The whole process of understanding the Night Patrol base took some time. This Miss Kathy was very patient and did not discriminate against him. Li Xin also gained a new understanding of the Night Patrol's situation. Walking in Celestial City again, somehow, Li Xin felt as if the sun was shining a bit brighter. Just by changing his clothes, the way people looked at him also changed. Previously, entering the city, contempt could be seen everywhere; now, it was mixed with some awe.
Li Xin didn't mind these things; he mainly wanted to show Aunt Fei and Xueyin. At 1.8 meters tall, Li Xin found it quite easy to match clothes. The uniform made his demeanor instantly more upright. When he got home, he genuinely stunned Lin Fei and Lin Xueyin for a while.
Upon learning that Li Xin had joined the Night Patrol, Lin Fei was not overly pleased, but didn't say much in front of Xueyin. After the three had dinner, Lin Fei coaxed Xueyin to sleep before calling Li Xin out.
"Aunt Fei, I initially thought the same as you, feeling it was very dangerous, so I didn't go at first. This time, I also went with the intention of just understanding it, but after going there, I found the Night Patrol really impressive. As for the danger, what job isn't dangerous? The main thing is that Captain Luo Jin is a reliable person. Opportunities like this don't come often. Besides, I won't act rashly. There are plenty of capable people within the Night Patrol, and it's not my turn as a newcomer," Li Xin said.
"The Night Patrol provides housing for the families. We will move into the city tomorrow, and Xueyin will be enrolled in the Grace Class. The community security and environment of the family housing are particularly good, and we can live a normal life," Li Xin added to sweeten the deal.
A normal life, something Lin Fei had almost forgotten, not even daring to hope for since the day they left the city. She wasn't dissatisfied with their current life, just feeling sorry for Xueyin.
The Divine Favor Grace Class is a "free" education program jointly established by the City Hall and Church for children aged 7 to 15. Yet, certain conditions are always added regardless of the timing, and what Xueyin most needs right now is this.
For her daughter, Lin Fei knew it was the best choice. Looking at Li Xin, who was afraid she'd worry, she had mixed feelings. On that rainy night, driven by maternal love, she never expected that one day this child would become the pillar of their family.
"Aunt Fei, you can finally dress up now, and you don't have to pretend to be fierce to scare people," Li Xin said, patting his chest with a smile.
"You're the one who was scared, you brat. Are you planning a rebellion? Go to bed quickly, we're moving tomorrow!" Lin Fei waved her fist.
"Got it!" Li Xin dodged nimbly and returned to his small room. Like the saying goes, a tree moves to die, a person moves to thrive. It was time to change living environments.
With a hint of nostalgia, Lin Fei looked at the only small "multi-functional dining room" in the room and then at her own rough and cracked hands. She was once a lady of a distinguished family.
Moving was a big project.
Although it should have been, Li Xin had prepared himself for the chaos of packing and moving things. But seeing Lin Fei's choice, Li Xin knew that Aunt Fei understood the art of letting go.
The three of them only brought some necessary items. It was time to embrace a new life. Upon hearing that they were moving into the city, Xueyin was so excited last night that she had insomnia, yet in the morning, she was still spirited.
Until they saw Qi Badao at the door, the spirited Qi Badao. In recent years, Qi Badao's Spade Group became increasingly notorious in the underground gang scene.
Organizations in the Underground City frequently change hands. They're either taken out by other gangs or overthrown by their own members. Anyway, being a boss is a high-risk role. Qi Badao had been persistent, and his recent reputation caused an uproar in the Underground City. He vaguely became one of the new big shots there, said to be unstoppable in the city with his eight blades, primarily because this wasn't a typical gang fight. He took down a Licker.
Though he still had bandages on his legs and walked with difficulty, his spirit was vibrant, seemingly untouchable.
Lifes in gangs is all about face. Recently, Qi Badao felt unprecedented respect from his peers.
