Incoming Disclaimer!

Arknights is property of Yostar, I do not own any of it.

Real events/people described are coincidental or not to be taken as fact even if they are.

After an entire day of being Swire's errand boy, Evan was already deciphering just a tiny bit of the writing system. After all, the spoken language was the same. Of course, he still couldn't tell what meant what yet. At the very least, he had memorized the written form for 'inspection' and even started thinking about how he would practice it. There also seemed to be articles in the writing system as well. There was, occasionally, some words that were spoken he couldn't understand. So far, that list included what Evan could only assume to be swear words from Swire.

It was roughly 4 PM when Ch'en walked down and asked Evan to come to her office. After the dragon and tiger exchanged glances, or more likely glares, the two began their trek up to the floor where Ch'en's office was.

Ch'en glanced behind her, looking at this man with some interest. Swire's earlier words repeated in her head as they walked. 'But it seems clear to me that, just like always, you're the one who doesn't want to cooperate.' Those words, for some reason were haunting her. Once she turned her gaze, she began thinking to herself.

"I wonder...he seems very honest. What am I afraid of?" Ch'en opened the door to the floor they would go to and walked to her office door. "Yes, he's honest, that's why I'm doing this. Maybe then Swire will get off my case about cooperation for the rest of the week."

Ch'en opened the door to her office and let him go in first. Once he was in, she closed the door and drew the blinds. She then made her way over to her chair where a box labeled 'evidence' sat on the floor.

Evan looked around the room briefly, no doubt noticing just how empty Ch'en office was. Aside from writing supplies, a lamp, and a coffee mug nothing else sat on her desk. The room wasn't much different, just the bare necessities.

As he sat down, Evan wondered why Ch'en called him up. He had answered all of her questions so far, but it was always possible she would want to learn more, especially if Swire told Ch'en about what he had said to her last night. It was a gamble, and even he recognized that. There was risk, but it wasn't like he had much choice. If he refused to be cooperative, he doubted anyone would let him walk around freely.

"Alright," Ch'en started, pulling out a few items from the evidence box at her feet. She arranged an array of Evan's devices on the table, and then started the second interrogation in earnest. "We've tested many of these devices, and for these three we cannot discern their purpose. The others were fairly simple to figure out, due to their similarities to our own. Would you mind explaining to me what these three devices do?"

Evan looked at them, and he learned two things immediately about the world he was in. First, he pointed to the 3DS and the Nintendo Switch, saying "These two are game consoles. They're used for playing video games."

"Video games?" Ch'en asked curiously.

"Yes, they're a form of entertainment. They…" he stopped, thinking for a moment. "Perhaps it would be easier to show you, do you have the black bag with small little cartridges in them?"

"...Yes," Ch'en replied, clearly hesitating. She pulled the black bag out and handed it to Evan. Once he had it, he pulled his switch out and angled it so she could see. He pulled the compartment up and placed a random cartridge in. He didn't bother looking.

After that, he turned it on and loaded the game. After roughly ten minutes of playing, Ch'en was satisfied and had the two devices returned to the box. That's when she asked about the third one and Evan froze up a little. It wasn't dangerous or anything, but it certainly was unusual, even in his world not many people casually carried it around.

"It's a Geiger Counter, a detector of sorts."

"What does it detect?"

"Radiation."

Ch'en then looked at it and asked with a raised brow, "Radiation?" She clearly didn't understand.

"Yes, it makes a click every time it detects some, and the small screen displays the rate of particles it detects," Evan tried explaining. He then looked at her face, and he could tell she didn't understand a word he said. "If I had to explain the theory to you, we'd be here all night."

Ch'en looked at the clock, less than forty five minutes until her shift was over. "Yeah, I'll pass on that." She put the device away, and then closed the box. She looked at him and started another inquiry. "From what we could see with these devices and your vehicle, nothing you own operates with originium or originium arts."

There was that word again, 'originium'. Evan could guess it was a power source of some kind, and he wondered what it was. Now it was paired with another term, 'arts' which sounded like another word for magic to him.

