"Mr. Yin Kong, aren't you an expert in this field?"
She had always assumed that Cunning Rabbit House was actually this sort of mysterious organization, while All-Purpose Agency was merely a name meant to throw people off the scent.
A young onmyoji of unknown origins, commanding a strange floating white companion to exorcise evil spirits—wasn't that how television dramas always went?
Yin Kong shook his head.
"Unfortunately, I'm just like you. I know nothing about where these monsters came from. All I know is that they wander all over the place and crave human flesh and blood."
Ono Yoko was somewhat disappointed, but she quickly asked:
"Then what should we do now? Call the police?"
Yin Kong immediately rejected the idea.
"Of course not. What if there's no such official organization? How would we explain everything that happened in your apartment?"
Paimon agreed as well.
"Yeah, they'll think we're crazy."
And it would be even worse if they were treated as murderers.
Yin Kong had not forgotten that, strictly speaking, he was still an undocumented person with no identity.
He glanced at the mission prompt and said:
"How about this? Let's first establish an alibi for ourselves."
An alibi?
As Ono Yoko puzzled over this, she heard Yin Kong explain:
"Almost no one saw us along the way. The only exception was Mr. Yamagishi, who went to the apartment's security office. So, as long as someone happens to see us now, we can at least clear ourselves of suspicion and avoid being mistaken for the killers by the police."
Paimon suddenly understood.
"Oh, I get it! If there really are professionals among the police, then even in a situation like this, they'll keep investigating, right?"
Ono Yoko nodded, half-understanding.
"Then what should I do? Go out with Mr. Yin Kong now?"
"Exactly." Yin Kong nodded lightly, examining Ono Yoko's current outfit. "But Miss Yoko should dress up a little first. It would be best to wear a pair of sunglasses."
Ono Yoko asked in confusion:
"Why wear sunglasses? Aren't we supposed to be recognized?"
Before Yin Kong could explain, Paimon smugly wagged a finger.
"I know, I know. We need to be noticed accidentally. If we don't disguise ourselves at all, it'll seem a little too deliberate.
"As expected of you—you're getting more and more criminal-minded."
Chapter 22: The System's Divine Power
"This is the place."
Yin Kong quickly led the disguised Ono Yoko out of the apartment and headed with her to the corner by the exit of a parking lot on the next street.
"Mr. Yin Kong, are we just standing here?"
Naturally, Ono Yoko could not see the mission guidance. Seeing Yin Kong have her wait there without making any further move, she could not help finding it strange.
"That's right. As for why, Miss Yoko should find out soon enough."
Yin Kong did not actually know what was special about this place either, but from his experience, the mission guidance provided by the system might not be the optimal solution, yet it was often the safest one.
They did not have to wait long before Yin Kong heard a burst of hurried footsteps.
With his reaction speed, he could naturally have pulled Ono Yoko aside ahead of time.
But Yin Kong did not do so, because he knew the mission's style well enough to understand that this might be the "opportunity" they had been waiting for.
Sure enough, the owner of those hasty footsteps soon slammed into Ono Yoko, who had no time to dodge, sending them both sprawling.
"Ow, ow, ow..."
The person Yin Kong had been waiting for was a beautiful young woman with black hair.
She was in a great hurry and carried a stack of paper documents in her arms.
Since she had fallen flat on her backside, those documents had naturally scattered all over the ground.
Yin Kong reached out and pulled Ono Yoko to her feet. She still looked as though she had not fully processed what had happened. He asked pointedly:
"Miss Yoko, are you all right?"
Ono Yoko finally came to her senses. After seeing the look in Yin Kong's eyes, a pained expression immediately appeared on her face.
When the idol lady staggered, Yin Kong quickly reached out and supported her.
"Ah, it hurts. I think I twisted my ankle."
Yin Kong praised her inwardly. As expected of a popular idol—she not only caught on quickly, but her acting was also flawless. Even he could not hear the slightest crack in that pained voice.
The hurried woman finally came back to her senses and repeatedly bowed in apology.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
However, as she apologized, she noticed the documents scattered all over the ground, and her expression immediately turned despairing.
It's over. The appointment time is almost here!
"Kuriyama, I told you not to be in such a hurry." At that moment, a sharp and capable-looking mature woman in glasses hurried over in high heels. "After you got out of the car, I received a call from Mrs. Harano. She has something urgent to deal with, so today's appointment has been canceled."
"The appointment was canceled? Whew—what a relief. If Lawyer Fei had been late because of me, I would have been too ashamed to show my face."
The young woman called Kuriyama looked immensely relieved, then quickly turned her attention back to Yin Kong and Ono Yoko.
Before she could say anything, Ono Yoko's phone rang.
After taking out her phone, Ono Yoko unconsciously looked toward Yin Kong.
It was an unfamiliar number. Unless something unexpected had happened, it was most likely the police.
