Want to play cards? I'll use my King's Deck!

Before speaking with Father Anderson, she had fought three consecutive duels with Yu Xi, and her stamina was greatly depleted; she desperately needed to replenish her energy.

As a result, You Xi suddenly felt so hungry that her stomach was practically sticking out of her back, and she could faintly smell the tempting aroma coming from the cafeteria.

"Let's go, Yu Xijun, Father. If we're any later, Elisa and Xiao Si might eat all the good stuff!"

Of course, what Xingye Wu was worried about did not happen.

Sister Martha had prepared an extra dinner for them, which even included apple pie, Xingyewu's favorite. After the guests and hosts had enjoyed themselves, the two bid farewell to Father Sister Martha.

But before leaving, Father Anderson looked at Xing Yewu's retreating figure as she walked away under the streetlights and suddenly opened his mouth.

"Star Leaf!"

"Is there anything else, Father Anderson?"

Seeing the girl turn around in confusion, the old man said in a deep voice, "The church's third round of selections is about to begin."

"……Yeah."

Facing the old man's sharply defined, stern face, Xing Yewu's expression remained unchanged. She merely nodded slightly and chuckled softly—

“I understand. Well… if Alicia succeeds, please ask the priest to give her my congratulations.”

Chapter 37 Tonight is not peaceful

"Alright, You Xijun. You don't need to look at me like that. Just ask me whatever you want to ask."

After saying goodbye to Father Anderson, Youxi and Xingyewu boarded the bus for their return journey, the scenery outside the window constantly moving backward as the wheels rolled.

There were very few people in the carriage at that moment, and they were the only ones sitting in the last row.

Noticing the occasional furtive glances from You Xi, Xing Yewu couldn't help but chuckle.

"Then I'll ask you, Miss Hoshino."

Seeing that his little trick had been exposed, You Xi wasn't embarrassed at all. By now, he had figured out a bit how to get along with Xing Yewu.

"What does that third round of selection refer to?"

"Oh, that? It's really nothing serious."

Xingyewu spoke in a relaxed tone, as if everything was as she said, not worth caring about.

"Think about it, although the Angel Church is a kind-hearted organization, it is not entirely about charity."

They have a practice of selecting suitable individuals from among their adopted godchildren and the children of believers, sending them to special schools for specialized education and training. Those who emerge from this training often join the church, becoming its vital lifeline and backbone, much like Father Anderson.

Among them, children who demonstrate outstanding performance and good card compatibility will be selected for a new round of selection. This process continues layer by layer, and those who emerge victorious after rigorous training are bestowed with the prestigious titles of "Saintess" or "Saint," and inherit the church's exclusive card deck.

"So, that third round of selection was..."

"Yes, that's the final selection."

Xingyewu's explanation was short, detailed, and not complicated, enough for Youxi to understand the general outline of the situation.

However, this raised another question in his mind.

Regarding the selection process alone, Father Anderson shouldn't have needed to specifically remind Xing Yewu, who was unrelated to it. His reason for doing so was...

"Miss Hoshino participated in that selection before?"

"You guessed it? That's right, I was selected once when I was a child, but I didn't make it. Oh, what a pity, I couldn't become a leader in the church, so I had to fend for myself. But it's okay, after all, I prefer myself the way I am now—although I am very grateful for the church's nurturing grace, I don't really believe in the church's God."

Besides, if it weren't for that, I wouldn't have met Xiaoxue and You Xijun. In a sense, it's a kind of luck, or perhaps fate?

"...Miss Hoshino, if you keep saying things like that, it would be strange if people didn't misunderstand you."

"Haha, you're right." Xing Yewu laughed so hard her shoulders shook. "Okay, I won't say things like that again. Anyway, that's roughly what happened. You can just listen to these stories as stories, Yu Xi-kun. They have nothing to do with us now."

"Yeah, that's right."

Yu Xi readily agreed and didn't press the matter further, nor did she ask Xing Yewu about the "Ailisia" she had mentioned.

After getting off the train, the two returned to Xingyewu's residence.

As it turned out, the journey was uneventful, and they did not encounter anything particularly noteworthy.

While being urged by Xingye Wu to take a shower and go to bed, You Xi remembered another sentence that Father Anderson had said before he left.

The city hasn't been very safe at night lately. If you don't have anything else to do, don't linger outside; go home as soon as possible.

In the end, what exactly did the priest mean by "unrest"...?

……

Although modern society has transformed human settlements into so-called "cities that never sleep," human energy and physical strength are ultimately limited.

Just past midnight, apart from a small number of 24-hour shops, most streets had become incredibly deserted.

Only the cool moonlight and the glow of the streetlights intertwine, providing a guide for the night owls who are still active at this time.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrr!"

On this quiet street, a swaying figure was tilting his head back and chugging alcohol into his mouth.