"What is originium anyway?" Evan asked, but when he looked at Ch'en's reaction, he wondered if he should have asked that. She was wide eyed and had a look of minor awe on her face, completely different than any expression he had seen on her normally stoic face so far. "Did I say anything wrong?"

Ch'en blinked a couple times then shook her head while saying, "No, you didn't. That just...caught me off guard." She then sat back in thought for a little before responding to his first question. "Originium is an element. It's hard to explain, but think of it as the primary energy source. It's also used in arts, and by extension, most machinery."

"So...a primary power source in this world?" he kind of half asked.

"Exactly," Ch'en nodded. "It's astounding really, to think that other worlds exist out there, and that they don't have originium of all things."

A moment of silence passed after that, and Ch'en worked through some thoughts. "A world without originium...is that even possible? Or is it that they just don't use it?" She then looked at him and decided to ask a question out of curiosity.

"Evan, is your world peaceful?"

The moment he heard that question, Evan looked at her. It was as if her entire demeanor had changed. It was as if, for a moment, her entire mask as Senior Superintendent had faded away, but that was only for an instant. She shifted her expression and waited for an answer, blocking her mouth with her hands. He thought for a moment about his homeworld. Then he thought about his home country, and its history.

"It's...complicated," he started, looking down at the desk. "Where I live, it's generally peaceful. The nation I come from hasn't seen war on its soil for well over a hundred years. Yet, the world is far from peaceful in many areas, even within that nation. Some are peaceful, some aren't. It depends largely on time and place"

"I see…" Ch'en replied, her facade slipping again for a moment. Her words sounded, disappointed. As though she really hoped for something from Evan's explanation. He couldn't quite place his hand on it, but just like with the last, that facade slipped. With a sigh, she transitioned to being Officer Ch'en again. "Alright, I need one last thing from you."

An empty urine cup plopped onto the table.

"Oh, you're back," Swire greeted. She then stood up and tossed Evan his jacket. "I'm done for the day. So, let's go back."

"You're still letting me stay in your apartment?" Evan asked without any regard for his situation. A lot happened in that moment, someone started coughing, papers dropped, and heads turned. Suddenly, both could feel a lot of eyes on them, staring in bewilderment. "Oops."

"No, he's not going back with you," a voice sounded from the hallway. Evan looked, and there was Ch'en, holding a paper. "I'll be in charge of him tonight."

Gazes turned, and Evan wanted to sink into the ground. What kind of comedic romcom situation was this? Sure, he got isekai'd, but why was this situation unfolding?

"Excuse me?" Swire asked with a nasty look directed at Ch'en. "What could you possibly want with him now?"

"None of your business."

"Both of you, please shut up!" Evan shouted in his head as he shoved his hands in his pocket and hunched over to make himself look smaller. Why could he practically feel the gazes? Were they in his head? When he looked around though, that suspicion was proven wrong.

"None of my business? I'm pretty sure he's my responsibility, so tell me what you're trying to pull," the tigress demanded, marching up to Ch'en. The stare off started, and Evan just couldn't take it anymore.

"Will both of you just stop?!" Both heads turned in surprise to Evan after he shouted. Now that he had their attention, he turned to Swire and said, "I'll go with Ch'en, it can't be that bad, can it?"

"Fine, do whatever you want," Swire responded in a low voice before walking to her desk. Shortly after, both Evan and Ch'en walked out the door and Swire pouted at her desk.

"Did Miss Swire just get rejected?" one of the officers asked another in a quiet voice, but it was no use and a stapler flew through the air and slammed square into his head.

The thunk was heard from outside, and Evan turned around only to be met with Ch'en saying, "Don't bother. Come on, we should arrive as soon as possible." She then led him to a nearby parking lot where Ch'en pulled out a set of keys and walked over to an open topped car. Evan just stood there, looking at the car. It was surprisingly nice, a well kept blue and red paint job along with a rather comfy set of leather seats on the inside. He honestly didn't think Ch'en would have such a nice car. Considering what he had seen of her, he imagines she would drive a patrol car. Another one of his perceptions of Ch'en is shattered in an instant.

