It was rush hour, and the elevator entrance was crowded with citizens waiting in line.
Despite Jinghai City having nearly a thousand underground city entrances both inside and outside the outer city, the total population still amounted to over six million.
So during rush hour, the elevator entrances were still quite crowded.
After waiting in line for ten minutes, Lu Xun finally squeezed into an elevator, reaching the "-174F" base, and took a bus to Linsheng Slaughterhouse.
Soon, he arrived at the place.
As usual, he greeted the security guard, Uncle Li, at the entrance and then walked in.
The entire slaughterhouse had nearly a thousand workers.
Lu Xun's registered identity was "apprentice," which in reality meant he was an underage illegal laborer without a contract.
But he had never gone to the slaughtering or processing workshop, and many people had never seen him.
But that wasn't strange because, for food safety reasons, all slaughterhouse employees had to wear full white work suits; masks, goggles, gloves, and work caps.
Everyone was covered tightly, and there were disinfection procedures required for entering and exiting the factory.
With everyone wearing the same uniform, workers from the same workshop probably couldn't recognize their colleagues next to them, identifying people solely by voice.
So no one doubted Lu Xun's identity as an apprentice.
After entering, he skillfully went to the cold storage.
Entered the clinic through a hidden door.
"Haha, you're here, kid? Come in, close the door behind you." Old Octopus greeted him with a cheeky grin, saying, "I've already contacted the client; he's on his way. Come, sit down, have some tea while you wait... want something to eat?"
"You've agreed to take the job?" Lu Xun frowned, his expression turning somber, "Didn't I say we need to talk first? You need to agree to my conditions before the surgery. Who told you to make decisions on your own?"
This client wasn't simple, illegally possessing top-tier military-grade prosthetics and casually offering a surgery fee of one billion.
You agreed first and then refused.
That would offend people.
"Oh, I've already said I'd agree to anything you say, so what's there to talk about?"
Old Octopus smiled nonchalantly, extending a mechanical arm to pat his shoulder, jokingly said:
"You could even take my life after the surgery, hack me to death right there in the operating room if you want, hahaha."
What a damn rascal, truly a desperado.
"You said it, you'll agree to anything, right?" Lu Xun stared into his eyes, confirming once more.
"Right, I said it."
"Good, then there's nothing to discuss, I'll give you orders directly."
Lu Xun extended a finger, his face calm:
"First, within one hour after the surgery, I want the entire clinic dismantled, all surgical equipment and tools destroyed. Burn down the entire slaughterhouse to feign an accidental fire."
Since retiring, all tools of the crime must be destroyed, eradicating any trace of the black clinic's existence.
"One hour? What's the rush…" Old Octopus frowned, about to argue when he recalled his earlier words, nodding in resignation: "Fine."
"Second, you'll buy a long-distance ticket to another land for post-operation. I need you to take the money and leave Jinghai City forever, promising never to return."
Lu Xun raised his second finger.
This request was truly over the top!
It was forcing Old Octopus to move.
To make him leave Jinghai City and live elsewhere.
Preferably, to leave the Human Federation, and migrate to live among other races, like the Elf Race, Undead Race, Fox-man Race, Ice Wolf Race... these races were allies of humanity.
"Don't you trust me?" Old Octopus frowned, "Not to mention whether I might get into trouble, even if I got unlucky and fell into someone else's hands, I'd never betray you."
"It's not about trust."
Lu Xun shook his head and said, "Don't forget, the world has truth serum, hypnosis, summoning techniques, memory extractors, spirit manipulation, charm techniques... too many magical and technological methods."
"Maybe you wouldn't betray me, but your mouth might not be under your control.
If you get caught, fortunately, the authorities adhere to procedural justice during interrogation, generally not forcing false confessions, but if you fall into the hands of criminals, I'm definitely exposed.
So you must leave, and you must go far, far away."
If the old man didn't move, for safety's sake, Lu Xun would have to take his uncle, aunt, and Xiao Yu and leave Jinghai City, moving to live among other races.
Each of the Human Federation's self-looping cities was very independent, changing "household registration" wasn't easy, the review process was very strict, harsh.
Jinghai City was a second-level city, if citizens wanted to move to a third-level city, they first needed to pass Jinghai City's annual "registration transfer" assessment.
Only citizens of the elite class could participate in this assessment, and only the elite of the elite could obtain a pass to a third-level city.
