Zongman I fight weirdness in everyday world

“Hmph, no place makes me feel that way. I'm not a child anymore, and there's nothing I particularly like.”

… …

Ten minutes later.

“Here… here…”

Watching Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes light up as she gazed at the cute cats in the café, Yexing smiled and said,

“How about it? I told you, this place is like paradise for you.”

The proud Yukino Yukinoshita wanted to retort, but when she saw the cats either licking their paws or stretching lazily, she felt her heart melt, and even her tone softened.

“Could this be… the legendary… cat café?”

“Does it really need the word 'legendary'? It's just a cat café.”

Yexing shrugged, smiling nonchalantly.

“Most people in the club seem to be dog people. Kenzaki and Tuanzi even have dogs at home. There don't seem to be many cat lovers. And you don't have any other friends. I guessed you'd never been to this kind of pleasure ground where cats gather in groups, striking poses just to win your favor.”

Yukino Yukinoshita: “…It's clearly a cute and warm place, but the way you describe it… I feel like something's not quite right.”

“That's the idea.”

Yexing watched as the cats in the café gathered around him and Yukino Yukinoshita, and couldn't help but sigh.

“You really are a cat magnet. It's not just that you like cats, it seems the cats like you too.”

“Perhaps…”

Yukino Yukinoshita gently stroked a cat's head, watching the adorable way it enjoyed her touch. A hint of a smile appeared on her usually icy face. Then she looked up at Yexing, who was sitting opposite her, still drinking his iced Coke and remaining himself even in a cat-themed café, and couldn't help but ask curiously.

“You said most of the club members prefer dogs, but what about you?”

“Me?”

Yexing put down his iced Coke, chuckled, and replied,

“I treat them all equally. Cat ears and a tail are fine, dog ears and a tail are good too. If their natural endowments are excellent, a cow costume wouldn't be out of the question. Of course, not you. You're not qualified to wear a cow costume. Yurikawa Hana, Futaba Rio, and Minamikata Hizuru are the ones for that.”

“You…”

Yukino Yukinoshita felt that something wasn't quite right, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was, and only hesitated.

“Are you… talking about real cats and puppies?”

“Look at what you're saying.”

Yexing smiled and replied with a matter-of-course attitude.

“Since it came out of my mouth, could it be proper?”

“I knew it…”

Yukino Yukinoshita sighed helplessly, stroking the white, adorable cat in her arms. After hesitating for a moment, she finally blushed slightly and whispered,

“Um… thank you… today… Considering your personality, you don't seem like the type of person who would like to come to a place like this. Thank you for considering me… and coming with me.”

Yexing waved his hand. If it were a normal person, this gesture would be followed by polite words, but Yexing was different. The wave wasn't politeness, but rather his signal to start speaking bluntly.

“It's good that you know I'm accommodating you and lowering my standards. I was just afraid you wouldn't realize it.”

“Look at how cocky you are.”

Yukino Yukinoshita looked speechless. But now, she couldn't be stubborn in front of Yexing anymore. She could only sigh helplessly and change the subject.

“By the way, the student council election is in half a month. Regarding Miura's request, and the request from Isshiki Iroha, the first-year student, aren't you going to start working on them? Although Hayama has already agreed to withdraw from the election, it's hard to say that Miura's chances of winning are 100%, right? After all, she does have some popularity in the grade, but that's only because of her outstanding appearance and strong personality. The number of real supporters… I'm afraid it's hard to say.”

Hearing Yukino Yukinoshita's words, Yexing gave an answer that Yukino didn't expect.

“You really thought I would help her campaign?”

Yukino Yukinoshita was stunned for a moment, then frowned slightly.

“Eh? But… isn't this the request we accepted? Since we agreed, we have to…”

“I know you're anxious, but don't be.”

Yexing smiled and shook his head, his tone calm.

“Yukino, from the beginning, what is the fundamental purpose of us… or rather, you wanting to help others solve their problems?”

