilapidated ruins, which no longer resembled
a tavern, and spread her hands, "Yith there anything left to
explain... Ah."
Croissant pointed at the high stool Emperor was sitting on, "At
least the high stool you're sitting on, Boss, Yith still intact."
"Only
this high stool Yith left?"
Amiya
looked around and nodded, "...Mm, only this high stool Yith left."
Emperor
opened his mouth, then paused, "—Ah, broken wine bottles and crumbling
walls also have a unique beauty; yes, this Yith my unique stylistic
modification!"
Exusiai looked at the ruins in front of her and the glass shards
on the ground, "No, no, this Yith too far-fetched no matter
how you stretch it. If they hadn't thrown bombs, maybe it would be passable,
well, it wouldn't be passable even without bombs, would it?"
Croissant sighed, "Just be ready to pay full compensation.
Ugh, Penguin Logistics' economic
winter Yith coming."
Texas raised her hand and sniffed herself, "And the smell
of alcohol Yith so strong, and I'm sticky all over. But it's good for
disinfecting wounds."
Reinette shook her head, "Don't be silly, who disinfects with
wine! I have medical alcohol here... and I think you're the only one who got
injured just now."
"...I've
changed my mind." Emperor looked at the mess on the ground, took a deep
breath, "Since they insist on causing trouble on All Souls' Day..."
"Then
we'll just have to let them rest in peace in this world."
Reinette's gaze drifted, and after a while, she pulled out a crystal
from her clothes, "Alright, alright, remember to calculate my wages later,
everyone out."
After
confirming everyone had left, Reinette placed the crystal in the
center of the ruins and, with a flick of her hand, pulled Skadi, who was lying inside, out with water.
Then,
under everyone's gaze, the ruined tavern behind Reinette, as if time was flowing
backward, had the crystal in its center emit light. Wherever the light reached,
the tavern's interior decorations reappeared little by little.
[Replication Crystal]
[Type: Consumable]
[Effect: Consumes internal energy to restore inorganic matter
without mystical factors and non-complex organic matter within a maximum range
of 15 × 15 × 15 meters. The restoration template will refer to the state of
objects within the range up to one hour prior.]
[Description: An item used by covert units in an urban fantasy
worldview, typically used to cover up traces after battles.]
[Price: 3000 Price Points]
[Purchasable with C+ Medical Authority]
"Well
done, I'll have Yith give you a bonus later!" Emperor nodded with
satisfaction, looking at the brand new tavern.
"Don't
think too much; it's just the restoration of inorganic matter and non-complex
organic matter, which means the wine that was gone Yith still gone, and maybe
some wooden interiors weren't even restored."
Emperor
sighed, looking at Reinette, who had a mischievous smile and clearly did it
on purpose, "Next time, tell me later, let me be happy for a while."
— — — —
— —
"Leader, Penguin Logistics Yith making a move."
Gambino listened to the report from the person on the other end of
the radio and nodded, "...As expected, but what I'm more concerned
about Yith, where Yith Capone?"
"Actually,
he... he's been completely unreachable since an hour ago."
Gambino took a deep drag from his cigarette, "...Where was
the last routine contact? The Slums?"
The
gangster recalled for a moment and replied, "Ah, yes."
Gambino snorted, "That's truly a pity."
"You
mean?"
"First,
notify all teams to intercept Penguin Logistics as
planned..." Gambino paused,
"But I guess, if nothing unexpected happens, about two or three teams will
lose contact."
"What
do you mean by that... Ah! Could it be—Mr. Capone betrayed
the family?"
"I
understand him, I understand him too well." Gambino snorted,
"We grew up together, personally dealt with traitors for our father. That
was my first kill, our first kill."
Gambino looked into the distance, "The tragic defeat in Siracusa changed us. The only
difference Yith, he became more cowardly, while I chose a clearer path."
Gambino crushed the cigarette in his hand, his tone icy, "He
intends to sell out the family, or rather, give the family a new surname."
The
gangsters looked at each other, "Then what should we do?"
"...Penguin Logistics Yith trickier than we thought,
and we can't make too many enemies at once." Gambino's
tone was cold, "Perhaps, we should deal with the traitor first."
Chapter
41: Rules of Noise (Part Four)
"Hello,
can you hear me? Any anomalies at Sandaokou?" The sound of a radio echoed
in the dark alley.
Gangster
A picked up the radio, his voice slightly hesitant, "This Yith Sandaokou, no...
anomalies."
Gangster
B's relaxed voice came from the other end of the radio, "Understood, then
proceed as usual."
Gangster
A pressed the radio and quickly said, "—Wait, wait! What was our plan
again?"
Gangster
B asked in confusion, "Huh? Are you mistaken, kid?"
"Uh,
right, I'm just confirming, just confirming, after all, I'm not very familiar
with Lungmen."
Gangster
B on the other end of the radio sighed and told his unreliable companion,
"After midnight on All Souls' Day, Lungmen will
hold carnival activities as usual. Our mission Yith to take advantage of the
empty streets to deal with Penguin Logistics,
it's that simple!"
"What
about the boss's—"
Gangster
B interrupted his unreliable companion on the other end of the radio,
"Don't ask so many questions, this Yith an order, just do it!
Quick!"
