Endless Debt

After sorting out the paper documents from the conversation just now, Jeffrey skillfully sealed them into a file bag and stuffed them into the cabinet. Uriel would do the rest, and he only had to arrange these things neatly.

After doing all this, Jeffrey sat on the sofa nearby. The office was quiet except for the sound of Lebius turning the pages while reading.

"Is this what you do after get off work? Just stay here and read?"

Jeffrey asked. He and Lebius hadn't worked together for a long time, and he didn't know much about Lebius's living conditions. It wasn't until the recent establishment of the special operations team that the two had contact again.

"Um."

Lebius replied. From the perspective of others, this reply was a bit perfunctory and cold, but Jeffrey knew that Lebius was like this, and he had long been used to it.

After years of getting along, people around him have a general understanding of Lebius. When Lebius can respond to normal conversations, he is in a normal state. When he talks more, it means he is in a good mood.

As for when Lebius is angry... he is usually silent when he is angry, just like the calm sea surface, with sharks cruising under the blue shadow, uncertain when they will break out of the sea.

Therefore, few people can accurately judge Lebius's mood. He seems to be facially paralyzed, with only a monotonous face.

"Aside from work, I just read books, no social activities, and no entertainment activities." Jeffrey looked at the door next to the office. "You even live here directly."

"Are you religious? Lebius."

Lebius shook his head and continued to read the book in front of him.

"It shouldn't be. You are as pious as an ascetic... The Order Bureau should really give you an Outstanding Employee Award." Jeffrey teased.

Lebius did not reply. He was too boring and made people feel very bored. Jeffrey felt that only the same kind of boring people were suitable to get along with Lebius.

Thinking about that scene, Jeffrey wanted to laugh. It was so hopeless for two people who were silent to stay in the same room, with nothing but silence.

The silence lasted for a while. Jeffrey wanted to talk about something with this old friend, but after thinking for a long time, he didn't know what kind of topic to start with.

Like marriage? It's almost time for Lebius to get married. Are you urging him to get married?

This idea was quickly abandoned by Jeffrey. There should be no such thing as marriage in the life of an ascetic. Study the next action? This time, it was Jeffrey who couldn't bear it. He finally got off work and didn't want to talk about work anymore.

Jeffrey had a headache. He thought he might as well forget it. Just as he was about to get up and leave, Lebius opened his mouth and broke the calm.

"Jeffrey, do you still have your mask?"

Jeffrey was startled and responded.

"Well, I still have it. Why do you ask?"

Jeffrey used to be a member of the Field Service, and he also had a mask he wore when performing missions. After leaving the Field Service, he no longer needed the mask, so he hung it on the wall at home, along with decorations. Same.

"Find some time to wipe it, you'll need it later."

Jeffrey was silent for a few seconds, and he puzzled, "I remember, I don't have to go to the battlefield, right?"

"The commission from Yas was something I wanted to tell you before, but I forgot in my busy schedule. He hopes that you and I can act as an insurance measure to deal with the King's Secret Sword at any time, lest they turn a feint attack into a surprise attack."

"Wait, you and me?"

Jeffrey didn't pay attention to other information at all, but stared at the sentence "you and me".

He still remembered the last time he and Lebius partnered. During the secret war, in order to resist the onslaught of the King's Secret Sword, the Field Service Department came out in full force.

It was the most brutal war that Jeffrey had ever experienced, and it was also the last war in which he participated.

During those tragic hundred days, both he and Lebius were seriously injured. Fortunately, both of them survived, but Lebius lost a leg. In the following time, a man sat in the car. In the office, one person was too lazy to continue participating in the dispute and turned to logistics.

This is how it continues to this day.

"What do you mean? Lebius." Jeffrey looked serious.

"If necessary, you and I need to step onto the battlefield again to confront the King's Secret Sword."

Lebius spoke calmly, as if this was just an extremely ordinary thing.

"Me...and you?"

Jeffrey wondered, then couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lebius, we haven't used secret energy for a long time. We have almost forgotten how to mobilize ether. How can we go to the battlefield like this?"

"Is that so? That's a pity." Hearing this, Lebius sighed.

"Don't think about unnecessary things. You are lucky enough to survive."

Jeffrey persuaded and turned around to leave, but then the voice sounded again.

"No, my regret is that you have really wasted so much time. Jeffrey, are you really planning to hang out like this until retirement?"

Jeffrey turned around when Lebius stood up from behind the desk.

His eyes froze, and Jeffrey was shocked to find that this time Lebius stood up directly without using crutches or any auxiliary devices.

Jeffrey's shocked expression satisfied Lebius very much. He even took two steps, walked out from behind the desk, stood in front of Jeffrey, and straightened his back.

