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"Suit yourself. I can't beat you anyway, so let's do it like before."

Eto Yoshimura's voice was filled with self-mockery, her heart brimming with helplessness and frustration. She had been driven into a corner and forced to retreat during her last clash with Kishou Arima, but she had lost even more miserably this time, her very life held in his hands.

She had once thought she could enhance her own strength through continuous cannibalism by devouring the kakuhou of other Ghouls. After a whole year of frantic predation, she had encountered Kishou Arima again only to suffer defeat once more.

"That doesn't matter, Eto Yoshimura. Your strength is still the greatest among the Ghouls, and I need your help."

"Help? Someone as strong as you still needs me?"

The Ghoul named Eto Yoshimura looked at Kishou Arima with a mocking tone.

"What are you two doing? Why aren't you exterminating her?"

An untimely voice rang out. Huiqi frowned as he looked at Kishou Arima, utterly failing to understand the behavior before him. A Ghoul Investigator's duty was to exterminate Ghouls, yet Kishou Arima's current actions were highly abnormal.

Hearing Huiqi's voice, Kishou Arima fell silent for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, thank you for the reminder."

Instead of walking toward the Ghoul, Kishou Arima's figure rapidly approached Huiqi instead.

"Wait? What are you doing?"

The only answer Huiqi received was an incoming punch.

Bang! Bang! Thud!

Seeing Kishou Arima's attack, Huiqi did not hesitate either. He had been wary of Kishou Arima from the start, and now Huiqi decisively clenched his fists to begin trading blows with Kishou Arima.

The sound of fists connecting with flesh echoed through the space. Their attacks were heavy and powerful, and a muffled grunt sounded each time a fist struck the other's body. At this moment, a trace of shock flickered in Kishou Arima's eyes once again.

Huiqi's fist technique was different from ordinary people's, resembling a mix of grappling and boxing, with a touch of Chinese martial arts blended inside.

"I underestimated you."

"What on earth are you doing?"

Huiqi glared fiercely at Arima. From letting the Purple-Haired Ghoul go just now to jointly fighting the Kakuja monster, Kishou Arima had hidden a great deal from him throughout the process, and most importantly, the conversation a moment ago made no sense at all.

"You don't need to kno-cough."

Halfway through his sentence, Kishou Arima suddenly coughed, glancing back at Eto Yoshimura behind him.

"Food?"

A hint of greed appeared in Eto Yoshimura's eyes as her ukaku re-formed behind her to launch a sneak attack on Huiqi.

This scene happened to fall within Huiqi's field of vision. For just a split second of distraction, Kishou Arima seized the opportunity acutely, intensifying the offensive of his hands while kicking heavily at Huiqi's lower body with his leg.

Crack... Boom...

Huiqi collapsed to the ground without suspense, falling unconscious face-down.

"My bones seem to be cracked."

Having dealt with Huiqi, Kishou Arima lowered his head to glance at the left leg he had just used to attack, now feeling a sharp sensation of pain.

Eto Yoshimura beside him seemed unable to wait any longer. A single scarlet kakugan flashed with yearning desire, and saliva was faintly visible at the edge of her mouth.

"Stop. This is what I'm using as collateral, and you will follow my plan from now on."

With an extremely cold voice, Kishou Arima raised his Quinque, a murderous intent in his eyes threatening Eto Yoshimura.

Collateral? What is Kishou Arima planning to do?

Eto Yoshimura halted her movements, the expression on her face returning to calm as she stared straight at Kishou Arima.

"I want to create the One-Eyed King, to end this conflict through that... and shatter the cage of this world."

Kishou Arima spoke in a solemn voice. Hearing these words, Eto Yoshimura also paused, a strange look crossing her face.

"It's impossible... You cannot fight against them."

"I can't, but we can create someone-the only one capable of ending them."

"Hahahahahahahaha..."

Eto Yoshimura suddenly burst into loud laughter, tears welling in the corners of her eyes from laughing, yet she could not stop until several minutes later.

"I agree to it, or else I'll find a chance to wipe out the Washuu myself!"

The voices of the two abruptly ceased right there. Kishou Arima and the underground ruler of the 24th Ward reached a partnership, and the two launched a rebellion against the controllers behind the scenes.

Having obtained a satisfying answer, Kishou Arima put away his Quinque and dragged the unconscious Huiqi with one hand, intending to leave.

"Wait! Didn't you say you were using him as collateral for me?"

Watching the two depart, Eto Yoshimura called out to Kishou Arima.

The next moment, an identification card flew through the air and landed squarely at Eto Yoshimura's feet.

Name: Huiqi

Rank: Rank 3 Investigator

Home Address: No. 41, Qiaoban Street, 17th Ward

Three days later...

Inside the CCG hospital ward.

[Mission completed ahead of schedule]

[Mission reward: Substantially increase physical potential]

Accompanied by the end of the system's voice, internal changes began to occur within Huiqi's body. The cells continuously decomposed, and the decomposed cells condensed together to become the most basic parts of the body. As more and more cells divided, the overall baseline strength of Huiqi's body continuously improved.

Adaptation, evolution, stronger-these six characters perfectly interpreted Huiqi's microscopic state at this moment.

In a haze, Huiqi seemed to hear the system's voice. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw white walls, with an intravenous needle still stuck in his right hand.

Jingle bell, bell, bell...

The call bell beside the hospital bed rang, and after a short while, several footsteps came from outside.

"How is your recovery, Rank 3 Huiqi?"

"Is your body alright?"

"Your mental state looks pretty good."

The three people who entered spoke one after another.

"Dr. Kanou? Shinohara? Arima?!"

Seeing the third person, Huiqi's tone suddenly let out an exclamation, and his mind instantly recalled all kinds of experiences in the 24th Ward.

"After you fell unconscious, I brought you back. Regarding the deaths of Kawashima and the other Ghoul Investigators, the CCG has already handled the logistics. Most importantly, you have been promoted to Rank 2 Investigator."

Without waiting for Huiqi to speak, Kishou Arima recounted the news from the past three days, while the chill deep within his eyes had not dissipated, seeming to warn Huiqi not to speak nonsense.

Two days ago.

When Kishou Arima returned to the 1st Ward CCG headquarters, he was summoned by Yoshitoki Washuu to report on the results of the 24th Ward.

"The Matriarch has been located, but due to the influence of the Ghouls in the 24th Ward, the capture was unsuccessful... Her child was not seen."

"Good, keep up the good work next time..."

Yoshitoki Washuu's expression did not change at all. After giving Kishou Arima some brief instructions, he ended the conversation.

In the hospital ward, Huiqi gave a brief reply, indicating that his physical recovery was very good and he could be discharged by the afternoon.

Kishou Arima and Shinohara exchanged pleasantries for a bit before leaving the ward, while Akihiro Kano excitedly introduced his latest results.

"Look, Ghoul organs and human organs have commonalities, so my hypothesis..."

After Akihiro Kano finished speaking, Huiqi thought for a moment and then answered.

"You can give it a try; at least I am curious."

Huiqi yawned and looked at Akihiro Kano with encouraging eyes.

The two had known each other for two years. They first met in logistics, at a time when Akihiro Kano needed help, and Huiqi, who happened to be passing by, lent a hand to solve it, thus beginning a long-standing communication.