When he had drunk half of it, he suddenly stopped and shook the bottle downwards.

Not a single drop of liquid fell from the bottle opening.

"Huh? That's all... Tch! You drink so little!"

The disheveled man with a stubble beard threw the bottle away in great displeasure. The bottle made a crisp sound as it hit the ground, which carried far away.

"A bar...where is there a bar...damn it, there isn't one here."

The man seemed completely unconcerned about his littering; he simply stared around with his hazy, drunken eyes.

After spitting angrily on the ground, he staggered around and turned back to the bar he had left earlier, intending to drink heavily all night again, completely forgetting that he had just been kicked out for not having any money.

"...Hmm, what's going on?"

However, before the man could take a proper step, he stopped, instinctively sensing that something was amiss.

In the world where the images began to blur, a black mist was spreading out, and the already low temperature around us became even colder.

"Ta, ta."

Slow, heavy footsteps echoed from the black mist, and a strange, masked figure emerged from within.

"Krim, is that it? I never thought that a former professional duelist would turn into such a degenerate person. It's unbearable to look at."

A hoarse voice came from the masked man's throat, revealing his identity as soon as he spoke.

But the accompanying evaluation that came with the name made the man's forehead veins throb.

"Huh? That's none of your business. You're asking for a beating, aren't you!"

"Heh, if you can do that. Fine, I've got enough prey for tonight. Your soul should fetch a good price from that guy."

A low, cold laugh rang out, and the masked man raised his arm horizontally, on which he wore a common, civilian-style duel disk.

As he moved, the surrounding black mist seemed to receive a command and instantly spread out, enveloping the two of them and blocking Krim's retreat.

"What? What is this thing?"

Spurred on, the man, whose mind was completely consumed by alcohol and anger, suddenly became more alert and looked wary.

But it's too late.

"Come, let's begin our dark duel, Krim," the masked man said eerily. "Your soul is mine now, Duel!"

……

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah--!"

A dozen minutes later, in a corner of the street where no one was paying attention, a pitiful scream echoed through the night sky.

Chapter 38 Crime Scene

"I'm sorry I'm late! Officer Ushio!"

Red and blue beams of light swirled and intertwined, illuminating the surrounding area.

Several police cars were parked on the roadside, and together with ordinary police officers, they used a few strips of cloth to cordon off a corner of the block from the outside. This strange scene naturally woke up the nearby residents, and many surprised and curious eyes peeked out from behind the curtains in the windows of various buildings.

Ignoring the stares, the white-haired girl, Izayoi Yuki, hurried to a middle-aged man standing outside the cordon.

The middle-aged man's face was weathered, etched with the marks of time. He wore only a wrinkled white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, looking unkempt and disheveled. The only distinguishing feature was a police badge pinned to his left breast, bearing the words "Niuwei Gang" and "Public Security Bureau: Head of the Duel and Major Crimes Division."

Before Izayoi Yuki arrived, Ushio Tsuyoshi had been constantly puffing on his cigarette. The moment he saw the girl, his tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and he stubbed out his cigarette.

"It's alright. After all, I asked you to come at the last minute, and you're a student, so it's normal for you to be a little late. Have you looked into everything?"

"Yes, I knew beforehand over the phone."

"Well."

Niuwei nodded, gestured towards the cordon, and said, "Then... let's go and see the crime scene together."

"Yes."

Izayoi Yuki responded solemnly and then followed Ushio Tsuyoshi into the isolation zone.

Then, at a glance, one could see the victim's body, which had not yet been moved.

"...How tragic."

Izayoi Yukie's eyebrows furrowed involuntarily, while Ushio Takeshi said without changing his expression, "Yes, it's terrible. To be honest, there's no way to save him."

What appeared before the two was more like charred remains than corpses.

His entire body was scorched by the flames, leaving not a single unscathed spot. The air in the dead of night still faintly carried the nauseating stench of burning flesh.

"The victim's identity had already been determined before you arrived."

Ushio handed the investigation materials to the girl and said businesslike, "Based on the card records left at the scene, as well as some other evidence that wasn't completely burned and surveillance footage, we have confirmed that it was Krim Gandal, a retired professional duelist from the Western Finals. He was exposed and banned two years ago for match-fixing, and it seems he went to work in underground competitions afterward. As a result, even a professional-level player has fallen victim to this."

"Is it the same killer as yesterday's case?" Izayoi Yuki asked directly, also getting into the zone.

"Hmm, the method of the crime is exactly the same. Should we say that the Dark Duel's level is not high enough, or is it intentional? That bastard didn't completely destroy the evidence after killing someone, and left us with a grotesque corpse. Is this a provocation?"

Depending on individual abilities, the level at which Dark Duel can be unlocked varies.

High-level dark duels are said to be able to completely erase a person's existence from the world, let alone kill them, while low-level duels can only cause crippling or other harm.