I am a god-slayer, not your hero.

Kaguya's body stiffened abruptly, as if struck by lightning, and her eyes instantly lost focus.

She raised her head blankly, her eyes, which usually shone with cold rationality, now filled with disbelief and incredulity.

Shinomiya Yanan's words struck her heart like a heavy hammer, creating ripples in her mind.

"He died last night on the playground of Shuchiin," Shinomiya Gan'an said without any emotion, yet every word was like a knife. "You should have seen the horrific scene."

Kaguya's mind went blank, and she could only feel a buzzing in her ears.

It wasn't that she cared too much about her older brother; it's just that she had originally considered getting rid of the Shinomiya family, or rather, conquering the Shinomiya family...

In short, in her mind, Shinomiya Hikari is probably like a final boss.

Now they are suddenly told that he is dead.

For a time, I couldn't accept it at all.

The air in the restaurant seemed to freeze, and even breathing became heavy.

The lights dimmed a little, and the music quietly stopped. Everything was shrouded in a sense of oppression by this sudden news.

Yunying watched her silently from the side, a strange meaning in his eyes.

Shigong Yan'an continued, "Guess who did it."

"Who?"

Kaguya asked instinctively.

A sudden bang echoed in the silent hall, like a muffled thunderclap, making everyone's heart tighten.

Kaguya quickly looked in the direction of the sound and saw two bodyguards in black move swiftly to restrain Hayasaka Ai. A hint of panic flashed in her eyes.

Shinomiya Gan'an's tone became stern, as if chilling to the bone.

"I never imagined that our Shinomiya family would have a traitor, especially one who has served the Shinomiya family for generations. Masato, how do you intend to explain all this?"

Wearing glasses and sporting a neat, tousled hairstyle, Hayasaka Masato walked down the stairs, his face as calm as still water. He said expressionlessly, "My daughter should be able to explain herself. After all, she's not stupid enough to stay here without being sure she can escape unscathed."

This is not an excuse, but a calm statement.

Shinomiya Gan'an seemed to accept this explanation. He looked at Hayasaka Ai, who was being held down by the bodyguards: "Considering that the Hayasaka family has served the Shinomiya family for generations, I will allow you to give an explanation."

Kaguya couldn't sit still any longer. She suddenly stood up, her eyes flashing with unwavering determination: "Father, Hayasaka could never be the murderer who caused my brother's death!"

Shinomiya Gan'an raised his eyelids and glanced at her, seemingly somewhat surprised by Kaguya's determination.

A hush fell over the hall.

At this moment, a steady voice broke the silence.

"Let me answer this question."

The door opened silently on its own, and a blinding beam of light seemed to transcend the boundaries of time and space, pouring out from the crack and outlining a long and lonely shadow on the ground.

With leisurely steps, Mingxian slowly stepped into this scene interwoven with light and shadow.

Wearing the latest fashion trends captured on the streets of Tokyo, the clothing exudes an unspoken urban charm, which is both a delicate capture of modern life and a unique interpretation of personal style.

The hat on his head was the finishing touch, making him look like a painter.

"Let her go."

Mingxian makes a sound in a commanding tone.

The two bodyguards immediately released their grip and retreated uncontrollably.

Hayasaka Ai looked up in surprise, got up immediately without thinking much, and then hesitated for a moment.

Which way should I go now?

Kaguya, the master I serve?

His own father, Masato Hayasaka?

Finally, Hayasaka Ai ran to Naruzuru's side.

The only one who can control the situation is this person.

Naruhira slowly stepped forward, casually pushed Kaguya, who was standing there in a daze, aside, and sat down in her original seat, directly opposite Shinomiya Gan'an.

"you……"

Kaguya hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

He stood to the left of Naruhira, while Hayasaka Ai stood to the right.

One on the left and one on the right, they seem to be guardians.

Shinomiya Yan'an narrowed his eyes: "You seem to be the son-in-law of the Genmaki family."

Mingxian: "..."

How about we move to the Tsurumaki family's villa?

Otherwise, I'll always feel like I'm losing out.

