Jingzhe

Her invitation had been fairly enthusiastic, but there was an indescribably strange feeling about it.

Exusiai found it rather odd.

Hoshino suddenly sensed that something was wrong as well. She promptly stopped herself and never mentioned what she had just said again. Instead, she held out her hand to the two couriers for their business cards. Most people would never turn down an opportunity to earn some extra money, and Hoshino got what she wanted.

After slipping the two still-warm business cards into her sleeve, Hoshino went back to work.

This time, she finally had help.

The four of them divided up the work, bent down, and tied the enemies up one by one. Their nimble hands flew back and forth, and before long, they had finished everything.

Croissant looked up and wiped away her sweat.

Just as she was about to say something, her communicator suddenly began ringing nonstop. She could only turn around and answer it.

"Boss?"

"What are you doing? They've hit our home base!"

Croissant scratched her head helplessly. She figured the boss had probably been drinking, which was why he was so worked up.

"Aren't you hiding in the bunker across the street?"

"They sealed the bar's entrance with bricks and posted guards outside. They didn't just smash the place up and leave. I'm trapped inside now. They're a bunch of lunatics."

"Huh?"

Croissant was briefly at a loss for words. "Then they seem pretty smart."

"Hurry up!"

Emperor had no time to exchange pleasantries with his employees. After roaring at them to hurry up, he cut off the call. Croissant turned back awkwardly and pointed at the now-silent communicator.

"The boss is rushing us again."

"Did he mention a raise or performance bonuses?"

Exusiai was eager to get moving, but Texas remained very calm and asked a highly practical question.

"No."

At that awkward answer, Texas shook her head.

"The boss wants his employees to work harder, but refuses to mention raises? Isn't that a bit too wishful?"

"Agreed."

Exusiai chimed in.

Complaints were complaints, but they still had work to do. Hoshino watched them casually climb into a car, planning to head to Penguin Logistics' bar to rescue their boss from danger and give those frightened birds a good scare while they were at it.

She thought of something she had overlooked earlier and patted Croissant on the shoulder.

"By the way, doesn't Penguin Logistics have another employee? Aren't you worried about Sora's safety at all?"

"Sora went to an idol event. She's probably singing and dancing under everyone's gaze right now. She's probably the safest one among us."

Hoshino nodded.

She leaned back in her seat as the car roared to life, its engine howling. Croissant suddenly shot Hoshino a meaningful look from beside her, signaling for her to buckle up.

What was wrong?

She glanced at Texas in the driver's seat.

With Texas' driving skills, there shouldn't be any problem, right?

She regretted it soon enough.

There was nothing wrong with Texas' driving skills. The problem was that she liked to floor the accelerator without changing expression. Even with her body pressed tightly into the seat by acceleration, she still held the steering wheel with one hand while reaching into her pocket with the other for snacks.

Not wearing a seatbelt really was unsettling.

Lungmen Guard Department, Ch'en's office.

"Penguin Logistics caused trouble again? This time, it's with..."

"Mm?!"

Ch'en's voice suddenly rose, then her throat spasmed and she began coughing again. Her body trembled slightly with every cough.

She wore a sleeveless shirt, and her hands were wrapped in bandages.

Her voice was somewhat hoarse from her constant exertion.

Ch'en reluctantly opened her mouth. Hoshiguma, standing five steps away, immediately understood. She opened a throat lozenge and tossed it lightly, dropping it perfectly into Ch'en's mouth. The cool, spicy sensation instantly made her feel much better, and her body relaxed as well.

Ever since injuring her hand, she had been eating throat lozenges far less often, and naturally her throat had become more uncomfortable.

Probably because she was embarrassed.

Hoshiguma stepped over to check the mission log.

The report recounted Penguin Logistics' story from an observer's perspective. Croissant had gone to Yae Shrine to invite the shrine maiden out, and after descending the mountain, the shrine maiden had wiped out two groups of enemies with the force of a tiger charging down a mountain. Even on paper, it carried a dangerous air.

"Penguin Logistics' headquarters was sealed off?"

After reaching the end, Hoshiguma found it absurd. "Just how afraid are they of Emperor?"

"No idea."

Ch'en said viciously, "But I think there's something wrong with this shrine maiden."

Hearing such a childish remark, Hoshiguma said with a laugh, "Don't let personal feelings affect the case. Isn't that what you used to emphasize over and over?"

"But there really is something wrong with her."

Ch'en was not looking at the matter with prejudice. She was merely going by the mission report.

"She took down nearly four hundred people. The report says no one saw what weapon she used the entire time. I find that strange."

"Is it strange?"

Hoshiguma thought, This is a ruthless fighter who can injure people with force using nothing but a broken blade.

"They remained extremely restrained throughout, dancing samba along the edge of the law. It seems our Lungmen Guard Department has no reason to intervene."

"We can't just do nothing, can we?"

That was the difficult part. The Guard Department existed to protect the people's safety and had a complete set of rules and regulations. Yet despite being utterly neurotic, the other side possessed tremendous experience and had not violated any laws.

They had been quite restrained.

But praising them for doing a good job would be strange too. After all, four hundred injured people were lying on the roads of the Outer Ring, wailing in pain.

What could the Guard Department do?

Call ambulances for the wounded?

"I really wish these hair-trigger lunatics could be replaced by a steadier organization someday."

Ch'en said it sincerely.

Lungmen, a hidden corner.

Jingzhe stretched lazily in resignation.

The Dali Temple Supervisory Division of the Yan Kingdom was a highly mysterious official organization responsible for criminal justice.

Jingzhe was a member of Dali Temple.

But when she came to Lungmen, she had not brought along that intimidating identity. Dali Temple was like the Yan Kingdom's Guard Department, only much larger and far more inscrutable, carrying an air of mystery.

Jingzhe was on vacation.

She had heard Lungmen had plenty of good things to offer, so she had come to change her mood. She had not brought that terrifying hooded red robe with her.

Things had gone fairly smoothly at first. Lungmen really was quite fun.

But when Jingzhe was searching the streets for a charging outlet, she was startled by the crowd approaching her. Her disheveled hair crackled, pale yellow sparks flashed through the night like thunder, and her ordinary Lungmen trip underwent a slight change.

"So I really am not the person you're looking for."

Jingzhe said helplessly.

Before her stood six groveling organization leaders. They gazed up at Jingzhe as though she were the godfather in their hearts.

"Don't assume I can call down divine punishment just because I'm a lightning caster from the Yan Kingdom!"

"Lunatics!"