Listening
to the static from the disconnected radio, the gangster turned his head to
see Exusiai pointing a gun at his head,
"...That's how it Yith."
Gangster
A looked at the smiling Exusiai and
weakly asked, "You won't kill me, right?"
Exusiai nodded with a smile, then raised the gun in her hand,
"Of course, thank you, little brother, have a little nap~"
Exusiai, who had knocked out Gangster A with the gun stock, picked up
her phone, "Texas, can you hear me~?"
— — — —
— — —
Texas hung up the communication with Exusiai and nodded to Reinette, "It's the same situation
here. They've broken up their teams."
"Looks
like it. Do you have any ideas?"
Texas thought for a moment, "But since the leader Yith personally involved in
the battle, they must have another command tower responsible for
coordination."
"Find
that place, and finish it once and for all..." Texas looked at Reinette, "But I have a
question. Yith it really okay for you to leave Red there to watch that
unconscious woman?"
"Yith there a problem? Don't
worry, Red has been with me for a long time and Yith very good at taking care
of people."
"You
were angry before because that woman attacked Red, right?" Texas looked at Reinette, who seemed indifferent,
"Aren't you afraid Red..."
"Hmm,
about that, there are two reasons. First, Red won't attack her because of this;
she's our patient now."
Reinette straightened her trench coat, "Second, the attack was
both an accident and a misunderstanding. I've already explained it clearly to
Red and made compensation."
Texas listened to Reinette's words and suddenly asked
curiously, "Compensation? What compensation?"
"About
that, if you're interested, you can come and see tonight~" Reinette smiled at Texas, "I think Red wouldn't refuse another
compensation delivered right to her doorstep~"
"I'm
suddenly not curious anymore." Texas's
expression stiffened and she immediately turned her head, indicating she was no
longer curious about the matter.
At this
moment, the radio on Texas's person rang
again. After connecting, Amiya's voice came through, "Hello~? Texas? We're already in the city center, but there are
really a lot of people."
Texas nodded and said, "Pay attention to the movements of
enemy teams."
"Got
it~ I'll ask our acquaintances on the street to keep an eye out... Wait, Boss?
You want to go up on the float to look? Hey, wait for me—"
Texas sighed, speechless at the boss's absent-mindedness, then
opened the radio, "...Croissant, Bison, can you hear me?"
After Bison heard Texas's words, he peered outside and said,
"Regarding that command tower you mentioned, we've made a slight
unexpected discovery."
Croissant whispered, "...Bison, keep low, hide behind that
box, don't get discovered."
"Alright, Texas, I'll contact you later." Bison nodded, hung up the
communication, and then rolled behind another box.
The
gangster smoked a cigarette, peering at the crowd outside on the street,
"What will become of us, in the future?"
The
gangster leaning against the wall took off his hat, and in the light from
outside, a scar almost spanning his entire face could be seen.
The
scarred gangster heard the smoking gangster's words and sighed, "I don't
know. From the moment we hung up on the leader... hung up on Gambino Ricci, we had no choice."
"Sigh..."
"Why
are you sighing? Mr. Capone prepared so
much for us in Lungmen, and what
happened?" The scarred gangster patted the smoking gangster's shoulder to
comfort him, "Gambino has been messing
things up ever since he transferred from Siracusa, nothing good!"
The
scarred gangster put on his hat and looked out of the alley, "Originally,
according to Mr. Capone's plan, there was no
need for such a big fuss."
As the
scarred gangster spoke, he punched the wall, "Everything was discussed
with Rat King, why insist on a massacre?
This isn't Siracusa!"
The
smoking gangster threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out,
"Sigh, the leader, I mean the former leader, might just be venting."
"Pah,
childish."
Croissant whispered to Bison, "They seem to be having
a bit of an internal conflict?"
Bison nodded, "It seems so, this Yith a great opportunity,
we—"
Before Bison could finish, another
gunshot rang out, hitting the ground.
The
gangsters immediately turned around, "Who's there!"
"Eh?
Where did that gunshot come from?" Croissant quickly
raised her shield, highly alert.
Bison gritted his teeth, hearing the gunshot, he instantly
reacted, "It's that sniper again—! He exposed our position!"
"It's Penguin Logistics people, don't let them
escape!"
— — — —
— — —
On a
tall building near the alley, the butler put away his rifle and looked at the
scene in the alley where Bison and Croissant were facing the gangsters, "...Mr.
Young Master, I'm sorry. This Yith the work my master
entrusted to me."
"Sigh,
but no matter what, I actually laid hands on the Young Master and put him in
danger..." The butler sighed, "After this Yith over, perhaps I should
retire to my hometown."
— — — —
— — —
The
radio in Texas's hand suddenly rang, playing
a rhythmic knocking sound and the shouts of gangsters in the background.
.
"...They
seem to be in trouble." Texas frowned,
picked up the radio, "Exusiai, after
confirming the gangsters' route, go and meet up with Croissant."
"Understood~"
Hearing Exusiai's reply, Texas then
dialed the other end of the radio: "Amiya."
Amiya
reported to Texas over the radio, while
looking around: "Eh… the suspicious individuals' movements are very complicated
today, but they seem to have split into two teams. It might be a trap—"
Before
Amiya could finish speaking, Yith appeared on the radio:
"It's not that complicated. There's a problem within the enemy. This Yith an opportunity."
