A Maybach on a rainy night? Talk to my Levadin!

"They speak Cantonese over there too?"

"Yes, and there are also many local specialties there, such as fish balls and roast meat rice, which are said to taste similar to those in old Hong Kong."

"That's amazing! I want to go see it!"

When you said you were going on a business trip, I hesitated. But when you mentioned the old port in another world, I immediately became interested.

Although she had never even been to the old port in this world.

It wouldn't be bad to experience a "budget alternative" version of another world!

"Alright, I'll go call Talulah and Surtur. Remember to protect me then."

"Aren't you supposed to be on official business? What are you planning to do?"

"Well, you'll see when the time comes."

Chapter 203 I'm not the one stirring things up, Ta Zi.

If he says he wants to buy will-o'-the-wisps, then he has to buy them. Of course, it's not just for that one sentence, "Will my will-o'-the-wisps be safe under your command?" He certainly has his own purpose.

As everyone knows, in the eyes of the people of Longmen, Wei Yanwu is a true "pillar of stability." He is decisive and efficient in handling government affairs and ruthless in dealing with foreign enemies. Everyone says that this Lord Wei is imposing and unpredictable, a cunning old fox with a belly full of schemes. But in reality, those who know Wei Yanwu well will know that he is a top-notch henpecked husband.

The relationship between Wei Yanwu and Lady Wenyue was far more than just "a loving and devoted couple." It was more like two emperors ruling together. Although Lady Wenyue didn't usually get involved in the affairs of Longmen, Wei Yanwu would almost always listen to her whenever she spoke.

In fact, she was more flexible than Wei Yanwu in terms of political skills and knew how to resolve conflicts in a gentler way; in terms of interpersonal relationships, she could always see through people's hearts accurately and straighten out complex interpersonal relationships with just a few words; even in terms of how she handled things, she was more thorough than Wei Yanwu.

In every respect, Lady Wenyue was more mature than Old Wei, the peerless Tang Dragon. However, Lady Wenyue was indifferent and had little interest in the power struggles of the Dragon Gate. She usually spent most of her time managing household affairs and would only take the initiative to appear when it involved her own family.

This time, I brought that girl to his door, and with Wei Lao Er's stubborn and inflexible temper, it would be difficult to communicate with him properly. If I wanted to get past Wei Yanwu, I would have to find a "helper," and the most suitable helper was Madam Wen Yue.

He needed to unite all available forces to bring his mother-in-law to his side. With Lady Wen Yue's support, even if Wei Lao Er was unwilling, he would have to think twice. He needed to let Wei Lao Er experience what it felt like to be at odds with the whole world.

Since the goal was to win over Lady Wenyue, it was natural to cater to her preferences. Fortunately, Zhao Zizhan knew about Lady Wenyue's little hobbies.

The lady appears to be quiet and gentle, and enjoys reading and gardening, but in reality, she harbors a rather wild nature; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to tame someone like Wei Yanwu.

Her greatest hobby is occasionally taking advantage of the night, changing into light clothes, and riding her motorcycle alone on the highway outside the city to race, feeling the wind whistling past her ears and the extreme thrill of speed.

While the vast majority of energy on the continent of Terra is composed of Originium—used for everything from city power supply and the operation of large machinery to the propulsion of weapons—the miniaturization of Originium energy has yet to be overcome. The energy released at once by Originium is too great. While medium to large units like warships and mobile cities can use complex mechanisms to stabilize energy output, smaller units like locomotives struggle to start smoothly. Even a slight mishap can trigger an energy outburst, damaging the vehicle and potentially injuring the driver.

Especially for two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles, it is even more difficult to realize. Therefore, on the continent of Terra, traditional gasoline-powered motorcycles have not been completely eliminated. Instead, they have become the first choice for many people who pursue speed and safety.

The gift Zhao Zizhan prepared for Lady Wenyue was a Kawasaki ZX 10R.

Conversely, the Kawasaki ZX-10R's 998cc liquid-cooled four-stroke inline four-cylinder engine, with its DOHC 16-valve design and 43mm fuel injection system, is absolutely top-tier in the fossil fuel internal combustion engine field of Terra.

