"By the way, we were talking about your sister just now..."
After hashing out the details of the plan, Leyu got ready to leave, but Yin Yinyin suddenly called out to him.
"You've only got three years to live, what are you thinking about," Leyu looked at Yin Yinyin warily, "Do it yourself, and you'll have enough to eat. Three years will go by in a flash."
"...You're the first person who's ever made me want to turn off the lights," Yin Yinyin gave a twisted smile and said coldly, "'Stargazer' might be dead, but his request to the organization already got approved."
"What's that got to do with my sister?"
"'Stargazer's' application was simply for White Night to pull some strings and get your sister transferred to a safe place where she could keep studying." Yin Yinyin pulled up his hood, "The organization already set it up. Your sister can transfer to the Royal Academy in Yanjing, where they've arranged people to look after her."
Leyu perked up, "That's great, so when will someone come pick her up?"
Yin Yinyin fell silent for a while. "...Your attitude doesn't sound like you want to protect your sister. It's more like you're trying to ship off a bad omen."
Leyu smirked and didn't deny it.
After all, unless you were some kind of masochist, who really enjoyed coming home every day just to go head-to-head with their own little sister?
"Don't get too optimistic," Yin Yinyin scoffed, "No one's going to come and pick up your sister. What do you think White Night is, a charity for underprivileged kids?" Yin Yinyin continued, "White Night's only providing your sister with certain conveniences. Getting to Yanjing to study is something she'll have to manage herself."
Leyu asked in confusion, "What do you mean? Not only can't you get door-to-door service, but you have to ship yourself?"
It took Yin Yinyin a few seconds to get Leyu's joke, "Yeah, because your family has no connections in Yanjing, any direct interference could draw unwanted attention—especially since you're an agent with the Statistical Department. Too much attention, and you'd actually be hurting your sister."
"The entrance exams for the Royal Academy in Yanjing are in twenty days. As long as your sister goes to the exam, White Night'll make sure she avoids all the hassle." Yin Yinyin paused, "I heard your sister's grades are great, but... that's not the only thing it takes to get in there."
Yanjing, the capital of the Glorious Court, was the safest place in the world. Even though Skyrim had already fallen, and the other districts were all on edge, no one ever doubted Yanjing's invincibility—two thousand years, and it had never fallen.
Sure, there'd been political infighting, even coups, but no army had ever taken Yanjing. No matter how many people believed the Glorious Court was on its last legs, they still thought Yanjing itself would always stand strong.
The Royal Academy of Yanjing, known as the Imperial College in the old days, was the top university and educational institution of Glorious, a sacred ground for all students. Its influence blanketed the land. Li Shijie himself came from the Royal Academy in Yanjing—a guy who, barely past twenty, managed to beat up the notoriously tough Deputy Director Kui Zhao. That says it all—Kui Zhao's at least a decade older!
Time hit Awakeners hard. Kui Zhao, in his mid-thirties, was at his prime, peak condition in body, spirit, and Combat Technique. Li Shijie's body and spirit had to be weaker, you could tell since all through their fight he kept dodging and avoided direct hits.
Yet, even with all that difference, Li Shijie's Combat Technique alone smashed Kui Zhao into a total, humiliating rout. That's how next-level the Royal Academy's teachings were.
So of course, the Royal Academy's entrance bar was brutally high. The exam was just one part, probably the least important—this was a world crammed with well-connected, hard-working geniuses.
"So I should tell her to take the train to Yanjing..." Leyu murmured.
The Glorious railway system was still pretty decent—almost every district was hooked up, and trains weren't limited to steam or diesel—actually, the main power source was Luminous Stone solar energy, with diesel as backup.
Trains still ran, but a few years from now, who knew. Skyrim's lines, for example, had become a "local network"—the Outer District's army dreaming of using them to move troops in was just that, a dream.
"You don't have to push her," Yin Yinyin said, "Star Engraving National High's got a final evaluation in two days. The teachers will advise the best students to take the exams in Yanjing—you just give your permission and a little cash, and once she's there, it'll be smooth sailing... unless your sister loves you so much she can't bear to leave Star Engraving County."
"You never know, that could happen," Leyu said, nodding solemnly.
"That's it then," Yin Yinyin didn't bother responding to Leyu's deadpan, "Even though I say all this, maybe you're still not at ease. For you and your sister, Yanjing's totally unfamiliar... but trust me, once she's arrived, White Night won't let her run into trouble."
Leyu still felt weird about it.
After all, White Night was basically a revolutionary group dedicated to overthrowing Glorious—a gang of professional rebels.
And the Royal Academy in Yanjing was the Imperial College of Glorious. Simply put, its students were the emperor's own protégés.
Yet not only was Li Shijie of the Royal Academy a White Night Walker, but now the organization could even manipulate admissions and guarantee that someone like Qian Yuya, without any background, could get in comfortably...
Just what kind of people did they have in the Royal Academy? Did they teach Dragon Slaying Skill and political theory in there, or what—when did it turn into a giant factory for training moles?
Once the business was finished, Leyu got ready to head back the way he came, but Yin Yinyin stopped him, "Go out the upstairs way. From now on, just come up here if you want to find me, don't use that other route—the escape path isn't for everyday use, that's basic common sense."