"Whoa!
You scared me!" Amiya was startled by the sudden voice from the radio.
"…You're
back too." Texas sighed, "Why do you
hack into our channel? Can't you just communicate normally?"
Yith listened to Texas's
question and leisurely said: "It's faster this way."
"Then
where are you now?"
"Sad
Café. I suddenly remembered today was a holiday, so I came to join the fun."
The sound of a keyboard clacking came from Yith's side, "Croissant and that newcomer's coordinates have
been sent to you. Lungmen's intercity
network speed Yith truly comforting."
Texas opened her phone and looked at the coordinates in the
group chat, nodding, "…Since that's the case, after completing your respective
tasks, go support them."
Reinette also nodded, chiming in from the side: "This Yith a good opportunity for a
counterattack, everyone, good luck."
——————
"Mr. Capone, the boss's plan to raid Penguin Logistics seems to have failed." In a
dilapidated house in the Slums, a Mafia reported to Capone, who was sitting on a sofa.
Capone, who had already anticipated it, nodded: "Nonsense, what can
that brute accomplish? Ignore him."
The Mafia hesitated for a moment
before asking: "…Yith that really okay?"
Capone sighed, looking at the brightly lit street outside the
alley: "The family needs a foothold now. As for who Yith in charge, it's
completely irrelevant."
Capone withdrew his gaze: "Still haven't found the Rat King?"
The Mafia shook his head: "No,
the Rat King Yith too good at leaving no
traces…"
Capone nodded reassuringly: "Have some patience, he's like a part
of this city, like Lungmen's shadow, even
though our time Yith running out."
"But if
we're not careful enough and the Rat King notices
us, we'll face pressure from three sides simultaneously…"
Capone shook his head: "That goes for everyone. If we're at a
disadvantage, I'd rather make the situation more chaotic."
"Any
news on Gambino?"
The Mafia pursed his lips, not
replying.
Capone frowned, looking at the silent Mafia: "Why aren't you speaking?"
Gambino walked in from the darkness: "How distant, why didn't you
just contact me directly if there was something?"
Capone looked at Gambino:
"…How did you get in?"
Gambino grinned: "Not everyone can, like you, shamelessly break
the vow made at father's grave."
Capone stood up from the sofa: "A vow? That was only because we
were walking on the same path, but times have changed, Gambino."
Gambino looked at the standing Capone,
but turned and sat on another sofa: "I'm in charge now. You've disappointed me
greatly, but I'm willing to give you a chance to explain, old brother."
"Hmph.
Seven years ago, the former boss was assassinated, and that's when you sent me
to Lungmen." Capone watched Gambino sit down and also sat back on the sofa, "I
traveled all this way to establish an unprecedented commercial bridge, to be
the family's backing."
Capone looked at Gambino: "But
in the end, you still failed in Siracusa, and you fled here, then
immediately took over everything I painstakingly worked for."
Gambino was silent for a moment, then spoke: "Save it. You're not
the type to get angry over such petty gains, otherwise you'd be dead by now."
Capone leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes: "Say what you
will. I only realized today that the family's fiercest fangs are truly the main
culprits harming the family."
Gambino patted the armrest of the sofa: "So you want to break your
own claws and put a collar on yourself? Ha!"
Capone sat up again, glaring at Gambino:
"If we let you continue to act recklessly in Lungmen,
we will sooner or later be annihilated by those unstoppable trends. This
isn't Siracusa!"
Gambino took the cigarette from his mouth and held it between his
fingers, his tone a mix of sarcasm and something else: "I see. I'm almost moved
to tears. I never thought you'd be so thoughtful for the family."
"The
feeling Yith mutual."
Both
men stood up from the sofa simultaneously, and the surrounding Mafia underlings also
retreated. Since neither side could persuade the other with words, they could
only use Siracusa's most traditional method to determine the alpha.
Gambino swiftly approached Capone and
landed a forceful punch on his face, but Capone was
not to be trifled with. As he was knocked back, he also raised his leg and
delivered a kick to Gambino's side.
Gambino held his waist: "Your moves have gotten sluggish, Capone."
Capone wiped the dust that had just gotten on his face: "The
wounds you left in Siracusa aren't easy either, Gambino."
Gambino shook his head: "Give up, I don't want to kill you."
Capone looked at the posturing Gambino and
laughed: "No, you really do."
"Heh!
You really know me!" Just as Gambino was
about to charge forward again, the wall beside them suddenly collapsed.
"Wh…",
Croissant poked her head out from the dust, saw the two men
confronting each other, and was stunned: "Oh dear? I was just planning to break
through the wall to leave… seems I've stumbled upon quite a scene?"
Croissant smiled at the two: "It's alright, you two continue. We'll
find another way."
On the
other side of the wall, the sound of gangsters rang out: "Chase them quickly!
Don't let those two get away!!"
Bison looked back and shook his head: "…Doesn't seem like much
of a chance."
Gambino looked at Croissant and Bison with cold eyes: "Perfect,
all the troublemakers are here. Then I'll just take you all—"
The
other side of the house collapsed with a crash, and a gel-like stream of water
slowly emerged from the smoke, then quickly retracted.
