Herrscher of Reason's Arknights

Section 66, Chapter Sixty-Four: [Pure Land]

The emperor was attacked.

Late at night, on the Longmen Outer Ring Expressway.

On the already blocked highway, the roar of heavy motorcycles tore through the deathly silence of the night, like the howl of a wild beast.

The crimson taillights streaked across the sky like a red python coiled around it.

"Hey, did the package arrive?"

"Okay, I understand. I'll be there soon."

Soon, the road ahead became uneven.

The paved asphalt road was now riddled with potholes, and metal fragments were scattered everywhere.

It looks like a battle has taken place here; the white road signs have all been stained black.

A few car parts were scattered on the ground.

There were many bullet marks on the cement wall.

On the asphalt road, tiny metal pieces shimmered with a faint light.

The motorcycle's heavy tires slowly came to a stop.

Black military boots appeared next to the metal.

The owner of the boots, Hoshiguma, bent down and picked up the thing.

It was a golden, shield-shaped metal plate, with a pistol bullet, twisted and deformed from the high impact, still lodged inside it.

The bullet was surrounded by the symbol of Lungmen.

It is a police badge.

The badge even had traces of blood on it.

A pistol bullet was stuck on it, which gives you an idea of ​​the situation.

It's clear that at least three groups are exchanging fire at the scene.

The owners of the black car, the Lungmen Guard Bureau, and a third party.

It's easy to distinguish because of the marks left by wiping.

The Guard Bureau would not use such large-caliber weapons, and the crossbow bolts were clearly not an effect of the Guard Bureau's standard equipment.

But it wasn't a gang, because these marks couldn't have been made by gangs using goods obtained from the black market.

"It looks like things are getting lively."

With the badge tucked into his pocket, Hoshiguma hopped back onto his motorcycle and sped off with a roar of the engine.

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Late at night, in a casino.

This is a corner located in a bustling downtown area.

Pure Land

It's a casino that doesn't look very big, but it's always filled with a level of noise and luxury that far surpasses other places.

The parked cars nearby also highlight the extreme wealth.

The jet-black motorcycle slowly came to a stop nearby.

"Would you like to come to this pure land to enjoy a moment of tranquility?"

The man in the suit standing in front of the door saw that the visitor was dressed very ordinarily, but because he was a member of the demon race, the man in the suit did not drive him away.

There's no such thing as "gambling for fun" here. The guests here are all big spenders. People who gamble for fun generally don't come here, and such guests are not welcome.

"I'm not here to spend money. Call out your person in charge; I want to see her."

ha?

What are you talking about?

"You think you can just see the person in charge whenever you want?! Get out if you're not going to spend money, homeless people aren't welcome here!"

It was a tall demon, so tall that even the bodyguards on duty couldn't look it in the eye.

"You don't need to know who I am. I want you to call Yan out."

How did this guy know the general manager's name?

However, when the tall demon took off his sunglasses, he could vaguely make out that the person was a woman through the dim light emanating from inside the door.

Female ghosts? This is not a common species, let alone in Lungmen.

In Lungmen, there seems to be only one highly respected female ghost.

That person really likes motorcycles.

And this person seems to be...

They also came by motorcycle...

"Big...Big Sister?"

The man, trembling slightly, took off his sunglasses and finally saw who it was.

"Yes, it's good that you recognize me. Call out your leader; I need to speak with her."

The visitor was none other than Hoshiguma.

A well-known thug in the gang.

"Oh, yes! Big sister, would you like to come in and rest for a bit?"

Everyone here knows Hoshiguma, he said obsequiously.

"No, there's no need to go inside. I'll wait for her outside."

-

The sliding door rubbed against the door frame due to the force of its return, and with each opening and closing, it exuded an air of extravagance from within.

The air is thick with the scent of money, the clinking of chips, and the overlapping of dominoes in the hands of the female dealers—this is a haven of desire and wealth.

However, Hoshiguma didn't really like these kinds of places. Although she was a henchman, she never performed her duties here due to her prestige and personal reasons.

In a dark corner untouched by the allure of worldly pleasures, a tiny spark ignited from the metal wheel.

He lit the cigarette he habitually held in his mouth, and the smoke, blurred by the light, shrouded Hoshiguma's vision.

She is waiting for her results.

She was the girl she saved during a gang fight between two factions, and Hoshiguma was not like other gangsters.

