Saiyan stowaways on the Ark

"I'll keep the total number a secret, but don't worry about that."

After Texas dispelled Tomat's concerns with a few concise words, Exusiai also gave him a detailed explanation.

“We already had a cooperative relationship with Rhodes Island, but most of the time we conduct company business around the various Penguin Logistics locations and don’t go to Rhodes Island much. However, we can also act as Rhodes Island operators when necessary.”

Exusiai took out a business card from her person that was identical in format to the ID card Tomat had obtained from the personnel department.

This means that the Penguin Logistics staff can also be considered part of Rhodes Island, just like him. However, the ownership of their personnel still belongs to the Emperor. It's just a cooperation agreement. Although he is a prospective operator, his relationship with Rhodes Island is not as close as theirs as that of the official operators. But if he resigns, he will really be unemployed without another job.

"The Emperor's decision only slightly extends the cooperation period and incidentally strengthens the cooperative relationship—it's really just a matter of transferring the base to the Rhodes Island. The focus will remain on Rhodes Island-related work, and it won't significantly hinder Penguin Logistics' core business," Exusiai continued.

"So, that means I don't need to call you 'boss' anymore, Thomas... buddy?"

Croissant didn't mind changing how she addressed Tomat, but judging from their status as "Rhodes Island operators," Croissant and the others should be Tomat's seniors, who had only been with the company for a little over a week.

"Having a few more colleagues isn't a big deal. There are already a lot of people on the Rhodes Island, so adding a few more won't make much difference. But your boss said he wants to 'learn from me as a colleague,' but what do I have to learn from him?"

Flight and qigong waves require the foundation of "qi".

In terms of fighting ability, Tomat is not a martial arts master if we only talk about technique. He relies on basic skills to achieve the ability to overcome multiple techniques and perform all sorts of incredible moves.

If the Emperor wanted them to learn Tomat's business skills—but his business skills were based on the two conditions mentioned above, so there was nothing to learn from them.

"Mindset?"

Texas offered no judgment, Croissant couldn't think of a suitable answer, and only Exusiai gave a vague response.

"Forget it, we'll be colleagues from now on. We can think about these things slowly. Just call me Thomas. Besides, I'm only eighteen."

— He calculated his age to be eighteen by removing the time he spent in cryogenic hibernation.

They returned to the car that had carried them all on their trip to Lungmen, intending to return to the Rhodes Island via the same route. Although it was late at night, Texas was used to driving at night.

"Tomat, what did she ask you when you were alone with Superintendent Chen just now?"

“You mean a statement? Nothing special. They just shone a light on my face and asked me the same four questions as always—'Who am I?' 'Where did I come from?' 'Where am I going?' and 'What do I want to do?'”

Chen Yuan's initial questioning was not unconventional; perhaps she felt that even if she used some special method to get Tomat to reveal more information, it wouldn't be of much use.

"Oh, and also some information about the Reunion Movement and Chernobog."

But since we're asking, there can't be only those questions.

"So Superintendent Chen has also decided to believe that you went to Chernobog?" Exusiai sat back in the passenger seat after a long absence, enjoying the night breeze and leaning back in her seat. The halo above her head seemed to dim as she relaxed. However, she did not mention another matter—the "accidental explosion in Chernobog" that Tomat mentioned.

"I think she believed it, although I feel that her trust in me mostly came from that fragment."

The fragment remained with the Guard Bureau, becoming a silent witness.

"But what can she do whether she believes it or not? The situation in Chernobyl will be known sooner or later. At that time, it won't be a question of belief or disbelief, but a question of 'whether I did it'—I won't run away from what I did, so I'm quite looking forward to seeing what excuse and purpose they will use to come looking for me then."

Tomat was not familiar with Lungmen's political operations; at most, he only knew about some of the underworld forces and their overt attempts.

Therefore, he at least understood that the Guard Bureau would report this matter to higher-ups.

It could be the Yan Kingdom's capital they were referring to, or it could simply be Wei Yanwu, the local mayor of Longmen.

