The wide and straight highway stretched into the distance like a silver dragon.
A white sports car sped along its length like a flash of lightning.
Inside the vehicle, Uesugi Ryu gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, handling the car with practiced and effortless precision.
In the passenger seat, Mado Akira sat stiffly, visibly tense and uneasy.
Not only had she tightly secured her seatbelt around her slender frame, but one of her hands was also clutching the handle above the window with a death grip.
Her beautiful face was taut, brows furrowed, and she didn't dare take her eyes off the road as it whizzed past in a blur.
"First-Class Uesugi, you're seriously speeding!"
However, Uesugi Ryu acted as though he hadn't heard her, continuing to drive recklessly. With a light chuckle, he replied:
"Efficiency is key in our line of work. Wasting time on the road isn't ideal. Isn't that your usual approach?"
Mado Akira was momentarily stunned. True, she was always focused on work efficiency, but not to such an extreme.
She wanted to retort, but the sight of his firm grip on the wheel made her swallow her words. After all, with her life literally in his hands, now wasn't the time to provoke the driver.
"Do you have anything to add to the Gourmet's report?" Akira suddenly asked.
"The report is detailed. But the Ghoul Restaurant is likely related to him, he's either the organizer behind the scenes or one of the investors."
Akira narrowed her eyes slightly. She hadn't expected Uesugi Ryu to have actually read the report. She had only just completed it late the previous night, and he had already left the branch by then.
In truth, Uesugi Ryu hadn't read it at all, but when it came to Tsukiyama Shuu, he knew everything that needed knowing.
The distance between the 20th Ward and the 7th Ward spanned nearly half of Tokyo. But with Uesugi Ryu's reckless, breakneck driving, the trip passed in the blink of an eye.
By the time the car came to a screeching stop, Mado Akira's face was pale as a sheet. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her legs trembled slightly.
It wasn't motion sickness, Uesugi Ryu's driving was just that terrifying. Sudden overtakes and inertia-driven drifts were routine maneuvers for him.
If not for his status as a Ghoul Investigator, he probably would've been summoned by the police for reckless endangerment.
After taking a moment to steady her nerves, Akira spoke in a quiet voice:
"Next time, let me drive. This kind of behavior might bring unnecessary negative attention to the CCG's reputation."
Uesugi Ryu raised the corner of his mouth in a subtle smile and replied with firm finality:
"That's a great suggestion. But... I refuse."
Before his words had even fully left his mouth, he had already turned and walked through the doors of the 7th Ward CCG Branch.
Akira stood in place, watching his figure disappear into the building. She wanted to follow, but her legs were still unsteady, made worse by the high heels she wore, making even a single step difficult.
Just as she finally gathered herself and was about to catch up, Uesugi Ryu suddenly walked out again.
"First-Class Uesugi l... what happened?" Akira asked, bewildered.
"The handover's already complete," he replied flatly.
As it turned out, the branch chief wasn't present, and the other First-Class Investigators were out on missions.
After a brief explanation at the reception desk, Uesugi saw no need to linger and promptly walked back out.
"But... without information from the branch, how can we effectively track down and eliminate ghouls?"
"At the very least, we should try to gather some leads on the Gourmet's movements..."
Uesugi Ryu gave her a puzzled look.
"What, do I need to teach you the Mado-style investigative method?"
After all, Akira was the daughter of Mado Kureo. By logic, she should be intimately familiar with her father's investigation style. However, she lowered her head, a trace of loneliness appearing in her expression.
"My father never talked about work at home. I... don't really understand what you mean."
Uesugi Ryu paused, his expression easing.
"I see. Then there's no need for me to explain. You'll come to understand soon enough."
...
Night fell.
The city was bathed in dazzling neon lights. The roads bustled with endless streams of cars and pedestrians, weaving through the glowing intersections.
Hidden among the clamorous cityscape was a narrow, dimly-lit alleyway, like a secret pocket of silence tucked into the heart of chaos.
At this moment, Mado Akira stood quietly in the alley. She wore a neat, girlish JK uniform, her eyes tinged with a mixture of helplessness and annoyance.
If it hadn't been for Uesugi Ryu's threat, that if she didn't wear this outfit on the mission, he would immediately send her back to the branch, there was no way she would have agreed to such an absurd demand.
"First-Class Uesugi, why do I have to wear this kind of outfit just to hunt ghouls?" she asked with a furrowed brow and evident displeasure.
Uesugi Ryu, also dressed in a student uniform, turned slightly to glance at her. He cleared his throat and responded with calm confidence:
"Disguises are necessary. Ghouls aren't idiots. If they realize you're an investigator, they'll be long gone."
"This is Mado-san's style, using oneself as bait. Sooner or later, some scum will take the hook."
Akira didn't relax at all at his explanation. Her expression became even more serious. She bit her lip and asked herself silently:
"Was my father... always like this at work?"
"Let's go. We'll circle the area a few times."
Uesugi Ryu deftly pulled a small blood bag from his pocket, unscrewed the cap, and let a few drops of fresh blood fall to the ground.
Akira didn't press him further. Uesugi Ryu slung a guitar bag over his back, and the two of them, looking like a pair of ordinary students, began wandering through the neighborhood.
The sweet, metallic scent of blood slowly spread through the air, saturating the area in an invisible lure.