An Ambush in a Lawless Land (Third Update) / It's Lonely at the Top (Fourth Update)

"So, when do we set off?"

Raiden Mei took a small sip of tea and slightly raised her eyes.

"Regarding security, two guards might be insufficient; I would like to request one more person to accompany you..."

Upon hearing this, Kevin paused for a moment, quickly stuffed the cow-shaped milk carton into the refrigerator, and then stealthily made his way to the door.

"Well... he's a shareholder, not within the scope of business..."

After hesitating for a moment, Tendou Kisara stood firm and politely declined.

However, before Kevin could even breathe a sigh of relief, Raiden Mei smiled and murmured softly.

"I know this will put Miss Tendo in a difficult position, so I'm willing to double the price..."

"Make a deal!"

Tendou Kisara quickly grabbed Raiden Mei's right hand and held it tightly, as if afraid that this benefactor might change her mind.

"Bang!"

"Why are you running! I'm just guiding you, it's not like I'm going to kill you... I'll just have to make a sacrifice..."

Immediately, the quick-thinking Tendou Kisara grabbed Kevin by the neck, pinned him against the wall, and revealed a radiant smile.

"No time, not going!"

Kevin shook his head like a rattle-drum, trying to break free from his unscrupulous boss's grip.

"From now on, I'll eat your meals for you!"

Tendou Kisara and spoke frankly. Kevin paused, slightly raised his eyes, and forced a fake smile onto his face.

"I love contributing to the team the most..."

After some compromise, the two reached a tacit agreement and ended the meeting with a friendly handshake.

After Tendou Civil Security Company and its client Raiden Mei renegotiated the contract, the atmosphere between the two parties became more harmonious.

"During this period, I'll need to travel back and forth between my home and the megalith, so I need to find someone to familiarize themselves with the route first..."

"Miss Tendo has no objections, right?"

Before leaving, Raiden Mei paused slightly, turned around, and made a suggestion.

"Of course not, it's our duty!"

With his morals sold off cheaply, Tendo Tendou Kisara pushed Kevin directly next to Raiden Mei, while smiling and whispering instructions in the little boy's ear.

"Thirty days' worth of pizzas—if you don't finish the task, I'll stuff them all into your mouth!"

"Oh, and there are the two pieces you and CC left in the fridge yesterday afternoon that you didn't finish, and the half you threw in the trash can just now!"

The power of "delicious food" is truly extraordinary. Kevin, thinking of that nauseating taste, reluctantly nodded and followed.

An older woman/younger man relationship? A nurturing relationship? Turns out... the Young Lady of ME Company actually likes this kind of thing...

As he watched the two leave, Tendou Kisara stroked his chin, secretly grumbling to himself, while simultaneously labeling Raiden Mei as a Shota complex -con.

P. S.: The first two chapters are complete. The remaining two chapters are expected to be released around midnight.

Today's statistics: 179 recommendations.

Monthly pass 29

Tip 888

Blade 1

There are still 24 chapters to go.

Chapter 468, Section 495: An Interception in a Lawless Land (Third Update)

Throughout the journey, Kevin maintained a certain distance from Raiden Mei; when she walked, he walked; when she stopped, he stopped.

Even though the Young Lady of ME Company deliberately slowed down, that brat, whose intentions were unclear, began to keep pace with Raiden Mei, neither advancing nor lagging behind.

"Why are you hiding? I'm not going to eat you!"

Raiden Mei, who was at her wit's end, inexplicably felt a surge of anger welling up inside her, and turned to Kevin with a cold snort.

"That's not necessarily true..."

Kevin muttered something under his breath, his attitude clearly one of keeping his distance.

You've come all this way, and even dragged me along – you're clearly looking for trouble. I'd rather avoid this kind of trouble; I'm not stupid.

Accustomed to being the center of attention and enjoying the spotlight, Raiden Mei naturally possessed an innate arrogance. When she heard the boy's mumbled words, her lips twitched.

When did she become a monster?

"Come here!"

Enraged, Raiden Mei grabbed Kevin by the collar and pulled the cunning little rascal to her side.

However, Kevin, who was being dragged towards Raiden Mei, suddenly noticed a strange reflection on the rooftop. His expression changed slightly, and he tackled the ME Company's young lady who was pulling and tugging at him.

