Herrscher of Reason's Arknights

Looks like I wasn't wrong, it really was you.

The silver-haired man, sitting in a corner of the bar, spoke with a faint smile and his hands clasped as usual.

"Ah~ it's you, Black Snake."

He is an "old friend" of mine.

The immortal black serpent, Koschke.

"So what are you doing here, wasting my time?"

Even without Yelena, Sodium Chloride would still reveal its true nature: somber, gloomy, with pale golden star-like eyes that shone brightly in the dimly lit room.

"Um~ please don't say that, my friend. I made sure to pay for the reservation properly."

The stemmed glass was held between the middle and ring fingers, just like that.

The man seemed to enjoy swirling the red wine in his glass, then looked through the extremely expensive glass at his "old friend" that was stained red by the wine.

"Alright, so you want me to put a defensive spell on your head too?"

He picked up the opened bottle of red wine from the table, found an empty glass, and poured himself a little.

She only takes a small sip of wine, at most just tasting it.

Sodium chloride doesn't know much about wine, but tasting it once can broaden one's knowledge.

This is also an essential part of life; this is what we call a sense of ritual.

"No, no, no, I've come to see you this time for something."

"what's up."

"My businesses in Lungmen...and the future of Lungmen."

Kosiché always spoke about his career in a tone and manner that resembled that of a Wall Street bond salesman, somewhat affected.

As he spoke, Kosic handed over a letter held between his fingers.

It was a rather elegant envelope.

The pale gold patterns on the envelope shimmered with the luster of wealth, and the authentic sealing wax was stamped with the family crest, the font of which was also a beautiful Yan Kingdom square character.

Of course, we've seen high-end sodium chloride badges used by villains and antagonists before, but this badge really caught the girl's eye.

This badge looks familiar, but it's not entirely unfamiliar either.

It looked like a dragon.

And this dragon symbol is the symbol of the Dragon Gate.

It seems this is not an invitation from an ordinary person, but rather from the ruling family of Lungmen.

but···

"Why give it to me?"

Sodium chloride didn't rush to take it, but instead asked coldly.

"It's just one chance."

Kosiché smiled mysteriously.

“Longmen doesn’t really welcome outsiders. Like me, an ordinary Ursus nobleman is always suspected. So I’m going to show my generosity. You seem to be looking for someone, and I’ll offer you a chance to make contact with the powerful and influential. After all, no one knows if the person you’re looking for is among them.”

"Your generosity? Ha, tell me, what do you want?"

Sodium chloride found a more comfortable position and leaned back on the sofa, closing its eyes and waiting for the other party to propose a new price.

All of this is a transaction, and naturally, bargaining is required. As for the so-called "generosity," it's just a nice way of putting it.

People always care about their reputation, especially the nobility. No matter how despicable their methods, they will always find a respectable reason for themselves.

"I really like the straightforward approach, but it's good, it's very efficient."

With his hands crossed on his knees, Kosic said calmly.

"It's very simple, just one..."

It's just a matter of personal favor.

P.S.: I have to say, Watch Dogs is pretty fun. The first one, Aiden's Revenge, has a dark, gritty feel to it. The city is gloomy, and the personal information of passersby displayed on their phones is full of sin and desire. Criminals are everywhere, and gangs are rampant. Although CTOS can clearly see people's behavioral tendencies, it cannot stop them. In the end, it still has to be Aiden, the extrajudicial executioner, to decide everything.

I prefer the style of the first movie; Dog 2 felt a bit too hip-hop, and the third movie, Legion, felt more like an online game.

Ubisoft, you truly live up to your reputation.

Section 42, Chapter Forty-Two: [A Showpiece]

People from Yan value face, interpersonal relationships, and propriety.

So-called human favors are things that are difficult to repay once owed.

It is also a bond that maintains the relationship between the family and society.

Late at night, at the Wei residence.

Apart from Swire Group's real estate investments in Lungmen, the residence of Lungmen's de facto ruler is the largest building in terms of land area.

Today happens to be the birthday of Wei Yanwu, the de facto ruler of Longmen.

As for invitations, there are only two types. One type specifies the name and invites the person in charge, usually the right-hand man or political ally of the person in power, and is meant to be seen by opponents and petty people.

As for the other type, there is no name required; anyone with an invitation can come. Of course, this kind of thing is something that only high-ranking officials and nobles can obtain, because theoretically, as long as one holds it, one is qualified to come to this most central place that represents power. So it also shows Wei Yanwu's generosity and enlightenment.

Of course, this is done for the world to see.

In short, it's all just for show.

As for sodium chloride, those holding the second type of invitation can also come, although her qualifications are just enough to meet the threshold for now.

After all, many high-ranking officials and dignitaries knew her.

This is interpersonal relationship, but it's mostly about transactions.

And a small favor.

These wealthy individuals take great care of protecting their lives, which is why they have accumulated a considerable amount of money.

Buying a decent evening gown is perfectly sufficient.

Anyway, she didn't come for any interpersonal relationships; she came mainly to confirm one thing.

Are there really any "protagonists" in this world within the upper echelons?

