Chapter 100: Fog

Chen Ling went to turn around the other factories.

The situation in the other factories was about the same as the steel mill, basically in a state of work stoppage. Chen Ling didn't waste any more time and went straight back to the entrance of the factory district, preparing to go back and report this to Han Meng.

"You haven't left yet?" Chen Ling was surprised to see the rickshaw puller still waiting for him.

"Since you came all this way, you'll definitely need to go back..." The man grinned. "Instead of running back empty, I might as well wait for you here and earn a little extra."

It had to be said that this man was quite smart. Chen Ling didn't stand on ceremony and got directly into the rickshaw. After paying, the man pulled him back quickly.

"Officer, I heard that a lot of people in the factory district have lost their jobs?"

"It's just a temporary work stoppage."

"Everything was fine, why stop working?"

"I don't know."

"With so many people losing their jobs, won't they all come to pull rickshaws?" The man joked. "It's not easy for me to earn a few coins as it is; if everyone comes to compete, that won't do..."

Chen Ling didn't answer, because this was ultimately caused by Aurora City's measures. He didn't know what those people in the city were thinking.

Seeing that Chen Ling didn't want to say much, the man didn't ask further and naturally changed the subject.

"My wife has been working in the textile factory for over twenty years, staring at needles and thread every day. Her eyes are almost blind... A work stoppage is fine. She can stay home safely and take care of the kids. With my physique, running a few more trips a day is enough to support them."

The man grinned, sweat seeping out of his dark skin, mixing with the mist, sticking his thin clothes to his body.

Chen Ling looked at him, as if thinking of something, and looked down at his fingertips, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Is this fog getting heavier?" Chen Ling asked suddenly.

"Yeah, it was just a light mist this morning, now I can barely see the road... everything is damp, it's uncomfortable." The man wiped his face with a towel and complained.

Chen Ling's frown deepened.

"Faster." Chen Ling urged.

"Officer, it's very tiring for me to pull the rickshaw. This is already the fastest..."

"I'll give you another twenty copper coins."

"You got it, Officer!"

The man was energized. He took a deep breath, pulled the rickshaw, and his legs began to sprint, using almost all his strength!

The rickshaw passed through the thick fog, traveling through the streets. Before long, the familiar glass dome gradually enlarged in Chen Ling's field of vision... That was the Third District Law Enforcer Headquarters, and also the destination Chen Ling was heading to.

Before the rickshaw had even stopped, Chen Ling jumped off. Amidst the man's heavy panting, he pushed open the headquarters door.

In the empty hall, two figures in black trench coats were standing under the glass dome, looking up at the misty outside, their expressions quite solemn.

They heard Chen Ling push the door open and turned around at the same time.

"Any results?" Han Meng asked.

"It's Aurora City." Chen Ling truthfully repeated the statements of the factory managers. "Aurora City took away all the raw materials and finished products. The entire factory district has stopped working, and even many factory directors have been transferred back..."

Han Meng didn't seem too surprised by this answer. After pondering for a moment, he nodded:

"The control of the entire factory district is in the hands of Aurora City. Without their nod, the factories wouldn't dare to stop working... I have already sent an inquiry to Aurora City, but there has been no reply."

"Did something happen?" Chen Ling asked solemnly. "This fog... seems a bit wrong."

"You noticed it too."

"Heavy rain, heavy snow, both celestial phenomena led to Gray Realm convergences... Today's fog came too suddenly, it's hard not to make the connection."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about." Han Meng looked up at the glass dome shrouded in fog, only seeing a gray-white expanse, like falling into a sea of surging water mist. "However, so far, nothing unusual has appeared... I don't know the situation in other districts either."

"In any case, under such special celestial phenomena, it's better for us to stay vigilant at all times." Xi Renjie, who was on the side, added.

This Xi Renjie was the only surviving two-stripe Law Officer after Han Meng's bloodbath of the Third District... Chen Ling had seen him speak on stage when he was confirmed as a law enforcer.

"The previous heavy rain and snow both lasted for several days, and this time it probably won't be short." Han Meng said slowly. "I have ordered all law enforcers to increase the patrol frequency by one round every day. You two had better patrol a few more rounds these two days and stay in a state of alert at all times."

"Understood." Chen Ling nodded.

Han Meng took a palm-sized machine from his pocket and handed it to Chen Ling. "The temporary communication system has been activated. Keep this on you at all times. Once you find something wrong, report it to me immediately."

Chen Ling examined the machine, surprise flashing in his eyes... He had seen this thing before. When those two law enforcers broke into his house to fight the red paper monster, they used it to call for help. Chen Ling hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now that he thought about it, this thing shouldn't exist in this era, right?

"What is the range of this thing?"

"Its communication relies on Lord Aurora's domain, so you can communicate on the same frequency anywhere under the aurora."

So it wasn't technology, but a domain... Chen Ling put away the walkie-talkie and nodded.

Chen Ling and Xi Renjie left the headquarters. After agreeing on a plan, they went to patrol the East District and West District respectively. As for Han Meng, he guarded the Law Enforcer Headquarters alone. As the Chief Law Officer of the Third District and the highest combat power in the Third District, he had to ensure he was at the center of the Third District at all times.

The black trench coat moved through the thick fog. Visibility was reduced to ten meters. Chen Ling patrolled the street, unable to see people's faces from a distance...

Perhaps because of the factory stoppage, there weren't many pedestrians on the road. After all, without urgent matters, no one would choose to go out in foggy weather. The damp streets were unusually quiet. Chen Ling walked through them, as if passing through another world.

He didn't know if this thick fog meant another Gray Realm descent, and he didn't know which district would be so unlucky to be shrouded in it... But he hoped that unlucky person wouldn't be himself.

Suddenly, Chen Ling stopped.

He came to a puddle at the corner of the street. Somehow, the water in the puddle had connected into two lines of text,

[Audience Expectation +5]

[Current Expectation: 39%]

Chen Ling's heart skipped a beat.

Damn it, I've been caught!