Poseidon in Arknights

Texas watched Yuuki walk into the bathroom, took a deep breath, calmed her turbulent emotions, and picked up her phone from the table.

The phone screen lit up. Texas looked at the content on the screen, then glanced up at the bathroom, recalling Yuuki's calm demeanor just now, and finally sighed helplessly.

'Does this really work?'

Chapter 61: The Lower City Begins to Change

"I feel like I had a nightmare last night." Exusiai covered her head and leaned against Texas. "I can't remember clearly, but it felt like a very terrifying nightmare."

"Could it be that she was used as a pawn?" Texas glanced at the exhausted Exusiai. "After all, she was killed like that yesterday."

"Texas, please don't remind me of the horror of last night." Exusiai covered her face, forcing herself not to recall the terror of being dominated last night.

But the more she tried to stop it, the clearer the memories became. The feeling of being almost completely dominated made Exusiai look even more haggard, and the halo above her head seemed to dim a little.

"Oh, right~" In order to stop the memories from replaying in her mind, Exusiai decisively chose to shift her attention, looked at Texas beside her, and nudged the seemingly calm Texas with her elbow, "Did anything fun happen last night?"

Texas looked at Exusiai, who had a mocking expression on her face: "...Nothing happened."

"Huh!!!" Exusiai looked at the calm Texas in surprise, "You didn't do anything?!"

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about, Exusiai.” Texas turned her head away.

"I even helped you out yesterday, and I helped you get the room key." Exusiai looked at Texas with disappointment. "And you didn't do anything?"

“I think you’ve misunderstood something.” Texas turned her head and looked at Exusiai calmly.

"Since you say so, Texas, then it must be a misunderstanding, if that's what you think~" Exusiai shrugged, her eyes looking at Texas with a hint of pity.

"..." Texas sighed as she looked at Exusiai's expression. "I think you've misunderstood something."

"Okay, okay, it's a misunderstanding. I hope you can stay calm even after Skadi and the others take the lead." Exusiai smiled at Texas. "If that really happens, I, as your colleague, will be very sad."

“Shut up, Exusiai…” Texas’s lips twitched slightly.

"Alright, alright, I'll shut up." Exusiai smiled and looked towards the door. "I wonder how Yuuki's breakfast shopping went?"

"She should be back soon." Texas glanced at the clock. "Yuzuki will only be visiting the medical department once, so judging by the time, she should be back soon."

Just then, the door to the room opened, and Xi Yue walked in from outside carrying a bag of steamed buns, fried dough sticks, and soy milk: "Good morning, it's time for breakfast."

-------------

"So Skadi really isn't coming back with us, right?" Exusiai looked at Yuuki beside her after finishing her breakfast.

Xi Yue nodded: "When I bought breakfast, I also went to check on the medical department. The two of them seem to be getting along quite well."

Exusiai, recalling some minor details from yesterday's interaction between Skadi and Specter, couldn't help but feel a little doubtful: 'Is it really possible for them to get along well? Something doesn't feel right.'

'It's not the kind of "friendly relationship" where everyone's all smiles and pleasantries in front of Yuuki, but a full-blown brawl erupts as soon as she leaves, is it?'

"What's wrong?" Yuuki asked, puzzled by the strange expression on Exusiai's face.

"Ah, no, it's nothing." Exusiai shook her head, then turned to Texas with a pitying expression, out of Yuuki's sight.

Having a colleague like this is tough.

Texas naturally saw Exusiai's expression, paused for a moment, then stood up and picked up her coat from the back of the sofa.

"It's getting late, we should get ready to head back."

Exusiai shrugged and stood up: "Then I'll go back and put on my clothes."

—————Free Clinic Site in Longmen, Chengdong Xiacheng District—————

"Next... um?" Ah Quan waved for the person in front of him to leave, calling out "next person" as he bent down to take another bottle of medicine from the box, only to find it empty. "An Suo, go to the car and get another box of medicine!"