The destruction of Chernobog and Integra will soon be known to all factions. Lungmen got the earliest intelligence first, and the organization to which the people involved belonged was also in a cooperative relationship with them.

It would be abnormal not to take further action.

It could be the so-called "sanctioning those who committed atrocities".

Or perhaps it's "a scheme to win over someone who covets power."

No matter what they do, it won't be surprising, and Tomat is prepared.

After all, this was an action he took for his own purposes. Whatever the outcome, he intended to take full responsibility for his actions. He didn't want to be disturbed and cause the integration to collapse, which would lead to Lungmen accidentally attacking Rhodes Island or other unrelated parties. Thomas wouldn't allow that.

The integration made such a mistake that some people were implicated in the Tomat attack.

But he himself doesn't want to repeat the same mistake.

"An 18-year-old boy is a suspect in the destruction of Chernobog and the Reunion Movement? If this kind of news gets out, the credibility of the Guard Bureau will probably plummet even more than the building that was burned down this time."

However, while Tomat was thinking, Exusiai's words pulled him back to reality.

"So, instead of worrying about that, you should think about what to do after you return to Rhodes Island."

[Main Text] Dragon Gate Chronicles: Chapter Thirty-Two - More People?

Weather-related natural disasters often appear with obvious disaster clouds before they occur, giving people more time to change city-state routes or evacuate fixed strongholds.

This "relative" refers to geological natural disasters.

Because their sources often extend deep underground, they are often unpredictable before they cause damage to the surface. Their suddenness and destructiveness to the city-state itself often make people fear them even more than biological disasters, which are also difficult to predict precisely. For this reason, disaster messengers in various city-states pay special attention to geological disasters.

"The source of the previous unknown tremors has been identified."

For a messenger whose job is related to the survival of a city-state, he can naturally speak directly with the highest authority in the area as soon as he discovers something, without having to go through those useless procedures.

Even if the mayor is having a private conversation with the Chief Superintendent of Lungmen Police at his private residence, he has the right to come and report it.

"Although it wasn't as powerful as the tremors caused by that giant ape that could reach Lungmen, a sudden and massive earthquake did occur in Chernobog, and the messenger mobile station in the wilderness successfully detected the fluctuations."

"However... that fluctuation only lasted once, and it was probably just a ground collapse rather than a disaster like an earthquake. But some people observed a high-speed fireball rushing towards Chernobog earlier, yet no one observed the meteorite disaster cloud."

Wei Yanwu and Chen stopped their conversation. The former's expression turned serious, while the latter was equally astonished by what the messenger had said.

“Let’s talk about that fireball first,” Wei Yanwu asked with a precognitive air. “Was it flying from the direction of Lungmen towards Chernobog?”

"Yes."

The messenger seemed quite surprised—he was the one who should have rushed to inform Wei Yanwu immediately after receiving the latest news, and there was no other person who knew about the situation.

“So it’s true…” Wei Yanwu looked at Chen, who had just told him about the “madman’s words” she had learned from Tomat. “Messenger, you may leave now. Your payment will be arranged.”

Despite being bewildered by the other party's words, the messenger, who had expected an all-night meeting about the Chernobog disaster, silently chose to leave the room.

And it was precisely after the messenger left and closed the door that a trace of scarlet seeped from Wei Yanwu's tightly clenched dragon claw.

Drops of blood fell onto the floor. He slowly opened his hand; it was a fragment of Talulah's sword hilt that Chen Yi had given her.

At this moment, Wei Yanwu's palm had been pierced by his uncontrollable grip, and blood was flowing out.

"So she..."

Chen understood what Wei Yanwu was trying to say, and she could only shake her head at the current situation, offering no definitive conclusions. "I can't be sure how Talulah is doing, but at least what happened in Chernobog is very likely the work of that Rhodes Island operator—but is that even possible?"

"Huijie." Using her real name indicated that Wei Yanwu was not speaking to Chen as the mayor, but rather expressing his thoughts through the familiar yet unfamiliar foster relationship: "I have also had such doubts, otherwise I would not have asked your Uncle Lin to set up a trap to test his abilities."