"What are you waiting for? Get in."

That snapped Evan out of his trance. He walked to the car, opened the door, and sat down. After buckling himself in, she started the motor and flipped the lights on. With one arm hanging out and one on the steering wheel, she went onto the streets and started driving.

"So, where are we going?" Evan asked, looking at the sky nearly ready to turn orange as evening inched closer.

"Chief Wei requested to meet you personally, so I'm taking you to him," she eyed him for a second then continued. "All I'll ask is you be respectful. Just don't do anything stupid."

The ride continued for a good while with neither saying anything. Ch'en gave side glances to Evan, just to check. Ch'en had quite a few things on her mind with this. Particularly, Wei's request to meet with Evan in private. In truth, the request wasn't urgent, it was just Ch'en's sense of duty that was driving her to bring Evan there tonight. Knowing the man, Ch'en imagined he had accounted for this. After all, she was one of his closest subordinates.

As they drove, however, Ch'en decided now was a good time as any to at least attempt conversation. "Just for investigative reasons," she convinced herself.

"What did you do back in your world?"

His eyes went forward, thinking. Then he gave an answer.

"Well, I just graduated from University, and I was going to go work somewhere, but I don't think that's going to happen now. My flight's probably long gone, and I imagine that I'll be declared missing, then possibly dead later," he replied with a rather somber voice. At that, Ch'en felt some regret for asking. She didn't expect such a deep response from that simple question. It did shine a new light on him, despite taking being in another other world rather well, it sounded like he still had some regrets of his own. After that, the rest of the ride went in uncomfortable silence.

Once they had parked in a nearby parking ramp, Ch'en and Evan walked into one of the largest buildings in Lungmen. When Ch'en explained the situation to the receptionist, someone came out from the back of the reception to guide them to an elevator and to the floor where Chief Wei currently was.

The moment the elevator opened, Evan could tell almost immediately that this Chief Wei really liked his reds and oranges, and eastern decor. The entire floor was awash with red, various tapestries, lush carpet, and various other decorations, but the orange and red theme was almost entirely constant.

"Please follow me," their guide said as he led them through the floor. After some twists and turns, they arrived at a door with a very pleasant food aroma wafting through it, but there was another more unpleasant scent in the mix too. The guide asked them to wait and walked in front of the open doorway. "Master Wei, Madame Ch'en has arrived with your guest."

"Very well, let them in," a powerful aging voice said. The guide let them through, and Evan saw what could only be described as, well, he couldn't describe it well. An animal man with an elongated dog-like snout with pointed teeth and deer-like antlers greeted him in a cross-legged position by a very low table with food on it. Two other spots were available. The waft of food was interrupted with the stink of smoke, and Evan noticed fresh smoke coming from the man's mouth. "Good evening, Evan Carvey. I'm Wei Yenwu, Lungmen's Leader."

"And I am Wei Fumizuki," a very demure and quiet voice said. Evan looked over to its source to see its owner, Wei Fumizuki. It didn't take long to connect the dots that she was Chief Wei's wife. She was dressed in a black kimono with an orange and red flower pattern. A single orange horn or antler with one branch sprouted from the crown of her head, and he really couldn't describe what she was.

"Please, both of you, have a seat," Wei Yenwu offered with a motion of his smoking pipe. Ch'en was first to sit down, followed by Evan. Plates had already been prepared, and he could see that their hosts had been eating before they entered. Wei Yenwu then nodded to the servant outside the door, and he walked off. He then turned to Evan, looking him up and down. "So, according to reports, you're from another world, correct?"

Evan nodded and answered, "Yes, at least, that's what I think has happened."

"I've read Ch'en's reports on you," he said while pulling the pipe to his mouth and exhaling slowly. "Some of it is very interesting, such as the entire lack of originium in any device you own, as well as your biological tests."

