Fang Zhou, I'm just a farmer, not Shennong!

Lin Yuxia tilted her head and asked.

"Of course not. This kind of shop is just for fun. If you want to eat in the real city, you have to go to the main city."

After saying that, Lu Yuan picked up a small piece of beef from the plate as big as his own and started eating.

After the two finished their meal, they strolled around the upper city together, talking about the history and development of Longmen, the current situation and changes in Longmen, the world situation and the history of persecution of infected people, the bizarre operations of various governments, and the ugliness of some capital in Longmen.

The topics that Lu Yuan and Lin Yuxia talked about were completely different from those of Shi Huaiya, and they were both very happy while chatting.

Lu Yuan sent Lin Yuxia back home.

Originally, Lu Yuan thought that a business elite like Lin Yuxia would live in a big villa in the upper city, but unexpectedly, she actually lived in a candy store in the main city.

Nowadays, the candy store is still open at night, and you can even see children strolling inside through the glass windows.

"This is my father's candy store. He loves children."

Lin Yuxia said.

Lu Yuan nodded.

"I didn't expect that the legendary slum king actually has such a hobby."

Lu Yuan smacked his lips and exclaimed in amazement.

"Then I'll go back first."

Lu Yuan just finished speaking.

An old voice came from the door of the store.

"Young friend Lu Yuan, why don't you come in and sit down?"

"dad?"

Lin Yuxia turned her head and looked at Lin Gerui who had appeared out of nowhere.

Lin Yuxia didn't expect that her father would invite her personally.

At this moment, Lu Yuan was looking deeply at the old rat with the appearance of an 'ancestor' in front of him.

This is...the legendary...king of the slums.

Volume 1: Chapter 56: I'll Call You Lin Bo & Heading to Rhodes Island

This was the first time Lu Yuan saw the King of the Slums who only existed in legends.

Let’s put aside the appearance of the ‘ancestors’.

I look not much different from the kind retired old man strolling on the street. My hair is completely white and I have a small tuft of white mustache on my chin.

His skinny hands gently grasped a cane, and he was wearing a thin coat.

to be frank.

With this image, Lu Yuan found it hard to connect the legendary King of the Slums with the old man in front of him. The whole person gave people a peaceful and kind feeling. There was not a trace of Originium skill fluctuation in his body. He seemed like an ordinary old man strolling in the park.

This is completely different from Wei Yanwu, who is full of oppression.

Originally, Lu Yuan saw that Lin Yuxia was so young, and she was a childhood friend of Shi Huaiya, so they must be about the same age. In theory, the Rat King should look about the same age as Wei Yanwu.

I didn't expect the age gap to be so big.

I think it should be a case of having a daughter in old age.

Lu Yuan took the initiative to walk in front of Lin Gerui and saw that underneath his thin coat was a thin summer Muggle coat with the characteristics of Dayan. He then bowed in Dayan's style and spoke respectfully.

"Senior Lin! I've heard of you for a long time, and I feel honored to meet you today."

Lin Gerui chuckled, then turned around, leaning on his cane, and walked back to the candy store leisurely.

"Let's go."

Seeing this, Lin Yuxia also called Lu Yuan to walk into the candy store.

"I didn't expect that Dad would personally invite me."

In front of the Rat King, Lin Yuxia no longer looked like the powerful business woman elite outside, but instead looked well-behaved.

The two followed the Rat King into the candy store.

At this time, although it was already past nine o'clock in the evening, there were still many people in the candy store.

The candy store is very large, with a simple decoration style. The shelves are filled with all kinds of candies. These candies come from all over the world, including those from Dayan, Colombia, Victoria, and Longmen’s latest original candies.

Many children were happily running around in the candy store. Some were lying on the ground playing various small games that children liked. Then they would grab a piece of candy from the shelf next to them and ask the Rat King politely in a baby voice.

"Grandpa, can I eat?"

The Rat King would nod kindly.

Walk behind.

Not only Lu Yuan, but anyone else would find it difficult to connect the kind old man in front of them with the legendary Rat King.

The three of them walked into the inner room.

Lin Gerui invited Lu Yuan to sit on one side of the coffee table in the living room. Without even saying anything, Lin Yuxia sat on the other side and made tea for the two of them.

Lu Yuan didn't expect that Lin Yuxia actually knew tea art.

Her technique is so skillful that even an outsider like Lu Yuan can see that Lin Yuxia's technique is at least at a professional level.

After a series of operations, the tea was poured into Lu Yuan and Lin Gerui's tea cups respectively, and the fragrance of the tea drifted into Lu Yuan's nostrils.

"Unexpected?"

Lin Yuxia smiled when she saw Lu Yuan's slightly tea-themed expression.

"It's really unexpected."

Lu Yuan told the truth.

"I like to pursue professionalism in everything. I either learn nothing or become proficient in it. So I really hate people who fish for three days and slack off for two days."

Lin Yuxia said as she fiddled with the tea set.

Lu Yuan carefully picked up the cup of tea that Lin Yuxia had brewed for him. He sniffed it first and was filled with a light fragrance, elegant and refined. He took a sip and found that the bitterness was followed by a hint of sweetness, just like life.

'Um...'

"I can't tell what's so special about it."

