Now that the conversation had reached this point, the two of them began to get serious. They looked each other in the eye, and the atmosphere grew several degrees colder than when they were just poking fun at one another earlier.
Emperor knew his old friend very well and understood that Wei Yenwu definitely had urgent business for seeking him out this time; otherwise, a mere fine wouldn't be enough to make him send for him. By intentionally issuing a fine with such an absurd price, wasn't Wei Yenwu just waiting for him to show up in his office? This was a trick Wei had played countless times.
Otherwise, why would a simple fine require Emperor to show up in person? Wasn't it just a matter of paying a bit more money? When had this penguin ever lacked such things? That kind of money could be made back with just two records—not to mention that Penguin Logistics' income was more than enough to cover such a loss. There was a possibility that penguins were naturally a species destined for wealth, especially massive fortunes; that was the ancient unique heritage of the penguin race.
Seeing that the fellow before him had stopped talking nonsense, Wei Yenwu immediately grew serious as well. His gaze grew heavy, shifting into the state he usually maintained while handling official business.
In Lungmen, only a few old guys like Emperor and Old Lin dared to joke with him. However, since Lin was caught in a special circumstance, the two of them rarely met anymore. Only this penguin dared to cause such a ruckus in his office; even Ch'en wasn't as troublesome as him. Yet, looking at the lively penguin before him, Wei Yenwu felt a pang of nostalgia for his younger days.
Wei Yenwu pulled out another photograph from the side; the person in it was, naturally, Jeanne. How could he possibly have only one copy of such an important item?
"Regarding the detailed intelligence on this person called Jeanne, do you have anything on your end?"
Wei Yenwu's tone was now much more authoritative than before. Rather than asking if Emperor had news, it sounded more like he was ordering Emperor to spit out the intelligence directly and not hide anything.
Emperor took the photo and looked at it, feeling speechless in his heart. He truly hadn't expected Wei Yenwu to be looking for him because of Jeanne. And that tone didn't sound like it boded well.
But why are you, Wei Yenwu, snooping around for her intel when you have nothing better to do? Don't tell me you want to gamble against Laterano? If something really happens, your Lungmen could be in danger!
Yesterday, the two of them were clearly being escorted by Exusiai's sister. Emperor had seen plenty of such protection in his time; one glance was enough to see the relationship between the two. As for what Lemuen's status was, Mostima had long ago revealed it in their conversations. What kind of person could have her as a personal bodyguard? Why did it feel like Wei wanted to wade into these muddy waters?
"Think carefully before you speak. Since I know she is with you, I naturally know a few things already. This is merely to gain a deeper understanding of her."
Wei Yenwu seemed to see through Emperor's thought of finding an excuse to fool him, so he lightly tapped the table as a reminder. He felt that Emperor, who was comfortable letting Jeanne bail out his employee, must have gained a certain level of understanding regarding Jeanne's identity through its information network spanning various countries. Otherwise, why would this guy, who ran a suspicious company with such polite language, be so at ease letting someone of unknown background stay in his company?
"But I don't know any details! She just came out with a friend to visit family, and that person just happened to be my employee. Am I supposed to conduct a census?"
Emperor spread his wings, expressing helplessness and claiming to be nothing more than a good boss who looked after his employees, knowing absolutely nothing. That avian face showed no change. Given Wei Yenwu's unfriendly tone, Emperor was unwilling to wade into this mess. He couldn't guess what Wei Yenwu planned to do, but he knew this wouldn't be good for him.
If something really happened—leaving aside whether Wei Yenwu would protect him if Laterano truly fought to the death—how would Exusiai view him as a "good boss who loves his employees"?
"...Hoo. Then tell me what you can say! Since when did an immortal fellow like you have so many concerns? You can toss aside that rhetoric about 'caring for employees'."
Wei Yenwu didn't believe a single word Emperor just said. Regarding the attitude Emperor displayed, Wei Yenwu didn't believe for a second that it was truly for the sake of an employee.
"What can I say? You also know her relationship with Laterano seems unusual. We've only met once; do you think I can know something you don't?"
"The thing I can't figure out is exactly that. Why would she be related to Laterano?" Wei Yenwu said to himself. His subordinates had also seen them in contact with people from Laterano.
However, in his impression, that Jeanne's rank in Laterano should be slightly lower than Lemuen's. Since she wasn't a Sankta, her rank should be similar to that of a liaison. Furthermore, when they met, the Sanka and the Liberi were in a secret meeting inside, Jeanne was the one outside guarding the door for them. Generally speaking, such a task was handled by a follower.
"I feel like you're just overthinking. They might have just come here for a stroll. There's no need to place such importance on them—and be careful not to cause unnecessary trouble because of your suspicions."
Emperor looked at the anxious Wei Yenwu, feeling like his old friend wasn't quite in his usual state of mind today. Comparing him to his usual self, today's Wei Yenwu seemed somewhat irritable and lacked patience, as if he were desperately hoping for a definitive answer.
Emperor realized that perhaps Jeanne possessed something that concerned Wei Yenwu—something so important that even the City Ruler himself couldn't sit still. This was not a good omen. Emperor knew his friend; the more things were like this, the more he needed to stay calm, or he might truly do something out of line.
"I understand your meaning. I don't want to doubt her purpose for coming here either. However, I still hope you can keep an eye on her. If she truly does something to harm Lungmen, I will have no choice but to act."
Wei Yenwu glanced at the penguin sitting before him and then looked up at the ceiling, who knows what he was thinking. However, judging by the sound of his constant tapping on the table, Wei Yenwu was clearly frustrated. Those rapidly tapping fingers were nearly fast enough to poke five holes in the desk.
"I'll do my best. After all, the safety of Lungmen is very important to me too. Most of my prized records are in Lungmen!"
Emperor agreed to keep an eye on Jeanne to ensure she didn't harm Lungmen. Though, he felt that if Jeanne truly decided to act against Lungmen, he, as a penguin, would have no choice but to run away. Based on his past knowledge, any young girl capable of holding the office of "Saintess" was no mere ornament; they truly had the ability to "reason" with you quite effectively.
In his current state, if he dared to stand in her way once she got serious, he estimated his end would be as tragic as a plate of roasted penguin.
Hearing Emperor's words, the frustration in Wei Yenwu's heart eased slightly. Regardless of what the penguin would actually do, at least his current attitude was decent.
"Since the business is finished, how about you cancel this bill? You can't have wasted my entire day's schedule only for me to show up and get no results, right?"
Emperor saw that Wei Yenwu's mood had stabilized a bit, so he pushed the slip he was carrying toward Wei Yenwu, intending for him to cancel the fine. He couldn't have come all this way for nothing.
"I never promised that your coming here would cancel the fine. If I did that, what authority would I have left as City Ruler?"
Wei Yenwu began to act the part of the official. At this moment, he looked like a cunning politician, a playful expression appearing in his eyes as if to say, 'You've finally fallen into my hands.'
"However... considering your active cooperation with Lungmen's work, I agree to grant you a certain degree of reduction on the fine. I hope your company continues to bring glory to Lungmen."
As he spoke, Wei Yenwu pulled out another fine slip from the side—it was the one marked with the reduced amount for Penguin Logistics.