"They are…"
Mrs. Kato took half a step back, a slight tension appearing on her face.
There was no clear strength or rank division among evil spirits, but the disparity in numbers was obvious.
One against many, she was one hundred percent no match.
Natsuki smiled and said, "As the saying goes, more friends, more paths. It's okay for me to carry a few friends with me, right?"
"Are you really a security guard?"
Mrs. Kato's gaze shifted down, falling on the axe in Natsuki's hand.
With the axe in hand, Natsuki said confidently, "As a security guard, I am responsible for protecting the safety of the community residents. It's perfectly reasonable for me to carry an axe, right?"
Mrs. Kato: "…"
Carrying a rubber baton is one thing, but a security guard carrying an axe is unreasonable no matter what!
"Come on." Natsuki tilted his head and said, "Madam, please repeat what you said before, and let everyone judge who is right and who is wrong."
Mrs. Kato had no choice but to recount her love story again.
And then…
"Divorce!"
"Must divorce!"
"Even I, an evil spirit, can't stand it. What exactly does marriage bring to men?!"
The one who spoke was Yuuko. This fellow still retained some human thinking. In contrast, Sadako, Hachishakusama, and others didn't care at all.
Yandere Kaguya was too lazy to speak, only spitting out cold words:
"You sl*t."
Natsuki couldn't help but look over in surprise.
You, a shut-in who hides in the Theater all day, when did you learn all this?
When under another's roof, one must bow one's head.
The same applied to evil spirits.
Mrs. Kato lowered her head, not saying a word, but red veins constantly spread across her face, clearly indicating her displeasure.
Natsuki pondered for a moment, then had Yandere Kaguya and the others temporarily leave, and then said, "Whether the actions are right or wrong, they are the madam's family affairs… The bathtub has been cleared. I'll go back to my shift now."
Mrs. Kato lowered her head, not saying a word, but red veins constantly spread across her face, clearly indicating her displeasure.
Natsuki pondered for a moment, then had Yandere Kaguya and the others temporarily leave, and then said, "Whether the actions are right or wrong, they are the madam's family affairs… The b
He could have chopped down the evil spirit madam in front of him with one axe; if one axe wasn't enough, he could use a few more. Unfortunately, his eyes had already given him a hint: his identity was a community security guard, not an exorcist. Doing something seriously inconsistent with his character setting would only lead to mission failure.
In simple terms, he had to complete the mission as a security guard; he could not do whatever he pleased.
Mrs. Kato then raised her head, her voice hoarse, "Mr. Security guard, please leave as soon as possible."
Natsuki walked to the door of the house, stopped, and smiled, "One more thing, madam, don't forget to give me a good review."
"A good review?" Mrs. Kato tilted her head, slowly returning to her normal appearance, and asked doubtfully, "How do I give it to you?"
"Well…"
Natsuki couldn't help but ponder.
Services aren't like online orders where one can leave reviews online. What would be the criteria for good reviews from residents in the instance?
Guessing was useless.
He would only know after verifying it.
Natsuki quickly said, "Madam, you just need to say that you are very satisfied with my service right now."
Mrs. Kato said softly, "Mr. Security guard, you've worked hard. I am very satisfied with your service today."
Natsuki didn't see any immediate effect. He waved his hand and walked out of the house.
Bang.
The door quickly closed without any hesitation.
Natsuki stood in the eerie corridor, checking his mission panel.
[Sub-mission: Late-night plumber, completed.]
[Current resident good reviews: None.]
"Tsk~"
Natsuki closed the mission panel.
As expected, good reviews forced from others have no meaning, do they?
Does it have to be a good review given genuinely by the resident?
Natsuki stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, then raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Since he was already here, he had to get a good review before leaving, otherwise, wouldn't it be a wasted trip?
I'm getting Mrs. Kato's good review!
Thump thump.
Knocking sounds rang out.
Inside the house, it was deathly silent, with no response.
Natsuki was not in a hurry. While knocking, he said, "Madam, open the door quickly. I've come to apologize."
After knocking for a while, Mrs. Kato inside finally became impatient, and the door creaked open a crack.
"Stare—"
In the dim house, a pair of pitch-black eyes looked out maliciously.
Natsuki didn't care at all and smiled, "Madam's real concern is whether her husband cheated or not, right? I have a way to help you confirm it."
The door burst open, and Mrs. Kato reached out and pulled him into the house, eagerly saying, "Mr. Security guard, do you really have a way to prove whether my husband cheated?"
Once the seed of suspicion about cheating is planted, one will doubt it for a lifetime. A thorn in the flesh can be pulled out, but a thorn in the heart can never be removed.