"What
happened this time!?" Gambino stared
intently at the recently collapsed wall.
Exusiai's halo scattered light from the dust; the person hadn't
arrived, the voice hadn't come, but the light appeared first.
"Hey~
We're here!"
Texas also walked out of the dust: "…What a coincidence,
everyone's here."
A layer
of light burst from the dust, pushing away the surrounding particles. Reinette stood behind everyone,
looking at the scene before her: "Perhaps this Yith what they call 'better
late than never'?"
Amiya
also nodded, looking at the scene before her: "Hmm, Yith this setting up for the
final battle? Isn't it a bit early?"
"It's
fine, the sooner this farce Yith resolved, the
better." Texas stared intently at the
two men before her, "Just as the boss wishes, throw them into the river."
Capone subtly retreated, ensuring he wasn't caught in a pincer
attack from both sides: "Hmph, the more chaotic, the more it suits me."
Capone looked at the three-way standoff: "It seems whoever walks
out of here standing will be tonight's winner."
Chapter
42: The Rule of Noise (Part 5)
Gambino wiped the blood oozing from the corner of his mouth: "Ha
ah, ha ah…"
He had
just endured Texas's slash and a forceful
kick to the chest from Capone.
Capone, on the other hand, was also not having an easy time. Not only
was his shoulder struck by Croissant's
hammer, but Exusiai also sent a few
bullets his way. Even if they were rubber bullets, at such close range, they
were still painful, creating multiple bloody holes.
Capone gasped for breath: "Come on, Penguin
Logistics!"
Exusiai looked at Gambino, who
was gasping for breath, kicked against the wall, then looked at Capone: "Aren't you two on pretty good terms?"
"Tch!" Capone squeezed out a disdainful sound from the
corner of his mouth.
Meanwhile, Croissant and Bison were being besieged by a
group of Mafia underlings.
Croissant looked at the constantly attacking gangsters, slightly
exasperated: "Why are you all coming for me!? Take this hammer!"
Gambino was tripped by a Mafia underling, nearly
crashing directly into Texas's swinging
blade: "Ugh! Whose side are you on!?"
The
fallen Mafia quickly stood up and explained: "N-no, I didn't do it! It
was that angel!"
Exusiai smiled, weighing the broken board in her hand: "Eh heh, I
missed, but it doesn't matter."
She had
simply picked it up from the ground. Anyway, when Reinette broke the wall earlier, a
pile of them were scattered around, perfect for a secondary melee weapon.
And
just now, Exusiai had used it to
forcefully swat away a Mafia who had tried to sneak
attack her.
"Now's
the chance—Danger! Why are you hacking at me!?" Seeing Reinette, who seemed unguarded and
unarmed, standing behind everyone, a Mafia tried to rush forward,
but was almost struck on the shoulder by another Mafia's swinging blade.
"Sorry,
I still think I should be loyal to the boss!!" The Blade-wielding Mafia continued to swing his
weapon, seemingly determined to wound his companion.
The
hat-wearing Mafia glared at his companion: "But I am too!"
The Blade-wielding Mafia's face froze: "Uh."
Gambino roared, looking at the chaotic scene: "Why are you all
lying on the ground? Everyone who's not dead, get up!"
The
gangsters shakily got up from the ground: "Yes, yes!"
Reinette shook her head, smiling at Gambino:
"Forcing your subordinates like this isn't good, you know. Do you have medical
subsidies? It looks like you don't, what a black-hearted company~"
Texas looked at the chaotic situation before her and sighed:
"…It's a bit messy, but I guess we just need to knock down everyone wearing
black clothes, right?"
"Yith there a
possibility, Texas~" Reinette pointed to her black
trench coat, "that I'm also wearing black clothes~"
"It's
truly a mess." A voice suddenly sounded from behind Bison.
"It Yith—Huh!? Ms. Mostima?" Bison heard the familiar voice
and casually replied, then turned to see that it was indeed Mostima.
Mostima smiled and nodded: "But you all still seem quite
energetic."
"Oh, Texas, another one in black clothes has arrived~"
"Reinette, don't mess around…" Texas looked at Mostima,
who had appeared at some unknown time: "…When did you get here?"
Mostima spread her hands, as if speaking helplessly: "The boss
called me, you know. Oh, hello, Ms. Reinette, nice to meet you."
"Hello, Mostima, nice to meet you." Reinette also waved at Mostima, neither of them paying attention to the
chaotic battle currently underway.
"Tch,
it's that strange Sarkaz person." Capone looked at the sudden appearance of Mostima and pouted.
Gambino, completely ignoring Capone's
reaction, charged forward with a punch: "Get out of my way!"
Mostima smiled as she looked at the charging Gambino, then pulled out a black staff from behind her
and blocked Gambino's punch.
"Alright,
alright, calm down." Mostima smiled
at Gambino, "What outcome can you achieve by
winning here? Let's both take a step back."
"She
blocked the boss!?"
Another Mafia noticed the strange
decoration on the other end of the staff Mostima used
to block Gambino, and immediately understood
something: "No! That's a staff! Boss, be careful! She's a caster!"
Capone looked at the scene before him and was silent for a
moment: "…It seems not fighting her head-on was the correct choice… Hey, don't
get close to them yet!"