"Come here for your consultation." Yin Suo has adapted well to life as a nurse. These past few days, she has been provided with food and lodging, and even meat every day. More importantly, no one cares about her stealing anymore.

Well, although I sometimes can't help but like to steal a few things, I'll always secretly return them or pretend I found them afterward.

Of course, the people in the lower city could understand as well, and they were wondering whether she had actually found it as she claimed. But now, they just laughed it off, unlike before when they would beat and scold her.

The overt respect satisfied An Suo, and as for the things done in the shadows, she had long been accustomed to them. At least for now, she was extremely satisfied with her current life.

"Dark thread!"

An Suo turned around and shouted, "I heard you, I heard you, Brother Quan!"

After giving a silent reply, An Suo walked towards the police car next to the square, opened the car door, and a faint green light shone out from inside the car.

An Suo sighed. This was precisely why she didn't want to come; this place was practically a horror movie except for the sound effects.

Inside the carriage, the water clone left behind by Xi Yue was pressing the drawing paper with its only solid hand, and the magic circle on the drawing was constantly emitting a ghostly green light.

With the eerie green light on the drawing paper and the indistinct, illusory figures, An Suo felt that this place might really be just missing a sound from a ghost movie.

Originally, the interior lights of the carriage were fine, but Swire also considered that Xiyue's note said to avoid direct sunlight, and worried that even the interior lights would have some impact, so she turned off the interior lights as well.

After all, who knows when Yuuki will be able to return from this long-distance delivery? Especially since Swire also knows that a sudden Originium storm disaster recently broke out between Lungmen and Rhodes Island.

Although the Originium dust in the air will quickly settle after the Originium Storm disaster subsides and will not turn into a mining area, and its infection ability is also very limited, no one wants to take this risk.

Considering this, it's even more uncertain when the other party will be able to return. Given the spread of the Originium Storm, even taking a detour would take a very long time.

An Suo carried the prepared medicine out and placed it at A Quan's feet.

"The medicine is here."

Ah Quan nodded, then pointed to the white medicine box on the other side: "Help me replenish other supplies as well."

"Okay, okay." Yinsuo nodded. Putting everything else aside, at least there were so many things to do that he was satisfied.

Suddenly realizing that someone else was missing from the open space, he turned to Ah Quan and asked, "Hey, Brother Ah Quan, why didn't Officer Swire come with us today?"

Before A-Quan could say anything, Ye Fu spoke up first: "Officer Swire went to check on the completion of a Guard Bureau post."

"A mere guard post can warrant a superintendent's inspection?" An Suo didn't immediately understand, but then, looking at Ye Fu's expression, he suddenly realized, "Wait, could this guard post be...?"

Liu Yang, who had just put down the medicine box, snapped his fingers at Hu Ansuo: "That's right, right here, right here in the eastern part of the city."

—————Longmen, Eastern Lower District—————

"I never imagined we'd actually be able to build a guard post here," Swire said, looking at the dilapidated little house in front of her, her voice filled with emotion.

The small house in front of me was dilapidated, with several holes in the walls. As for the door, it was just a simple frame covered with a sheet of iron, which rattled loudly in the wind.

But none of these were reasons for Swire to pay attention. The most important thing was the Guard Bureau insignia hanging on the door of the house.

“Yes, even if it’s just a small guard post.” Hoshiguma nodded. “Although I still feel a little uncomfortable with the other people.”

Hoshiguma looked around and noticed that there were still quite a few people peeking around.

At this moment, Chen walked out from another alley: "This is normal. Although we have gained the trust of some people by carrying out medical work with the help of Miss Yuzuki's reputation, the Lower City has been separated from the Guard Bureau for too long."

Hoshiguma turned to look at Chen, who had arrived late: "Hey, Chen, you're here! You're late, you missed the ribbon-cutting ceremony!"

After saying that, Hoshiguma pointed to the broken red cloth strip on the ground.

Chen looked at Hoshiguma with some helplessness: "On the way here, I stopped by to check out the free clinic. Besides, it's your fault for not waiting for me, isn't it?"