"Are you sure it's safe?" Leyu was actually surprised. "You're not worried someone'll find out about our shady connection?"
Yin Yinyin ignored him and headed upstairs. Leyu followed, and saw that above was a sort of clinic—reclining chairs, mirrors, harsh white lights, and some scent he couldn't quite place. Not disinfectant, but just as harsh.
Medicine in this world was odd—mostly using Spirit and Combat Technique treatments, with herbal potions as support, but also surgical procedures. All in all, a mixing of witchcraft and science, whatever worked best.
"So that's it... You mean, even if I walk out of here, people just think I'm your patient?" Leyu suddenly got it. "Never thought you'd actually moonlight as a back-alley Medical Officer on Eighteenth Street."
The real Medical Officers all worked for the Medical Bureau—the public hospitals, basically—not that ordinary people got any deals there, it was just another state enterprise. Official Medical Officers made varying salaries, but all shared one key trait: they were busy to the point of baldness.
After all, every patient in the city had to go to the Medical Bureau. Even if more than half never went because they couldn't pay, the rest still kept the place running round the clock, year in, year out.
Some Medical Officers who wanted higher pay and hated being overworked would start up private clinics elsewhere, as freelance Medics. Problem was, their skill levels varied wildly, with no certification, and malpractice was everywhere. Yin Yinyin was a classic example: main gig, espionage; side hustle, medicine; who knew if he'd use a "house call" as cover to stick a knife in you?
"If you ever need it, you're welcome to come see me as a patient too," Yin Yinyin said coolly.
"What kind of things do you treat?"
"Toothaches and hemorrhoids. I'm decent at general surgery too."
Leyu froze for a moment, "There are people on Eighteenth Street who see you for those?"
"People can put up with chills, fevers, even broken limbs, but nobody can stand a toothache," Yin Yinyin said calmly, "Hemorrhoids? Super common here. Nine out of ten men have them. Food's filthy. That bald guy you just roughed up, Lei, he's a regular..."
"Enough, I don't wanna hear butt stories about that bald brute!"
"Take care, you know your way out."
Leyu strode out of the clinic, looked back, and found himself in a strange neighborhood. Not far off was the Xiangle Casino, and farther out, Flower Street. The harsh clinic lights streamed out of some colored glass windows, lighting up the characters over the door:
"Teeth, Hemorrhoids, Traumatology"
Now that was a straightforward sign... Leyu found the shining Yao Bell Tower off in the distance, headed its way to get out of Eighteenth Street, then followed the main road home.
He carefully unlocked the door, unlatched the bar, then opened the inner door.
Inside was dead quiet. Leyu crept upstairs, but just as he was about to slip into his room, the door of the room next door creaked open.
Only the Qian siblings lived here, so it wasn't the ghost of Qian Yuliu come for revenge—it was Qian Yuya, cold-faced as usual.
She lifted her lantern, lighting up Leyu's sneaky self, eyes scanning him like an X-ray.
Leyu took the initiative, "Why aren't you in bed this late?"
"Bathroom. Why are you out so late?"
"Grown-ups' business, none of your concern," Leyu summoned his big brother aura, "Go do your business, then back to bed!"
Qian Yuya, ticked off, paused and said, "Your clothes have this trace of Jianzang weed—a mildly toxic herb. Only Eighteenth Street in Star Engraving County still has it; everywhere else it's been cleared. What were you doing on Eighteenth Street?"
"Shit, is this what being a Medical Officer trainee's about? Or does Qian Yuya have detective potential?"
"Mind your own business, kid," Leyu barked.
But Qian Yuya wouldn't buy it, "If you won't tell me, I'll find out myself! After school, I'm going straight to Eighteenth Street, and I won't come home until I know what you did!"
"That won't do, who'll cook if you don't come home?"
"Is this what they call woman's intuition? She sniffed out my weakness without meaning to!"
'Leyu clicked his tongue to himself, wondering what excuse might work.'
Go to Eighteenth Street for a toothache treatment? No—would give away Yin Yinyin's involvement.
Go burning money on Flower Street? No way—I'd take the blame without ever setting foot there, way too much of a loss.
Obviously, Leyu was down to his last option, "I went gambling. Here, my winnings, use it to buy food."
He pulled out the pouch the rough kid had given him—who'd have thought today's "good deed of the day" would actually come in handy. Funny; he really hadn't brought money when he left hours ago.
Qian Yuya took the pouch, inspecting it, "You never gambled before."
"Some people just want to get in my good graces. Forced their money on me." Leyu lectured, "Gambling's a cancer, don't touch it. I just went along to be polite; folks on Eighteenth Street are too enthusiastic, just kept giving me money."
"I'd never touch it!" Qian Yuya snapped, shoving the pouch back, "I don't want your dirty money, keep it yourself!"
Leyu replied, tone grave, "Fine, I'll buy the groceries myself. If I go shopping in my Statistical Department uniform, they'll probably triple my rations—"
"Don't go making trouble for people!" Qian Yuya, hearing Leyu's "threat," had no choice but to sullenly take the money, slamming her door shut.
Leyu blinked, figuring this basically guaranteed she'd be good and go buy food and cook, and maybe he'd even get a bonus dish at dinner. Two birds, one stone.
Still, he had a nagging question.
Didn't Qian Yuya say she was going to the bathroom just now...?