"Martial law seems to have been lifted today."
In an abandoned building in Antu City, Uenoshi gazed out at the people walking in the street.
Since morning there had been more pedestrians, and the peace officers patrolling the roads had noticeably decreased, as if Sakura Prayer authorities had shifted their policies.
"Mm." Guan Tong held his phone behind her, "‘Martial law officially lifted today,’ the authorities have issued a notice."
"That's strange, isn't it?" Uenoshi turned to look at him.
"It could be sothing decided at the Human Consortium eting," Guan Tong guessed. "Judging by the timing, the interrogation of that bodyguard should have finished. The Research Office should get back to
within a day or two."
Uenoshi fell silent for a mont. "I hope there’s news about her."
Guan Tong knew that this "her" referred to Uenoshi Mitsumi.
Earlier, in the underground prison, Uenoshi had not found her mother, which left her deeply disappointed and made her suspect the Yuzawa Family might have other secret dungeons.
"Let's wait. I included questions about your mother in the list I sent to the Counterasures Research Office. If there’s real news, they’ll inform ."
"Okay."
Uenoshi nodded.
At that mont Suzuki ca up from downstairs.
Her condition had improved slightly; her physical wounds had been sowhat healed by items, but the psychological trauma from the torture interrogation would not recover overnight.
"I contacted a few colleagues at the Police Departnt, and my superiors," Suzuki said, holding her phone.
Afraid Guan Tong might misunderstand, she added, "I didn't tell them where I am now, nor that I'm with you. They all want
to return to the bureau as soon as possible."
"Stay with us for now," Uenoshi said, "If you go back now, they'll arrest you again."
"She’s right. Once the investigation team is established, I'll make you a mber. Then it won't be too late to return."
Guan Tong had previously agreed to Head Gao Liangwei's proposal for a "joint investigation team" during a video call.
He thought it was a good idea.
If he and Uenoshi investigated alone, they could only act in the shadows. With a "joint investigation team" backed by the Human Consortium, they would have an official mandate to investigate openly, with more convenient channels and legitimacy.
"I'll follow your arrangents."
Suzuki had no one to rely on. She knew that returning to the Police Departnt now would almost certainly an being detained again, regardless of her colleagues' intentions. Being with Guan Tong and Uenoshi—both dangerous—felt safer.
Buzz.
Guan Tong's phone vibrated. He glanced at it.
"It’s the Research Office."
The ssage inford him the interrogation of the Divine Child's bodyguard had concluded. Combining what had been learned from the prisoners, the Research Office had sketched a preliminary outline regarding what the Divine Child, or rather the Yuzawa Family, had been doing.
For the specifics, they asked to inform Guan Tong via video call.
Guan Tong agreed. Ten minutes later both sides opened a video link.
This ti Head Gao Liangwei was not present at the Research Office; only Zhang Minglu appeared.
"Head Gao is busy and won't join this video call," Zhang Minglu said. "I'll relay the relevant information."
"Alright."
"And on your side..."
Zhang Minglu hesitated when he saw there was another person besides Guan Tong on screen.
"She is Uenoshi. She’s part of the sa group and has the right to know about this matter."
Suzuki had sensibly gone downstairs earlier, while Uenoshi stayed. As Guan Tong had said, after what she’d been through, she had the right to be inford.
"Fine, as long as you can trust her."
Zhang Minglu paused, then began to explain the situation.
"First, after interrogating the bodyguard codenad 'Shin,' the answer to your biggest concern: the Divine Child, Yuzawa Jun, is indeed still alive."
Even though Guan Tong and Uenoshi had speculated, hearing it confird aloud still astonished them.
"…How did he survive?" Guan Tong asked, brow furrowing.
He had destroyed Yuzawa Jun’s head back then; that wasn't sothing any healing item or ability could have easily fixed.
Resurrection? As far as the world knew, no one had the ans to do that.
"According to Shin's confession, Yuzawa Jun is a monster," Zhang Minglu said gravely. "His body is not a normal human body. He lacks human neck, chest, abdon and so on. In their place are many heads—one after another."
Guan Tong was stunned by this.
Uenoshi spoke up beside him: "Yamata no Orochi…"
Zhang Minglu nodded. "Yes. Shin said Yuzawa Jun told him he possessed 'descendant blood of the great serpent,' which is why he grew eight heads. Unless all eight heads are destroyed, he cannot be killed."
"So that's it…"
Guan Tong was speechless. He didn't have x-ray vision; how could he have known that under Yuzawa Jun's heavy clothes were multiple heads?
Still, in hindsight—it had been the middle of the night, Yuzawa Jun had been in his room tightly wrapped in layers of clothing—it had been odd.
At the ti Guan Tong had been focused on instant-killing him and hadn’t noticed such details.
"So his ability is a bloodline. No wonder he targeted ," Uenoshi said softly.
"Not necessarily confird," Zhang Minglu replied. "We can't fully trust Shin's words; Yuzawa Jun might have deceived him."
"True," Guan Tong nodded. "This person is utterly cold-blooded, self-centered. He would be wary even of his close bodyguard and would not reveal his abilities without reservation. But in any case, he's alive is certain."
"Yes. Your attack must have alerted him greatly, which is why, from the official level, they deliberately released the news that the Divine Child had been successfully assassinated, to lull you into complacency."
