In Terra, She's a Hunter and a Bad Woman Chapter 38

After seeing someone raise his hand to cast a spell, she decisively stepped forward, ready to interrupt him.

But before she could make a move, the caster suddenly clutched his hand and began struggling in pain!

"Urgh—!"

"Hmm?"

The inexplicable scene left Ch'en somewhat at a loss.

But behind her, Maria's voice slowly drifted over.

"Originium Arts... what fascinating things."

Ch'en turned around and saw Maria behind her, carrying a bear-man with rolled-back eyes in one hand while slowly grasping at the air with the other.

"What... did you do?"

Though Ch'en had no idea what had happened, there were only a few people present. Maria had clearly done something to leave the caster in such a miserable state.

"Just a simple experiment."

Maria offered no explanation. After casually tossing the unconscious man aside, she approached the caster in front of her.

The Ursus caster watched Maria approach with terror on his face, letting out a strange low growl from his throat.

"Looks like... you know more than he does."

As she closed in on him step by step, Maria slowly narrowed her eyes, revealing a hint of sharpness.

Clearly, compared to those men who were only working to save their own skins, this man with his strange spells was more elite.

At the very least, Maria could tell that he had truly killed things before... otherwise, he wouldn't have attacked so decisively just now.

Considering the conversation she had overheard not long ago, it wasn't hard to imagine that this man was the spy sent by the so-called Reunion Movement to ensure the mission's completion.

Someone like him would certainly be able to give Maria more information.

Just as Maria was preparing to give him a proper interrogation—

The dragon girl, Ch'en, suddenly stepped in front of Maria again, her expression stern.

"Leave this to me!"

Doll's Skills

Ch'en stood firmly in front of the Infected and looked at Maria.

Though she felt uneasy, she wouldn't waver from her position.

"Leave this to me!"

"You'll handle it? Have you ever interrogated a criminal, detective girl?"

Maria wasn't angry as she looked at Ch'en. She merely tilted her head slightly.

Maria didn't think she had any particular knack for reading people, but she could more or less tell that the girl before her was still inexperienced in the ways of the world... and that was why she hadn't addressed her as miss or ma'am, but simply called her a girl.

"This isn't something you can do just because you say you can. If you don't have experience, you'll only make these people more arrogant... They're neither resolute warriors nor people swept along by others. They're just a pack of pitiful cowards afraid of death... Violence isn't the most appropriate method, but it is the fastest."

As Maria spoke, her gaze shifted from Ch'en to the man, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"..."

Ch'en didn't answer. She merely continued standing silently in Maria's way.

She had never intended to interrogate him herself... Ch'en knew that such matters were beyond her abilities.

Professional work should be left to professionals.

The reason she was stopping Maria now was simply because she didn't want Maria to conduct the interrogation.

The reason was simple.

Judging by Maria's attitude, she was definitely planning to use some private punishment.

That was something the upright Ch'en couldn't allow.

She understood that special times called for special measures, but... this wasn't a special time yet, was it?

The criminals had already been captured. They could arrange for professionals to handle them later... Maria was merely an ordinary outsider. If they let her freely use private punishment, how would she be any different from those lawless gangs?

Ch'en knew that, emotionally speaking, she had no reason to stop Maria.

But she was a superintendent of the Lungmen Guard Department!

Her pursuit of justice made her unwilling to watch Maria act as she pleased.

Enough. This ends here. I've seen what you've done, but I'll handle the rest myself!

Maria stopped at that moment and looked at her.

"You're a very interesting, innocent girl... very interesting. But unfortunately, I don't want to discuss too much with you right now. I need to learn some things from him... so please step aside."

Maria spoke very politely... after all, she truly didn't want to clash with this city's defenders.

But the current situation didn't allow her to retreat.

"I don't know what you intend to do, but as far as I'm concerned, my companion is in danger. I can't just wait here for the result."

"We'll handle this matter!"

"Of course you have the right to handle it, and I have no intention of killing him... But before that, I need to interrogate him a little..."

Maria's request was simple. She only needed a little time to ask him what she wanted to know.

But Ch'en's stance was equally clear.

"You can question him, but can you guarantee that you won't lay a hand on him?"

"..."

Maria fell silent.

Clearly, she knew no way to make an enemy obediently surrender and reveal all his intelligence without laying a hand on him.

Private punishment was necessary.

