"Madam, you're really putting me in a difficult spot." Luo Shu frowned with a troubled expression, looking genuinely conflicted. However, he made no move to return the bank card that had been slipped into his pocket.
What a joke. It's not like he asked for the money. It was Miss Haruno herself who thought he looked too handsome and wanted to give him some spending money. This was just normal social interaction—not at all a bribe for handling matters differently.
"What's the usual procedure in this kind of situation?" Luo Shu cast a glance at Takina Inoue. The hand near his pocket, the side closer to Takina, subtly gestured: two fingers spread apart, then brought back together.
Fifty-fifty split—that was the message.
But Takina Inoue, nowhere near as experienced or shameless as Luo Shu, simply responded in her usual calm tone: "As I said earlier, when reporting incidents involving supernatural elements, we're required to notify both the garrison and the Cabinet."
Hearing that, Luo Shu immediately felt something was off. It wasn't that Takina was wrong or uncooperative. Instead, his attention had shifted to the value of the demon corpse.
With someone like Tachibana Kirika, Luo Shu could guarantee she'd never report things honestly. She'd definitely skim off a portion for herself. Clearly, there had to be some kind of "unofficial standard practice" involved here.
"You're saying even that thing needs to be reported?" Luo Shu asked, deliberately vague but making his meaning clear.
Takina immediately understood and naturally responded, "However, in this case, the Yukinoshita family merely stumbled into an attempted robbery by chance. It was purely coincidence that our division happened to discover and resolve the matter. Therefore, we only need to report the situation to the garrison."
Luo Shu could tell that Takina wasn't accustomed to operating like this. Her tone just now had sounded almost exactly like Chisato.
So, in the past, was it always Chisato who worked with Tachibana Kirika on these kinds of… grey area matters? And Takina just absorbed it by proximity?
Seriously, Chief… you're something else.
Maintaining a neutral expression, Luo Shu calmly pressed further: "A home invasion robbery—is that believable?"
Takina replied without hesitation: "It's perfectly reasonable. We haven't used that excuse this year. Cases of home invasions are much rarer than random murder incidents."
Hearing that, Luo Shu felt reassured. An excuse unused this year? Then yes, that did sound plausible. It also conveniently fit the Yukinoshita family's circumstances.
With that, Luo Shu turned to Mrs. Yukinoshita and, wearing a slightly sorrowful expression, said: "I never expected Madam to encounter such a heinous crime. Truly unfortunate."
"But please rest assured—the robbers have already been eliminated by our organization. Their accomplices will also be apprehended in the coming days. You are now safe."
At those words, Mrs. Yukinoshita finally smiled. She extended her hand politely. "Agent Luo, the Yukinoshita family will remember your kindness."
Luo Shu shook her hand briefly and then let go quickly. After exchanging a nod with Haruno, he spoke again: "Medical personnel will soon arrive to conduct routine check-ups on both of you, just to be absolutely certain. Please cooperate with them. For now, I'll take my leave."
With that, Luo Shu turned around and left, leading Takina Inoue away. From start to finish, he had not once addressed Yukino directly, as if the two of them had no reason to interact whatsoever.
It wasn't until they'd exited the villa's front gate that Luo Shu narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking to himself: Two daughters from one family, and both are protagonists? Not that surprising, he supposed.
He turned to glance at the grand Yukinoshita residence behind him, recalling the way Yukino had looked at him earlier.
Maybe, without him needing to do anything, that Yukino would come to him on her own?
"What are you thinking about?" Takina's voice was as cold as ice cream on a summer day.
"I was thinking about that Kannagi heiress just now. If she came back, she'd probably kill me."
Luo Shu spoke exaggeratedly, though his mind had also wandered to that girl—the one with the flames who could also trigger system fluctuations.
With that level of combat power, even Sharon at the start wouldn't have handled her easily. Though now, after Sharon's enhancements, the outcome would depend on circumstances.
"Don't worry. Since the Chief assigned you this mission, she'll take care of the clean-up herself."
In a rare move, Takina tried to reassure Luo Shu—but then her tone changed suddenly.
"But I'll still report your acceptance of a bribe to the Chief."
"Huh?" Luo Shu's face went blank.
But just as he thought Takina was being her usual rigid self, she added nonchalantly:
"When Chisato accepts bribes, she usually gives 20% to the Chief. That way, when reports or warnings come in, the Chief helps smooth things over. You should do the same."
Hearing that, Luo Shu looked utterly speechless. "So… bribery is actually standard practice for us?"
"No, it's called a 'mystery contribution.' That phrasing comes from the Chief herself, who claims it's part of the official doctrine from headquarters."
Takina spoke with absolute seriousness, saying utterly ridiculous things.
"If we don't accept some 'benefits,' those trying to hide supernatural incidents won't cooperate with our work. Refusing them outright only makes the job harder. Accepting a little payment puts them at ease. At least, that's the Chief's reasoning."
"That's just sophistry!" Luo Shu snorted, then walked out the gate and glanced at the scorched patch of asphalt nearby—the spot where the demon had fallen earlier.
Staring at that spot, his expression darkened slightly, and he said quietly, "Now that you mention it, Takina, there's something I'm wondering whether to report to the Chief."
Takina stopped and tilted her head slightly, waiting to hear what he had to say.
Luo Shu paused a moment, organizing his thoughts, then said softly: "Don't you think… the enemy was dealt with too easily?"
As he spoke those words, his gaze flickered—not toward the scene before him, but at the flashing avatar of Utaha Kasumigaoka on the system forum.
Chiba Prefecture, somewhere in the forest.
Ken Yakushiji was running frantically along a narrow woodland path. His suit was torn in several places, his dress shoes caked in mud. His expression was frantic, as if someone were chasing him. Yet strangely, there was no one behind him.
Suddenly—snap—Ken tripped over a tree root and fell hard to the ground.
The moment he hit the dirt, he instinctively shielded his head and cried out in terror: "No! Stay back! Don't come near me…"
In Ken Yakushiji's vision, the figure of Katsuhiko Yakushiji remained behind him, drawing closer and closer.
My dear nephew, Ken. Why are you running? There's no need for this between us… After all, I am you…
In Ken's mind's eye, Katsuhiko's face slowly melted away, revealing a face identical to his own beneath it.
Come back to me… my self…
With those eerie whispers echoing around him, Ken's expression froze in terror. At his chest, a parasitic egg quietly hatched.
Moments later, Ken Yakushiji's expression shifted, turning cold and grim.
"Another backup body lost… First Sharon and Natsuki Minamiya, then members of the Kannagi family and that Fuga Clan sorcerer… Hmph, trying to operate in this little island nation, I should've expected trouble from the local powers."
His face changed again—now a mix of shock and fury. "Impossible… someone planted a suggestion inside Ken's consciousness?"
He quickly shut his eyes, then reopened them. All he could see was a pitch-black sky.
Beneath that dark sky, a blurry figure seemed startled by Ken's sudden movement.
"Die!" Ken's eyes flashed with murderous light. In that instant, he shattered the mental force hidden deep within his mind.
But after doing so, his face turned deathly pale. Warily, he looked around, then got up from the ground and fled deeper into the forest.
At that moment, far away in Tokyo, Utaha Kasumigaoka clutched her head in pain. Pale-faced, she muttered the information she'd just received:
"True Astronomy… Baron… Mind Flayer…"
Raising her head, the ashen-faced Utaha looked around at her classmates and teacher, who had noticed her strange behavior. But her eyes shone faintly with multicolored light.
A moment later, the students and teacher all resumed their normal lesson, as if nothing had happened. Only Utaha remained seated silently, deep in thought.
"I think… I've hooked a big fish."