Chapter 653: Chapter 245: Sophisticated Young Widow
"This time it’s not just about profit; it concerns the prestige of the Night Patrol. All Secret Organizations and personnel fall under the Night Patrol’s jurisdiction. If they can’t even manage the Black Market, how are they supposed to manage anything else? Patir doesn’t understand this, but Luthor should. The Night Patrol is barely holding on through belief alone. If there’s no change, extinction is only a matter of time. Once the Night Patrol is gone, the city falling into chaos is only a matter of time too." Li Xin said.
Watching the Night Patrol handle petty, trivial little cases, the people above don’t care much, but if there is no Night Patrol and Hidden Power runs rampant, no one knows what kind of shape order at the lower levels will end up in.
"The Night Patrol is the last line of defense. It’s still not too late to save it now."
Lu Shuai of course understood, and said with a sigh, "The two factions are busy fighting for power and gain. The Church Court’s internal situation is a mess that can’t be summed up in a few words. Everything is being held up by the Night Patrol putting their lives on the line, and their treatment is abysmal. I honestly don’t know what’s kept them going till now."
"Faith." Li Xin said.
Faith? Lu Shuai didn’t really understand. It seemed this faith was not in the Moon God, because the Church Court didn’t exactly treat the Night Patrol kindly.
Patir couldn’t quite grasp it. The Night Patrol had almost no presence in her perception. If she had any impression at all, it was of the remnants left behind by Luthor back then—felt like they usually had nothing to do and just went around making trouble.
"Could it be because the Night Patrol’s subordination is unclear? The Night Patrol is different from the Funeral Attendant and the Apostles of the Underworld—they are directly under the Church Court’s authority and their待遇 is much better. Either the Night Patrol completely answers to the Cabinet, or they completely return to the Moon God’s Court. The current situation is very awkward; no one is willing to throw in full support." Patir said.
Actually, just from Patir’s expression, Li Xin and Lu Shuai could tell—everyone’s background and life are different; ’empathizing’ doesn’t really exist.
"Right, so why is no one taking charge?" Li Xin asked curiously.
"It was set by Governor Luthor back then. One agreement was with the Moon God’s Court—it concerns the Night Patrol. The other was with the Cabinet—it concerns the Hundred Martial Hall. I remember there was a period of dispute, but no one was willing to let go. Rather than fight over them, it was better to expand and build their own forces." Patir said. "You want to take over this force?"
Patir and Lu Shuai both looked at Li Xin, especially Lu Shuai. He actually hadn’t thought in this direction. All along, Li Xin had seemed disinterested in power, more focused on Hidden Power.
Li Xin didn’t explain. "I need to firmly sit in the captain’s seat. On one hand, I have to find the murderer who killed Jiang Wu; on the other, I need to establish authority while solving the Night Patrol’s funding problem."
Lu Shuai’s eyes gleamed. This was a good thing; it’s just that both matters sounded difficult. Patir, however, was quite optimistic. Whether it worked or not didn’t matter much—this kind of bold, risk-taking man was particularly attractive. "The matter you asked me to investigate has some leads. In the two months before those two guys had their accident, their behavior was pretty normal. The only unusual thing is that they newly joined the Dragon Fortune Association."
"Dragon Fortune Association?"
"Dragon Fortune Association?" Lu Shuai frowned. "An organization founded by a group of nobles nostalgic for and supportive of Royal Family rule. The killer is among them?"
"I never said the killer is in there. I only said it was a change in their personal lives." Patir said. "As for who the killer is, we still need our great detective to confirm. Li Xin, have you ever thought about writing a detective novel?"
"I’ve retired the pen. I’d rather live off someone else than ever see a typewriter again."
"That’s such a pity. By the way, when is your Utopia Mountain coming out in print? I’ve already read it, but I want a copy to collect." Patir asked.
"What Utopia Mountain, which Utopia Mountain?" Lu Shuai asked, puzzled.
"Utopia Mountain: A Tale of恩仇, you didn’t know?" Patir blinked and smiled charmingly.
"Brother Li, you actually had this skill up your sleeve?" Lu Shuai was astonished. No matter how he looked at Brother Li, he didn’t seem like an artist.
Li Xin gave a wry smile. "That was a coincidence, a one-time thing, no next time. It should be soon. It’s for a new newspaper, Freedom Daily; it’ll be serialized there. I don’t want to be in the spotlight for this."
"I’m a devoted reader. I’m really going to look forward to it now." Lu Shuai said happily. He hadn’t expected that the omnipotent Brother Li had no blind spots, even in this.