In particular, the entire vehicle has undergone aerodynamic design, so its speed will definitely be impressive.

"Are we going to...Longmen? Can I not go?"

Surprisingly, Talulah seemed somewhat hesitant after hearing Zhao Zizhan's words.

"Don't you want to go?"

Zhao Zhuozizhan put down what he was holding, walked up to her, and spoke in a gentle voice.

Talulah's shoulders slumped slightly. She looked up, her eyes unfocused, as if trying to sort out her chaotic thoughts: "It's not that I don't want to go... it's just..."

She paused, her Adam's apple bobbing slightly, before finally uttering the words hidden in her heart, "I feel like I'm not ready yet."

Letters from beyond the mountains have ceased; winter has passed and spring has come again. The closer I get to home, the more timid I become; I dare not ask the passersby.

For her, wasn't Longmen her hometown? It held her childhood memories, Lady Wenyue's gentle admonitions, and Chen Huijie's smiling voice calling her "Sister Talulah." But now, that sense of belonging had been shattered by reality—she had been taken away by Wei Yanwu in exchange for Longmen.

She knew that Wei Yanwu's choice had its reasons, his helplessness and sacrifices, but rational understanding did not mean emotional acceptance. In any case, she had already been abandoned by him.

Especially during those days and nights when Ursus was shrouded in the shadow of the Black Serpent, she would always wake up from nightmares. In the middle of the night, countless "what ifs" would swirl in her mind: what if she hadn't been abandoned, what if she hadn't been brought to this cold country, what if her parents were still alive, protecting her as she grew up? Would she not have become the person she is now, someone she can hardly recognize?

She harbored resentment towards Wei Yanwu, and now she didn't know how to face Madam Wenyue and her former close friend Chen Huijie.

Talulah heard Zhao Zizhan's voice.

“Look at me.” She looked up and saw a young face that was completely at odds with his mature mind.

Zhao Zizhan looked into Talulah's eyes: "What do you think is the purpose of our trip to Lungmen?"

"For...trading?"

Talulah vaguely heard Zhao Zizhan mention going to Longmen to do business, but she didn't know the specifics of what it was.

Zhao Zizhan shook his head: "You're wrong, we're going to rescue people."

"Rescue?"

“Yes,” Zhao Zizhan answered slowly.

"Do you still remember that you are the leader of the Reunion Movement, the leader of the Infected?"

"Of course!"

“Okay, what if I told you that after you left, Lungmen was divided into two districts, inner and outer, to keep the infected out? The inner district was brightly lit, and people lived a peaceful and prosperous life; but what about the outer district? There was no intervention from the Lungmen government, and it was in chaos, with a gang maintaining order.”

"All the infected people living in the outer ring can only afford to live in slums made of dilapidated wooden planks. In order to survive, the children of the infected have to learn to steal from a very young age, to steal other people's food, and are even forced to get involved in gang fights. Their quality of life is extremely worrying."

"We're going to Lungmen to change everything that happened in the outer ring. Through trade, just like we changed the Reunion Movement, we'll build, unite, and help those infected people, so they can also be like everyone in the Reunion Movement today—able to earn a living through their labor, have a roof over their heads, no longer have to rely on crime to survive, and stand on this earth with dignity..."

"We're going to do a big deal, a deal so big it'll impact the entire Longmen area. What's your opinion now?"

"Longmen...why is that?"

Talulah looked at Zhao Zizhan in disbelief.

She instinctively couldn't believe what Zhao Zizhan was saying. Could the infected people in Longmen be in such a terrible condition? Or rather, she was emotionally unwilling to accept it.

How could this be?

She kept asking herself the same question. How could Longmen, which was always brightly lit and bustling with life in her memory, where Lady Wenyue would hold her hand and stroll through the market, and where Chen Huijie would pull her along to play in the garden and the streets, have become the way Zhao Zizhan described it?

What's that?

Wei Yanwu was such a wise and decisive man, Madam Wenyue was always gentle and kind, and there was Chen Huijie—the one who had always been full of a sense of justice since childhood, always saying that she would protect Longmen and her younger sister. How could they allow such a thing to happen? Isolating the infected in the outer ring, letting the gang run rampant, and letting the children struggle to survive in the mud and crime... Where was this the Longmen she remembered?