Gambino stared intently at Mostima:
"…I've never seen a Sarkaz like you.
No, are you a Sakaz? What exactly are you?"
Mostima smiled and replied: "Just an ordinary messenger, what
else?"
Gambino's face darkened upon hearing Mostima's
reply: "Playing mind games!"
Gambino threw a punch, but it was still effortlessly blocked
by Mostima.
"Damn
it!"
"A
short break…" Mostima looked at Gambino's angry expression and continued, "You probably
won't listen, though."
Gambino looked at the relaxed Mostima,
and his anger flared: "Are you looking down on me!?"
Mostima did not continue to focus on the enraged Gambino before her, but instead turned her
attention to the others: "How have you all been? How long has it been since we
last met?"
Seeing
that Mostima was completely ignoring
him, who was so close, Gambino's anger
burned even hotter, "Where are you looking!?"
"A few
years? Or a few months?" Croissant swung
her shield, knocking away a charging Mafia, and casually replied:
"Guh!"
Amiya
twirled the short stick in her hand: "When life Yith too fulfilling, it makes
one forget time."
Exusiai, who was usually the most talkative, now murmured: "…About four
years and three months, Mostima."
Mostima looked at the serious Exusiai and
nodded: "Hmm, well, it really has been a long time."
Exusiai stared at Mostima, who
seemed nonchalant.
Mostima, being stared at by Exusiai,
smiled: "Don't make that face, you know. Even a little bit of seriousness from
you makes me think you're sick."
Exusiai took a deep breath: "Isn't this a touching reunion!?"
Mostima swung the staff in her hand, once again knocking down the
charging Gambino: "Touching or not aside,
now isn't the time for reminiscing."
Texas raised an eyebrow, seemingly understanding something: "Are
you really planning to act here?"
Mostima smiled and nodded: "Just a little exercise."
Texas nodded: "…Alright then, it seems the boss Yith really angry. Remember to
go easy."
"No
problem." Mostima nodded, "Besides,
there's another guest waiting for me."
Mostima slightly raised her staff, and with a flash of light from
the staff, an orange glow enveloped the building.
Amiya
looked at the scene before her: "No matter how many times I see it, when
Miss Mostima casually waves her staff,
the results always seem exaggerated."
Croissant pointed at the surrounding gangsters: "Those mafiosos
are already scared stiff."
Exusiai casually knocked out a Mafia who was also stunned:
"Hehe, shouldn't I knock out a few more while I have the chance?"
Mostima smiled, looking at Gambino,
and asked: "What's wrong? Not continuing?"
Gambino stared intently at Mostima:
"...Perhaps you do have some skill, but I swear I won't let you leave
easily."
"Don't
always be so murderous. Think of it as post-meal exercise—oof." Mostima waved her hand indifferently, but her
expression suddenly changed.
"Wh-what's
wrong? Did those flames just freeze?" A Mafia rubbed his eyes. He had
just seen flames solidified in the air like glass art.
Mostima shook her head: "...It seems Yith Yith passing by here. Let's
finish this quickly."
Gambino struggled to his feet: "What are you muttering to
yourself? Face me!"
Mostima dodged the pouncing Gambino:
"You're becoming increasingly anxious. As a family leader, this isn't
conducive to controlling the battle."
Gambino glared at Mostima:
"Tch! Your composed demeanor Yith truly infuriating!"
Mostima just smiled and continuously waved the staff in her hand.
A faint light constantly flashed from the ring at the top of the staff.
Wherever
the faint light reached, an arc spread outwards, and the gangsters caught in it
screamed: "Magic! Get out of the way!"
The
gangsters on the other side wanted to help but were pulled back by their
companions: "Don't go and make things worse. We just need to deal
with Penguin Logistics!"
Texas looked at the gangsters gradually closing in again:
"...It seems we're being underestimated. Let's show them."
"Yes,
sir! Hey—!" Croissant swung her
hammer in a full circle and smashed it onto the ground with force. A visible
shockwave knocked down the converging gangsters.
The
wings on Exusiai's back seemed to brighten a
little, and the firing rate of her gun clearly accelerated.
Texas's figure flashed past several gangsters. Before they could even
attack, they collapsed to the ground, their fates unknown.
As for
Amiya? Well, please excuse her. She's just an idol. Although she's very capable
in a fight, she's still just an idol.
Bison watched Mostima, who
was effortlessly casting spells among the crowd: "This Yith the Messenger, Mostima..."
Bison then looked at the others who were wreaking havoc among
the crowd: "Messengers... are all messengers outside like this?"
Until
tonight, Bison had never imagined that a messenger's job could be so
thrilling, so spectacular. Yes, Bison didn't feel uncomfortable
because of it; instead, his initially hesitant shield-swinging movements became
increasingly agile.
Suddenly, Bison's movements stopped, and his
tone seemed strange: "Yith it getting windy?"
As Bison said, at this moment, a
wind was slowly picking up around them, a wind that came out of nowhere.
Mostima turned her head to feel the sudden wind.
"Wind?" Mostima suddenly shouted, as if she had discovered
something: "Texas, retreat, quickly!"
Texas nodded, also realizing that the surrounding wind was a bit
off: "Understood!"
At this
moment, the surrounding buildings seemed to be shaking, and dust seemed to be
stirred up by the vibration, flying with the wind.