"I especially like one line in it: If you long for something, give it freedom. If it comes back to you, then it’s yours. If it can’t come back, then you never truly possessed it. In this world there is no such thing as happiness or unhappiness; there is only the comparison between one condition and another. Only those who have experienced extreme misfortune can taste extreme happiness; only those who have resolved to die can understand how joyful it is to live. Live happily— all human wisdom is contained in five words: wait and hope." Patir’s eyes sparkled with many tiny stars—what kind of person could write such rich emotion?
"Pure love and reckless courage are gifts in this world that you can only stumble upon, never seek out." Li Xin said.
Lu Shuai froze for a second, picked up his glass, and silently downed a drink.
Clap clap clap~~~
An elegant woman walked over, offering an apologetic smile. "I had no intention of eavesdropping. I had just arrived and happened to hear such a brilliant expression—waiting, hope, and grace. How wonderful. The way Mr. Li put it has made even me yearn for love again."
"Sister Lezhi, I thought you weren’t here."
"With little sister Patir coming, even if I had something on, I’d make sure to rush back."
Li Xin looked at the woman before him, filled with the classical beauty typical of Beijing people, and a trace of wariness flashed in his pupils. This woman was the owner of that corner flower shop—clearly part of a Hidden Power.
"Li Yinxiao—oh, I should call you Captain Li now. Hello, I’m Jian Lezhi." Jian Lezhi extended her fair hand.
"You two know each other?" Patir asked curiously.
"We met once. Thanks for last time." Li Xin said, giving her hand a light shake.
The woman before him had provided him with a lead. Thinking back on it now, she had most likely been deliberately hinting at him.
Jian Lezhi smiled sweetly. "Captain Li is too polite."
"Sister Lezhi comes from the Jian family, a prestigious Beijing family respected for their virtue. Li Xin is Captain of the Night Patrol’s Shadow Owl unit—he’s not just in the Night Patrol, he’s also the author of Utopia Mountain: A Tale of恩仇." Patir introduced the two.
"I’ve long heard of your great name. I’m also a loyal reader, though you write far too little." Jian Lezhi said with a smile.
"Miss Jian is hiding quite a lot. You’re with the Hundred Martial Hall?" Li Xin suddenly asked.
Jian Lezhi gave a small smile. "I knew I couldn’t hide it from Captain Li. However, everyone in the Hundred Martial Hall has their own duties. What Captain Li intends to do has nothing to do with Lezhi. Everyone who comes here is Lezhi’s guest. Today, it’s my treat. I hope Captain Li will come often when you have time."
Li Xin hadn’t expected this attitude from her. He had thought she would want to have a talk with him. Jian Lezhi didn’t disturb the three any further; she found an excuse to leave and even sent over a bottle of good wine for them.
Once Jian Lezhi had left, Patir looked at Li Xin. "Sister Lezhi has a very good impression of you."
"You two are close?" Li Xin was also curious. Miss Maxine seemed to admire her quite a bit. With her personality, that was rare.
"Sister Lezhi is a core figure of the Hundred Martial Hall. Among our generation in Dragon Capital, anyone who didn’t服 her has tasted her厉害. You can’t afford to provoke her." Patir stuck out her tongue.
Li Xin and Lu Shuai exchanged a glance; it seemed Patir had suffered at her hands too. These sons and daughters of Dragon Capital nobility rarely服 anyone unless they’d been put through the wringer. And the other party clearly used both soft and hard methods—coming on strong alone would only offend people.
Li Xin couldn’t easily judge her stance. Last time she had definitely helped from the shadows. It was one thing to understand the habits of mandala flowers, but thinking deeper, it meant they had a grasp on the Night Patrol’s movements. That was terrifying—practically omnipresent. No wonder Patir behaved herself; these noble brats might swagger around, but in front of those who wield power and Hidden Power, they really didn’t count for much.
He had already made his intentions clear that he was going to clash with the Hundred Martial Hall. What did her appearance at this moment mean?
Wait... could it be that she had some knowledge of the Slave Master?
"What else do you know about this Jian Lezhi?" Li Xin asked.
Patir pouted. "Why, you interested in her?"
Li Xin was speechless. Lu Shuai also looked curiously between Patir and Li Xin; this reaction didn’t seem quite right, but the two of them didn’t look like they were very familiar either.
"What are you talking about? I’m about to go toe-to-toe with the Hundred Martial Hall. With a core figure like her, I obviously need to know more."
"The Jian family is an old Beijing family—high status and prestige, though their own strength is average. Jian Lezhi is the Grand Hall Master of the Hundred Martial Hall’s final disciple; she has no small clout within the Hundred Martial Hall. She’s very good-looking, but unfortunately her husband died young. As a person, overall, she’s pretty nice." Patir said.
"A charming widow?" Lu Shuai was a bit surprised as well.