"Aunt Fei is moving; we're neighbors, so I came to lend a hand." Qi Badao knew his big leg was leaving, and he couldn't not show up. Without Li Xin, he felt empty inside, especially now that Li Xin was entering the city to become a Night Patrol. Even more reason to get on his good side.
Being an ordinary member of the Night Patrol was one thing, but Li Xin was not someone meant for small ponds.
Lin Fei didn't have a good impression of gangs. Her first encounter with them involved being harassed, which Li Xin drove away. That subordinate was later dealt with by Qi Badao's family law and expelled.
They coexisted peacefully over the years but weren't on the same path.
"Idiot, are we even close?" Li Xin rolled his eyes, annoyed at being needlessly elevated.
Qi Badao didn't bring his subordinates along. He knew Lin Fei wasn't fond of him, and he had inquired about Lin Fei's situation. She was once a city socialite, but only she and her daughter survived a calamity.
"Haha, Brother Xin, it's like you said, distant relatives aren't as good as close neighbors. Whether familiar or not, we live in the same place, right? But it doesn't seem like there's much help needed. We're doing some small business in the city, can't handle big things, but we can help with finding people and gathering information…" Qi Badao knew that out of sight, out of mind. Li Xin was loyal and clear-minded, but connections could fade with time.
He had some skills, but not many, yet he never misjudged people. Others might not be able to get close, but he could latch onto a big leg like Li Xin, no matter how.
"Aunt Fei, why don't you check for any omissions while I chat with our neighbor?" Li Xin said.
Lin Fei nodded, taking Xueyin back into the house while Li Xin led Qi Badao to a corner behind the house. He extended two fingers, and Qi Badao promptly pulled out a cigarette and lit it for Li Xin.
Li Xin took a puff, expertly blowing out smoke rings. Normally, Aunt Fei kept a close eye on him, not allowing him to touch these things. Nearby, Qi Badao marveled, knowing that such finesse likely took a decade to perfect.
"Brother Xin, with you gone, I'm panicking. What should I do next? Give me some direction?" Qi Badao said sincerely. For someone like Li Xin, flashy tactics weren't needed; just show loyalty and value.
"I'm leaving, not dead," Li Xin glanced at Qi Badao. To be honest, he quite liked this guy's principles; every creature has its way. "You know my rules, don't touch what shouldn't be touched. The rest isn't my concern."
Qi Badao nodded, "After all these years, Brother Xin should know whether I'm trustworthy or not." With recent lousy security, damn it, all sorts of monsters are on the loose. Without a big boss overseeing, it feels unsafe.
"Gradually shift your manpower into the city, you might need it later."
Upon hearing this, Qi Badao felt thrilled. His big boss hadn't abandoned him and he nodded eagerly, "Brother Xin has a far-reaching vision. You're distancing yourself now so that the Night Patrol can't find anything in future investigations. It's truly a brilliant move."
When Qi Badao returned, he thought it over. Given Li Xin's abilities, there were many ways he could join the Night Patrol or the Canon Law School as long as his background was clean and had no ties to Lira with the Spade Group during investigations. Especially with someone like Luo Jin, the Night Patrol prefers those capable yet of unblemished character.
"Old Knife, do you know why my neighbor's friend's great-grandmother lived to be one hundred and twenty?"
Qi Badao was momentarily stunned. Does anyone in the Underground City live that long? But he still replied, "Was she an Awakened?"
"She never meddled in others' business."
Back at the doorway, Lin Fei and Xueyin were ready. Smelling the smoke on Li Xin, Lin Fei glared at Qi Badao with disapproval, "Avoid associating with these kinds, they're no good influence."
"Aunt Fei is right. These hooligans carry nothing but bad habits, without a pinch of decency. The Underground City's air is so bad, yet they smoke, making me inhale second-hand smoke too." Li Xin criticized sternly.
Qi Badao's lips twitched twice but said nothing. That pack of cigarettes had just been opened and already taken.