"Bang!"

The concrete ground where the two had been standing was now filled with flying dust and debris.

Immediately, the boy, pulling the grave-faced Raiden Mei along, performed a series of standard tactical evasive maneuvers, dodging two bullets, and jumped into nearby cover.

500 meters away! At eight o'clock! Two targets!

Armor-piercing Honkai energy dust? Assassination? They know Raiden Mei's Valkyrie identity? Why would anyone pull something like this now?

Kevin quickly assessed the battlefield situation, glanced at Raiden Mei beside him who was giving him a skeptical look at his skills, and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

I knew it; being a bodyguard is a high-risk profession, with absolutely no time to slack off.

"The gunfire has stopped!"

Raiden Mei listened intently, her right hand gripping the hilt of her sword, no longer paying attention to the little boy's clearly battlefield-style evasion.

"They actually managed to dodge it? It seems necessary to arrange a meeting with the two of you..."

"I, Hiruko Kageyasu, have been ordered to warn the Young Lady of ME Company not to go to the residence of the Cursed Children and meddle in other people's business."

In a strange, metallic tone, a man dressed in a tuxedo, wearing a magician's hat and a mask with a smiley face, bowed slightly in apology to Kevin and his companion's hiding place, appearing extremely polite and gentlemanly.

His known features include a slender build and skin tissue that has been largely replaced with Osmium prosthetics, giving his entire body a strange metallic sheen.

"Can I cut it, Dad?"

A young girl with bloodshot eyes, short dark blue hair, and a dress revealed a cruel and bloodthirsty smile as she drew two small katana from her waist and asked expectantly.

"No, Hinata, we've already sniped three times. God has rolled the dice, so today we just need a friendly hint."

Upon hearing her father Hiruko Kageyasu's order, Hiruko Kohina reluctantly retreated to her father's side, her expression somewhat regretful.

However, just as the strange father and daughter were about to turn and leave, a streak of sword light flashed from the alleyway, striking Hiruko Kageyasu in the heart.

Unexpectedly, a strange repulsive field suddenly opened up, and Raiden Mei's katana was deflected by the force.

At the same time, that swift, lightning-fast figure, wielding two small katanas, thrust directly into Raiden Mei's gaping abdomen, fiercely attempting to disembowel this beautiful woman.

Boom! But as Hiruko Kohina gripped her black full set of fingers and swung them out, even though she had her kodachi crossed and held horizontally to block, she was still thrown back seven or eight steps by the immense force.

"You really held back!" Raiden Mei glanced briefly at the boy with the seemingly harmless smile, finally confirming Bronya's guess.

"Mechanical modifications, Osmium metal prosthetics... If I'm not mistaken, you must be a former member of the Ground Self-Defense Force's 787th Mechanized Special Forces? Whom did you serve?"

Raiden Mei looked back at the strange father and daughter in front of her, her expression somewhat solemn and wary.

Months ago, Gastrea launched a massive invasion, and Japan's supposedly elite Self-Defense Forces suffered repeated defeats, at one point resulting in tens of thousands of deaths at the hands of those monsters.

In an effort to save face and boost public confidence in the national army, Prime Tendo Kikumori secretly submitted a coded order to ME Company for the mechanization of human bodies.

However, Raiden Ryoma has always been averse to such inhumane technology, so he resolutely refused.

As a result, the down-on-its-luck ME Company not only suffered political suppression from Japan, but this "787th Mechanized Special Forces" also secretly took shape and shone brightly on the battlefield.

But crooked paths are still crooked paths. After driving the Gastrea out of the land, the 787th Mechanized Special Forces had already suffered more than half casualties due to various reasons.

Furthermore, the government's deliberate attempt to cover up the stain of human modification led to this highly decorated unit being sidelined and even disbanded by politicians who valued their reputations.

As these unusual individuals roamed the countryside, Raiden Mei was unable to determine who had instructed the father and daughter to ambush her.

Hiruko Kageyasu raised his right index finger slightly, which, combined with the silver-white smiling mask, created a very eerie scene.

"Shh, this is a secret that cannot be told. Remember our advice: do not interfere in the affairs of the [Cursed Children]..."