And that was precisely what Ch'en couldn't accept.

"If you can guarantee that you absolutely won't use private punishment on him, then I'll allow your interrogation... But if you can't, then I won't agree!"

Ch'en continued. Her words made it seem as though she had taken a step back, but in truth, she was refusing Maria's request.

"Don't worry about the credit for capturing these criminals. Once I take them back, I'll apply for some compensation for you. But the condition is... you can't lay a hand on him. The moment you do, I can only classify you as an ordinary civilian involved in a fight with criminal suspects!"

Ch'en spoke seriously.

But Maria found those words laughable.

Did she look like someone who cared about her reputation?

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Maria raised her head.

"You're starting to make me a little unhappy, detective girl... Consider this your final warning. Move aside. I don't want things to turn ugly."

"Are you threatening me?"

Hearing Maria speak, Ch'en gritted her teeth.

Though her response sounded firm, her posture wasn't nearly as confident as her words.

The slight tightening of her stance revealed her unease.

Honestly, she didn't want to clash with Maria either.

But... their differing positions meant there were many things they could never accept from one another.

Just as Maria, who had fought and killed in that mad place for who knew how many years, rarely cared about being stopped by any organization, the only person who could prevent Maria from acting was herself.

Ch'en knew that present-day Lungmen was far from perfect, but she would do what she was supposed to do and strive to make Lungmen a better place!

She would never allow anyone to trample on the law!

Their conflicting identities had placed the two of them in opposition.

They stared at each other like that, neither willing to yield.

The atmosphere gradually froze.

As Ch'en uneasily watched the woman before her breathe, her gaze gradually sharpened.

Maria still made no move. She stood straight, as though her entire body were full of openings.

But Ch'en's long-honed instincts told her never to underestimate the person before her.

That suffocating aura pressing toward her was like a man-eating beast!

Ch'en had never felt such an aura from anyone else.

Savage, cruel, yet rational.

She looked exquisite and elegant, but in truth, she was merely a ferocious beast hiding behind a disguise!

Even her uncle, Lungmen's ruler, the mysterious and powerful Wei Yenwu, had never displayed such an aura.

Though Maria was merely standing calmly before her, Ch'en still couldn't stop herself from trembling.

That only made her more certain that Maria was no ordinary person!

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense and rigid.

And just as everything reached the breaking point—

Maria suddenly broke into a smile.

"Just kidding, you disobedient detective girl~"

Maria took a slight step back and raised both hands, revealing a helpless expression.

The oppressive aura Ch'en had sensed vanished with it.

But Ch'en didn't have Maria's confidence or ease. She remained on guard.

Maria shook her head, then looked at the trembling man on the ground.

After pausing for a few moments, she sighed.

"I'll agree to your condition. I won't use private punishment on this man... However, my method of interrogation is somewhat unusual, and his mind may suffer a little distress. Is that all right?"

"Mentally... is that your Originium Arts?" Ch'en frowned.

"I don't have such a convenient ability... Or rather, I don't even know whether I have Originium Arts. Don't worry, I'll just have a little chat with him. As a guarantee, you can watch me interrogate him, and I won't even have any physical contact with him. Is that acceptable?"

Maria spoke, looking at Ch'en as she laid out her terms with a smile.

But at the end, she still added one more sentence.

"If you can't even accept that... then all I can do is express my regret..."

"...All right."

After a long internal struggle, Ch'en finally nodded and agreed to Maria's request.

After all, she truly couldn't imagine how Maria could harm the target without using Originium Arts or even making physical contact.

From that perspective, Maria's interrogation was more or less the same as when the Guard Department temporarily hired Lungmen's professional negotiators to conduct interrogations.

It was acceptable.

Seeing that the stubborn Ch'en had finally relented, Maria helplessly shook her head. Then she silently closed her eyes and sent a question to the presence in her memories.

"Are you ready, Doll?"

Hunting Ground

Not long ago, when Maria entered that strange dream, she had hunted a peculiar Three-Headed Hound.

After the hunt was complete, the Three-Headed Hound's corpse disappeared, replaced by a short piece of Umbilical Cord.

Doll had said she could transform it into Maria's ability.

It would just take a little time.

Just now, while Maria and Ch'en were staring each other down, Doll had finally finished digesting the Umbilical Cord's power and unlocked a brand-new ability for Maria.