Moving from a second-level city to the lowest first-level city didn't require an assessment, but there was an "identity verification" procedure.
Common citizens could participate, needing only to submit an application, and after identity verification, could generally proceed.
But the problem is, Old Octopus is a prosthetic doctor who has caused a major medical accident, had his medical license revoked, and has a tarnished record... Moreover, he's sixty years old.
No matter how short of people the first-level city is, they can't possibly want such a notorious societal scum, right?
Unless by "smuggling," Old Octopus can't possibly move to other human cities to settle down.
He can only go to the non-human races.
"I've already thought it through for you," Lu Xun directly told him. "Go to the Elf Race. The Human Federation currency is also usable there. Moreover, the natural scenery there is superior, the environment excellent, making it very suitable for your retirement life."
The Elf Race has been blood allies with the Human Federation since the first Celestial Convergence.
The two races have established a bond of mutual interdependence, and this bond has withstood the test of five world-ending level wars, spanning nearly thirty thousand years.
This is definitely an indestructible ironclad alliance.
Although Elves rarely leave their homeland.
But Elven old friends warmly welcome human immigrants.
If Old Octopus takes the money and goes to the Elf Race, his life there is likely to be fine, but after all, he'd be in a foreign land among another race, far from his homeland.
Lu Xun thought he would refuse, even if he accepted, it would take a long time to consider.
Unexpectedly, Old Octopus just frowned slightly and then nodded in agreement, "Okay, I'll go."
He was slightly taken aback and reminded, "You not only have to leave but catch tonight's flight, and you can't come back to Jinghai City in the future."
"No problem, I'll book a ticket now."
Old Octopus paused and said, "But I have too many things at home to move in a short time, and I can't bear to throw them all away..."
"After this job, you won't be short on money, so why bother with your belongings?" Lu Xun said impatiently, "Just buy new ones when you move to your new home."
"That would be such a waste. I'm a very nostalgic person." Old Octopus muttered and then said, "How about this, kid? After I leave by plane, you help me send some belongings to a few acquaintances of mine."
This request wasn't unreasonable.
Lu Xun thought about it and agreed, planning to mail them anonymously; there wouldn't be any risk.
Burning down the slaughterhouse, booking the plane ticket, after talking about these two things, he raised a third finger.
"The final chapter of the three-part agreement regarding profit sharing: I want sixty percent, which is sixty million."
"That's not acceptable!" Old Octopus immediately became agitated, "You're asking for my money as if it's my life. Without me, there wouldn't be this deal; I deserve fifty percent."
Last time, for the surgery on a Centaur, they split the profit eighty-twenty; he gave Lu Xun an extra thirty percent profit, losing a few thousand bucks.
But this time is different; it's their last job before retiring for good!
Giving up ten percent means losing a fortune of ten million.
No one would be willing.
Lu Xun frowned.
Suddenly, he felt there was a true saying: talk about money, it hurts feelings; talk about feelings, it hurts money.
Old Octopus is money-hungry; asking him to give up ten million might make him see Lu Xun as an enemy who killed his father!
He thought about it and said, "I'm not greedy; I just need sixty million for something urgent... Weren't you the one who said you'd agree to any condition? By logic, even if I don't give you a penny, you should agree, right?"
Old Octopus couldn't help rolling his eyes.
The premise of what he said was assuming Lu Xun wouldn't take his money since they had long been used to splitting profits 50-50 over the years.
But he also knew he was in the wrong, so his electronic eye rolled, and he came up with a solution.
"Don't be in a rush, let me make a call."
Old Octopus opened the communication device in front of Lu Xun, contacted someone, and started talking—
"Hello, where's the delivery I ordered?"
"In the elevator, ten chicken legs delivered within half an hour."
"I seem to have made a mistake; I ordered one less chicken leg. Can you help deliver it?"
...
Lu Xun, on the side, was perplexed for a few seconds before realizing they were using code words for negotiation.
To avoid attention from the "Military Level," "one hundred million," and other sensitive words from alerting OC.
Soon, they reached an agreement.
Old Octopus hung up the communication, turned back with a smug look at Lu Xun, and said, "It's settled! As long as the surgery is completed today, he'll add another ten million! I guessed this guy was willing to pay for time."
Lu Xun was a bit surprised.
This works too?
You really are a sly old fox!
"Hehe, let's get ready for surgery!"