In the headquarters of the enforcers in District Three:
"Are you Chen Yifei?"
After carefully verifying Chen Yifei's identity, an enforcer handed him two sets of black and red uniforms and an enforcer's ID.
After changing into the uniform and having lunch at the headquarters, Chen Yifei participated in the oath ceremony for his new job in the headquarters' plaza in the afternoon. Following that was a speech from a leader. This series of procedures made Chen Yifei increasingly feel like he was back in modern society...
Even nearly four hundred years after the Great Catastrophe, some human habits were still carried on, allowing glimpses of the civilization before the catastrophe.
The only thing that surprised Chen Yifei was that the "leader" giving the speech was not Han Meng, but another second-tier enforcer he had rarely seen.
"Where is Officer Han Meng? Why isn't he giving the speech?" An enforcer nearby also voiced his question.
"Don't you know? I heard that the enforcers in District Three rebelled two days ago... It was Ma Zhong who, along with two other enforcers, attempted to assassinate Officer Han Meng, but they were counter-killed instead."
"Huh??? Is that true?"
"Of course, it's true. It's said that Officer Han Meng was enraged that night. Before Aurora City issued an official document, he executed Ma Zhong and the other two on the spot, along with more than fifty enforcers who had vested interests with them... Haven't you noticed that there are a lot fewer enforcers here today?"
"Wow, killing so many people in one breath, isn't that cutting off the arms of the enforcers in District Three? Is Officer Han Meng so ruthless?"
"Now, there are only two enforcers left in the whole District Three... One is Officer Han Meng, and the other is Xi Renjie on the stage; Xi Renjie was promoted by Officer Han Meng. Although he is only a second-tier enforcer, his background is very clean."
"But I heard that because Officer Han Meng didn't report in time and took action to kill people on his own, Aurora City is very angry and might punish him soon."
"So that's why he didn't show up..."
"Alas, what a pity."
"..."
Overhearing the conversation nearby, Chen Yifei's eyebrows slightly raised.
He suddenly recalled what Han Meng said to him at his home yesterday afternoon after a long silence: "Whether you believe me or not, I have always been fulfilling my duties... If you really think this world lacks justice, why not become it yourself?"
Chu Muyun's previous evaluation of Han Meng was also that he had a sense of justice... So it seemed that Han Meng really had something.
After Enforcer Xi Renjie finished his speech, he began to assign tasks to the newcomers and the streets they would be responsible for inspecting from then on. As the only enforcer from Cold Frost Street this year, Chen Yifei was naturally assigned to Cold Frost Street.
After Han Meng purged the enforcers in District Three, the internal enforcement indeed became a lot cleaner...
With these thoughts, Chen Yifei walked out of the headquarters and headed straight for Cold Frost Street.
As an enforcer starting his job on the first day, he needed to inspect his respective street and let the residents get familiar with him, which was also another form of "declaring sovereignty". This was an internal rule for enforcers.
Since he put on this uniform and walked out of the enforcers' headquarters, the passersby on the road saw him and walked around, even dare not to make eye contact.
"Officer... Would you like to have a peach?"
An old voice came from the side.
Chen Yifei turned his head and saw an old lady with white hair pushing a wooden cart filled with peaches, her voice raspy as she spoke.
"No need, thank you," Chen Yifei waved his hand to refuse.
"Officer, please try... I pushed these from District Four early this morning. The peaches there are good and cheap..." She tugged at Chen Yifei's collar, her clouded eyes filled with pleading.
Chen Yifei followed her gaze and saw that lying on the fruit cart filled with peaches was an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. The chilly wind swept across the earth, and he seemed to be shivering.
"Please take a bite. If it's not good, you don't have to pay," she picked out the biggest peach from the cart, wiped it carefully with her apron, and handed it to Chen Yifei.
Chen Yifei didn't eat it because he wasn't sure if there was anything else inside the peach, like... poison.
When this thought appeared in his mind, he was startled... because he wasn't like this before.
If it were him before the catastrophe... no, even if it were him just yesterday, he would definitely lend a helping hand. Although he couldn't help much, he could at least buy some peaches, as a kindness.
This was his kindness and perseverance, but now, these things seemed to be fading away little by little...
Chen Yifei looked at the old lady for a moment and then asked,
"How much are these peaches?"
"One copper coin per catty."
"Give me two catties," Chen Yifei expressionlessly took out two copper coins from his pocket and handed them to her.
Seeing this, the old lady immediately received the coins with both hands, bowed to Chen Yifei several times, thanked him, and then picked several of the biggest peaches from the cart and put them in a bag.
At the same time, Chen Yifei suddenly said,
"That child has a fever. Take him to get some medicine."
With his [Secret Eyes], Chen Yifei could see at a glance that the infant on the cart was not doing well, so he reminded her.
The old lady paused, and her eyes, which looked at the infant, showed struggle and guilt, but she didn't say anything. She just silently picked two more peaches for Chen Yifei.
She didn't weigh them, but even with his bare eyes, Chen Yifei could tell that these two bags of peaches were definitely more than two catties.
"Thank you, officer. Thank you, officer..." After thanking Chen Yifei repeatedly, she pushed the cart and continued forward.
Until she met the next pedestrian, she quickly ran up to him, pleading, "Sir, would you like some peaches? They're from District Four..."
The cold wind blew her and the infant's faces red, but it didn't blow down that old and weak body.
Chen Yifei touched his pocket and shook his head helplessly.
He only bought two catties purely because he only had two copper coins left in his pocket... The silver coins he got from Qian Fan were already lost in the pool of blood in the courtyard.
As he just walked onto Hanshuang Street, he found that many people were secretly standing at their respective doorways, looking in this direction... When they saw Chen Yifei walking in his uniform, they whispered to each other.
"Oh, Officer Chen Yifei!"
The first shop on the street was the cake shop Chen Yifei had visited before.
When the boss saw Chen Yifei walking towards him, he immediately showed a pleasing smile, "Officer Chen Yifei, you look so handsome in this uniform!"
"Mr. Li," Chen Yifei walked to the shop doorway along the momentum and looked at the Hanshuang Street residents at their respective doorways, asking, "What's the situation?"
"Oh, everyone is here to see you!"
"See me?"
"Right. The enforcer who was originally responsible for inspecting our Hanshuang Street was reportedly killed by Officer Han Meng... Today is also the day when the new enforcer takes office, so everyone wants to see who will be the boss of this street in the future...
When the list of enforcers who passed the examination was released on the street that day, everyone guessed it might be you, since you are from our Hanshuang Street...
And here you are!"