District Three, Law Enforcer Headquarters.
"Chen Ling, right?"
A law enforcer carefully verified Chen Ling's identity before handing him two sets of black-and-red uniforms and a law enforcer badge.
After changing into his uniform, Chen Ling had lunch at the headquarters. In the afternoon, he attended the swearing-in ceremony at the headquarters' square, followed by a speech from the leadership. This entire process made Chen Ling feel as if he had returned to modern society...
Even after nearly four hundred years since the Great Cataclysm, some human habits had persisted, offering glimpses of the pre-cataclysm civilization.
The only thing that surprised Chen Ling was that the "leader" giving the speech wasn't Han Meng, but another two-striped law enforcer he hadn't seen much before.
"Where's Chief Han Meng? Why isn't he giving the speech?" someone nearby also asked.
"Don't you know? I heard that a few days ago, the law enforcers in District Three rebelled... It was that Ma Zhong, who led two other law enforcers to ambush Chief Han Meng, but they ended up being killed instead."
"Huh??? Really?"
"Of course it's true. Apparently, Chief Han Meng was furious that night. Before Aurora City could issue an official document, he executed Ma Zhong and the other two on the spot, along with over fifty law enforcers who had vested interests with them... Haven't you noticed that a large number of law enforcers are missing today?"
"Damn, killing so many people in one go? Isn't that cutting off District Three's law enforcement strength? Chief Han Meng is that ruthless?"
"Now, there are only two law enforcers left in District Three... One is Chief Han Meng, and the other is Xi Renjie, the one on stage. Xi Renjie was promoted by Chief Han Meng. Although he's only a two-striped enforcer, his background is clean."
"But I heard that because Chief Han Meng didn't report in time and took matters into his own hands, Aurora City is very angry and might punish him soon."
"So that's why he couldn't show up..."
"Ah, what a shame."
"..."
Hearing the conversation nearby, Chen Ling's eyebrows raised slightly.
He suddenly remembered what Han Meng had said in his house yesterday afternoon, after a long silence: "Whether you believe me or not, I have always been fulfilling my duties... If you truly feel that this world lacks justice, why not become it yourself?"
Earlier, Chu Muyun had also described Han Meng as having a sense of justice... It seemed Han Meng really had something to him.
After Law Enforcer Xi Renjie finished his speech, he began assigning tasks to the newcomers and the streets they would be responsible for patrolling from now on. As the only law enforcer from Frost Street this year, Chen Ling was naturally assigned to Frost Street.
After Han Meng's purge, the law enforcers in District Three had indeed become much cleaner...
Thinking this, Chen Ling walked out of the headquarters and headed straight for Frost Street.
On the first day of duty as a law enforcer, they were required to patrol their assigned streets to familiarize the residents with them, a form of "declaring sovereignty." This was an internal rule among law enforcers.
Since he put on the uniform and walked out of the headquarters, passersby on the street avoided him, not even daring to make eye contact.
"Officer... would you like a peach?"
An elderly voice called out from the side.
Chen Ling turned to see an old woman with white hair pushing a wooden cart full of peaches, her voice hoarse.
"No, thank you." Chen Ling waved his hand to decline.
"Officer, please try one... I brought these from the West District this morning. The peaches there are good and cheap..." She tugged at Chen Ling's collar, her cloudy eyes filled with pleading.
Chen Ling followed her gaze and noticed a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying on the fruit cart. The cold wind swept across the ground, and the baby seemed to be shivering.
"Take a bite. If it's not good, you don't have to pay." She picked out the largest peach from the cart, wiped it carefully with her clothes, and handed it to Chen Ling.
Chen Ling didn't eat it because he wasn't sure if there was something else inside the peach, like... poison.
When this thought crossed his mind, he was startled... because the old him wouldn't have thought this way.
If it were the him from before the Great Cataclysm... no, even the him from yesterday, he would have definitely helped, even if it wasn't much, at least by buying a few peaches as an act of kindness.
This was his compassion and integrity, but now, these qualities seemed to be fading...
Chen Ling looked at the old woman for a moment, then spoke:
"How much are the peaches?"
"One copper coin per pound."
"Give me two pounds." Chen Ling expressionlessly took out two copper coins from his pocket and handed them to her.
The old woman immediately took the coins with both hands, bowed repeatedly to Chen Ling, muttering thanks, and then picked out a few of the largest peaches from the cart and put them in a bag.
At the same time, Chen Ling suddenly said:
"That child has a fever. Take him to get some medicine."
With his [Secret Eyes], Chen Ling could tell at a glance that the baby on the cart was unwell and offered a reminder.
The old woman paused, her eyes showing a mix of struggle and guilt as she looked at the baby, but she said nothing, silently adding two more peaches to Chen Ling's bag.
She didn't have a scale, but even with the naked eye, Chen Ling could tell that these two bags of peaches were far more than two pounds.
"Thank you, officer, thank you..." After repeatedly thanking Chen Ling, she pushed the cart forward.
When she encountered the next passerby, she hurried over and pleaded, "Sir, would you like some peaches? They're from the West District..."
The cold wind turned her and the baby's faces red, but it didn't knock down the frail, elderly body.
Chen Ling touched his pocket and shook his head helplessly.
He only bought two pounds because he only had two copper coins left in his pocket... The silver coins he had gotten from Qian Fan were long lost in the bloodstains of the mansion.
As he walked onto Frost Street, he noticed many people standing at their doorways, peeking in his direction... When they saw Chen Ling approaching in his uniform, they began whispering among themselves.
"Ah, Officer Chen Ling!"
The first shop at the street corner was the cake shop Chen Ling had visited before.
The shop owner, seeing Chen Ling approach, immediately put on a flattering smile. "Officer Chen Ling, you look so handsome in that uniform!"
"Boss Li." Chen Ling walked up to the shop entrance and looked at the Frost Street residents standing at their doorways. "What's going on here?"
"Ah, everyone's here to see you!"
"See me?"
"That's right. The law enforcer who used to patrol Frost Street was killed by Chief Han Meng... Today is the day new law enforcers take office, so everyone wants to see who will be in charge of this street from now on...
When the list of law enforcers who passed the assessment was posted on the street, everyone guessed it might be you, since you're from Frost Street...
And here you are!"