Evan coughed a little once the odor of the smoke reached his nose. He tried desperately to hold it in, but he was failing. He then took a cup of tea and drank. All eyes looked at him, and he felt rather embarrassed. Yet, from the rather tense atmosphere, he didn't dare speak of his intolerance to smoke. Even vapes could get to him, so living in the college dorms was a hell for his first year.

"Dear, perhaps it would be polite to put that away for now," Fumizuki requested on Evan's behalf.

"Very well," Wei Yenwu responded, turning his pipe over and tapping some of the ash into a nearby ashtray of sorts. He still held the pipe when he next spoke though. "As I was saying, these things are very interesting, and there's definitely nothing like them on Terra. According to Miss Swire, you were not familiar with originium at all. Does it not appear in your world?"

"My world lacks originium."

"I see…" Wei responded, his face shifting to be deep in thought. The next line he muttered surprised everyone at the table, "That must be fortunate."

"Fortunate?" Evan asked curiously. Ch'en's gaze swiftly turned to him, waiting to see his next action.

"In our world, Terra, originium is a great energy source, but it comes at a price. Great natural disasters called catastrophes rain heaps of the stuff from the sky, and when they do it becomes a breeding ground for Oripathy. A disease where the crystals slowly replace the body's tissue and cells, leading to death. It also isn't that uncommon for the death to be violent, the creature literally exploding. Either way, the crystals become a new vector of infection, and the cycle continues. Even if that cycle is stopped, more comes from the catastrophes and what originium lies in the earth. Such, it necessitates the use of Nomadic Cities, like Lungmen."

"Wait," Evan said suddenly and in bewilderment. Ch'en glared at him, but he didn't care or notice. "Nomadic, as in they move? Are you saying this city moves?!"

"Evan!" Ch'en whispered harshly to him. Yet, even she was surprised by Wei because he started laughing. It was an amused laugh, more of a chuckle really, but that fact he did it left her stunned. She sat back down and waited patiently.

"Is such a thing not commonplace where you come from?"

"Dear god no," Evan responded. "Moving a city like this...that would be an astronomical feat of engineering, not to mention the fact that it would take enormous amounts of energy just to move it even a few feet. There wouldn't be much in my world that could accomplish that."

"I see," Lungmen's leader responded with an amused grin. He pulled the pipe to his mouth, only to realize it was empty. He gave a small grunt of frustration then set it down. "Well, I believe our food will get cold at this rate. Perhaps we should eat."

While the conversation had been going, Fumizuki had made good headway on her meal in a very lady-like fashion. Ch'en clasped her hands and gave a short bow before eating, and so ended perhaps one of the most tense pre-meal conversations Evan had ever had. After the meal, both Ch'en and Evan thanked Wei Yenwu and Wei Fumizuki for their hospitality and left.

Neither said anything to each other on the elevator ride down, and they didn't say anything to each other when they left the building. The dinner had been nice. He had a few minor conversations with both of his hosts during the meal. After the initial conversation, the tension in the room had fallen apart. Considering he had a rather luxurious feast in Swire's apartment last night, he had to count his blessings his culinary introduction to Terra had been very excellent. But, he had learned an absolute lot about the world he was in from that one pre-dinner conversation with Chief Wei.

"Terra? If I'm not mistaken, that's the greek word for earth. This material, originium, also is unlike anything from my old world. It must be an absolute energy powerhouse if the risks are that great, and not to mention capable of moving damn cities. I wouldn't like to explode though..."

"Hey, you're going the wrong way," Ch'en called from behind. Evan looked back to see her car, and turned around to go enter the passenger's seat. "So, what now?"

Evan looked at the dragon lady next to him curiously. "What?"

"Do you want to do anything? The night's still young, and I'm pretty sure Hoshiguma went home by now. I could take you back to Swire, but I'm just saying, if you want to do something, I'll drive you and pay for it. Just this once."

Considering what he had heard, Evan immediately knew where he wanted to go.

"Why did I agree to this?" Ch'en thought as she parked. She and Evan got out almost simultaneously, and she walked over to where Evan wanted her to take him.

