One month later. (Actually, about 24 days.)
The sound of a piano playing in a renowned Lungmen bar, followed by the overwhelming applause from the audience after the song ended, revealed the figure of a handsome young man on stage, rising from the piano bench amidst the screams of female fans.
The young man slowly bowed his head to thank everyone politely before gradually walking off the stage behind the curtain.
Not long after he came down, the young man's trusted bodyguard approached and whispered to him. "Mr. Zhongli… an LGD officer is waiting to see you in the break room." "Hmm? They're here that quickly…" The young man looked surprised before his expression changed back to his usual pleasant smile. "Then lead the way. I'd like to meet them as well."
A short while later, the young man followed his bodyguard through a back door that connected to the performers' lounge.
As the two men were walking past the other performers' rooms, they noticed a young couple talking loudly near their room. "Can you really call that thing music?" "So if you play a few crappy notes on a piece of paper, you can call yourself a musician, is that it…" "That sort of thing depends on the individual, sir. But as you said… that last song was truly awful."
The young couple talking were quite a striking pair… especially the silver-haired Lupo woman with a scar over her left eye. She had the look of a gangster—fierce but brave. Although the outfit she wore was a neat employee uniform, the aura she exuded made even the combat-expert bodyguard beside him feel threatened.
This was different from the other young man nearby. He had a rather feminine face compared to other men his age. His light blue hair was clearly a color that had been dyed recently and was not natural. Coupled with his rather thin frame, he looked like a pitiful, sickly young man.
The man walking past the pair couldn't help but greet them. "Hello. Are you also a musician scheduled to perform?" Of course, the person he was interested in talking to was the blue-haired young man, because the silver-haired woman was a Lupo, and he didn't get along well with Lupos.
"Perform? No, sir. We're just waiting for someone," the blue-haired young man replied amicably. "To be frank… I was waiting for you, Mr. Zhongli," the young man said.
"Oh? You know me?" the man asked in surprise. The blue-haired young man nodded with a smile. "Of course! I'm a huge fan of yours. May I shake your hand?"
"Mr. Zhongli," the bodyguard tried to intervene, but the other man saw that the young man before them didn't seem to be a threat and spoke to his bodyguard. "It's just a handshake. It's fine," the man said, extending his hand to shake the young man's. "By the way, young man, what's your name?"
The blue-haired young man smiled. "My name is Ren."
After that, they parted ways. The blue-haired young man said his business was finished and walked away with the silver-haired woman, who shot a mocking glance at the man.
The man looked surprised, but he didn't pay it much mind. He and his bodyguard then proceeded to their own room where the LGD unit was waiting. But when they opened the door, they were met with an unexpected scene. Inside, a blue-haired woman and numerous officers rushed in, pinning him and his bodyguard to the ground.
"You're under arrest!! You damn bomber!"
"Huh?" The man didn't understand what she was talking about, but when he saw her disarming a bomb from his body, he was shocked, not remembering ever having such a thing on him before. But before she could say anything else, the man was struck by the pommel of her sword on the nape of his neck and knocked unconscious.
..........
At the LGD Headquarters, in Deputy Director Ch'en's office.
Slam! "Dammit!!"
The sound of a hand slamming violently on the desk drew the attention of the officers outside for a moment, before they went back to their own work as if this were a regular occurrence.
"This is the third one this week! What the hell do those bastards want, sending bomb-strapped criminals named Zhongli to Lungmen like this?!" Ch'en demanded irritably at the blue-haired young man, who was casually sipping tea across from her.
That's right, the blue-haired young man was him… and the reason he was at that bar was to use his own power to stop the Originium bomb from activating, letting the remaining LGD officers handle the rest. As for the reason he had this hair color, it was because everyone in the company had helped him choose it last week after hearing he wanted to change it…
"You're asking me, so who am I supposed to ask? It could be a plot by the Crimson Troupe, or maybe some terrorist who wants to ruin my reputation," Ren replied.
"And how did your reputation spread outside of Lungmen!"
Ren thought for a moment before answering uncertainly. "Hmm… maybe it was about two weeks ago when I wiped out the human trafficking gangs in the slums?"
"What?! And why didn't I know about that!" Ch'en asked angrily.
"Because I was working with Big Sis Yuxia. Besides, you have no right to be angry about that. The agency that oversees the slums isn't under your jurisdiction, so Big Sis Yuxia came to me for help."
"Even so, you should have reported it to us! The slums are a part of Lungmen that we are sworn to protect as well!"
Ren rolled his eyes and retorted. "Save those pretty words for the city's governor, ma'am… If you can't even handle small problems like the gangs in the city, don't even think about the slums. Instead of focusing on patrolling the city, it would be better if you learned to build relationships with the people in the districts like Ms. Swire does, rather than sitting here whining like a child."
"You little…" Ch'en, hearing him compare her to that tigress, began to tremble with rage. Fortunately, she wasn't alone in the room with him. There was also the kind Oni big sister, who stepped in to stop their fight.
