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Pela, wearing a black felt hat, adjusted his round spectacles and composed his breathing before saying, "As your recommender, I have the responsibility to periodically check on your well-being. So... may I come in to discuss some matters?"
"Oh, of course, please do."
March 7th smiled apologetically and stepped aside to let him enter.
Pela did not remove his shoes upon entering the house.
In Belobog, it was customary not to change footwear indoors. Following local practices, even Bochang, March 7th, and others simply walked around without switching their shoes.
Naturally...
This was also the norm aboard the Astral Express.
"Is everyone here today?" Pela asked as he entered the room.
March 7th counted with fingers raised. "Me, Stelle, and Bochang are at home. Dan Heng is still sweeping the streets outside and hasn't returned yet."
"The street cleaning work is indeed demanding, with very little downtime..." As Pela entered the living room, she spotted Stelle sitting on the sofa watching television. "I never expected him to choose this job. Hopefully, Dan Heng can persevere... Belobog is currently short of sanitation workers as well."
March 7th did not respond.
She fully understood why Dan Heng chose to be a street cleaner—it was for easier intelligence gathering.
As a sanitation worker, Dan Heng could roam around freely, and perhaps even use his position to directly access restricted areas.
"Where's Bochang?"
Not seeing the black-haired man, Pela asked again.
March 7th replied, "Bochang is practicing shooting in the backyard. He says he needs to train for at least two and a half hours every day..."
"Shooting skills? Tell me... why are you all learning firearms handling?" Pela seemed puzzled.
Realizing her slip, March 7th quickly improvised, "Uh... we just enjoy staying fit, after all, it helps us protect ourselves better."
Quickly improvising, March 7th replied, "Uh... we all enjoy physical exercise, after all, it's essential for self-protection."
Intrigued, Pela didn't press further and instead decided to take a look at the backyard herself.
Hearing the commotion, Bochang slowed down his swift movements with the Vow Spear.
As Pela observed Bochang, diligently training with beads of sweat on his forehead, she couldn't help but sigh.
"It's truly unfortunate that you're not part of the Silvermane Guards."
Bochang thrust the blue spear in his hand towards the ground. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he asked, "Miss Pela, what brings you here?"
"Just checking on how you've been settling in..." Pela glanced back; both Stelle and March 7th were beside her. "How have you adjusted to your assigned tasks so far?"
"Absolutely no issues," Bochang responded, giving a thumbs-up.
March 7th and Stelle nodded in agreement.
"That's great," Pela responded. "Bochang, continue your training. I'll have a chat with these two; don't worry, we won't disturb you."
With that, Pela led Stelle and March 7th away.
Initially, Bochang thought the Silvermane Guard intelligence officer would leave shortly after their conversation.
To his surprise, even after the black-haired youth finished his workout, Pela was still present at home.
It was now past nine o'clock.
Dan Heng hadn't returned yet either.
Concerned for his safety, March 7th had tried contacting him via phone but only learned that he was still busy.
Having just completed his exercise routine, Bochang initially planned to take a bath.
Unexpectedly, Pela intercepted him.
"Finished your workout already?"
"Yes," Bochang nodded, looking at Pela seated on the sofa. "Is there something you need, Miss Pela?"
"I'd like to talk with you," Pela said.
Bochang glanced around; March 7th and Stelle had already gone upstairs to rest.
For now, they were alone in the living room on the first floor.
During today's training session... with only Bochang present and without Dan Heng's supervision, he didn't end up drenched in sweat as before. This time, he merely had a slight sheen of perspiration; at least his clothes remained dry.
"Alright... let's talk."
Bochang sat down on the sofa, maintaining a respectful distance from Pela.
The petite girl, wearing round-framed glasses, gazed intently at the young man before her.
Pela was genuinely curious about Bochang.
Asking someone's body measurements in public is not something most people would do. Just this act alone left a strong impression on her.
Moreover, he later openly rebuked her for being incompetent...
"Do you have any specific questions, Miss Pela?" Bochang asked straightforwardly.
Pela responded, "While chatting with the others earlier, I heard that you can cook, and your dishes are said to be comparable to those from restaurants here. Given that... have you ever considered becoming a chef?"
"If your culinary skills are truly exceptional, you could easily earn five hundred Shields per month."
Bochang didn't expect Pela's wait to culminate in such a proposition.
After a brief pause, he replied, "Thank you, but I'll continue working at the machine shop for now."
Following that...
Pela and Bochang engaged in further conversation, touching on topics like his adjustment to living here, the demands of his job, satisfaction with the Silvermane Guards' law enforcement, and opinions on the city's infrastructure...
After her inquiries, Pela left, seemingly content.
As usual, Bochang went for a soak in the bath. However, unlike yesterday, there were no unexpected incidents, and not even a single Dating Option trigger occurred.
He had hoped to gain some benefits from interacting with Pela, only to find himself striking out today.
"Take it slow..."
Bochang remained patient. By the time he finished his relaxing bath, Dan Heng had returned home and conducted another thorough inspection of the house.
Upon meeting, the stoic little azure dragon immediately said, "I've gathered information on Stellaron. The Architects have studied it before, and currently, Stellaron is still in their possession."
Dan Heng's investigative efficiency was astonishing.
Bochang suddenly realized that if he didn't act soon, Dan Heng might single-handedly complete all the work.
"How's the situation on your end?" Dan Heng asked next.
Bochang replied, "Serval tends to be tight-lipped. Stelle and I didn't dare to press further, so we'll have to see if there's an opportunity in the future."
"Right." Dan Heng nodded, his gaze lingering on the black-haired youth. "No rush. Take today off for rest; we'll continue tomorrow. Also... haven't you forgotten to practice your marksmanship?"
"I certainly haven't forgotten. Just now, after finishing my training, I took a bath."
Since March 7th had already informed the group chat about Pela's arrival,
there was no need for Bochang to unnecessarily relay the same information to Dan Heng again.
There was no need for Bochang to explicitly remind Dan Heng.
"Alright."
Ignoring the stoic little azure dragon still bathing, Bochang ascended to the second floor and entered his room to rest... This two-story villa had five bedrooms upstairs, allowing everyone to have their own space without needing to share this time.
Already washed up, Bochang changed into fresh clothes and lay down on his bed.
"Come to think of it... It's been quite some time since I obtained the power of the Sheep Talisman. Shouldn't I test using it now? With astral projection, I could also gather information..."
Recalling his embarrassing experience with the Dragon Talisman's power, Bochang approached the use of the Sheep Talisman with extreme caution. As he continued hesitating,
a knock sounded at the door.
Bochang sat up and asked, "Who is it?"
"It's me."
It was Stelle's voice.
He quickly opened the door, noticing the gray-haired girl clad only in a white shirt, which made his heart skip a beat. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "What's wrong?"
"I can't really sleep... Could you stay with me tonight?" Stelle rubbed her eyes.
[Dating Options have been enabled.]