"It's a bit difficult, but I'll find an opportunity. If there's any research progress, I'll call you."
Akihiro Kano frowned, then answered with an excited expression.
Tick-tock, tick-tock...
As afternoon approached, Akihiro Kano had already been gone for two hours. Huiqi pressed the call bell to have the nurse pull out the needle.
"Your discharge procedures are all done. You can go straight home and rest for a few days."
"Mhm, I know."
Huiqi clenched his fists and stretched his body simply.
Huh? Why does it feel even more powerful than before?
The physical exertion was unexpectedly smooth and precise. The simple action of clenching a fist no longer felt like before; by comparison, it was like updating a system.
Thinking of this, Huiqi subconsciously thought of the system mission, wondering whether surviving the 24th Ward for seven days counted as completing the mission or not.
Is the mission finished?
[Completed. Rewards have been issued.]
Mhm, open my personal information.
Hearing the system's reply, Huiqi's doubts about his body were resolved. Judging by the difficulty of the 24th Ward, the rewards were definitely more generous than normal missions.
Host: Huiqi Bloodline: Human Strength Assessment: Rank 2 Investigator Items:
My strength has increased, I'm already Rank 2 now, but what about my items??
Seeing the last column, Huiqi's eyes widened and he kept scanning it. No matter how many times he looked, the top remained completely blank.
My Quinque is gone?
[Yes.]
The system answered unexpectedly, but the short two words plunged Huiqi into silence.
Small problem, I'll just get another one later. Besides, I didn't want to use that piece-of-trash Quinque myself anyway, and my true strength just happens to be enough to get a better one.
In his heart, he felt annoyed with Kishou Arima once again. Ever since they teamed up, nothing good had come from Kishou Arima. Now he had been brought back, and his Quinque was gone too.
Huiqi helplessly changed into his Ghoul Investigator clothes and left the hospital.
"To think you could still come back alive, though this time in the 24th Ward, it seems only you and Kishou Arima survived..."
Kureo Mado appeared beside Huiqi out of nowhere, the smile on his face a bit spine-chilling.
"Yeah, my partner is gone too, and I don't know which Rank 1 Investigator I'll be assigned to next."
"Did you see the Owl?"
Kureo Mado didn't pick up on Huiqi's preceding words, instead asking about the Owl.
"I..."
The moment Huiqi opened his mouth to say a single word, the corners of his mouth curved up slightly, and he shook his head under Kureo Mado's expectant gaze.
"I won't tell you..."
Having finished the second half of his sentence, Huiqi had already arrived at the hospital entrance.
"Investigator Huiqi, this is the Quinque Kishou Arima gave you, and he stated that your Quinque was damaged in the 24th Ward."
A short-haired man at the entrance suddenly spoke up. He looked like a Ghoul Investigator's assistant or someone of that sort.
"For me?"
Huiqi looked at the briefcase in the other person's hand, rolled his eyes, and then walked over without the slightest hesitation, seemingly having no intention of taking it.
"I've already contacted Dr. Jin Toka, so I won't trouble Kishou Arima."
"Is this your choice? The Quinque in my hand is made from the Kakuja of the S-rate Ghoul Midnight Bell. Its sharpness and strength far exceed other Quinques."
"Midnight Bell? That Ghoul from Ward 7? I didn't expect it to be dealt with by Kishou Arima."
Huiqi paused his steps upon hearing the words behind him. He had already read the file on that Ghoul. The Ghoul committed murders at midnight accompanied by some kind of eerie ringing sound, always leaving behind various kinds of bells at the scene after every crime.
Moreover, this Ghoul possessed a rather strong anti-investigation awareness. Previously, several Ghoul Investigators in Ward 7 had been brutally murdered, and the Ghoul's hazard rating kept rising until it finally settled at S-rate, driving the CCG's Ward 7 branch frantic for quite a while.
"Then hand it over to me. I'd be a fool not to take an S-rate Quinque."
Huiqi turned around, took the briefcase, and wore a rather satisfied expression on his face. He had thought Kishou Arima would only give him some garbage Quinque, never expecting him to pull out an S-rate one right off the bat.
After handing over the briefcase, the man moved his mouth and spoke again.
"The upper-ups are going to assign you to Associate Special Class Investigator Kishou Arima..."
"Stop right there, I'm not going."
Hearing his words, Huiqi refused without the slightest hesitation. To make him partners with Kishou Arima-who knew when it might end up in the exact same outcome as the 24th Ward?
"Mm."
This time the man did not speak again; it seemed Kishou Arima had anticipated that Huiqi might refuse.
Five in the afternoon.
Huiqi arrived at Anteiku as promised.
Jingle-ling.
"Welcome-"
The last word cut off abruptly, the expressions of everyone present turning solemn as their gazes locked collectively onto Rank 2 Investigator Huiqi at the door, especially the briefcase in his right hand.
Should we make a move? Has this place been discovered?
Manager, what's going on?
Executing a mission? Should we ambush and kill him later?
A few people in the corner murmured in low tones, clearly exceptionally tense after seeing Huiqi's briefcase, their words suggesting they wanted to find an opportunity to kill him.
The two staff members beside the manager also revealed doubtful and vigilant expressions, glancing frequently at the manager as if asking for instructions.
"Someone else might be, but he definitely isn't."
The old man known as the manager smiled and shook his head, beginning to grind coffee beans by hand to prepare for the next cup of coffee.
"What do you mean?"
The man and woman beside the manager looked over in deep confusion, though the vigilance in their eyes did not relax in the slightest.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ghoul Investigator, are there Ghouls here?"
Amidst the eerie atmosphere, a young man suddenly spoke up; he had short yellow hair.
"Not at all, I just came for coffee."
Huiqi also noticed the awkwardness of the situation, as his right hand was still gripping the Quinque Briefcase—anyone who saw him would assume he was carrying out a mission.
"Please, Manager, get me a cup of coffee. Sorry for the trouble this time."
"Alright, here is your coffee. I haven't seen you come by recently."
The manager placed the coffee on the table in front with a smiling expression, making small talk.
"I went on a mission; the CCG really knows how to squeeze its bottom-tier personnel."
Mentioning this, Huiqi replied with annoyance. The mission in the 24th Ward was enough to keep Huiqi remembering it for a long time, regardless of whether it was Kishou Arima or the Ghoul called Eto Yoshimura.
"More Ghouls died, huh. Sigh."
Listening to the exchange between Huiqi and the manager, a few people drinking coffee in the corner spoke in somewhat dejected tones.
"Hello, Lord Ghoul Investigator, could you tell me what Ghouls actually look like? My friend and I are super curious to know!"
Just as Huiqi was talking with the manager, the yellow-haired kid suddenly popped up beside him.
"Ha? What good does knowing about that stuff do you?"
Huiqi looked speechlessly at the young youth in front of him, who looked to be around school age.
"I just want to know and understand, after all, the television doesn't broadcast it either. Look, my friend really wants to know too."
With that, he even pointed with his finger at the black-haired, mushroom-cut youth sitting in his seat.
Seeing this, Huiqi sighed slightly and tapped his forehead with a finger.
"They're pretty much like humans. When fighting, they'll reveal their Kakugan and Kagune."
"Pretty much like humans... Are they scary, then? Are they a danger to humans?"
Before you continue