Demotion

"It is you. Nakai Hayato."

The current investigation team belonged to the Criminal Investigation Department, so as its director, he naturally needed to stay informed about the case's progress at all times; otherwise, he would have no way to report and summarize the situation to the higher-ups.

And Nakai Hayato was, without a doubt, one of the primary targets.

Nakai Hayato was quite satisfied that Odagiri knew his name, but he was very dissatisfied with the faint sense of fear emanating from him.

"You shouldn't have tried to lay a hand on the Society. The arrogance of a mortal only invites calamities one cannot handle." Nakai Hayato finally understood why villains were so talkative at times; this feeling of controlling everything was intoxicating. Especially when it came to someone previously considered high-ranking and untouchable—now, with just a single thought, he could be crushed like a bug. It was truly wonderful.

Of course, he considered himself an emissary of the Holy Infant, so how could he be a bad person?

These people who delayed the spread of the Holy Infant's benevolence across the world were the truly heinous ones.

Odagiri tugged at his tie, as if trying to breathe more easily. "Before I die, can you tell me who is behind you?"

"Even now, you still refuse to acknowledge the existence of the Holy Infant? Truly ignorant and arrogant." Nakai Hayato glanced at the police officer struggling beneath him, picked up the gun from the ground, and held it out. "If I told you that I would let you go if you picked up this gun and killed him, would you believe me?"

Odagiri forced himself to remain calm as he took the gun, glancing at his subordinate who was twitching in pain. "Why don't we try another way? You don't kill him, and I commit suicide. How about that?"

Nakai Hayato was stunned, then nodded slowly. "Fine, you believe my words."

"Thank you." Odagiri sighed, took out a family photo from his wallet, looked at it silently for a moment, then gripped it tightly in his palm. He shoved the gun into his mouth, a chaotic flash of images crossing his mind.

Bang.

Blood splattered, and he collapsed backward, lifeless.

Staring at the corpse, Nakai Hayato's expression soured; he hadn't seen the scene of mutual slaughter for the sake of survival that he had wanted to witness.

It seemed not all high-ranking officials were useless sacks of wine and rice.

He glanced at the police officer at his feet, who was unsure whether to cry out in pain or wail, and suddenly felt a sense of boredom. He stepped over him, ignored the onlookers who dared not approach, and with a few leaps, vanished from the highway.

At that moment, the phone in Odagiri's pocket began to ring.

Bang!

The Superintendent General slammed his thermos onto the floor.

His face was twisted with rage, his voice even distorted.

"A dignified Criminal Investigation Department director of the Metropolitan Police Department, forced to commit suicide in broad daylight! Is this the result of your work?! Noguchi Yuji, are you even capable of doing your job! Do you deserve the trust Director Odagiri placed in you?!"

Noguchi Yuji kept his head bowed, offering no response, his back slightly hunched.

The office was deathly quiet.

After a few seconds, Major William, who was standing to the side, gave two light coughs. "Superintendent Kojima, Section Chief Noguchi's judgment and actions were compliant and reasonable. We are all saddened by Director Odagiri's sacrifice, but this also shows that the enemy is not unafraid of us. On the contrary, they need to target us to gain a breathing space. If we remove Section Chief Noguchi, who has been tracking the case from the start, from the investigation team now, we would undoubtedly be falling right into their trap."

Kojima Yushitsu's bloodshot eyes locked onto Noguchi Yuji. "Since Major William is pleading for you, you may remain on the investigation team, but Kuroki Niizumi will take over as team leader, and the authority will be transferred to the General Affairs Division. Noguchi Yuji, do you have any objections?"

"Superintendent, I have no objections." Noguchi Yuji shook his head.

Knock, knock, knock. A knock sounded at the door.

Kojima Yushitsu frowned, steadying his breathing slightly. "Come in."

"Superintendent, the surviving police officer has regained consciousness and says he has extremely important information to report."

"Good, I understand." Kojima Yushitsu waved his hand, and the assistant retreated.

"Now, organize your people immediately to interrogate the members of the Holy Infant Society. You may turn off the surveillance; you have free rein. Regarding Nakai Hayato, if there is concrete information, I can request assistance from the Self-Defense Force. Do not let me and Odagiri down again." After saying this, Kojima Yushitsu dismissed them.

Once outside, Kuroki Niizumi finally let out a slow breath. She looked at the two men beside her; William had lost the smile he usually wore and was lost in thought, while Noguchi Yuji looked like a plum blossom bowed low under the weight of frost and snow, though one could still feel the fighting spirit hidden within him.

Fortunately, she had truly been worried that Noguchi Yuji would be crushed by the death of Director Odagiri.

"Let's go listen to the survivor's information first, then arrange the interrogations. How about that?" Kuroki Niizumi asked the two men.

"No problem."

"Fine."

After the assassination of Director Odagiri, they now only dared to go out if accompanied by a group of guards and heavy firepower.

Upon arriving at the hospital, inside the intensive care unit, the survivor told them a crucial piece of information with great difficulty.

Nakai Hayato had been marked with Tracking Pheromone by Director Odagiri without his knowledge.

Tracking Pheromone was a special, colorless, and odorless substance, but it was a pheromone that could be "seen."

It was generally used for the protection of high-ranking officials or the wealthy. When kidnapped, if an item carrying the raw Tracking Pheromone came into contact with the skin, it would volatilize and adhere within a certain range, leaving behind a pheromone that could be observed through special devices, thus enabling tracking.

Odagiri's Tracking Pheromone had been hidden in that family photo; before committing suicide, he had rubbed the photo to ensure the pheromone transferred onto Nakai Hayato.

This news invigorated all three of them; the situation had now shifted from the enemy being in the light and them in the dark to the opposite.

"Major William, I will be responsible for tracking Nakai Hayato's whereabouts. You and Section Chief Noguchi will be responsible for interrogating the Holy Infant Society members. Let's keep each other informed of any progress."

"Understood."

The three split up. The Holy Infant members who had been captured earlier were, in fact, already being interrogated the moment they were caught.

Especially after the order was given that torture was permitted, very few could hold out.

"That's all I know, I've told you everything!"

"I've only been in the Society for less than two months, I don't know anything, really."

"I only know the core members of the company; they haven't even spoken a few words to me."

"I'm just a plant hired to be here, a fake employee!"

"."

However, there were two exceptions whom the investigation team did not torture: the two core members who previously held the identities of housewives.

Because they possessed the ability of [Steel Body], ordinary torture instruments were completely ineffective against them.

Although Shiraishi Wataru could withdraw their abilities at any time, or even cause the Parasite to dissolve instantly, he wanted to see if these people from the investigation team could scan for the presence of the Parasite without damaging the human body.

After all, his Parasites came with built-in internal camouflage.