Ark, after I died, the operators started to love me.

Longmen is a complex mobile city, consisting of an urban area, a lower city, an outer ring road, and slums.

As for the lower city, the Guard Bureau's management is not as strict as in the city center. Generally, only people in the lower city emphasize their identity, and most of the time it is part of the outer ring.

The Lower City District, the Outer Ring Road, and the slums are practically synonymous. Anyone from Longmen living in the Outer Ring Road or the slums hopes to move to the Lower City District, as this is the only way to have a chance to enter the city center.

When Mike first came to Lungmen, Hoshiguma was in charge of receiving him. After leaving Lungmen city, it was Lin Yuxia who took him around the outer ring road.

The two were very cautious when they first met, afraid of being slighted in the slightest, and even their conversation was conducted in a very polite and diplomatic manner.

So, Mike's first impression of Lin Yuxia was that she was difficult to get along with; this woman was not simple.

It wasn't until their meeting in Rhode Island, where they traveled together, that they gained a basic understanding of each other.

When Mike came to Longmen for the second time, Lin Yuxia was in charge of receiving him again. This time, Miss Lin took Mike to a place.

It's right in front of you.

As evening approached and the sun set, darkness enveloped the earth. Streetlights along the roadside lit up one after another, but the most eye-catching sight was a series of food stalls, their red lights illuminating the sidewalks, attracting a steady stream of diners. But none of this was Mike's target.

In front of a small shop that is almost deserted, there are a few tables set up, and a floor-standing sign that reads "Cart Noodles" is placed a few meters away.

Actually, there was one customer in this noodle shop.

She sat at the outdoor table with a bowl of noodles and a plate of fish balls in front of her.

Quiet, serious, and terrifying.

Mike parked his bicycle next to the cart noodles sign and walked step by step toward the table.

The guest sitting there looked up, and although he was smiling, there was a chill in his eyes.

“Mr. Mike, please.”

22. Lin Yuxia couldn't bring herself to tell him.

“You knew I was coming.”

"do not know."

"I didn't know you'd come."

"I just like this restaurant's noodles, and I'm a regular customer, so why can't I come here?"

Mike sighed, preparing to end this tedious conversation.

He said, "But you still came."

The guest's lips curled slightly upwards, revealing a poignant smile on his delicate face.

"Shouldn't I come?"

“Miss Lin, if you hadn’t come, I could have pretended not to know anything, but now that you’ve come, this act can’t continue.”

The noodle stall owner stood behind the stove, his face mostly obscured by the rising steam. He wished he hadn't heard the conversation. It's easy to imagine that if they had started fighting today, the noodle shop would have been completely finished.

At first, he wondered why Miss Lin had made a special trip here today, ordering a bowl of noodles and a plate of fish balls as usual, but sitting there motionless and looking dazed. It turned out there was a guest.

Mike pulled out the chair opposite Lin Yuxia without any hesitation and sat down. Lin Yuxia reached out and pushed the cart noodles in front of him, along with a plate of fish balls.

The noodle stall owner rushed over in a panic: "Sir, this bowl of noodles has been sitting for too long and is already mushy in the bowl. How about I get you a new bowl?"

Mike picked up his chopsticks, skillfully plunging the tips into the noodles, and said calmly, "It's just right that they're overcooked."

Lin Yuxia waved her hand: "Leave here first. No matter what happens here, don't come back."

"Okay, okay."

The noodle stall owner quickly ran away.

So be it if the noodle shop is gone. As long as Miss Lin is happy.

Mike lowered his head and ate his noodles without saying a word.

Lin Yuxia remained seated, her posture upright, and said, "Mike, a theater has opened in Longmen. How about we go see a play sometime?"

"I've only been in Longmen for two months and I don't know anyone here. If you know of any good plays, Miss Lin, you can recommend them to me. I'll try to watch them when I have time."

Upon hearing Mike's reply, Lin Yuxia's already pale face turned even whiter, like paper.

"I heard that one of the plays was told quite well."

"Could you give me a brief overview? I don't mind spoilers."

"It tells the story of a man surnamed Chen from ancient Yan Kingdom who passed the imperial examination, abandoned his wife and children, changed his name and surname, and entered the Prime Minister's Mansion, Mingyue Tower."

Mike had just finished the last bite of cart noodles when he used his chopsticks to pick up a fish ball and put it in his mouth.