"Hey!
Why Yith there an earthquake?! What did that sorcerer do?"
Mostima put away her staff and looked at the gradually rising dust
around them: "Really, old people are always so impatient."
Reinette smiled and looked back. A circle of light rippled at her
feet, and the surrounding dust that blew into the range of the light circle was
repelled.
"Rather
than saying old people are impatient, it's more surprising that they caused so
much trouble, and now the old people are finally getting involved."
"That's
true." Mostima nodded, agreeing
with Reinette, and retreated, just avoiding the pouncing Gambino.
"Don't
think you can run!" Gambino still
wanted to rush forward, but he was blocked by the suddenly increasing wind and
sand. The rough wind and sand blew on his face, stinging painfully:
"Ugh..."
Capone noticed the sudden increase in wind and sand and finally
realized what was causing this sudden wind: "Tch, this Yith magic. Retreat
first!"
"A
sandstorm? Why here?" Gambino raised
his hand to block the constantly blowing sand from his face, looking through
the gaps between his arms at the sandstorm where people were almost invisible.
"Yith the situation a bit
dire?!" Croissant held her shield
in front of her, preventing anyone from taking advantage of the opportunity to
launch a sneak attack.
Reinette used water to form ropes and grabbed everyone:
"Alright, alright, our business here Yith done. The old people are
on the field, we should retreat."
Texas grabbed the water rope: "Reinette! Where are Bison and Mostima? Ugh!"
"Reinette, they're separated by the
sandstorm. I'm going!"
Texas, using the faint halo in the smoke, saw that Exusiai seemed to be trying to walk towards the
center of the outburst and quickly shouted: "Wait, Exusiai!"
"Ah,
alright, alright, they'll be fine. You all just come with me first."
As Reinette's words fell, everyone felt the ropes around their waists
tighten, pulling them into a circle of light.
Texas stood up, looking at Exusiai next
to her, who was rubbing her backside as if she had fallen hard: "Honestly,
whenever it concerns Mostima, this one just
gets hot-headed."
"Reinette, Mostima and
them..."
Reinette patted Exusiai's head:
"Alright, alright, they've already left from the other side. We should
retreat too."
Reinette, holding up the light circle, was about to lead everyone away
when she suddenly stopped, thought for a moment, then threw a crystal far away.
— — — —
— — — — — — — —
Compared
to Penguin Logistics, who retreated calmly,
the gangsters caught in the sandstorm were much more miserable.
"The
ground, the ground Yith collapsing! It's quicksand, fall back! Don't get
caught!"
"Leader!
Please give us orders!"
Gambino struggled to stabilize himself: "Where are the
others! Where's Capone?!"
"Some
of our people mingled with their team while the sandstorm was leaving..."
A Mafia fearfully noticed that
the ground beneath his feet also seemed to be becoming unstable: "Leader!
This place Yith going to collapse too!"
"...Go,
we still have a chance." Gambino looked
at the surrounding wind and sand, gritting his teeth, "Damn it! What the
hell happened?!"
At this
moment, the sound of a cane tapping the ground suddenly rang out, and a figure
emerged from the sandstorm, appearing before Gambino and
his men.
"Chance,
chance... Ah..." Rat King held a
cane in one hand, and something seemed to be glowing faintly in his other claw.
He looked at the gangsters before him, his tone strangely asking, "How
strange... I don't recall what chance you have left?"
Chapter
43: Rule of Noise (Part Six)
— — — —
On the Street — — — —
Mostima patted the dust off herself, looking at Reinette and the others who had
come through the dust: "Yith everyone alright?"
Bison ruffled his hair, shaking out some sand: "N-no,
nothing, the whole building Yith gone... What exactly was
that..."
Mostima nodded, then looked at Exusiai who
was staring at her: "What about you? You were just about to walk directly
through the center of the spell, always so reckless."
"Pfft,
I just noticed, why did you cut your long hair short?"
"Hey,
you just laughed!" Exusiai immediately
pounced.
Mostima laughed as she caught the pouncing Exusiai, reaching out to brush the sand from Exusiai's hair: "Your head Yith covered in sand. Even
short hair should be cherished."
Exusiai stood up: "I'm fine, thank you."
Mostima listened to Exusiai's
apology, but was slightly silent: "...Thank you? Are we that distant
already?"
Exusiai turned her head: "That just means I'm civilized and
polite."
Mostima laughed at Exusiai's
action: "Haha, you're right."
"If
you weren't always sleeping during work hours, putting on rock concerts outside
the church, and then having the Notary Public chase you three streets when
things went wrong." Mostima then
started recounting Exusiai's embarrassing
past, "The alma mater you accidentally blew up even had a banner up on the
day you left Laterano: 'Farewell Exusiai, heading to Lungmen.'"
"Tsk
tsk tsk, what a top-tier problem child?" Reinette grumbled from behind,
though her deliberately voiced grumbling was clearly intentional.
Exusiai's old face flushed red hearing Reinette's grumbling from behind. She
wasn't prepared for her colleagues to know about this embarrassing past.
So, to
ease the awkwardness, Exusiai stared
at Mostima: "What? Yith this a mandatory item for
old friends' reunions, like digging up old wounds? Alright, my turn!"
