In the slums, the two old men who, together, controlled every force in Lungmen from the light to the dark, began discussing the problem Wei Yenwu had brought. They hoped to find a solution.
Truthfully, Wei Yenwu desperately wanted to conduct a thorough cleansing of the Lower City. He wanted to excise these eyesore-like chronic maladies so that Lungmen could move toward the future in a better state. However, now was not the right time for such drastic measures. Or perhaps, he could allow the situation to escalate further, then use the chaos to make the Lower City "vanish" entirely.
"Kashchey, eh... that fellow really is a lingering spirit! Even in death, he won't let people live in peace?"
The Rat King, Lin Gerui, saw his expression shift instantly at the mention of the name Kashchey. It was as if he had heard a problem so thorny it even made him uncomfortable. He had spent his life tilling the soil of these slums, pouring his heart and soul into this chaotic region specifically to make that name disappear from Lungmen.
But it seemed that goal hadn't been fully realized. The Black Snake still lurked on the body of this massive city, ready to inject venom into its wounds at any moment.
Seeing his old friend's changing face, Wei Yenwu confirmed that Lin Gerui truly hadn't known what was happening—or rather, he hadn't known the identity of the mastermind behind the curtain. Wei Yenwu handed over the copy of the confession. He watched as Lin Gerui's face cycled through emotions like a busy general store. His beady eyes darted around—a sign that his brain was working at high speed to formulate a countermeasure.
"When that Vouivre made a name for himself in the slums, I sent people to test if he was a Ursus spy. I didn't expect him to be hiding this deep!"
Reading the confession where the man he had once investigated spoke the truth, Lin Gerui began to doubt the competence of his subordinates. What had they been doing? However, it could only be said that the enemy was too cunning. His men responsible for vetting such people had caught many spies over the years, but this time, someone had planned things so meticulously that he had been left entirely in the dark.
"So, how do you plan to handle this?" The Rat King looked at Wei Yenwu. He knew the man hadn't driven here just to deliver news. The Rat King couldn't quite guess if Wei was there to discuss a plan or to demand accountability. After all, Wei was the legal ruler of the city; Lin Gerui was just an old man managing the mess that was the slums.
"Naturally, I need your strength. You've been rooted here for so long—it's time for your people to act! One way or another, we must give Lungmen an explanation."
Wei Yenwu's gaze turned cold. He was determined to find the talons of the Black Snake and the nobility hidden in the slums. These people had almost dragged Lungmen into a perilous situation. Who knew if they would try to assassinate Jeanne again and then throw the blame on Lungmen?
He couldn't take that risk. Unlike other cities in Yan, which might have the leverage to negotiate through such a scandal, Wei Yenwu had a feeling that if Jeanne encountered another disaster like this, Laterano would not be so easy to talk to. Lungmen might see a very different side of them.
"Do you know what it means for the Lower City if my people start moving? The situation could become even more dangerous than it is now!"
The shadows of Lungmen belonged to Lin Gerui, but his "claws" were meant to stay in those shadows. If the rats swarmed out in force, it would provide the perfect cover for those hiding in the dark to fish in troubled waters. It would mean a disaster for the slums; the poor, who had no way to deal with such chaos, would be left with nothing but a slow death.
"But if we do nothing, what we face will be even more dangerous! Those people have been using Lungmen as a transit hub to ship Ursus-made munitions to various countries! In time, Lungmen will become a target for everyone!"
Wei Yenwu understood the chaos of the slums, but he didn't believe the people there were loyal to Lungmen, and the situation was simply too tense. The items being shipped were weapons capable of starting wars. Whether traded to bandits within Yan or to other nations, Lungmen would be in a very passive position once the truth came out.
"...I will find a way to locate the 'rats' connected to this, but I won't let my subordinates conduct a reckless search before things worsen. Besides, you should check if they're hiding in other sectors."
Since the attack hadn't happened in the Lower City, Lin Gerui deduced that these people must have a foothold in other districts. Those should be the primary targets. Capturing disposable pawns was useless if the leaders weren't caught. However, Lin Gerui's influence in the Middle and Upper Cities was limited. Those weren't places for gangs, and if he dared to stretch his hand that far, the first person to chop it off would be the old friend sitting right in front of him.
"The LGD and my own men will search the other areas. If anything happens, you'll be notified. Just ensure the spies in the slums remain under your control."
Having finished his business, Wei Yenwu prepared to leave. It wouldn't be good for either of them if he were spotted near Lin Gerui's house for too long. Lin Gerui stayed seated, making no move to see his guest out. He didn't even look at Wei as he departed.
When Wei Yenwu reached his inconspicuous little car, he discovered that the space previously occupied by durians was now packed with pineapples. They were even piled high in the passenger seat.
"That fellow... he really refuses to take a loss! We talked until we were blue in the face, yet he didn't forget to load me up with pineapples."
Whether it was done via Originium Arts or by hand, Wei Yenwu didn't care. He quickly drove away. If he weren't worried about being spotted arguing over fruit, he might have tried to dump them back.
"When the two of you aren't busy, you actually sit around swapping fruit? If there's secret pocket money hidden in there, I'm telling Mom."
After Wei Yenwu left, the person who had actually moved the pineapples emerged from the warehouse. Her expression was sour, as if she had seen something repulsive. Lin Yuxia had only come home to grab something, only to find the City Lord's car parked outside—something that hadn't happened in years. She had hidden in the warehouse and contacted her father.
To her surprise, her father had somehow acquired a massive hoard of durians! It was the most hated item in their household. Clearly, the City Lord had dumped them there. As for the pineapples? Her father had made her move them to Wei's car. Since she couldn't use Originium Arts for the task, the "little rat" was exhausted from the heavy lifting.
"Well, he brought a carload of fruit to visit me, didn't he?" Lin Gerui replied calmly. "If I let him go back empty-handed, it would make our family look like we don't know how to treat guests."