"Alright, alright, both of you calm down… In any case, thank you so much for your help today, Ren. But we still have a report to submit to the commander. So, if you have any information, could you please share it with us? Think of it as a favor for your big sis."
As if flipping a switch, Ren treated Hoshiguma with great respect, a stark contrast to how he treated Ch'en. "Big Sis Hoshiguma, you don't have to be so formal! What I did was for Lungmen too. But the information I got is the same as the last ones. Their memories were altered to make them think their name was 'Zhongli' before they were sent here to contact the LGD with bombs on them. The target was likely a direct attack on Lungmen's forces. But as for who is behind it, I don't know either… It's as if their memories were blocked by something. But realistically, the only ones with the tools to alter people's memories are major powers like Leithanien or Columbia."
Hearing this, Ch'en swore in frustration. "Those perverts. What do they want from Lungmen?"
"I'd like to know that too…" Ren sighed. It had been almost a month now, and the appearance of people impersonating Zhongli had started last week. It was quite chaotic back then. Fortunately, the immigration control officer knew him, which helped minimize the damage from the explosion so that no one died, but there were still injuries. And today was the third case. Plus, this guy was carrying a much larger bomb than the first two. This left Ren with no clear idea of what their true objective was, even after reading their memories.
If it was to discredit him, it seemed like an overly dramatic action. Plus, doing something like that without needing to erase memories would have been more convenient. The technology to do such a thing exists in only a few countries. It was as if the other party wanted to hint at who was responsible by framing that group, even though just hiring mercenaries to cause trouble in his name would have been enough. There was no need to do something so grand.
And what gave Ren a headache was that he didn't know if this was the work of the Crimson Troupe. Because if it was… what was the point of using the name Zhongli? Using his real name, as the Prince of Gaul, would have been an easier way to attack him. 'But thinking about it won't get me anywhere…'
"Well, if there's no more business, I'll be heading home now," Ren said as he stood to leave the room, bidding farewell to Ms. Hoshiguma and Officer Ch'en. But just then, Hoshiguma stopped him. "Wait a minute, Ren. Uh… if you don't mind, could you give me your autograph? My younger brothers really like your work, so they asked me to get it for them." Hoshiguma handed him a book with a shy expression.
Ren took the book with a smile and feigned surprise. "Mr. Fan reads my novels? I had no idea…"
"W-well, he may look like that, but he does have his romantic moments sometimes," Hoshiguma laughed sheepishly. Ren smiled back and teased her a little. "But my novels are romantic dramas, aren't they?" To be honest, he couldn't quite imagine the sight of a burly, thirty-something Oni reading his novel while tearing up.
"Yes… he has that side to him too." It was clear that even Hoshiguma was embarrassed to say it, but it wouldn't be wrong to say that the novels the young man wrote were quite popular at the moment. It was a phenomenon, a new kind of romance novel filled with a sweet aroma and heavy drama that brought tears to the eyes, making it a favorite among the young women of Lungmen and a bestseller. Even Hoshiguma herself, though not an avid reader, had heard all about it from her colleague, Lady Swire, and some of her brothers who read that genre. They would recount the story to her, crying all the while. It made her a little curious as well.
"I don't see how that kind of writing could possibly be interesting…" Ch'en couldn't help but snipe at him, taking the opportunity. Of course, she knew the book was trending. She noticed it from the many female colleagues in the office who were reading that thing, complaining one moment and crying the next, neglecting their work. It infuriated her.
"Yes, yes. And I don't think a woman who only has swords and work on her mind is very interesting either."
"…" Ch'en gritted her teeth and glared at the young man. Fortunately, Hoshiguma shielded him, otherwise, a second round would have already started. Soon, Ren finished signing, waved goodbye to Ms. Hoshiguma, and said he would visit Fan's bar and celebrate with them if he had the chance.
After the young man left the room, Hoshiguma sighed and turned to her superior. "I don't understand why you two have to fight every time you see each other."
"He started it," Ch'en shot back instantly, before holding out her hand to Hoshiguma. The woman knew what she meant and handed over the newly autographed book. "If you want to get along with him, you should at least be honest with yourself, Chief," Hoshiguma grumbled.
"Who said I want to get along with him! I just like his work," Ch'en grumbled. Then she noticed the autograph on the book and her face changed. 'To the Tsundere Officer, Limited Edition. :P'
"That little bastard…" Ch'en, both angry and embarrassed, clenched the book in her hand.
......….
As Ren left the office, he saw Lappland waving from the driver's seat of a car. Seeing this, the young man could only sigh before getting into the passenger seat.
"Business finished?" Lappland asked as soon as he got in the car.
"Probably… as long as a fourth one doesn't show up tomorrow."
"Then let them handle it themselves. We have a big job to do tomorrow, unless you want to stay here and deal with it," Lappland said before starting the car to head back to the safe house.
"No, thanks. Tomorrow is a big job for the company anyway, and the boss is going too… He said that after this job, we're going on vacation. It's a good opportunity for me to see other mobile cities with everyone."
"Hmm? Speaking of which… why are you so eager to go to Laterano? Are you indulging that red-haired Sankta again?"
