Chapter 260: Preparations and Unexpected Tasks
by xennovel“A driver probably isn’t necessary…”
Lu Xin thought carefully about what he needed to do this time, hesitating before crossing Gecko’s name off the list.
As for the name below Gecko’s, Doll, he didn’t even glance at it before striking it through.
Wasn’t this ridiculous? He was going to Central City, did he really need to babysit too?
Regarding transportation, he mulled it over for a long time before crossing out the steel monster too.
He checked the box for his little motorcycle.
The trip to Central City was extremely long, and he didn’t know how much rough, complicated terrain he’d have to cross.
In many places, two wheels are more practical than four.
For such a long trek, you’d normally either send a whole convoy or find it easier to travel alone.
…Of course, that’s assuming there are no dangers.
Another reason was that if the steel monster broke down without Gecko around, he’d be stranded with no one to fix it. A motorcycle was different; if it broke down, he could at least push or carry it…
Small water purifier, check.
Gun and bullets, special bullets, check.
Dagger, check.
Canned beef and compressed biscuits, check.
Instant coffee and small tea bags, check.
Genuinely decent magazines for boredom…
Signal receiver, satellite phone, military map, compass, check.
Change of clothes and underwear, check.
…
Staring at the long checklist, Lu Xin frowned deeply.
Han Bing had faxed him this list of supplies after learning he was embarking on a long journey out of the city. After the wonton incident, Lu Xin’s trust in Han Bing had deepened…
Or maybe it wasn’t trust… just a very complicated feeling.
Han Bing was also happy to help Lu Xin, making detailed plans for him; the checklist alone spanned several pages…
She said he should consider things discretionarily, but how could Lu Xin decide? The more he looked, the more necessary everything seemed. For example, the simple tent and inflatable pillow seemed like they’d be fun for camping out at night.
However, considering he was traveling by motorcycle, he had to ruthlessly cross many things out.
Like the solar-powered handheld game console, extra-thick windproof long johns, and an MP3 player chargeable via a solar charger…
Finally, looking at the list that was still dizzyingly long despite having crossed out more than half, he let out a long sigh.
Couldn’t take any more; he worried his motorcycle wouldn’t be able to carry it all.
…
After finishing this, Lu Xin submitted the supply list along with his mission report and application to leave the city.
This time, Lu Xin had accepted two missions for his trip to the main city.
The accompanying mission for Doll was terminated midway and conducted under Chen Jing’s guidance, so no special report was needed.
As for the cleanup mission regarding the S-rank Ability User from the Sea Country, Lu Xin, after careful consideration, wrote that he entered the cordoned zone and saw the colossal mental monster, the Red Cloaked Apostle, over a hundred meters tall. He first tried to pollute it but failed. Then, he severed the filaments it used to pollute the Qinggang City residents and disintegrated its entire body piece by piece.
Finally, direct elimination.
He reviewed it himself and felt quite satisfied.
Every outcome and key point was clearly stated, just omitting the process.
This would fully display his diligent yet modest side, not seeking credit.
Even if there were shortcomings, it didn’t matter; Han Bing had already promised to help him “polish” it.
As for the Second Stage changes…
Considering the Second Stage was specially tailored for him by the Special Cleaning Department, Lu Xin filled it out responsibly. However, there wasn’t much to write in this section, so Lu Xin simply submitted a clear explanation stating that he wasn’t usually affected much, or rather, showed no obvious changes. But when he got angry, he could indeed recover his reason quickly.
He didn’t mention the glasses turning into a dog because even Lu Xin himself found it absurd…
As for the reason for his application to leave the city, Lu Xin kept it even simpler:
Visiting relatives outside the city.
…
“Mr. Lone Soldier, there are two issues.”
After receiving the fax, Han Bing called back: “First issue: Qinggang is currently very busy dealing with the aftermath of the Sea Country’s attack. Both the Administration Hall and our various departments in the Special Cleaning Department are swamped, so reviews and mission assessments are usually slow. However, your mission assessment and report received signatures from Professor Bai and Mr. Su.”
“So, the results came quickly. It’s confirmed: mission level S-rank, completion S-rank.”
“The payment for this mission is three million Alliance Coins.”
“Based on your particularly outstanding performance in this mission, the Administration Hall has specially approved a one million bonus as a reward.”
“…”
“Huh? Only four million?”
Lu Xin silently calculated in his head, pursing his lips.
The last time he left the city to hunt down Qin Ran and his group, it was three million…
Of course, Lu Xin had to grudgingly admit that accepting missions within the Special Cleaning Department was different from collecting bounties directly.
Besides, in terms of difficulty, it seemed this Ability User from the Sea Country wasn’t even as tough as Qin Ran…
…The Qin Ran incident took him several days.
…This one took less than an hour.
Such high cost-performance!
