After that, a few days passed, and Shirou's life returned to normal.
The only difference was that Yith would occasionally discuss rather "brainy" topics with him.
Previously, he would just package all the intelligence together and hand it over to him. Now it was delivered in scattered pieces.
However, considering that Penguin Logistics had taken on a lot more work recently and the other side had been working who knows how much overtime, Shirou did not complain. He just made a few casual remarks about it.
By now, the amount of intelligence Shirou had on hand was already quite substantial. That infected organization had already made contact with the Rhodes Island branch office.
Their target was exactly what he and Lin Yuhsia had initially predicted: inhibitors. Aside from inhibitors, they also seemed to hope that the doctors at the branch could provide some basic treatment.
The branch office did not agree outright, but they did state that they were willing to treat those who came, as that was their duty to begin with.
After that, the number of people coming to the branch for treatment indeed increased so much that they were short on manpower.
So Shirou brought along quite a number of people to help.
They were all kids from the Fuyuki Shop. While they could not assist with medical treatment, they could handle miscellaneous tasks, easing the burden on medical operators like Minmin to some extent.
"Adanachiel, could you give me a hand here?"
After loading another crate of medicine onto a vehicle, Shirou called for support. The items were not heavy, but he did not know how they should be arranged.
If they were damaged because of him, that would be a serious problem.
They were currently transporting medical supplies sent from Rhodes Island, escorted and delivered within Lungmen by the A4 Action Reserve Team.
Yes, the A4 Action Reserve Team. Shirou's only real impression of this reserve team was Ansel, the medic.
Also, the person who called a few days ago was from A4 as well, the squad leader Melantha.
She was someone who lacked a bit of confidence. The first time Shirou met her, she bit her tongue while speaking.
It was... quite amusing.
No, wait, why was he starting to develop such a mischievous sense of humor? That would not do.
This time, Shirou came along because of requests from Minmin and Ansel. The former wanted him to interact more with others, while the latter was too busy with work to spare time, so he could only ask Shirou to look after things.
"I will do it!"
After Shirou called for help, an energetic voice rang out. Soon, a Perro wearing goggles ran over and took the crate from his hands.
"Thanks."
Shirou handed over the box and thanked her out of habit.
"No, no! Honestly, Mr. Shirou, you did not even need to help us carry things. We are already very grateful that you are lending a hand!"
Hearing his thanks, she hurriedly replied.
"Cardigan, do not be so nervous. It is just moving some boxes."
Seeing her flustered state, Shirou smiled.
Perhaps because he was an outsider, the members of A4 seemed a bit uncomfortable around him.
Did he really look that intimidating?
Shirou began to reflect on this question.
In truth, the A4 Action Reserve Team members had been temporarily assembled back then, and they had personally witnessed Shirou leading numerous elite operators back on his own.
That alone was enough to earn their respect.
With everyone's efforts, all the supplies were finally loaded onto the vehicle.
"Phew... With these medicines, Ansel should not have to worry about shortages anymore, right?"
In the driver's seat, a white-haired Sankta with a tilted halo let out a deep sigh.
Those medicines had been quite heavy, yet among the five people in the vehicle, only he and another white-haired Vulpo looked completely exhausted.
Meanwhile, Shirou, Cardigan, and Melantha all seemed to have plenty of energy left. Kroos even had the spare energy to tease Melantha.
"This still might not be enough. There could be a large influx of patients soon."
After roughly estimating the amount of medicine they had just transported, Shirou felt it might fall short.
"Eh... then Ansel is going to have a tough time ahead."
After hearing Shirou's words, the white-haired Sankta silently offered his friend some sympathy.
"Adnachiel, do not say that in front of Ansel. Be careful or he might poke you a few extra times with the needle next time."
The white-haired Vulpo beside him said.
"I know. And Steward, do not let your guard down. Even though Lungmen is relatively safe, we cannot rule out danger. Minmin said things might get a bit chaotic here recently."
After being reminded by his teammate, Adnachiel responded with a reminder of his own.
The white-haired Vulpo, Steward, said nothing more and resigned himself to keeping watch.
Sitting in the back, Shirou observed the two, deep in thought.
Strictly speaking, he was looking at the tilted halo above Adnachiel's head.
Could a Sankta's halo actually move?
Would there come a day when Exusiai's halo got dragged somewhere else by the people of Penguin Logistics?
That thought was somewhat terrifying. Perhaps he should remind them not to pull halos around. If they made mistakes, he could just hang them from the ceiling as a light source instead.
Shirou's gaze moved across everyone in the vehicle, after all, he had been entrusted with this responsibility.
Just like how Liskarm had previously asked him to look after her junior Jessica, after Franka learned that Shirou would be in contact with A4, she asked him to take some time to look after Melantha as well.
If time allowed, he could also give her some guidance in swordsmanship. Technically, she could be considered half a disciple of Franka.
Franka had complete trust in Shirou's understanding of close combat, and she hoped Melantha could learn something from him. The more she learned, the better her chances of survival on the battlefield.
Of course, this was only if Shirou had the time. Franka was not going to force the issue.
This request was naturally nothing difficult for Shirou, so he agreed. Combined with Ansel's request, it gave him a chance to observe more closely.
Reserved… or rather, lacking confidence. That was Shirou's strongest impression after meeting Melantha again. However, she was diligent in her work and was constantly trying to push her own limits.
Aside from her personal efforts, everyone in A4 also offered their support.
Overall, it was a team with a fairly good atmosphere.
