Under the night sky, at the alley entrance, illuminated by both streetlights and moonlight.
Luo Shu walked out with one hand in his pocket and Kisara on his arm, surveying the artificially cleared and sealed-off street before remarking with a smile:
"To think there was a Pureblood demon hiding in Akihabara who wasn't even Hero Rank. Captain Asuka, your management work seems rather lacking!"
Hearing Luo Shu's joking tone, Tomoki Asuka gave a bitter laugh:
"Don't even mention it. Probably another one sneaking in under the guise of a two-bit sorcerer from some overseas organisation."
As he spoke, Asuka sounded both defensive and explanatory:
"You know how those foreign task forces don't care about the lives here. All they care about is whether any valuable Abyss Artefacts are entering the country."
"As long as these people pay up and bring good merchandise for trade, they couldn't care less whether they're demons or humans."
At this point, Asuka wanted to say that the big bullies from America and Europe were all complicit, but considering Luo Shu belonged to the SDS, which had good relations with these powers, he kept his mouth shut.
Noticing Asuka's cautious expression, Luo Shu narrowed his eyes but didn't press further, simply saying with a smile:
"In that case, it seems the demons captured tonight will have to be temporarily held by our Hidden Management Department."
"After all..."
Luo Shu said meaningfully:
"We can't have them released right after I've caught them, can we?"
Hearing this, Asuka took a sharp drag from his cigarette, visibly frowning:
"The Hidden Management Department has no jurisdiction in Akihabara District."
After this serious statement, he quickly added:
"However, given the task force's outdated interrogation methods, I think it's perfectly reasonable for them to delegate prisoner interrogations to your department."
Tonight's sudden operation had netted Luo Shu over twenty demons, with too many factions involved. If Asuka had to detain them himself, the pressure would be unbearable.
After all, everyone knew that among Akihabara's six task forces, the one affiliated with Japan always had the most work, the hardest jobs, and the least authority - keeping these demons would be troublesome indeed.
Compared to this, Luo Shu, as a senior official in a multinational organisation, had it much easier.
He could negotiate with the major powers, and simple exchanges of interests meant few issues once procedures were settled.
Thinking this, Asuka added: "Remember to file the paperwork afterwards."
"My secretary will handle the application."
Luo Shu smiled as he said this, then glanced at Maria Naruse nearby before joking:
"We meet again, Maria-chan."
"Did you come all this way because you missed me?"
Hearing this, Maria immediately broke out into a sweet smile.
But her words were full of malice:
"That's right~ I missed you so much I wanted to cut off all your pubic hair and strangle you with it!"
Beside them, Kisara grew angry: "You shameful Succubus, what are you planning to do to my Shu-kun?"
"Hah?"
The "shameful Succubus" comment made Maria's hair practically stand on end:
"What's wrong with being inexperienced? So what if I'm a Succubus without experience? How dare you call me shameful?!"
"...Wait, that's not what I meant?"
Kisara looked thoroughly confused.
'I was scolding the promiscuous Succubus, so why are you thinking of the inexperienced one?'
'That doesn't quite add up, does it?'
Meanwhile, Luo Shu, listening nearby, had a strange expression:
"So in Succubus terms, 'shameful' means lacking sexual experience?"
After saying this, Luo Shu glanced at Maria Naruse's indignant face and suddenly realised:
"No wonder you're so worked up! Must have hit a sore spot, eh?"
Maria Naruse's face flushed red, but she pretended nothing had happened as she snapped irritably:
"My business is none of your concern!"
"Instead, you're the one who beat up all my subordinates stationed in Akihabara as partners. What are you trying to do? Bully a Succubus?"
"If I wanted to bully a Succubus, I wouldn't have stopped at just beating them up."
Luo Shu muttered before walking straight towards Maria Naruse.
Instantly, Maria Naruse was startled and hastily retreated several steps, nervously saying:
"What are you doing? Trying to silence me by killing a demon?"
Luo Shu stopped in his tracks, looking at her with amusement: "You don't want to heal your subordinates?"
"What?" Maria Naruse froze, then eyed Luo Shu suspiciously: "You know healing spells?"
Seeing this, Luo Shu jokingly raised his fist:
"Should I punch you first so you can test the healing effects?"
"I don't have masochistic tendencies." Maria Naruse subtly took another step back, then frowned at Luo Shu with a strange expression: "But speaking of which, why do you smell so revolting? Did a demon curse you?"
As Maria finished speaking, Luo Shu glanced at Kisara and immediately noticed the guilt on the girl's face.
At that moment, Maria Naruse also noticed something, giving Kisara beside her a peculiar look before scoffing:
"Immature brat!"
"Who are you calling immature?!" Kisara glared angrily at Maria Naruse.
"Whoever responds is immature." Maria Naruse sneered, puffing out her chest: "Instead of properly honing your bedroom skills, you resort to using smells to repel other demons. If that's not immature, what is?"
Kisara's face instantly flushed red with shame and anger:
"Who needs to hone those kinds of skills?!"
Maria Naruse looked surprised, her eyes filling with disdain: "Hah? As a demon, you can't even manage that? What use are you?!"
"Not knowing is normal! You're the weird one here!! You third-rate Succubus!!"
"I can't let that slide. Who are you calling a third-rate Succubus, you amateur demon?!"
"Even if I'm amateurish, I'm nowhere near your level, Miss Virgin Succubus!!"
Maria Naruse was instantly struck by a critical hit, especially under Kisara's utterly disdainful gaze, leaving her physically and mentally wounded:
"Damn it... how dare a mere small fry demon mock me..."
Watching Maria Naruse grit her teeth in anger, Luo Shu reached out and patted her head, smiling:
"Need my help?"
Maria Naruse barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes, forcing a stiff smile:
"Sorry, but I'd rather use a cucumber than your help."
"What a shame..."
Luo Shu chuckled indifferently, then extended his hand:
"Alright, come with me. Your subordinates must be getting impatient."
Expecting to be hit, Maria Naruse guiltily hmphed before taking Luo Shu's hand under Kisara's murderous glare:
"At least you have some conscience."
"Another thieving cat sneaking in." Kisara muttered, then seeing the two about to leave, gritted her teeth and quickly caught up, grabbing Luo Shu's other arm.
The three walked ahead under the night sky, leaving Tomoki Asuka standing under the streetlight, smoking as he murmured:
"After cleaning up so many demons... things are bound to get lively..."