Longmen Memoirs

The white-haired girl in the room was wearing the most common dress in the lower city, a long linen skirt, and her white hair was tied up and draped behind her shoulders. She was chattering a little, her words full of worry, and she was watching her friend standing at the door open her clothes. After a helpless expression appeared on the hooded face, he finally stopped talking.

"I told you, I shouldn't let you come with me. You worry about it every time. Alina, if this goes on, you will almost become an old mother."

"You still have the nerve to accuse me, so I won't say anything anymore. Just come back."

She took off her wet cloak and hung it on the hanger hook next to the door. She turned around and closed the door, blocking out the cold and the sound of rain outside.

She shuddered slightly.

"It's really cold today."

He turned around again, looked at the girl walking toward him in the room, and gently opened his arms to hug her.

Alina was stunned for a moment, and her eyes softened.

"Suddenly...what happened?" She asked softly next to Draco's ear.

Tallulah leaned on her shoulder and closed her eyes slightly.

"It's nothing, I suddenly want to hold you. It's much warmer now, my good Alina." She replied, letting go of her hand, and a shallow smile bloomed on her face.

"Have you contacted Lyudmila and the others?"

"Well, they will take some of the infected people who are willing to leave with us to evacuate the city in advance. I plan to let them go back to the camp first. The messenger has already set off in advance to bring the news to Kahn. Red and Froststar will pick them up outside the city. They should leave.”

"This is a good thing, but your expression didn't look relaxed just now. Tallulah, are you worried about something?"

Alina watched as Tallulah walked to the table and picked up the slices of bread from the table without washing her hands.

"Did you encounter someone else on your way back..."

"This afternoon in the square, the Qicheng military police hanged another missionary." Tallulah took a bite of the piece of bread in her hand, leaned on the back of her chair and said, "This is the first time in the past two months. Four cases.”

"Ah, I heard the neighbors on the street saying, Tallulah, it's [~

"Maybe, the situation is not clear yet." Tallulah thought for a while and replied: "The information sent back by Avrola last week said that Ursus' army was moving closer to the east, and they saw the third army's baggage train. The destination should be the city we are in now.”

"You mean the Third Army is coming here?"

"It's not sure yet, so we have to make preparations in advance to take infected people who are willing to leave out of the city. Alex and Lyudmila have already gone. There probably won't be too many people. At the same time, we have to pay attention. The reaction of the Qicheng military police and the infected people, if they are caught, it will not be so easy to leave here."

Tallulah sat on a chair, biting a piece of bread, and slowly took off her gloves. Alina saw the watch exposed on her right wrist.

"Don't worry too much, Alina. Even if a war breaks out in Ursus, Chernobog will not be the front line. The Third Army should have received the task of defense and temporarily stationed supplies in Qicheng. When a war breaks out, we should pay more attention to the safety of infected people. Under the current situation, we may encounter more complex problems than before."

"Well, you know more about this than me."

"You have learned very quickly. Just by volunteering to come to Qicheng, you are already braver than many people. Alina, we may have to face pursuit from the city's military police and the army at any time here... ...I, to be honest, I'm a little worried that I won't be able to protect you." Tallulah sighed softly: "So I guess, what I mean is that you can leave with the people who are evacuating this time."

"What about you, Tallulah?"

"I must stay." Tallulah shook her head and replied: "We still have a lot of work to do here in Qicheng. Although the current tense situation in Ursus will increase the risk of exposure, their focus will not be lost. In a group of infected people, as long as we are careful, action may be easier than in the past."

"And the infected people in the south have not yet been completely integrated into a whole. I can't leave yet. Kahn and Pavel returned to the camp. Although the camp has stocked up on food and supplies for more than a year, it still cannot withstand the huge number. The infected people have returned to the snowfields to be consumed, and we still have not achieved the ability to effectively exploit the resources and machinery on the snowfields, let alone provide medical treatment and education for the infected people, and the strength to ensure these."

"We need an effective source of materials and funds. For example, the infected can mine the minerals in the snowfields themselves and use the Victoria and Kazdare channels to establish sustainable trade with the caravans. We also need machines, technology, construction and Conditions for maintaining equipment, but we haven’t seen any of these things yet.”

“It’s only been a year, and it’s already very difficult to reach the current scale.”

"Yes, after all, we don't expect to be able to obtain these smoothly once we arrive in the south, but the survival of the infected people ultimately depends on the infected people themselves."

"That's not what I meant, Tallulah, I was just thinking, it would be great if Chen was still here. If he was still here, you wouldn't have to worry and think so much. Everyone is looking at you now. I think , are you pushing yourself too hard?"

