Chapter 384: True Love Knows No Gender
Chapter 384: True Love Knows No Gender
In the suburbs, abandoned citizens searching for food occasionally saw shadows streaking across the ground.
When they looked up, they could only glimpse a giant bird’s figure receding into the distance.
Seated on the Blood Eagle, Sato Mai and Uka Mirai—normally lively girls—remained uncharacteristically quiet.
Sato Mai’s thoughts lingered on her brother, leaving her in low spirits. Uka Mirai, sensing the tense atmosphere, stayed obediently beside Qingxue without fuss.
Fang Cheng adjusted their route using the map, ensuring they stayed on course.
The journey from Tokyo to Chiba Prefecture took mere hours, and with fifteen hours allotted, they had ample time. His main concern was the enemy relocating after their call, rendering this trip futile.
While monitoring the phone’s navigation, Fang Cheng awaited contact from Fox Spirit House.
Uka Qingxue similarly waited for updates from the Uka family’s subordinates.
If neither faction found Kanzaki Rin, Fang Cheng would suspect she’d either been killed or gone into hiding.
Kamikawa Takumi’s abrupt departure from Tokyo due to the biochemical weapon leak further hinted at orchestrated events.
Was some catastrophe brewing in Tokyo?
Fang Cheng sensed impending turmoil—a storm on the horizon. This instinct drove him to evacuate everyone preemptively.
Hours later, the Blood Eagle carried five into Chiba Prefecture. Following the map, they reached Matsukidai Park.
Still, neither Fang Cheng nor Uka Qingxue had received calls.
Fox Spirit House and the Uka family had failed to trace Kanzaki Rin, Takeda Masumi, or Nangong Saye. The trio had vanished overnight without a trace, evading even surveillance networks.
Suppressing his unease, Fang Cheng focused on rescuing Sato Hayato and securing his companions before returning to Tokyo.
“Look below—isn’t that Kujou Arata’s car?!”
Asaka Akihime, observing from above, spotted a vehicle concealed in roadside grass.
Following the cracked road, they soon found an abandoned museum engulfed by vegetation.
Armed personnel patrolled outside.
To avoid detection, Fang Cheng ordered the Blood Eagle higher. “Wait here,” he instructed before donning the Blood Combat Suit and leaping down.
Hovering a hundred meters above ground, he activated Advanced Smell.
Scents flooded his senses: rotting wood, rusted metal, animal dung, human sweat.
Amid the chaos, he detected Sato Hayato’s signature perfume.
Pinpointing its source, he descended.
…
In the museum’s exhibition hall, Sato Hayato and Kujou Arata sat bound to chairs, weakened by sedatives.
Mysteriously, their blindfolds and mouth tape had been removed, granting them freedom to speak.
But the two hadn’t spoken since Sato Hayato’s gender was exposed.
Sato Hayato thought everything between him and Kujou Arata was over. It made sense if Arata hated him now, so explanations felt pointless.
After all, he’d deceived Arata through cross-dressing.
Kujou Arata finally emerged from his heartbroken state and called out, “Hayako…”
Sato Hayato flinched in surprise at being addressed.
“I’m Hayato,” he corrected. “Not Hayako.”
“Hayako!”
Arata kept using that name. “Do you have a twin sister?”
Was he still clinging to hope?
“No!” Hayato snapped.
Arata used the conversation as an opportunity to study Hayato’s slumped figure.
He knew this was a male, so why…? Instead of disgust, the same fluttery feeling remained in his chest.
Arata startled himself. This was another guy!
Was the sexual orientation problem his own?
After another heavy silence, Arata blurted, “Hayako, I know a method to turn males into females…”
“Are you insane?” Hayato backed away. “I only cross-dressed for your mission! I’m straight!”
Arata murmured, “How can you know you wouldn’t like being a woman unless you try?”
“You try it first, you weirdo!”
Hayato’s earlier guilt vanished, replaced by annoyance.
“Ha ha ha!”
The girl who’d exposed Hayato’s gender emerged laughing from the shadows.
“Just get married already if you want gender changes!”
She clutched her stomach, having removed their mask tapes precisely to watch this drama unfold.
“What’s funny?!” Arata glared.
The girl smirked. “Two men discussing romance? Hilarious!”
Veins bulged on Arata’s forehead. “Men can’t love each other? True love ignores gender!”
Yes! True love ignored gender!
Arata turned back to Hayato with renewed passion.
Whether Sato Hayako or Sato Hayato – he loved the person, not the packaging.
Hayato shrank under that burning gaze.
No way! I don’t want sword fighting between guys! Stay back!
He feared the other person might say something embarrassing, so he quickly told the girl, “Miss, if you want ransom, contact my friend. He’s rich and won’t hold back.”
If their leader knew he’d been captured, rescue would surely come.
“You mean that Fang Cheng guy? We already messaged him.”
Sato Hayato’s heart leaped, but the girl giggled: “We tricked him into rushing to Iwate Prefecture.”
“Why would you do that?”
“No answers. Just wait quietly – we’ll free you when the timeline allows.”
Despair flashed across Sato Hayato’s face before transforming into sudden joy. “Leader!” he exclaimed.
Beside him, Kujou Arata stared behind the girl with equal shock.
The girl kept her back turned, arms crossed. “You think such obvious tricks work on me?”
A heavy hand dropped onto her shoulder.
“I’m curious too. Why this scheme?”
Hearing the male voice, the girl froze. She turned slowly, gasping: “Iron Man?!”
Fang Cheng nodded. “Why send me to Iwate Prefecture?”