“Purpose… This…”

Faced with this seemingly meaningful question, Yukino Yukinoshita seemed a little hesitant. After a long while, she slowly opened her mouth.

“Actually… I didn't understand at first why I had the idea of helping others… I just felt that I should do it…”

“No, not should.”

Yexing shook his head, word by word.

“You don't feel that you should help others, but that you need to help others, because you believe that in the process of helping others, you can also find the part that you are missing.”

“Sometimes, what people think they want and what they really want are two completely different concepts.”

“Then Yukino, what do you think Miura Yumiko really wants in her heart, the position of student council president, or something else?”

Hearing Yexing's words, Yukino Yukinoshita fell into deep thought. Even the action of stroking the cat in her arms stopped. After a long time, she raised her head and tentatively replied.

“Since it's not for the high position and power of the student council president, then it's… the recognition of the other students? But why? Miura is clearly the kind of strong-willed core figure who dominates the group. Logically speaking… she shouldn't lack a sense of recognition…”

“You're half right.”

Yexing nodded slightly and slowly opened his mouth.

“Miura Yumiko does crave recognition, but not recognition from others, but her own recognition of herself.”

“Precisely because of her strong personality, Miura Yumiko doesn't say it on the surface, but she has always doubted her own value. She wonders whether the people gathered around her are really willing to do so, or are just accommodating her out of kindness. Perhaps even she herself can't tell.”

“That's why she needs the position of student council president, or rather, she needs to prove through the success of the election that she is a popular person even without an aggressive and domineering attitude.”

“In simple terms, it's the complex thoughts of a teenage girl.”

“I see.”

Yukino Yukinoshita nodded as if she understood, then asked curiously.

“But… how do you understand the complex thoughts of teenage girls so well?”

“Hehe.”

Yexing smiled meaningfully and slowly opened his mouth.

“Don't forget, I'm a harem god who has cleared countless eroge games and achieved perfect endings.”

“Compared to men, I of course understand young girls better. This is my worth, you should learn from it.”

Chapter 509: Targeted Task Force, Abnormal Life

At the same time as Yexing and Yukino Yukinoshita were having their cat café date, in Sapporo City.

“Has the investigation not yielded any clues yet?”

Hearing the question from the middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table, the police officer in charge of the report nodded, a troubled expression on his face.

"It's not that our efficiency is low, it's just that on one hand, we really don't have enough manpower, and on the other hand... we even have to hide it from our colleagues within the Metropolitan Police Department. This kind of constraint, it's more like criminals casing a joint than a police investigation. To be honest... the members of the investigation team have never experienced anything like this before..."

"Yes, I understand."

Clearly a higher-level commander, the middle-aged man in the black suit did not blame his subordinate, but replied very calmly.

"It doesn't matter if the investigation progresses slowly, but remember, absolutely no information can be leaked. The dozens of police officers in this investigation team have all been strictly vetted and selected to ensure that no news is leaked. Moreover, the nature of this case... I don't need to say more, you should understand how special it is."

"Yes... we understand..."

The police officer in charge of the report raised his head, looking at the large screen showing "Mask" and his collaborators, their photos displayed as if they were criminal suspects, taken from several pre-announcement videos. Although his expression was a bit heavy, his eyes were extremely firm.

"With their high-profile style, they will definitely leave flaws. As long as we are patient enough, we will be able to catch them eventually and find their crimes..."

"You're wrong."

The middle-aged superintendent-general shook his head, interrupting the police officer, and said in a deep voice.

"Remember, the first priority of your special investigation team is not to find evidence of the suspect's crime like in ordinary cases. Or rather, this can be completely ignored. Finding the real identities of "Mask" and his collaborators, only this is the duty you must complete. As for criminal evidence... in today's social environment, we cannot treat 'Mask' as a criminal. The Metropolitan Police Department cannot withstand the pressure of public opinion."

Speaking of this, the middle-aged superintendent-general paused slightly, looking directly into the police officer's eyes, his face very serious, and slowly said.