The Dragon Gate, which we paid the price to obtain, has turned out like this?

"Hearing is believing, and what I say may not be true either. There will be a lot of bias and emotional elements involved. So, you have to go for yourself, see for yourself, and judge for yourself what the Dragon Gate that you were given has really become."

These words struck Talulah like a thunderbolt, shattering her chaotic thoughts. She abruptly looked up at Zhao Zizhan, her confusion and doubt gradually replaced by a glimmer of light.

Yes, hearing is believing. She can't judge everything about Longmen based on other people's descriptions alone. She needs to see for herself and confirm it.

Has the Dragon Gate, which she traded her freedom and stability for, become a living hell, or does it still hold a hope she never realized? Are those infected people struggling in the outer ring still waiting for someone to speak up for them?

If all of this is true, then why did Wei Yanwu, Lady Wenyue, and Chen Huijie allow Longmen to become what it is today?

Countless questions swirled in her mind, and Talulah's eyes changed. But this time, it was no longer the timidity and hesitation of before. She took a deep breath and slowly straightened up.

"I want to go to Longmen," she said to Zhao Zizhan, her voice firm and clear.

She was going to Longmen to see it all for herself. Not for anything else, but to give an explanation to those suffering infected people, and also to give an explanation to herself—to give the self that was once "abandoned" a chance to face the past and the present.

She hasn't forgotten that she is a fighter.

Zhao Zizhan nodded. "Hey, Lao Wei, I'm not one to stir up trouble. So, how are you going to handle this?"

P.S.: Ugh, typing in an internet cafe with all that secondhand smoke is unbearable...

Chapter 204: The Dragon Gate Clash is in Preparation.

Before leaving, Zhao Zizhan took out an apple and placed it in front of Talulah.

“Look, you are like this apple. In the process of growing, you were first bitten by Wei Yanwu, and then bitten by the black snake.”

As Zhao Zizhan spoke, he took two bites of the apple and placed it back on the table.

People always grow through time and experience. Past memories are like marks etched into our bones, while current encounters constantly add new dimensions to life. All of these subtly shape a person, making them into someone they never imagined they would be.

Just like Talulah at this moment, she has gone through a lot, from a girl to a fighter. She is still Talulah, with the same name and appearance, but she is no longer the Talulah who only knew about the prosperity of Lungmen. Instead, she is the leader who has shouldered the hope of the infected and the future of the group.

"In our lives, we encounter messages from all over the world, just like the various tiny bacteria in the air."

"If an apple is left on the table for too long, it will turn yellow and even start to rot because it is constantly being affected by the outside world. It's just that some people's skin is intact, while others, like you, are apples that have been bitten."

What corrupts the apple? Everything in the air. And what corrupts us? Everything in civilization.

"The wound won't disappear, but we can choose: to rot, or to bury ourselves in the soil and become a great tree."

"Think it over carefully," Zhao Zizhan said, placing the apple in her hand, patting Talulah on the shoulder, and then leaving.

Talulah lowered her head, staring blankly at the apple that had been bitten twice.

After her conversation with Zhao Zizhan, Talulah's condition changed dramatically.

She began actively preparing for the trip to Longmen, but Zhao Zizhan's advice seemed to have a bit too good an effect; judging from Ta Zi's posture, it seemed like he was going to prepare 800 people.

Zhao Zizhan let her be. Since he had resolved the Black Serpent issue, he would naturally take responsibility for teaching Talulah the things she lacked: thinking things through and managing her emotions. This wasn't without its benefits. After experiencing the usefulness of Talulah firsthand, Zhao Zizhan gradually developed a "Black Serpent syndrome." Although he couldn't pilot the Gundam, he could influence her to become one of his own.

Your own Gundam is always more reassuring to look at than the enemy's Gundam, no matter what.

In fact, Talulah's poor emotional control is not a recent development. This was deliberately done by the Black Serpent. In order to facilitate the possession of her body in the future, the Black Serpent deliberately guided Talulah's emotions, making her prone to irritability, impulsiveness, and loss of the ability to make calm judgments. In this way, when she has an emotional breakdown, the Black Serpent can take control of her body.

