Disclaimer before reading written in December 3rd, 2023: This chapter, among the other four that portraits the first night encounter and the early morning of the day after has been combined and improved on, please skip to it should you be wanting to watch the new one directly, or you can enjoy the old versions of those writings right here.
Lungmen city, 23:35 hours
Paperwork after paperwork, signature after signature, another hard day of work is finally over for Ch'en as she rest her hands onto the once tidy desk and her back leaned against the rests on her office chair.
Usually dispite the heavy workload of the Head Inspector Chief for LGD, Ch'en still can manage a schedule for both the daily work and a tend to her own hobbies in an elegantly balanced manner. Unfortunately in recent days it is not the case. As she glared at the signed papers again, the reports printed on it involved with numerous situations occurring around Lungmen. Increasing tensions in the underworld, possible exterior threats etc and worst of all. The continuing unrest from the infected. All the issues are acting like ticking time bombs tied up in a bundle, ready to blow Lungmen up to kingdom come when it detonates.
She lets out a sigh and stretches her arms as the office chair spins around, allowing herself to gaze the seemingly peaceful night of the very city she and her subordinates laboured so hard to protect.
The neon lights from the various buildings on this part of the city shone bright in the dark sky above them, creating patterns of light that reflected off the dark ground below where cars were parked. The trees lining the streets also swayed in the wind, their leaves rustling together like the sea waves rolling along the shore. It was beautiful scenery.
Ch'en smiled to herself, happy with her current state of mind, despite all the problems she had to deal with earlier today. She let out another long exhale before reaching for her computer that rested on top of her desk and pressed the button to switch it on.
A notification appeared on the screen - an email from one of the leaders of the pharmaceutical company, asking if they could meet up again tomorrow morning at 10am. It seems there was something more that needed to be discussed between them, which prompted him to send such an urgent request tonight.
Ch'en nodded and typed back her acceptance before sending it across. She then turned off the phone after hitting the 'enter' button and allow it's screen to turn off. She sighed, and suddenly someone knocks the door to her office, turning her attention towards the door.
"Come in." She said reluctantly, but as the Special Inspection Unit Chief of the LGD the duty demands her she had to conceal that emotion from her voice. It was a young Aslan officer who knocked. "Madam Ch'en, we got a report from the slums." The newbie stuttered afterwards. "What is it officer?"
She asked.
He takes a deep breath in an attempt to muster his courage, his eyes looking towards the floor and Ch'en's repeatedly. "A ... A shootout happened in the slum."
"A shootout? Relax officer, situations like these are not abnormal in the slums." She spoke with a comforting but serious voice. "No ma'am... I got words from the others who are there, it's no ordinary." The Aslan replied.
"Calm down officer, take some rest and I'll notify Crime and Security to dispatch their investigators." Ch'en looked him in the eyes while trying to get a clue on the situation in the head.
"Negative Ma'am..." He mumbled. "Multiple Siracarus mafia members murdered. News from our patrol officers on site indicated that there are more than a dozen were killed.
"Excuse me officer?" Ch'en reflectively responded. She couldn't believe someone had the audacity to break the law and the underworld rules in Lungmen at the same time. Pissing off the Siracarus no less.
"Sorry madam Ch'en... It's confirmed. There are even mutilated bodies on some places." At last the Aslan managed to speak out sentences with some eye contact.
"It's fine officer, this is a serious risk to Lungmen city if it is true. Perhaps I have to confirm it myself." She said firmly as she gets up and prepare herself. Yet deep inside she has so many questions to ask.
"Who could've done this..."
"Ch'en?"
"Ch'en? You alright?" A voice suddenly interrupted her thought process. As her senses comes back she found herself already dressed up properly and was standing at ground zero of the slaughter.
"Ch'en?" She immediately turn her head around, fearing that her disconnection to her surroundings affected the whole reputation of the division.
"Hey, you alright? You were spacing out." Hoshiguma asked. Her muscular frame towers over and shadows the flashlight that was swinging around as the other officers maneuver around the crime scene in the dark.
"I'm only thinking about the case, there is nothing to worry about." Ch'en replied.
She looked around and find herself already standing in the middle of the investigation site. Some medics are standing by next to the officers as they surround the bodies while others are placing and stacking up body bags as they knew the necessity for it.
"You're pushing yourself hard like always Ch'en, go back and get some rest. I can handle it." Hoshiguma said.
"I cannot," Ch'en sighed. "this is a very important matter especially when mafia members are killed. It'll effect the order inside Lungmen drastically, and we must find a way put a stop to this if we are to prevent any violent outcomes that'll effect Lungmen as a whole." She then starts moving towards the depths of the site. Hoshiguma on the other hand, can do nothing to stop her friend plus superior but to follow and try to seek opportunities to convince her.
Hoshiguma then followed Ch'en to one of the Lung officer with his uniform on, who's observing the investigators questioning the locals around. "I need a report on the situation lieutenant."
"Madam Ch'en and Hoshiguma? Sure, so far not much information coming out from the locals, but we've counted at least eighteen Mafia members KIA with most of them having their body parts mutilated, ripped forcefully." The Lieutenant said lighting a cigarette with his electric powered lighter. "Some, are shot by unknown firearms however."
"Do we have any indications that who are involved in this?" Hoshiguma asked before Ch'en reacted.
"It's too clean and tidy to be a improvised one but the rest remains to be uncertain at this time. We still need time for the coroners to collect as much samples as possible to determine anything." He responded.
"Very well." Ch'en nods. "I need a update when there's something important went up."
"You got it ma'am." The Lieutenant then took a deep drag and exhales a smoke cloud into the air. Though his eyes stares at the cloud for a minute.
