Chapter 14: Suspicion

This was Li Yela's first time wearing a suit. His already handsome face, paired with the sharp black suit, made him look refined and quite charming.

Even at home, Li Yunyan, who never had anything nice to say, gave a somewhat positive evaluation: "As expected of my brother, his looks are second only to mine."

But such a handsome man, holding a massive black parasol, looked strange no matter how one looked at him.

It caused passing pedestrians who intended to strike up a conversation to recoil.

Upon seeing this peculiar attire, the old butler felt a tidal wave of shock in his heart.

However, his professionalism was high, and he almost immediately restored his composure.

He spoke gently, "Detective Zhou, your companion's attire is quite unique."

The detective noticed the fleeting expression on the employer's butler and, while keeping a mental note, guessed Li Yela's intention.

This fellow intended to bring his psionic armament inside!

Thus, the detective decisively lied: "He's a bit high-maintenance and can't stand the sun. You've dealt with psionics before; you should know that every psionicist is different."

Hearing this, Li Yela could only nod. "Indeed, I am high-maintenance!"

The old butler nodded with a smile, seemingly accepting their explanation. After all, the existence of curses among psionics was a known fact.

He then invited Li Yela and the detective to follow him to the car, stepping forward to personally close the parasol for Li Yela as he entered.

Afterward, the pitch-black sedan sped along, quickly passing through the Old Town and the Ring District. As dusk approached, they arrived at the New District.

The eastern part of Border City was divided into four districts.

From the outside in, they were the Old Town, the Ring District, the New District, and the Upper District.

Li Yela lived in the area closest to the high walls of the Old Town. He could only afford the rent there.

After becoming a psionicist and joining the official ranks, his goal was to buy a house in the Ring District. He had currently saved up 1/20 of the cost.

The New District was far from the high walls, featuring mountains and water, yet it was not desolate.

Unlike the skyscraper-dense Upper District, this area was scenic and was a favorite among the wealthy. Consequently, most of the buildings here were manors or villas. Some were even relics from the pre-Calamity era.

Li Yela didn't even dare to think about the property prices here. They were at least seven-figure sums in Megacity Credits.

In truth, surviving within the Megacity wasn't difficult. What was difficult was improving one's quality of life.

Take the previous Li Yela, for example: though life was a bit hard, he could still rely on his parents' inheritance and his own hard work to fund his sister's education, pay rent, and cover daily expenses.

But saving any money was difficult, let alone buying a house or a car.

Soon, the vehicle entered a large estate and came to a smooth stop in front of a three-story Gothic mansion. Many vehicles were already parked around—mostly sedans, with some sports cars. Clearly, there were many guests, and they were all very wealthy.

Li Yela couldn't help but complain inwardly: *This can only be driven within the Megacity; it would be wrecked the moment you leave the city!*

This was the location of the current "side job."

It was said to be a pre-Calamity era building, with annual maintenance and repair costs reaching six figures.

No wonder they could afford to hire psionics at such a high price.

Thinking this, Li Yela gripped his large black parasol, ensured his jet-axe was securely hidden beneath his suit, and followed the detective out of the car.

"The banquet has already begun. The two of you should go eat first. Today is the head of the family's birthday, and there are many guests; the master likely won't be able to see you until later." The old butler smiled. "This is also an opportunity for both of you."

"Alright, thank you. We'll manage ourselves, please go attend to your duties," the detective responded with a smile.

He then pulled Li Yela into the first-floor hall and leaned Li Yela's black parasol against a nearby wall.

"What does he mean by 'opportunity'?" Li Yela didn't refuse. A banquet was underway in the hall; the guests were glamorous, clinking glasses in a lively atmosphere. Carrying a black parasol would indeed make him stand out.

"Oh, he means that the people who can come here have significant status. If we intend to take on more side jobs, these people are our potential clients," the detective explained.

"Understood," Li Yela nodded. He followed the detective's lead, picking up a plate and heading to the long table to grab some food while listening to the detective's briefing on the commission.

"The head of this family is named Wang De, once a prominent figure in the Megacity. He was originally born as a Scavenger..."

"A Scavenger? He actually made it this far?" Li Yela was somewhat surprised.

Scavengers, as the name implied, were groups that left the Megacity to search for valuables in the abandoned cities of the wilderness.

Because the Calamity had descended suddenly, many humans in the cities were swallowed by the Disaster Mist, turning entire cities into no-man's lands. The wealth within them became the target of Scavengers.

Many Scavengers threw themselves into the fray for the chance to find precious treasures and rise to prominence overnight.

But the wilderness was not safe. Leaving the Megacity was equivalent to leaving civilized society.

Dangerous beasts, fierce bandits, and even treacherous Scavenger teammates could all be threats!

Those with bad luck might even be swallowed by the occasionally shifting Disaster Mist.

Now, having learned the truth about the Calamity, Li Yela knew even more: Scavengers might even encounter the Sufferers or Void Monsters.

Thus, the risks for Scavengers were immense.

Among them, very, very few could actually secure high returns and change their lives.

It seemed this employer was one of them.

To have achieved this level, one had to admit he had incredible luck.

If it were Li Yela acting as a Scavenger... heh, he wouldn't even be surprised if the Disaster Mist suddenly slapped him in the face.

*Luck, pure luck...*

As Li Yela felt envious, he reached for a piece of roasted meat, only to have it snatched away by someone else. He only caught a glimpse of a slender arm in his peripheral vision.

Not paying it much mind, Li Yela moved to grab a chicken leg instead.

The detective continued, "He had great luck. Through the resources and certain technological blueprints he brought back, he achieved a rapid rise in social class. Subsequently, he settled in Border City No. 3 and started a business. From then on, he developed rapidly, becoming one of the prominent wealthy merchants in the Border City, and his family grew large and prosperous."

The chicken leg Li Yela had set his sights on was snatched away again. He had no choice but to move a few steps to grab a steak.

"But all of this seems to have changed. Since ten years ago, around this time every year—roughly late September—a member of his family will..." The detective nudged Li Yela with his chin.

Having had his steak stolen once more, Li Yela finally looked up.

He saw a short-haired girl in a dark red strapless evening gown, standing beside him while holding a piece of steak.

The gown accentuated her stunning figure; her exposed shoulders and arms appeared even fairer against the fabric, while the light gauze of the skirt partially veiled her legs.

The light makeup on her exquisite face currently carried a teasing smirk.

"You finally looked up," the girl laughed, handing her plate to Li Yela. "How many times do I have to snatch things from you before you react?"

Li Yela studied the girl for a moment before recognizing her as Cheese.

In the past, Cheese always wore oversized hoodies, claiming it was to look slimmer.

But now, dressed in an evening gown, she displayed a breathtaking charm. Many male guests' eyes frequently lingered on her.

The contrast almost made Li Yela fail to recognize her.

"What are you doing here?" Li Yela was surprised. Hadn't Cheese said she didn't plan on taking side jobs?

"My uncle has business dealings here, so he brought me along to mooch a meal." Cheese sized up Li Yela and nodded in appraisal. "This look is quite handsome."

Li Yela retorted