"…So you're saying… someone stacked a bunch of corpses in your room?" Angre's voice over the line was full of surprise.
"Mm. I checked the wounds — all clean, close-quarters, lethal in a single strike. If they all faced the same person, then the one who did it was definitely a martial arts master," Chu Tianjiao judged. "Also, this afternoon, I saw that Shirou… he's come to this city too. Doesn't seem like a coincidence."
Angre couldn't help speculating. "Could it be… a move from the Zhou family? I heard that even the Duanlongtai was taken by that young man."
Angre didn't know about the complicated relationship between Shirou and Wazhu, but like other factions he came to the same conclusion:Duanlongtai being in his hands symbolized the Zhou family's honor, and it had shone brightly in the battle against Odin — a means of deterring petty enemies.
"He even carries the Duanlongtai?"
This was the first time Chu Tianjiao heard of the Zhou family lending it to an outsider. "Then what about those corpses? I thought maybe the Zhou family's martial master watching over him dumped them on us as a warning."
"You mean… the Zhou family thinks this was our doing?"
Angre shook his head. There it was again — that familiar whiff of blame-shifting.
But surely the same trick wouldn't work twice. The Secret Party wasn't that stupid — why would they antagonize a God Slayer without cause? Unless… they were already his enemies… hm?
Already enemies…
A chill ran through Angre. "It's Odin's people again!"
Chu Tianjiao only had a general idea of the Odin incident. "You mean… it's not over yet?"
"Yes," Angre's tone grew heavy. "As I said before, they've planted agents even within the Secret Party. But the Party's reach has grown so wide it's hard to investigate thoroughly. The forces behind Odin are deeply rooted — one incident won't cripple them. Their next move is surely already on the way."
"Storm's coming," Chu Tianjiao echoed him calmly, though he didn't actually feel much turmoil — his own ties to the Party were never that close anyway.
For now, all he had to do was complete this trade: wait for the other party to arrive and deliver the case on time.
"…In theory we can't just sit and wait," Angre's voice rang through the basement again. "But faced with reality, we're powerless… S-Class Operative Chu Tianjiao, by the authority of the Kassel Academy Headmaster, I hereby give you your new mission!"
"You've been running long-term operations in that city for over a decade. That remains unchanged. But you must now also respond to the new risks posed by this unknown force — and if necessary, assist our temporary allies—"
"That may mean Shirou. Or my partner. Help them resolve this incident! The enemy of our enemy is our friend!"
"Understood!" Chu Tianjiao's eyes brightened. From the moment he saw those corpses, he'd figured this mission might not go smoothly.
Angre's tone stayed grim. "Our resources in China are dwindling. You may find yourself isolated, without backup…"
"Headmaster, don't you worry a bit! After all these years, even if it's been ages since my last mission, I haven't let my skills go to waste!"
Chu Tianjiao slapped his chest, his words light-hearted. Beneath his feet was another large black case, its plaque etched with a half-withered World Tree. Inside was a cache of well-maintained light and heavy firearms and ammunition.
On his little workbench were more rounds — some with red or black-painted primers, others hand-engraved with crosses. Each bullet guaranteed to blossom into a deadly spray of blood.
———
Shirou, trying to calm himself down, went back to his usual craft —
Daily projection practice.
He was already capable of projecting Noble Phantasms, but the mysterious "Projection Imbuement" — granting himself the power and technique of the original user — was still something he couldn't grasp.
He thought of the bronze ancient sword in his hands, heavy as ever — ever since Wazhu told him it carried countless souls, he understood that weight came from his ancestors' spirits.
But why was it that in the battle with Odin, he'd seemed to gain Da Yu's power? Was it really just those souls lending strength? What condition had triggered the Projection Imbuement?As he puzzled over it, the sound of soft slippered footsteps approached from the bathroom.
Nono emerged, her freshly-washed body wrapped in a pure white bathrobe, red hair pinned up with a hot towel. But she strode like a cocky little heroine, her long legs flashing impishly from under the hem of the robe.
"Look, look, there's a reply from the Zhou family!" Nono grabbed her phone off the sofa and ran over to him.
"…Are you wearing anything under that?" Shirou took the phone but held it high out of her reach.
"Nope! Just showered, why would I?"
She made a few playful grabs but couldn't get the phone back, and soon she was glaring at him in silence like a kitten watching a toy.
"Go put something on properly before you come back. What if Old Tang comes home?"
"Fine, fine," she pouted, grumbling inwardly about his double standards as she flounced back to her room.
Shirou checked the Zhou family's report: overseas trade records, cash flows, shell companies… But what caught his eye was one target in the city — a Japanese-invested "Kuroshio Aquarium," run by a yakuza front called "Aoiya."
Even more coincidental — the Chen family had once moved their "dead servant" experiments using disguised fish tanks on fishing vessels.
Wazhu's message also asked if he wanted backup, but Shirou declined. With the typhoon on the way, it would be too late by the time they arrived.
He decided to investigate tomorrow.
"I'm coming too!"
Nono, now in pajamas with little yellow ducks, chimed in loudly after peeking at his screen.
Shirou almost refused outright — but then he reconsidered. Leaving her alone might not be safe either, with Odin's mark still on her.
"…Fine. You can come."
Nono's pout instantly turned into a dazzling smile. Good grief… what a little drama queen…
But even so, Shirou thought better of relying just on himself and Nono. He picked up his phone and sent a message to someone else.
"Who?" Nono leaned in.
"You want to know?" he replied without looking up.
"Yes!"
"Not telling you. Haha."
"…!"
———
The next day.
"Haha! Long time no see, Shirou-kun, Nono-chan!"
Mai Sakurazaka, hair in a high ponytail, sunglasses on, waved cheerfully as she slung her big leather bag over one shoulder.
Her supermodel legs drew the eyes of everyone at the aquarium entrance like a spider ensnaring flies.
Thankfully the approaching typhoon kept the crowd thin. The sky was still overcast and people clutched umbrellas nervously.
Shirou carried his long violin-case-shaped sword box on his back, with Nono beside him holding an umbrella. They were both in disguise. Shirou reached for his Mint Club card — a gift from that old man at the Clock Tower — planning to skip the ticket line.
But Mai blocked his hand with her own, flashing her own Mint card.
"You too?"
Mai nodded. "Out of the three of us, I'm the most visible. So I'm holding on to it. Come on, I've already booked us the VIP lane."
The three of them entered the "Kuroshio Aquarium" as ordinary visitors.
Inside, the massive ocean display window held a slow-gliding whale shark, with schools of fish casting shifting shadows.
The signature "Kuroshio Exhibit" represented the warm ocean current revered by the Japanese for its bounty.
Deeper in, the crowds thickened.
They reached a mysterious deep-blue underwater tunnel where visitors gawked at elegant, winged, serpent-tailed maidens swimming gracefully.
The entrance plaque read: "Melusine's Water World."
With his sharp eyes, Shirou could tell they were just costumed divers — though admittedly quite pretty.
Suddenly Nono gave his hand a disapproving little slap.
(End of Chapter)
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