"I am a detective, specializing in investigating matters related to the supernatural." Mingxian introduced himself first, and then calmly said, "I was asked by Ms. Hayasaka Ai to do some research on Mr. Yunying and Mr. Huangguang."

Shinomiya Un'taka suddenly raised his head, looked closely at Naruhira and Hayasaka Ai, and then burst into a tirade of curses.

"You're the ones who beat me up like this last night?!"

"I hit him, do you have a problem with that?"

Mingxian glanced sideways at Yunying.

Si Gong Yunying immediately shut his mouth, not daring to breathe.

I felt inexplicably afraid.

Yan'an calmly said, "So you're the one who killed Huang Guang?"

“No,” Mingxian said calmly. “The one who killed Shinomiya Kyouko was the Ugly Woman of the Underworld, a demon who returned to earth from the realm of the dead. Of course, you can also call her by her name from her previous life…”

He paused for a moment, then uttered the name.

"Clear waters and famous night bamboo".

Upon hearing the name, Yan'an's pupils contracted sharply, but he quickly concealed his embarrassment: "How can you be so sure?"

"I am not sure."

Mingxian spread his hands and said indifferently, "It's just that the young master mentioned this name before he died, referring to that ugly woman from the underworld in this way."

Yan'an paused for a moment, then said seriously, "Don't call her ugly."

Mingxian: "..."

Is our focus misplaced?

Yan'an asked again, "It seemed like there was a big commotion yesterday. Has she gone back over there?"

“She was rescued.” Mingxian placed her hands on the table. “She is very likely to come back again, and her target will be the Shinomiya family. As for the reason, I still don’t know.”

Hayasaka Ai couldn't help but say, "As a detective, I ended up knowing nothing."

Mingxian: "I'm a tough guy."

Hayasaka Ai: “…”

Yan'an took a deep breath, feeling slightly dizzy. Although she had forced herself to come and deal with things here, her body had reached its limit, which meant that her time was almost up.

However, he still mustered his spirits and asked, "What are you planning to do now?"

Naruhiro looked up: "Hire me! As a detective, I'll handle this!"

"A detective who knows nothing..." Yan'an was speechless. "But I agree, so I'll trouble you to stay here for the time being and protect me, my daughter, and Yunying."

The last one feels like a convenient free gift.

However, Mingxian didn't mind.

If you wait here, mythical beasts, subordinate gods, and even disobedient gods will come to your door, which is not bad.

The subordinate god who ran away last night should also come, right?

We can't let him get away with this!

Not Agito: Chapter Twenty-Nine - Side Quest Before the Battle

At night, the rain pattered softly, like weeping and lamenting, adding a touch of desolation to the sorrowful atmosphere that permeated the Shinomiya family villa.

In the center of the hall, Mingxian's figure was elongated by the soft lighting as he casually swiped his phone screen.

The rain outside the window was like a curtain, isolating it from the noise of the outside world.

Kaguya, dressed in a pristine white gown, slowly descended the stairs, each step seemingly measuring the torment in her heart.

Though her face was as cold as ice, it could not hide the pain that was about to overflow in her eyes.

"Is there a problem?"

Mingxian turned to look at Kaguya.

Kaguya opened her mouth, but felt as if a boulder had suddenly pressed down on her chest, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. She tried to keep her voice calm, even though her cold mask was teetering on the verge of collapse.

"Did she really kill my older brother?"

Though the voice was soft, it cut through the air like a sharp blade, each word carrying an indescribable weight.

Mingxian said, "Perhaps, she is not your mother."

A complex emotion flashed in Kaguya's eyes. She bit her lower lip tightly to keep her voice from trembling: "What if that's the case?"

"It's just an evil spirit," Mingxian said calmly. "For evil spirits, the best solution is to perform a ritual to release them from suffering."

"That's so easy to say!"

Kaguya suddenly lost control of her emotions, turned around abruptly, clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, as if this could alleviate the pain in her heart.

She bit her lower lip tightly with her pearly teeth, and a string of crystal tears silently slid down her cheeks, telling a story of her helplessness and despair.

Mingxian: "..."

Why are you shouting so loudly?