All sorts of thoughts flashed through Torimaru Naoko's mind. Gratified as she was, she did not forget the matter at hand.
She began with the most important part. "A while ago, I attended a gathering of subordinates arranged by 'that person.'"
As she said this, she felt a little guilty. ...Running away and diving into a car, only to run into two colleagues and a cat—that should count as a gathering too, right?
Never mind. The more serious she made it sound, the more vigilant Jiang Xia would be.
Torimaru Naoko cleared her throat. "At that gathering, I saw Hashimoto Maya. And now he has appeared by your side—he must be an undercover agent sent by that person to gather information."
She had expected Jiang Xia to become instantly alert, preferably recalling some evidence of Hashimoto Maya's crimes and then joining forces with the roomful of police officers to arrest him on the spot.
But that did not happen.
Jiang Xia looked even calmer than if he had heard that it was a cloudy day. He nodded, as though he had known this all along. "One each. Fair enough—then what we end up getting will depend on our own abilities, as well as yours."
Torimaru Naoko: "..." You knew too!?
She froze for a moment, unable to speak. She had thought she could become a sharp blade Jiang Xia could use against Uzo, a qualified intelligence agent. But now...
The passionate feeling of fighting Uzo and his lackeys vanished. Torimaru Naoko suddenly felt as lost as if she had been fired.
Jiang Xia glanced at her and comforted her. "If you run into any trouble, come find me anytime. And if you encounter anyone showing signs of criminal activity, make sure to tell me immediately—don't face them alone. They're very