You could say they are not really the same type of people, yet they are the same type of people.

In the eyes of the Royal Guard, she was a member of the gang, and also a villain carrying accusations.

In the younger brother's eyes, she was more like a guiding light for these people who could only live in darkness, not someone who lived for profit.

A calm and collected ghost, standing out so uniquely among his many peers.

He never does evil, never bullies the weak, values ​​human relationships, is loyal, and can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Perhaps Hoshiguma was born in the wrong era, in the decadent modern world, rather than in those more legendary times.

No one knows why such a learned and skilled woman from the Oni tribe, who should never be a gangster, would serve as a henchman in a gang.

As for Yan, she also found her own place in Longmen after growing up.

With a click, the sliding door was pushed open again, and a young and tall female manager wearing a black suit skirt and with long black hair hanging down to her waist appeared.

It's hard to believe that such a young woman could climb to the position of manager.

But she did indeed reach that position, solely through her unparalleled card skills.

Perhaps it's a talent.

After all, Hoshiguma had never beaten her at the poker table.

"Big sister? You've finally arrived."

Yan always maintains a cold expression when facing outsiders, which is a psychological tactic in itself. No matter what happens, her opponents cannot glean any information from her expression.

But when she saw Hoshiguma, the girl beamed with joy, like a field where winter had turned to spring and everything was in full bloom.

"Just came to see you and take care of this matter. How have you been lately?"

"Thanks to my elder sister, everything is very good."

"That's good. And one more thing..."

Seemingly feeling somewhat awkward, Hoshiguma scratched her hair, as if she didn't feel quite right.

After all, the purpose was to visit someone, but in the end it still turned into discussing work.

Talking about it feels a bit insincere, but not talking about it is also important because business is important.

Moreover, she didn't want to drag people she knew into this mess, but in the entire Dragon Gate, if she wanted to find a place where no one could find her and no one could easily get involved, then this was the only place left.

This is a gambling hall called "Pure Land".

Because in a sense, this place truly is a "pure land".

P.S.: Today was another day of surviving on a stockpile of drafts; not a single word was written. [collapses]

Section 67, Chapter Sixty-Five: [The World Is About to Change]

"Please follow me. The goods are in the VIP lounge."

It was Yan who spoke first. Her experience of life in the casino helped her understand what she needed to do to ease the conflicted emotions of the woman in front of her, who was of great significance to her and had become more than a close relative.

"Okay... I'll listen to you, Ken."

··················

Instead of passing through that gambling hall filled with desire and money, overflowing with curses, women's laughter, and the smell of hormones, Ken led Hoshiguma through a relatively narrow back door into the employee entrance.

She knew that Hoshiguma didn't like that kind of place.

He walked down the white-painted stairs, finally took out his key, and opened a door that would rarely be opened under normal circumstances.

And this is not a place where employees can come.

The interior was pitch black, and the room was low and not cramped, but incredibly dark.

Its underground location meant that the only window had iron bars and a humming ventilation fan, the flickering light constantly being cut off by the blades and then reconnecting.

The fiber optic cables pierced through the dust, making the place extremely cold and damp.

The so-called "cargo" is a human silhouette outlined by a faint light in the dark environment.

The man was bound hand and foot to a chair, with a black hood over his head, and was trembling and whimpering.

"This is the only tongue we found. Yang San is a local from Longmen. He started in this business three years ago, and in the second year he was imprisoned for intentional injury. He was just released a few months ago."

As she spoke, Yan removed the cloth bag with her gloved hand, revealing the man's face, which had been beaten to the point of being almost deformed.

It seems that the local gangs are willing to use any means to get the other party to tell the truth.

However, they still couldn't get the other party to tell the truth.

These people seemed to be driven mad by desire; their personalities changed drastically, becoming irritable and crazy.

He wasn't the only one; many people participated in the attack, and the vast majority of them were in the same situation as him.

They were incredibly reckless; they even dared to engage in a street brawl with the Royal Guard when they arrived at the scene.

There are many rules in the world, and many people say that what goes around comes around.

There are rules in the underworld, and one of them is not to go against the police.

Even the most powerful figures wouldn't dare to mess with the police, since it's a gray industry. The rulers of Lungmen have only just gained a foothold and don't have time to deal with these rats in the gutter. So they can lend money at high interest rates, help construction companies drive away holdouts, and collect debts.