“I stand here watching you, not waiting for you to rewrite history, but for you to write it anew.”
Neither of them had slept much that night. Ke Yiyi found sleep impossible, while Li Yuyi, despite his complete lack of drowsiness, had no choice but to close his eyes and feign rest. A pang of guilt struck Ke Yiyi; she knew he was accommodating her.
Wishing to compensate him slightly, Ke Yiyi had intended to prepare breakfast that morning. Yet, to her dismay, she had drifted off again just before dawn, only to wake and find Li Yuyi had already made breakfast.
This… Ke Yiyi felt utterly useless. ‘How could I have fallen asleep just as morning approached?’ she wondered.
After a simple breakfast, Ke Yiyi returned to the police station. This time, however, she did not see Yagami Saichi, only Yagami Kii.
Learning from Yagami Kii that Yagami Saichi had already set off for Sixty-One Workers City before dawn, Ke Yiyi was overcome with shame. She had been sleeping when Yagami Saichi had departed.
‘Alas… in the days since leaving the police force, I can no longer even maintain a police officer’s demanding schedule,’ she thought.
‘If I don’t hold myself to stricter standards, I’ll become utterly worthless to society.’
As Ke Yiyi left the station, she encountered Yazuki Junko and Alexia. Yazuki Junko, too, had been awake all night but appeared remarkably energetic. By contrast, Ke Yiyi felt herself to be excessively weak, utterly incomparable to Yazuki Junko in any regard.
After a brief conversation, Ke Yiyi learned that Yazuki Junko, subsequent to graduating from the police academy, had passed an additional thirteen subject exams, now possessing nineteen professional police licenses. She even planned to acquire three more licenses during her holiday this year. In the history of the Yggdrasil Police Academy, save for one officer who held thirty-one licenses before the war, Yazuki Junko stood unrivaled. She had become the undisputed ‘Exam King’ of Yggdrasil Police Academy, a legendary figure within its halls.
Though she knew it was an unkind thought, Ke Yiyi vaguely suspected that Yazuki Junko was likely either obsessed with exams or driven by a desire to set some kind of record.
After all, nineteen licenses were an exorbitant number; it was improbable anyone would ever have the opportunity to work in so many different fields throughout their lifetime.
Alexia, on the other hand, was here specifically to collect weapons from the local populace. Any weapons originating from Xuanji Star would be meticulously secured and transported back to Mirage City for research. While pre-war weaponry had already been studied, it was not impossible that some particularly valuable weapons, such as improved conventional models, might exist among the local civilians.
Afflicted with multiple severe allergies, she was compelled to wear a mask wherever she went. Though her symptoms had considerably eased over the years, in earlier times, she had typically needed to travel with a gas mask.
Her dietary restrictions were even more stringent. Ke Yiyi recalled past gatherings where Alexia could only observe from a distance, signifying her participation in the group activity by simply raising her water glass to drink.
Given the multitude and extreme complexity of her allergies, Ke Yiyi maintained as much distance as possible even when speaking to her. A single unintentional action on her part could potentially harm one of the police force’s brightest minds. Consequently, their brief exchange did not last long before Ke Yiyi waved goodbye.
Leaving the police station, Ke Yiyi felt an overwhelming sense of desolation, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. Perhaps she still yearned for life in the police force… it felt impossible to let go, yet she had no choice but to move forward.
‘Once I arrive at Sixty-One Workers City, perhaps I should focus on other matters, rather than constantly returning to the police force, lest I become too preoccupied,’ she mused.
Ke Yiyi shook her head with a wry smile. Apart from police matters, she was utterly clueless about everything else. She had no idea how she could be of help anywhere else. ‘If only I were as intelligent as Yazuki Junko,’ she thought, ‘at least I’d be competent at everything…’
Of course, this was merely wishful thinking on her part; she was unaware that Yazuki Junko, too, was utterly clueless about matters outside the police force.