"The method is simple…"
Natsuki took out his special item, the Roulette of Gambling, and explained, "This is a gambling tool with special power. The winner can ask the loser to answer a question, and under the rules, they can only answer truthfully."
The more convenient tool was actually the Mirror of Truth, but unfortunately, that item was given to Hayasaka and was not on him.
Mrs. Kato said skeptically, "Does it really work?"
Natsuki placed the Roulette of Gambling on the table and beckoned, "Whether it works or not, Madam, come and try it."
"Then let's try it…"
Mrs. Kato's expression was hesitant as she walked and sat opposite Natsuki.
A moment later.
Natsuki, as expected, successfully won.
"So…" Natsuki intertwined his fingers and asked, "Mrs. Kato, did you have any extramarital affairs during your work?"
"I…"
"Mrs. Kato can try to lie and deny it."
Natsuki reminded her.
"I didn't…" Mrs. Kato tried to lie, but just as the words reached her lips, an inexplicable force controlled her, causing her to involuntarily change her words, "I did cheat."
Tsk~
What a shameless double standard!
She cheated during university, and continued to cheat after graduating and working, but because she suspected her husband of cheating and betrayal, she directly dismembered him and soaked him in the bathtub… Being lenient with oneself and strict with others, it's truly disgusting.
"It really works!"
Mrs. Kato's eyes lit up, and she quickly stood up and said, "Mr. Security, let's hurry to the bathroom and ask my husband clearly if he cheated!"
With all the things you've done, even if your husband cheated, he'd be in the right!
Natsuki slowly made his way to the bathroom, just as the one-minute cooldown for Time Stop ended.
Gurgle~
Hearing footsteps, the head in the bathtub turned around, opening its blood-red eyes and looking over.
Evidently, Mr. Kato had also turned into an evil spirit, so playing roulette was perfectly possible.
"Mr. Kato." Natsuki took out the roulette, smiling, "I have a way to prove your innocence…"
"… …"
A moment later.
"Husband, I'm sorry." Mrs. Kato leaned over the edge of the bathtub, holding the man's head, her face full of remorse, and apologized gently, "It was me who misunderstood you. Please don't be angry. I did this because I love you too much."
You've already thoroughly cleaned the person in the bathtub; who would forgive you if you apologized now!
And you cheated so many times, was that also because of love!
Mrs. Kato continued:
"From now on, I will never go to bars to drink again. Husband, please forgive me, okay?"
As a result, the wronged brother, who was left with only a head, actually spoke haltingly:
"Really… not going anymore?"
Mrs. Kato's voice was gentle as she said:
"I know I was wrong, and I will definitely not go to bars again in the future. Husband, please don't be angry."
The wronged brother:
"Keep your word… As long as you don't go… I'll forgive you…"
Natsuki: "… …"
Are you kidding me!
He was thoroughly cleaned inside and out, and he could still forgive her?
A wronged person and a simp are indeed the same kind of creature.
With the marital "conflict" successfully resolved, Natsuki chose to retreat gracefully, truly unable to watch any longer:
"Madam, you two take your time talking. I'll be leaving first."
"Mr. Security Guard, I'll see you out."
Mrs. Kato, with a face full of gratitude, saw Natsuki to the door and bowed:
"Thank you very much."
"You're welcome."
Natsuki waved his hand, opened the task panel, and indeed saw that he had received a positive review.
The main quest progress increased by one.
Not only that, Mrs. Kato also took out a stack of banknotes and handed them over.
Natsuki asked and found out that the dungeon area was as large as a small town, and like the park, it had its own financial system — only specific valuables could be used in the town, and real-world banknotes were useless paper.
"Thank you so much, Madam."
After understanding this, Natsuki thanked her while unceremoniously taking the banknotes.
He had not only helped clear the drains but also resolved the couple's conflict, bringing them back together. It could be said to be a tremendous contribution, and he had no psychological burden taking the money.
Walking down the stairs with heavy steps, Natsuki looked up at the blood moon in the sky, then slowly walked back.
"Security work can be put aside for now; the primary task is still to find everyone first…"
As he spoke, a low growl suddenly entered his ears.
This sound was not an ordinary dog bark, but a dangerous sound squeezed from the throat, which immediately made one imagine a vicious dog crouching on the ground, ready to pounce and devour someone.
Natsuki looked over in the direction of the sound, his vision blocked by the bushes, unable to see clearly. After two seconds of contemplation, he quickly decided to go and investigate.
The reason was simple: this was a horror dungeon, how could there be a dog barking?
