Assignment

When she reached the desk, D saw that the telephone on it was flashing its recording button. She pressed it with one hand, and a voice sounded.

"It's me. There's something I need your help with. I'll come by your place in a bit."

"Dote? What trouble is he in this time?"

D was familiar with this voice. He was a police officer in the city where D was currently staying. They had worked together several times. Overall, Dote was a very justice-minded cop, and the two of them got along well. He had also commissioned D to investigate and resolve several cases involving Electronic Devils.

He was probably calling about that this time as well.

Because of Doomsday, satellites around the world had mostly been blown up, and the base stations used to transmit signals were in even worse shape. For the sake of safety, humanity had returned to the age of landlines and public telephones. After all, whatever else could be said about them, these things couldn't be invaded and destroyed through electronic networks.

D didn't mind it. In fact, there was a certain retro charm to it. Of course, for modern people accustomed to using mobile phones, it could be rather inconvenient.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Just then, someone knocked on the door. D sat in the chair and changed his posture.

"Come in."

As D spoke, the door opened, and a man in a police uniform walked in.

"Yo, good morning, Duanmu."

"Good morning, Dote."

D greeted the man before her. Since she was currently living under an assumed identity, she naturally couldn't use the name D. After all, in the textbooks used in modern education, D was recorded as a figure who had influenced human history. Using that name again would be far too dangerous.

So...