Poseidon in Arknights

"That sounds so lonely."

Mostima smiled: "But if it were written as a travelogue, it might sell like hotcakes?"

"Miss Mostima, have you been to all the countries?"

Mostima nodded: "Mostly, are you envious?"

Bison looked into the distance, towards the city gate: "...There's one thing, ordinary messengers wouldn't have this opportunity."

"It's hard to say. As long as you're willing to give up safe transport routes, you'll always see some wonders you've never seen before: Originium storm clusters, stone forests like trees, and cliffs like the sky blocking the way."

Yuuki, who was watching the show from a distance, suddenly spoke up: "However, this is a very risky thing. Natural disasters can happen at any time on the earth, so if you want to see those wonders, you have to take a lot of risks."

Mostima nodded in agreement with Yuuki's statement, and patted Bison on the shoulder: "There will be opportunities. But don't count on Penguin Logistics, we can't judge things by common sense."

"I already know that..." Bison thought about tonight's experience and felt deeply moved.

"Sitting in a truck in the vast desert, watching the sunset pass through the yellow sand, sounds very romantic, but when the romance lasts for hundreds of hours, it will all be worn away."

"I've hardly ever seen a sunset over a sandstorm, but don't you think there's a lot of dust today?" Exusiai looked in the direction where the sandstorm had just started. "The air quality in Lungmen has dropped quite a bit in the past few years. We should get some more air purifiers!"

"Air quality...maybe." Mostima replied casually to Exusiai while stepping back. "Exusiai, and everyone else, I'm sorry, but..."

"Again?"

Mostima chuckled: "Well, I think I timed my departure pretty well, didn't I?"

"...Are you serious?" Exusiai stared intently at Mostima. "But what's just a few hours for you is—"

Exusiai took a deep breath and stomped her foot: "Fine, Mostima! You have to treat me to dinner later! You have to!"

"Okay, okay." Mostima waved his hand and disappeared into the darkness of the alley. "...Honestly, it's really lively tonight."

Bison looked at Exusiai with suspicion and asked, "Are we really just going to leave Miss Mostima alone? Isn't it going to be over tonight?"

Exusiai shrugged: "Who's abandoning whom? Anyway, even if you don't listen to her, she'll just suddenly disappear at some point."

"...Are you angry?"

"Ahhh! Yuuki, you have to make me dessert tonight! I was seriously injured today and I desperately need some dessert to comfort me!" Not knowing what to say, Exusiai decisively pounced on Yuuki, hugging her arms and shaking them repeatedly.

"Okay, okay, I'll make it for you, I'll make it for you, that's fine." Yu Yue laughed as she watched Exusiai shaking her arm, then looked up in the direction Mostima had left.

Since Yuuki was willing to make desserts, it meant that there should be nothing to do tonight, so Texas put away her lightsaber.

Texas pulled a bag of Pocky sticks from her pocket, took one out, and put it in her mouth: "Let's go, let's settle this matter here."

Croissant nodded and was about to hang the shield on her back when she stopped, raised an eyebrow, and looked around at the figures that were gradually surrounding them: "Uh, have we gotten ourselves into trouble?"

Texas frowned and unfolded her sword again: "They've surrounded us. They were lying in ambush in the slums from the start."

Croissant scratched his head and stretched his shoulders, which were a little sore from carrying the hammer and shield for so long: "These guys, are they with the mafia? But they don't seem like it."

"No, there were a few familiar faces; they were all locals from Lungmen..."

Passerby in Longmen: "Shall we make a move?"

"Listen to the boss, teach them a lesson, but be careful. If the woman in the black trench coat pulls out a weapon or her expression turns strange, leave immediately and don't provoke her."

"Yuzuki, is this what you meant by 'everything's fine tonight'?" Texas turned to look at Yuzuki.

Xi Yue smiled and said, "I only said I could make desserts, but I didn't say I was free tonight."

"Does that mean you're from the Mafia?" Texas nodded, looking at the figures that had already surrounded them.

"I didn't say anything!"

-----

"Oh, you're here. What happened just now?" Mostima emerged from the darkness, looking at the old man before him.

The Rat King smiled and said, "...It was just a sudden whim."

"Wasn't your sudden burst of energy a bit too much? Penguin Logistics was there too." Mostima looked at the Rat King with a serious expression. "Besides, you're not young anymore. Won't you die young if you keep pushing yourself like this?"

How much effort do you think I put in?

“…Is that so?” Mostima nodded. “Then how about you at least tone down your murderous aura a little? I’m almost afraid to speak to your face.”

"what happened?"

"Hmm, perhaps I underestimated the vigilance of young people. The young people of Lungmen always surprise me." The Rat King relaxed slightly, then explained, "It's nothing serious. A few out-of-control puppets accidentally injured a dedicated fish ball master. That's all."

"That's all? You should learn to control your expressions before saying things like that."

The Rat King looked at Mostima: "A smile that's always on loses its meaning. I'm actually a little more relaxed than you."

“Isn’t this within your expectations?” Mostima smiled at the Rat King. “For example, to prevent the conflict between Penguin Logistics and the Mafia from going badly, to find an excuse to punish them personally, or something like that.”

The Rat King chuckled and shook his head: "You silly girl, wasting your talents by fooling around with that penguin."

"Where."

"It's quite lively~" Suddenly a voice came from another alley, and a dim blue light came on, illuminating the figure of Xiyue holding a cup of red tea in the alley.

"Hello or good evening, Rat King."

The Rat King was slightly taken aback when he saw Xi Yue suddenly appear, then quickly bowed and said, "Good evening, Your Excellency Xi Yue."