"Holy shit," he muttered as he looked over the railing. "It really is…" Like a little kid, he stared wide eyed down to the earth very, very far below. Looking at him, she let loose a small grin.

"First time seeing something like this?" she asked, leaning on the railing and looking down to the barren wasteland below. "You said your world had nothing like this?"

"The largest moving structures in my world are all seafaring ships, but they could never compare to this," he said in awe.

"Hmm," Ch'en hummed as she looked down. She had to admit, she wasn't impressed. The sights of Lungmen, she had seen all of it so many times. She was prepared for him to gawk for a long time, but about fifteen minutes seemed to be enough. Suddenly, he turned to her and looked her straight in the eyes with a wide smile. "W-What?" She was feeling a little uncomfortable. "I hope I'm not blushing."

"Thank you, Madame Ch'en," he said earnestly with a great deal of gratitude clear in his voice. She felt her face heat up a little, and turned to look at the wastelands.

"I-It was nothing…" she muttered. "I'm really not good with this sort of thing."

"Well, it's pretty late, but I don't know if I should bother Swire again…" he muttered.

With a hefty sigh, Ch'en resolved his dilemma with, "I can help you with that."

The next ride in the car was to the LGD where Ch'en casually opened the door where some overnight officers looked at her with surprise and immediately stood up straight. She ignored them and brought Evan to a room with lots of boxes. She requested the person in charge of the area to bring something. After a short wait, Evan's suitcase was given back to him as well as the rest of his stuff. Well, not all of it, but most of it was in his possession now. Most of his books were with Swire, and some of the other much larger stuff was likely in his car. They both then walked out of the LGD and Ch'en helped him place stuff in the trunk of her car.

A surprisingly short ride after that, they stopped in a small lot and looking at the building. Only one thought came to Evan's mind, "Don't tell me…"

Yet, his suspicions were confirmed when he walked into the hallway, took his shoes off, and watched as Ch'en immediately made her way to a small kitchen area and pulled down a teapot.

"Do you want some tea?"

"Do you have chamomile?"

Ch'en then pulled down a pair of boxes and started boiling water. Meanwhile, Evan's mind was racing as he tried to keep his cool.

"How the hell? How the actual hell? What in the ever loving shit is this shitty romcom situation?" he thought to himself as he sat on the couch and tried to make sense of this situation. Ch'en left the main room, and his thoughts continued soaring. He pulled his eyes down while thinking, "I can't believe this. I'm staying the night at a pretty girl's house, again, and again said lady is a police officer. A police officer! Ok, calm down. Nothing's happening."

"Evan, are you alright with having a futon in the living area?"

"Yes," Evan responded politely without missing a beat.

"What. The. F*ck. I've only seen one door that looks like it leads to a bedroom, did she just casually give me a choice to sleep in her room? What's with this lady? Why am I in a cheap anime cliche?! Have I become anime?!"

The thunk of a futon hitting the floor snapped Evan out of his internal monologue, and he looked to see Ch'en in a simple T-shirt and shorts. She then walked back to the teapot, and Evan really had to wonder if he didn't just die or was in a coma.

"This is too much for my stupid virgin mind…" he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Author's Note:

This, is by far the longest chapter I've ever written, 4.22k words. Now I know I'm having fun. Anyways, to keep things short, Ch'en blushed because, the way I'm writing her, she's just not good with people in general. So her response to Evan being thankful and happy to her was kind of her thinking about how she's not great at socializing in that aspect period. Especially if Chapter 5 is taken into account when Ch'en finally opens up to Hoshiguma. So this is just really my take on Ch'en's character development. Nope, totally nothing going on between Evan and any of the girls he's met so far (heavy sarcasm may apply). Well, not yet anyways.

Well, next time Evan finally gets out of Lungmen and meets everyone's favorite messenger. Maybe not everyone's favorite, but definitely a good chunk. See ya, and thank you. If you like the story, feel happy to leave a review of what you like, or give criticism. I'll take both.