“Because…”
Her strained smile widened as her free hand darted toward her waist.
BANG!
Fang Cheng dropped her with a punch.
He freed Sato Hayato and Kujou Arata from their chains. The tranquilizers hadn’t disappeared from their systems yet. Placing hands on their shoulders, Fang Cheng activated the Word Spirit Technique: “Purify. I encountered no strong foes coming here. How’d you get caught?”
Sato Hayato glanced at Kujou Arata. “My fault. I got careless.”
Kujou Arata stared at the floor, face burning.
Another clumsy teammate tale. Fang Cheng didn’t press – their safety mattered most.
Purify erased the drugs’ effects. Fang Cheng made Sato Hayato carry the unconscious girl as they exited.
Every armed individual in the museum had already been neutralized.
“Brother!”
The giant Blood Eagle landed. Sato Mai leaped from its back, tackling Sato Hayato.
“Everyone… thank you…”
Seeing so many rescuers, Sato Hayato’s voice cracked. Their concern made his earlier decision to live alone seem childish.
With everyone safe, Fang Cheng needed to return to Tokyo to track Kanzaki Rin. But first came the headache-inducing problem: secretly relocating these people while ensuring safety.
“Leave this to me.”
Uka Qingxue suddenly spoke up. “Our Uka family has many secret safe locations in the suburbs.”
As the Iron Fortress’s representatives in Tokyo, the Uka family had long prepared numerous escape routes. The timing couldn’t have been better.
Fang Cheng had no better choice and could only agree to Uka Qingxue’s proposal.
Everyone boarded the Blood Eagle, even the unconscious girl. Only Kujou Arata remained stranded below.
Since he could manage on his own and belonged to the Countermeasures Department, bringing him along wasn’t appropriate.
Watching Sato Hayato’s disappearing figure, Kujou Arata clenched his fists, silently resolving something in his heart.
…
Once the Blood Eagle ascended, Fang Cheng turned to Sato Hayato. “Who captured you?”
Sato Hayato removed his wig. “A small-time leader from the resistance organization. Kujou Arata and I got spotted while tracking her.”
“Resistance organization?”
Fang Cheng’s brow furrowed. Getting caught during surveillance was expected, but specifically calling him after capturing Hayato was odd—they should’ve contacted the Countermeasures Department instead.
The resistance organization’s motives remained unclear, though at least they’d kept a captive alive.
The girl soon regained consciousness.
She panicked upon waking hundreds of meters airborne, her hands and feet bound.
Fang Cheng crouched before her. “Why lure me to Iwate Prefecture? Answer truthfully, or I’ll drop you.”
The girl whimpered, “The Boss ordered me to get you out of Tokyo—the farther the better! I didn’t harm your friends! We were gonna release them tomorrow!”
“Why?”
“I don’t know! Just following orders!”
“Is your Boss the resistance leader? Nozawa Hana?”
“Huh?” The girl stared in shock. “You know her?!”
Nearby, Sato Hayato looked puzzled—they’d been tailing a low-ranking member. How did this connect to the leader?
Fang Cheng held up the girl’s confiscated phone. “Can you reach Nozawa Hana?”
She shook her head. “No. The Boss only contacts us.”
Fang Cheng sighed. Like Hasegawa Kouhei, this prisoner was just a pawn unaware of Nozawa Hana’s plans.
“Cheng-kun.”
Asaka Akihime handed him a sketch. “This is all I could manage.”
She’d drawn it from Sato Hayato’s description. Sketching formed part of basic intelligence training, and she’d shown natural talent.
Fang Cheng froze upon seeing the drawing, his gaze locking onto the depicted woman.
“What’s wrong?”
Asaka Akihime noticed Fang Cheng’s expression had changed.
Fang Cheng’s heart was in turmoil. After prolonged silence, he finally murmured, “I might’ve seen this woman before.”
Asaka Akihime stiffened – another fox spirit stealing his attention?
She glanced at the portrait and relaxed. Though beautiful, her chest’s size was too lacking to pose any threat.
Fang Cheng showed the drawing to the girl and Sato Hayato. “Is this Nozawa Hana?”
Both studied it. Minor discrepancies existed, but the overall resemblance was clear.
“Exactly like her.”
Sato Hayato confirmed while the girl silently acquiesced.
Fang Cheng yanked the girl upright. “Where’s Nozawa Hana now?” he demanded.
Trembling under his intensity, she stammered, “Sh-she’s handling business at an outpost near Noda City.”
Noda bordered Tokyo, easily reachable from Chiba Prefecture.
“Take me there. Now.”
Fang Cheng’s grave tone spread nervousness through the group.
“Cheng-kun,” Asaka Akihime whispered, “did you find something?”
He shook his head. “Not certain yet. Need to question Nozawa Hana directly.”
If this was indeed the woman from his past encounter, then the mastermind’s identity would finally be exposed. But such speculation wasn’t for sharing yet.
Asaka Akihime didn’t pry when he stayed silent.
The party reached the Uka family’s suburban safe location in heavy silence. Monsters maintained this secure hideout, hidden from prying eyes.
After others dismounted the Blood Eagle, Asaka Akihime suddenly embraced Fang Cheng.
“Cheng-kun.” Her whisper trembled. “Come back safely. No matter what.”
“Count on it.” His hand patted her back. “I’ll return with everyone.”
She clung to him for three heartbeats before releasing him.
Fang Cheng donned the speed-enhanced Blood Combat Suit, grabbed the captive, and rocketed skyward toward the resistance organization’s Noda outpost.
All answers awaited him there – if Nozawa Hana could be found.