"Madam, you're putting me in a difficult position here."
Luo Shu frowned in apparent distress, looking thoroughly troubled - though he made no move to return the bank card.
'What a joke! It's not like I asked for this money. Miss Haruno simply thought I was too handsome and wanted to give me some spending money. Perfectly normal social interaction - definitely not a bribe.'
"What's the normal procedure for situations like this?" Luo Shu glanced towards Takina Inoue, his right hand near his trouser pocket, subtly forming two fingers that separated, then came together again.
This meant splitting the proceeds fifty-fifty.
However, Takina lacked Luo Shu's veteran cunning and simply stated impassively:
"Standard procedure is exactly as I described earlier. Supernatural incidents require notification of both garrison forces and cabinet."
Something about this struck Luo Shu as odd - not Takina's refusal to play along, but rather the value of the demon corpse:
"Including that thing in the report?"
Knowing Kirika Tachibana's character, Luo Shu would bet anything she wouldn't report everything honestly. There must be some standard operating procedure for skimming.
Understanding his meaning, Takina smoothly continued:
"However, this was merely an accidental robbery case discovered by the Yukinoshita family, which our department happened to resolve. Therefore, we only need to notify the garrison about the situation."
Luo Shu could tell Takina wasn't accustomed to this sort of thing - her delivery sounded exactly like Chisato Nishikigi.
'So, previously, it was Chisato Nishikigi cooperating with Kirika Tachibana to handle these operations? And Takina Inoue just picked it up by osmosis?'
'You've really outdone yourself, Chief...' Luo Shu maintained a straight face as he casually remarked:
"Is breaking and entering justifiable?"
Upon hearing this, Takina Inoue immediately responded: "It's entirely justifiable. There haven't been any cases this year—far fewer than the random murderers we've encountered."
Hearing this, Luo Shu felt reassured.
An excuse that hadn't been used this year? That did sound quite reasonable, and it fit the Yukinoshita family's circumstances perfectly.
With that in mind, Luo Shu put on a sorrowful expression for Mrs. Yukinoshita: "I never imagined you'd suffer such a terrible incident, Madam. It's truly heartbreaking."
"However, rest assured—the thief has been neutralised by our agency, and accomplices will be apprehended in due course. You're now safe."
At this, Mrs. Yukinoshita finally smiled and extended her hand: "Agent Luo, the Yukinoshita family will remember your kindness."
Luo Shu shook her hand briefly before letting go, then nodded to Haruno Yukinoshita and promptly said:
"A medical team will conduct some routine checks later to ensure everything's in order. Please cooperate with them. I'll take my leave now."
With that, Luo Shu turned and led Takina Inoue away without so much as a glance at Yukino Yukinoshita, as if their paths were never meant to cross.
Only after exiting the villa gates did Luo Shu narrow his eyes and muse: 'Two daughters in one family, both protagonists? Not entirely unexpected.'
He glanced back at the Yukinoshita mansion, recalling the look Yukino had given him earlier.
'Perhaps I won't even need to approach her—she might come to me on her own?'
"What's on your mind?" Takina's voice was cool, like ice cream on a summer day.
"Just thinking about the Kannagi family's young lady. If she comes back, I'm definitely done for."
Luo Shu exaggerated his tone, though he also recalled the fiery young lady whose presence had similarly triggered the system's fluctuations.
That level of combat prowess made him suspect that even Sharon, in her initial state, might struggle against her. Of course, post-enhancement Sharon would be a different story.
"Don't worry. If the Chief assigned this to you, Luo Shu, she'll handle the cleanup."
Takina offered rare reassurance before abruptly shifting gears:
"However, I'll still report your bribery to the Chief."
"Eh?" Luo Shu's expression froze.
Just as he was mentally praising Takina's integrity, she added:
"When Chisato takes bribes, she usually gives the Chief twenty per cent. That way, if it gets reported, the Chief helps smooth things over. You should do the same."
Luo Shu looked utterly exasperated: "So bribery is standard procedure here?"
"No, it's called 'mystery donations.' The term comes from the Chief, who claims it's a tradition from headquarters."
Takina deadpanned the absurd explanation:
"Without accepting gratuities, those trying to hide secrets won't cooperate, making our jobs harder. So we take a little to put them at ease—or so the Chief rationalises it."
"Making excuses!" Luo Shu chuckled before stepping out the door and glancing at the charred marks on the asphalt road—the spot where the demon had fallen earlier.
He narrowed his eyes at the location, then said:
"Speaking of which, Takina, there's something I'm not sure whether to report to the Chief."
Takina Inoue paused, tilting her head as she waited for him to continue.
Luo Shu gathered his thoughts before speaking:
"I can't shake the feeling... that the enemy was defeated a little too easily?"
As he said this, his eyes flickered with the image of Utaha Kasumigaoka's blinking avatar on the system forum.
...
Somewhere in the forests of Chiba City.
Ken Yakushiji sprinted frantically along the woodland path, his suit torn in multiple places and his leather shoes caked in mud. His panicked expression suggested he was being pursued, yet strangely, no one was behind him.
With a sharp thud, Ken tripped over a branch and fell.
The moment he hit the ground, he instinctively shielded his head and screamed:
"N-no... stay away... don't come near me..."
In Ken's vision, the figure of Katsuhiko Yakushiji loomed behind him, steadily closing the distance.
"Ken-kun, my dear nephew, why run? There's no need for this between us... After all, I am you~~"
From Ken's perspective, Katsuhiko's face slowly melted away, revealing features identical to his own.
"Come back to me... myself."
As the eerie whisper echoed, Ken stiffened. Deep within his heart, an insect egg silently hatched.
Moments later, Ken's expression turned cold and detached:
"Another spare body lost. First, Sharon and Natsuki Minamiya, then members of the Kannagi family and that sorcerer from the Fuga Clan. Hmph, trying to operate in a tiny country like Japan inevitably means crossing paths with the local factions."
No sooner had he spoken than his face twisted in shock and fury: "What?! Someone planted a suggestion in Ken's consciousness?"
Ken abruptly shut his eyes. When he reopened them, his vision was filled with an oppressive, darkened sky.
Beneath that sky, a blurred figure seemed startled by Ken's sudden awareness.
"Die!" Ken's eyes flashed with intensity as he shattered the mental intrusion buried deep within his mind.
But the moment he succeeded, his face drained of colour. Warily scanning his surroundings, he scrambled to his feet and fled deeper into the forest.
...
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Utaha Kasumigaoka clutched her head in pain, murmuring the fragmented intel she had just received:
"Truth Astronomy... Baron... Mind-Snatching Demon..."
Her face pale, Utaha lifted her gaze to the classmates and teachers who had noticed her distress—her eyes shimmering with an eerie, multicoloured glow.
The next instant, the classroom resumed its normal rhythm, leaving only Utaha lost in silent contemplation.
"I think... I've just hooked a big fish..."