As night falls, many people in the city fall asleep early.
The male owner worked hard for a whole day but still couldn't fill his stomach, so he had to lie down early to resist hunger. The female owner tossed and turned in bed because the rice jar was empty and she didn't know where to get food tomorrow. The child murmured in his dream, dreaming that he could eat a shriveled little apple.
And far away from the slums, in the center of the city, the real nightlife has just begun.
The banquet hall of the Earl's Palace was decorated with brilliant lights.
Desserts covered with cream and syrup were placed in every corner of the banquet at no cost. Everywhere were the freshest fruits and freshly picked flowers from the branches, as well as perfectly fried lamb chops and oysters being pried open by the chef.
The aroma of various wines flowed through the crowd. Three-dimensional projections, which were no longer seen in civilian areas, were projected everywhere here.
There were clinking glasses and bright lights and feasting.
All the guests were dressed in exquisite gowns and were polite to each other. It was as if this world was already so abundant in resources and prosperous like a dream. There were no polluted areas scattered throughout the wilderness, nor were there any deformed creatures that would eat people.
Before everyone raises their glasses, they will say "Thank you, White Tower."
It is the White Tower that protects the city, creating the last refuge for mankind, the only Garden of Eden. The holy light of the White Tower forever covers the earth, drives away filth, and guards the glory of the empire.
This place is not like those outposts in remote areas. Everyone lives in danger of being swallowed by the contaminated area at any time, leading a life full of dangers and uncertainty.
As long as you live around the White Tower, the world will be safe and reliable, and you can live a life of drunkenness and enjoyment to your heart's content.
Cao Junmin led two sentries and walked through the crowd, raising his glass and greeting his familiar colleagues and superiors, chatting with them with a smile.
"Her Majesty the Queen hasn't appeared in public for a while. I really hope to have the opportunity to listen to her inquiries."
"It seems that there are some newly discovered relics from the past in Contaminated Area 5. The Countess expressed her interest in what is inside."
They said some words to each other that were unlikely to go wrong and seemed intimate.
Cao Junmin was born into a declining aristocratic family. He rose through the ranks from a grassroots sentry to the president of the Sentinel Academy and even the chief of the Public Security Department.
Now over fifty, he still maintains a good figure. He has the qualities of a sentinel, and the elegance of a long-time principal. He is graceful and has an extraordinary aura. Walking along the way, he is followed by two handsome and tall guards, which is very eye-catching.
Many people came up and tried to talk to him.
The Countess, holding up her skirt, passed by here with a group of female relatives. She covered her face with a feather fan and her thick eyelashes brushed lightly towards this side.
Cao Junmin calmly put down the wine glass in his hand and explained to the people around him with a smile.
"Excuse me, I think I should go check around. The Earl's banquet cannot afford any mistakes."
Everyone praised him for his dedication and expressed his understanding.
After all, everyone knows that the Chief of Security has reached his current position with the support of Earl James.
The Earl's banquet hall covers a large area, and outside the main hall there are gardens, plank roads, ponds and countless beautifully decorated lounges. After all, on such a night, under the influence of a lot of alcohol and charming lights, there will always be something that everyone knows.
As the Earl's confidant, the Chief of the Sheriff's Office even has his own private lounge.
The lounge has nice sofas, a comfortable bed, wardrobes and a wine rack.
Cao Junmin picked up two wine glasses from the wine rack and played with them in his hands.
Tan Shu opened a drawer with familiarity, took out some secret perfume, put it in the incense burner and lit it.
A faint sweet fragrance suddenly lingered in the air in the room.
Ni Ji stood there, frowning slightly without making any expression.
He was a sentinel, and all three of them were. The sentinels had sharp senses, with the sense of smell being the most acute. The smell of the fire in the house penetrated deep into his body from his nose, as if it could rot his bones and nerves, making him feel very uncomfortable.
Tan Shu pulled him and led him out of the bedroom, stood outside the door and winked at him.
