Chapter 45: Code of Brawl (Part 8)
--- Lungmen City, Plaza,
Outdoor Party ---
Bison looked at the street
crowded with people: "Although we followed the directions, why... is it an
outdoor party?"
Exusiai carefully put her gun
away, then pointed at the huge candle in the distance: "See that candle!
It's so big!"
"Exusiai, quiet
down." Texas patted Exusiai's head, then sniffed: "The air is too
sweet, it's a bit uncomfortable."
Croissant looked at the sea of
people around them: "Hmm... If I applied for a stall here next time, I
should make a fortune."
Sora leaned closer to Texas:
"Texas, any news from the boss?"
"Not yet. Maybe he's just getting drunk
somewhere." Texas shook her head,
then suddenly fell silent, looking at Exusiai,
who had a mischievous smile.
"...Exusiai, take that thing
off my head."
"Why!" Exusiai looked
at Texas's tall party hat with a smile, then
pointed at the halo on her own head, "Because of this fluorescent light, I
can't wear such a tall party hat, you know? I'm so envious!"
Sora looked up at the shining halo on Exusiai's head, curious. She casually took a hat from
someone distributing them nearby: "What if you force it on?"
Exusiai looked at the hat in
Sora's hand, stepped back, and pointed at her halo, explaining: "It's like
waking up with a hangover and finding yourself singing at the top of your lungs
in Texas's passenger seat."
Croissant stroked her chin:
"...That's quite something."
Sora put the hat down: "You know so many details, you
didn't actually try it, did you?"
Exusiai coughed twice, pretending
to look around: "So, where's the boss?"
Bison looked at the crowded
scene, a worried expression on his face: "There are too many people here.
If the enemies catch up, ordinary people will be caught in the
crossfire..."
Reinette casually replied, looking
at the distant parade float: "It's fine, don't worry, no ordinary people
will get hurt."
"Ah."
"...It's you, Penguin Logistics."
Texas turned her head at the
sound, looking at the little tiger there: "I remember you are... that
detective agency's part-timer..."
Exusiai also turned her head and
saw Jaye nearby: "Is this the legendary branch leader who single-handedly
walked the docks with a Blade?"
Jaye quickly waved his hands: "No, uh, how did it get so
exaggerated...?"
"I'm just an ordinary small vendor. Oh, tonight I'm also a
part-time fishball chef."
"You're Texas?" Huai Hu stared intently at Texas, "Don't tell me you don't know what happened
tonight."
Jaye tugged at Huai Hu:
"Huai Hu, there's no need to be so
aggressive. They should also just be..."
Huai Hu nodded: "I know. But
the number of times these incidents happen is truly humorously high."
"If it didn't involve other people, then fine." Huai Hu stared intensely at the Penguin Logistics group, "Causing collateral
damage, making civilians suffer property losses, don't you have any
self-awareness as legal citizens?"
...Texas just ate her pocky
without speaking.
Compared to Texas, who looked
indifferent, Bison's face was a little awkward: 'I can't refute that at all!'
Texas looked at Huai Hu: "...So?"
Huai Hu slowly took a stance:
"So, it's necessary to correct your bad habits."
Sora looked at Huai Hu, who
had already taken a stance, and quickly raised her hand, trying to stop them:
"Th-there's no need to immediately start a fight, we know we caused a lot
of trouble tonight, but let's talk it out nicely."
Texas bit off her pocky and
moved her body slightly: "Alright."
"Texas!?"
"Let me say this first, what happened tonight was equally
baffling to me, and I'm very tired." Texas also
slowly took a stance, "So I'm not in a very good mood right now."
"Do you understand?"
"One-on-one. If I win, you'll have to behave and follow the
law." Huai Hu thought for a
moment, then added, "...At least for a month."
"Just a month!?" Bison was preparing for some
special conditions, but to his surprise, the conditions seemed surprisingly
simple?
Texas also spoke: "If I
win, you guys, who are always neglecting your duties, will mind your own
business and stop meddling."
Huai Hu nodded: "That's
true... But I won't hold back! Get ready!"
