New Eridu greeted the day with a rising sun and a sky washed clean in bright blue. Birds skimmed the city's waters—so still they looked like reflections—then, startled, beat their wings hard, droplets of mist clinging to their feathers as they climbed.
Last night's storm had already settled.
Everyone connected to the Yuanjing Industries case had been properly secured—including Perlman, who tried to fake sleep and slip away.
He even managed to fool Corin while she carried him, and later attempted to flee using the airship. But the moment he reached for the controls—
"Evil must be cut down."
A 170-centimeter-tall "melon-kin" had already flashed behind him.
Steel pressed to his throat. Perlman chose surrender with impressive speed. A recently awakened Billy then gave him the beating of a lifetime before handing him over to NEPS custody.
And because of the unexpected airship incident, the court date for the Yuanjing Bombing Case was pushed back accordingly.
NEPS had thwarted a terrifying plot.
Phaethon had rescued Ruen.
The Cunning Hares came out without a single casualty.
And Victoria Housekeeping preserved its name.
So, then—who was the only one truly hurt?
—
"I see. So Miss Hoshimi Miyabi and that NEPS officer, Zhu Yuan, were classmates—and Zhu Yuan also has ties to Deputy Chief Tsukishiro Yanagi of Section 6. It seems I was overthinking things."
"Haha. That's how it goes sometimes. So many complicated knots… and yet the first tug is often something simple. Even the messiest ball of yarn has a clean end sticking out somewhere, doesn't it?"
New Eridu, Mayor's Office.
It was unexpectedly plain—almost modest. The Mayor smiled as he explained Zhu Yuan's relationship to Miyabi, occasionally reaching out to tease a small cactus sitting on his desk.
After the Mayor cleared up his doubts, Lycaon nodded thoughtfully.
The Mayor—Meflaur—still wore that faint, easy smile as he slid a file across the table.
Lycaon did not reach for it immediately. Instead, he waited—quietly—for the Mayor's permission to open it.
Seeing how restrained—almost stiff—Lycaon was this time, the Mayor lifted a brow, then seemed to realize something. His smile softened into a hint of helplessness.
"You… still have something you want to ask, don't you?"
"Yes." Lycaon's voice remained steady. "And it isn't only my request—it is the request of everyone in Victoria Housekeeping. We urgently need to know where Lord Qianye—"
As if he already knew what was coming, the Mayor sighed and waved a hand.
"Lycaon. Look at the file first."
It could have sounded like a deflection from anyone else, but Lycaon knew the Mayor wasn't the sort to play cheap games. Otherwise, Lycaon would never have served him.
So he said nothing. He simply accepted the file.
The envelope bulged more than usual, as though it held far too much inside. Lycaon opened it slowly, allowing the contents to slide out naturally onto the desk.
The first thing that appeared was a photograph.
A woman with black hair and green eyes, the corner of her lips curved in a knowing smile.
Sarah.
Lycaon's brow tightened. He knew her. He'd learned enough.
The mastermind behind the Yuanjing Bombing Case—and the prime culprit. She had escaped NEPS capture afterward.
An undeniable villain.
The closest Victoria Housekeeping had been to her was on the eve of the bombing case, when Rina—under Lycaon's instructions—shadowed Perlman and discovered Sarah meeting with him. From the fact that Sarah could freely enter and exit a facility holding detainees, Rina had inferred she had an accomplice inside NEPS.
Sarah was highly likely connected to the Hymn Society—possibly even a senior figure.
But a high-ranking member personally going undercover as a secretary… wasn't a common pattern.
Lycaon knew their intelligence on Sarah was still incomplete, and without a breakthrough it would be difficult to push further. The undercurrents in New Eridu were growing violent. Even Victoria Housekeeping needed to step out of the whirlpool sometimes—if only to avoid being dragged under by the next surge.
What Lycaon did not understand was why the Mayor placed Sarah first.
Was their surveillance insufficient? Did she carry some greater unresolved mystery? Or—
His thoughts tangled, but his hands remained steady.
He continued.
The next photograph was even more familiar.
Justin Bringer—Deputy Chief Commissioner of NEPS, Janus District Headquarters.
