Chapter 25 - Empress Gets an ID Card
Modu, Household Registration Police Station
The service hall was surging with an endless stream of people. Many sat waiting with photocopies of their documents, listening to an electronic number calling machine repeatedly announcing numbers.
Behind the service counters, long lines had formed at several windows. Police officers' fingers flew across keyboards, occasionally looking up to check materials, occasionally explaining patiently.
After taking photos next door, Lin Fan and Longyue walked into the service hall with the photos in hand.
Looking at the bustling crowd moving back and forth, Longyue stood on the spot, at a loss.
“Quite a few people. Let’s get a number first.”
Lin Fan, with the ease of long practice, walked to a self-service ticket machine at the side and took a number. He then led her to an empty seat to wait.
“Demon Sovereign, is it really okay to just come here with photos?”
Seeing the various photocopied documents in the hands of the other people around them, Longyue couldn't help but feel a little worried and quietly leaned in to ask by Lin Fan’s ear.
Based on the movies she had seen during this time, for an ‘illegal immigrant’ like her to get an ID card, one usually had to spend a lot of money to commission someone to handle it. She had never seen anyone brazenly bring her to a formal office like Lin Fan was doing.
“Don’t worry, it’s not a problem.”
Lin Fan’s expression was calm and composed, confident that he had a plan, without a trace of panic.
Seeing this, Longyue felt a little more at ease. She placed her hands on her knees and sat quietly waiting.
Since the Demon Sovereign said so, then there should be nothing to worry about. But what exactly does he plan to do?
It should be quite a troublesome matter to forge her household registration information and ID card…
Soon, as Longyue waited with curiosity and nervousness, the broadcast in the service hall repeatedly called out a number:
“Will number 520 please proceed to window 2.”
“Number 520… It’s this Empress’s turn.”
Longyue looked down at the number in her hand and turned her head to look at Lin Fan, feeling slightly nervous.
It was clearly just applying for an ID card, yet at this moment, she was even more nervous than when she faced an Immortal Emperor level demonic beast in the Immortal Demon Continent…
Lin Fan gestured for Longyue to go forward, while he followed unhurriedly behind.
When Longyue sat down in front of window 2, the female police officer in charge asked as was customary:
“May I ask what business you are here for?”
“Th-... I am here to apply for an ID card,” Longyue replied cautiously.
“Okay, please give me your original ID card and a photocopy, as well as a one-inch photo.”
“Er…”
Longyue had a troubled look on her face and looked back at Lin Fan behind her.
She didn’t have an original ID card or a photocopy at all…
Lin Fan smiled slightly and slowly walked forward.
“Sir, it is not your turn yet. Please wait behind the line.”
The female officer was just about to speak to stop him but was interrupted by him raising his hand.
Lin Fan’s eyes narrowed, his dark pupils instantly condensing into a crimson red. The entire service hall was instantly enveloped in a dark red barrier. Time seemed to freeze at this moment. Everyone became motionless, and the noisy service hall fell deathly silent.
The moment the female police officer at window 2 met Lin Fan’s crimson pupils, her entire person became calm and blank, her eyes devoid of luster.
“Demon Sovereign, you…! How could you use your precious spiritual energy here?!”
Longyue’s expression showed her shock. She instantly understood that Lin Fan had activated his demonic power to envelop the entire service hall in a barrier and had controlled the female officer at window 2.
In this world, which was devoid of any spirit of heaven and earth, the bit of remaining spiritual energy one had was incomparably precious; for every bit used, there was a bit less left.
To use precious demonic power here was simply too wasteful!
“It’s alright, it was just a tiny bit of spiritual energy.”
“A tiny bit of spiritual energy? Even a tiny bit of spiritual energy is very precious!”
“It’s not like you don’t know the current situation. If you use your spiritual energy on this kind of thing, what if even you run out of spiritual energy? How will we get back in the future?”
Compared to Lin Fan’s nonchalance, Longyue was practically burning with anxiety.
Her own spiritual energy was basically depleted. Her hopes of returning home were mostly pinned on Lin Fan. If by some chance both of them ran out of spiritual energy, she didn't know what hope there would be of finding a way back.
“In any case, the remaining spiritual energy in my body isn't enough to tear open the void and go back. It doesn't matter if there's more or less left.”
“Right now, helping you, Empress, to obtain an identity in this world is more important. This is a necessary expenditure of spiritual energy.”
“Only with an identity can you work and earn money, and pay the rent on time, right? Just think of it as an investment from this sovereign.”
Lin Fan smiled slightly at Longyue, his expression relaxed and free, without the slightest heartache over using up precious spiritual energy.
Even if he did his best to seal the spiritual energy within his body to prevent it from leaking, as time passed, the spiritual energy in his body was still dissipating bit by bit.
It was like he, with his ‘high concentration of spiritual energy,’ had suddenly come to a ‘low concentration’ world, and his own spiritual energy would uncontrollably seep into the low-concentration world.
Since the remaining spiritual energy wasn’t enough to go back anyway, if he didn’t use it when it was needed, it would just be a waste when it had completely dissipated.
Longyue stared blankly at Lin Fan standing beside her, a hundred emotions welling up in her heart.
The Demon Sovereign actually, for the sake of helping her get an ID card, did not hesitate to use his own precious spiritual energy…
“Help her apply for an ID card. All the required information is to be filled out as this sovereign says,” Lin Fan commanded the female officer at window 2.
“Yes…”
The female officer responded mechanically, her hands quickly tapping on the keyboard to input the information.
“May I ask your name?”
“Lin Longyue.”
“What is your place of household registration?”
“Modu City…”
“…”
After a series of information inputs, Longyue finally completed the ID card application process.
“The processing fee is 20 yuan. The ID card will be delivered within ten working days.”
“Very good. After you come to your senses, forget everything that just happened. You have never seen us; you only handled a routine ID card replacement service.”
After paying the 20 yuan processing fee, Lin Fan gave the female officer a hypnotic suggestion and then withdrew the barrier.
The barrier disappeared, and the service hall once again returned to its noisy and busy state.
“Huh, what happened to me just now?”
After the female officer at window 2 returned to normal, she had a blank look on her face.
She had a feeling that something had just happened, but she couldn't remember anything. It seemed like she had helped someone replace an expired ID card…?
“Thank you.”
Longyue thanked the female officer, then got up to leave with Lin Fan.
“You’re welcome…”
The female officer replied politely out of reflex, but she was muttering to herself inwardly.
I remember this woman just sat down, how is she already done…
Could it be that I can handle business for people even while I'm spacing out?
Then it seems my professional skills are getting more and more amazing…!
The female officer smiled, didn't think about it anymore, and continued to call the next number using the broadcast.
After leaving the police station, Longyue quickly walked to Lin Fan’s side, coughed lightly, and thanked him with a slight blush on her face:
“Thank you…”
Lin Fan glanced at her, a slight smile at the corners of his mouth.
“No need to be polite. I was also doing it for myself.”
“It’ll be fine as long as the Empress can pay the rent on time every month from now on.”
Longyue: “…”
“I will pay! This Empress will definitely pay you on time! Honestly! Stop emphasizing it all the time!”
Longyue’s face turned red with shame as she shouted with petulant dissatisfaction.
That detestable Demon Sovereign, making it sound like she’s the type of person who would be in arrears with rent and not pay!
She is the Empress of the Supreme Sacred Heavenly Palace, how could she possibly do such a thing!