"Of course we do. Why wouldn't we?" the man said. "The more business they take on, the more often they're bound to investigate."
The others were surprised. "That makes sense. When Players resort to underhanded tactics, the District Government can't do anything about it."
"It's not that they can't do anything. If the District Government were powerless, how could District 001 have developed like this?" The man took a sip of hot soup and continued, "Didn't I just say? It's a tradition here in District 001. The words 'champion justice and protect the innocent' are practically carved into their bones. They take care of things the law covers, and they take care of things it doesn't."
"Otherwise, why do you think these companies investigate before taking a job? They only act when someone's beyond the pale, both legally and morally."
"Cheating on your spouse isn't exactly worth killing someone over," someone objected. "By that standard, how many people would have to die in District 001?"
"That's the rule," the man said. "Love gives rise to desire, desire to greed, and greed to betrayal. What looks like a simple affair to you might be someone plotting to kill the people in their way so they can live happily ever after."
"The rules are the line that exists beyond the law. Once someone crosses that line, human nature knows no bounds."
"No wonder," someone joked. "I couldn't find anywhere to have fun after I got here. I thought all the men in this Sub-district were monks. Turns out they're just afraid of getting killed."
Locals inside and outside the shop turned to look at him, their gazes cold.
It wasn't only ordinary citizens. Players from this district who were active nearby did the same.
The grinning man's smile vanished. The shop owner