And beyond that, the direct force behind Qianye's warrant through the net.
He could disguise himself for the public, but before the Mayor of New Eridu, that disguise was meaningless.
Lycaon studied the image. It looked like a candid taken during Bringer's speech at the NEPS branch on Lightlume Plaza—Bringer pointing his thumb at himself, grin flashing white, striking the pose of a hero.
From appearances alone, no one would see the rot.
Then again, if you could judge a soul by a face, the world wouldn't need the concept of inner beauty.
After a brief silence, Lycaon did not pick up the rest of the papers. He looked directly at the Mayor.
"Your Excellency—by presenting these two, do you mean they are collaborators?"
"Yes," the Mayor said—and then shook his head. "And no."
He leaned back slightly, the smile still there, but thinner now.
"Before this information reached me, I believed their cooperation was seamless. But after that child appeared… the situation changed."
Lycaon understood who the Mayor meant. He waited.
Then the Mayor's next words hit like cold water.
"Lycaon… do you believe in the existence of a 'Holy Son'?"
"…If you mean the Holy Son in religious texts, I have some familiarity. But a Holy Son in reality…" Lycaon paused, choosing his words. "Your Excellency—do you mean Sarah and Bringer mistook Lord Qianye for a Holy Son? If our suspicion is correct and they are Hymn Society members, wouldn't that make them heretics?"
"In the Hymn Society's scripture and slogans," Lycaon continued, "isn't the only one they revere the Progenitor?"
The Mayor gave a short laugh—without warmth.
"If only it were that simple, we wouldn't have to suffer through this."
He fell silent for a long moment, then exhaled and recited, almost like confession, a line of scripture:
"'And we know the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true— in His Son. This is the true God, and eternal life.'"
His tone lost the slick polish of a politician speaking to bureaucrats and merchants. It became blunt—bare, even—leaving him no room to retreat.
"Lycaon… you may know many things about that child. But there are secrets you have never touched." His eyes looked tired. "Because back then… as laughable as it sounds, I did not trust you to bear that weight."
He stared at Lycaon, voice quieter now.
"Do you know who was the first to ever make contact with that child?"
Lycaon answered carefully, following what Qianye himself had said.
"If I'm not mistaken—according to Qianye—he was delivered to the Helios Organization as an infant, and then adopted by senior research director Carlos Arna, who raised and trained him. As for the very first person who touched him… he claims he doesn't know, and he has never shown any desire to search for his biological parents…"
He stopped mid-sentence.
The Mayor continued softly, as though finishing a thought that had never stopped haunting him.
"Yes. No one knows who that child's parents are."
"Not even the person who delivered him to Helios."
The Mayor's smile twisted into something bitter, and his gaze held exhaustion and helplessness.
"To be honest… I've even begun to doubt whether what Carlos Arna told me was true."
"What did she say?" Lycaon asked.
The Mayor spoke the words as if repeating a nightmare he'd heard too many times.
"She said: 'That legend who vanished into the Zero Hollow an era ago— with the zeal of a rebel and the foolish loyalty of a believer— stole the god's offspring from within the divine embrace, and made it possible for the child to truly enter the world.'"
He looked toward the window, beyond the city, as if his sight could reach the origin of all Hollows.
"The Zero Hollow," he murmured, almost like sleep-talk. "Is the founder of the Helios Organization… truly still alive?"
"Your Excellency—"
The Mayor waved him off with a weary chuckle.
"Ah, forgive me. I spoke too much. Old age makes one cling to the past."
Then his tone sharpened back into control.
"Anyway—though the larger storm hasn't fully passed, the main body of those parasites has already died off in great numbers. The rest won't be able to stir much."
Lycaon held his excitement in check and asked with care, "You mean…?"
"The warrant can keep pressuring Bringer," the Mayor said. "But the evidence still isn't enough. We need something more direct."
He paused, and the faint smile returned—this time, colder.
"But before that… we shouldn't let the child continue hiding in the shadows."
He tapped the desk lightly.
"I don't like that feeling."
—
"I don't like this."
After who-knew-how-many requests from Evelyn for him to dress up again, Qianye finally snapped.
He resisted.
