Chapter 40: Do You Still Think of Me as Your Little Brother?
Chapter 40: Do You Still Think of Me as Your Little Brother?
“What do you mean?”
Fang Cheng looked up sharply. “Why quit now when we were doing fine?”
He’d planned to kill more vampires to gain extra skills and number of lives.
“Scared? Broke? I can chip in some cash—”
“Save your coins.”
Kanzaki Rin snapped, “I told you the Countermeasures Department’s launching a full-scale ghost-hunting operation. All official members are mobilizing to wipe out Tokyo’s troublemaking vampires. If successful, they’ll be eradicated completely.”
Fang Cheng blinked. “When did you mention this?”
She mirrored his expression. “Didn’t I?”
“Did you?”
“Didn’t I?”
“Fine. Let’s pretend you did.”
He smacked the coffee table. “Why’s your department barging in right as we start? This is kill-stealing! Unacceptable!”
Kanzaki Rin studied him. Earlier, he’d resisted teaming up against vampires. Now he acted passionate? Shouldn’t his laid-back personality make him glad to avoid danger?
Hiding her puzzlement, she said, “Yelling at me changes nothing. The department’s duty is eliminating threats. Besides—” She eyed him. “They don’t know you exist. How’s this stealing? We’re handling your enemies for free.”
Fang Cheng fell silent. He debated telling her about stealing vampire skills. Emotionally, he hated exposing his trump card. Logically, she’d eventually notice his power mirrored Heishi Youto’s.
Lies might backfire. Her sharp mind would spot inconsistencies, fracturing their partnership—a bad outcome, since she’d been invaluable.
Her prep work and cleanup saved him hours. Her combat support mattered. Crucially, where else would he find a wealthy lady feeding him three meals daily?
But once vampires vanished, would she and the department turn on him?
This fear gnawed at him as she served duck blood vermicelli soup.
At the dining table, he asked, “You joining the operation?”
“Interns participate too.” Her two “kills” had impressed the department. They sought her battle experience now.
Those achievements boosted her status, unlocking internal documents and equipment privileges. Some even proposed promoting her from intern to full member—though they’d respect her choice. Most interns were students balancing part-time work and personal lives.
Once Kanzaki Rin became an official member, she’d have to leave school and join the 996 workforce, leaving barely any personal time.
Still, official membership brought benefits like firearm permits and higher privileges.
Hearing Kanzaki Rin would participate, Fang Cheng’s eyes brightened. “If you kill any vampires, could you get me a heart?”
“Why?”
Alertness flashed through Kanzaki Rin’s eyes instantly.
“Running an experiment. You’ll see later.”
Fang Cheng dodged the question. He wanted to test whether touching vampire corpses he didn’t kill personally could still grant him abilities.
If this worked, why risk fighting vampires himself?
Wouldn’t lazing around watching others fight be better?
Kanzaki Rin quietly ate her vermicelli before finally saying, “I’ll try, but don’t expect much.”
“What’s the difference between people without expectations and dried fish?”
“Eat your duck blood.”
They focused on breakfast until Fang Cheng suddenly remarked, “You could’ve called about this. Why come? Oh~~ I see.”
His mocking tone rose deliberately.
Kanzaki Rin snorted coldly.
“You think I came specially to see you?”
“Did you come to freeload food?”
Their mismatched responses overlapped, leaving them momentarily stunned.
Their thought patterns clearly weren’t aligned.
Fang Cheng complained, “Calling me presumptuous? You’re the presumptuous one!”
Kanzaki Rin retorted sharply: “I bought the duck blood, brought the vermicelli weeks ago, cooked everything. How’s this freeloading?”
They glared silently before simultaneously huffing and resuming their meal.
…
The following days saw no morning doorbell rings from Kanzaki Rin. She’d vanished completely, probably engaged in the Countermeasures Department’s ghost-hunting operation.
😠😠😠Golden Novel translates the best Chinese web novels for you!😠😠😠
Fang Cheng relished the quiet, though buying his own meals proved annoying.
He didn’t idle around, having created a strict training plan.
Mornings involved intense workouts – sofa lifting and weighted push-ups instead of basic sit-ups. This method boosted Stamina faster.
Afternoons trained his Steel Blood and short-distance dash abilities.
Evenings were for studying documents, watching news, and learning about current affairs to stay informed.
Two hours of nightly gaming passed smoothly without encountering that infuriating support character, keeping Fang Cheng cheerful.
Asaka Akihime persistently sent Fang Cheng class notes daily, patiently explaining difficult problems – more diligent than parents tutoring their own children.
Fang Cheng initially suspected her of motherly tendencies.
Joke’s on her – I want to pet your rabbit, yet you want to be my mom?
Chatting revealed clues – she saw him as a younger brother instead.
Ridiculous! Show you my “equipment” and you’d faint, yet call me brother?
Closing the chat, Fang Cheng smirked, recalling how she’d frantically deleted the accidental NSFW image he’d sent earlier.
Four peaceful days passed after Kanzaki Rin’s disappearance. As Fang Cheng prepared spicy blood stew that morning, the doorbell rang.
“That woman… here to mooch food again?”
Opening the door revealed not Kanzaki Rin, but two fully armed young men.