For Lungmen, the recent period remained a period of normalcy.
Chernobog launched a fiery campaign of persecuting the Infected, and the entire Ursus Empire also began to develop some prejudice against the Infected. An organization calling itself the Reunion Movement seemed to be taking in these Infected and attempting dialogue with the higher-ups, yet was ignored by Ursus and other empires.
Lungmen continued to play its unique role among numerous countries as a trading city; its leader diligently promoted the Lungmen LMD, attempting to turn it into a universal currency, but everyone knew the right to mint currency couldn't be relinquished. So, the idea of Lungmen, as an isolated city-state, manipulating the world's direction through economics was seen as a joke by most people. Even with the negative state right after a war, a country was still a country.
And the Third Columbian Civil War also broke out intensely a few days ago. Columbia internally split into several factions attacking each other. Several cities declared allegiance to different sides. People who originally came together for peace quickly split apart. Blacksteel International took the opportunity to jump out of this quagmire, no longer involving itself in war-related business in this aspect. Its overall influence shrunk to an extremely pitiful degree, but it also successfully escaped the swamp of Columbia. And stimulated by the war, various tools and weapons originally hidden from the eyes of the wider world also appeared one after another.
Autonomous zombies, the Immortality Protocol, mechanized biological hybrid troops—those rumors about Columbia recruiting Infected as cannon fodder were no longer false, but presented truthfully before everyone. The current state of all biological companies had a question mark placed over them, which also led to countless talents starting to flee Columbia.
Although officials declared these people traitors, sellouts, to be captured and sent back to Columbia for interrogation, no one gave a damn about these war fanatics.
They were already entangled by a nightmare called Immortality, unable to see the path ahead clearly.
Other organizations and countries that still retained some sanity had decided to lie low, watching how far these crazed biologists could push this path. The impact brought by the Lazarus File continued; it was said that Raythean Industries, while sorting its database by chance, discovered another Lazarus File. It recorded data on a giant facility codenamed 'Titan'. But when foreign countries demanded they publicize the Titan data, Raythean Industries refused, claiming no such thing existed, that Raythean Industries looked down on the Lazarus File's contents, that the Lazarus File never existed in the first place, and everything was a conspiracy by people with ulterior motives.
Due to Raythean Industries' near-monopoly status in technological products, other countries didn't push too hard, just extorted an order and let it go. But various countries began to secretly promote the development of their own scientific research industries. The entire world of Terra seemed like a catfish had been thrown in, gradually rejuvenating the originally stagnant and dead world with a different kind of vitality. And most of the time, this vitality was a bit too excessive.
Countless orders and exchanges also gave Penguin Logistics' existence meaning. Now they didn't even need to accept ordinary activities; all they received were expedited and encrypted messages. Penguin Logistics' luxury sedans raced through the streets and alleys of Lungmen, continuously transporting data and equipment.
However, in this process, there were always some pitiful people who couldn't hold on.
For example, the Prophet currently lying on the sofa, face covered with a white cloth, fast asleep like a dead person, was just like that.
"Is that Prophet really an operator of Penguin Logistics? Why is Senior Texas so…"
"…Targeting him?"
"Mm. Looks a bit pitiful."
Sora, wearing an OL (Office Lady) outfit and accompanied by two bodyguards, was organizing transaction documents in the company, looking with some pity at the man whose chest rose and fell lying on the sofa.
Although Sora was Texas's die-hard fan, she hadn't reached the point of disregarding everything. She also possessed a normal sense of right and wrong and values. Because the idol industry had been somewhat dangerous recently, many activities were cancelled, giving Sora more time to come work at Penguin Logistics.
But every time she worked, she could see Texas constantly training the Prophet. Such as running errands, predicting good or bad outcomes related to things, sparring with him, beating him down, then kneading his body and bones to let his muscles adapt, even using Originium Arts to make him constantly run left and right to train his turnaround ability. And these times were mostly interspersed during work routes. Most of the time, Sora saw that operator not even saying a word, just taking a shower, going to the dormitory, falling onto the bed, and sleeping.
Now, he didn't even have time to fall onto the bed, directly lying on the sofa, closing his eyes as if passing away.
If not for Croissant taking pity on him and covering his face with a white cloth, he probably would have been blinded by the fluorescent lights. Although essentially it looked more like he had directly passed away, it was actually quite helpful for his sleep. And Croissant was also crossing her legs, looking at Li Lin and scratching her head somewhat strangely.
"Now that you mention it, it really is like that, it's been over a week…"
"Right? A bit pitiful. Although I feel it's inherently wrong to speak ill of Senior Texas, this state of living is close to punishment, isn't it?"
"How should I put it, even Croissant feels Texas is going a bit too far. Just because he said a few bad words, training him like this, makes Li Lin seem a bit pitiful… Wait, maybe I should treat him to drinks later? He helped me find my wallet several times. Didn't that Lappland Lupo always want to treat him? Why don't we just go out together for a good meal sometime? I heard that new barbecue place opposite is delicious, you know?"
"Then, not bringing Texas?"
Exusiai, sitting on the chair, suddenly looked up and asked:
"Should we bring Texas and Prophet together for a meal?"
"Ah, how should I put it… Inviting the perpetrator when helping the victim, isn't that a bit inappropriate? The essence is to let Prophet relax. After all, Prophet has always had a good relationship with us, and he's a good person too, even looked after my business."
"Is that so…"
Exusiai nodded thoughtfully after listening, then looked towards the bathroom and shouted loudly.
"Texas, are you there!"
"…What is it?"
Texas, wearing a cultural shirt brought by Sora and rubbing her hair with a towel, walked out of the bathroom with a calm expression, ignoring the slightly awkward gazes of Croissant and Sora, carrying steamy vapor as she looked straight at the calm-faced Exusiai.
"There's something, let's go up and talk."
"Okay."
Looking at Texas's appearance, Exusiai pointed upwards with a serious expression and walked out first.
And under the nervous gazes of Sora and Croissant, Texas remained calm, followed wearing slippers and shorts. Completely ignoring the slightly fearful gazes of the two still awake.