Chapter 182: Aobanuma

Information about the special drug was learned from the captive Corpse Hound.

It was a specially made medicine that could nullify a Fang Hunter’s identification methods, though this effect couldn’t be maintained for long.

“You… why are you telling me this…”

Hodai Shiki frowned deeply. Naturally, he couldn’t easily trust this man.

This man absolutely wasn’t the rookie named Oreki Tsuyoshi.

“The reason is simple. Because I also hope to gain some information from you.”

Fang Jing spoke: “Of course, this information isn’t anything that would endanger the Fang Hunters or the Fang Hunter Organization. It’s purely related to my own personal wishes. You needn’t feel any excessive burden.”

“Alright. If it’s truly as you say, telling you isn’t impossible.”

Hodai Shiki stared at his face, his voice lowered. “However, you must first tell me: where is our companion, ‘Oreki Tsuyoshi’?”

“I don’t know. I never intended to impersonate anyone else in the first place.”

Fang Jing explained about his encounter with Kamichiruzuru. He was blunt, calling it just a big misunderstanding; he’d merely seized the opportunity to disguise himself as “Oreki Tsuyoshi.”

Naturally, he also had no idea about Oreki Tsuyoshi’s specific situation.

“Fine! I’ll tentatively believe you for now.”

Hodai Shiki didn’t truly trust him either, but he intended to continue talking to gain more information.

“Well then, old man, how much do you know about news concerning the Phantom Jaw lineage among the Corpse Hounds?”

Fang Jing asked this question first.

“Phantom Jaw? You couldn’t possibly mean the Phantom Jaw lineage, one of the three great Corpse Hound lineages?”

Hodai Shiki paused for a moment, rubbing his thick chin.

“The Phantom Jaw lineage was hunted down many years ago. Its descendants should be few and far between by now!”

“Old man, you mean the great war from forty years ago?”

“Yes. After the end of that war, the Phantom Jaw lineage was basically hunted to extinction. The Wild Fang lineage suffered heavy casualties. The only one that remained relatively intact was the Oblique Tooth lineage… though even their King’s Nightmare was slain in the decisive battle during the Yellow Banner Festival…”

This was common knowledge for a Fang Hunter. The great war forty years ago had severely weakened the three great lineages. Only a few sub-lineage descendants of the Corpse Hounds remained unscathed.

“Well then, old man, I recently heard a piece of news. They say a ‘Clan Heir’ was born to the Phantom Jaw lineage in the past.”

“This… where did you hear about that? Something like that is obviously impossible!”

Hodai Shiki’s expression changed slightly. He quickly shook his head.

“That shouldn’t be possible. Even among a large Corpse Hound lineage, a new Clan Heir couldn’t be born so quickly. They wouldn’t recover so rapidly without seventy years…”

A major condition determining the birth of high-ranking individuals among Corpse Hounds, like the “King’s Nightmare” or the “Clan Heir,” was the prosperity level of a lineage. The damage from the great war forty years ago was enormous for the three great lineages. Such severe weakening couldn’t be fixed quickly. Hodai Shiki, as an experienced Fang Hunter, was clearly skeptical of Fang Jing’s news.

Hearing Hodai Shiki’s answer, a ripple of doubt stirred in Fang Jing’s heart.

Hodai Shiki didn’t seem like he was pretending ignorance?

Then, this was strange.

Was there some major intelligence failure within the Fang Hunter Agency, leaving them completely unaware that their formidable enemy was returning and resurging?

No, it was also possible this information had always been hidden by the “Agency.” Ordinary Fang Hunters like Hodai Shiki simply weren’t cleared to know it.

But that didn’t make sense. Why keep such crucial intelligence hidden from the Fang Hunters on the front lines?

(In his thoughts: Of course, there’s an even worse possibility – that the Corpse Hounds mastered the ability to produce that special drug long ago. They adopted a more covert strategy, choosing to operate in ways that evaded the Fang Hunter Agency under certain conditions. If you really think about it, that possibility can’t be dismissed. The question is… when exactly did the Corpse Hounds master the method to make that drug?)

Never mind. Thinking about that wasn’t his goal.

Better to ask Hodai Shiki for information regarding the “Jawtooth Mark.”

\——————

“This place? It’s the Aobanuma Research Institute?”

Raisu got out of the car with his assistant, Kitano.

His main purpose in coming to the “Aobanuma Research Institute” was to meet privately with the head of the Fang Hunter Organization’s “Kagami God Room.”

Raisu possessed some intelligence and information regarding the “Yellow Banner Mark,” which made him question the circumstances surrounding the great war forty years ago.

Also, he hoped that through this contact with the Kagami God Room, he might gain some leads related to the “Fang Hunter Killer.”

Passing through dense mountain forests, along a sparse woodland path, the car finally stopped in front of a massive white building.

The two men straightened up after getting out of the car, looking up at the imposing structure of the Aobanuma Research Institute.

The enormous pure-white building radiated six towers outward from its central block. Viewed from above, its unique shape formed a “” pattern.

The white central building was the institute’s main structure. Its outer white walls were stark, the whole design stripped of excess edges and facets, adopting a rigid, symmetrical layout.

Devoid of any variation beyond its flat white impression, it looked, at first glance, like a large toy building constructed from Lego bricks.

“So huge. Hard to imagine something like this built out in the deep mountains?”

Kitano commented dryly: “If the Agency had this kind of money, they might as well have upped the annual equipment budget by another two percent.”

“The Kagami God Room’s primary backer is the Unrinyoin Group, which has the Environmental Agency pulling strings behind it. This isn’t part of the ‘Fang Hunter Organization’s’ budget; it’s funded by taxpayers’ money…”

Raisu licked his increasingly dry lips.

“Let’s go, Kitano. But fair warning first, the ‘characters’ we’re about to deal with… aren’t normal. Anyone who can work normally in a place like the Kagami God Room can’t be considered normal either.”

……

“Gentlemen, welcome to the Aobanuma Research Institute!”

Welcoming them was one of the institute’s members.

Looking carefully, they should now be indoors. The ceiling was astonishingly high. Many fluorescent lights remained off. The spacious hall-like interior had no superfluous decorations, only square openings resembling doors or exhaust vents.

“I am Omura. You two must be Mr. Raisu and Mr. Kitano from the Mobile Operations Room.”

Omura was a middle-aged man in a white lab coat, his face expressionless.

“Yes.”

“The Director was previously informed of your purpose. You are free to access the database housed within this research institute. The database contains most information related to the Exorcism Blades.”

“We are most grateful.”

Raisu nodded gratefully, then continued to ask: “Additionally, I have a presumptuous request. I wish to meet with ‘Tōshō’ Rogenzai, the blade smith.”

Hearing this, Omura’s indifferent expression shifted. A faint, bitter smile appeared on his face.

“Mr. Raisu, that is rather… problematic.”

“I deeply apologize, but this is extremely important.”

“Understood… On this matter, I can only pass on your request. Whether the Director agrees to meet with you, Mr. Raisu, is not something I can decide.”