An unexpected invitation

It was already past midnight when Li Wei stepped out of the Pink Lady bar.

Although the courtesans had enthusiastically urged him to stay the night, Li Wei had politely declined.

After all, judging by the ravenous looks they kept giving him, Li Wei seriously doubted whether staying would make him a tiger among sheep—or a sheep in a tiger's jaws.

So although going out at night was a little dangerous, Li Wei felt that staying at the Pink Lady would be even more dangerous. It wasn't just the courtesans, either. Even Lady Claytie had smilingly assured him that if he wasn't satisfied, he could choose any courtesan in the Pink Lady—including her...

Right. If I don't leave now, I might never get away.

Only after leaving the glittering bar and stepping onto the quiet street did Li Wei breathe a sigh of relief. He had never been particularly fond of lively places. In his experience, whenever he appeared somewhere crowded, there was a very good chance he would become the center of attention. Over time, he had developed a preference for peace and quiet.

Of course, to ordinary people, the streets of Fog City at night were hardly a good place for a stroll. Aside from the frightening rumors about the Courtesan Killer, there were also certain people who liked to prowl around under cover of darkness.

Like right now.

"Hey, handsome. Isn't it dangerous to be out here alone this late?"

Following the sleazy voice, Li Wei saw a shabbily dressed man emerge from a nearby alley and block his path. The man held a dagger, deftly flipping it back and forth. Beside him stood a burly, muscular man who glared at Li Wei, looking every inch the highwayman demanding a toll.

"What do you want?"

Li Wei looked at the two men and asked, while the man with the dagger chuckled.

"Nothing much. We just saw how generous you were and thought we'd ask for a little spending money. If you can give those courtesans that much, surely you can find it in your heart to do a good deed and give us some?"

"And if I don't?"

Li Wei stood there, watching the dagger-wielding man with amusement. This was his first time being mugged, so the experience held a certain novelty. At his answer, however, the man's expression changed abruptly.

"Then don't blame me for getting nasty. Let's see if you can still smile after I carve that pretty little face into something hideous..."

As he spoke, the man brought his dagger to his mouth, stuck out his long tongue, and licked it, watching Li Wei smugly. Before Li Wei could say anything, however, the big man behind him blurted out a warning.

"B-boss, you just stabbed a rat with that dagger earlier. You haven't washed it yet..."

"Huh-? BLEURGH!!"

At the big man's reminder, the dagger-wielding man's expression changed drastically. He flung the dagger aside, then braced himself against the wall and began vomiting violently.

Li Wei was briefly at a loss for words at the sight, but he said nothing and continued walking. It seemed these two thugs ought to be too busy to bother with him now. However...

"S-stop! Who said you could leave?"

Seeing Li Wei about to walk away, the dagger-wielding man straightened up again and shouted at him.

"Our boss wants to see you! Come with us!"

"Your boss?"

Li Wei frowned at the man's words. The existence of a "vigorous community organization" in a place like this didn't surprise him, but its interest in him did. At least so far, Li Wei couldn't see any connection between himself and the gangs. Was this about the Courtesan Killer? That would make sense. These people controlled the businesses in this neighborhood, after all, and the killer's appearance had clearly hurt their earnings...

Besides, as the local power, they might be able to provide some information.

At that thought, Li Wei nodded.

"All right."

There was another simple reason for his decision: Li Wei had already noticed that, aside from these two unreliable fellows, several more people were lying in wait in the nearby alleys. They had been silently watching him all along. Clearly, if these two failed, what followed would take a little effort to deal with.

Since they would have to talk sooner or later, they might as well do it properly.

Seeing how cooperative Li Wei was, the dagger-wielding man relaxed his guard and led him deeper into the alley alongside the big man.

The dagger-wielding man seemed to be a chatterbox. With hardly any effort, Li Wei coaxed the details out of him. The "vigorous community organization" running this neighborhood was called the Black Panther, and its boss went by "Scarface." According to the man, there was nothing Scarface couldn't do—though, of course, anyone could guess that was just boasting. If Scarface really had such abilities, she wouldn't be a gang boss in a place like this.

Still, the name Scarface reminded Li Wei of an animal villain in a cartoon he had once watched. Thinking about it now, it was rather strange. Why would an animal in an animal cartoon name itself after a knife scar?

They didn't even have knives.

While these random thoughts wandered through Li Wei's mind, the three of them passed through the alley and arrived at a warehouse deep within the neighborhood. The dagger-wielding man reached out and knocked on the warehouse door in a rhythmic pattern. A moment later, the door opened a crack. At the same time, Li Wei sensed the presences that had followed him all the way here quietly dispersing.

They're pretty well organized.

Li Wei gathered his thoughts, his opinion of "Scarface" rising considerably. People who liked fighting were easy to find, but people who liked fighting and followed orders were not. The fact that Scarface could keep her subordinates so obedient showed she had real skill. Her orderly arrangements also suggested a logical mind.

But...

Li Wei gave the dagger-wielding man a puzzled glance.

Why send this guy to fetch me? Couldn't she pick someone more reliable?

His question was soon answered.

"Boss Scarface!"