You must know that this is a banquet hosted by the most powerful person in Longmen. All the big shots and small shots are vying to come here, hoping to climb the social ladder and become even more powerful to gain more benefits.

It can be said that, to some extent, all the wealth of the entire Longmen region is concentrated here.

Sodium chloride can certainly confirm tonight whether the person he is looking for is here or not.

On the other side, on the second floor of the hall, Wei Yanwu stood by the handrail of the staircase leading to the second floor and the hall, looking down at the entire hall and the dignitaries who had come to attend the banquet.

Wei Yanwu, the ruler of Longmen, tapped his fingers nervously on the armrest. Although he was looking at the crowd, his mind was elsewhere, waiting for something.

Until a dark figure appeared in the shadows behind him, appearing silently.

"Wei Gong."

"speak."

News of the frozen land has been cut off, but...

"But there's no harm in talking."

"Regarding the Snow Demon, the tongue has been cut off."

In the shadows, a shadow guard wearing a bamboo hat and completely covered by a gray robe was kneeling in the shadows behind Wei Yanwu, reporting the intelligence he had gathered.

"It's alright. Everyone should mind their own business. It's good that the Ursus army has something to do, so they won't bother Lungmen. Go down."

Wei Yanwu, whose blood flowed with the blood of his ancestors, did not turn around, but instead composed himself slightly.

As a seasoned politician and the de facto ruler of Longmen, Wei Yanwu always projected an image of wisdom and strength, but with ruthless and cunning methods.

Breath is a very important thing. In the ancient and mysterious philosophy of the East, the proper use of breath can prolong life and even change a person's demeanor. It can be oppressive or make a person look pleasant.

This is very important in officialdom. Wei Yanwu’s every word and action represents his political pursuits, even if he is not that kind of person. But he does it to show everyone.

In other words, it's just putting on a show.

Just like the good cop/bad cop dynamic, the one who plays the good cop isn't necessarily hot-tempered, and the one who plays the bad cop isn't necessarily easy to talk to, but sometimes it's necessary to do it for others to see.

Wei Yanwu was such an expert.

"With so many parties and birthday celebrations, we should spend more time with Xiaota and Huijie instead."

Suddenly, this expert heard a woman's soft complaint in his ear.

She was a woman from the East.

Wen Yue, to be precise, should be called Wei Wen Yue.

The princess of the Eastern Kingdom was, of course, also Wei Yanwu's wife.

Since it was a formal occasion, Fumizuki was naturally wearing a magnificent kimono, the kind that only high-ranking nobles in the Eastern Kingdom would wear on formal occasions, with an elegant smile on her face.

She appeared on the second floor with Wei Yanwu. After all, it was a formal occasion, and Madam Wei naturally had to be present.

However, that's just how women are; they don't always act the same way in public and in private. They might have a ceremonial smile on their face, looking elegant, dignified, and generous, but they might be muttering complaints about Wei Yanwu under their breath. They're truly two-faced.

"Ahem... It's all just for show. The so-called birthday banquet is just a show that we have to put on."

Besides, Xiaota has Huijie with her, so she'll be fine for now.

"Humph."

Madam Wei gave a soft snort, seemingly unconvinced.

"It'll be over in a moment, just a moment. And as you know, it's like the tea ceremony at the Imperial Palace, the weapons at the Military Equipment Bureau, the documents at the Court of Judicial Review, the stewards at the Censorate, and the prescriptions at the Imperial Medical Academy—it's all just for show… To put it bluntly, even your birthday celebration, my virtuous brother, is just a show for the world. The necessary sacrifices are simply to let everyone know who the real boss is here."

After calming his wife down, Wei Yanwu finally had time to check himself over.

As a noble among nobles of the Yan Kingdom, he always paid great attention to his appearance. His formal attire and leather shoes were his armor, and the pipe he always held with ease was his weapon.

When everything is in order and perfectly organized, that's when he's ready to fight.

As he stepped downstairs, the man immediately became the center of attention. As the most powerful person in the area, it was impossible for anyone not to notice him.

And today is the foundation for him to take his ideas a step further in practice.

A tentative step, and an attempt to explore further cooperation.

After all, the vast majority of those who needed to be focused were gathered here, and no one dared to ignore him.

Except for sodium chloride.

She glanced at Wei Yanwu, memorized what this man at the pinnacle of power looked like, and then lost interest. Her purpose for this trip had nothing to do with this guy; she just wanted to confirm some things.

However, it seems that what she is looking for is not here.

Some have lost interest.

The girl didn't really like the atmosphere here.

Noisy, boring, and nothing but people.

She preferred quiet, a peaceful life alone, like a plant, rather than this noisy, bustling place filled with rouge and intrigue.

It doesn't align with her aesthetic.

Therefore, some sodium chloride manufacturers are planning to withdraw ahead of schedule.

After all, in her eyes, this place was rather chaotic and disorderly.

until····

The appearance of something caused Sodium Chloride's pupils to shrink suddenly!

P.S.: I have to continue writing the outline again, so annoying [collapses]. I've finished writing the main plot, but I still haven't come up with a new one. I always have to stay up all night at times like this.