old fire thieves

Chapter 34 No.30 Act Four. Regular Meeting

"... Well, now we will start the second regular meeting of the Abyssal Relic Affairs Department in September. Before the meeting, let me introduce our new member, Baige."

Lao Huo sat on the sofa beside the coffee table, got a pair of reading glasses from somewhere, held a notebook with a sense of time in his hand, and raised his head.

"Hi everyone, I'm Baige."

Bai Ge squeezed out a smile and said.

He had seen all the people present.

Sitting next to Lao Huo, holding a glass of water is Ai Lian in sailor uniform.

Sitting with Ai Lian was a smiling Tian Hong with a healthy complexion, and Fan Zhe wearing a blue-and-yellow Hawaiian shirt.

On the other side of the sofa was Tao Xuanran wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

As for Bai Ge, he was sitting on the chair taken out of the love room, with the TV set behind him.

"Bai Ge completed his promotion yesterday, and is now a second-rank [Phantom Thief] named Yasen Luoping. Everyone should know this. Let's start with Tian Hong to report."

Lao Huo looked at Tian Hong.

"Well, when I was working in the commercial street near Jingjiang High School, I found that the school would occasionally have non-students come in late at night. I checked and found that it was people from Gujing Industry. As for the transaction at the school, it is still with the school. The connection of the people in it is not yet clear."

She spoke fluently, as if she had practiced for a long time.

"This matter is deeply involved. For the time being, we feel that it is more likely to connect with people in the school."

Love added.

"Van Zhe."

Lao Huo called the name of the next person.

"Hey, I've been at the freight station and the wharf recently. I bought the warehouse clerk to read the list. There are a few items with unreasonable quantities, and there are even contraband items such as Abyssal White Grass."

While talking relaxedly, Fan Zhe took out a copy of the checklist.

"what is that?"

Bai Ge blurted out and asked.

"Tsk, it's a plant that grows in the abyss. Due to the influence of the breath of the abyss, the medicine made from it will dull human perception, produce hallucinations, and is highly addictive. Seriously, it's like every other thing you can think of."

Ai Lian looked at the list with a slightly dignified expression, and didn't complain about Baige.

"It is said that in the abyss, this plant relies on emitting its own pollen to incapacitate people, eventually die, and become nourishment. This cruel growth method forms a huge contrast with its pure white flowers... ...Huh? And fireless residue, here's what to do."

What is the residue without fire?

Before Bai Ge could ask, Tao Xuanran adjusted his glasses and said.

"The fireless residue is also a material from the abyss. It is the ashes left by the creatures in the abyss after being killed by a special monster. It is highly poisonous and contraband."

"I see."

With so many contraband smuggled, what is the customs doing?

"Heh, there are many private air routes on the Jingjiang side, and it is impossible to completely eliminate smuggling."

As if aware of Bai Ge's thoughts, Fan Zhe explained and looked at the others.

"The smuggling of these contrabands only started in the last three months. According to their whereabouts, different contrabands were in the hands of three illegal organizations."

"The three companies hold it separately? Is there really a mastermind behind the scenes?"

Ai Lian bit her lower lip and thought.

"Old Tao, what do you want to say?"

Lao Huo looked at Tao Xuanran again, but he used the honorific title.

"In the first half of September, our branch's expenses were 39 yuan and 370 cents, including the cost of losing a daily-use alchemy puppet body of 30 yuan, and the hospitalization cost of the criminal suspect. Forty-nine thousand, the income is 27 yuan, mainly the income from the few cultural relics seized by Ai Lian..."

Unlike the previous few, Tao Xuanran directly reported the bill.

Should it be called finance?

From Tao Xuanran's flat statement, Bai Ge probably understood what Ai Lian said about the financial situation before.

Indeed, if it weren't for the relics brought by Ai Lian at that time, the report for this half month would have been a proper deficit.

Thinking of this, Bai Ge suddenly felt that he should have taken a few more pieces at that time, some more valuable ones.

Damn, at that time it was really standing and talking without pain in my back.