Jaye shook his head, looking at the two confronting each other,
a little speechless: "Sigh, how did it come to this?"
"Wait! Everyone calm down! No matter what, fighting in the
city center is a bit too..." Bison looked at the
increasingly tense pair and quickly tried to stop them.
But before either of them could finish speaking, they were
already grappling with each other.
As for the people around them, they automatically cleared a
sizable space for them, and some enthusiastic drinkers raised their drinks,
shouting loudly: "Good kung fu, fight well!!"
"Miss Wolf, don't lose either! Fight! Watch your
back!"
"I haven't seen such beautiful Yan kung
fu in a long time! Show us more moves!"
Bison looked at the cheering
crowd, feeling a bit speechless: "This isn't a performance!"
"Relax, this is the characteristic of Lungmen. If you complain about everything, you'll
become the designated complainer tonight~" Reinette patted Bison's shoulder.
Sora thought for a moment, then pulled out a bunch of glow
sticks from somewhere and waved them: "Texas!
Go!"
Exusiai also immediately became
an off-field spectator, cheering: "Watch your feet! It's a feint!"
"You two shouldn't be cheering them on!" Bison's expression was probably
beyond just speechless at these two.
Jaye walked around from the side: "Soda, do you want
some?"
Croissant took the soda: "Ah!
Thank you. But aren't you going to try to break up the fight?"
Jaye shrugged: "Can't stop them. You can tell, right? You
didn't stop them either, did you?"
"...We're just going to watch?"
Jaye thought for a moment, then said: "Or you could cheer
them on?"
Just as Bison was starting to doubt
that he was the one who didn't fit in.
The plaza's announcement system suddenly blared with static.
Bison looked up:
"...What's going on?"
"Hey—! All good citizens attending the Annihilation
Night party!"
"What?" The drinkers, who were enjoying the fight,
looked up: "What's going on, what's with that guy?"
"Can you hear me~?
"Hey, you're too loud!"
"Good, good, it seems you can hear me."
"Now, please be quiet! Be quiet! Thank you!" The
person on the broadcast seemed very satisfied with everyone's reaction,
"Then perk up your ears and worship me."
"Wha-what's with that guy!?"
While everyone was still wondering, a drinker suddenly pointed
at the figure on the high platform: "Wait, he's the Emperor! Hey, it's the
Rap God of Siren! Come on!"
"Shouldn't he be in Columbia!?
How is he in Lungmen?"
Bison looked at the figure on
the high platform, puzzled: "...Mr. Emperor, what is he doing?"
Exusiai shrugged, watching the
Emperor on the high platform with interest: "The boss always fancies
himself a musician, you know."
"He actually is, though." Sora corrected Exusiai's statement.
Croissant spread her hands and
explained: "Our funding sources aren't just from logistics business
itself. The boss's funding channels are very complex. And—"
"And?" Bison looked at Croissant, who had suddenly stopped.
Croissant waved her hand: "No,
never mind. I feel like saying too much would be bad."
Reinette, nearby, patted Bison, then pointed at the question
mark that had just appeared above her head: "See, isn't it much better to
have an automatic question prompt like me at a time like this?"
"I don't think this is a question of having a prompt or
not, is it?"
Texas's punching motion suddenly
stopped.
Huai Hu's counterattack also seemed to
be in slow motion: "What's wrong, your movements are slowing down!"
Texas stopped moving and looked
around: "...The crowd's movement is too uniform. Something's wrong."
Huai Hu hadn't given up, she
reset her stance and stared intently at Texas:
"Don't try to make excuses!
----------
"Emperor! Emperor! Emperor!" The partygoers in the
plaza cheered, raising their arms at the person on the high platform,
"Emperor! Emperor! Emperor!"
The Emperor spread his arms, enjoying the cheers of the people
below.
Just as the Emperor was still enjoying himself, a voice came
from behind him.
"...So noisy." The Rat
King walked out from the Emperor's blind spot, "Today is Annihilation
Night, Mr.
Emperor, your noise could
wake the dead."
