After Huai Shi marked a check on the paper, he bowed gratefully and received it with both hands.

A group of dwarves, skilled in their craft, had already scattered, distributing their flyers to the onlookers—[In Important Moments, How Can There Be No Song] Abyss Dawn Choir, your most professional accompaniment, your private orchestra (now recruiting several string musicians, interested parties please contact 'Homeless Cemetery' marker number 4).

"...Fine then."

Huai Shi's expression twitched as he forcibly suppressed the urge to apply for the job, taking the last card from the dwarf leader.

"The Abyss Dawn Choir looks forward to providing you with our next service. Goodbye, friends, goodbye!"

With the dwarves' reluctant waves, these strange creatures from Hell vanished into the air, riding on the mist formed from dry ice and the bizarre, multicolored disco lights.

In the ensuing silence, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

"That's it?"

Huai Shi's expression twitched again as he carefully opened the greeting card in his hand—yes, pink and beautifully bound. Upon opening it, he saw a line of gold embossed text inside: Friendship lasts forever.

Forever my ass! You people from Green Day are all nuts! Did you come here to launch a suicide attack just to hold a solo concert for me? What are you even thinking!

Huai Shi was genuinely perplexed. Something seemed off, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was until, in the long silence, Sparrow gently patted his shoulder.

"Pal, about the trouble left by your 'best friend' Feng Ping... shouldn't you explain a bit?"

"..."

Huai Shi looked down at the mask-wearing Action Officers who had surrounded him, and his expression couldn't help but twitch once more. "If I say I'm not who you think I am, and it wasn't me, will you believe me?"

"Fine then."

Sparrow looked at his face with a strange expression, her tone becoming playful. "Although I have no idea what happened, arresting you on the spot is the right move... right?"

Handcuffs clinked onto Huai Shi's wrists as he whistled teasingly.

"Come with us."

A black hood covered his face.

The farce thus concluded. As if.

Reportedly, a big mess ensued afterward. Within just a few days, a group of individuals wearing mahjong masks stormed through the interior, rooting out several traitors in a fierce internal purge. Guilty or not, those who were taken away never returned. Many Action Officers received strange transfer orders, and the frequent shifts in middle management hinted at an intensifying struggle beneath the seemingly placid surface of the higher-ups...

But what did this have to do with Huai Shi, this salted fish? He was immediately thrown into the detention room of the Jinling Branch.

The arrest warrant was personally signed by Ai Qing.

Officially, it was to investigate his kidnapping ordeal. In reality, his room had a bed, internet, and even a gaming console. Old Xiao and the others occasionally invited him for meals; everyone would head to the canteen for a lively feast, after which Huai Shi would stroll back alone at his leisure.

It was better than a vacation.

To be honest, Ai Qing no longer held any other expectations for Huai Shi. For someone as tough as a street dog and as slippery as Teflon—even if the branch exploded, he probably wouldn't lose a single hair—her only demand of her sole subordinate remained simple: don't cause trouble.

At such a critical moment, as long as you didn't stir up issues, you could do whatever you wanted.

All Huai Shi had to do each day was go through long and tedious reviews and reports, a mere formality. The reviewers weren't earnest, and the reports were mostly unread. Such a waste of Huai Shi's brilliant writing.

Nobody even bothered to ask his name or age!

Such a letdown for him.

Regardless, he was happy to take it easy.

In the midst of the ongoing stormy, low-pressure atmosphere, this little prison had become an unnoticed haven, where everyone idled away their days playing cards, gaming online, and having a blast.

Five days later, Huai Shi was finally released. It wasn't just a release; a rather high-ranking uncle also warmly shook his hand. He inquired with concern whether Huai Shi had suffered or felt tired during detention, emphasizing that the Astronomical Society would never forget anyone who had made significant contributions, BLAH BLAH BLAH...

It seemed he was planning to compensate Huai Shi for being kidnapped at headquarters during the recent disturbances. One could imagine that, besides his remarkable performance, it was mostly thanks to Ai Qing's relentless demands and extortion over these past few days.

He looked like he'd taken a significant financial hit.

Of course, officially, it was to affirm and encourage his bravery in struggling against border terrorists like Green Day. He was praised for practically being the Green Day Nemesis, with hopes that he would continue to excel.

Continue my ass!

Huai Shi rolled his eyes inwardly. After a round of perfunctory responses, the leader finally walked away satisfied. Then, Huai Shi was escorted by two people to the back door and into an unmarked car.

There, he saw a familiar teenage girl in the driver's seat.

—Li Jian Amber.

She was wearing sunglasses and chewing gum, with piles of cigarette butts accumulated outside the rolled-down window, still looking as despondent as a hopeless salted fish.

Utterly dejected.

"Let's go, Legendary Sauce."

She stepped on the gas. "I'm taking you to get your compensation."

"...Why is it you again?"

"Who else?" Li Jian Amber retorted. "Other than us pitiable foreign temporary workers who can't fit in with the group, who else do you expect to drive for you? White Emperor's Son? Aren't you afraid of wearing out your blessing?"