“Phew…”
Having figured this out, his mood improved. He asked, “How long until it’s disbursed?”
Han Bing chuckled, “That requires processing by the banking system. Probably a week at the earliest.”
Lu Xin thought about his plan to visit relatives outside the city. It was already set, and he definitely couldn’t wait a week. After careful consideration, he asked, “In that case, could I ask you for another favor?”
“Oh?”
Han Bing laughed, “Mr. Lone Soldier, you’re too polite. I’d be happy to help.”
“Thank you, thank you…”
Lu Xin quickly expressed his gratitude, then said with a slightly embarrassed smile, “In our Second Satellite City, near Qingyan Mountain, there’s a nice villa area. I’ve always wanted to buy a house there… I inquired about the price, and apparently, someone offered five million before, but the owner didn’t sell. So, I need to prepare a bit more. I had two… million before, plus the current amount…”
He muttered to himself, “Should be enough, right?”
“I’ll look into it later, but I’m sure it’s enough.”
Han Bing sounded very happy, “Six million is not a small sum in Qinggang City right now. Besides, after Mr. Lone Soldier asked me to inquire last time, I researched those villas carefully. The price is actually inflated. It’s only quoted so high because they date back to the era of civilization and have special significance. When actually buying, the price can be lowered somewhat.”
“Mhm, mhm.”
A wide, happy smile spread across Lu Xin’s face, unseen by Han Bing. He said:
“So, I was wondering if I could transfer the money to you first, and you could help me buy a house?”
“…Sigh, actually, if I wasn’t in such a rush to leave the city this time, I’d really want to stay and choose one myself.”
“…”
“Eh? Such a big matter?”
Even Han Bing was a bit surprised, “I thought you just wanted me to keep helping you inquire…”
After thinking for a moment, she tentatively suggested, “Since Mr. Lone Soldier is eager to visit relatives, why not look together after you return?”
“…”
Lu Xin shook his head, “No need. After buying it, please hand it over to the Red Moon Orphanage next to the Security Hall. There will probably be some money left over; that can also be given to them for their daily expenses…”
“…Like paying utility bills, buying groceries, things like that.”
“…”
Han Bing was stunned for a moment, “There might be nearly two million left, just for utility bills and groceries?”
“Well, they can buy more groceries, after all. Pork is very expensive these days…”
Lu Xin also felt this might be a bit exaggerated, making him seem too high-profile when he preferred to be low-key.
He quickly changed the subject, “Can you help me with this?”
“No problem.”
Han Bing readily agreed, “Since Mr. Lone Soldier trusts me so much, I’ll definitely handle this matter well.”
Lu Xin felt relieved, “That’s good.”
Actually, in his initial plan, he intended to take Teacher Xiao Lu with him directly. But her reaction the other day when they talked about the Old Director made him feel a bit uncomfortable. Therefore, he hadn’t gone to see Teacher Xiao Lu since, and certainly didn’t feel it was a good time to discuss buying a house. So, he could only ask someone else for help.
Thinking about the people around him, Lu Xin felt Chen Jing and Han Bing were the most trustworthy.
But Chen Jing was such a high-ranking leader; how could he bother her with something like this?
Han Bing was different. She was nice, genuinely good to him, and always gave off a reassuring feeling.
Her small wontons were also delicious…
…
Having settled this matter, Lu Xin’s mood improved somewhat. He asked, “By the way, what was the second thing you mentioned earlier?”
He remembered Han Bing saying there were two things when she called.
“Ah… I almost forgot.”
Han Bing chuckled, “The second thing is from Section Chief Chen. She said there’s currently a matter in Qinggang requiring someone to deliver a document to Central City. Since Mr. Lone Soldier is heading to Central City anyway, why not take this task?”
“This way, it counts as you being on a mission for Qinggang, so you don’t even need to request leave.”
“…And there’s a subsidy!”
“…”
“What a coincidence?”
Lu Xin was slightly surprised, then smiled self-deprecatingly.
Actually, he understood it probably wasn’t a coincidence. It seemed wherever he went, there just happened to be a mission waiting for him.
Then again.
Qinggang was so large, one of the twelve high-wall cities in the Alliance. It was perfectly normal for it to have dealings with Central City, right?
“Also…”
Han Bing paused here, her tone changing slightly as she smiled, “This isn’t official business, just a reminder:”
“Mr. Lone Soldier needs to be mindful of certain things when visiting relatives in Central City this time.”
“Each high-wall city might have its own different laws and regulations. I hope Mr. Lone Soldier can abide by them as much as possible…”
Her voice slowed down, “But beyond complying with their laws and regulations, if you encounter any problems…”
“Please remember, you must contact our Qinggang liaison personnel in Central City.”
After a pause, she smiled, “Those are our own people whom we can trust.”