"Got something came to mind Lieutenant?" Hoshiguma asked noticed the his rather, unusual behaviour. The Lieutenant is known for his no bullshit demeanor and would rather put his focus to the surroundings for concealed clues rather than the smoke cloud he just exhaled.
"Nothing much to be aware of. I'll continue to look around with my team if you'll excuse me." He waved as he stroll back inside and soon disappeared inside the crowded investigation scene.
Ch'en and Hoshiguma also rambled around the scene, as much as they're aware of the lockdown involved at least couple of street blocs. "A fight that involved much this spaces... Most of the time it should either be a hit & run or a pursuit." Ch'en addressed to her friend.
"One that involves with twenty siracuras deaths though. It doesn't add up well Ch'en. The underworld's rule prohibited any killings to the party members involved as we all know, someone did this for some reason."
"The Lieutenant did mention of the use of firearms, slightly too identical for a weapon to use in most cases..." This lead pushed Ch'en into a deep thought, one that her already overworked brain cannot withstand. The next thing she knows she felt to Hoshiguma's embrace.
"..."
"... See? Even your body protested, have some rest. I can handle this." Hoshiguma sighed.
"Fine..." She was the escorted to a nearby patrol vehicle by her friend and drove out.
Hours passed like seconds in the city of Lungmen as most of its populations felt into the quiet slumber of sleepiness. Not all of them stayed long after sunrise however, as the first glace of sunlight broke its way through the gaps of shadings on a window into an office with the penguin logo on the dove whiteness at the wall.
A yawn came out from the Sankta's mouth, flipping her sleep mask at her forehead after she gets herself sit up on her comfy one man bed.
"Heavenly father, thank you for bringing us a new day, a new opportunity to love, give and be all that you want me to be. Amen." As she prayed she put her feet onto the ground and begin the day's motion.
Getting herself prepared for the day, Exusiai brushes her teeth while still in her pink pyjamas at the toilet. Despite the roaring of the electric motor of the toothbrush she still managed to hear some footsteps approaching the washroom she's in.
"Morning Texas." She turned around to watch the lupo face to face without stopping any of her brushing.
"Morning..." Texas leans her head to her palm which is holding the edge of the door frame.
Finished washing her face, the roles swtiched. Exusiai swiftly pass Sora by and re-enters her room to get changed just like any other ordinary day. Having that done, she vaguely remembers something and opened the white wooden door to another room.
Inside was still the same oak table, white nightstand with a table lamp and bed. On the oak table now lies the mysterious rifle with the magazine missing, but nowhere was Alex in sight.
"Alex?" Exusiai asked, trying to get a reply.
Too quiet even for someone sleeping ordinarily, and she decides to find out before anything too wrong could happen. She stepped inside, her immediate sights still don't have him in. She quickly looked over to the only possible position left in the room she haven't checked yet, behind the opened door.
There she sees Alex with yesterday night's clothes sitting at the corner with his eyes closed, his legs were just bent well enough not to get hit by the door as Exusiai opens it. She sighed towards the the situation and lightens her steps further inside.
"Alex?" Exusiai asked softly. He opened his eyes slowly and looked up, she can notice motions coming from his hand as well. Which ceased immediately upon recognition.
"Exusiai.?" He murmured lowering the firearm onto the ground. The safety lever was always on for it.
"Good morning. Is everything's alright?" She asked with a sweet smile, her halo glow a bit brighter than before.
"Christ what time is it..." He lifted his left arm, the eyelids barely pushed up in defiance against gravity.
"Well, it's time to shine! We're getting ready to go to the office for the day's work. Get dressed too, the boss is probably preparing the papers."
Alex replied with a nod and gets up with a grunt, pushing his palm against the floor. After he got up he retrieve his pistol on the ground, and inserts it into the holster strapped again on his right thigh.
The things went in order as they proceed to clean up, have their breakfast of eggs, sausage and bacon. For business reasons Sora had to catch her ride on the street, leaving only the three to go with the new guy on his first day of work, then ride back to office with Texas on the driver's seat again. As they drove up to another vehicle bridge that is in a circle in the accenting, the day view of Centrid Lungmen that they drove from last night came into view.
"... Earlier this evening 5:38 AM, a fire broke out in a restaurant next to Garling road. Firefighters received reports an head over to extinguish it with no injuries. Firefighter captain claims that there are no suspicious causes of the fire detected and will continue the investigation. Now let's move on to the weather, today's temperature is 21°c..."
"Nothings remote was even reported on the radio." Crossant who's located to the left of the vehicle turned her head towards the radio from the window. The rest felt silent, as they all knew too well what that means.
The van was soon parked inside the logistics building, inside the garage was identical with the white paint job and black logo of penguin logistics .
With Alex paying attention in navigating within the building under the lead of three girls they headed over to the office. Along the way they often ran into some other seemingly employees greating with the girls, yet their all their sights would at least glared at the 'Stranger anatomy' for a mere second. Whether it is his head, torso, or lower body.
He remained silent and walked passed them without a word, knowing that will only cause further unnecessary hassles while keeping an eye on the turns and locations to familiarise with this future workplace.
Exusiai opens the door where an office went into their sights "And this is the office, were we'll be most of the time until there's a delivery order for us."
They looked around, as ordinary as offices goes. It's stacked with unique accessories none the less, with Exusiai got a white paper box and a set of wired headphone there, Texas's being clean and tidy with stationaries placed to the right by an open top soda can next to some pack of pockies that's the two desks on from the girls they saw along the way as croissant's is near the corner, with the other's having their uniqueness as there's only one exception of an emptied desk being kept.
"Here's his office here, good luck." Exusiai waved headed back to her desk with Texas, beginning their day of work.
He then knocked the door and entered after approval.
"Good, you're here. Let's get this over with."