Ren thought for a moment before answering vaguely. "…I just want to know if the desserts there are as delicious as Exusiai claims."
"Haha, I know you have another goal… You can't fool me," Lappland said knowingly. Ren just shrugged indifferently.
"I'm not telling you." "Stingy…"
But it was true, as Lappland said. He had a specific goal for going to Laterano. Ren glanced at the ring on his right hand.
Equipment (Ring): Promise of Focalors (SSR) Ability: Heals all kinds of injuries. (Limitation) Can be used 3 times. Current uses: 3/3 (This item will be destroyed after all uses are depleted).
Exusiai's older sister, Lemuèn. In her memories, that woman was the person she cared about most and one of the reasons Exusiai had to travel abroad to find someone—someone whose name or face Ren couldn't remember for some reason. Ren wanted to go to Laterano to use this ring to heal her sister and make her well again, as a way to atone for the incident last month when he had almost killed Exusiai by accident… Even though it was an accident, it was still a deep wound in Ren's heart, and he still felt guilty towards Exusiai. Even now, though he tried to do many things to make it up to her, he still felt it wasn't enough… Helping Lemuèn, Exusiai's sister, get better would probably lessen the guilt in his heart a little.
Meanwhile, Ren secretly pulled up his own data to check. Because he had written a novel, he had received countless emotion points, which was an excellent way for him to farm. However, there were barely any items left for him to buy in the shop, as the gacha machine had been marked 'Sold Out' since last time, preventing him from pulling anything new.
Name - Ren (Hamu'el Tu Faela Gustav)
Codename - Zhongli
Age - 19
['Zhongli' Imitation Rate: 39%]
Skill - (Unknown) Son of Abundance
Skill - (No Rank) Spirit of Stone
Skill - (SSR) Eye of the Mind
Skill - (SSR) Spear Talent Lv1 -
Sub-skill - (SSR) Rain of Spears
Skill - (SSR) Vehicle Piloting (Advanced) Obtained from mission to save Texas
Skill - (SSR) Texas Family Swordsmanship Obtained from mission to save Texas
Skill - (SSR) Musical Talent Obtained from mission to save Sora
Skill - (SR) Intermediate Chef
Skill - (SR) Carving
Skill - (SR) Writing Talent
Skill - (SR) Drawing Talent
Skill - (SR) Makeup Talent
[Shop - 4 items total]
[Vision of Geo (Increases Imitation Rate by 1%) - 5,000 Emotion Points] Owned: 6
[Unlock Origin Mission - The Pioneer's Visit] - 150,000 Emotion Points] Special
[Gashapon Machine - 100 Emotion Points] Sold Out
[Gashapon Machine x10 Pull (Guarantees at least one SR) - 1,000 Emotion Points] Sold Out
[Current Emotion Points: 141,600]
After reading through the information, Ren still didn't understand what the 'Son of Abundance' skill was useful for.
Skill - Son of Abundance (Unknown) Ability - Body receives special regeneration and gains---(suppressed)
Perhaps it was because of this ability that his body had a higher self-healing rate than a normal person's… but when compared to most of the people in this world, it seemed like a very ordinary ability and not outstanding at all. As for the new item in the shop… it seemed too expensive, and Ren felt it would be a waste to buy it. But looking at it from the angle that there was nothing else to buy in the shop, it might be one of his options… 'I'll think about it again when I have enough points.'
"So… has the boss told you yet where we're going for this big job?" Lappland shrugged slightly. "No idea… That penguin said it's some organization called 'Rhodes Island'."
"Rhodes Island? I've never heard that name before," Ren mused, searching for the name in his mind. Hearing this, Lappland let out a small smile.
"But I know that name… I hear it's an organization related to medical care." "Related to… medical care." Ren felt a shiver run down his spine. But soon, he took a deep breath to suppress his shock.
'No… we're all going as a company anyway. If I find an excuse to stay in the vehicle during the delivery, it should be fine…' That's right. Even though Ren now seemed to have adapted to daily life in Lungmen, he still frequently suffered from PTSD related to medical institutions. And if he could avoid it, he wanted to stay as far away from such places as possible.
Unaware… that the people at Rhodes Island were already waiting to welcome him.
-----------------
MyPatreon : patreon.com/TrueAngel?
Check Collections
Now : (ZAW)System Acting Zhongli in arknights World? (Now Chapter 60)
Now : (INSL) I Never thought simulating life could screw me up this badly!! (Now Chapter 73)
Now : (POA) Prince of Angels in Arknights (Now Chapter 46)
Now : (RBT) Reincarnated as a Blood Demon on Terra? I've Hit the Jackpot! (Now Chapter 84)
Now : (VIA) Viego in Arknights (ฺNow Chapter 87)
Now : (ADE) Arknights Die Early (Now Chapter 61)
--------
Coming soon : (ZAW)Texas Character Relationship Content (4 Chapter) (Now Chapter 1)
Coming soon : (ZAW)Exusia Character Relationship Content (4 Chapter)
Coming soon : (ZAW)Lapland Character Relationship Content (4 Chapter) (Now Chapter 1)