Ch'en Huijie walked into the Lungmen Guard Department office with a face that practically screamed "bad mood." It wasn't because she'd completed an "Alter" early; it was because she had suddenly lost contact with A-Fa, a long-term informant she shared a deep history with.
Worse still, A-Fa was close friends with her best friend, Hoshiguma. It was Ch'en's own arrangement that had sent him into the dangerous life of a mole—a fact Hoshiguma knew nothing about.
Worse yet, Ch'en had just returned from a massive homicide scene. The victims were members of the very gang A-Fa had infiltrated, and the scene was... excessive.
If anything had happened to that informant, she didn't know how she'd answer to herself, let alone to Hoshiguma. Ch'en tried to console herself with the fact that, after stomach-churning hours of searching the site, she'd only found clothing resembling A-Fa's, but no definitive corpse.
Of course, "no corpse" could also mean the body was simply unrecognizable.
Regardless, until death was confirmed, Ch'en held onto a shred of hope and decided not to tell Hoshiguma just yet. Maybe the kid just went off to get drunk somewhere?
When people are in a foul mood, they tend to look for a punching bag. Ch'en recalled a rumor she'd heard at the entrance and turned her gaze toward the young female Feline on duty, who was wearing an equally sour expression.
"I heard that while I was out, an unidentified individual managed to infiltrate the department? The duty staff today must be incredibly lax!"
"What do you have to say for yourself, Miss Swire?"
The young lady of the Swire family immediately bristled.
"Lungmen Profanity! How many times do I have to tell you, my name isn't 'Shi'!"
"And you, Powdered-Intestine Dragon, watch your mouth! That man appeared in the middle of the station out of thin air. The cameras didn't catch a single frame of him entering. It has absolutely nothing to do with my performance!"
Swire's voice grew more confident as she spoke, as if bickering with Ch'en was the perfect outlet for her own work-related frustrations.
"Besides, I've already subdued him! The investigation shows he doesn't even possess any Originium Arts. It's likely just a prank by some bored high-society type that happened to land on my shift!"
Ch'en hadn't expected the situation to be so bizarre that she actually couldn't pin it on Swire. But as a "frenemy," she couldn't resist a parting shot.
"You finance types are so good at washing your hands of responsibility. Even if it wasn't strictly your fault, something this big happened on your watch. Couldn't you at least offer a verbal apology?"
Swire saw right through Ch'en's provocation and decided to go on the offensive.
"Admitting I was wrong isn't hard—it's not like I've ever made any grand, empty promises. Unlike you, Miss Ch'en, who's always shouting about improving security in the slums but can't stop these violent incidents from popping up every other day. I heard today's was a real disaster—dozens dead. Maybe you should be the one reflecting on your work?"
"Alright, alright, that's enough, you two."
Hoshiguma, getting a headache from the bickering, stepped in to play peacemaker.
"I was there for the station incident; it really wasn't Swire's fault. As for the slums, the security issues there are deep-seated. It's not something Old Ch'en can change through sheer willpower alone. Let's both take a step back and focus on solving the problem."
The bickering had mostly been a way to vent; once Hoshiguma intervened, they quickly pivoted to official business. Ch'en sighed and pulled a photograph from her pocket, taken at the crime scene.
"I was at the scene. Every gang member involved in the fight was sliced into pieces. Dozens of corpses, all with identical wounds—suggesting a single attacker using a single type of weapon. The method of execution... it was incredibly bloody."
"Hoshiguma is used to this, but Miss Swire, you might want to brace yourself. I'd hate to ruin your 'skincare routine.'"
Swire, who had been slightly hesitant, immediately snatched the photo upon hearing Ch'en's jab.
"Who are you looking down on? I want to see exactly what kind of scene makes the Madam Ch'en think it's 'over the top.'"
She looked at the photo and instantly frowned.
The scene was a living purgatory. A massacre caused by a chainsaw needs little description—shredded remains, organs, and blood were everywhere. To avoid looking intimidated, Swire ignored the sheer insanity of the killer and focused on their skill.
"One person did all this? Their stamina and technique must be off the charts!"
"I find it suspicious too," Ch'en nodded, her brow furrowed. "A master of this caliber should be serving a major power or living in seclusion pursuing the martial arts. Why would they suddenly target two small-time slum gangs so ruthlessly? This doesn't look like a vendetta; it looks like a violent demonstration."
Yanese masters usually valued grace and dignity; even a vendetta didn't look like this. If this was a purely anti-social criminal venting bloodlust, the L.G.D. was in for a major headache.
Hoshiguma speculated, "Could it be a Siracusan family? I heard they've been active in Lungmen recently. Those guys like using bloody methods to establish dominance."
"Speaking of dominance, I almost forgot."
Ch'en shook her head and produced another photo: a grotesque, bloody mural of a chainsaw painted on a wall.
"Look. The killer left a mark. And the wounds on the victims match the teeth of a chainsaw."
"Wait! Chainsaw..." Swire interrupted, repeating the keyword.
"What? Do you have a lead?" Ch'en looked at her intently.
"The infiltrator!" Swire said rapidly. "The guy who broke into the station today! After we subdued him, he kept talking nonsense about finding his lost friends—a blonde kid with a chainsaw and a pink-haired Sarkaz who uses blood arts! We thought he was mentally unstable, but now..."
She didn't finish, but Ch'en and Hoshiguma shared a look. Two bizarre, seemingly unrelated events were suddenly weaving together.
"Where is the prisoner being held? I'm going to interrogate him. Give me the investigation report!"
Still worried about A-Fa, Ch'en stormed off toward the holding cells.
Inside the L.G.D. holding cell, a handsome man with a small topknot was talking to himself.
"You 'Future Devil' are really living up to your name. Not only did you fail to give me a warning, but you ended up in this weird place right alongside me."
Aki Hayakawa, the Devil Hunter, was complaining to the entity he'd contracted with—the one that allowed him to see into the future.
"Don't be so grumpy, Aki Hayakawa. I didn't see this coming either," the Devil's voice echoed in his right eye. "Some unknown, powerful presence interfered with my sight. That power far exceeds any Devil I've ever encountered; I didn't have time to warn you."
Aki knit his brows. "Can you see the future of this place?"
"Who knows!" The Future Devil drawled, sounding both excited and cautious. "This world is strange. It feels like there are many powerful, terrifying unknowns hiding here. Their auras are even more horrifying than some of the monsters in Hell."
It paused, then returned to its usual gloating tone. "I can't see the threads of your fate or that chainsaw brat's anymore. I don't even know how to get back. Maybe you'll both just die here~"
"Fine, I get it."
If this wasn't the most powerful and reliable of the three Devils he was contracted with, Aki would have told it to shut its mouth.
"By the way, a young lady who is much stronger than you is coming to see you. You'd better watch your tone; she's in a very bad mood right now," the Future Devil offered as a "kind" warning.
Before Aki could ask more, the heavy iron door of the cell swung open.
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