Containment Begins
That afternoon, the first batch of Cursed Children were sent to the outer district.
They were brought out from every corner of the city.
Some were taken away by the police from the street, some were sent by welfare agencies from shelters, and some were handed over voluntarily by their parents.
"We can't afford to raise them anyway, so if the government wants to take care of them, then let them."
A middle-aged woman pushed her daughter in front of the police and then turned and left.
The girl stood there, her red eyes fixed on her mother's retreating figure, without saying a word.
She didn't cry.
Because she was already used to it.
Higashino Makoto stood atop an abandoned factory in the outer district, looking down at the gray, desolate land below.
In the distance, black Monolith stand on the horizon, like a row of giant tombstones.
The surface of the monument is inlaid with chromatic metal, which gleams with a dark red luster in the setting sun.
Those metals can release magnetic fields that are harmful to Gastrea, making them humanity's last line of defense.
Novas Etier.
"Grown ups."
Shinano stood behind him, her nine fox tails swaying gently in the evening breeze.
"Miss Rem has arrived with her entourage. They are arranging accommodations in Novas Etier."
How many people are there?
"Currently, there are 1,327, and the number is still increasing."
Higashino Makoto nodded.
What about the Seitenshi?
"The coordination is still ongoing. The governments of Osaka, Sendai, Sapporo, Hakata —the other four regions—are unwilling to cooperate."
"Why?"
"Because the local government didn't want to waste resources on this. Besides, those children are also an important fighting force."
"Then let them cooperate."
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
"Tell those people that if they don't cooperate, what will happen? I set up so many Doppelganger precisely for situations like this. Oh, and send some monsters skilled in 'Humanoid Charm' over to help."
"They have no right to refuse the plan I've set!"
"Yes, sir. But what about the ordinary people?"
After all, the number of monsters is limited; they can only control or replace some of the higher-ups.
But there are many who fear the Cursed Children.
"Then intimidate and threaten them, tell them that if they don't do it, it will lead to an even bigger disaster. Let the controlled politicians figure out the specifics; aren't they good at that?"
Shinano's fox ears twitched slightly.
"Sir, are you threatening them?"
"Yes, a threat."
He turned around and walked into the factory.
"Fear is the best weapon. They fear losing their security, so threaten them with security. They fear losing their wealth, so threaten them with wealth. Whatever they fear, threaten them with—that's politics."
Shinano followed behind him.
"Sir, you seem to be... very good at this?"
"I'm not good at it. But I possess absolute strength, which gives me countless opportunities to try and fail. If this method doesn't work, I can just try another one."
He paused.
"Moreover, I now hold absolute power in the Tokyo Area and control the vast majority of Japan's flower resources. They have no choice but to obey."
Shinano looked at him, her purple eyes flashing with a complex light.
Higashino Makoto returns to the Black Bullet.
Push open the factory's iron gate and step into the area bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun.
The outer districts are quieter at night than downtown Tokyo.
There were no neon lights, no traffic noise, only the mournful sound of the wind blowing through the ruins and the low hum of the nuclear power plant in the distance.
Higashino Makoto walked along an abandoned street, with collapsed buildings and empty spaces piled with garbage on both sides.
The air was filled with a stench of decay and chemicals.
The Cursed Children were gathered in this area.
The government did not build them new houses; it simply cleared out several existing abandoned apartment buildings in the outer area, connected them to water and electricity, and installed iron gates and surveillance cameras.
"Prison."
Higashino Makoto spoke in a low voice as he walked to an apartment building.
The building is not tall, only five stories high. Most of the paint on the exterior walls has peeled off, revealing gray-black cement.
The windows were fitted with iron bars, and the door was a heavy iron door that could only be opened from the outside.
Two guards wearing bulletproof vests stood at the entrance, each holding a stun gun.
Upon seeing Higashino Makoto, they all stood at attention.
Of course, they are not actually the main security force.
There are demons lurking in the shadows, not just the foreign enemies, but also them.
After all, who knows if they might be extremists behind the scenes?
As for viewing memories?
It's not that it's impossible, but it's not as convenient as directly assigning monsters to monitor them.
"Advisor Higashino."
"Hmm, how many people are inside?"
"This building has forty-seven. The one next to it has sixty-three. The one behind it has ninety-two. And they're still increasing."
Higashino Makoto nodded, pushed open the iron gate, and went inside.
The hallway was narrow, dimly lit, and had a damp, stale smell, as if it hadn't been ventilated in a long time.
The doors to the rooms on both sides were closed, and numbers were posted on the doors.
He walked to the first room and knocked on the door.
There was no response.
He knocked again.
There has still been no response.
He pushed the door open.
The room was small, about ten square meters, with a bed, a table, and a chair.
A little girl was curled up on the bed.
Her silver-white hair was disheveled, and her red eyes peered at him through the gaps in her hair.
She had injuries on her face.
New and old together.
The new blood is still seeping, while the old blood has already scabbed over.
Higashino Makoto crouched down to be at her eye level.
Does it hurt?
The girl didn't say anything.
She simply looked at him, her red eyes devoid of any emotion.
It's not that I'm not afraid, it's that I'm used to it.
I'm used to being hit, used to being scolded, used to being treated like a monster.
I've gotten so used to it that I'm no longer afraid.
Higashino Makoto raised his hand, and a pale golden light appeared in his palm.
The light enveloped the girl's body.
Those wounds, old and new, healed rapidly in the light.
Does it still hurt?
The girl looked down at her arm.
The scars have disappeared.
"No... it doesn't hurt anymore."
Her voice was hoarse.
Have you eaten yet?
"... No."
Higashino Makoto stood up, took a piece of bread from his backpack, and handed it to her.
The girl looked at the piece of bread, swallowed hard, but didn't take it.
"Eat it, it's not poisonous."
She reached out, took the bread, took a bite, chewed it, and swallowed it.
Then he took another bite, chewed it again, and swallowed it.
Tears streamed down my face.
She didn't wipe it away, but just ate the piece of bread, tears sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto her clothes.
"You'll only need to live here for a few days. I'll help you live a normal life."
Higashino Makoto turned around and walked out of the room.
The door closed behind him.
The girl hugged the piece of bread, curled up on the bed, and stared at the closed door.
"Higashino Makoto..."
Her voice was very soft.
"Higashino Makoto... Higashino Makoto..."
She repeated the name over and over again.
Then she lowered her head and continued eating her bread.
The bread was very sweet.
That was the sweetest thing she had ever eaten in her life.