Chapter Eighty-Four: Little Egg Sister

In truth, Ye Chen was quite puzzled himself. Why did Captain Lu Biao, even after learning the inside story, still refuse to inform the other team leaders? Was it because the punishment was too cruel to be made public? Or was it that the piglet had some powerful backing and was simply released in private?

Watching someone’s eyes dart about with suspicion, Team Leader Dai knew exactly what he was imagining. Tapping his fingers on the table, he reminded him, “Enough. Stop letting your thoughts run wild. Look out the window—all those horses playing in the sky belong to your family.

“Affairs in the Inner City aren’t as simple as you think. If they wanted us to know, a notice would come. If they don’t want outsiders to find out, your efforts will be in vain, no matter how much you try to ask around. In short, the relationships among the various offices in the Inner City are quite delicate.”

Oh? There was meaning behind those words—it sounded like there was quite a story. Ye Chen’s eyes sparkled as he leaned forward, both ears perked, catching the scent of gossip.

Team Leader Dai peered over the top of his glasses. He couldn’t even be bothered to activate any of his skills, for written plainly across the face of the nosy fellow in front of him were the words: “Tell me now.”

“Ahem, why are you staring at me like that? Don’t you still have a few days off? Stop hanging around here. Go do whatever you want.”

That was a clear dismissal.

Truth be told, whether the piglet lived or died made little difference to Ye Chen. The Outer City Patrol Bureau certainly had its filthy corners, but there were also honest and upright souls among them. Most of the officers were born in the Outer City, and everyone had experienced the hardships of its residents to some extent.

To hold fast to one’s original intentions or to sink into corruption—it was not always a matter of a single thought, but rather the daily influence of one’s team.

So, Ye Chen was grateful to Jin Yinghui, and to Team Leader Dai for pairing him up with Chen Bingfeng and Xu Fan. This visit today was clearly meant to fish for information; Team Leader Dai understood this well, which was why he bothered to offer a few extra words. He knew Ye Chen just wanted to give his teammates an explanation.

...

Hmph! Inner City, oh Inner City—one day, I’ll peel away your dazzling, lustrous facade, and see just how much filth lies beneath.

Ye Chen made this silent vow.

Oh, right—speaking of the various bureaus in the Inner City, wasn’t there still a place I needed to visit? Glancing up at the sky, he saw it was still early. No time like the present; he’d go today.

Ye Chen hurried home and dug out his battered notebook from beneath the bedding. Tucked inside was the trainee researcher identification card given to him by the aloof goddess, as well as the task list tossed to him by Jin Yinghui.

“Who knows if this task has been canceled. I’ll bring it along, just in case.”

Passing through the marketplace, Ye Chen ducked into a shop that sold snacks, picking out a few kinds of beast jerky he thought tasted best, and had two portions wrapped up to go.

This was actually Ye Chen’s favorite food, but in the past, he’d been too frugal to buy it. More often, he’d cut off scraps from his own hunting spoils, drying and preparing them himself. Now that he had a bit more money, he could finally indulge as a proper customer.

Back when he was a wildlands hunter, he’d done business a few times with the owner of this shop, so they could be considered acquaintances. Still, the owner never offered him a discount.

“Stingy!” Ye Chen muttered under his breath, back to the counter.

But the owner, behind him, called out teasingly, “Times are tough—even a hunter’s family is out of meat, coming to me for a treat? Remember to come by more often!”

Ye Chen spun around and shot him a fierce glare.

Speaking of extra meat at home—indeed, it had been ages since he’d gone hunting. Maybe next time, when teaching Little Baldie, he’d scratch that itch again himself.

To Ye Chen, beast jerky wasn’t just a snack. How extravagant would that be? It was good enough as a staple meal. Some vendors in the market would resell beast meat to restaurants, or cut it into cubes, strips, or thin slices, marinate and dry it.

Mutant beasts from the wildlands had tough, muscular flesh, packed with energy and a satisfying chew. Even if soaked in boiling water to rehydrate and expand, then sprinkled with wild greens, it made a delicious meat stew.

Ye Chen had just stepped out when he ran into the very child he’d just been thinking of—the shiny-headed Little Baldie.

Seeing Big Brother Ye Chen out of uniform, Little Baldie greeted him with excitement. “Big Brother Ye Chen, you’re not on patrol today? Does that mean we can...”

Ye Chen anticipated his question and quickly cut him off. “Sorry, Little Baldie, I’m busy today—need to go to the Inner City.”

He patted his pocket as a reminder. “Remember the stone you left with me? I’ll take care of it for you today.”

“Oh...” came the disappointed, drawn-out reply as Little Baldie’s face fell.

“Hey! Is this your little sister? She’s grown so much! I remember—her name’s Little Bun, right?”

Ye Chen’s attention fell on a small figure hiding behind Little Baldie. The little girl barely reached Ye Chen’s knee, her brows and features resembling her brother’s, but far cuter than he had been at her age. Her hair was pulled into a bun, thick and glossy, and though her face was grimy, her large eyes were clear, lively, and a bit shy.

She clung to Little Baldie’s shirt, peeking out timidly, blinking as she sized up the handsome man before her.

Noticing the stark contrast in hair between the two siblings, Ye Chen wondered to himself if their parents had planned everything beforehand—right down to hairstyle selection.

He crouched down and gently wiped the dirt from Little Bun’s face. Her skin was soft and elastic, and on a whim, Ye Chen gave her cheek a playful pinch.

Startled, the little girl ducked away in fright, lips quivering, tears brimming in her big eyes.

Little Baldie stroked his sister’s head to comfort her. “Don’t be scared—Big Brother Ye Chen is a good person. Last time, he helped me take down a bad guy.

“He even promised to teach me how to hunt. Next time, I’ll catch lots of tasty game for you, alright?”

At the mention of food, Little Bun’s face lit up, her chubby fingers stuffed into her mouth, and even the way she looked at Ye Chen changed.

Suddenly recalling something, Ye Chen divided up the jerky he’d bought, tucking a packet into her arms. “Here, this is delicious. Take it—and remember to share with your brother.”

Little Bun looked stunned, then hesitated, glancing up at her brother for guidance as if to say, “Should I accept it? Or should I accept it?”

Little Baldie grinned widely. “If Big Brother Ye Chen gives it to you, just take it. If it’s not enough, ask him for more next time.”

Ye Chen couldn’t help but twitch at that—was that really how you taught your little sister?

Watching the two siblings walk off hand in hand, Ye Chen felt his mood soar. He turned back into the shop and ordered another portion.

The first two packets had been meant for Yuanzi’s little sister and the aloof goddess, You Ya.

As for Director-General You Zhi—well, he was a man, and could be safely ignored...