"...I understand, it's for Lungmen, right? It's not believable that someone without ability would say they fought that kind of monster, and such information would put Lungmen in danger."

Chen, who had many reservations about Mayor Wei Yanwu's policies and strategies, could still understand why he had to take some special measures for Longmen. Testing the other party's strength was naturally one of them; otherwise, Chen himself would not have thought of testing him in his own way.

“But it seems I was warned.” Wei Yanwu spread out his palm, staring intently at the fragments soaked in blood. “Perhaps he realized earlier that someone was testing him, and then he found a suitable place to dispel our doubts.”

"Did he specifically choose Chernobog just to show us?" Chen asked.

“That young man is very smart and has thought a lot. Integration is the target of everyone’s criticism and the organization that everyone condemns. It is close enough to Lungmen and has some connection with Lungmen. In fact, he knows more than we thought, such as your relationship with Talulah. His actions there not only demonstrated his power but also served as a deterrent to us.”

Destroying Chernobog means "I have enough power".

Eliminating integration means "I don't care who the opponent is".

To have schemed to this extent—was his sightseeing in Longmen just an act?

“Your Uncle Lin is right, ‘The name of Longmen cannot restrain him.’” Tonight, Longmen is still ablaze with lights, but Wei Yanwu has no heart to take in these sights. “He has the power to provide information about the giant ape to keep Longmen away from danger, but he also has the power to put Longmen in danger directly.”

"Then...aren't we in a very passive position?"

Longmen, a great city of the Yan Kingdom.

Is it now being controlled by a pharmaceutical group?

Is it really the only way to get the information we need by waiting for the other party to be willing to talk?

“We will not be passive, but we are even less likely to take the initiative and put Lungmen at greater risk.” Despite the undeniable facts before Wei Yanwu, he still had his own plans. Wei Yanwu looked at Chen and asked thoughtfully, “What do you think Rhodes Island relied on to acquire that young man? Although I also believe that someone Lungmen cannot retain, Rhodes Island cannot control either, he has now chosen to be on Rhodes Island’s side, which proves that at least something attracted him to make that choice.”

"I understand what you mean. I'll select suitable informants from within the Guard Bureau..."

Chen understood Wei Yanwu's intention and skillfully listed in his mind the Guard Bureau personnel who were suitable to be undercover agents.

"No, I'm referring to you, Huijie. This task is absolutely yours to handle."

"...What did you say?"

Location: Rhodes Island - Lungmen Mobile City Docking Area

Time: 7:30am

"arrive."

Texas's sudden braking caused Exia in the passenger seat to slam her halo against the windshield, making a loud noise that startled Croissant, who was dozing off in the back seat.

"Ah, we're finally here. What's with all the sneezing the whole way..." The two, who had been woken up, were still rubbing their eyes. Tomat, who, like Texas, hadn't slept all night, complained about the sneezing that had finally stopped.

"Sneezing? Maybe a cute girl is talking about you."

Exusiai stretched lazily in the already cramped space, her hand almost touching the beast ears on Texas's head.

"Stop joking around, hurry back to the cabin and tidy up, let Texas rest."

The vehicle was parked in the Rhodes Island's underground garage, and Croissant urged them on, where everyone bid farewell.

We'll be colleagues from now on, and we'll have plenty of opportunities to meet, so even though we're parting ways, I don't feel too much.

After exchanging greetings, the Penguin Logistics staff and Thomas went to their respective resting cabins.

"You must be exhausted."

Croissant and Exusiai, having had a good rest, didn't need to rest. They planned to wander around Rhodes Island to familiarize themselves with the environment they hadn't visited in a long time.

"It's okay, I'll take a nap."

Texas, who had been driving through the night, sat on her bunk in her cabin. Without taking off her clothes, she simply pulled back the neat blankets—even though it was uninhabited, it was cleaned regularly, which was much more convenient than their messy base.

"Hey, Texas—"

But when Texas pulled back the covers, she found a familiar figure lying on her side in bed.

That was Lappland with a "you've been waiting for me" expression.

"I must have been staying up too late..."

Texas, looking exhausted, pulled the blanket over herself again.