MWC – Chapter 186 The Contract

I AM DROPPING THIS NOVEL. IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE THEY CAN. IF POSSIBLE PLEASE SHARE THE LINK SO I CAN BINGE READ TOO.

Outside the car window, the morning light broke through the horizon, and a red sun leaped from the eastern skyline.

On the small round table sat milk, fried eggs, and grilled meat. Two blue-and-white checkered fabric sofas—Lu Ming occupied one, and Nicole sat in the other.

Watching Nicole sit so primly, Lu Ming found it amusing.

Last night, with great determination, he had wrapped himself in a corner of the blanket and solemnly told Nicole that he needed six months to consider. During this time, she was not allowed to make any provocative moves toward him. Otherwise, not only would they fail to become lovers, but they might even end up as enemies.

His words were half true, half false. To be honest, he could feel that his body was not quite normal. It wasn’t the body of an ordinary person, which made Bi Zhu’s words seem more believable. In six months, the truth would reveal itself.

Perhaps sensing his seriousness, Nicole had thought about it for a while and agreed. Then, she had even gone to change into pajamas and slept on the sofa.

Even now, she was dressed in pink loungewear, even wearing socks, wrapping herself up tightly.

But Lu Ming had barely slept all night. Though Nicole had only lain in the bed for a short while, her scent had completely permeated the blanket.

Even now, the carriage was filled with a faint fragrance—a scent that subtly teased a man’s hormones.

“Brother, look at this!” Nicole pulled out a piece of paper and a fancy fountain pen from behind her and placed them on the round table.

Lu Ming picked it up casually and was immediately taken aback.

It was a contract.

The general content was that, starting today, for 180 days, Nicole would no longer expect any physical contact with Lu Qianxing. She would also do her best to prevent him from touching her or having any inappropriate thoughts about her. If she fully adhered to the contract, then on the 181st day, Lu Qianxing and Nicole would officially become secret lovers, and both parties would fulfill the obligations expected of such a relationship.

Alternatively, Lu Qianxing had a second option—to formally recognize Nicole as his sister, and from then on, they would treat each other as real siblings.

Looking at the contract, Lu Ming was speechless. This was a trope overused in countless modern novels and dramas, yet now he was experiencing it firsthand.

He hadn’t slept well last night and had vaguely noticed Nicole writing something at the desk. So, this was what she had been working on.

But after reading the contract carefully, Lu Ming sighed softly in his heart. Nicole didn’t necessarily want to become his lover.

She had said it herself—she was too tired. She needed a strong shoulder to rely on. That shoulder could come from a lover or a brother. The point was, she wanted someone close to her, someone who could make her feel she wasn’t alone in this world.

She did have an older brother, but he was the type who only came to her for money and nothing else.

That was probably why she longed for someone who would genuinely care for her like a real brother.

As he pondered, Lu Ming picked up the pen and was about to sign. But just as he wrote the last stroke of his name, he suddenly felt something was off.

Nicole swiftly took the contract back, a hint of mischief flashing in her emerald-green eyes. She leaned back on the sofa, her little feet, wrapped in white socks with cartoon patterns, gently resting on Lu Ming’s leg. With a playful smile, she said, “Brother, don’t touch me.” Then, sticking out her tongue, she teased, “Mr. Lawyer, according to our contract, isn’t this considered me preventing you? If you make a move, and I try to stop you but fail, that’s not my fault, right?”

Lu Ming sighed helplessly. “Alright, let’s eat. If this ever went to court, I could get this contract voided in three seconds.”

“How boring!” Nicole scoffed, pulling her feet back and taking a sip of milk. Then, she asked with a smirk, “Brother, when the time comes, will you choose the first option or the second?”

Lu Ming chuckled. “Maybe by then, there will be a third option.”

He casually stuffed two slices of beef into his mouth and walked over to the desk to review the thick stack of case files.

Watching his back, Nicole slowly fell into a daze.

At around 3 PM, the train stopped in Abba City, the capital of West Mizhou. The journey was now about three-quarters complete. There were still more than 500 kilometers to go before reaching the Western City-States, and then another 500 kilometers beyond that to their final destination—Niguero.

This was an express train that only stopped at major transportation hubs, and most of the passengers were long-distance travelers.

The architectural style of this state’s capital was already different from that of the east. The outer layers of the brick buildings lacked protective coatings, making them appear weathered and patchy. High-rise buildings were scarce. As a remote province in the southwestern region, it was visibly poorer compared to the east.

Starting from West Michigan, the western states serve as the Empire’s primary beef supply base. This vast and sparsely populated land was once the Empire’s ranch.

It is also a traditional gathering place for Westerners.

Two centuries ago, this region was a paradise for adventurers, giving birth to a cowboy culture and cowboy communities similar to those of the American West.

However, much like the historical trajectory in Lu Ming’s previous life, by the late 20th century, an oversupply of beef flooded the market due to an excess of ranches, leading to a steep decline in prices. Combined with years of severe weather, many ranchers went bankrupt.

