Chapter 173: Hanyu Yukiki, You’re Exposed

The three punks cursed as they left—just as loudly and brashly as they had entered.

The air inside the restaurant grew tense for a moment.

The diners all lowered their heads, pretending to focus on their food, but couldn’t help sneaking glances from the corners of their eyes.

Lin Xiumei’s face was pale as she hurriedly bowed to Hanyu Yukiki.

“Thank you, Officer.”

“Sorry for the trouble.”

“It’s nothing. I just did what needed to be done.”

Hanyu Yukiki stood up, pushing aside his half-eaten mapo tofu rice.

He glanced at the price list taped over with several notes and refused Lin Xiumei’s offer to waive the bill, instead pulling out his wallet to pay.

With rice prices rising lately, the restaurant business isn’t easy…

“Yuzuha, walk the officer out.”

Lin Xiumei turned to Makino Yuzuha, who was still in a daze.

“Eh? Oh! Yes!”

Makino Yuzuha quickly nodded, taking off her apron.

The two of them walked out of “Chuan Xiang Yuan” one after the other.

The evening breeze cooled their faces, easing Makino Yuzuha’s tense nerves a little.

“Um… really, thank you so much!”

She followed alongside Hanyu Yukiki, raising her face earnestly.

“A small effort.”

Hanyu Yukiki waved his hand.

“But you’d better be careful. Those people don’t look like they’ll give up easily.”

“Mm… We will. We’ll call the police.”

Makino Yuzuha clenched her small fists and shook them.

Hanyu Yukiki nodded, saying nothing more.

He knew that for a small restaurant like this, calling the police only brought more trouble.

But as an out-of-town officer here for training, he couldn’t do much…

Ever since coming to Tokyo, the energy in his body had been replaced by a sense of powerlessness and fatigue.

This feeling didn’t come from the training itself, yet he couldn’t pinpoint the cause—he could only vaguely chalk it up to something like Tokyo being too prosperous.

Makino Yuzuha kept walking with him, passing two streets without any sign of stopping.

Hanyu Yukiki finally stopped, turning back in puzzlement.

“‘Three steps to greet, seven steps to send off’ should be enough, right? Yuzuha? That’s your name, isn’t it?”

“Ah… sorry!”

Makino Yuzuha was startled by his sudden turn, her cheeks reddening.

“My name is Makino Yuzuha. Um, because my foster parents are Chinese.”

“Hmm?”

Makino Yuzuha adjusted her glasses.

“Lin-mama said, the farther you walk someone out, the more respect and gratitude you show, so…”

Hanyu Yukiki blinked in surprise, then smiled.

“I see.”

“I appreciate it. Hurry back now. It’s dark—it’s not safe for girls to be out alone.”

“Especially… lately.”

The rate of Mindworm Ability System awakenings was accelerating.

After the Ikebukuro Monster Incident, global conflicts intensified, leading to economic downturn and increasing social issues.

Some parents, worried about their children’s safety, even petitioned for curfews on social platforms—though such ridiculous proposals were never adopted.

But this alone was enough to glimpse the growing instability in society.

“Yes! Then… Officer Hanyu, please take care too!”

“I will.”

They parted at the intersection.

Makino Yuzuha stood in place and bowed again, only turning back toward the restaurant after Hanyu Yukiki’s figure disappeared around the corner.

Hanyu Yukiki walked alone through the streets of Lianma District, the night wind chilling.

He pulled out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and was just about to light it when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

The caller ID read “Section Chief Kameda”—his superior, dispatched from Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters to Tokyo for exchange training.

“Moshi moshi?”

“Hanyu, where are you now?”

The voice on the other end sounded both tired and heavy.

“Just finished training. Had dinner outside. Heading back to the dorm. What’s up?”

“…You brat, did you get yourself into trouble?”

Kameda Minister’s voice dropped low.

Hanyu Yukiki instinctively held the phone to his ear with his other hand.

“Minister, what do you mean?”

“Still playing dumb? Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu just called.”

Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu.

The moment he heard those words, Hanyu Yukiki felt a throbbing pain at his temples.

“…About that incident in Osaka?”

“Hmph, so you remember.”

Kameda snorted.

“You’ve got guts. Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu has been hunting ‘moles’ internally lately, turning the place upside down, and they traced the mess right back to you.”

Hanyu Yukiki fell silent.

“Did you… contact your classmate in Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu and pass false information?”

“…Yes.”

Hanyu Yukiki admitted softly.

During the “Origin of Plague Event” in Osaka, Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu couldn’t spare anyone to go.

In a pinch, Hanyu Yukiki made a desperate move.

He directly called a police academy classmate—now a former officer and current Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu employee.

He exaggerated, fabricating false intel: as an undercover Osaka officer, he had confirmed that the epidemic sweeping the three metropolitan areas originated in Osaka, and the situation was urgent enough to contact his classmate directly.

