Chapter 111: Eli's Family

Chapter 111: Eli’s Family

After gathering the intelligence, Xia Zheng returned to the hotel. He chose to stay with Eli; he truly had no desire to look at the faces of those bureaucrats.

“Eli, are you ready to meet your family?” Xia Zheng asked as he handed her a package.

Eli immediately lowered her head, soon looking as though she might burst into tears. She knew that if her family saw her in this condition, whether they would still accept her was so unrealistic that even she could hardly believe it.

“I have an idea. Put on some makeup and try to make yourself look as normal as possible. Then I’ll take you to see them privately. How does that sound?” Xia Zheng suggested.

Eli nodded at once. Only then did she realize that the package contained cosmetics and makeup tools. Delighted, she began applying her makeup.

Two hours later, Eli appeared before Xia Zheng with her makeup meticulously done and her face radiant. He was full of admiration. It was practically a disguise. At that moment, hardly any trace of her vampire nature remained. She looked like nothing more than a bright, pure, and adorable young girl.

“Brother Benson... How... how do I look?” Eli asked shyly.

Xia Zheng gave her a thumbs-up and praised her. “A peerless beauty.”

Eli immediately threw herself into his arms and passionately kissed him. Xia Zheng did not refuse and savored the kiss, but he made no further move. Although the dungeon resembled a game, its characters possessed independent personalities. They were not NPCs to be toyed with at will.

Though Eli was somewhat resentful, Xia Zheng still took her out of Noon District Seven and headed for Rat District One.

Since they were in the same city, they could simply take the subway loop line. Xia Zheng and Eli boarded the train bound for her home without difficulty. He had currently been suspended from duty and could only wait to see whether the evidence he had submitted would have any effect. Otherwise, he might even end up being arrested.

But he would not surrender without a fight. Even inside the dungeon, he would complete the tasks required by the system according to his own wishes. As long as he could move the plot forward, that was enough. As for everything else, anyone who dared to obstruct him would have to bear the consequences.

Among the thousands of ordinary and mutated Pajel zombies he had killed, it was difficult to say whether some had been vampires like Eli who retained their independent personalities. Perhaps they had merely been forced into attacking humans against their will. For that reason, Xia Zheng’s state of mind was now colder than it had ever been.

Nearly two hours later, Xia Zheng and Eli arrived safely in Rat District One. As they left the station, they saw a news bulletin interrupting the advertisements on a giant screen above the street.

“There has been an outbreak of unrest in the satellite city of Pajel. Approximately one hundred thousand rioters have left the city and surged toward Evernight City, attacking travelers, merchants, and soldiers indiscriminately along the way. The Military Department has begun imposing martial law and dispatched troops to disperse them. Several other nearby satellite cities have also experienced unrest. This is an extremely rare occurrence in the vicinity of Evernight City, unseen in decades. A detailed report will follow shortly.”

The brief news flash did not seem to dampen the surrounding people’s enthusiasm for the approaching weekend. Men and women, young and old, showed little reaction. After all, in their eyes, everywhere beyond Evernight City was essentially a wasteland, even the satellite cities.

Moreover, nearly half of the Federation Military Department’s forces were stationed in Evernight City, along with its finest security forces. It was the safest and most prosperous place in the Federation, bar none. Even Azure City possessed its special status only because of its unique position. The Federation’s foremost city had always been Evernight.

Watching all this, Xia Zheng shook his head. Evernight’s extreme material prosperity and abundance had caused its people to habitually forget every danger. Even with danger drawing near, they remained completely unmoved.

Rat District One was far more prosperous than Noon District Seven, where Xia Zheng lived. Its commercial atmosphere was particularly strong, and every street and alley was crowded with advertisements, mainly of two kinds: investment opportunities and recruitment notices.

“Eli, why did you choose to work in Pajel instead of staying in Rat District One?” Xia Zheng asked.

He was carrying several gifts as presents for the meeting. He felt they were essential. At present, he was temporarily posing as Eli’s boyfriend.

“Brother... it was mainly because my grades weren’t very good, so it was difficult for me to stay here. Although some companies were willing to hire me, whenever those middle-aged men interviewed or placed me on probation, they always wanted me to become their mistress. It was terribly irritating. The other female employees ostracized me as well, and I’m not very good at handling those kinds of relationships. So in the end, I decided to leave and find work in Pajel.

“There aren’t as many rules or as much filth in Pajel as there are in the city. After working there for about half a year, I had already earned the shop manager’s approval. If none of this had happened, perhaps I...” Eli seemed to think of her manager and colleagues, and her voice suddenly choked with emotion.

Xia Zheng comforted her for a while before reminding her, “For now, don’t mention what happened in Pajel. If your family asks, just say that a company recently transferred you to Noon District Seven in the city.”

“All right, Brother...” Eli answered obediently. She immediately linked her arm through his. The sensation of her soft, elastic body against his elbow made Xia Zheng feel somewhat guilty. He thought of Nalan Heng and Shen Hua, and his guilt deepened.

Her family lived in an ordinary residential complex near the center of Rat District One. The surroundings were merely average.

Since Eli had lost her phone in Pajel, Xia Zheng bought her a new one from a nearby mobile-phone shop. Eli then called home.

“Mom... it’s me, Eli. I’d like to come home for a visit. Is that convenient?” she asked, doing her best to suppress her excitement.

The woman’s voice on the other end, however, was cold and indifferent.

“Eli, you still haven’t sent this month’s living expenses. What’s going on? Have you lost your job?”

“No... no, I just... I was feeling unwell, so I left the money in my account and forgot to transfer it.” Eli replied in disappointment.

The woman continued, “Then transfer it first. Your younger brother Karl needs to enroll in a tutoring course to prepare for next year’s university entrance exams. Money is tight at home. As his older sister, you can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

“Oh... I... I understand. I’ll send the money right away... Mom... is Dad doing all right?” Eli asked, struggling to hold back her tears.

“He’s fine. He won’t die. Your father has been gambling again lately and lost all our living expenses. I must have been blind to marry that gambling addict. Enough talk. Send the money home as soon as possible, and don’t come back unless there’s something important.”

With that, the woman hung up.

“Fine...” Eli almost bit the word out.

Xia Zheng rubbed her back, feeling deeply disappointed in her family. It was a miracle that such an unfortunate household had managed to raise a hardworking and courageous girl like Eli.

Holding Eli as she finally broke down and sobbed aloud, Xia Zheng did his best to comfort her. He no longer cared about the curious looks from passersby.

After crying, Eli’s mood improved somewhat, though her makeup had been badly ruined. Xia Zheng took her to a nearby restroom to touch it up, lest anyone notice anything unusual.

While waiting for Eli, Xia Zheng put on his headphones and listened to the news. Before he knew it, however, he found himself surrounded by a group of young people blocking his path. They were several years younger than he was, and they all looked fairly presentable.

There were perhaps six or seven of them, two or three women and the rest men—or at least, that was what he assumed. One or two of them were impossible to identify by appearance alone, their physical features offering no clear indication of gender.

Most wore partially shaved dreadlocks, with one side covered in locks and the other completely bald. Their lips, ears, and noses were pierced, while extensive tattoos covered their arms, abdomens, and legs. They looked exactly like a pack of street thugs.

“Well, look at this old geezer. How about lending us a little money to spend?” said the purple-dreadlocked youth at the front. He chewed gum while skillfully flipping a folding knife through his fingers, his tone utterly casual.