The next morning.
Meng Fan returned home from outside, smelling fresh and clean.
The living room was empty.
The food Aki Hayakawa had cooked last night was still on the dining table.
Along with an ashtray full of cigarette butts.
Meng Fan took off his shoes and called out, "Denji, Aki."
No one answered, so Meng Fan pushed open the door to Denji's room first.
The blanket was spread neatly over the bed.
Denji was already gone.
He turned and went to Aki Hayakawa's room next.
He discovered that both of them had left home early that morning.
"That's weird. Doesn't work start at eight thirty? Why did those two get up so early?"
Ring, ring!!!
Just then, the phone in Meng Fan's pocket suddenly rang.
"Hello? You're calling pretty early, Himeno."
"Where are you?"
"I'm home. Have you seen Denji and Aki, though?"
"They're both at the Public Safety Bureau." Himeno sounded anxious. "Get over here now. Power's missing."
"Power's missing!" Meng Fan hurriedly hung up and ran outside.
He floored the accelerator all the way to Public Safety Bureau headquarters.
Instead of going to Himeno's office, he ran straight to the cells.
Himeno and the others were standing outside Power's cell.
As soon as she saw Meng Fan, Himeno hurried over. "Where did you go last night?"
"I killed the Poppy Devil last night, then found somewhere to take a bath."
"You killed the Poppy Devil?" Himeno asked in shock. "Are you sure it was the Poppy Devil?"
"Of course. Why would I lie to you?"
"If the Poppy Devil's dead, does that mean Power's back to normal?" Denji asked.
"That's exactly what I wanted to tell you. Power wasn't actually being controlled by the Poppy Devil."
"If it wasn't the Poppy Devil, who was it?" Aki Hayakawa