Wei Yenwu let out a heavy sigh as he watched Nine walk into the room. Nine simply greeted him with a nod—distant, neutral, and lacking any real deference.
"It's been a long time," Wei Yenwu began, a rare touch of nostalgia in his voice. "If you and Ch'en hadn't stayed in touch, I would have assumed you left Lungmen for good."
"Chief Wei," Nine, the Pythia, offered a brief, formal salute. Beyond that, she remained silent.
"Sigh..." Wei Yenwu shook his head, choosing not to press the issue. "You're well aware of what's happening in the slums right now, aren't you?"
"Of course," Nine replied. "The area is undergoing a complete overhaul. From here on out, the slums will shrink to a fraction of what they used to be. But there's a silver lining—the unrest that was brewing down there will fade away for a long time."
Living in the slums, Nine understood the situation better than anyone. A functional mobile city had opened its doors, offering a real future with fair wages and dignity. Who in their right mind would refuse that?
A few might stay behind for personal reasons, but they were the exception. Practically overnight, the sprawling slums were emptying out.
It would take at least twenty years for conditions in the lower district to degenerate like that again. And with Ch'en determined to push for genuine reform, the future of Lungmen's lower levels was looking surprisingly bright.
"Indeed," Wei Yenwu agreed. "It will quiet down. Which means what you've been working on down there isn't really necessary anymore. So, what are your plans now?"
Instead of laying out his demands right away, Wei Yenwu probed her intentions.
"I don't have any immediate goals," Nine answered smoothly, sounding like a subordinate giving a routine report. "If Chief Wei has an assignment, I am listening."
"Mm." Wei Yenwu studied her for a moment, weighing his options. "I want you to go to Chernobog. They treat the Infected and non-Infected as equals over there. You'll find far more room to grow in a place like that."
Nine's expression didn't flicker. She stood quietly, waiting for the real point. He wasn't the type to go out of his way just to play career counselor.
"I also need you to be my eyes and ears," Wei Yenwu continued, coming clean. "I cannot bring myself to fully trust their leader, Talulah. Sending a sharp set of eyes into their ranks is the safest move. Given your background, I doubt they'll hold your past against you."
Nine didn't answer immediately. Her eyes narrowed as she considered the proposition.
"If I uncover something significant, what am I expected to do?" Nine asked, raising her first real concern. She knew better than anyone how dangerous playing a mole inside a rising power could be. If her cover blew, the consequences would be fatal.
"If you spot anything truly out of the ordinary, notify me—or Ch'en," Wei Yenwu replied.
Nine visibly relaxed. Keeping in touch with Ch'en made the task far less complicated.
"May I ask why, Chief Wei?" Nine pressed, still puzzled by his approach. "If this is purely about neutralizing a potential threat to Lungmen, this doesn't sound like your usual style."
The Wei Yenwu she knew didn't mess around with subtle espionage when a direct, ruthless solution was on the table.
"It's... complicated," Wei Yenwu admitted, glancing away for a split second. "If Talulah really harbors no ill intent toward Lungmen, I'd actually prefer to offer her a helping hand. But I can't bring myself to leave things to chance. That's why you're the best person for this."
Seeing the old man look almost embarrassed, Nine felt a sudden flash of insight.
"Understood. I will join Reunion and act as your eyes."
Nine had already pieced together who Talulah really was. Back when she was still Ch'en's superior in the Guard Bureau, she had heard Ch'en let that name slip while heavily intoxicated. She hadn't paid much attention to it back then, but everything clicked into place now.
"So... you're telling us all of this upfront because you intend to turn coat?"
In a quiet meeting room, Jeanne and FrostNova sat across from Nine, staring at her in mild disbelief.
The way this woman laid all her cards on the table was downright bizarre. Who walks up to a faction and casually announces, Hey, I was sent to spy on you, so now I'm joining you instead?
"I believe honesty is the best policy here," Nine replied calmly. "Chief Wei made no effort to conceal my identity. If you looked into my background, you would have found out anyway. Hiding it would only breed distrust."
Jeanne and FrostNova exchanged a look, carefully sizing up the Pythia before them.
"Aren't you worried we might hide things from you, or use you to feed him false information?" FrostNova asked after a brief silence.
"I trust my own judgment," Nine answered without hesitation. "Besides, based on what I've seen, if you truly had dark motives, you wouldn't be going through the trouble of rescuing people from the slums. Your actions speak louder than any covert scheme."
Recruiting the impoverished residents was actually shrinking Lungmen's ungoverned dark zones. No group planning an invasion would deliberately destroy their best staging ground like that.
"So," Nine looked at the two of them, "will you allow a suspicious character like me to join your ranks?"
FrostNova turned to Jeanne, her voice completely even. "You're in charge of this assignment. You make the call."
Jeanne gave her a look. This rabbit is getting crafty! Passing the buck like it was nothing!
"Well then..." Jeanne looked back at Nine and smiled warmly. "Welcome aboard!"
"The honor is mine," Nine replied with a slight bow.
"You're leaving?!"
The door burst open, and Ch'en rushed inside, her eyes locked onto Nine with a storm of mixed emotions.
"Long time no see, Ch'en," Nine greeted her with a nod. "And yes, I am."
"You two know each other?" Jeanne leaned in, sensing an entire drama unfolding right in front of her.
"She was my boss," Ch'en muttered.
Jeanne's eyes lit up. This was the former head of the Guard Bureau? The legendary figure who built the modern Guard Bureau from scratch?
Ch'en had mentioned her former superior more than once, speaking of her with immense respect. Even after reaching the position of Senior Inspector, Ch'en felt she still had a long way to go to match her predecessor's standard.
Ch'en stared at Nine, lost for words. She didn't know whether to plead with her to stay or bid her a proper farewell. The two women stood in heavy silence before stepping outside to talk in private.
"It looks like Chief Wei sent us someone remarkably capable," FrostNova observed quietly once the door closed again. "If he just wanted a basic informant, he wouldn't have dispatched someone of her caliber."
"Yeah, maybe he really does want to help out in his own twisted way," Jeanne mused.
What pleased Jeanne most was that with Nine handling internal management, she would finally be freed from administrative paperwork!
What Jeanne didn't realize, however, was that Chernobog's administration was already running smoothly under Talulah and the others. She was off the hook for paperwork regardless.
Yet, that didn't mean her free time was secured.
Far across the wilderness, a messenger carrying an official seal was making his way toward Chernobog.
In his hands was a formal letter—sent directly from the Holy City of Laterano.