Chapter 473: Tonight in the Small Woods Outside the City, No Leaving Without Meeting
Chapter 473: Tonight in the Small Woods Outside the City, No Leaving Without Meeting
As a fellow LSP, Kamikawa Takumi had long seen through Fang Cheng. He didn’t believe this guy, who prioritized romance over friendship, would rush over immediately.
If it were himself, he’d have done the same.
But such things were trivial. Kamikawa Takumi looked Fang Cheng up and down and asked hesitantly, “Did you win?”
Fang Cheng stepped forward, placing a hand on him to heal his wounds using the Word Spirit Technique. “More than won—utterly dominated.”
Kamikawa Takumi stared blankly. Unaware of Tsukimi Narumi and the built-in cheat, he’d assumed Fang Cheng had soloed Isis.
Even with help, that seemed impossible.
How could a siege minion defeat a max-level, fully buffed, six-item-carrying protagonist?
“How… how’d you pull it off?”
Kamikawa Takumi refused to accept it. They were both aces! Why could Fang Cheng kill Uehara Takashi and a disaster-level monster while he got stomped like a minion?
Was his dignity worthless?
Given their life-and-death bond and future family ties, Fang Cheng explained everything—the mother’s middle finger and Tsukimi Narumi’s involvement.
The big brother froze. He’d known special means defeated Uehara Takashi, but using a middle finger against Isis?
He absently raised his own middle finger, then snorted at the absurdity.
Minamoto Karei glared. “Got a problem with me?”
“No!”
“Then why the gesture?”
Kamikawa Takumi hastily lowered his hand.
Hearing Fang Cheng needed multiple allies to beat Isis eased Kamikawa Takumi’s envy.
Still outrageous, but at least this time the madness hadn’t overstayed its welcome.
Once healed, Minamoto Karei moved to remove his bandages.
“Leave them,” he stopped her.
“Why?”
“Scars are a man’s medals.”
“You’re healed.”
“Exactly. The bandages prove I was injured.”
“…”
Kamikawa Takumi had calculated this thoroughly. Losing to Fang Cheng in contributions was tolerable, but being outshone by Ye Yuqing, that brat? Unthinkable.
He’d craft the image of a battle-scarred commander—his status as the collective’s second-in-command demanded recognition.
Minamoto Karei’s face screamed “I don’t know him.”
Fang Cheng understood. For all his goofiness, the big brother shared his sister’s fiercely competitive streak.
Once again, his contributions were indeed significant. In the end, it was his sneak attack that managed to restrain Isis.
When the three returned to the apartment, Kamikawa Takumi’s bandage-covered appearance drew shocked gasps from everyone.
The big brother seized the moment to boast about how he’d seen through Isis’ ability, secretly left a painting, agreed on a signal with Fang Cheng, and ultimately secured their victory.
Sato Hayato became utterly awestruck upon hearing this. Though he’d helped throw the N5 explosives, such littering behavior paled in comparison.
Isis’ appearance shattered Sato Hayato’s budding arrogance from conquering the Mechanical City. He’d believed his fighting power ranked at least third in their group, yet couldn’t withstand a single gaze from Isis. Even his contributions fell short of Ye Yuqing’s.
Kamikawa Takumi had been instantly defeated by Isis too – essentially putting him on the same level as himself. That Kamikawa still made such vital contributions made him a role model worth learning from.
Fang Cheng avoided joining the big brother’s bragging to spare him embarrassment.
Kanzaki Rin approached and murmured, “There’s good news and bad news. Which first?”
“Bad news,” Fang Cheng chose after consideration.
“Your hiding in the Mechanical City can’t be concealed anymore.”
Area 11’s intelligence agencies were worse than Isis. They’d failed to confirm Fang Cheng’s presence earlier, but after Isis’ visit where he appeared openly, countless witnesses made denial impossible unless the entire Area 11 went blind.
“The good news?”
“Isis was seen too.” Kanzaki Rin smiled slightly. “And you defeated her.”
Isis never bothered hiding her movements, especially during her search for the big brother. The spies in Mechanical City had surely reported everything already.
Had Fang Cheng died by Isis’ hand, Mechanical City would’ve faced Area 11’s wrath. But his victory flipped the situation completely – now Area 11 feared Fang Cheng’s retaliation. This solved both internal and external crises in one stroke.
The only concern was Mechanical City gaining global attention. Isis being a disaster-level monster monitored worldwide, her defeat not by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse but in this tiny city would make explosively dramatic news.
“Don’t worry. Just charge anyone asking for details.”
Fang Cheng felt confident protecting the city unless another disaster-level monster appeared. In martial power, this small city now surpassed both Area 11 and the Iron Fortress.
“By the way,” Fang Cheng whispered in Kanzaki Rin’s ear, “Using N5 to murder your husband? Seems someone’s asking for punishment. Meet me tonight in the small woods – we’ve got all the time in the world.”
Kanzaki Rin kept her face blank while viciously stomping his foot.
Unaware of the couple’s plans under her nose, Ye Yuqing was already arguing with the big brother about whose contributions mattered more.
…
In Tokyo, at the Prime Minister’s residence.
Inside a luxurious office, Kitajima Maki sat in a soft chair reviewing documents.
Her fitted trousers and military boots accentuated the length of her thighs resting on the desk – a sight that could drive men mad and women wild.
Sadly, the empty office meant no one witnessed this spectacle.
The documents contained profiles of young ability users from the military and Countermeasures Department. Her task was selecting candidates for the ace training program.
With Kitajima being Area 11’s last remaining ace, the nervous higher-ups had stationed her at the Prime Minister’s office to manage security while scrambling to cultivate new aces. Though rare, using the nation’s full resources could produce more in limited time.
Knocking interrupted her thoughts. Kitajima lowered her legs.
“Enter.”
A handsome young man entered with coffee. “Lady Kitajima, you’ve worked thirty minutes straight. Please rest.”
“Takagi,” she said coldly, “I told you not to disturb me without cause.”
Takagi Saburo stiffened, realizing his mistake.
“Leave. No second chances.”
After the flustered secretary bowed out, Kitajima exhaled deeply and rubbed her face. Since Uehara Takashi’s death, every faction had tried courting her through gifts and pretty boys – as if she were some desperate pervert. Now she understood how government corruption had warped Uehara into a scumbag.
Relighting her cigarette, she barely took two puffs before commotion erupted outside.
“Minister, you can’t-”
“Out of my way!”
A slap rang out. Kitajima stubbed her cigarette as the door crashed open.
The jowly Minister of Defense stormed in, trailed by Takagi sporting a fresh handprint. Kitajima’s eyes narrowed – she might disdain these “gifts,” but striking her secretary crossed the line.
“Minister, explain this madness!”
Slamming hands on her desk, he barked, “Why keep rejecting my proposals?”
At yesterday’s security meeting, he’d seventh proposed nuking Mechanical City where vampire Fang Cheng – Tokyo Incident’s mastermind – reportedly hid. Kitajima had seventh vetoed it.
Backed by the new Prime Minister’s cabinet and hardliners, the Minister showed no fear. Kitajima matched his glare – constrained only by the PM’s tacit approval preventing open conflict.
“My reasons stand,” she stated. “Unconfirmed target location. Bombing civilians brings Human Rights Coalition sanctions. Ready to explain that?”
“Enough excuses!” Spittle flew as he leaned closer. “The rat’s clearly there! Those Mechanical City vermin aren’t civilians – just traitors needing purging!”
“Did shit replace your brain?” Her voice turned glacial. “I reject your logic. Proposal denied.”
Veins bulging, the Minister stared before suddenly laughing coldly.