"Wh—!?" The Emperor suddenly turned his head, his
bird-like face full of surprise: "You, when did you... get behind
me..."
"Good evening, Mr. Emperor. Happy Annihilation
Night."
The Emperor clutched his pierced abdomen: "...You stinking
rat, you... you'll regret this..."
"Wait, what happened? What kind of performance is this—"
A tourist, who had been focused on the stage, cried out in
alarm: "The Emperor? The Emperor was pierced? He's dead!?"
Waai fu threw a punch at Texas, but seemed to miss her target, hitting a tourist
who happened to be leaning over with a bottle of wine?
"Ugh—!"
Jie looked at the flying tourist, a bit surprised: "Eh? Waai fu, you hit the wrong person…"
"No. She didn't do anything wrong." Texas shook
her head, looking at the tourists gradually closing in around them, "We are the
ones being surrounded."
"..."
Exusiai raised an eyebrow,
looking at the tourists who were steadily approaching: "Uh… could it be that
they chased us all the way from the Slums?"
"Shouldn't they have cooled down back in the Slums?" Croissant scratched
her head, looking at the crowd around them, "And, here, all these people, are
they all their accomplices?"
Kou looked around: "No way, this many people…"
"They're almost all enemies. This is a trap. Mr. Emperor,
he…" Bison looked up just in time to see Rat
King toss aside the Emperor's body, "No way?!"
"How do I use this microphone… *cough cough*, hello? Good
evening, citizens of Lungmen." Rat King spoke, "Please don't panic. The one who
just died was merely an insignificant penguin. The Annihilation
Night celebration
will not stop. Naturally, there will be a dedicated person to handle this
troublesome corpse."
"Although it's sudden, I sincerely apologize, but it's time to
add a temporary item to tonight's carnival."
"Our Siracusa friends have brought us a special gift, now
hidden somewhere in this open-air party."
"Time is short, my friends." Rat
King looked down at the venue, at Penguin
Logistics and the others who were already completely surrounded.
'He's looking at me? No, wait, that old man is…' Bison looked up at Rat King on the high platform, cold sweat
uncontrollably breaking out on his back.
"If no one finds this treasure, I'm afraid…" Rat King's voice seemed to become a little serious,
"that will be the last surprise of your lives."
Croissant looked at the crowd
around them: "Are we completely surrounded? Like, three layers deep?"
"Ah, chiffon cake roll?" Exusiai stepped
back, leaning against Reinette.
"A dessert metaphor? Hmm, it does fit the reality." Reinette briefly scanned the crowd
around them.
"Rat King is the boss of
the Slums. His pawns are naturally
everywhere."
Bison looked at Texas and couldn't help but ask: "…Why didn't you
say so earlier?"
Texas said indifferently: "I
thought it was just an urban legend, and I didn't know he was actually a rat.
Who would choose such a nickname?"
Croissant scratched her head: "You
said it was too crowded to act, but there are no innocent civilians here,
they're clearly all enemies!"
Kou nodded: "Yeah, we can't move an inch."
"So what do we do now?" Bison was a bit flustered; he
had never encountered a situation like this before.
Texas shook her head: "You keep
asking what to do. Why don't you think for yourself?"
"I think, at this point, it's an extremely urgent
situation!" Exusiai looked back, just
about to call for Reinette to act, "Reinette, it's your turn… Eh, where is
she?"
Bison glanced back. Reinette, who had been following them
and sending messages, was indeed gone: "Wasn't she just here?"
Texas also glanced back: "She
probably went to find a place to watch the show… Tsk… we were outsmarted…"
Rat King on the stage looked back
and saw Mostima, who had just climbed up:
"…You're here. You can clearly see the situation below from here."
"I'm not the only one who came~" Mostima pointed
behind her.
"And me~" Reinette's voice rang out.
Rat King's gaze passed Mostima and saw Reinette at the end of the float,
who had, at some unknown point, set up a small table and chair and was sitting
there drinking tea.
"Would you like a cup?"
Chapter 46: The Law of Chaos (Part 9)
"No thanks, this isn't the right time for tea." Rat King waved his hand, "This is a big event
coming up. Elegant tea isn't suitable for this moment."