Mostima raised an eyebrow and, mimicking the Rat King, bowed slightly: "Good evening, Lady Yuuki."

"No need for that. I originally just came to take a look and say a few words, but then I thought I would see you, so I thought I'd just meet you. After all, I will need Your Excellency Rat King's help with my medical work in the future."

"You flatter me, sir." The Rat King quickly waved his hand, knowing he couldn't just accept such a remark. He then looked at Mostima beside him. Since Yuuki said she hadn't come to see him in the first place, she must have come with Mostima.

"Is it because of Xiao Le?"

“Yes and no.” Yuzuki smiled at Mostima. “I’m just here as a doctor to see a patient.”

“Me?” Mostima shook his head. “I don’t need treatment, doctor.”

"is it?"

"This is merely the price of power, not a curable ailment, Doctor."

"Is that so? It seems you need psychological therapy. You can come and chat with me when you have time." Xi Yue nodded. "Don't push yourself too hard, learn to let go."

"Thank you for your medical advice."

"Well then, the patient's situation is resolved." Xi Yue's gaze turned to the Rat King. "Was the crystal any good?"

"It works very well. I've never seen such amazing power before. Thank you for your generosity." The Rat King nodded, then hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you dissatisfied with my order to teach Penguin Logistics a lesson?"

At that moment, the crystal was in the Rat King's pocket. After understanding the crystal's function, the Rat King was reluctant to use it all up.

"If it works well, then consider the crystal as the venue fee, is that alright?" Xi Yue nodded, then smiled at the nervous Rat King, "Don't worry, Mr. Emperor and Commander Wei have already talked to me. Tonight I'm just a spectator."

Chapter 44: The Law of Noise (Part 7)

"I'm glad you don't mind." The Rat King breathed a sigh of relief.

Xi Yue shook her head as she looked at the Rat King: "That's why I pretended. I was afraid of encountering something like this. I just want to be a doctor, not someone who needs to be respected."

"Oh~" Mostima became interested and looked up at the feather on Yuzuki's head. "So Miss Shin-yi isn't the legendary Liboli?"

Yuzuki smiled at the curious Mostima: "Want to see?"

Mostima thought for a moment and then waved his hand: "Hmm, no, it might be a disillusioning experience for me."

"That's a strange statement."

“I heard plenty of your legends while delivering messages in the wilderness, including from your men,” Mostima said, shrugging. “For many, you’re more like Liboli, aren’t you?”

"Is that so?" Yuzuki nodded. "That's wonderful."

"What do you mean by that?" The Rat King asked, somewhat curious upon hearing Xi Yue's words.

“It’s very simple. We only need one symbol. Just like when you see someone wearing a white coat, your first thought is that he or she is a doctor, right?” Xi Yue touched the feather on her head. “And now, for those doctors traveling across the land, a simple blue feather can represent a lot, can’t it?”

"Like the Rat King, are you angry today, like your yellow sand?"

The Rat King paused for a moment before explaining, "...I did not allow them to trample on the slums at will, I never allowed it."

“I have tried my best to tolerate their overstepping of the bounds, but they still broke the rules.”

The Rat King sighed and shook his head: "I thought their vague connection with Syracuse could bring Lungmen some interesting benefits... What a disappointment."

Mostima, feigning fear, said, "Wait, wait, stop... Why are you saying so much? Are you going to kill me next?"

"Yeah yeah."

The Rat King looked at Yuuki, who was echoing Mostima's words, and said, "I think there is no one in this world who can silence you, and old people also need to grumble."

“Really? Then I’ll just treat it as a Requiem celebration. I didn’t hear any of what you were saying just now.” Mostima clapped his hands as if to say it jokingly. “The bigger the mafia’s commotion, the more money I might get in the final payment.”

When the Rat King heard Mostima say this, he became interested: "And then what happens after you have money?"

After thinking for a moment, Mostima said, "Let's buy that candy shop first."

"Hehe, you really have a special fondness for it." The Rat King smiled and nodded. "Alright, you can take everything else except the basement."

"So there really is a basement... Couldn't you at least protect my precious memories a little?"

After thinking for a moment, Yuuki asked, "The kind of gang gathering in a dark room?"

“That’s not how it is.” The Rat King shook his head: “That’s my shop.”

"It's such a pity. I thought you would really become a grocery store owner after you retired."

"Perhaps, if I'm still alive when I retire." The Rat King paused, then continued, "It's getting late, the real revelry is about to begin. The actors and performers are all in their places."

Mostima spoke up, asking, "Aren't you going to continue standing idly by?"

"Requiem Night is a festival to send off the dead, but Longmen is ultimately our city." The Rat King leaned on his cane and closed his eyes. "Only when the living are lively and cheerful can the departed souls leave without regrets."

"Moreover, a rat with one foot in the coffin might be mistaken for a dead ghost by some malicious individuals if it doesn't stretch its limbs."

Mostima raised an eyebrow, as if asking curiously, "Then how should it be lively?"

The Rat King smiled and replied, "It should be this lively."

“Ah, I see.” Mostima nodded. “Then this requiem seems to have cost a bit too much, well, even a bit wasteful.”

The Rat King nodded and said approvingly, "You are very clever."

"That's true, otherwise Commander Wei would have come looking for trouble with you long ago."

"Don't talk about such scary things. I don't want to deal with the Guard Bureau anymore. It's too troublesome." The Rat King raised his hand and laughed. "And the essence of this good show is that all the expenses are borne by the actors themselves."