"...By the way, if you have consumption outside, you can issue more invoices. Although you can't reimburse them, you can still use them to offset the account. Also, the reimbursement process is very troublesome. Some tools are in the process of use. Be careful, don’t use it up.”

Tao Xuanran ended his speech.

Lao Huo recorded something in his notebook, took off his reading glasses, and said.

"Everything is normal here. The branch's current main work arrangement is to investigate the relationship between illegal upgraders and illegal organizations. Love is in charge of this work. Let her talk about it."

Ai Lian had finished reading the list at this time, she put down the piece of paper, took a sip of water, and then made a sound.

"Currently we believe that the upgrader lurking in Jingjiang High School is the same person who came to Jingjiang five years ago and caused damage to several illegal organizations. He is also an important figure behind the scenes and the fourth illegal organization."

"Illegal organizations are currently developing a potion that can allow ordinary people to have the ability of a second-level ascender for a short time. This potion is very harmful to the human body. It is initially named the rainbow of the abyss and is tentatively designated as a second-level dangerous product. Finding out the source of this medicine is the top priority now."

"According to the case that happened in the Smiling Commercial Building on Saturday, it is expected that there may be many similar criminal incidents in Jingjiang City in the future, which are caused by taking the Abyss Rainbow. I hope everyone will pay more attention."

She spoke little by little, and the others listened very carefully, except Tao Xuanran who closed his eyes slightly, as if he was resting.

"In view of this situation, I have applied for the operation of allowing Baige to be promoted in accordance with Chapter 6 and part of Article [-] of the "Abyssal Relic Affairs Department Executive Manual". Next, we have two investigation directions. One is to maintain Monitor the freight stations and wharves, and monitor the members of illegal organizations."

"The second is that Baige will act as a real strange thief and commit crimes in Jingjiang City, attracting the attention of illegal organizations, contacting them, and inquiring about the source of the rainbow of the abyss and the possible upgraders behind it. What do you think? Or a suggestion?"

Facing Ai Lian's inquiry, the living room on the second floor of Aimei Plastic Surgery Hospital fell silent.

After a long time, Fan Zhe raised his hand first.

"Fan Zhe, tell me."

Lao Huo motioned for the other party to speak.

"Uh, it's almost time, I have to pick up Sisi from school."

Fan Zhe pointed to the watch.

"...Okay, let's go, we will exchange information if we have any information."

Old Huo waved his hand.

"Then it's time for me to work here, or I'll leave first?"

Seeing this, Tian Hong quickly slipped away too.

Seeing this, Bai Ge was speechless for a while.

This branch regular meeting started quite solemnly, how could it end so down-to-earth.

"Old Tao, are there any problems with you?"

Ai Lian looked at Tao Xuanran who had already got up and started to pack his things.

"Is there any problem with me, anyway, you are going to the front line, I just hope you don't make any troubles before I retire."

He walked down the stairs step by step, and looked at Baige as if he suddenly remembered something.

"Come over at two o'clock this Saturday afternoon, and I'll teach you some simple common sense among ascenders."

"Okay, okay, thank you Tao Lao."

Bai Ge had a feeling that the teacher wanted to tutor him on Saturday, and he didn't know whether to be happy or sad.

After Tao Xuanran left, he noticed the strangeness in the other party's words, and asked curiously.

"retire?"

"Well, because of our special composition of personnel, you can apply for retirement at the age of 55. After retirement, you can either transfer to Ningjiang to work as a clerical worker, or go to a related institution as a consultant or train new people."

Lao Huo cleaned up the coffee table and explained to Bai Ge.

"However, you also know that in our line of work, few people can retire normally. Mr. Tao will retire in two years, so we will not arrange for him to go to the front line."

"So...wait a minute, how many people can retire normally?"

I don't know that...

Bai Ge noticed the problem in Lao Huo's words.

Does that mean most of them won't survive retirement?

"What are you thinking?"

Ai Lian poked Bai Ge's lower back with her finger, making him shiver.

"Stay here for dinner tonight, and let me see how extraordinary you are."

PS: The first update next week will be advanced to zero, please ask for a recommendation ticket~

(End of this chapter)