Inside a speeding police car.
Amidst a buzzing sound, the phone in Luo Shu's pocket vibrated.
He calmly glanced at Wataru Takagi driving in front before retrieving his phone. Opening it, he saw a message from Meer through their internal chat app.
[Meer: Good news~ Luo Shu-kun's special secret intel made its first sale today~]
[Meer: A very cute Ghoul lady purchased information about Luo Shu-kun. Hmm~ The price was two million USD, which will be transferred to your department account later. Remember not to embezzle it~ (smiley face)]
[Meer: Oh, the intel sold was about there being a high-ranking official in your current police car who can decide the future living conditions of Ghouls.]
[Meer: As for other details, the deal fell through due to the client's financial issues. Such a shame, I even prepared intel about Luo Shu-kun's particular fondness for pink-haired women...]
[Meer: Oh, right, the buyer's name is Takatsuki Izumi, a currently popular writer. However, according to my investigations, she appears to be controlling a new gang called Aogiri Tree in Adachi Ward, composed of Ghouls. More details will be explained in the attached file later.]
[Meer: Friendly reminder, Takatsuki Izumi-sensei is a very cute girl~ If Luo Shu-kun abandons the investigation because she's cute, even I would forgive you~]
"This woman..." Watching the flood of messages, Luo Shu's face kept twitching as he quickly typed a reply.
[Luo Shu: Are you sure the intel fee was only two million USD?? Liars get poked a thousand times.]
As for what kind of poking, Luo Shu knew those who understood would understand - at least a little pervert like Meer would definitely get it.
After sending this message, Meer seemed stunned on the other end.
[Meer: ???]
[Meer: Although I'm quite looking forward to Luo Shu-kun's rod-based discipline, shouldn't the normal reaction be punishing me for selling you out? Why are you accusing me of embezzlement?]
Even without seeing her face, Luo Shu knew Meer must be completely baffled right now.
[Luo Shu: Heh, if I had my own channels, I doubt Miss Meer would get to handle intel sales. (smiley face)]
[Meer: ...]
The next second, Meer sent transfer records, along with a surveillance video and an audio recording file.
Luo Shu glanced up at Wataru Takagi before quickly plugging in earphones to listen to the recording.
The driver, Wataru Takagi, wore an awkward expression. While he understood Luo Shu's wariness, did he have to keep glancing at him like that? It was rather unsettling.
Meanwhile, Luo Shu, having finished listening to the recording, looked surprised:
"It really is just two million..."
Sceptical, Luo Shu used the Mysticism Encyclopaedia to divine the truth. After confirming the facts, his expression turned peculiar.
Meer actually hadn't tampered with the intelligence fees but had genuinely given him the full amount. Though it was department funds, how they were used was entirely Luo Shu's decision.
While it involved selling their own intelligence, Meer's money-making skills were impressive indeed. Just by spinning some convincing lies, the money had rolled in.
Listening further, Luo Shu recalled that Meer herself was actually responsible for assessing Ghouls, though she'd dumped the work on him.
So Meer had fabricated partially true intelligence and sold it to Takatsuki Izumi, who needed it, making her the sucker?
'This woman shouldn't be underestimated... Thankfully, she's on our side.'
Luo Shu pondered, then used the Mysticism Encyclopaedia to check Meer's motives. The answer – SDS was recently short on funds and hoped to earn some intelligence fees to subsidise the Hidden Management Department – left him with a somewhat complicated expression.
"So in the end, Meer was actually helping my department earn funds?"
Luo Shu retracted his earlier thoughts. Though somewhat scheming, Meer had good intentions.
He rather liked women who could casually hand him two million dollars in 'baby formula money' just by talking.
"But, Takatsuki Izumi..."
Luo Shu opened the intelligence Meer had just sent and cross-referenced it with his own knowledge.
"Assessed as danger level 2 or above, possibly approaching 3. Suspected mid-level Ghoul?"
He compared this with his understanding.
SDS internally assessed enemy threat levels using Abyss Artefact rankings.
Level 1, having a wide variance, roughly corresponded to his system's Common and Excellent. Level 2 generally matched Elite Rank, Level 3 to Hero Rank, and Level 4 to Demigod Rank.
Generally, the system's individual assessments were stronger than equivalent Abyss Artefacts – after all, one dealt with living beings, the other with objects.
Individuals with special Classes could exhibit even greater destructive power and danger.
For example, Luo Shu's Class, Calamity Bringer, could reach Divine Rank, allowing him at Elite Rank to overpower Hero Rank opponents, even those with their own Classes.
This was the advantage of special Classes.
To Meer, Luo Shu – possessing a Level 3 Abyss Artefact (Demon Heart) clearly surpassed Takatsuki Izumi in both combat power and danger. With Kisara, a pureblood demon, by his side, they could survive even if stronger Ghouls appeared.
Considering this, Meer had sold some peripheral intelligence while deliberately setting high prices to discourage Takatsuki Izumi from buying more.
This move yielded practical benefits without significant consequences, even allowing her to embed herself as an intelligence broker within enemy circles.
But what Meer never expected was...
'Takatsuki Izumi is the One-Eyed Owl among Ghouls, essentially their highest combat capability.'
Luo Shu mentally reviewed his knowledge about Ghouls. While he hadn't paid much attention to Kisara, he'd watched enough of that popular Ghoul anime to know the basics.
Thus, he was naturally aware that Takatsuki Izumi, the One-Eyed Owl, was an SSS-rated Ghoul. He also recalled that she was secretly the top leadership of the Aogiri Tree organisation, though she cunningly posed as a regular member.
"Meer rated Takatsuki Izumi as a Level 2 threat, approaching Level 3. To be safe, I'll consider her a solid Level 3... no, more cautiously, a Level 3 nearing Level 4."
"If the Ghouls' strongest fighter only reaches a powerful Level 3, exterminating them shouldn't be too difficult."
Luo Shu never forgot that Ghouls were a species that needed to consume humans to survive. Solving their dietary requirements would require massive scientific research investment. Given SDS's financial situation, where even Meer, the intelligence director, had to seek a side income, as someone aiming long-term to woo the Supreme Chairwoman and short-term to get Meer into bed, this Mist Guardian naturally had to consider the family budget...
Extermination it is, then.
Keep a few recruitable fighters and their vulnerabilities, explore ways to modify them to stop eating humans, and eliminate the rest until they become rarer than pandas. Hmm, 'Japan's Special National Treasure: Man-Eating Ghouls' does have a certain local charm.
As for the extermination plan...
Luo Shu narrowed his eyes.
For safety's sake, he decided to contact Sharon and test the One-Eyed Owl's capabilities with combined forces from himself, Kisara and Sharon. Conveniently, Sharon had just returned to Tokyo after retrieving demon-related intelligence in Europe for Lacus.
If the One-Eyed King proved too strong, they could reconsider.
But if weak...
First step required caution. As Aogiri Tree's leader with numerous subordinates, Takatsuki Izumi's vulnerability seemed to be Ghoul survival - not an easy target...
'I recall Takatsuki has an SSS-rated Ghoul father who runs a café...'
Luo Shu's eyes gleamed momentarily as his plan crystallised.
The intelligence-purchasing Takatsuki Izumi would never have imagined her payment would invite Luo Shu's lethal intentions toward Ghouls.
But life is full of surprises.
And Luo Shu was about to become theirs.
...
Twenty minutes later...
The police car carrying Luo Shu and Kisara slowly arrived at a crematorium.