"Life is only once, cherish it, young lady..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the mechanical monster pulled out a grenade from its pocket, pulled the pin, and threw it at Kevin and his companion.

"Careful!"

Raiden Mei noticed the logo of the Mikoyan Design Bureau, immediately picked up the boy, and jumped to the side.

At this moment, Kevin, who was pinned down, had no choice but to withdraw his right hand, his lips twitching.

If you weren't here, forget about solo kills, I could crush them to dust in a heartbeat!

Is this what they call increasing the game's difficulty? To avoid Raiden Mei becoming suspicious and causing a chain reaction, Kevin had no choice but to abandon his pursuit of the two fleas, letting them escape safely in the explosion.

Moments later, the Imperial Army, which controlled the area, arrived on patrol after hearing the commotion.

Only after Raiden Mei handed over a black pass issued by Schrodinger Company did they impatiently let her pass.

As for the details of the attack, the perpetrators asked only a few perfunctory questions, showing no interest in taking notes.

It was only at this point that Kevin's understanding of the Abandoned Commercial District as a "lawless zone" gradually deepened.

Beyond the outpost, past the forty- or fifty-meter-high black monolith used to isolate Gastrea Invasion, lies a bustling avenue leading directly to Tokyo.

The streets were bustling with people, and the shops lining both sides were packed with men and women. Electronic screens on both sides displayed advertisements for Shinra New Energy and Sword Art Online...

Kevin looked back at the desolate, abandoned neighborhood and the bustling scene before him, feeling a sense of temporal and spatial dislocation.

When those people noticed this resident from the Abandoned Commercial District, they involuntarily distanced themselves, their expressions revealing a hidden disgust, as if they were worried about being infected by Gastrea Virus.

Tokyoites despise Abandoned Commercial District, and commercial districts look down on those "Cursed Children." Humans always like to seek a sense of existence by comparing themselves with their peers.

This implicit hierarchy of contempt in the general public's mindset made Kevin slightly annoyed.

Chapter 469 (Fourth Update)

Inside the park, outside the women's restroom, Kevin stood by the door, looking around listlessly.

"I've changed my clothes, thank you..."

Raiden Mei's voice was barely audible as she carried a plastic bag containing old clothes and nodded slightly to the boy.

Due to the previous battle, her clothes were inevitably damaged. To prevent her father and best friends from worrying about her, this considerate young lady from ME Company sold another set of clothes, intending to change before entering the house.

A moment later, Raiden Mei, carrying two milkshakes, led Kevin to sit on a park bench and handed one of the cold drinks to the thoughtful little boy.

"The Busujima family's kenjutsu draws on the strengths of many schools, forming its own unique style. Saeko's father also studied under the Tendo Family, learning the Tendo combat techniques from the current head of the family, Tendo Kikumori..."

"Furthermore, during this process, my master and Tendou Kisara's parents had a very good personal relationship, and he could be considered her mentor..."

"However, due to some sordid affairs within the Tendo Family, the upright and straightforward grandmaster chose to travel overseas and, using his knowledge, establish the Dojo of the Busujima family..."

"Because the world is changing so fast, the relationship between the Busujima family and the Tendo Family has faded, and they haven't been in contact for a long time..."

"It wasn't until a month or two ago that Grandmaster heard that Tian Tong and his wife had been attacked and killed by Gastrea in their home in Abandoned Commercial District."

"Mugihito also lost her kidney function as a result, and her adopted son, Rentaro, lost his left eye, right wrist, and right leg while protecting her..."

"Prior to this, the Tendo couple had wanted to expose the family's corruption, so they suspected that this incident might be retaliation from within the Tendo Family. Ultimately, the two chose to break with the Tendo Family and move out of the mansion."

Kevin, being the kind of person who grasps things quickly, naturally understood the hidden meaning in Saeko Busujima's words and offered some speculative additions.

"So, the reason you, the Valkyrie of the St. Freya Academy, chose the relatively unknown Tendou Civil Security Company for this protection mission was at the behest of Saeko Busujima?"

Raiden Mei nodded slightly, then frowned.

"This was supposed to be a good intention to support the bloodline of an old friend, and the task was just running errands; there was no danger involved."