Chapter 929: Homecoming
Chapter 929: Homecoming
"Commissioner! You... Hmm?"
Unaware of what transpired after his departure, Lyon, having caught up with the frightened Miss Collide and explained the situation to her, returned to the commissioner's office. Inside, the room was empty, leaving behind only a messy pile of documents on the desk and a pile of empty bottles beside the sofa.
She left so soon? Did your replacement arrive, and you're already gone?
Using the Black Goat's soul vision, Lyon checked and confirmed that the red-haired commissioner had indeed left. He shook his head helplessly and then proceeded upstairs to check on the situation at the Yi Si Ant Nest.
As it turned out, the commissioner was quite reliable when she wasn't drunk.
She had likely left the access permissions for the Virgo Palace as well. The Bloodhair Slayer, emitting a scent akin to the sun, appeared in overwhelming numbers, ten times more than usual, completely sealing off the fifth and sixth floors of the Virgo Bureau.
Judging by the aura emanating from the Bloodhair Slayer, it seemed that even if the successor arrived a month later, there wouldn't be any issues. Lyon estimated that even if ten or eight True Divine beings came, it would take at least a week or two to break through before the power left by the commissioner was exhausted.
Well...
Seeing that the commissioner had made thorough preparations and that it wasn't a hasty decision, Lyon didn't say anything further.
After all, with the commissioner's capabilities, in a time when the Bloodhair King had ceased his activities and the Netherworld had undergone a change in leadership, the entire Mundane Realm was like a backyard garden to her. As long as she didn't foolishly rush into the stronghold of the Ten Descendants of Datin, there would be no danger whatsoever, and there was no need for Lyon to worry about her.
Hmm... Speaking of worries, Lyon had been away for several months, and Anna must have had her hands full taking care of the two little demon kings on her own. It was about time to head home and check on them.
Lyon collected the empty bottles from the commissioner's office and dropped them off at the Police Department's recycling point. Then, finding a secluded corner nearby, he stepped into a window, using the Mirror World for a quicker journey.
Although there was a public carriage available for the trip back to the Purge Bureau, Lyon preferred this method as it was faster and saved him the carriage fare.
However, as Lyon traveled through the Mirror World and emerged from a small mirror at a stall on the corner of Bridge Avenue, he was startled by the sight that greeted him.
For some reason, Bridge Avenue, usually quiet due to its location in the old district of the Imperial Capital, had suddenly become bustling. Although it wasn't exactly teeming with people, its appearance was significantly different from before.
The stone-paved street, which used to have moss growing on both sides, seemed to have undergone a thorough cleaning and scrubbing. Not only was the slippery moss completely removed, but even the brick surface, which had become uneven due to years of trampling by pedestrians, had been meticulously repaired.
The once-crumbling road, which would cause his carriage to jolt every time he passed by after work, now looked brand new. The slightly old-fashioned facades of the shops on both sides of the street had also been renovated, and the weathered signs were replaced with glass lightboxes.
The factory that used to occupy a large area at the back of the street, from which the sound of machinery could often be heard, was gone. In its place stood a new branch of Chall Department Store, with various promotional horns blaring, pedestrians chatting, and the honking of carriages and the clopping of horse hooves creating a cacophony of sounds.
If it weren't for some shops retaining their original facades and the Happy Apartment, now with a fresh coat of paint on its outer walls, still standing in its original spot, and the occasional familiar faces on the street, Lyon might have thought he had come to the wrong place.
Wow... What a huge change! It's like I've been away for two or three years, but it's only been a couple of months.
Lyon emerged from the small mirror, looking perplexed, and nodded apologetically at the stunned stall owner sitting on the nearby small chair. He then picked up the gifts he had bought for Anna and the others and quickly headed towards the direction of Happy Apartment.
"Crack."
As Lyon approached the entrance of Happy Apartment, the familiar sound of "crack" came from the small garden as expected. The muscular old man, covered in scars and sucking on a lollipop, stood up from behind the fence with a cool expression, gesturing with the large gardening shears in his hand.
"Uncle John, you've gotten even stronger."
Lyon smiled and nodded at the robust old man. Then, he handed over the bag he was carrying and greeted him proactively, "I've been away for a while, thank you for taking care of my two little rascals. Here, I brought you a woodworking set and a packet of flower seeds that the store clerk recommended. They said it's a new variety with flower buds twice as big as regular flowers. Please take care of them."
"Crack."
"Then I'll leave it here."
As a 'hated' bad guy in Happy Apartment, Lyon didn't expect to receive any response. He hung the gift on the fence with a smile and then strode towards the first-floor lobby.
Just as Lyon entered the lobby, a gust of wind carried a faint, hoarse old man's voice from behind, brushing past his ear with a hint of reluctance.
"Thank you."
"?"
Hearing this, Lyon turned back, surprised. He found that the robust old man in the garden had disappeared, and the bag he had hung on the fence had vanished as well. It was as if nothing had happened, except for the fact that the gift in his hand was indeed missing.
"You old geezer!"
Following a familiar complaint, the gray-haired old woman with a full head of curly white hair emerged from the duty room, putting down the seemingly endless yarn she was knitting. She took Lyon's arm and explained with slightly red-rimmed eyes, "He's thanking you... After the completion of the new poorhouse, which is now attached to the side wall of the apartment, he gradually regained the ability to speak, even if it's just a few words at a time. But it's an improvement from before."
Lyon couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly after hearing the administrator's words. Then, he smiled with delight and teased, "This time, when I return late at night, I won't have to worry about getting a haircut... Auntie Mary, here's the gift I brought for you."
"Okay, okay, I'll take it."
After taking the small bag from Lyon, the administrator didn't rush to see what was inside. Instead, she examined Lyon's figure, patted his arm, and then said happily with a hint of regret, "You seem a bit stronger and even a bit taller after your business trip... Hmm... I won't give you the sweater I knitted for you just yet; I'll need to adjust the size."
"Then I won't be polite, and I'll definitely accept the sweater."
After assuring her that he would take the sweater, Lyon chatted with the administrator for a while. As he was about to go upstairs to his home, she pulled him back and reminded him with a smile, "It seems you brought fewer gifts than usual."
"Huh?"
"Your wife just went upstairs with two accountants. She said she wanted to visit your younger siblings and check some accounts."
"Huh???"
(End of Chapter)
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