Though it was later proven that the epidemic was indeed a side effect of Nagashima Kentarou and thus linked to the Saint Organization.

Normally, such things could be easily found in post-incident audits—but there was just too much going on at Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu!

It was fortunate nothing worse had happened.

But unexpectedly, Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu was now conducting high-intensity internal audits, reopening old cases.

“Hanyu, I understand how you feel.”

Kameda’s tone softened.

“But this is a serious violation!”

“I…”

“Say no more. Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu has called you by name. They want you at their office first thing tomorrow to give a statement.”

“In other words, go explain yourself, get scolded, and apologize.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

Hanyu Yukiki felt a wave of irritation and ran a hand through his light brown hair.

“Mind your attitude! Things run deep in Tokyo. Don’t embarrass us at Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters! That’s all!”

The call ended.

Hanyu Yukiki crushed the unlit cigarette in his hand and tossed it into a street trash can.

“Damn it…”

He took a deep breath, ready to head back to the dorm.

At that moment, rowdy laughter and shrill whistles grew louder from nearby.

Hanyu Yukiki turned.

Six youths were swaggering out of a small alley across the street, arms slung over each other’s shoulders.

They looked like stereotypical street thugs—flashy, bizarre streetwear, wild hairstyles, heavy accessories…

While non-Yakuza youths sometimes dressed this way, Hanyu Yukiki, as a member of Investigation Section Four who often dealt with Yakuza, could tell these were the real deal—properly organized Yakuza thugs.

Of course, the main reason was that the three who’d caused trouble in the Chinese restaurant were among them.

A vague sense of unease rose in his chest, and he decided to follow them.

***

Makino Yuzuha didn’t return to the Chinese restaurant immediately.

After parting ways with Hanyu Yukiki, she turned down another street.

She needed a little “healing” after the earlier tension and fright.

Passing by a corner merchandise shop, she saw a photo on a banner—“South Cross Magic Girls.”

Her feet instantly froze.

This “idol group” was a recent explosive GSAC spin-off and a hot topic.

Each of the five members had their own cute style, and the main C was the previously popular underground idol, Kazuki Hanatsubame.

Now, they were signed with the Dawn Resources Group, forming the “South Cross Star,” and beyond their singing and dancing, the biggest attraction and breakout point for this idol group was… they were all Superpower Users!

They were true “Magic Girls!”

Makino Yuzuha wasn’t a group stan for the South Cross Magic Girls, but she had long been a fan of Kazuki Hanatsubame.

“Just… just one look.”

Ten minutes later, Makino Yuzuha walked out of the shop, clutching merchandise and feeling satisfied.

The happiness from her new goods had washed away much of the earlier fear.

“Oh no! Mom must be worried!”

Makino Yuzuha suddenly remembered she needed to help at home.

With a gasp, she hurried toward the Chinese restaurant.

But as she turned the corner, she ran into a group of people.

“What a coincidence!”

Makino Yuzuha stumbled back in fright.

Seeing their clothes, her face fell—it was the troublemakers!

“Didn’t have enough fun earlier? Now we meet again. Talk about fate.”

She tried to keep calm, pink eyes flashing behind her glasses—this was too much!

Even if it brought trouble, Makino Yuzuha couldn’t stand it—these guys clearly meant harm.

She secretly prepared to activate her ability, whispering, “I’m going home.”

“Home?”

Another punk reached for her arm.

“It’s still early, isn’t it?”

Makino Yuzuha’s pink eyes flashed.

She grabbed the slow-moving thug’s armpit, then shoved him hard into the wall.

At the same moment, Hanyu Yukiki came running from the end of the street.

He had been trailing from a distance, but didn’t expect the situation to escalate so quickly!

“Police! Let go of that girl!”

“You again, Osaka punk?!”

The tattooed man’s attention snapped to Hanyu Yukiki, his face darkening.

“Damn it, you still dare meddle!”

Two of the thugs charged.

Hanyu Yukiki, professionally trained, could handle two ordinary punks with ease.

He floored one with a smooth over-the-shoulder throw and followed up with an elbow to the other’s abdomen.

But as he moved to subdue the tattooed man, the quiet youth in the black mask, who had been following behind, suddenly stepped between them.

“Tch, such a pain.”

The masked youth complained, voice surprisingly young.

Hanyu Yukiki’s instincts screamed danger.

He tried to dodge, but the youth simply raised a hand and gave a casual push in his direction.

Bang!

It was as if a speeding truck had smashed into Hanyu Yukiki’s chest.

A tremendous force slammed into him—he didn’t even see the movement.

He was hurled backward, crashing into the alley wall before hitting the ground.

Pain and suffocation overwhelmed him instantly.

Superpower User.

Dragonno Association!

That was his last thought before losing consciousness.