Late at night, Tokyo.
In an apartment in Chiyoda Ward.
Maya Yotsuba, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, calmly said while brewing coffee:
"I see, so in the end it was the Hidden Management Department that took everything?"
Behind Maya Yotsuba, Tatsuya Shiba stood expressionlessly beside the sofa, unmoving like a machine, and said:
"Yes, Aunt Maya."
Faced with her nephew's honest answer, Maya Yotsuba slightly averted her gaze and asked with a smile:
"You saw it with your own eyes?"
"Yes." Tatsuya Shiba's expression remained unchanged: "If we were to actually fight, according to my estimation, I would last at most 5 seconds before being killed."
"Hahaha, you actually calculated that?"
Maya Yotsuba couldn't help but laugh when she heard this:
"What an honest child."
As she spoke, she arranged the three cups of coffee she had brewed, carried them to the sofa, set them down, sat down, crossed her legs and said:
"However, using Mr Luo Shu as an imaginary enemy - let this be the only time. If you act recklessly again, Tatsuya, it will cause us all considerable trouble."
"I understand, Aunt." Tatsuya Shiba responded in a completely flat tone.
Faced with Tatsuya Shiba's reaction, Maya Yotsuba felt both helpless and somewhat pitying.
While Tatsuya Shiba's complete lack of emotion made him easy to use, the fact that he was a child created from her sister's genes left Maya with a certain discomfort, and she somewhat wished his mental state were healthier.
However, such techniques involving mental construction could only be resolved by her sister Miya Yotsuba, but given her sister's current condition...
"Sigh."
Maya Yotsuba sighed, then said to Tatsuya Shiba:
"Tatsuya, Miyuki's transfer application has been approved."
"From now on, you'll both be studying at Toyogasaki High School's senior division."
"I understand." Tatsuya Shiba's response was remarkably calm.
It was precisely this calmness that made Maya Yotsuba feel compelled to say more:
"Child, don't you have any questions at all?"
At this, Tatsuya Shiba said quietly:
"Miyuki is still at an age where she needs to attend school."
Maya Yotsuba pinched the bridge of her nose with a look of resignation and sighed:
"Studying is one aspect, but having you experience normal society is another."
"Of course, with the brain you inherited from my sister, you've probably already guessed the reason for the transfer."
After saying this, Maya thought for a moment, then decided to explain the core issue to Tatsuya Shiba:
"According to information I've received, many members of the Hidden Management Department are enrolled at Toyogasaki High School - this even includes the Director himself."
Hearing this, Tatsuya Shiba showed a slight hint of surprise:
"Some members of the Hidden Management Department are high school students?"
"But the intelligence provided to me by the Cabinet indicated they all appear to be full-time members not engaged in other work."
In response, Maya Yotsuba said calmly:
"That's because any organisation attempting to obtain detailed information about their members will be affected by a certain sorcerer's ability."
Hearing this, Tatsuya Shiba looked somewhat surprised at Maya Yotsuba.
Even though Tatsuya didn't speak, Maya guessed what he wanted to express, and thus calmly took a sip of coffee:
"Correct, the one who provided me with this intelligence was someone from the Hidden Management Department."
"Sending you and Miyuki to study at Toyogasaki High School is also a hostage arrangement that has been coordinated in advance."
"Of course, this was naturally done without the Cabinet's knowledge."
Hearing Maya Yotsuba's words, Tatsuya Shiba said calmly:
"Are you planning to abandon the Cabinet?"
Maya Yotsuba didn't answer directly, merely saying with a cold expression:
"Tatsuya, you must understand that for an individual, the best time to leave an organisation isn't when it's collapsing, but when it begins showing signs of decline."
After saying this, Maya Yotsuba offered no further explanation, instead stating calmly:
"Starting tomorrow, enjoy campus life properly with Miyuki."
Upon hearing this, Tatsuya Shiba merely lowered his head and replied quietly: "I understand."
With that, Tatsuya Shiba turned and walked toward his room. With a click, the door closed, leaving Maya Yotsuba alone in the living room, silently drinking her coffee.
Only after a long while did a troubled sigh emerge:
"This feeling of starting from zero is truly irritating...."
...
"Here, the Tao Order you wanted."
In the underground vault of a bank controlled by the Yakushiji family in Chiyoda Ward.
Ryōko Yakushiji tossed a palm-sized bronze token to Jun Tao.
After Jun Tao caught it with a flick of her wrist, Ryōko Yakushiji placed one hand on her hip and smiled:
"Though it might not be accepted, would your Taoist techniques be for sale?"
Hearing this, Jun Tao responded quite calmly:
"Five hundred million USD for collateral branches, two billion for direct lineages. Cash transactions only."
At this price, Ryōko Yakushiji widened her eyes and said in astonishment:
"Do you think that price is reasonable?"
"Unreasonable." Jun Tao gave Ryōko Yakushiji a faint glance before adding: "You're also free not to buy."
To this, Ryōko Yakushiji wisely chose to decline:
"Then forget it. I'll try other channels to obtain these mystic side inheritances."
After all, the Taoist techniques didn't seem particularly powerful~
Of course, if it were the Taoism of the Hundred Schools of Thought, or even the Taoism within Buddhist-Taoist traditions, she would bankrupt herself to purchase them.
But unfortunately, let alone buying them, Ryōko Yakushiji hadn't even glimpsed the shadow of such things.
"So, what does Miss Jun plan to do next?"
Ryōko Yakushiji looked at Jun Tao with a slight smile:
"The mission the Chinese Union gave you should count as a failure, right?"
"No, it was successful." Jun Tao replied calmly: "My task was to prevent anyone outside of China's Union and the Hidden Management Division from obtaining the True Dragon's Class Inheritance in the Abyss world, using assassination methods if necessary."
"Eh?" Ryōko Yakushiji stared blankly, then asked: "Do you consider that successful?"
Jun Tao tilted her head at this: "Then let me ask you - did anyone else obtain the inheritance?"
Ryōko Yakushiji drew a sharp breath - now that you mention it, nobody else actually obtained it.
"So, we're parting ways now? Not planning to stay for coffee?"
Upon hearing this, Jun Tao stored the Tao Order in her hand, glanced at Ryōko Yakushiji, then turned and left the underground vault.
Seeing this, Ryōko Yakushiji shrugged, sighed, exited the vault, and had the security personnel relock the vault door.
After completing these tasks, she went directly to the underground parking garage, found her red Ferrari, got in, and, while fastening her seatbelt, glanced sideways at Kuroka, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
Seeing Ryōko Yakushiji's reaction, Kuroka expressed some surprise:
"Oh? You're actually not surprised, meow?"
"When your life is held in someone else's hands, you'll become like me - unsurprised by anything you see."
Ryōko Yakushiji glanced at Kuroka as she said this:
"Where are we going?"
"To the Hidden Management Department's garrison, of course, meow~"
"I thought as much..."
Amid their conversation, the Ferrari emitted a low rumble from its engine.