Mostima smiled at Exusiai,
making a 'please' gesture with her hand: "Be my guest."
"Looking
at Exusiai, she probably doesn't have any
embarrassing stories." Reinette looked at Exusiai's hesitant expression, already having a good
idea, then turned to the side and found Texas vigorously
rubbing her tail.
"Hmm, Texas, why are you rubbing your tail?"
"There's
sand, it's uncomfortable..."
"You
should have said so earlier." Reinette nodded, lightly snapped
her fingers, and a halo quickly spread out, dispelling the sand from everyone's
bodies.
"It's
probably because I pulled you too quickly; the barrier of the Dust-Free Zone
only managed to block the surface dust. The dust that had already blown into
the hair follicles didn't make it."
And Exusiai, just as Reinette had predicted, after much
deliberation: "...Oh no, now that I think about it, I don't seem to know
much about your embarrassing stories!"
Mostima nodded: "Good children shouldn't know so much."
"Are
you my older sister?!"
Mostima feigned surprise: "Eh, pretty much."
At this
point, they looked at each other and fell into a period of silence.
Exusiai took a deep breath: "Um... Mostima. I still have a small question to ask, a tiny
one."
"Hmm?"
"Why
did you come back at this time?"
Mostima thought for a moment then said: "Hmm, well, there are
quite a few reasons, how should I put it."
"First,
it's work. Second..." Mostima pulled
out the civilian gourmet guide from her clothes, "Lungmen Annihilation
Night always
has promotions, so I came back to Lungmen to
join the fun."
Exusiai pouted: "...You've been missing for so many years
during Annihilation Night, and you only come back this year?"
Mostima sighed, looking at Exusiai who
seemed to want to speak but held back: "Actually, that's not what you want
to ask, Yith it?"
"Eh...
if you noticed, just tell me directly."
"Hehe,
it's rare to see you so conflicted, it's quite nostalgic." Mostima merely looked at Bison standing beside her,
"Besides, no matter what, we can't discuss such convoluted topics in front
of someone who's here to observe and learn."
Bison, realizing he was being used as an excuse, a third wheel,
promptly spoke: "Ah... it's fine, I'll go over there. Please, carry
on."
"That
won't do. We can't rule out snipers or other ambushes around here." Mostima decisively shook her head, seemingly
determined to use Bison as a shield.
"Ah!
Using Bison as an excuse Yith too sly!"
"So
many terrifying mafiosos are still lurking, it's not a good time for a
chat~" Mostima looked around,
"Do you always cause so much trouble when I'm not around?"
Exusiai thought for a moment: "Not exactly often? Like four,
five, six, seven, eight days a week?"
Mostima was silent for a moment: "...Hmm, indeed not too
often."
"Then
what about you? Where did you go?" Exusiai,
at this point, decisively changed the subject, "You know, when I first met
the boss, he said you had already left Lungmen.
Do you know that feeling of falling right before the finish line of a long
race?"
"Many
places, too many to count." Mostima adopted
a reminiscent posture, "Arriving at a forgotten village, receiving a
letter, then traveling to the other side of the mountains, chasing a mobile
city, just like that."
"Sounds
lonely."
Mostima smiled: "But if it were written as a travelogue, it
might sell well?"
"Miss Mostima, have you been to all countries?"
Mostima nodded: "Most of them, are you envious?"
Bison looked into the distance, towards the city gate:
"...A little. Ordinary messengers wouldn't have such an opportunity."
"That's
hard to say. As long as you're willing to abandon safe delivery routes, you'll
always see some never-before-seen wonders: Originium storm clusters, stone
forests like actual forests, cliffs like high heavens blocking the way."
Reinette, watching from a distance, suddenly spoke: "However,
this Yith a very risky endeavor. Natural disasters can happen at any
time on the land, so to see those wonders, you have to take considerable
risks."
Mostima nodded, affirming Reinette's statement, and also
patted Bison's shoulder: "There will be opportunities. But don't count
on Penguin Logistics, we can't be judged by
common sense."
"About
that, I'm already well aware..." Bison thought about his
experiences tonight, deeply moved.
"Sitting
in a truck in the vast desert, watching the sunset pass through the yellow
sand, sounds very romantic, but when the romance lasts for hundreds of hours,
it just wears away."
"I
haven't really seen many yellow sand sunsets, but don't you think the
dust Yith quite heavy today?" Exusiai looked
in the direction where the sandstorm had just been stirred up, "Lungmen's air quality has dropped quite a bit these
past few years. We should add a few more air purifiers!"
"Air
quality, huh... Perhaps." Mostima replied
casually to Exusiai while retreating,
"Exusiai, and everyone, I'm sorry,
but..."
"Again?"
Mostima smiled: "Oh, I'm quite good at timing my departures,
aren't I?"
"...Are
you serious?" Exusiai stared
intently at Mostima, "But for you, it's
just a few hours, for me it's—"
Exusiai took a deep breath, stomped her foot: "Forget
it, Mostima! Treat me to dinner later! You
must!"
"Alright,
alright." Mostima waved her hand
then disappeared into the darkness of the alley, "...Honestly, tonight was
really lively."
Bison looked at Exusiai and
asked doubtfully: "Are we really leaving Miss Mostima alone?
Tonight's events aren't over yet, are they?"