Walking along the path, it wasn't long before Natsuki saw a vicious dog behind the bushes. It looked somewhat like a Dogo Argentino, with rotten wounds all over its body, blood-red eyes, drooling at the corners of its mouth, and it was constantly growling while lying on the ground, poised to pounce.
Natsuki continued to walk forward, turning a corner of the bushes, and saw opposite the vicious dog, a girl in a sanitation worker's uniform, nervously holding a broom with both hands, shielding another unfamiliar girl behind her.
"Indeed, I've searched high and low, but it turns out to be right under my nose."
Natsuki directly stepped out onto the shaded path, and his movement immediately attracted the attention of the two people and one dog present.
"Natsuki-kun!"
Seeing Natsuki appear, the pink-haired girl in the sanitation worker's uniform instantly brightened her eyes and happily called out.
That's right.
The pink-haired girl holding a broom and standing in front of the vicious dog was none other than Tsubame.
As for the person behind Tsubame, she was a completely unfamiliar face, presumably a the passerby player player she had encountered—
Before entering the dungeon, he had already applied three Dark Shadow to Tsubame. If it weren't for protecting the passerby player player behind her, Tsubame wouldn't need to confront the vicious dog at all and could easily escape.
At the same time.
Taking advantage of Tsubame's momentary distraction, the vicious dog let out a low growl, and its body suddenly lunged forward, launching a sneak attack.
"Watch out!"
The passerby player behind Tsubame screamed in fright.
Tsubame felt a foul wind rush towards her, a pungent stench assailing her nostrils, making it difficult to open her eyes, but her heart remained calm—
With Junior by her side, she would not be harmed no matter what.
Tsubame was certain in her heart, without a trace of doubt.
The next second.
Boom!
Under the nervous gaze of the passerby player player, Natsuki seemed to have used instant transmission, his entire body appearing abruptly beside Tsubame in an incredible manner. At the same time, without Natsuki making any apparent movement, the pouncing vicious dog was directly sent flying backward through the air.
The vicious dog tumbled five or six times in mid-air, then crashed into the bushes with a loud thud. For a moment, it was unclear how many branches and leaves were broken.
"Woof…"
That vicious dog's vitality was exceptionally tenacious. After taking a bone-breaking flying kick from Natsuki, it surprisingly didn't die and was still able to struggle to its feet.
However, it no longer had its previous ferocious demeanor. It tucked its tail between its legs, blood oozing from its mouth and nose, and whimpered incessantly.
"Tsubame-senpai, it's alright now."
Natsuki gently squeezed Tsubame's soft hand, smiling:
"To unexpectedly meet Tsubame-senpai while out for a walk, it seems my luck is very good today."
Tsubame's eyes sparkled, and upon hearing this, she retorted:
"Don't walk alone in dark and gloomy places."
"Yes, yes."
Natsuki agreed, then looked at the vicious dog that had gotten up, preparing to finish it off.
He had always disliked vicious dogs that randomly bit people, let alone one that had just attacked Tsubame. It had to be killed.
Just then, a sharp, piercing, and unpleasant voice suddenly rang out:
"What are you doing? What are you doing!"
Natsuki turned his head and saw a middle-aged woman walking over with a small boy, aggressively saying:
"You're the new security guard hired by the community, aren't you? Why are you hitting the dog!"
At the same time.
A task notification suddenly popped up on the task panel:
[You have triggered a side quest: Vicious Dog and Vicious Person]
[Quest Content: A vicious dog frequently appears in Happy Community. Please drive away the vicious dog, maintain community safety, and make certain unpleasant guests truly convinced.]
Tsk~
Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly, not expecting to trigger a side quest so easily.
He had originally intended to just kill the vicious dog and be done with it, but now that a side quest was triggered, it was necessary to have a good talk.
Natsuki pointed and said:
"Is this your dog?"
The middle-aged woman, plump in figure, directly squeezed past and stood in front of the vicious dog, spitting as she said:
"Why are you asking so many questions? Can you just kill a stray dog casually?"
Tsubame slightly furrowed her brows and said:
"That dog just attacked us."
"Attacked you?" The middle-aged woman aggressively retorted, "You need to show proof when you speak. Where were you bitten?"
The passerby player player beside Tsubame couldn't help but say:
"It would be too late if we were bitten."
"Hmph~"
The middle-aged woman snorted lightly, disdainfully saying:
"Inujiro is so well-behaved. Although it's a stray dog, it never hurts people… It must be that you guys deliberately provoked it, which is why you got bitten. You deserved it!"
"… …"