"Oh?" Evelyn's tone stayed level. "But, Qianye, if you don't—there will be—"
"'Punishment'?" Qianye cut her off, eyes hard. "Or are you using 'punishment' as an excuse to reward yourself?"
"I'm still calling you Evelyn because I understand what you've done," he continued, staring directly into her eyes. "But I'm done being your excuse to vent your desires. I'm not your toy."
"And I'm someone who has helped you."
"Why is it that when I was in trouble—when I needed your help— you couldn't answer my trust with trust? Why are you so determined to leave your mark on me?"
In Qianye's arms, the round little Bangboo Xu Ge Ya trembled with indignation, clenching tiny fists like it wanted to square up.
"Mm-nn, mm-nn! (Exactly! Don't think just any woman gets to walk into Helios's home!)"
It had been designed to protect the "young master." It could accept not fighting Miyabi—Void Hunter was obviously beyond its pay grade.
But Evelyn? Who did she think she was?
Sure, she'd incidentally allowed it to record a trove of valuable data about Qianye—but that didn't mean she could act like this. Even stray cats knew how to play cute for food and then walk away with a cold face afterward. Xu Ge Ya could do that too.
Evelyn did not answer Qianye's accusation.
She only looked at Xu Ge Ya in his arms, eyes hollow with something unreadable. Her slender fingers kneaded the clothes in her hands. Her head dipped.
Qianye didn't notice the shift. He kept going, pouring out what he'd held in.
"You decide what I wear on a whim. You treat me like a pet. Evelyn, this isn't repayment—and it isn't how friends behave."
"It's not like that," Evelyn said.
Qianye began, "You're too high and mighty—" and then stopped.
"What?"
"I said… you aren't like that."
Evelyn lifted her gaze. Then she curled a finger.
In an instant, thin crimson threads spread through the apartment like burning filaments—snaring both Qianye and Xu Ge Ya, yanking them up into the air.
Xu Ge Ya tried to counterattack—
And immediately went limp.
"Mm-nn?! (Witch! What did you stick on me?!)"
Evelyn's mouth curved with quiet mockery.
"Just a sticker that drains a Bangboo's battery quickly. Most days it's decoration. When I need it… I activate it, and your power drops."
She watched Xu Ge Ya glare helplessly, unable to do anything, and chuckled.
Then she turned to Qianye, still hanging in the threads.
"Now, Qianye. It's between us."
"As a bad child who rebels," Evelyn stepped forward, "you need punishment—"
The front door swung open.
A tranquilizer dart shot in and punched into Evelyn's back.
"Sorry," a man's voice drawled from the doorway. "Looks like the locks in these old apartments aren't very sturdy…"
Evelyn ripped the dart out immediately, but it was too late. The drug was already in her system.
Her face drained, fury burning through the weakness, as she glared at the blond man standing there with a suitcase in hand—
Hugo.
"You broke your promise!"
"Promise?" Hugo's eyes went cold, the amusement bleeding away. "Miss, I only asked you to hide Qianye. I never said—"
His voice sharpened like a blade.
"—that you were allowed to put your hands on my treasure."
"No one," Hugo continued, stepping forward, "gets to force Qianye into things he doesn't like."
"I hate pressure. I hate being made to do what I don't want to do."
"And you, 'Schreiber the Azure'…"
His gaze cut through her.
"…just let me witness a perfect little scene of an oppressor."
He lifted his suitcase slightly, smile widening into something bright and vicious.
"And besides—Qianye doesn't need to hide anymore."
"The watchdog told me."
"The warrant against him has been withdrawn."
Hugo's laughter rang out, sharp with satisfaction as Evelyn's face turned paler by the second.
"So, my dear partner…"
He leaned in, savoring every word.
"Qianye has no reason to stay by your side anymore!"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 147)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter185)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter215)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 185
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/1
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 206
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 190
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/23
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 106
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 125
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 90
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 80
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 86
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 81
Still playing traditional Honk 65
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 65
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 57
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 45
Transmigrated as Sukuna 59
Checking In in Demon Slayer 59
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 73
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 45
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 36
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 40
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 60
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 30
Why did they assign me to Uma 35
MYGO Beauties 43
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 30
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 31
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