The only awkward moment was when Shirou initially mixed up Steward and Adnachiel's names, accidentally calling them "Stewchel" and "Adward."
Fortunately, the two just laughed it off. Still, thinking back on it now was extremely embarrassing.
Shaking his head, Shirou pushed the embarrassment out of his mind and glanced behind them.
"Has that van been following us for a bit too long?"
Thinking back, it seemed that vehicle had been behind them for quite some time, keeping a steady distance.
"A problem?"
From the driver's seat, Adnachiel checked the rearview mirror and spotted the van Shirou mentioned.
"Not sure. I think it has been there since a few intersections back. Could just be heading the same way, but to be safe, we should take a detour."
Shirou was not completely certain. It was just a suspicion.
However, according to Penguin Logistics' anti-surveillance guidelines, the best way to deal with a suspicious tail was to take a few detours to see if you could shake them off, and also confirm whether you were actually being followed.
Texas had taught him that. When Shirou brushed her fur, she would occasionally share bits of knowledge, most of which he never expected to use.
And yet, now he actually had a chance to use it. It was almost absurd.
"Got it. Hold on tight!"
After hearing Shirou, Adnachiel slammed the accelerator.
From inside the vehicle, Shirou could clearly hear the tires screech against the ground, followed by the force pressing his body backward.
"Wah!"
Beside him, Cardigan grabbed Melantha, letting out a startled cry.
Meanwhile, Shirou and Steward both kept their eyes on the vehicle behind them. After taking several turns and seeing that the van was still tailing them closely, they confirmed it.
They were being followed.
And the number of pursuers seemed to be more than they had expected.
"Can we lose them?"
Steward asked.
"Probably not. The vehicle is overloaded."
Even with the accelerator fully pressed down, Adnachiel remained calm as he assessed the situation.
"In any case… we cannot engage them within Lungmen city, at least not in crowded areas. It would endanger many people. Kroos, notify the branch office."
After Adnachiel spoke, Melantha immediately analyzed the situation and took command.
At the same time, she took out her weapon, a simple and unadorned straight-edged longsword without a guard.
"Prepare for combat at any moment. Mr. Shirou, we may need your assistance. Miss Franka mentioned that your close combat skills are excellent and that I should learn from you when I have the chance."
Gripping her sword, Melantha took a deep breath as she spoke.
The usual reserved and insecure demeanor was gone.
But she had not become a completely different person either. She was simply carrying the trust of her teammates and doing her best to live up to it.
That feeling was enough to let her temporarily forget her lack of confidence.
"That will not be a problem."
Seeing her like this, Shirou did not say he would handle everything alone.
In the past, he might have tried to shoulder everything himself and resolve it single-handedly. But the current situation was not that severe.
For the group, this was a good opportunity to gain combat experience, and it would also allow him to observe Melantha's fighting style.
If the enemy proved too strong or the situation too complicated, he might still choose to handle things alone but not this time.
Once the vehicle reached a less populated area, the pursuers seemed to realize they had been discovered. They accelerated and moved ahead, intending to confront them directly.
Unexpectedly, there were more vehicles than they had anticipated. Several cars quickly formed a perimeter, trapping them inside.
A large number of people stepped out, wielding weapons that looked cheap at a glance.
Unfortunately, these people had no idea what kind of opponents they were about to face.
"Safety first… and remember Lungmen's rules. Unless it is absolutely necessary, do not kill them."
Looking at them, the members of the A4 Action Reserve Team showed no signs of panic.
They had faced much larger situations before. This was nothing more than a group of street thugs, armed with knives, swords, and clubs.
Even the way they held their weapons made it clear they were not trained. At most, they could swing them around.
That made things even easier.
If there was any real concern, it was that Ansel was not present. If anyone got injured, it could be troublesome.
And as for Lungmen's rules… drawing blood was acceptable, but taking lives was not.
"I will stay with the vehicle. I will leave the rest to you."
From these people, Shirou did not sense any strong threat, so he decisively left the situation to the others to handle.
"Then we will leave it to you, Shirou!"
With that, Cardigan was the first to charge forward with her shield.
Meanwhile, Steward and Adnachiel provided support from atop the vehicle for Kroos and Melantha.
"Hmm… it should be like this, right?"
As for Shirou, he was much more relaxed, holding in his hand a projected longsword identical to Melantha's.
Just standing there, he exuded a strong sense of pressure. That heavy presence alone forced the surrounding people to step back.
In the end, these were just street thugs. Picking up weapons had made them think they were capable, but when faced with someone stronger, they immediately lost their nerve.
"I do not know who sent you… but I suggest you stay right there and do not move. I am not very good at controlling my strength."
Seeing that some of them were trying to move toward Melantha, Shirou swung his longsword downward, leaving a long slash mark across the ground as a warning.
"..."
This time, none of them dared to move.
A casual swing had split the ground. If that strike landed on them…
At best, they might end up saying goodbye to their girlfriends or wives. At worst, they might literally be split apart.
Seeing their reaction, Shirou was satisfied.
These people were not good individuals, but it was better to leave them to Officer Chen and the others to handle. If he took action himself, things might get a bit too bloody.
The Lungmen Guard Department was already busy. There was no need to create unnecessary trouble or waste medical resources treating these people.
Recently, Shirou had become very sensitive to the phrase "medical resources," considering he heard the branch staff complaining about shortages every day.
All he could say was… whether it was the Guard Department or the doctors, they all had it tough.