"Speaking of which, Miss Reinette, isn't there something off
about your background?" Mostima stroked
her chin, noticing the wall-like object behind Reinette, "This doesn't look like
something that would appear on a float, does it?"
"Oh, you mean this?" Reinette looked back, "It's
simple, just the wall of the rooftop~"
"The rooftop's… you're not actually here?" Mostima reached out and touched it. Sure enough,
after reaching a certain point, there was a cold sensation, "As expected, is it
water?"
Rat King looked at the leisurely
tea-drinking Reinette: "Your friends are in a tough fight. Aren't you going to help
them?"
"Well~ I said I was watching the show, so of course I can't
appear directly. I just came to remind you that this is just a show, so don't
get too carried away." Reinette glanced to the side and
continued drinking tea.
"But I didn't hear that you would be so heavy-handed." Mostima also glanced at the Penguin Logistics group being besieged in the
distance.
Rat King smiled: "I don't confide
everything to young people."
Mostima nodded: "True, I always
forget what kind of person you are."
Rat King turned around: "Many
people forget that, and they all die without a burial place. You are already
receiving special treatment, and tonight, many people will remember."
Mostima stared at Rat King: "You killed the boss. This matter won't pass
so easily, you know?"
"Heh heh, I understand." Rat King nodded,
looking in the direction where he had just thrown the Emperor, then at Reinette, who had left at some unknown
point behind him.
'Truly elusive…' Rat King shook
his head, "Penguin Logistics and their owner
are too arrogant. Lungmen is changing,
and they can't always be allowed to do as they please."
Rat King turned his head, looking
at Mostima, who had already taken out her
staff, "They need a lesson, a slightly harsher lesson."
Mostima raised an eyebrow,
looking at Rat King, whose tone had suddenly
changed: "If you burn too many bridges, you'll face retribution."
"You've done so many things using Penguin
Logistics…" Mostima looked
at Rat King in front of her, listening
to the clamor of the crowd, and suddenly understood something, "Wait, you
planned this from the beginning?"
"Who knows?"
Mostima nodded: "It seems that
far more people are watching this show today than I imagined, or rather, if
there weren't so many people, this show would be meaningless, wouldn't it?"
Rat King nodded: "Heh heh… you're
really smart."
"To be honest, I suddenly want to leave." Mostima shook her head, but her staff remained in
her hand, "But I'm also very curious about what caused this show to begin?"
Rat King smiled, without
explaining: "The flames are responding to your will. Are you planning to send
me to my grave?"
"How could I?" Mostima smiled,
"I'm very respectful of the old and caring for the young."
"Mostima!" The sharp-eared Exusiai heard the sound of magic and looked up at
the float, seeing Mostima battling Rat King.
Texas held back Exusiai, who wanted to rush over: "Wait, Exusiai, we are the ones surrounded. Don't break
formation."
Exusiai's steps halted, and she
focused on the enemies gradually closing in around them: "Tch…! Just a moment!
I'll be right there!"
Croissant used her shield to block
a swinging baseball bat: "These guys are mixed in with ordinary citizens, we
can't fight properly at all!"
Bison swung his shield,
knocking down an enemy who charged at him: "What is all this…?"
"Bison, don't zone out, you're blocking me! Get out of the way!"
Bison slightly shifted his
body, just enough for Croissant to
pass: "Everyone is, looking out for themselves. How can we possibly…"
"…Forget it." Bison's eyes suddenly changed, as if
he had let go of something, "Since it's always like this, then, let's go our
own ways."
Bison took out his phone from
his pocket and pressed dial: "Can you hear me?"
Kou looked at Bison holding out his phone, a
bit confused: "Communication? To whom?"
"Careful." Texas reached
out and pushed Kou's head down, just avoiding a flying wine bottle.
"Focus, Kou."
Kou shrunk her neck, looking at the wine bottle shattered on the
ground: "O-okay!"
Bison looked at his phone,
which showed the call connected, but the other side wasn't speaking, and said:
"You're there, right? You always are."