And that was indeed the case. Once the call connected, the other party quickly introduced themself as being from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
They informed Ono Yoko that a murder was suspected to have occurred in her apartment and told her to return immediately to assist with the investigation.
After the call ended, the mature woman with glasses politely asked:
"Do you two need help?"
When Yin Kong and Ono Yoko looked over, she immediately introduced herself.
"My name is Fei Yingli. I'm a lawyer."
So it really was you.
In fact, when Miss Kuriyama had called her Lawyer Fei, Yin Kong had already vaguely guessed her identity.
Her surname was Fei, she was a lawyer, and she was so mature and beautiful—the chances of mistaking her for someone else were far too low.
After accepting the business card Kuriyama Midori handed over, he confirmed it completely. She was indeed the mother of the female lead, Mori Ran—the famous attorney known as the Unbeatable Queen of the Legal World.
Yin Kong had not expected the mission guidance to arrange for this woman to provide their alibi.
Then again, in Yin Kong's memory, criminals who asked the main cast to provide false testimony never seemed to end well, did they?
Of course, strictly speaking, they were not really criminals, were they?
Yin Kong hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to trust in the system's divine power and ask Fei Yingli to drive them back to the apartment.
"If possible, that would be a huge help."
"It's nothing, really. Besides, my assistant was the one who accidentally ran into you. We should be the ones apologizing."
Naturally, while Yin Kong was observing Fei Yingli, the great Lawyer Fei was also silently studying the two of them.
Yin Kong was one thing. Though he was not the kind of stunningly handsome man who could shake the heavens and earth, he possessed a strange aura that made people want to trust and rely on him.
At least in Fei Yingli's eyes, he was far more pleasing than her daughter's flamboyant childhood friend.
But Ono Yoko was different. That large hat-and-sunglasses disguise made it difficult not to find her suspicious.
Moreover, although Fei Yingli did not make a habit of eavesdropping on other people's phone calls, she had vaguely heard words like "murder case" and "investigation" just now.
As Yin Kong helped Ono Yoko into the car, the popular idol finally found an opportunity to lean close and whisper into his ear.
"Actually, I really did twist my ankle."
Yin Kong understood inwardly. As expected of the mission guidance. Was this within your calculations too?
"Sorry. Please bear with it a little longer."
"You don't need to apologize."
Ono Yoko was not that delicate by nature. She only said it because she was worried Yin Kong might make the wrong judgment.
After fastening her seat belt, Fei Yingli looked at the two whispering in the rearview mirror and raised an eyebrow.
"Are you two a couple?"
Ono Yoko froze. She was about to deny it, but then hesitantly looked at Yin Kong.
If they were not a couple, would their whispering just now seem somewhat suspicious?
Yin Kong shook his head with a smile.
"Lawyer Fei, you misunderstand. We're just friends."
Upon hearing that answer, Ono Yoko felt relieved, yet she could not help feeling a faint sense of disappointment as well.
"Friends? That's fine too." Fei Yingli raised an eyebrow and casually said, "Men at that age are the best at sweet-talking. Don't let yourself get carried away and—"
Ono Yoko immediately corrected her with an agitated yet earnest expression.
"You misunderstand. Yin Kong is absolutely not that kind of person!"
Seeing her reaction, even Kuriyama Midori, who was driving, understood what was going on. Even if the two were not a couple yet, they were probably close enough.
Fei Yingli helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed. Still, she knew perfectly well that no matter how much she tried to persuade her in this situation, the effect would be minimal.
Noticing that the atmosphere had suddenly become a little awkward, Kuriyama Midori casually turned on the car radio, and pleasant music immediately filled the cabin.
"Even if the sun sets, the darkness will no longer imprison me. The rest of my life will surely be the same..."
Ono Yoko froze and could not help looking at Yin Kong again.
Even with the sunglasses obscuring her eyes, Yin Kong could sense the surprise in her gaze.
The reason was simple: the song Kuriyama Midori was playing was one sung by Ono Yoko herself.
Could this also have been Yin Kong's arrangement?
Or was it merely a coincidence?
If it had been deliberately arranged, would that not be far too unbelievable?
Chapter 23: Returning to the Scene
Ono Yoko's eyes were filled with disbelief.
If Yin Kong could arrange for them to run into Fei Yingli by chance, then although it was a coincidence, there was at least some way to explain it. But what was happening now left her racking her brains, unable to understand how it could possibly have been done.
Noticing that Ono Yoko's reaction was somewhat unusual, Kuriyama Midori could not help asking:
"Don't you like this song? Then I'll change it."
Although she had worries on her mind, Ono Yoko's mood still became rather complicated.
"There's no need. It's not that I dislike it—"
"Wait! That voice?"
Kuriyama Midori finally froze.
She had always thought Ono Yoko's voice sounded somewhat familiar, but she had never given it much thought.
Until now, when Ono Yoko's reply sounded alongside the song, she finally realized:
"Could you be—Miss Yoko?!"
Before you continue