Chapter Eighty-Five: Wish Me Luck

Arriving at the marketplace, it was only natural to greet Ye Shanshan. As Ye Chen approached, Ye Shanshan habitually asked, “Ye Chen, what do you want for lunch?” But in the next moment, her expression shifted to one of suspicion, and she sized up Ye Chen, who was dressed more carefully than usual. Showing off again, huh? Who are you dressing up for?

Ye Chen felt uneasy under her scrutiny. “What’s that you’re holding?” Ye Chen was taken aback—why didn’t she ask what he was up to? That’s not the point! “Two packs of dried meat, for friends in the Inner City to try!” he answered with a cheerful smile, gazing at the young cook’s delicate face.

She, however, glared back at him with bright, watery eyes, full of doubt. “Friends? Since when do you have friends in the Inner City? Are they male or female?”

“Huh? Haha, haha, male! Male! Met him at the Extraordinary Bureau last time,” Ye Chen replied, half-jokingly, “He gave me a restorative, I owe him.”

“Oh?!” What kind of tone is that? How could you not believe me?

...Is this the terrifying sixth sense of women, an innate detective skill?

Creator, are you blind? Of all the gifts to bestow, why grant this damned talent to tigresses?

“Haha, haha, I’d better get going, don’t want to keep him waiting,” Ye Chen, feeling guilty, chose to slip away quickly.

...

The steel gate was still black, the stone walls as thick as ever, and the same two guards were on duty as before.

As Ye Chen approached, one guard held out his hand. But instead of the usual papers or cigarettes, he received a card bearing the emblem of the Extraordinary Bureau.

The guard was visibly stunned, then looked from the card to Ye Chen’s face in disbelief. If memory served, the smiling man before him was supposed to be from the Outer City Patrol Bureau—how had he suddenly...

The older guard, sensing something odd, came over and took the card to inspect it closely. “Is this real?”

“Can’t be fake.”

“When did the Patrol Bureau get a trainee researcher?”

“If you ask me, who do I ask?” As the two discussed, Ye Chen withdrew his smile, took back the card with a cough, and said expressionlessly, “There wasn’t one before. Now you’ve seen it.”

The guards stepped aside to let Ye Chen pass.

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He hadn’t gone far when the guards saw Ye Chen return, card pinched between his fingers as he waved it before their eyes. “With this card, does it mean I don’t have to return to the Outer City within the set hours?”

The two exchanged a look, unsure but unable to question him, so they nodded quietly. “Yes, as long as you hold the Extraordinary Bureau researcher card, even without a residence in the Inner City, you can stay as long as you like.”

The other guard added, “The Bureau has its own dorms. Researchers often stay inside for days, even weeks—that’s normal.”

So that’s how it works, Ye Chen thought, enlightened. “Thanks! Wish me luck!”

The old guard hesitated, then quickly responded, “Good luck!” He finished with a salute.

Watching Ye Chen’s relaxed figure walk away, the other guard finally asked, “Why’d you wish him luck?”

The old guard replied, “Are you stupid? Have you seen how researchers work? When they go into the lab, it’s like entering a battlefield. That tone just now—so cool. He’s definitely been called up for some big project. Keep your eyes peeled next time he comes out of the Inner City—check his face.”

“What does a good face look like?”

“Haggard yet exhilarated!”

...

Humming a tune, swinging two packs of dried meat, Ye Chen pushed open the doors of the Extraordinary Bureau.

“Uniform Miss, oh no, Miss Yuanzi, I’ve come to see you! Wait...what's going on? What day is today?”

Compared to his last visit, Ye Chen found the Bureau much livelier. Some dressed as wealthy merchants, others in stylish clothes, and even some in uniforms—different from the Patrol Bureau’s, these belonged to soldiers from the Defense Bureau.

Glancing around, Ye Chen spotted Yuanzi escorting a couple with a chubby child downstairs. All three were clad in fine attire, faces glowing with the richness of silk and privilege.

Yuanzi warmly saw them to the door before returning to greet Ye Chen.

Today, Yuanzi was dressed in a new uniform—a white tailored blazer paired with a beige pencil skirt, the classic office look.

...Nice!

Ever since their last encounter, Ye Chen no longer hid his gaze, openly appraising her from top to bottom and back again. Clicking his tongue, he said, “Yuanzi, your boss has great taste. There’s always a surprise every time I come.”

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Yuanzi spun in place, lifted her chin proudly, and boasted, “How’s this? Looks good, right? Our uniforms aren’t chosen by the Chief Director—that old fossil. His taste...never mind, he doesn’t have any. All he thinks about is research. If you ask him what to wear, you can bet he’d answer ‘lab coat’!”

Ye Chen commented, “It’s nice, but doesn’t suit you—makes you look a bit too mature.” Though his words said otherwise, his eyes were honest.

Yuanzi pouted in annoyance, stomping the floor with her heel as she always did. “This is called ‘pure desire,’ don’t you get it?”

I really don’t, but I won’t let you know that... Ye Chen, to cover his awkwardness, rubbed his nose.

“Why so many people today? Something big happening in the Bureau?” He deftly changed the subject.

“Huh? You don’t know? I thought you did, so you came to join the fun.”

I don’t know a thing!

“Yuanzi, I brought you some snacks on the way here, fragrant dried meat.” “Really? For me? That’s so embarrassing!” Before she finished speaking, she’d already grabbed the meat.

Are all young people so inconsistent these days?

Girls are like greedy little kittens—give them something delicious and they become docile and sweet.

“So, what’s going on?”

“Tomorrow’s the Continental Trade Fair! Goods from the four great capitals will be on display. Also, those raw stones you saw last time will be auctioned at the fair.”

In the blink of an eye, Yuanzi had popped a piece of dried meat into her mouth, cheeks bulging as she chewed. “Delicious, fragrant, but a bit tough on the teeth!”

Then stop eating—spit it out and give it back to me.

“The couple you just greeted, were they here to choose raw stones?” Ye Chen decided not to argue and changed the topic.

Chew...chew...chew...

Gulp—she finally swallowed.

“Whew! Almost choked on the dried meat!” The little greedy kitten patted her not-so-full chest and sighed.

“That’s right. Did you see the chubby kid? He’s an Awakened. His parents came to buy raw stones, planning to spend money to boost his intrinsic value.”

Four words popped into Ye Chen’s mind—damn, pay-to-win!

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