The dagger-wielding man squeezed through the gap in the doorway and called out.

"We brought the guy you wanted!"

"Cliff!"

To Li Wei's surprise, however, the reply came in a gentle female voice tinged with irritation.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?"

"Huh? But it sounds cool, doesn't it?"

Li Wei blinked in surprise at their exchange, then looked into the warehouse. He saw a cloaked, masked figure standing in the middle of the empty space. He-no, she-was petite and slender. Judging by her figure and voice, she was probably only sixteen or seventeen.

This girl is the boss of the whole gang?

You've got to be kidding.

Li Wei's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was astonished. Through his earlier [Investigation], he had noticed that her diction was exceptionally refined, nothing like the speech of someone who had never been to school. Clearly, this young lady was not merely educated-she had received an excellent higher education.

And yet she's come to this slum to play crime boss?

Do young people in this era really take things this far?

The girl seemed to give up arguing with the dagger-wielding man and turned toward Li Wei again. At the same time, Li Wei sensed her draw in a small, sharp breath. With the mask concealing her face, however, he couldn't see her expression. Not that he needed to. He had experienced this sort of thing far too often.

"Hello, Mr. Detective."

When the girl spoke again, her voice had become much gentler and more elegant.

"I'm terribly sorry to trouble you. Please forgive any discourtesy. I invited you here because I have a few questions, and I hoped you might offer some guidance."

Li Wei glanced around the dilapidated warehouse.

With language that fancy, someone who didn't know better would think you were asking me to dance at a ball.

"Do you want to ask about the Courtesan Killer?"

"Yes, precisely."

The girl nodded.

"I learned that you spoke with the ladies at the Pink Lady. May I ask whether you uncovered any clues?"

"A few, but..."

Li Wei studied the girl closely, looking her up and down.

"I'm curious. What do you hope to accomplish by discussing this with me?"

If Scarface had been a vicious brute, Li Wei would have had no trouble guessing. A gang boss would surely want to catch whoever was making trouble on their turf and chop them into mincemeat. But this young lady didn't seem like that sort of person. Of course, after his exposure to modern media, Li Wei wasn't about to assume this was her true nature. Perhaps beneath that sweet exterior, she was rotten to the core.

"I only hoped you would tell me the story."

"The story?"

"Yes. Why are you investigating the Courtesan Killer? You aren't from here, are you? Did someone hire you? Or are you after the reward?"

Li Wei frowned, a little confused about what this young lady had in mind. Still, he honestly recounted everything he had experienced. There was nothing to hide, after all. The girl simply stood listening, eventually sitting down on a nearby wooden crate.

After Li Wei finished his account, the girl remained silent for a long time.

"I see... So who do you suspect is the Courtesan Killer? We in the Black Panther can help you investigate!"

How? Smash down doors and barge in to ransack the place?

Li Wei grumbled inwardly but didn't say it aloud. He still preferred the police to a gang. After all, the police had legal grounds for their actions, followed procedures, and gathered evidence that could withstand scrutiny. Relying on these vigorous community organization members to smash, loot, and rob wouldn't look good, even if they ultimately solved the case.

"I have a few theories, but I haven't confirmed them yet."

Li Wei spoke while watching the masked girl's reaction.

"And I don't think this is something a local gang should get involved in."

"Why not?"

Sure enough, the girl's voice grew displeased.

"This is Black Panther territory. Of course we have to protect everyone here... Ah, I'm sorry, Mr. Detective. I wasn't criticizing you. I just... feel a little uneasy."

Uneasy?

Li Wei showed no reaction to the word, but the dagger-wielding man gave her a surprised glance, though he held his tongue.

"If we want to bring the culprit to justice, it's best to follow the necessary procedures and rules."

Treating her as he would a little girl, Li Wei patiently explained.

"That's the only way we can bring the criminal to justice. If we break the law to punish a criminal, then even if the case is eventually closed, we won't be able to justify what we did. Following the rules is good for everyone-for you, for me, and for the criminal."

"Easy for you to say!"

At that, the girl, who had been perfectly polite until now, seemed to grow angry.

"Rules, rules, rules! That's all you ever talk about! But those rules don't get anything done! By the time those useless bureaucrats finish dealing with things, I'll be an old woman!"

Yep. Definitely a youngster.

Li Wei had once thought the same way, believing that rigidly following rules without any flexibility often caused more trouble than it solved. Only after entering the working world had he realized that rules protected both sides. Of course, there was no denying that some people exploited them for personal gain, but most of the time, having rules still helped resolve most problems.

Still, it was too early to explain that to teenagers.

So Li Wei simply remained silent, planning to leave once she finished venting. He thought he understood now: this young lady had probably brought him here to hear a story. He likely wouldn't get any information out of her. The trip had been a waste.

Just as Li Wei was about to excuse himself, however, the girl collected herself and stared at him.

"Are you saying you're going to catch that killer by following the rules?"

"That's right."

At least, rules that will hold up as far as the police are concerned.

"Very well."

The girl nodded.

"Then I'm going to investigate with you! I want to see just how you intend to catch that murderer by following the rules!"