Li Yuyi remained consistently by her side. In his eyes, Ke Yiyi was a person who could never truly be idle. Though her body had departed the police force, her spirit lingered there. Even while awaiting the arrival of Li Qiwei and the others, Ke Yiyi didn’t forget to assist the propaganda department in promoting Vega’s policies and addressing the local populace’s concerns. While she didn’t understand these matters deeply, she fortunately had promotional materials, which were sufficient for her to recite verbatim.
The public was perpetually curious. Despite promotional materials being ubiquitous, people often chose a more direct and crude method to obtain answers after a cursory glance—simply by asking someone from the police force.
Perhaps the police propaganda materials were too obscure and difficult to comprehend, or perhaps the human heart perpetually yearned to be guided, seeking answers from others rather than discovering them independently.
Li Qiwei and her group finally arrived closer to noon, having dawdled all morning. Apparently, Enfinietta had caused the delay, as her former colleagues had numerous questions to consult her on. Li Qiwei sometimes felt it had been a mistake to transfer Enfinietta to The Robin Club; it was a waste of her talents.
Enfinietta’s current situation was exceedingly awkward. While she held a position at The Robin Club, she lacked any actual work responsibilities there. Thus, the majority of her daily work at the club involved handling issues for her former colleagues—a classic case of ‘meddling in affairs outside one’s purview.’ It left one bewildered as to what Lan Xifang and the three major councils truly intended.
However, apart from her very first day at The Robin Club, Enfinietta hadn’t thrown any more tantrums. It seemed she had been appeased by Lan Xifang with a stack of academic books. Yet, Li Qiwei believed that a brilliant mind like Enfinietta’s, one so widely read, wouldn’t be bought off by strange academic tomes. Perhaps there were genuinely books within the collection that piqued her interest and that she hadn’t encountered before!
Once the three women were settled in the back, Ke Yiyi set off. In truth, Li Yuyi had already taken the driver’s seat, but Ke Yiyi’s insistence compelled him to move to the front passenger seat.
Under no circumstances would Ke Yiyi permit someone who hadn’t slept all night to drive a car with four passengers.
As they departed, Ke Yiyi once again passed the street in front of the police station. Each time she drove by, her gaze would inevitably fall upon the pool of blood on the ground. No matter how many times she saw it, the sight of that crimson stain, tearing through everything before her eyes, refused to grant her peace of mind.
‘That child’s parents would pay the price, sooner or later…’
‘Sooner or later…’
To welcome the observation team, Xuanji Star had erected numerous road signs along the route outside the city. Even in the countryside, Xuanji Star soldiers patrolled back and forth, preventing any incidents on the observation team’s journey to Sixty-One Workers City.
Bearing the observation team’s license plate, their westward journey proceeded with virtually no obstructions. Only when passing through certain critical checkpoints would Xuanji Star personnel stop their vehicle to inspect identification, ensuring no one could slip through unnoticed.
Though Li Yuyi’s eyes were closed, he still intermittently scanned the Xuanji Star soldiers around them.
The White Horse Banner Team belonged to the Blood-Soaked Army’s combat hierarchy. Unlike the Homeland Defense Army, the Blood-Soaked Army was composed entirely of players, specifically those who had joined blood alliances, with no old citizens among them. They represented the elite of the Xuanji Star military, and the White Horse Banner Team, within the Blood-Soaked Army, was the elite of the elite. Their level of mechanization was exceptionally high. From what Li Yuyi observed along the way, this unit’s equipment not only surpassed that of other Xuanji Star forces but could even be said to be unparalleled across the Eastern Continent.
He wondered how many such units existed, or if perhaps this equipment wasn’t the White Horse Banner Team’s standard gear, but rather specially allocated and organized to put on a good show.
Putting on a show was something every academy had done, and Xuanji Star was no exception.
He found it difficult to fall asleep surrounded by women, especially since Li Qiwei’s mouth hadn’t stopped moving the entire journey.
One moment she would discuss the local customs of Worldly Affairs City, the next her own experiences, only to then abruptly pivot and expound at length on Ke Yiyi’s affairs.