Now, in the western states, small ranchers have almost completely disappeared. The remaining land has been divided among super ranching corporations and wealthy large-scale ranchers. The rich live mostly in the countryside, while the poor work for them. Because the region relies solely on livestock farming, the cities are mostly dilapidated.

Even Aba City, the state capital, has only a little over 200,000 residents. Apart from businesses processing and freezing fresh beef, there are few other industries. However, crime is rampant—thieves and robbers are everywhere, and gunfights between mounted police and cowboys frequently break out on the streets.

The impoverished people of the western states bitterly refer to this place as “The Land Forgotten by God.”

In fact, the imperial capital once considered relocating a large portion of the population to the Middle Continent provinces where Zhongzhou people live.

But this isn’t a few hundred years ago. Until the end of the last century, this was still a beef paradise—extremely prosperous.

Now, any attempt to relocate large numbers of people is met with fierce opposition, even from the impoverished Western states nearby.

Moreover, why would the super ranching corporations and wealthy ranchers allow their cheap labor force to be taken away?

Faced with strong opposition, as well as an evaluation of the Empire’s current situation, any blatant racial segregation—such as moving the poor Westerners en masse to Zhongzhou communities—would likely lead to civil war without bringing any real benefits. For the impoverished population, moving to wealthier regions would only create turmoil and provide little opportunity for upward mobility.

Thirty years ago, some radical Western lawmakers drafted a proposal for relocation, but it was never even submitted to the Federal Assembly. They knew it would never pass and that it would only lead to an immediate racial crisis within the Empire. In the end, the proposal was quietly shelved, never seeing the light of day, and now remains only a tale whispered in political circles.

As a result, regional, state, and provincial legislatures have become increasingly protective of their autonomy, wary that reckless decisions made by politicians in the imperial capital could bring disaster to their lands.

At this moment, in the “Tower Restaurant” next to Aba City Train Station Square, Lu Ming and his group sat by a window at a large table, enjoying afternoon tea.

The train had a one-hour stop in Aba City, and since Lu Ming had never been to the Western Territory before, he decided to step out and take a look.

The restaurant’s name was clearly a knockoff of the “Tower Restaurant” from Donghai. Still, it was indeed located inside a tower-like structure at the train station. The environment was clean, the prices high—comparable to mid-range restaurants in Donghai. The customers were mostly well-off travelers.

Like many Western-style restaurants, there were no private rooms. Their table was laden with bread, pastries, jerky, tea, beverages, vegetable wraps, fruit salads, and unlimited refills of fresh water.

The four of them—Lu Ming, Sherlock, Wen Liangyu, and Wang Jinfeng—enjoyed their tea together.

Nicole sat intimately beside Lu Ming. Today, she was a vision of pure seduction, wearing a V-neck, form-fitting white mini dress. The dress hugged her slender waist, while her ample bosom created an alluring, deep cleavage. Her wavy golden hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her deep, watery blue eyes shimmered flirtatiously. Her long, slender legs, wrapped in sheer white stockings, formed an irresistible curve with her crystal high heels. The delicate white bow at the top of her stockings was enough to steal a man’s soul.

Her beauty was overwhelming. Even Sherlock and Wen Liangyu—high-status figures seasoned with age and experience—kept their gazes steady, while Wang Jinfeng buried his head in his food, not daring to look up.

Lu Ming glanced at Nicole sideways, feeling helpless.

What was she trying to do?

Was she deliberately provoking him, asking, “Do you regret it?”

Suddenly, a sharp reprimand rang out.

Erhei had briskly walked over to a nearby table, demanding that someone put away their camera.

It seemed the person was a journalist who had just stealthily pulled a treasured camera from their bag, attempting to snap a candid photo of Nicole—only to be caught by Erhei.

The person said something, but Erhei immediately drew his gun and pressed it against the man’s head. The man, wearing a jacket, was terrified, and his camera dropped onto the table with a loud clatter.

Nicole sighed at the scene and waved her hand. From another table, her assistant quickly brought over a white trench coat, sunglasses, and a hat, which she put on.

Sherlock chuckled, “Miss Nicole, once we reach Bat City, you should be able to move around freely. That area is so underdeveloped that there aren’t even any cinemas. Your posters might have reached there, but there definitely won’t be any journalists to bother you.”

Nicole’s eyes instantly lit up as she turned to Lu Ming. “Brother, take me to Bat City, please?”

“No way. It could be dangerous there. You’d better not go,” Lu Ming said, waving his hand dismissively.

Nicole pouted. “Wasn’t it dangerous last time too? We almost died together. If not for you, I’d already be dead. So I’m not afraid!”

Sherlock observed the exchange, his eyes flickering as he speculated about their relationship.

He knew Nicole had been invited to join Lu Ming’s private train carriage, but he certainly didn’t expect that she had spent the previous night in the same room as Lu Ming—let alone briefly sharing the same bed.

However, hearing Nicole’s words, Sherlock felt relieved.

So, they were indeed just good friends who had survived life-and-death situations together? And Lu Ming had even saved her life?

That little bastard. How does he always get so lucky? Damn, it’s infuriating.