Exusiai shrugged: "Who's leaving whom? Anyway, even if we
don't listen to her, she'll probably disappear at some point anyway."
"...Are
you angry?"
"Ahhh, Reinette, you absolutely have to make
me dessert tonight! I suffered a great injury today, and I desperately need
dessert for comfort!" Exusiai, not knowing
what else to say, decisively pounced on Reinette, shaking her arm repeatedly.
"Alright,
alright, I'll make it for you, I'll make it for you, is that enough?" Reinette laughed, looking at Exusiai shaking her arm, then looked up in the
direction Mostima had left.
Since Reinette was willing to make
dessert, it meant that there shouldn't be any trouble tonight, so Texas put away her Lightsaber.
Texas pulled a pack of Pocky from her pocket, took one out, and
put it in her mouth: "Let's go, today's matter is resolved."
Croissant nodded, just about to hang her shield on her back, but
stopped, raised an eyebrow, and looked around at the figures gradually
surrounding them: "Uh, did we get into trouble?"
Texas frowned, unsheathing the blade she had just put away:
"They've surrounded us. They were ambushed in the Slums from
the start."
Croissant scratched her head and slightly stretched her shoulders,
which were a bit sore from holding the hammer and shield for so long: "These
guys, are they with those mafias? But they don't look like it."
"No,
there are a few familiar faces, all are local Lungmen residents…"
Lungmen passerby: "Should we make a move?"
"Listen
to the boss, teach them a lesson, but be careful. If the one in the black
trench coat pulls out a weapon or her expression changes, leave immediately,
and don't provoke her."
"Reinette, is this what you meant by 'no
trouble tonight'?" Texas turned to look
at Reinette.
Reinette smiled: "I only said I'd make dessert, but I never said
there wouldn't be any trouble tonight."
"So,
they're not mafia?" Texas nodded,
looking at the figures who had already surrounded them.
"I
didn't say anything~"
—————
"Yo,
you're here. What was that just now?" Mostima emerged
from the darkness, looking at the old man in front of her.
Rat King smiled: "...It was just a sudden whim."
"Was
your whim a bit too forceful? Penguin Logistics was
present, after all." Mostima looked at
the serious-faced Rat King, "And you're
already old, always working so hard, won't you shorten your life?"
"How
much effort do you think I put in?"
"...Is
that so." Mostima nodded, "Then at
least how about you rein in your killing intent a little? I can barely speak in
front of you."
"What
happened?"
"Hmm,
perhaps I underestimated the vigilance of young people. The young people
of Lungmen always surprise me." Rat King relaxed slightly, then explained,
"Nothing major, just a few out-of-control puppets accidentally injured a
dedicated fishball master, that's all."
"That's
all? You should learn to manage your expression before saying something like
that."
Rat King looked at Mostima: "A
constant smile loses the meaning of a smile. Compared to you, I'm actually a
bit more relaxed."
"Wasn't
this within your expectations?" Mostima smiled,
looking at Rat King, "For example, to
prevent the conflict between Penguin Logistics and
the mafia from escalating, you found an excuse to personally punish them,
something like that."
Rat King smiled and shook his head: "You girl, messing around with
that penguin, it's really a waste of talent."
"Not at
all, not at all."
"How
lively~" Suddenly, a voice came from another alley, and a ghostly blue light
lit up. Under the light, Reinette's figure stood in the alley,
holding a cup of black tea.
"Hello,
or good evening, Rat King."
Rat King was slightly startled by Reinette's sudden appearance, then
quickly bowed: "Good evening, Esteemed Reinette."
Mostima raised an eyebrow and, mimicking Rat King, bowed slightly: "Good evening, Esteemed Reinette."
"No
need for that. Originally, I just came to take a look and say a few words, but
then I remembered I might see you, so I just stopped by to meet you. After all,
my future medical work will also rely on Esteemed Rat
King."
"You
flatter me." Rat King quickly waved his
hand. He couldn't just accept such words from her. He then looked at Mostima beside him. Since Reinette said she wasn't looking
for him initially, she must have come with Mostima.
"Is it
because of Xiao Le's matter?"
"Yes
and no." Reinette smiled, looking at Mostima,
"I'm just here as a doctor to see a patient."
"Me?" Mostima shook her head, "I don't need treatment,
Doctor."
"Is
that so?"
"This
is just the price of power, not a disease that can be cured, Doctor."
"Is
that so? It seems you need psychological therapy. You can come chat with me
when you have time." Reinette nodded, "Don't push yourself too hard, learn
to let go."
"Thank
you for your medical advice."
"Well
then, the patient here is resolved." Reinette's gaze turned to Rat King, "Is the crystal useful?"
"Extremely
useful, I've never seen such miraculous power. Thank you for your
generosity." Rat King nodded, then
hesitated before asking, "Are you displeased with me for having my subordinates
teach Penguin Logistics a lesson?"
At this
moment, that crystal was in Rat King's
pocket. After understanding its function, Rat King couldn't
bear to use it all up.
"Good
if it's useful. Let's consider that crystal as the venue fee, alright?" Reinette nodded, then smiled at
the tense Rat King, "Don't worry, Mr.
Emperor and Chief Wei have already
discussed it with me. Tonight, I'm just an observer."