By the time Miyabi's consciousness gradually returned, about half an hour had passed.
The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Mo Wang's infuriating face.
"Yo, the young lady is finally awake? You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to wake you. How are you feeling?" he teased.
"What... did you do?" Her voice was like ice, her amber eyes boring into him as if to pierce his soul.
"Whoa, whoa, what's with that look?" he said, raising his hands in surrender. "I swear, I didn't do anything perverted to you! Although you do look... ahem, pretty good."
Miyabi's eyes narrowed. "You know that's not what I'm asking." She stepped closer, so close he could smell the faint scent of gunpowder and jasmine on her.
"Then... what are you asking?"
"Look at me," she commanded, her voice low and dangerous.
"How did you do it? I was about to lose myself back there."
She wasn't interested in his lewd jokes. She wanted to know how he had saved her from being consumed by her own power. She had been on the verge of going berserk, but she was still aware of what was happening around her.
...
In that moment, the power within her had been tempting her, trying to turn her into a mindless killing machine. But when Mo Wang plunged Jizo Mitama into her body, his power had barged in like a thug and beat the crap out of her rampaging energy.
The situation had basically gone like this—
Miyabi's Power: Kill! Kill them all!
Miyabi: I...
Mo Wang's Power: Who's this idiot? Get lost!
SMACK! BAM! POW!
Miyabi: 0-0?
Miyabi's Power: I'm sorry! I'll never do it again! Please spare me!
Mo Wang's Power: What a piece of trash. If you show your face again, I'll slice you into pieces, you hear me?
It was the first time she had ever heard of one power being beaten into submission by another.
"Ahem, well, it was the power of this sword. It had nothing to do with me," he said, and then, seeing no one else around to blame, he threw the blame onto Jizo Mitama.
Jizo Mitama: ? You think you can just bully me because I can't talk?
Miyabi: (→_→)
"Then, how did you overpower my swordsmanship?" she pressed, her aura growing even more intense.
"Uh, maybe it's because you were berserk and didn't have any technique?"
"As a Proxy, you have to have some combat skills, right?" he said, trying to talk his way out of it. "As a legendary Proxy, it's only natural that I'd be a little like the founder of our art, right? So, it's not a big deal if my swordsmanship is a little better, is it?"
"A little better?" she stared at him, her gaze piercing. In all of New Eridu, she considered her swordsmanship second only to her father's. And yet, against Mo Wang, she had been almost completely helpless.
"Um, shouldn't we be getting out of here? Pullman's been in this Hollow for a long time," he said, changing the subject.
Miyabi gave him a long, hard look, and then turned away. "I lost this time. Next time, I will challenge you again."
Damn it, he thought, his face scrunching up like a bitter gourd. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. Now he'd have this battle-crazed woman hounding him every day.
...
"Phew, finally out of that hellhole."
Just as he was about to transform the van back to its normal state, a police car appeared in front of them.
"Crap, the Peacekeepers are after us. We have to run," he said, and threw a disguise to Miyabi. "Put this on. You don't want to be seen in this car, do you?"
But just as he was about to floor it, a familiar voice came over the comms.
"Mo Wang! Pull over, now! Don't think I don't know it's you!"
It was Zhu Yuan. Mo Wang's heart skipped a beat, and he sighed, and pulled the van over.
Zhu Yuan stormed over, with Qingyi close behind, and ripped off his disguise.
"Yo, Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, what a coincidence," he said with a nervous laugh. "Nice weather today, huh? Out for a drive?"
"Hehehe, what a coincidence indeed," she said with a sickly sweet smile, and then pointed at the van. "Mo Wang, would you care to explain this... vehicle?"
"Uh~ why are you two traffic cops today? Aren't you in the criminal investigation division?"
"Because of a certain someone's street racing, we've been working in the traffic division for the past two months," Qingyi said, her voice ice-cold.
"I-I think I can explain."
"You bastard! Didn't you say you weren't hiding anything from us?! What the hell have you been doing?! The guy we've been looking for for months has been you all along!" Zhu Yuan shrieked, on the verge of a breakdown.
"Have mercy, Officer Zhu Yuan! It's just that I had so much going on, I completely forgot about this little thing! Please, let me off this one time!"
"Heh, too late for that! You're coming with me! And if I don't fine you a few hundred thousand, my name isn't Zhu Yuan!"
"Let him go!"
Miyabi stepped forward.
"And you are?" Zhu Yuan asked, eyeing the woman wrapped up like a mummy.
"I am Miyabi Hoshimi of Section Six," she said, and removed her disguise.
"Wow, Miyabi Hoshimi? I never thought you'd be with her, Boss," Qingyi said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Mo Wang's scalp began to tingle. Why is this turning into a shuraba again? Is it because my affection level with everyone is maxed out?
"So, the famous Miss Miyabi Hoshimi has a penchant for street racing, does she?" Zhu Yuan said, her eyes glinting.
"I was accompanying Mo Wang on a special mission," she replied calmly.
"Oh? A mission? Then I'm sure our arrest of this repeat offender won't interfere with your mission, will it, Miss Hoshimi?"
"This mission cannot be completed without him."
"What mission could possibly be so important that the Peacekeepers of New Eridu would turn a blind eye to street racing?"
Just then, Qingyi spoke up. "Our actions are also under direct orders from a superior." She produced a document with a bright red seal. "This is an arrest warrant signed by Chief Bringer himself."
At the mention of that name, Miyabi's expression changed, and she looked at Mo Wang, ready to make a run for it.
But to her surprise, he just laughed.
"Well, isn't this a coincidence? Officer Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, I'll turn myself in. It was wrong of me, a five-star citizen of New Eridu, to engage in such reckless behavior. Let's go back to the station right away." He then turned to Miyabi. "Miyabi, I'll leave the car with you! I'll come back for it later!"
And with that, he grabbed Zhu Yuan and Qingyi's hands and dragged them towards the police car, leaving everyone else in a state of bewilderment.
"Wh-what's going on?" Miyabi stared after the departing police car, a feeling of unease settling in her stomach.
She then looked at the van, and a thoughtful expression crossed her face.
"I don't think... I know how to drive."