"There's no time for us to relax now, Alina." Tallulah smiled and looked at Alina: "I know my state very well. It's not the point where I can't hold on anymore. Besides, everyone has it. It’s not easy. No one can live a good life. A careless negligence can easily ruin our career. If we fail, we can still make up for it. If we lose our lives, we really have nothing.”

Alina showed a little helplessness.

"You, you, Tallulah, I can't say anything about you."

"That's because our considerate Miss Alina is letting me go, otherwise I wouldn't be able to speak so eloquently in front of you."

Tallulah complimented, and Alina raised her head slightly.

"You also know that even if you compliment me, I won't be happy. I still have to say a few words to you from time to time. We have an agreement."

"Of course I won't forget it. Okay, let's not talk about this. Once Lyudmila organizes the people, you will leave with them. But before that, I have been hungry for almost a whole day."

"I know, I know, your appetite has become bigger and bigger recently. If you continue like this, I won't be able to feed you."

"Am I not the one who has been raising you?"

"Yes, yes, then the next time the military and police conduct a population check, don't put on men's clothes and lie about being my husband. You don't know, but now the neighbors look at me strangely."

"I thought you were enjoying it all the time. In fact, you really enjoy playing the role of a wife."

"How could it be, and... well, you are the one who enjoys it, right?"

"That's not bad, is it?" Tallulah leaned on the table with her elbows and tilted her head to look at Alina who was standing at the door of the kitchen, gently waving the half piece of bread in her hand.

"If I were a man, I would really like to marry you home right away."

"It's a pity you're not, no, fortunately you're not." Alina said, and immediately corrected her. She walked into the kitchen, and a voice sounded from inside: "Dinner will be ready soon, but you can go upstairs to take a shower and change first. Put on some clean clothes before you come down."

"I see, you are really becoming more and more like a nagging little wife, Miss Alina."

"Please say virtuous, I remember you know what that word means."

Tallulah stood up and walked up the stairs with the remaining half of the bread in her mouth.

The tall Drake took off his watch in the bathroom. The mirror reflected a young woman with silver hair. There was a conspicuous scar on her shoulder. It was from the Ursus Rangers who were chasing them shortly after they first arrived in the south half a year ago. Evidence left behind by the encounter.

This journey was not a peaceful one. In the three months since they finally arrived in Qicheng, their originally planned project was still progressing slowly.

The word "gift" gradually became unfamiliar in her mind. Many years later, she regained the meaning of this word. It was Draco's birthday. From that year on, their birthdays became the same day, but there was nothing she could do. Sent out.

Perhaps what she could give had already been received that winter many years ago, so there was no need to repeat the same process in this life.

She put down the watch whose black steel mark had been worn away. Perhaps only when she put it on could she feel that she was connected to the missing person again.

She should let go, but what is often difficult for people to do is let go.

"...How long does it take to get to Longmen?"

"Back to Your Highness, it will take three days to visit Longmen City. The guard arrived yesterday. Longmen responded at 5:30 yesterday afternoon that the ship is ready to receive a response."

He stopped talking. The guard stood quietly behind him, looking at the man wearing a large flame satin, flat gold embroidered river, mountain tooth water, four-clawed dragon python suit on his armor. In silence, the wilderness outside the porthole continued to recede.

He just stared at the vast wilderness outside the porthole window, and after a long time he spoke, low and indifferent.

"Step back and let me be alone"

"Here."

The huge warship broke through the bitter cold winter, and the tracks of the land craft rolled through the barren wilderness below. The emblem symbolizing one of the most powerful countries on the land was printed on the top of the warship, and the flag of the King of Martial Arts fluttered in the wind.

Chapter 2 This Longmen City ([-])

We all know that no matter how beautiful the dream is, it is false after all, just like a phantom bubble. Although the extravagant hope is shattered, it is natural for people to be attached to everything in the dream and to that beautiful but unattainable dream.

But no matter how good the dream is, you will eventually wake up, whether you like it or not, things in the world are like this, there is no trace to be found and elusive.

"Then I repeat, listen, my ambition is to join the Guards Bureau, and then I will join the Special Inspection Group."

"I will defend this city and make it cleaner so that never happens again!"

Chen recalled the words she had said to Wei Yanwu face to face in the Chief Executive's Office when she returned to Longmen. Over the years, these words had not only been her ambition, but also reminded her of herself all the time, making her feel like a light on her back.

She wanted to show Wei Yanwu, she wanted to prove to Wei Yanwu that she had the ability to change.

But in fact, the more she got to know Longmen and the more accustomed she was to being in contact with this city, the more she felt her own powerlessness. There were more and more contradictions that made her hesitate.

"We are ready to treat the infected equally and kindly. We treat everyone in Longmen kindly, regardless of whether they are infected or not, because they are all Longmen people."

"Are we ready? Is Gantry ready? Is the public ready? Will the Business Federation vote? Now I tell the National Guard that I am infected, guess what will happen?"

