Chen Yifei was about to speak when Uncle Zhao beside him said in a deep voice,
"Xiaoyi, can't you speak properly? You and Yifei have been neighbors since childhood. Where's your manners?"
Although Zhao Yi was reckless, Uncle Zhao was very clever. This rebuke was aimed at Zhao Yi, but it was also meant for Chen Yifei's ears.
He knew his son couldn't accomplish anything significant and had poor interpersonal skills. He had been on bad terms with Chen Yifei before... Now that Chen Yifei had become a law enforcer, he hoped that Chen Yifei would remember their childhood together and not hold his son's behavior against him.
Although Chen Yifei hadn't mingled in official circles in his previous life, he could still understand such simple implications.
Chen Yifei silently lowered his head and drank his soybean milk without saying a word.
Zhao Yi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was glared back by Uncle Zhao. Unhappily, he threw his backpack onto the nearby dining table and picked up a bun to eat.
"Aren't you on the night shift today? Why did you come back so early?" Uncle Zhao asked.
"The factory isn't operating anymore. What can I do?" Mentioning this, Zhao Yi became even more agitated. He spoke viciously, "They haven't paid me for the last few days of work! I'll go and demand it tomorrow!"
Chen Yifei's ears perked up, and he suddenly asked,
"Uncle Zhao, what job does Xiaoyi do now?"
"He works in a steel mill, forging steel." Uncle Zhao glanced at Zhao Yi and continued, "This kid didn't study well and doesn't have any skills. I used my connections to get him a job at the steel mill... Melting snow outside all day, how much money can he earn?"
Zhao Yi pouted, seemingly wanting to rebut, but could only sulk and lower his head without speaking.
What Uncle Zhao said was indeed true. The money earned from working a day at the steel mill was enough for him to go out and melt snow for the Road Management Bureau for several days... Doing odd jobs was ultimately not as useful as having a formal job.
Chen Yifei nodded.
What the seven major districts had in abundance were factories. Beyond the few streets where they lived, further out were numerous factories. These factories provided employment for seventy percent of the seven major districts. If Chen Yifei hadn't been accepted as a law enforcer, his ultimate destination would probably have been one of those factories.
"Can steel mills also halt operations?" Chen Yifei asked, puzzled.
"How would I know? All the raw materials in the factory have been transported away. There's nothing left. When we arrived, they told us to get lost and didn't pay us... What are those factory managers thinking?"
Zhao Yi became more agitated as he thought about it. He had finally found a stable job, and now it was gone... Did he have to go back to melting snow?
"The raw materials were transported away? Where to?"
"Where else? Aurora City."
"Aurora City doesn't have any factories. Why do they need raw materials?" Uncle Zhao was also full of confusion.
"I don't know!"
Chen Yifei thought for a while but couldn't figure out what the principle was. Was Aurora City also going to develop heavy industries?
Chen Yifei didn't understand these messy things. After finishing his soybean milk, he slowly stood up and smiled at Uncle Zhao.
"Thank you, Uncle Zhao. I'll go back now..."
"Okay, take your time."
Chen Yifei left a few silver coins, pushed open the door, and left, leaving only Zhao Yi's complaints echoing in the room.
He crossed the street and took only a few steps to reach his doorstep. He glanced at the corner of the door and saw no signs of anyone entering or exiting. He took out his key and opened the door.
With a swish, Chen Yifei lit the kerosene lamp on the table, locked the door behind him, stood on the table, and began groping the overhead beam...
After a while, a token and a ring appeared in his palm.
"There are no signs of anyone entering or exiting, but the items were put inside... Is this the standard of the Thief Saint?" Chen Yifei muttered to himself.
Chen Yifei put the two items close to his body, raised his hand, and extinguished the kerosene lamp on the table.
The house fell into darkness.
...
At the same time.
Aurora City.
On the bed, Chu Muyun's eyelids fluttered slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes...
In the enclosed bedroom, the curtain-like window screens gently fluttered, as if an invisible wind had lingered there. Outside the window screens, the silent aurora borealis surged endlessly.
Chu Muyun gazed at the aurora outside the window for a long time. He sat up from the bed, put on a white coat from the wall, and pushed the door open.
The cold winter wind lifted his clothes. Chu Muyun pushed up his glasses, and the lenses reflected the aurora and the inverted image of a lazy man on the roof.
"Good observation skills. You're indeed from the [Blood Slaughter] path."
The man gently lowered the brim of his cap, smiled, and spoke. A pair of silver snake-shaped earrings swayed silently in the moonlight.
"[Heart Q]," Chu Muyun put his hands in the pockets of his white coat and spoke calmly, "What brings you here suddenly, senior?"
"Don't call me senior. It makes me feel old."
"..."
"I just completed a task from above and was bored, so I came to chat with you," Bai yawned, "After all, you're the earliest member to infiltrate Aurora City."
"Senior Bai, just because you don't sleep doesn't mean others don't need to sleep."
Chu Muyun replied seriously, "Lack of sleep can easily lead to depression and obesity, and may also cause heart disease, diabetes, and..."
"The premise for humans to get sick is that they have to be human."
"... Are you insulting me?"
"Yes."
"..."
Seeing Chu Muyun's frustrated expression, Bai laughed heartily, seemingly pleased. "By the way, that new member you recommended is very interesting."
"[Heart 6]?" Chu Muyun's eyebrows rose, "He's not just interesting... If you make him angry, the whole world will become interesting..."
"I heard about him. A disaster that destroys the world while wearing a human skin." Bai pondered and suddenly spoke with interest,
"What if I suddenly steal his 'sanity'? What would happen?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Muyun's expression changed. He frowned and stared at Bai, seemingly wanting to see if he was just joking or really had this crazy thought...
"Don't look at me like that. I just said it casually," Bai shrugged, seemingly a bit uneasy under Chu Muyun's gaze, "You know I can control myself... At least I can now."
"You should always control yourself. Otherwise, stay away from him."
"Got it, got it."
Bai leisurely leaned against the roof, looking up at the never-ending sea of aurora. The courtyard fell into silence... After an unknown duration, he slowly spoke:
"[Spade 7], did you notice?"
"What?"
Bai raised his hand and pointed to the aurora extending to the horizon above their heads,
"The aurora is fainter than before."