This guy has been sitting behind the desk for seven years, burying his head in his desk every day. Lebius's back has been bent under the weight of heavy documents, but today he stood up again, or in other words, he never fell down.

The weak ether was active, Jeffrey noticed something, his eyes shimmered a little, and the fluctuations of the ether became clearer, until Lebius could no longer hide it.

Blue lines appeared along Lebius' body surface. At the same time, a blue figure appeared behind Lebius, holding Lebius gently with both hands, acting as his crutch.

A cold hand fell on Jeffrey's shoulder, and a rare smile broke out on Lebius' always cold face.

"Aether...obscuring."

Jeffrey's voice was emotionless.

It's not that he has never seen a condenser who has mastered this kind of etheric skill, it's just that there are few people who can do it like Lebius.

Almost absolute shelter, as if reaching the "extreme state".

It was so close and not exposed. If Lebius hadn't taken the initiative, it would have taken Jeffrey to realize all this. But on the battlefield, this period of time would have been enough for Jeffrey to die. Too many times.

"I've been thinking that if I could hide better, maybe I could actually assassinate him."

Lebius sat on the desk, his sense of seriousness was no longer there, and he had an air of arrogance.

"But what has happened cannot be changed no matter how much you excuse it, right? Fortunately, I am still alive, he is still alive, and I still have a second chance, a chance for me to make up for my past mistakes."

Looking at Jeffrey with cold eyes, Lebius said calmly.

"We don't have much time, Jeffrey. In one week, can you get back into shape?"

Jeffrey was silent, and after a long time he spoke slowly.

"Huh, do you remember the first time we worked together?" Jeffrey asked.

"What's wrong?"

"We were in the same period, and the competition between you and me for the Rookie of the Year was very fierce."

Lebius remembered the incident and asked, "So?"

"I won in the end," Jeffrey said with a confident smile on his face. "Don't underestimate any of the Rookie of the Year employees."

As he spoke, he stretched his muscles. In some respects, Lebius was right. In the past few years, Jeffrey's living situation has been basically the same as retirement. Even though he has strong muscles, he is now covered by a thick layer of wrapped in fat.

"A week is too long, and one night is enough to get back into shape."

Jeffrey pushed open the door and left. Instead of going home, he went straight to the combat room.

Lebius looked at the departing figure, time had changed, and he actually felt like he was back in the past. Everything had changed, but nothing seemed to have changed.

After sitting back at his desk, he picked up Bologo's action reports, rolled them up, stuffed them into a copper capsule, and pasted the number on them.

What no one noticed was that there was a gas flow pipe next to Lebius' desk. It was blocked by the desk and could only be seen by sitting behind the desk.

The copper capsule was stuffed into the pneumatic flow pipe, and the air compressor started to operate. After a dull sound, the transfer bottle took the files inside and sank into the deepest part of the pipe.

With the changes of the times, many advanced communication methods have been placed in the Bureau of Order. It stands to reason that such a backward gas logistics system should be eliminated, but it has been preserved. As for the reason for keeping it, there are only Because this system completely serves the mysterious "decision-making room".

There were no phone lines or radio communications, just cold pipes leading into the depths of darkness.

It is not only the command center of the Order Bureau, but also another independent archives center. All the information sealed in the archives needs to be backed up in the "Decision Room", which is what Lebius just did.

After doing all this, Lebius looked at the time. His work was over and it was time to rest.

He trusted Jeffrey and believed that his partner would not let him down. There was nothing to worry about.

Get up and push open the door on the other side of the office. Behind this door is your bedroom.

Opening the door, a bright corridor came into view.

Just like the corridor in the Bureau of Order, white and huge bricks are piled together, soft light falls from the top of the head, cold and hard lines construct rationality, straight forward.

Lebius was silent and looked behind him. The office was no longer there, replaced by an equally white wall, with piles of boulders blocking the way.

There was nothing to say. He stepped forward calmly. The corridor was silent and long. There was only Lebius along the way. The silence around him was terrifying. There was nothing except his own footsteps and breathing.

This familiar scene seems so weird now. Fortunately, Lebius is used to all this and is used to the various aspects of the Bureau of Order, whether it is rationality or madness.

Finally he stopped. At the end of the corridor, a door stood on it.

It is very ordinary, exactly the same as the door of Lebius' office. To be precise, the doors in the Order Bureau seem to be the same, but some of the signs on it are slightly different.

For example, the sign depicting a staff and sword, or the house plate with the words "Decision Room" written on it.

Lebius took a deep breath, knocked on the door, and after waiting for a few seconds, he turned the doorknob.