Hearing her, Ke Yiyi couldn’t help but worry, ‘Could my private matters have become common knowledge throughout the city?’
‘Or rather, was it precisely *because* Li Qiwei knew that it would become common knowledge…’
“But Sister Ke,” Li Qiwei began, “there’s a rumor that the Xuanji Star person was your past… old flame?”
Mid-sentence, Li Qiwei suddenly felt that “old flame” wasn’t quite the right term, but she was accustomed to speaking her mind without restraint. She reasoned that if she deliberately tried to conceal it with another word, it would only make her seem disingenuous, so she simply blurted it out.
Ke Yiyi’s heart lurched. She wasn’t surprised by Li Qiwei’s choice of words, but rather by the revelation that *this* matter, too, had become known to everyone.
‘Oh no… someone from Vega entangled with Xuanji Star… and this isn’t even recorded in my personal file… this will definitely be investigated…’ she thought.
“Rest assured, Officer Ke,” Li Yuyi offered comfort. Though his eyes were still squinted, he had felt the car swerve momentarily before correcting its course, and he vaguely understood Ke Yiyi’s apprehension.
For Ke Yiyi, it was all in the past. Moreover, both parties had joined Vega and Xuanji Star respectively *after* losing contact, not while already holding public office during their acquaintance.
Even if there were to be an investigation, she trusted that Lan Xifang’s capabilities would easily resolve such issues.
“Mm… yes,” Ke Yiyi affirmed.
Ke Yiyi glanced askance at Li Yuyi, then nodded, giving Li Qiwei an affirmative answer.
She couldn’t deny it… because it was an objective truth.
“So, did you two… roll in the sheets?”
“Eh?”
Ke Yiyi’s heart jolted. She had never imagined Li Qiwei would ask such a question.
She looked incredulously into the rearview mirror, where Li Qiwei sat in the back, her face a picture of pure curiosity. It was clear she hadn’t asked such an embarrassing question intentionally; given her personality, she was likely genuinely inquisitive.
Beside her, Li Yuyi, who had been squinting, instinctively opened his eyes at the question. He cast a sidelong glance at Ke Yiyi, but before she could notice his reaction, he returned to his meditative state of closed eyes. ‘This is a private matter,’ he thought, ‘I shouldn’t concern myself with it; it will only embarrass Ke Yiyi.’
“Don’t ask embarrassing questions,” Enfinietta said.
Enfinietta, her eyes on the book in her hands, reminded Li Qiwei. It was a Xuanji Star book she’d spotted in the hands of a Worldly Affairs City resident, and her curiosity about its contents had prompted her to buy it.
“Alright! Sister Ke, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have asked such a private question.”
Ke Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief, wondering what leverage Enfinietta held over Li Qiwei to quiet her so easily.
At any rate, it was a good thing…
But then, Li Qiwei’s voice once again rang out from the back seat…
“Hey! Olive (Gan Lan)! Olive (Gan Lan)!”
“It’s Gan Lan, not Olive,” Gan Lan corrected.
Gan Lan, huddled in the corner, corrected Li Qiwei’s mispronunciation.
“My apologies, my apologies. I speak carelessly when I get excited.”
Li Qiwei hurriedly swallowed the banana in her mouth, then leaned forward, asking curiously,
“Did you and that… *who*, did you two roll in the sheets?”
“Xiao Mei!” Ke Yiyi exclaimed.
Ke Yiyi quickly told Li Qiwei to stop. If Li Qiwei’s curiosity led her to ask Ke Yiyi embarrassing questions, Ke Yiyi wouldn’t take offense, as she and Man Huai Zhi had indeed once… had a relationship…
But how could she ask Gan Lan such a question! Gan Lan and Mu Xuanming were… were…
She caught Gan Lan’s expression in the rearview mirror. It was neither embarrassment nor anger, but an ineffable desolation.
Without a word, Gan Lan lowered her head, burying it in her knees, and sank into endless silence.