Lin really liked Lucian. He thought highly of the young man.
Lucian was grateful for his help too.
Without Lin looking out for him, he and El—two people with nothing and nowhere to go—would never have managed to settle down in Lungmen.
And it wasn't just him and El. Lin had even helped another one of Lucian's compatriots in the past.
After all that, Lucian owed him so much that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Lin was one of the very few people in this world Lucian felt genuinely humbled before.
But, well… whether it was an old man's habit or just the nerves of a father with an only daughter, Lin had been desperately trying to sell his daughter to Lucian since forever.
Even though Lucian and Yuxia had both clearly rejected the idea multiple times, Lin acted like he never heard a thing. In his mind, they were just too shy, so he kept trying to force a match.
Today was no different. His rodent-like face was leaning so far over the table it was practically touching Lucian's.
"What exactly do you not like about my Yuxia?! She's so pretty and cute—she should be super popular with young people like you! From the time she was little, I can't even count how many punks tried to get close to her—I broke all their legs! She's the daughter I raised with painstaking care! And don't be fooled by her slim, fashionable look—she's very easy to raise! She could pop out five or six healthy boys without any trouble!"
"That's exactly the problem!" Lucian jerked backward, scrambling to get away from Lin's bloodshot stare.
It was precisely because of her dad's attitude that Yuxia, still in her rebellious phase, had fought with him and insisted on living alone.
Lucian had heard they went to see a movie together and thought maybe their relationship had gotten better.
But then he remembered—it was that Siracusa mafia movie, the one where the mob boss ends up old, alone, abandoned by his wife and child.
Taking your mafia dad to watch that… what was Yuxia trying to say?
Whatever it was, Lucian had to dodge this landmine.
He hurriedly said, "Let's not talk about Yuxia. I'm here for something serious. A few extremist organizations made up of Infected have come to Lungmen. Mr. Lin, do you know about this?"
"Oh? Go on."
At the mention of Slums business, Lin instantly switched from matchmaking father to cold, calculating ruler, settling back into his seat with a hardened gaze.
This was the true shadow king of Lungmen—the absolute monarch who controlled the chaotic Slums.
Lucian quietly exhaled and continued, "Mr. Lin, you know the one the news keeps talking about lately—the Reunion Movement in Chernobog. I ran into some of their people today—or I guess technically yesterday. They're stirring up the Infected, trying to make a name for themselves."
Lin raised a brow. "Them? An Infected organization from Ursus, and they actually have ambitions that long-term?"
His suspicion was perfectly reasonable.
Ursus kept the Infected under brutal oppression. Rebellions—big and small—had happened constantly throughout history. The last few decades had never truly been peaceful.
Everyone knew Ursus's Infected lived miserably, treated worse than animals. They'd been ground down so badly they could hardly resist.
Scattered, starving, desperate—that was the reality.
From Lucian and Lin's perspective, talk of ideology or ideals didn't matter. The practical reality came first.
Even if the Reunion Movement somehow united every Infected in all of Ursus, they would still be no more than ants before the Regular Army of that massive Empire.
The only reason they managed to make a fuss in Chernobog was because the Ursus Empire simply didn't care enough to stomp them out.
Yet that tiny, insignificant group was somehow reaching their hands toward Infected elsewhere in the world.
Lin stroked his beard, expression serious. "Lungmen and Chernobog are close now. If they were running low on manpower or wanted to escape from Chernobog, Lungmen would be their first stop. So, Lucian… do you think they're planning something that passive?"
Lucian shook his head. "Not at all. They're planning to keep operating in Chernobog, and they're close to achieving some big goal. They believe that once they succeed, the whole world will pay attention to them, and all Infected will flock to their banner. Even if it's just something they're telling their own members, they must have some kind of proof."
Completely immersed in thought, Lin muttered deeply, "Ursus… Ursus… For that insatiable war machine, any rebellion should just be crushed. Why let things get this far? Have they really rotted that badly in just a decade…? No. Impossible. A single decade couldn't change an Empire."
Lucian didn't interrupt. He simply sipped his tea.
He was just doing his duty as a good citizen—warning Lin, nothing more.
What Lin chose to do about the Reunion Movement wasn't something Lucian intended to interfere with.
And Lin was especially wary of the Ursus Empire.
Lucian had only mentioned the Reunion Movement, but Lin immediately escalated the concern to the entire Empire.
Lucian, who had only left Laterano a few years ago, didn't really understand the global situation.
He knew the Ursus Empire was aggressive and constantly waging wars of expansion.
To him, that was simply a fact. But to an older man like Lin, the menace of Ursus was something much more visceral.
After a moment, Lin raised his head and shouted toward the door:
"Someone! Bring me a real-time Mobile City map—I want to see where Lungmen and Chernobog are right now!"
Lucian blinked. "Ah, if you just need a map, I've got one. I can check on my phone."
He pulled out his phone and opened a search engine. It didn't take long to find a real-time map.
This world was plagued by Catastrophes—Natural Disasters triggered by Originium's volatile, high-energy nature, destructive to the point humanity still couldn't counter them.
That was why Mobile Cities existed. Catastrophe Messengers, like weather forecasters, observed the skies and terrain, predicting when and where disasters would form, guiding cities to safety.
Because of that, knowing the position and terrain of every city in real time was vital.
It was literally tied to everyone's survival, so there were even dedicated apps for it—and Catastrophe Messengers were good people.
Lin narrowed his eyes slightly at the clear map displayed on Lucian's screen. "Technology these days really is something… Hm?"
Mid-sigh, his brow suddenly furrowed. He grabbed Lucian's wrist.
His rodent-like face nearly plastered itself against the phone screen.
Pointing a sharp fingertip at the marker for Chernobog, he asked, "Lucian, when did this place stop moving?"
"Let me check."
Lucian opened the records. "Looks like it's been stationary for about a week. Probably resupplying?"
Lin shook his head. "No. There's nothing there. Just Wasteland."
Lucian frowned. "Is that… bad?"
He didn't have the instincts of someone who had lived through real wars. He couldn't smell the gunpowder the way an old veteran could.
To someone like Lin, Chernobog—an Ursus Empire city—its position relative to Lungmen, the appearance of a clownish upstart like the Reunion Movement… all these unrelated details added up to something explosive.
"Am I just being paranoid… or has that venomous snake still not died…"
Lin narrowed his eyes, silent for a long, long time.