Swire tapped her watch: "Pink Dragon is more than half an hour late. It's not really our fault."

"Ahem, anyway, this is a good start." Chen's expression was a little awkward. "Please take care of Swire these next few days at the free clinic."

Swire crossed her arms and looked at Chen: "Even if you didn't say it, I would still do it. I won't give up the trust that I've gradually started to gain so easily."

"Because you're a tiger?" a voice rang out from behind them.

"Hmm?" Shih Huai-ya raised an eyebrow and turned her head. "It really is you, Lin Yu-xia. You two must have had a tough time these past few days, right?"

Lin Yuxia looked at Swire helplessly: "Nothing else is a problem, but it took us a lot of effort to maintain order for you."

"Well, it's convenient to go directly to your place for treatment after getting injured."

"Ha, those burly men are basically your people, right?" Swire glanced around. The people who had been sneaking around and spying had disappeared, and some burly men that Swire recognized had taken their place.

"Pretty much." Lin Yuxia shrugged. "Not many people trust your Guard Bureau. Someone has to help them get through this mess first."

"But Miss Shi, it seems you didn't choose this house just to build a guard post, did you?"

“Who knows?” Swire smiled. “At least we’ll need to renovate.”

"As expected..." Lin Yuxia shook her head. She guessed what Swire and the others wanted to do. They called it a guard post, but what was its actual purpose?

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Shall we eat? It's on me!"

"If you're going to treat us, you should wait until the person in charge comes back," Hoshiguma patted Swire on the shoulder. "Miss Yuzuki hasn't come back yet."

“That’s true.” Swire nodded. “I wonder when Miss Yuuki will be back.”

Hoshiguma, who was standing nearby, suddenly remembered something and looked at Swire: "By the way, Swire, don't you have Yuuki's contact number? Why don't you give it a try?"

Swire shrugged: "I tried this morning, but couldn't get through. I guess it's out of the signal area?"

—————Longmen·Chen Zhufu—————

"What are you looking at?" Wen Yue walked into the room and looked at Wei Yanwu, who was sitting on the sofa reading documents.

"It's a reimbursement list." Wei Yanwu put down the document in his hand.

"Expense reimbursement lists? How did they end up here?" Wen Yue walked over and picked up the documents on the table. "What are these expense reimbursement lists for?"

"A reimbursement list for a guard post facility of the Lungmen Guard Bureau."

"Guard post facilities?" Wen Yue was taken aback at first, then nodded knowingly. "In the lower city, right? Finally, there's some progress."

"Yes, there's finally some progress." Wei Yanwu nodded, his tone seemingly gratified. "Xiao Chen, you did a good job this time."

"But for you, Xiao Chen's performance isn't satisfactory, is it?" Wen Yue smiled at Wei Yanwu.

"So it was done well, but not perfectly." Wei Yanwu nodded. "The response to the situation outside the city was not timely enough; we were a bit too focused on Longmen."

“Xinyi’s features were quite obvious, but Xiao Chen didn’t react in time.” Wei Yanwu tapped the armrest of the sofa. “In this matter, Swire recognized Xinyi the moment she saw him, but Xiao Chen couldn’t do it.”

"In the end, isn't it all because Xiao Chen has been in Longmen all along?" Wen Yue smiled as she put down the documents in her hand, then asked another question, "Who do you plan to put into the guard posts in this lower city, or even the possible branch police stations later?"

"I will find the right person."

Wen Yue nodded: "What about the snake? Didn't it do anything?"

Wei Yanwu shook his head and frowned: "According to what Lao Lin told me, only a few stupid gangs tried to disrupt the free clinic. That doesn't seem like the snake."

"Perhaps he didn't want to offend other gods, so he didn't disrupt the Guard Bureau's operations, or perhaps he..."

"You've already figured out how to deal with Lungmen, haven't you?"

Wei Yanwu nodded with a furrowed brow: "That's exactly what I'm worried about. We can't expect that snake to show fear of other gods and give up on the Dragon Gate."