Made a look that you would get used to sooner or later.
Not long after, the distinguished Countess came in alone, covering her face with a feather fan.
Tan Shu hurriedly bent down and opened the door for her.
Tan Shu closed the door, bowed, and stood outside for a long time. After making sure that the people inside had no new instructions, he straightened up and breathed a sigh of relief. He pulled Ni Ji to the tea room next to the door to rest.
"Don't be so tense all the time, Ni Ji, relax a little." Tan Shu sat down on the only sofa chair in the tea room and put his legs on the table. "Look at you, why do you always stand so straight? Here, you can't accept the military rules."
If you want to do well in a place like this, the most important thing is to be able to bend down like him and take care of all the private affairs of your immediate boss anytime and anywhere.
"Now you have to listen to me. I will teach you slowly. After all, we had such a good relationship in the past."
He thought Ni Ji was ridiculous. This man was like a frontier soldier, standing straight at all times, with his hands in black gloves clasped in front of him, like a taut string.
"It's not a big deal. It's very common among them. The Earl also has his own lover. The teacher is more dependent on the lady's skirt than on the Earl's support."
"Now, we can make some tea, take a break, or even take a nap." Tan Shu smiled and pointed with his chin at the tightly closed, soundproof door of the bedroom, showing Ni Ji that he was the most trusted person who knew everything about Cao Junmin.
"They stay there for a long time, one to two hours. Do you know how many layers the lady's skirt has? They also have to taste the fragrance. Oh, yes, that fragrance is top-notch, you have definitely never experienced it. That kind of fragrance will make people intoxicated, forget all their worries, and time will pass incredibly quickly there. If you have a chance, you should experience it."
He sat on a chair, crossed his feet, and looked at Ni Ji while saying these words.
Ni Ji listened to his words and really took action. He walked to the coffee table, took out a ceramic teacup with a gold rim with his black-gloved hands, carefully brewed a cup of black tea, added milk and sugar, and brought it to Tan Shu.
This guy, once his bones were broken, he crawled down really fast, Tan Shu thought.
In the past, he was the only one who followed Ni Ji in a flattering manner and served tea and water to Ni Ji.
Having Ni Ji obediently make tea for him and then bring it to him was something he had never dared to imagine.
Tan Shu sat there, looking at the cup of black tea that was brought to him.
The slender fingers in black gloves held the exquisite and fragile ceramic cup steadily, waiting humbly for me to reach out and take it.
He took the cup contentedly and took a sip slowly.
The tea has a mellow aroma, sweet with a slight astringency.
In the cup, a little white milky mist floated on the surface of the tea, reflecting the faces of both Ni Ji and himself.
In the vague mist emitted by the black tea, Tan Shu vaguely recalled his student days.
The young Ni Ji clasped the wall tiles with his black-gloved fingers, twisted his waist, and in a few seconds he climbed over the towering wall of the Sentinel Academy.
That was a rebellious soldier king. He squatted on the wall, looked down at himself, and laughed, "Hurry up, Tan Shu, are you coming or not?"
At that time, Ni Ji was like the bright moon in the sky that was out of reach.
As long as he wanted to, he dared to do anything. He dared to break the school rules and beat up a scoundrel who tried to molest a female classmate. He dared to disobey the teacher and rescue a wounded comrade on the battlefield. He was not even afraid of the principal.
Such a character is a legend in the hearts of all students.
Perhaps it was the warmth of the black tea, or perhaps it was Ni Ji's obedience that made Tan Shu relax a little.
I don’t know why, but I slowly fell into a doze. My eyelids became heavier and heavier and I couldn’t open them.
In a daze, he saw a pair of black gloves catching the cup in his hand.
Gently take the exquisite, fragile teacup away and put it in the sink to wash.
This guy, is he still trying to do something like before
Before falling into a complete sleep, Tan Shu inexplicably thought this in his heart.
(End of this chapter)