Jiu has left Longmen for several months, but her words at that time have been lingering in Chen's ears, as if they have become a sharp thorn that cannot be pulled out, piercing deeply into the dream of the Longmen police chief named Chen Huijie and her. between the gantry.

Half a year ago, Longmen slum area

Suddenly a hand on his shoulder woke up Chen who was lost in memories.

Shi Huaiya's voice sounded from behind, and she retracted her hand.

"It's so rare that Superintendent Chen, who has always been meticulous about his work, would be lazy in a place like this."

Chen came to her senses, Shi Huaiya was holding the radio in her hand, and she frowned slightly.

"Shi Huaiya, you should be on standby outside the slums now."

"The preparations are almost over there, I'm here to call you."

"The radio's signal range can reach the slums."

Shi Huaiya raised her chin slightly: "But I want to see with my own eyes your crying face."

"what do you mean?"

"Stop pretending, Chen Huijie, Jiu is your backing, and the new housing bill for infected people is one of your biggest concerns this year." Shi Huaiya folded her hands, supported her chin and said, "And now Jiu suddenly resigned, the bill If it doesn’t pass, what do you think I want to see?”

"..."

Chen fell silent. After a few seconds, she stopped looking at Shi Huaiya.

"Nine is not my backing," Chen said.

"Not Governor Wei either, huh?"

The poem has an elegant meaning. Staring at Chen's profile, on the streets of the slums in the afternoon, white clouds drifted across the sky: "A newcomer with no background who joined the Guards Bureau less than two years ago not only set a new standard for joining the special The inspection team has the fastest record and has also become one of the most powerful promoters of the case of living with infected persons.”

Chen turned his head and glanced at Shi Huaiya.

"It seems that losing to me in the entrance test makes you feel more resentful than I thought. The eldest lady of the Shihuaiya family is just like this."

"Hey, my skills are inferior to others, I admit that." Shi Huaiya put down her hand unhappily: "But the first time I heard your name outside the Guards Bureau was at a banquet."

A smile spread across her lips.

"Miss Chen Huijie, do you know why?"

Chen didn't answer.

Sihuaiya continued: "Because of that bill."

"They said, you think you can accomplish something because you have Governor Wei and Jiu as your backers." Shi Huaiya turned her head and looked at the distant streets of Longmen slum. She did not look at Chen anymore. Reaction.

"Then they clinked glasses, said with a complacent expression that they were overestimating their abilities, and then went to talk about other things, tsk tsk."

"...overestimating one's own capabilities?"

"Yes, your non-stop running for this matter is just this level of thing in their eyes. They didn't even mention you again." Shi Huaiya snorted lightly, spread out his hand, and shook the walkie-talkie in his hand. : "And if you are still planning to be lazy here, then I can tell you that there is another thing you have been preparing for a long time - the Guards Bureau will not be able to move into the slums."

If you think about it later, as the daughter of the Shihuaiya family, Shihuaiya, who has been familiar with the exchange of interest and price among various businessmen since childhood, may really be more suitable than Chen to survive in Longmen, and is also more suitable to become the successor of the Guards Bureau. .

Chen Ning's unyielding temperament has already destined her to be unable to endure Longmen's complicated interest entanglements. She doesn't want to see those scheming around, but this is an inevitable state for a city to prosper and develop. Without these, how can a stable order in the city be established? A city built by people will inevitably breed evil due to the complexity of human nature.

It's not that Chen doesn't understand this, but if she becomes someone who is good at calculating and weighing the pros and cons, she will no longer be Chen Huijie.

Shi Huaiya stopped stimulating.

She understood that Chen Huijie could understand what she meant. The big shots at the top did not take what she did as a matter of course, because they truly had the right to speak in this Longmen. Even with Governor Wei as the backing, Longmen had already Various rules have been established, and it is these bound rules that can maintain the prosperity and stability of Longmen today, and no one can be an exception.

Chen Huijie has been pushed to the forefront because of the residence bill, and now everyone is waiting to see her jokes.

"Several teams are ready. Jiu is not here now. You are the leader. Everyone is waiting for you." Shi Huaiya reminded.

"I don't need you to teach me how to do things."

【Everyone is waiting for me. 】

[But what if I’m wrong? 】

Chen ignored Shi Huaiya and walked towards the direction of gathering the team. Shi Huaiya stared at her back.

Chen just remembered the conversation she had with the Wolper more than a year ago when she was still a police officer in Zhongshui and did not join the inspection team. It was in a restaurant at night.

They all drank a lot that time.

What she was talking about at that time was that people like her couldn't be high-ranking officials because they were too reckless and upright, so they would suffer a lot.

She was right. Even now, I have suffered too much and had too many stumbling blocks. The further you go up, the more constrained you become.

"You'd better not."