Terrifying Intuition

After arriving in the West Block, Su Xiao did not get out of the car immediately.

"Mado Akira, do you know the specific situation in the West Block?"

Although Ghouls preyed on one another in the West Block, some ordinary civilians also lived nearby.

"Of course. After I was assigned to Ward 14, I thoroughly familiarized myself with the situation here."

Mado Akira rummaged around in the car for a while and pulled out a file folder.

"Ward 14: Nakano Ward. Cannibalism is common in this area. Most Ghouls hide among ordinary people. Ghouls from various factions are spread throughout the area, making it a social venue for Ghouls. There are also many Ghoul information brokers..."

Su Xiao lit a cigarette and silently listened to Mado Akira's explanation.

He opened the car window and exhaled a plume of smoke.

"Second-Class Investigator Byakuya, please don't smoke. Cigarettes contain more than four thousand chemical substances, sixty of which are highly harmful to the body. These include nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, irritating compounds..."

"Secondhand smoke also affects my skin."

Smoke curled through the air as Su Xiao spoke:

"Can you find a bar called 'Helter Skelter'? It should be somewhere nearby."

Mado Akira sighed helplessly.

"No problem."

Taking out a small computer, Mado Akira began checking the map of the surrounding area.

"I found it. It's right..."

Before Mado Akira could finish speaking, Su Xiao suddenly sat up straight and looked at a passerby on the street.

"Ghoul."

Su Xiao's sharp gaze startled Mado Akira.

"What?"

Mado Akira looked at Su Xiao blankly, somewhat unable to believe that he could distinguish a Ghoul through sight alone.

Su Xiao got out of the car and slowly followed a middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man looked tired, like an office worker whose career was going poorly. He carried a briefcase in one hand.

"Second-Class Investigator Byakuya, wait for me."

Mado Akira carried her suitcase and hurried after Su Xiao.

"Can you tell me how you determined that man was a Ghoul?"

"Intuition."

The middle-aged man ahead turned and entered an alley. Su Xiao quickly followed.

"I~intuition?"

Suspicion showed in Mado Akira's eyes as she watched Su Xiao's back. She was not only puzzled, but also wondered whether this Second-Class Investigator was really all right.

In the dark, damp alley, the middle-aged man continued walking slowly.

"Stop."

Su Xiao's slightly chilling voice came from behind him.

"You are?"

The middle-aged man looked at Su Xiao in confusion, his peripheral vision sweeping over the surroundings.

"Don't use a briefcase to carry human flesh next time. The blood will seep out."

Su Xiao's words caused the middle-aged man's expression to change. Panic appeared in his eyes.

"Meddling in other people's business. You're really asking to die."

The middle-aged man's expression suddenly turned vicious. His eyes reddened as he charged at Su Xiao.

The Ghoul before him was not strong, only around B-Rank. Su Xiao did not even draw Dragon Slayer Flash.

The middle-aged man rushed up in a few steps and punched toward Su Xiao's head. His movements were stiff, and he was far too slow.

Su Xiao had no interest in dodging such an attack.

He abruptly raised his left leg and kicked the middle-aged man in the lower abdomen. The man cried out in pain, his body folding into a V-shape as he spat out a large mouthful of sour liquid.

The middle-aged man's posture happened to bring his head right in front of Su Xiao.

Su Xiao took advantage of the opening to wrap an arm around the man's neck. His arm tightened, viciously squeezing the man's throat.

"Let~let me go, you..."

Just as Su Xiao locked the middle-aged man's neck, Mado Akira hurried into the alley.

"Crack."

The crisp sound of bones being wrenched apart rang out. The middle-aged man's body suddenly went limp. Su Xiao released his arm, and the man's corpse collapsed onto the ground.

"Find someone to clean this up."

Su Xiao walked past Mado Akira. She stared in astonishment at the dead Ghoul.

Mado Akira could not help wondering whether it was really possible to find Ghouls through intuition alone.

Su Xiao returned to the car. He himself did not know why, but the moment he inadvertently saw that middle-aged man, he had suddenly sensed that the other party was a Ghoul.

At the time, no blood had seeped from the briefcase in the man's hand. That had happened afterward.

Su Xiao privately guessed that this might be related to his increased attributes.

Along with the increase in his attributes, he had felt a major change in his body. His build had not changed, but all the muscles throughout his body had clearly become denser and stronger.

Before entering Reincarnation Paradise, Su Xiao practiced swordsmanship for long periods every day.

His unscientific training had damaged the wrist of his right hand somewhat, and it used to ache whenever the weather turned cloudy or rainy.

Now, however, the old injury in his wrist was basically healed. It would not take long for it to recover completely.

Mado Akira also returned to the car. This time, her gaze toward Su Xiao was clearly different.

"Second-Class Investigator Byakuya, where are we going?"

"Helter Skelter Bar."

The car started, and five minutes later, the two arrived in front of Helter Skelter Bar.

"Wait for me in the car."

Su Xiao got out, leaving Mado Akira alone.

Helter Skelter Bar was run by a female Ghoul named Ito.

Although Su Xiao did not know the bar's exact location, he knew that it was a small information center.

He had not come to exterminate Ito. He had come to gather information.

Ito was an S-Rank Ghoul. Under normal circumstances, Su Xiao would not let her go, but she had an even more important use.

An information broker who understood Ghouls was far more valuable than a Treasure Chest. Through Ito, Su Xiao could obtain even more Treasure Chests.

When he entered the bar, there were no customers inside because it was daytime.

The bar had a retro style. The four walls were unadorned and had a dull yellow color. There was not a single window in the entire bar. Only one lamp hung above the counter, leaving the interior somewhat dim.

"Welcome."

A somewhat lazy female voice came from behind the counter. Su Xiao sat down in front of the bar.

"Customer, what would you like to drink?"

Ito stood behind the counter. Her long orange-red hair was especially conspicuous in the dim bar, the brightest color in the entire room.

Ito appeared calm, but she was actually extremely wary. As an information broker, she recognized Su Xiao immediately.

Noticing Ito's gaze, Su Xiao knew that things would be much easier.

"Answer one question for me, and I won't cause you trouble."

Ito stepped back several paces, keeping a safe distance from Su Xiao.

"Third-Class Investigator Byakuya, the monster-level human who fought Eto."

The bar fell into complete silence. Neither of them spoke.

Su Xiao was slightly surprised by Ito's information-gathering ability. It was normal for her to know about Takatsuki Sen, but he had not expected her to know that he had already joined the CCG.

"Go ahead. What do you want to ask?"

Ito sighed and chose to yield.

"Where is the Cannibal Zone in Ward 14?"

"Right here, in the West Block."

Ito picked up the wineglass beside her. It contained half a glass of dark-red liquid that looked like red wine, but was actually human blood.

Ghouls' taste buds were different from humans'. After eating human food, they experienced an intense fishy taste.

Even alcohol was undrinkable for Ghouls. Aside from water and coffee, Ghouls could not properly consume any human food.

"The exact location in the West Block. The more specific, the better."

Su Xiao was already becoming impatient.

"Don't make such a terrifying face.

"All right, all right. Every night after nine, the central area of the West Block becomes the region where cannibalism is most severe."

Ito did not hesitate much before betraying the other Ghouls.

After learning the details, Su Xiao left the bar. He had already thought of a way to complete the mission quickly.

If everything went smoothly, he would be able to complete Main Quest (2) in less than a week.

"What does cannibalism really look like? It's truly something to 'look forward to.'"

Then he suddenly remembered that Swordsman's owed updates had not been made up yet. If the novel went premium, and the extra updates for alliance leaders and stewards were included, wouldn't I work myself to death?