Having been influenced in this way for many years, the habits formed are deeply ingrained and cannot be changed by a few words or a couple of lessons. Unless it is like Chernobog, who cannot be taught by people but can be taught by experience once. No matter how earnestly others teach, it is not as profound as letting her stumble and suffer a loss in real things. But the price that would have to pay is not what Zhao Zizhan wants to see.

Zhao Zizhan, a thirty-year-old man, was relatively cautious in his thinking. He always felt that it was okay to do things slowly, the most important thing was to be stable, not to take unnecessary risks, and not to make decisions that would leave hidden dangers. Therefore, he would try to guide Talulah in a gentler and more prudent way—not to rush for quick results, but to let Talulah observe, think, and summarize in the small things of daily life. Through real experiences, he would let her slowly understand the importance of thinking more and controlling her emotions when faced with problems.

What he said was naturally biased. The current situation in Longmen was not caused by any one person, but was the result of multiple factors working together. Although Wei Lao Er was indeed a bit dim-witted, he was able to hold the position of Longmen City Lord and manage Longmen in an orderly manner, so his intelligence was definitely not a problem. If the problem of infected people in Longmen were really so easy to solve, the situation would not have become so troublesome.

The problems in Longmen seem to be a conflict between infected people and ordinary people, a stark contrast between the prosperity of the inner ring and the desolation of the outer ring, the local residents' rejection of outsiders, and the public security chaos brought about by the city's rapid development... But these are just the surface issues. The real root cause is actually the relationship between Longmen and Da Yan.

The palace secrets between Lao Wei and Da Yan caused Wei Lao Er to have a great crisis of trust in Da Yan. He always felt that the true dragon of Da Yan wanted his life, so while maintaining contact with Da Yan, he was always on guard, fearing that he would be pulled back and become the Jinghe Dragon King if he was not careful.

But these things must be observed, thought about, and discovered by Talulah herself. Only conclusions drawn through her own personal experience can truly be engraved in her heart and become the basis for her future actions.

Of course, Zhao Zizhan would also offer a little help in this process.

Having resolved the issue of mobilizing Tazi, the most crucial figure in the Longmen trade, Zhao Zizhan then approached Surtr.

Given Talulah's appearance and Wei Yanwu's suspicious and somewhat obsessive nature, he might mistake her for a treacherous young man who deliberately tricked his daughter into coming back and then claimed he wanted to control all the troops in the world.

God is fair. Wei Lao Er is indeed a bit dim-witted and not very bright, but he is a pure sports student. His mastery of the Crimson Sky Sword Technique has reached the point where even flying flowers and twisted leaves can be used as swords. Zhao Zizhan seriously suspects that this guy will shout "Sword, come!" at him in Longmen and then summon all the swords in Longmen to be finely chopped into minced meat for him.

The tower is still unstable; we need to call another person.

Zhao Zizhan arrived at the place where Surtr was resting, still pondering how to bring it up with Surtr later. As soon as he opened the door, he saw the sofa with soft plush cushions in the center—Surtr was lying on it.

Her red hair was scattered on the sofa armrest, with a few strands hanging down, covering most of her face, leaving only the lower half of her delicate face and slightly pursed lips visible.

"Surtr?"

He called out.

no response.

"Sister 42?"

Still no response. The red-haired girl remained quietly slumped on the sofa, and Surtr didn't even bother to turn over.

"A red-haired ice cream destroyer? A grumpy big cat?"

"..."

"Looks like she's really asleep?"

Zhao Zizhan scratched his head and opened his mouth.

"Knife……"

"If you say that word, I'll kill you with this one stroke."

Zhao Zizhan felt a murderous intent, as if it had solidified into a tangible form, envelop him.

"Oh dear, you're still awake!"

Chapter 205 A Kiss.

Surtr slowly threw off the blanket draped over him, propped himself up on the sofa armrest with his elbows, and sat up. His red hair slid down to his shoulders as he moved, and his cold eyes stared straight at him, without a trace of the drowsiness of just waking up.

Zhao Zizhan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately put on an exaggerated expression of surprise, even patting his chest unconsciously: "Oh my, when did you wake up? You scared me!"

"After you come in."