Lu Yuan couldn't help but complain in his heart.

After taking a small sip, Lin Gerui got straight to the point.

"Friend Lu, I have been observing you for a while now. Please forgive me."

"Senior Lin, you're joking."

Lu Yuan never expected that Lin Gerui would treat him so humblely.

This made Lu Yuan wave his hands quickly.

"The slums are your territory. I, a foreigner, can live safely in the slums. I am grateful for your care."

Lin Gerui put down his teacup and chuckled.

"I'm not specifically taking care of you. I've always followed the rules. Since you arrived in the slums, you've been following the rules and trying to make Block 79 a better place. I've seen your actions, so I haven't taken care of you in the slightest. On the contrary, you've taken care of the slums."

"Taking care of my life's work."

"Senior Lin, you're joking. Yuxia took the initiative to invest in me and take care of me. This is in itself your care for me. I don't believe that before Yuxia first came to me, you didn't say good things about me behind my back."

Lu Yuan said this.

This made Lin Gerui burst into laughter.

It seemed as if Lu Yuan had guessed his arrangement right away.

"As expected of a young talent from the Tianshi Mansion of Yan Country, the young are truly formidable..."

"Friend Lu, do you know why Wei Yanwu and I have been working on the slums for so long, but still haven't been able to truly integrate them into Longmen?"

Lu Yuan said without hesitation: "Because Longmen needs slums."

"Just like every home needs a trash can, once there is no trash can, the whole home will soon become a trash can."

Lin Gerui sighed.

"Yes, I once tried to change the slums through various methods, using weapons, economic means, and even charity. I provided food and jobs to the refugees and infected people in the slums for free. Do you know why I failed?"

“Because of the human heart…”

"As you said, Mr. Lu, the slums are like trash cans; they are indispensable. There are always trash in this world who want to make the slums even more chaotic. Once there is chaos, they can profit from it, just like the old nobles in Ursus who crave war. Ultimately, it's all an outward diversion of internal contradictions."

“The slum itself is a combination of contradictions.”

"The current peace in Longmen's main urban area is inseparable from the slums, because many criminals and garbage all run to the slums after committing crimes and voluntarily end up in the trash cans."

"So, Mr. Lu, do you know what kind of difficulties you are about to face?"

Lin Gerui crossed his skinny hands on the table, staring at Lu Yuan with his rat-like eyes, waiting for Lu Yuan's answer.

"I know, Senior Lin."

"The conflicts between the infected and the uninfected, the conflicts of interest between the various gangs, the diversity of people's hearts, even though Block 79 seems to be on the right track now, it's actually because of me. I rely on my powerful force to suppress everything, like a central button, forcibly maintaining balance."

"In the future, if I'm gone, this fragile balance will be broken, and Block 79 will return to its original state."

"Actually, this is also true in the slums. Now, thanks to you, Senior Lin, these underworld forces still observe some rules, and the entire slum is relatively peaceful."

Lin Gerui nodded.

"So, Mr. Lu, do you still think that everything you are doing now is meaningful?"

As soon as these words came out.

Even Lin Yuxia, who was sitting beside the coffee table, immediately looked up and glanced at her father.

Lu Yuan pondered for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"Yes! Senior Lin!"

"In fact, not only in the slums, but also in the entire Terra, peace is maintained by the suppression of powerful military force. When those who possess military power retain their original intentions and are dedicated to good, then there will be peace and prosperity. When those who possess military power are greedy, then there will be chaos."

"Just like the difference between Longmen and Ursus."

"Commander Wei and Senior Lin, you are all working for the people. Everything you do is for the people of Longmen. That's why Longmen has become the financial center of Terra in such a short period of time, and a paradise that everyone longs for."

"On the contrary, in Ursus, those with great power only pursue profit and don't care about the lives of ordinary people. Then Ursus is purgatory."

"So, I sincerely admire Senior Peilin and Commander Wei."

"This is also my answer to Senior Lin. Since you know that all your efforts will ultimately be in vain, why are you still working hard? Your persistence is the reason why I persist."

"All this is done to ensure that people all over the world no longer suffer from hunger and live and work in peace and contentment."

Lin Gerui's eyes gradually softened as he looked at Lu Yuan, as if he was looking at his younger generation and saw his younger self. There was a kind of sincere kindness in his eyes.

He grinned, then stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

"Let's have dinner here, Mr. Lu."

"We've already eaten! Senior Lin!"

Lu Yuan said quickly.

"I know without a doubt that Yuxia must have eaten at one of those fancy restaurants in Uptown with you. It's impossible to be full with such a small amount. You should go there less often in the future and eat at home more often when you have time."

After saying that, Lin Gerui turned on the gas stove and started preparing dinner for Lu Yuan and Lin Yuxia.

That back view...

There is no difference between him and a kind elder.

After dinner, Lu Yuan felt like he was back home. When he was about to leave, the Rat King took a bag and grabbed a large bag of various candies from the store for Lu Yuan to take away.

Before leaving.

Lu Yuan said, holding a bag full of candies.

"Senior Lin, please don't call me little friend. I am your junior. You can just call me Xiao Yuan."

Lin Gerui smiled slightly, and the white beard on his chin swayed in the evening breeze.