“Miss Lin, this play is not suitable for me. I am unmarried and have no children. I am just a car repair shop owner. I am afraid I cannot enter the Yan Kingdom Theater.”

Lin Yuxia clenched her fist, which was hidden under the table: "Fine, then what do you want?"

Mike looked at Miss Lin's unpleasant face and said, "I find it strange. I haven't had anyone come to my door in the two months I've been in Longmen. How come so many things have suddenly happened in the past few days? Miss Lin, why are you here?"

"I can't tell you about Longmen. You're just a car repair shop owner. Getting involved could be fatal."

Lin Yuxia paused here, a bitter smile appearing on her pale face.

"I've only ever heard one person mention fish ball noodles in this whole land; there are no noodles here."

Boom.

A muffled clap of thunder sounded in the sky.

It rained briefly on the outer ring road this afternoon, and it looks like thunderstorms will continue tonight.

Mike nodded, took out his wallet, and placed the change on the table.

“You scared the stall owner; he thought we were going to fight.”

Lin Yuxia's lips were trembling: "Mike, some things aren't what you think."

"There's no need to recount what has already happened. I know everything. Goodbye."

Mike rode off on his bicycle, wobbling away, leaving Lin Yuxia sitting there alone.

Why is this happening?

Why can't I help getting angry?

Are you angry that he faked his death, left Rhodes Island, abandoned everything, changed his identity, and started a new life?

Or are you angry because you're keeping something to yourself and can't bring yourself to tell him?

Everyone says Amiya is like his daughter, but the little rabbit has never admitted it; he just smiles and shakes his head.

Everyone says he calls everyone his wife, but in reality, they're just friends at best.

Everyone knows his surname is An, but no one knows his given name.

Now I'm just a car repair shop owner, nothing more.

Lin Yuxia covered her face, tears streaming down her fingers.

She was ahead of everyone else this time, and in the lead, but was ultimately rejected. She deserves what she got herself.

Raindrops fell from the sky, splashing onto the table and forming a puddle.

Lin Yuxia stopped sobbing, staring blankly at the empty bowl of noodles opposite her. She slowly opened her mouth, looking at something in astonishment.

There was only one fish ball left on the plate, skewered on chopsticks. She hadn't noticed before, but the other end of the chopsticks was pointing right at her.

This is……

That bastard actually left one for her!

Lin Yuxia picked up her chopsticks and put the last fish ball into her mouth.

As she slowly pulled the chopsticks away from her rosy lips, she suddenly remembered something.

This guy definitely didn't come to the outer ring road specifically to eat cart noodles; meeting me was an accident.

Lin, the heroine, had to admit that she had only come here to try her luck, but she never expected to actually meet someone.

What reason would Mike have to make a special trip to Longmen Outer Ring Road?

A thunderclap flashed across the sky, the poignant light illuminating the dark horizon, and a thought also crossed Lin Yuxia's mind.

Mike noticed the various unusual phenomena that had occurred in Lungmen recently. He wasn't there to play around; in other words, he was there to solve a problem.

By the time Lin Yuxia realized this, Mike had vanished without a trace.

The rain grew heavier and heavier, enough to wash away all traces.

"You're an asshole, and I'm another idiot!"

Lin Yuxia tucked the chopstick into her clothes, weighed down some Lungmen dollars with the empty bowl, and turned to run away.

The idiots in the Guard Bureau know nothing; Mike has already come to the outer perimeter to cause trouble.

Why did he dare to do this when he was so thin before?

How did he manage to look like this?

Kal'tsit! You lied to everyone except yourself!

……

Penguin Logistics' base.

At the edge of the earth, this bar, hidden in a corner of the city, is unlikely to be discovered. Most of the time, the old penguin brings his children here to listen to music, play games, and enjoy their boring leisure time.

But today the bar welcomed an uninvited guest.

They all knew this guest; the only question was why he had come here.

When Exusiai saw the other person, she immediately jumped off the sofa and ran to the guest: "Why are you here? You didn't even tell me you were coming. Are you doing a surprise inspection? It's a pity you didn't find anything."

"I didn't find it, which means there should be something here, right?"

The Emperor lowered the muzzle of his gun, which was aimed at the target, and said seriously, "Mostima, you don't usually come here. Is something special that has happened?"

The fallen angel with short blue hair raised the retractable umbrella in his hand: "Someone asked me to bring this here. He said, 'Do you know who he is?'"

23. The Texas Anomaly