There was silence on the other end of the phone, then the
butler's voice came through: "Young Master… I…"
Bison's tone softened: "I don't
blame you. It's probably Father meddling. But now, you need to help me."
"…Understood, Young Master. Please give your orders."
"With this situation, what more orders are needed?" Bison slightly moved the phone
away, as if to let the person on the other end hear the clamor of the crowd,
"Just send them flying, and it's done."
The butler's tone carried a strange note: "To hear such an order
from the Young Master."
"Allow me to ask on behalf of the Master, why?"
Bison used his shield to block
an attack, pushed the person away with force, and casually threw the phone in
his hand like a projectile weapon: "…Why do I care so much about why!
Sister Croissant, move aside!"
"Ah? Oh, oh." After blocking the opponent's attack, Croissant slightly moved to the side, then
saw Bison's figure charging past her.
Bison hid behind his shield and
charged straight through: "Hoo-ah—!"
Croissant watched the
charging Bison in surprise: "He… he crashed through them!? Doesn't that
overlap with my role?!"
The butler, using the sniper rifle's scope, watched the
situation in the square: "Hmm… In terms of results, the Master should be
satisfied, but if the Young Master continues like this… will he really not be
led astray by Penguin Logistics?"
The butler shook his head, shifting his attention to the others
in the square who were preparing to besiege Penguin
Logistics, his gaze returning to calm: "No… I cannot continue to hinder
the Young Master. As long as the Young Master thinks it's okay, then it's okay,
yes."
The Mafia who was knocked flying clutched his arm: "You punk!
Wouldn't it be better to just lie down! Everyone, attack!"
Bison calmly dodged the
opponent's attack by shifting his body.
"He dodged it!?"
Another Mafia was about to raise the
baseball bat in his hand, but felt a huge force on the bat, and the bat was
struck out of his hand: "Ugh, oh, ow! My bat was knocked away by something!"
Another Mafia noticed the bullet hole
on the baseball bat that rolled to his feet and immediately reacted: "Careful,
there's a sniper!"
"Get out of my way!" Bison charged forward with his
shield, trying to get closer to the float not far away.
——————
Mostima took two steps back,
looking at Rat King, who was still standing
in place with a relaxed expression: "…Although I was controlling my strength,
you haven't moved an inch. Isn't that a bit unreasonable?"
Rat King smiled and shook his
head: "Standing still doesn't mean I'm relaxed."
Mostima looked at the
relaxed Rat King and shook her head:
"Is there really anything in Lungmen that
can defeat you?"
Rat King smiled and tapped the top
of the float with his cane: "Yes, 'Lungmen' can."
Mostima shook her head, not very
satisfied with Rat King's answer: "Ah, a
cunning answer."
"I also make sure to go to the park for morning exercise every
day. When you get old, staying healthy is very important."
Mostima smiled: "Morning exercise
has that kind of effect?"
Rat King thought for a moment and
added: "And a little bit of life experience."
Mostima suddenly asked: "What
about those two Siracusa people?"
"What about them." Rat King repeated Mostima's words without directly answering, he did not
directly answer.
Mostima looked at Rat King and sighed: "…I really wonder how many
such shady things you quietly resolve every day."
"Or, how many times have you made those who try to meddle
with Lungmen fight among themselves?"
Rat King pretended to think for a
moment, then shook his head: "I can't remember, child. I only remember that the
guys who keep rushing forward to survive are far, far more numerous than the
corpses in the sewers."
"Miss Mostima! I'm coming to
help—" Bison repelled the gangsters surrounding the float and shouted
at Mostima, who seemed to be struggling on
the stage.
Suddenly, several other gangsters and people who looked like
passersby emerged from the crowd and blocked Bison's path: "No closer. You guys,
go help the boss."
"Yes!"
Bison looked at the enemies who
had once again surrounded him: "How could I let you succeed!"
A seemingly ordinary resident, holding a baseball bat, was about
to swing it at Bison when he was knocked flying, but he didn't panic. Instead,
he retreated several steps, dodging the incoming bullets: "Sniper? The young
master's bodyguard?"
