Bai Xing Establishes His Authority, Reactions from All Sides

The next day.

Nagai, who had barely slept all night, met Tozaki Yuu again.

Compared to him, Tozaki Yuu was in even worse shape.

His eyes had become panda-like dark circles, and he looked so haggard that he seemed to have aged several years.

"How are you?"

Tozaki Yuu took a deep breath and said in a somewhat bitter voice, "A third Second-Stage Ajin has appeared!"

"Huh?" Nagai was rather puzzled by Tozaki's gloom.

"Do you know that ever since you and Sato, two unusual Ajin, appeared, even the spies lurking in our country have become much more active?

Many countries are very interested, though most are still watching from the sidelines."

As he spoke, Tozaki gave a self-mocking snort. "After all, they won't be the ones suffering losses in the fight against Ajin. Maybe afterward, they'll even get the results we worked so hard to research."

Nagai scratched his head. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Tozaki stared at him, suddenly growing agitated. "Do you even understand the value contained in people like you and Sato?!

If First-Stage Ajin were coveted only for their immortality, then once the secrets of you people, who can now wield electromagnetic force, are uncovered, you'll be able to change the balance of the entire world! The entire world!"

Nagai fell silent.

Tozaki took another deep breath, calming his turbulent emotions.

He had always been a rational man, but the recent string of events had been far too far beyond his control.

"America has asked more than once for intelligence on Second-Stage Ajin. After SAT failed, it even proposed actively intervening, but the Cabinet fobbed them off every time.

The emergence of Second-Stage Ajin is a danger to our island nation, but it is also an opportunity!

If we can seize it, we can break free from America, this so-called suzerain state, and no longer let them keep throwing their weight around over our heads!"

Nagai could not understand much about matters of national importance. They were too complicated for him, and he did not care about them either.

What he cared about more was whether he could return to a normal, peaceful life.

But when he heard Tozaki mention "Second-Stage Ajin," he hurriedly waved his hands. "Wait, please wait a moment, Mr. Tozaki. What do you mean by Second-Stage Ajin?"

Tozaki said calmly, "According to our research, the Ajin's various immortal traits, as well as their ability to summon IBM, all originate from the Black Particles within their bodies.

Then Sato and you displayed abilities unlike the others. The ability to control electromagnetic force may be the Ajin's second trait. It may differ from the traits of Black Particles, or it may be an ability derived from Black Particles. Because too little time has passed and there are too few samples, we still do not know.

But this is enough to show that Ajin possess limitless potential. For the sake of distinction, we have classified the period when they possess immortal traits as First-Stage Ajin, while the period when they wield electromagnetic force is classified as Second-Stage Ajin!

And now, after you and Sato, a third Second-Stage Ajin has appeared. This person is even more arrogant than Sato.

He was the one who destroyed Yokota Base yesterday!

Most importantly, by doing this, he has given the US Military sufficient reason to interfere in this matter!

Much of our previous effort will have been for nothing, all gone down the drain!"

Nagai stood there in a daze. He had not expected that the person who destroyed the US Military base was not Sato.

Then he quickly said, "Wait, the person you're talking about... he isn't called Bai Xing, is he?!"

Tozaki Yuu whipped his head around, his expression grave. "You know him?"

Nagai swallowed. "I don't know whether wielding electromagnetic force is really the Ajin's second stage, but I do know that he isn't the third. He's the first!"

Then Nagai recounted what had happened when he first met Bai Xing.

"After that incident, Sato gained the ability to wield electromagnetic force. No, Bai Xing called that power Magnetic Force!"

One of Tozaki's long-standing doubts was resolved at that moment.

Back when Sato broke into the research institute to rescue Nagai, he himself had somehow become trapped inside.

Everyone else, including Tanaka, had always believed that the institute guards had captured Sato.

But he knew those guards were no match for Sato at all.

Especially when Sato was discovered, his body had been wrapped in bent steel pipes!

He had buried that doubt deep in his heart, but now it was finally resolved.

So it turned out that, apart from Sato and Tanaka, a third person had entered the research institute that day!

"Later, before Sato decided to destroy the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Bai Xing appeared again. He came to me and shared Magnetic Force with me.

At the time, he clearly told me that he was also an Ajin, so I can't be sure whether this power is truly the Ajin's so-called second stage or something else.

In any case, both Sato's and my Magnetic Force came from Bai Xing!"

Tozaki Yuu was deeply shocked. He had never expected things to be like this!

"Right, you still haven't told me exactly what happened last night."

Tozaki Yuu rubbed his temples and temporarily suppressed his shock. "According to our investigation, the US Military stationed on the island acted on its own last night. It dispatched a company of soldiers to attack Takahashi Building, with the main objective of capturing Bai Xing!

Afterward, a battle broke out in Takahashi Building, and every one of those soldiers died on the spot.

Bai Xing immediately soared into the sky." At this point, Tozaki Yuu could not help feeling his throat go dry. Flight had been an ability humanity had dreamed of since ancient times, which was why they had created all kinds of aircraft. But those were ultimately external tools. Who had never imagined achieving free flight through their own power?

"He flew all the way to Yokota Base, created an Electromagnetic Cannon, and blasted the Command Headquarters to pieces. Major General Sherman died on the spot!"

"Why did the US Military suddenly take action against Bai Xing?" Nagai immediately seized on the key question.

Tozaki Yuu said gravely, "We don't know that either, but it is very likely that the US Military obtained intelligence from somewhere and learned of Bai Xing's existence before we did!"

As he spoke, he also glanced at Nagai.

This guy clearly knew Bai Xing, yet he had never mentioned him to him!

"Could it have been Sato?"

Nagai immediately fixed his suspicions on Sato again.

Tozaki gave no clear answer, responding only with silence.

Was Sato the one who had betrayed Bai Xing?

The answer was—yes!

It was absolutely him. It had to be him!!

Abandoned Factory.

Sato had also learned that Yokota Base had been bombed.

He was stunned at first, remembering the streak of electric light he had seen flying northwest last night.

Then he suddenly burst into laughter.

"Interesting, so interesting! I knew it, hahaha! I knew it, Bai Xing. You and I are the same kind of person. We were always the same kind!!"

Even he had not expected Bai Xing's actions.

Before deciding to draw Bai Xing into the game, he had imagined what Bai Xing's reaction might be.

Perhaps anger. Perhaps indifference.

Perhaps slaughtering every one of those US Military soldiers.

Perhaps abandoning the Takahashi Syndicate outright and finding somewhere else to hide.

Perhaps even coming directly to him and killing him.

But he had never imagined that Bai Xing would directly destroy Yokota Base, using such a domineering method to warn the US Military—and also to warn him and the island nation's government.

Do not provoke him lightly.

Otherwise, bear the consequences yourselves!