"Well then! To celebrate welcoming our new operator Prophet! And to celebrate successfully completing this urgent mission! Cheers!"
This was Croissant, giving a thumbs-up with a big smile.
"Oh!!!"
This was Exusiai, raising her glass high.
"Mm."
This was Texas, with a calm expression.
"…"
This was Li Lin, looking at the scene before him and doubting his existence.
This isn't right, is it? No matter how you look at it, this current situation isn't right, is it?
Looking at the large platter of barbecue skewers piled in front of him and then at the lively and noisy outdoor food stall around him, Li Lin felt like the four of them crammed here seemed to blend perfectly into the crowd drinking and playing finger-guessing games, yet somehow, something felt off.
There was Croissant, glugging down a beer bottle; Exusiai, constantly munching on two skewers; and Texas, sighing about failing to quit smoking, yet unable to stop her hand from putting a cigarette to her mouth. Li Lin always felt something was off about this whole thing. Although, logically, nothing seemed particularly wrong, as a newcomer, Li Lin just felt it was very wrong for him to be here eating and drinking heartily like this.
'This really feels like an after-work company gathering…'
Looking at the bustling outdoor food stall, Li Lin couldn't help but think this.
After leaving that ambush zone, it was basically quitting time.
Although Penguin Logistics missions were heavy and seemed quite demanding, if there were no special circumstances, the time allocation was quite flexible. After discussing it, Croissant and Exusiai decided to grab something to eat to calm their nerves, and also to celebrate Li Lin's joining.
Then, Texas, without a second word, executed a tail-whipping drift, weaving through streets and alleys, overtaking cars, and quickly arrived in front of an outdoor food stall. Then, under Li Lin's bewildered expression, she dragged him to a seat outside the stall, ordered a case of beer and a huge pile of skewers and other things, and started eating quite heartily. Just like going out to eat with colleagues after work back then.
Perhaps the only difference was that his three current colleagues were all beautiful girls?
Watching Croissant down a can of beer, feel unsatisfied, and casually open another bottle, Li Lin felt his head ache a little.
"Hic… This one is to toast our new operator, Prophet! I heard from Exusiai, your observation skills are quite formidable, over a dozen people didn't escape your eyes. If it weren't for you, I might have had to exert some effort. Anyway, here's a toast to you first. Doesn't matter if you drink or not, I'll down mine first."
"Although there are no sweets, barbecue is also pretty good!"
"Just how much do you guys want to eat barbecue…"
Watching the two eating and drinking voraciously, Li Lin always felt like his own vibe was completely off next to them.
Instead, Texas, who had been quiet all along, took out a lighter to light a cigarette. After clicking it twice with no reaction, she stood up and walked somewhat forlornly to a corner outside.
Li Lin glanced at the two girls beside him, too busy eating and drinking to notice anything else, then looked at Texas standing against the wall in the street corner outside, feeling a strange sense of summons calling to him. After thinking for a moment, he called out to Croissant and Exusiai, then walked across the street to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Texas.
"…What are you following me for?"
Looking at the sparse moonlight filtering through the wall, Texas pinched her cigarette, not even looking in Li Lin's direction.
"Isn't it better to enjoy the rare welcome banquet with them?"
"I just feel like you wanted me to follow you like this."
Li Lin shrugged.
"So I came over. You probably want to say something to me, right?"
"Is it that strange intuition of yours again? Quite accurate."
Leaning against the wall, the girl lit her cigarette, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, and squinted at the handgun in Li Lin's hand. "No need to think about returning it to us, keep it yourself. That gun wasn't issued by Penguin Logistics at all. It belongs to Exusiai herself."
"…Her own? This handgun?"
"Ah. Due to business reasons, Penguin Logistics requires Exusiai to carry many models of firearms, but only this one is her own. The proof of maturity for every Laterano, the Guardian Gun. A firearm completely belonging to herself. The one in your hand."
"Then why—"
"Because she trusts you without reservation, I guess."
Leaning against the wall, Texas puffed clouds, her expression obscured by the smoke, impossible to discern.
"Don't be fooled by Exusiai seemingly getting along well with everyone; the people she truly acknowledges are very few. And to even give up her own Guardian Gun to ensure your safety, this is the first time I've seen such a situation. You didn't know, did you? She carved countless simplified Originium Arts formulae into the firearm."
"What do you mean?"
"Just the literal meaning."
Texas spoke slowly from within the cloud of smoke. The crimson hue in the smoke dyed her hair tips and surroundings.
"She went through a lot of trouble to make it usable for you. I often saw her holding that gun during work, constantly tinkering with something. At first, I didn't know what she was doing, but now seeing her give the gun to you, I generally understand. She really trusts you, the kind without any reservations. I don't know what happened between you two, nor what relationship you have. But if you dare betray that trust… No, forget it. Consider it me rambling."
"…"
Watching Texas let out a long sigh, her hair tips gradually changing from dark red back to black, Li Lin touched the dark handgun in his hand, feeling this pistol seemed to carry an extraordinary weight.
Exusiai was someone who looked carefree, but was actually meticulous and very opinionated. Since she decided to do this, she would definitely persist. Just like three months ago when she was preparing to build a good relationship with Texas, and afterwards excitedly told him they had truly become friends; once she decided on something, she would stubbornly see it through.
So, Li Lin was also very clear about what this gun meant. He didn't intend to return it either.
She had entrusted her most precious symbol of trust to him; no matter what, he had to live up to this trust.
"Let me be honest, to this day, I still don't know why Exusiai trusts me so much. Because actually, how should I put it… I've met you before, you know it well. I don't actually have amnesia."
Looking at the silent Texas, Li Lin thought for a moment and decided to lay his cards on the table.
"I guess I'm a traveler from a place you'd find hard to understand, and I probably can never go back. Moreover, my cognition, my knowledge, seems very subtle here. Except for the language being inexplicably the same, I have nothing familiar here. So back then, asking you for help, asking Exusiai for help, was just my instinctive behavior. But why Exusiai would trust me to this extent, I don't know either."
"But what I want to say is, no matter what happens, I will not betray Exusiai. I will also do my utmost to fulfill her wishes. This is what I should do, and also a form of reciprocation for the trust. I cannot let others' trust become a place for my complacency."
"Although I wasn't anybody in my hometown, I can still manage basic things like repaying kindness."
"Far from home, huh… What about your family?"
After a moment of silence, Texas asked in a low voice:
"Since you also have your homeland, how is your family doing?"
"Gone long ago, they were gone back there."
"Is that so? Then we're quite similar."
Texas looked up at the sky, her ears twitched slightly, then returned to her calm demeanor.
"Although I still don't know how much of what you said is true and how much is false, as your senior, I still have to say this."
Dropping the cigarette in her hand to the ground and crushing it with her foot, Texas's tail swayed slightly. She smiled slightly at Li Lin and extended her hand.
"Welcome to Penguin Logistics."