"Uh, your life seems pretty tough..."

"Yeah, right—"

Li Jian Amber said irritably, "Mr. Huai Shi, who seems to have lived a comfortable, happy life and even gained a pound, can you show some mercy and offer your head to this poor girl?"

"Dream on."

"TSK..."

Li Jian Amber made a displeased sound.

"Also, why are you the one who came?" Huai Shi asked. "Aren't you with the Social Security Department? It's not appropriate for you to always be running over to our Astronomical Society, is it?"

"You think I want to come?"

Li Jian Amber huffed. "The Astronomical Society Jinling Branch gave that slot to you, but that doesn't mean everything is theirs, right? Just remember to show some respect; the master is very strict."

"Master?"

"You should respect your teachers and their teachings, right? When I first arrived in Dongxia, I had the opportunity to study with the master for half a month..."

As she spoke of the past, Li Jian Amber's expression grew complicated. "After all, I was a rare foreign member back then, and even the hairtail fish allotted to me was wider than others'. It was really nice—excluding that nightmare of training, that time was almost dreamlike..."

"No, I mean, the compensation for me... is it a training class?"

Huai Shi finally caught on, feeling somewhat dumbfounded. A damn training class, and from the Social Security Department at that? What's the use? And Li Jian Amber's attitude was so regretful and disdainful, as if Huai Shi had taken a huge advantage of them. "How much you can learn in half a month depends on you, but the Social Security Department can guarantee that once this chance is gone, you won't find another like it."

"..."

Huai Shi was silent for a long time before asking, "Does this mean that if I finish this class, I'll be able to get promoted when I go back?"

Wait a second. Although his outward position was that of a temporary worker, an Action Officer who didn't even measure up to a Military Officer, his internal title was still Essential Secretary at the Xinhai City Astronomical Society's station, directly responsible to Ai Qing. If he were to be promoted further, wouldn't that mean...

"Dream on," Li Jian Amber retorted, throwing his own words back at him. "You think going through training with the Social Security Department will get you a promotion in the Astronomical Society? How wishful can you get?"

Huai Shi's eye twitched.

This woman... why is she so petty! It was just one kill she lost to me, and she's held a grudge until now! TSK. Yingzhou People, so narrow-minded...

He reached out, rummaged through the compartment next to the driver's seat, and pulled out an open pack of Seven Stars. Taking Li Jian Amber's lighter, he asked casually, "You're from Yingzhou, so why did you join the Social Security Department?"

"For work, what else? Did you think everyone has an inheritance like you?" Li Jian Amber glanced at her cigarettes and stepped on the gas, accelerating. "The old men in my family aren't all dead yet, so it's not my turn to touch the money. I hope they kick the bucket soon so I can go back and inherit the family business."

"No, I mean... you're from Yingzhou, so why come to Dongxia's Social Security Department? Wouldn't Deer's Sing Hall be better?"

Huai Shi lowered his head and lit the cigarette.

Amber didn't answer, her expression just grew more unpleasant.

"Are you with the Social Security Department, or am I? Why all the detailed questions? Checking my household registration?" she suddenly asked. "Oh, by the way, have you fastened your seatbelt?"

Huai Shi was taken aback.

Suddenly, he saw Li Jian Amber sharply turn the steering wheel, swing around a corner, and then slam on the brakes. In a dazzling flurry of motion, the whole car began spinning on the spot like a top.

A brief moment of weightlessness.

Inside the car, Huai Shi saw the small items on the dashboard lift into the air along with him.

Consciousness seemed to flash through his nerves like lightning.

Everything came to an abrupt stop.

Lightning reflex.

In this brief moment, he floated almost motionless in midair, along with the sparks from his cigarette, and saw a wisp of smoke suspended in the air.

Then, that wisp of smoke shattered.

It was torn apart by the fierce wind, along with the flame from the lighter. Violent force from inertia descended suddenly, brutally enveloping everything, extinguishing the smoke and the flame, yanking everything violently in all directions.

Except for Huai Shi.

Through what seemed like an endless moment, Huai Shi remained motionless, indifferent to the car's violent spinning and shaking.

He was as if nailed to the passenger seat, not moving even an inch from the chair.

He just let his hair flutter in the air, then reached out, plucked the cigarette that was floating nearby, stuck it back in the corner of his mouth, and leisurely took a deep drag.

As the spinning ceased, everything came to a halt. Amidst the mournful cry of the tires and the trembling of the car body, the cushion, water bottle, cigarette pack, and lighter all fell back to the floor.

Huai Shi slowly exhaled the smoke from his lungs, pinched out the end of the nearly finished cigarette on the armrest console, turned around, and studied the teenage girl who had been expecting to see him make a fool of himself. His gaze was like that of a neighbor watching a mischievous child poking an electrical outlet with a metal fork.

So compassionate, so helpless.

"Miss, driving like this, it wouldn't be unfair to give you a bad review, would it?"

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