Pit Bottom District, Rustblade Street, in front of Building 19.
A figure in a black robe stood before the residential building, gripping a brown-haired catgirl whose face was practically a canvas of reluctant protest.
These two were none other than Cipher's clone, the Flame-Chaser, and Cifera, currently disguised as Pardo.
Just as the Flame-Chaser raised a hand to knock on the door of Building 19, the charm on Pardo's right leg suddenly emitted a faint, tinny sound.
"Big Sis, didn't you say you were going to throw your clone in? Why has it turned into the clone throwing you in?"
The Flame-Chaser's hand paused. Pardo shot a sidelong glance at the charm and hissed in a low voice:
"Because I felt it wouldn't be exciting enough if the clone got caught. Besides, these people can't do anything to me anyway. I decided to experience the feeling of being captured firsthand. Any problem with that?"
"No problem, no problem! It's just... Big Sis, you made me come along because I'm supposed to open a portal from the inside to get you out. But now that you're going in yourself, what use am I?"
"You dummy, we still need a portal to leave, don't we?"
"Ohh! Right!"
"Now shut up. The play is about to begin."
Pardo looked back toward the door with renewed focus, and the Flame-Chaser's fist finally rapped against the wood.
Before long, footsteps echoed from within. A male voice, identical to the one from the phone call, rang out:
"Who is it?"
"Bounty commission."
Upon hearing those words in that familiar voice, the man inside fell silent. He seemed to be observing the situation through the peephole. A moment later, the door creaked open to reveal a man with a prominent scar across his face.
"Get in."
The man stepped aside, gesturing for the Flame-Chaser to enter. The Flame-Chaser cooperated perfectly, dragging Pardo into the room.
Once they were inside, the man slammed the door shut and sat on a nearby sofa. He picked up a cigarette, lit it, and took a long, heavy drag before slowly exhaling a cloud of gray smoke.
"You say you caught Cifera. Is it this girl in your hand?"
The Flame-Chaser gave a curt nod.
"Evidence?"
The Flame-Chaser didn't speak. Instead, he began reaching into Pardo's pockets.
This action triggered a violent struggle from Pardo. With both wrists pinned by the Flame-Chaser's iron grip, she could only twist her body desperately, trying to break free.
"Let go of me! Stay out of my pockets, nya!"
As she shouted, Pardo's body began to turn translucent. However, a flicker of purple flame sparked from the Flame-Chaser's hand. Pardo let out a sharp cry of pain, and her form immediately snapped back into solid reality.
"Dammit!"
Seeing her ability fail, Pardo bit her lip. Her tail suddenly lashed out, the metal blades at its tip slicing toward the Flame-Chaser's neck at a speed nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Faced with the lethal strike, the Flame-Chaser's expression remained unchanged—though his mask hid it regardless. The hand that had been reaching into her pocket blurred, catching the incoming tail instantly.
After subduing the rebellious tail with a single hand, he tossed a coin toward the man.
"The evidence. As requested."
The Flame-Chaser spoke without emotion.
In stark contrast, the man's eyes widened. He even forgot to puff on his cigarette. He had initially assumed this newcomer was just another fool trying to scam the organization for bounty money. He hadn't cared much, treating it as a routine part of his shift.
But the display he just witnessed convinced him that these two were the real deal. At the very least, both were far stronger than his own C+ rank.
He hadn't even seen that tail strike clearly. And the black-robed man's hand, which had been down by her pocket, appeared in front of his neck like a teleportation trick to block the attack.
"Fine... let me see."
The man hurriedly stubbed out his cigarette and looked at the coin on the table. The moment he saw it, a single name flashed through his mind: Cifera.
"Yes! This is it! The appearance, the aura... it is identical to that coin!"
The man became instantly agitated. He grabbed his terminal and dialed a number. The call connected immediately. Before the person on the other end could speak, the man blurted out:
"Dr. Lin, the evidence is confirmed. It matches the one left at Base 036 exactly. Cifera has been captured. She is here with me now."
"Good. I am coming over immediately."
The call ended. The man turned back to the Flame-Chaser.
"Powerful one, I have notified the others to come and take Cifera. Please, rest here for a moment. Our people will arrive shortly!"
"Understood."
The Flame-Chaser said nothing more, uttering only a brief acknowledgement before standing to the side. Pardo, still pinned in his grip, continued to struggle with a resentful expression, though she was shut down by the Flame-Chaser every time.
A short while later, the front door burst open. A figure rushed in.
'Eh? Isn't this that unlucky guy who was the first person I robbed at Base 036? I think his name was... Dr. Lin Zhiyuan?'
Pardo, who had been focused on her acting, recognized the newcomer instantly. After all, she had relied on his Level 2 clearance card to open those two specific doors.
Dr. Lin Zhiyuan ignored everyone else and sprinted straight for the coin on the table. He stared at it, murmuring:
"It's true! It is exactly the same!"
He whirled around to face Pardo, who was still held by the Flame-Chaser. His face twisted with rage as he questioned her:
"You are Cifera? The thief who robbed our entire experimental base and destroyed all our research data?!"
Pardo immediately put on an air of disdain and shot back:
"And you are Lin Zhiyuan? The unlucky guy whose Level 2 clearance card I swiped the second he stepped out the door?"
"You... You!"
Lin Zhiyuan was nearly choked by his own fury. He sputtered out several "Yous" but couldn't find the words to follow them.
Seeing him so aggravated, Pardo doubled down. "You what? Cat got your tongue? Honestly, I should thank you. You let me open those Level 2 doors without breaking a sweat, nya."