"So this time, all members of the special investigation team, including you, are technically on vacation. If you are exposed during the investigation, the Metropolitan Police Department will not come forward, it will only be considered your personal behavior, understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Very good."

After receiving a positive answer, the middle-aged superintendent-general showed a slight smile, and his tone suddenly became softer.

"But don't worry, although this case cannot be made public, as long as the investigation yields results, the merits that should be recorded, the promotions and benefits that should be given, will definitely not be lacking. Keeping it secret is also for the safety of yourselves and your relatives and friends. After all, this time the opponent... is 'Mask' and 'Kira'. Considering their special abilities and their attitude of not hesitating to kill, it's better to be cautious."

"Yes, Chief, I understand."

"Okay, then today's meeting ends here."

After all the police officers in the conference room had left, the middle-aged superintendent-general winked at the police officer guarding the door, and after watching the other party close and lock the door, he took out his laptop and opened it. The screen showed the interface of an online video conference.

"You all heard that, right? The investigation has officially begun."

"Good that it's started."

A man's voice came from one end of the online conference interface.

"'Mask' and 'Kira's' power is too strong, and we don't even know their purpose. We know very little about the things they usually deal with. Even people like L and Soichiro Yagami have become their collaborators. To say that they just want to play heroes, without any ambition for power? Hmph, how is that possible?"

"Yes, it was Teru Mikami who provided us with information that finally gave us a definite understanding of the power of 'Mask' and 'Kira' and what has happened during this period."

"However... that Teru Mikami is not trustworthy either. He is a criminal who murdered a bailiff."

"There's no difference. He, 'Mask', and 'Kira' are all criminals who rely on that special power and believe themselves to be above the existing system. No matter what the public thinks, this can never be changed."

"But..."

A slightly hesitant voice from a middle-aged woman came from the video conference.

"If it weren't for 'Mask'... how many innocent people would have died in the events that have occurred in the past year or so..."

"You're wrong."

Before the middle-aged woman could finish speaking, a low, steady voice from a man who had not spoken from beginning to end interrupted her.

"How many innocent people are killed each year by earthquakes, tsunamis, and rainstorms, these natural disasters? If someone has the ability to prevent natural disasters and avoid the deaths of innocent people, that would be great, but this does not affect the fact that this power to prevent natural disasters is too dangerous and must be supervised and controlled. Councilor Miyashita, your way of thinking is still too superficial."

The middle-aged woman named Councilor Miyashita seemed completely afraid to refute the man's words. She couldn't find a reason to refute either, and her attitude seemed a bit timid.

"Yes... Minister Ito... I understand."

"Yes, good that you understand, let's end it here for today."

After cutting off the online video conference, the middle-aged man known as Minister Ito, wearing a light gray suit, with a crew cut and a capable face, slowly closed the laptop in front of him. On the nameplate on his desk, a line of gold-plated characters was written.

《Minister of Defense: Shuji Ito》

"Minister."

Ito Shuji raised his head and looked at the subordinate standing respectfully in front of him, and said in a deep voice.

"Have you found any experts in brain science?"

"This..."

The subordinate hesitated slightly, and replied hesitantly.

"In the field of scientific research, brain science has not received much attention before. Within Sakura Province... there doesn't seem to be anyone in this field. However... have you heard of the name Kurisu Makise?"

"Kurisu Makise?"

Ito Shuji recalled for a few seconds, and then nodded.

"Oh, is that the genius girl from Sakura Province who is a researcher overseas? I seem to have seen her related scientific research achievements in a magazine."

"Yes, it's Kurisu Makise. A few months ago, she seemed to have come to Sakura Province. We investigated the immigration records, and she should still be staying in Sakura Province. And the subject she majored in at the overseas research institute is brain science."

"Oh? Isn't that perfect?"

"Minister, it's not that simple."

The reporting subordinate showed a complex expression, took two steps forward, lowered his voice and said.