New Year’s Eve quietly passed, the calendar flipped to Dawn 153rd Year, January 1st.
A new year brings new prospects, the Edge Mansion is decorated with lanterns and strears, and the rcenaries have all changed into new clothes, ready to go out together and have so fun.
Su Mo partied with everyone all night last night and didn’t wake up until after ten this morning.
Before the travel, after the New Year, he would definitely be dragged by his parents to visit relatives, facing the interrogations about salary and the pressures to get married from aunts and uncles.
Luckily, after crossing, he has no relatives, escaping this catastrophe.
But New Year’s greetings can’t be avoided, after all, as Director, there are indeed too many external connections to maintain.
At this mont, Su Mo is lying on a beanbag in the entertainnt area, making phone calls to familiar contacts in his phonebook.
"Lady Countess, Happy New Year! One more year has passed, last year you were 18, this year you should be 17, hahaha... Sending New Year goods? Oh, no need to be polite, I don’t lack anything... Hogrown fruits? Oh, then I must try them! Alright, I’ll have soone sign for it then~"
"Old D, oh man, still sleeping? First day of the New Year, want to co out for a drink tonight? Oh... already have plans... then okay, next ti."
"Brother, Happy New Year, where did you party yesterday... working overti the whole New Year’s Eve??? City council really doesn’t treat people right... Tonight? Are you free? No social obligations on your end? All canceled?! Then I’m truly flattered, I’ll definitely co! See you!"
Just after Su Mo finishes his call, KK enters and says: "Boss, Captain Shangguan is here."
Shangguan Li walks in and greets Su Mo: "Happy New Year, Director Su."
In the rcenary business, relying on strength and connections, social interactions can’t be avoided.
Shangguan Li and Su Mo originally had interactions due to a trip to Saint Rivelan.
More importantly, Dongdong was taken in as a disciple.
With this "political marriage," the relationship between Edge and Mo Xue can be said to be in a honeymoon period.
Shangguan Li already made plans to visit since yesterday night.
Su Mo stands up and smiles: "Happy New Year, Shangguan, make yourself at ho, eat whatever you want, just treat it like your own place."
Shangguan Li doesn’t hold back, sits down and takes an apple from the plate, biting into it, and looks around while asking: "Where’s Dongdong?"
Su Mo smiles mysteriously and says: "I’ll take you to find her."
The two arrive at the gymnasium, it’s empty, with no one entering or exiting, only the noise from inside the doors can be heard.
Su Mo carefully pushes open a crack in the door, gesturing for Shangguan Li to co over and look.
Shangguan Li peeks inside.
Within the vast gymnasium, only Dongdong is present.
On New Year’s Day, Dongdong isn’t gaming or going out to play, but rather is focusing and training martial arts here with discipline.
With a wooden spear in her hand, she is energetically thrusting at the dummy target in front of her, performing vigorously.
Shangguan Li, usually serious, smiles with satisfaction at this mont: "You’ve really brought ho a treasure. If my disciples showed half her effort, I’d laugh myself awake from dreaming."
Su Mo expresses gratitude: "Thanks for being willing to guide Dongdong, this martial arts stuff, I can’t teach it."
Shangguan Li smiles slightly: "No problem, I see the shadow of my younger self in her. Being able to personally cultivate a master, no matter who she serves, I am delighted."
These grand words earn Su Mo’s admiration as he asks with a smile: "Shall we go in and greet her?"
Shangguan Li closes the door and shakes his head: "She’s just getting into the zone, let’s not disturb her. Let’s go back."
The two find a tea room; KK brings snacks and brews tea with skill. The three of them chat while watching television.
After chatting for half an hour, the New Year Gala rebroadcast shifts to an urgent news bulletin.
In the footage, a reporter can be seen hiding behind a wall corner, occasionally peeking out, somberly speaking to the cara: "Viewers, this is breaking news."
"An ergency incident has occurred in a residential area in Rust Wall District; a man ard with a gun is holding his wife hostage and in a standoff with the sheriff."
"It’s reported that the man’s work usually goes smoothly, and he lives harmoniously. Neighbors and friends told us he’s a very friendly person and no one knows why he took such violent action. Let us further investigate the scene."
The caraman carrying the cara rushes alongside the reporter, causing the footage to be quite shaky.
Soon, the cara moves to a closer position near the scene of the incident.
In the complex, two patrol cars are parked, several sheriffs holding guns hide behind them.
Not far away at an apartnt entrance, a young man holds a gun, taking a beautiful woman hostage.
The woman shakes, crying hysterically in fear.
Strangely, the gunman’s face lacks the typical villainous ruthlessness or madness; he also cries uncontrollably.
He shouts tearfully to the sheriff: "I’m sorry... I’m not a bad person... But I have to do this..."
The sheriff yells: "Son, tell us your grievances, and we’ll solve your troubles. Don’t act rashly!"
The man shakes his head while crying: "You can’t help ... Only this way can I save my parents and children..."
The sheriff continues to console: "Son, believe in the Public Security Bureau! Whatever persecution your family faces, we’ll do our utmost to rescue them! Put down the gun, then we can help you!"
The man continues to shake his head without speaking; his chest begins to expand with increased breathing, his sad eyes now filled with determination and madness.
He looks toward the reporters’ cara not far away, seemingly wanting to say sothing to soone, shouting hoarsely at the cara: "Keep your promises! Keep your promises!!"
The sheriff senses sothing is wrong and shouts sternly: "Calm down! Put down the gun! Imdiately!!!"
"Bang!" The man pulls the trigger, shooting his wife in the head.
The sheriff also quickly chose to shoot back.
"Bang bang bang bang bang—" The surrounding sheriffs simultaneously fire, turning the man into a beehive. The bodies of the man and his wife fall into a pool of blood, twitching before becoming still.
In the apartnt building, the residents’ gasps echo, even the caraman mutters "Walt f***," then quickly zooms in, giving the corpse a close-up.
The reporter gestures to bring the cara back before speaking solemnly: "As you can see, the criminal has been shot dead."
"We don’t know the cause of this hostage situation, was it a ntal disorder? Or coercion?"
"Why did the criminal say only this way can he save his parents and children? Who does ’you’ refer to in ’keep your promises’? So many mysteries are puzzling us..."
"On the first day of the Dawn 153rd Year, such a tragedy erupts in New Moon City, truly unsettling. This news agency will continue to follow up on the report, stay tuned."
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