The rest of the process was quite simple. The Lungmen Guard Department had specific measures in place for Penguin Logistics' fines. They just had to send the bill at the end of the month and wait for the company to transfer the money. As for the requirement to have someone come in person to lead them back, that was merely a formality.
"Let me see... it says here that you two just arrived in Lungmen today. The records show you came from Chernobog, Ursus," Hoshiguma said, looking at the computer screen which displayed the entry records for Jeanne and Lemuen.
Jeanne, having no idea what the specific steps were, could only follow behind Hoshiguma and Ch'en, chatting as they handled the paperwork. Still, she found it odd—it was just bailing someone out; couldn't any two random officers handle that? Was it really necessary for these two high-ranking officials to host them?
Jeanne was well aware that these two definitely weren't in charge of administrative paperwork at the LGD. Had Lungmen become so peaceful that they truly had nothing better to do? She was certain that the two women across from her were just engaging in forced small talk, likely hoping to pry some information out of her.
Otherwise, Jeanne couldn't find a single reason to explain the current situation. But what exactly did they want to ask her?
"Chernobog? I recall the summit between Laterano and Ursus just concluded there, didn't it? For you two to arrive in Lungmen right after it ended... could it be that you were participants in the talks?" Ch'en asked, feigning a tone of casual curiosity, acting like a police officer who was simply interested in international affairs.
Jeanne pretended to be a naive young girl who didn't understand anything, obediently watching the two of them put on their best performance.
Why do I feel like this girl is, in some ways, even more 'thick-headed' than Talulah? Ch'en thought. In her effort to perform, Ch'en didn't seem to realize that even when she feigned casual chat, her tone was still far too forceful. Combined with her overly serious expression, it was incredibly easy for the two across from her to see right through this highly jarring performance.
"How could that be? We just took the opportunity to travel with the convoy. I've wanted to come and see how that child was doing for a long time, but my health hasn't been great, so I kept putting it off until now," Lemuen replied with a practiced smile. Such a blatant method of questioning was something she could hear a mile away.
After chatting for a while and realizing the two genuinely seemed to know nothing, Ch'en had no choice but to give up. After a few more empty words, she found an excuse to leave.
"Officer Ch'en seems quite busy with her work? Shouldn't she be off the clock by now?" Jeanne asked, turning to Hoshiguma to inquire about Ch'en.
She remembered Talulah's request to check in on her sister. Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to gather some intel? Given Talulah's status, trying to ask about Ch'en without exposing her own identity—especially in Lungmen—was a task of monumental difficulty if she wanted to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings!
"Same as always. Once she starts working overtime, she loses all sense of time. There was one time Old Ch'en got so into it that she finished all the backlogged work I was supposed to do," Hoshiguma replied.
"That's... truly dedicated. I wish I had someone like that to help me, unlike my friend who only drags me into working overtime," Jeanne remarked.
(Talulah: Do you dare say that again with a hand on your conscience? Every time I ask you to handle something, aren't you the one slumped over the desk sleeping while I'm the one working like a dog next to you?)
Hearing this, even Lemuen couldn't stand it. She covered her forehead, pretending she hadn't heard a word. Having spent time in the village, she had seen Jeanne's daily routine—and her so-called "overtime."
However, Jeanne was the Saint and her superior. A subordinate isn't supposed to talk back to the boss, and Lemuen quite liked keeping her job.
"Is that so? Still, it's a good thing to share the burden for a friend. But working constant overtime really does affect one's health," Hoshiguma chatted warmly. Looking at her gentle demeanor, it was hard to believe she was a member of the Oni race; she lacked any of the typical Oni ferocity.
However, something struck Hoshiguma as odd: this person named Jeanne seemed particularly focused on Ch'en. Ever since seeing Ch'en, Jeanne's gaze would occasionally drift in her direction.
At first, Hoshiguma thought Jeanne was a spy sent to dig up dirt on Ch'en. After all, Ch'en's identity in Lungmen was quite special, so such things were inevitable. But what truly puzzled Hoshiguma was that even when she subtly steered the conversation toward Ch'en's background or secrets, Jeanne's questions remained focused on Ch'en's daily life and well-being.
Combined with the way Jeanne would steal glances at Ch'en, a thought occurred to Hoshiguma that she hadn't considered before:
Could this girl... have a crush on Ch'en?
Thinking about it, someone who would ignore all the risks of the road to accompany a friend from Ursus to Yan... the possibility of her taking a liking to Ch'en wasn't zero. Otherwise, Hoshiguma really couldn't come up with a logical explanation for why someone meeting Old Ch'en for the first time would care so much about her daily habits.
"Alright, the paperwork is done. I'll call an officer over to take you to pick the three of them up."
Hoshiguma waved over a passing officer and instructed him to lead them to the holding area to collect the Penguin Logistics crew. After watching them leave, Hoshiguma waited a moment before getting up and walking into Ch'en's office.
Inside, Ch'en and Swire were sitting across from each other, their gazes clashing with enough intensity to create sparks.
"Well? Did they show any suspicious behavior after I left?"
Seeing Hoshiguma enter, the two called a temporary truce in their war and turned their attention to her. They knew how to prioritize; compared to the current situation, their personal grudge could wait.
"Nothing much. She just asked about your living habits and things like that. I don't think they're involved in the Ursus smuggling case. Like they said, they're just passing through," Hoshiguma reported.
After their conversation, Hoshiguma had stopped viewing them as primary suspects. There were simply too few red flags. Aside from this trip, neither had any record of traveling between Ursus cities, and they seemed unfamiliar with Lungmen—they didn't even realize Hoshiguma was intentionally stalling for time. To suspect them of being professional smugglers based on this was a reach.
"Furthermore, they have ties to Penguin Logistics. With the Emperor's capability, he couldn't possibly be ignorant of Exusiai's identity. If there were any suspicion, the Emperor wouldn't use her."
Regarding Penguin Logistics—an enterprise that hopped back and forth between the light and the dark—Hoshiguma felt that if Chief Wei trusted them, they must be worthy of that trust and wouldn't cross the line.
"I hope so. Dealing with Penguin Logistics is infuriating, but I don't want to see the day we have to use force against them. This was just a probe for suspicious individuals," Ch'en said, rubbing her eyes. It seemed another lead had gone cold. On the bright side, they could temporarily rule out Penguin Logistics' involvement.
Although those three were known for street racing, driving without a license, damaging city property, and having non-transparent cargo, they were "acquaintances"—the kind she could chat with if she bumped into them while buying breakfast. But as a police officer, if necessary, not just friends but even family would be put on the suspect list. For the safety of Lungmen, she had to do it.
That was why she maintained a personality that kept people at a distance. Her social circle consisted of Hoshiguma and arguing with Swire.
"By the way, Old Ch'en. I feel like that Jeanne girl is a bit too focused on you. Her state of mind... it's as if she's fallen for you."
"Do you even know what you're saying?!" Ch'en barked.