Guan Tong and Uenoshi exchanged a look, both understanding that Yuzawa Jun would now hide, making him much harder to find.
"May I ask," Uenoshi said, "Does Shin know anything about Uenoshi Mitsumi?"
"We asked that too," Zhang Minglu said with regret, his eyes on Uenoshi filled with pity. "He said she was sent to the 'Snake Lair' three months ago."
"Snake Lair? What is that?" Uenoshi asked urgently; the na gave her a bad feeling.
"It’s the laboratory for gene hybridization experints. They call it the 'Snake Lair.' Its purpose is to create snake-people controlled by Yuzawa Jun."
"Shin stated the experint had made significant progress. One reason is Yuzawa Jun’s blood and cells are very special; when mixed with so humans, a serpentine reaction occurs. Another reason is the Yuzawa Family spent large sums bringing specialists with gene-related Mind Power abilities or certain items from around the world to assist the research."
"As for the final objective of the research, besides producing massive numbers of snake-people as war weapons, Yuzawa Jun apparently has other personal goals. Shin didn’t know the specifics; only Yuzawa Jun could oversee certain experints, and no one else in the Yuzawa Family could intervene."
After speaking, Zhang Minglu looked at Uenoshi. "That Uenoshi Mitsumi is your relative, right? I'm sorry."
Having been sent to a lab months ago hardly boded well.
Uenoshi was silent for a mont. Just as Guan Tong was about to speak, she asked, "Where is the laboratory?"
"Shin gave a location, but even if you rushed there imdiately, I think it would be pointless," Zhang Minglu said. "Once an assassination or imprisonnt is discovered, the Yuzawa Family certainly moved the lab elsewhere."
"What if there are clues left at the scene?" Uenoshi looked at Zhang Minglu. "On that point, there is investigative value."
"She’s right," Guan Tong said.
Zhang Minglu nodded. "That’s what we thought too. So I also recomnd the investigation team first go there."
"The joint investigation team has been ford?"
Zhang Minglu shook his head. "There is no 'joint' team. Only Beixing will form an investigation team. Head Gao proposed the matter at the Human Consortium eting and encountered opposition… right now nations are overwheld by the alien spore problem and lack the manpower to also deal with Sakura Prayer."
…That made sense.
Guan Tong had been keeping up with outside developnts these days and knew many people were affected by the spores, and the stages of parasitization were becoming increasingly dangerous.
Just because he could stay vigilant didn't an others could resist temptation.
If even Beixing couldn't control so many people being parasitized, other countries were even less able.
Zhang Minglu added, "But rest assured, Head Gao presented extensive evidence of cris at the eting. Because of that, Sakura Prayer’s appeal to the Human Consortium to collectively issue a warrant for you will absolutely not go through."
Guan Tong nodded. "So the investigation team will be composed only of Beixing mbers. Who are the candidates?"
"You are the team leader and can propose nas. But I recomnd two people you know who are aware of your identity."
"Oh?"
Guan Tong thought that was a very small pool.
"Silver Fox and Chen Na."
Zhang Minglu didn't beat around the bush and said the nas directly.
"Silver Fox was the first to notice your identity. Her skills speak for themselves, as you know. As for Chen Na, since this will be an investigation, her sensing ability will be useful."
"Those two, plus you and Uenoshi, make a four-person investigation team. Sakura Prayer authorities will have to cooperate. The Research Office will provide remote data analysis and intelligence support. What do you think?"
"I originally wanted Dragon Soul and Bai Xuewu to join. But the rules are about to end, and we don't know how dangerous the spore-parasitized forms might beco. We must reserve powerful Ascendants as backup… Also, when Bai Xuewu heard the investigation involved snakes, she imdiately declined."
Guan Tong rembered Bai Xuewu—the pilot of the Snow Traces cha who was a cleanliness-obsessed Ascendant.
Indeed, at Holy Grail Island she had shown extre aversion to disgusting things; he had used that to dissuade her from competing for the Holy Grail.
"Silver Fox and Chen Na will suffice."
Chen Na's ability was genuinely useful. As for Silver Fox… though formidable, Guan Tong felt having her involved might be a bit like having soone watch over him, but that was acceptable.
In any case, he appreciated that the Research Office had helped process and interrogate the detainees and collect intelligence.
Now that Zhang Minglu ntioned the impending end of the rules and the threat of spore-parasitized forms, Guan Tong reciprocated.
"After the rules end, if you need manpower, I won't be stingy."
Zhang Minglu smiled. "Of course. We want to build a long-term, mutually helpful cooperative relationship with you."
After past events, the Counterasures Research Office led by Head Gao had shifted its goal from "wanting Shadow to join the Research Office" to "establishing long-term cooperation with Shadow."
Instead of forcing a capable person who resists being controlled to join, cooperating with them pragmatically benefits both sides.
"We will send the two to the border as soon as possible."
"Good. I will go pick them up then."
When the video call ended, Guan Tong looked at Uenoshi.
He wanted to say sothing consoling but ultimately did not. After all, she was not a child.
"The spore rules will end soon. There will be upheaval in many countries, and Sakura Prayer will be no exception. Launching an investigation now has pros and cons, but in any case we will get to the bottom of this."
Reviews
All reviews (0)