"Get out of the way!"
A person wearing what looked like pajamas held a baseball bat
against Bison and said in a deep voice: "You're just an ordinary
messenger. You shouldn't get involved."
Bison looked at the enemy in
front of him: "Messenger? That's right, I'm just a messenger. But those most
boisterous ones behind and in front of us, they all seem to be messengers."
The Mafia holding the baseball bat shook his head: "Penguin Logistics and you are different. If you
withdraw from this fight now, you can still protect yourself."
Bison looked at the person in
front of him and asked: "…You're calling the shots?"
"Ugh—! You do have some skill!"
Mostima shouted down at Bison: "Just go for it!"
"Understood!"
Jie looked at the chaotic battlefield, scratching his head: "Are
we… just going to watch?"
"Just watch. Although I don't know what's going on."
"But at least no innocent people are being harmed, right?" she
looked at the overturned stalls, "So much delicious food and drinks, just going
to waste…"
Waai fu scratched her head as she
looked at the overturned stalls. "It's such a waste, it makes my heart
ache. But I keep feeling like this brawl Is also part of the
party?"
"Was it planned?"
Waai fu shook her head, looking
at the chaotic battlefield. "Not really, at least they're genuinely
fighting. Ah, someone's rushing over."
Jie dodged a thrown bottle. "Huh?"
"Uh... ! How... it seems... I hit the wrong person..."
The Mafia in the suit, realizing the situation was wrong and he'd
hit the wrong person, quickly turned and joined the battle on Penguin Logistics' side.
'Did that bottle just… stop in mid-air for a moment?' Jie looked
at the bottle that had fallen beside him, but besides a few drops of water, it
was just an ordinary wine bottle.
Jie shook his head, dismissing it as an illusion, and looked
at Waai fu. "Is it a bit unsafe to stay here?"
Waai fu shrugged. "There's
nothing to do back at the office anyway, it's almost an all-nighter."
Jie suddenly asked Waai fu, "Don't you have an exam
tomorrow? In the afternoon?"
Waai fu fell silent at Jie's
question. "...Oh no."
——————
"Those two over there don't seem to be involved in this
farce." Yith stood on a high platform, looking at the chaos below.
"They should be advised to stay away from here; they could get hurt if
they're not careful."
"Don't worry, don't worry, I've been watching." Reinette, sitting at a small table and
stool on the rooftop, didn't seem concerned about the situation below.
"That's true, the square Is really foggy today,
Miss Reinette."
"Just a simple trick." Reinette shook her head, poured
two cups of black tea, and pushed out two more chairs to their corresponding
positions. "Yith, won't you sit down and have some tea, and Miss Fiammetta?"
"…Wait, that person with a hole in his stomach, isn't that
the Emperor of Penguin Logistics?" Fiammetta pointed at the penguin corpse next to
the float. "He's dead, aren't you guys panicking?"
"Panicking? Why would we be?" Yith shook his head. "Mr.
Emperor plays with fire and burns himself a few times every month. We're used
to it."
"Even if he's dead?"
Yith nodded. "Yes."
Fiammetta stared at the calm Yith and the elegantly
sipping Reinette. "…Mostima really
shouldn't get too close to you all."
Yith glanced at Mostima, who was fighting Rat
King. "Are you worried about her?"
Fiammetta turned her head.
"I'm just here to make sure she hasn't done anything out of line."
"But, hmm, what a clumsy act. Since she has so much
leisure, it seems there's nothing worth noting." Fiammetta stood on the high platform, looking down
at the battle, or rather, the performance, and offered her critique.
After watching for a while, Fiammetta turned
to leave. "I'll be going. And, don't tell her I was here. I'll find her
when this Is over."
"…She left." Yith turned to look at Fiammetta, who had already vanished from the rooftop,
his tone somewhat strange. "Appeared suddenly, questioned suddenly, then
left suddenly."
"Has Laterano's style
become like this now?" Yith shook his head, sat down
beside Reinette's table, and picked up the black tea already poured for him.
"It tastes good."
"Thank you for the compliment."