Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

"Beep beep beep—"

The crisp electronic notification sounds kept ringing in the room.

What was originally just a temporary alteration of the small arena has now been completely transformed into the highest-level medical rescue site of the Jingu family.

A dozen or so doctors in white coats sat around a small table covered with sterile padding, each with a serious expression as if they were performing a major surgery that would determine the fate of humanity.

The problem is, there's a fancy mouse lying in the middle of the cushion.

Da Mei lay there sprawled out, with several ridiculously small patches attached to her body.

Next to it was a miniature vital signs monitor, showing heart rate, respiration, body temperature, blood oxygen, and even an EEG monitoring device that someone had temporarily brought over, with a green curve gently jumping on the screen.

It looks very professional.

So professional it's absurd.

A doctor, holding a small flashlight, gently pried open Da Mei's eyelids: "Pupillary reflex is normal."

Another doctor glanced at his watch: "The heart rate is a bit fast, but there are no life-threatening abnormalities."

The third doctor, holding a whiteboard, said seriously, "I recommend an immediate psychological trauma assessment. Miss Da Mei has just experienced intense biological oppression and may be at risk of short-term personality dissociation."

The room was filled with retainers of the Shinto family: "..."

No.

What is mouse-grid dissociation?

Is this how you usually work at the Jingu family's private hospital?

There were two nurses squatting on the ground next to her. One was holding a mini oxygen mask, and the other was using a cotton swab to put water on Da Mei's mouth. Their movements were so gentle that it was as if they were taking care of a newborn prince. They didn't even dare to breathe too heavily, for fear that if they breathed too much, they would blow Da Mei into the next stage of her life.

Jingu Yoshiko knelt beside the cushion, tears streaming down her face. She held a small handkerchief in her hands, staring at Daimi with snot and tears streaming down her face.

"So beautiful!"

"You can't get hurt!"

"Your great patriarch hasn't even led you to the world boxing title yet, how can you fall like this!"

"Cheer up, Da Mei, Mom... no, the head of the family is still here!"

The short-haired woman stood behind Jingu Miko, her expression as calm as ever, but her eyes were beginning to glaze over.

She had witnessed the merging of the Jingu family.

I've seen people at the business negotiation table smile as they corner their opponents.

I've also seen Aoko Jingu beat Yoshiko Jingu to the point of pretending to be dead on the spot, all while remaining expressionless.

But she had never seen a dozen top doctors frantically trying to save a fancy rat, while the head of the family cried as if the ancestral grave of the Shingu family had been turned into a public toilet on the spot.

The doctor whispered a reminder: "Master, Miss Da Mei's vital signs are currently stable. Please do not overstimulate her."

Jingu no Miko wiped away her tears: "Then why won't it wake up!"

The doctor glanced at the monitor, then at Da Mei, who was lying very peacefully, and a look of the most seriousness he had ever shown in his career appeared on his face.

"It's possible that after being frightened, it actively entered a self-protective state."

Yoshiko Jingu: "Speak like a human!"

Doctor: "It fainted from fright."

Miko Jingu: "..."

Short-haired woman: "..."

The surrounding retainers: "..."

Kuroba Shido stood on the outermost edge, leaning on his cane, his other hand gently pressing the edge of the pocket. Half of the big black rat's head peeked out from inside. The man and the rat watched the extremely absurd rescue scene before them, their expressions gradually changing from watching the spectacle to sensing that things might not be going well.

Kuroba Shido lowered his voice: "Kuro, I feel like we've made a big fuss."

Big Black: "Squeak?"

Kuroba Shido looked at Daimi in the middle of the cushion, then at Jingu Miko who was crying so hard she was practically erecting a monument for Daimi, his expression extremely sorrowful.

"Life is so fragile."

Big Black: "..."

"Especially these rats raised by rich families, they look well-fed, well-equipped, and even have their own massage chairs and boxing champion capes, but in reality, their psychological resilience is too poor. Any evil Hakimi that comes into the wild can scare them to death."

Big Black: "Squeak."

"Of course, I'm not saying you're evil."

Kuroba Shido glanced down at Daikoku, his tone sincere.

"You just look more like the kind of evil that would eat its whole family."

Big Black: "..."

The man and the mouse exchanged a glance.

A familiar survival instinct tacit understanding was silently synchronized at this moment.

We're running away, guys!

Get the mud oiled!

Kuroba Shido slowly took a small step back. The sound of his cane hitting the ground was drowned out by the beeping of a bunch of medical instruments. No one noticed that the boy who had just been seriously commenting on the boxing match had switched from the audience seats to the escape route mode.

Big Black also shrank back into the pocket, only its dark head peeking out, its eyes full of vigilance.

Kuroba Shido first moved to the left.

Two retainers on the left were carrying a spare medical kit, blocking the way.

He moved to the right a little more.

On the right are three doctors and a nurse, discussing whether to arrange psychological counseling for Da Mei.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Isn't the Jingu family a bit too stingy with money?

Even psychological counseling for rats has been arranged, but this Tokyo rat-like person can only solve his psychological problems through self-hypnosis.

The class gap is too large.

Kuroba Shido lowered his head: "Kuro, do you see this? This is the evil of capitalism."

Big Black: "Squeak?"

"But now is not the time to criticize capitalism. Now is the time for us proletarians to take advantage of capitalism's busy saving the rats and enrich ourselves."

Kuroba Shido took a deep breath and suddenly reached out and patted the shoulder of one of his retainers.

The retainer instinctively turned around: "Young Master Kuroba?"

Kuroba Shido said with a serious expression, "The doctor wants you to go get that. Hurry up."

Retainer: "Which one?"

The Black Feather Warrior said, "That's the one!"

Retainer: "..."

Kuroba Shido said with heartache, "Even Daimi is in this state, and you're still asking about who?"

The retainer's expression changed, and he immediately turned around and squeezed towards the doctor.

Kuroba Shido seized the opportunity to squeeze half his body out through the gap he had made, lightly braced himself with his cane, and then casually took the spare towel from another retainer, draped it over his shoulder, and instantly transformed into the expression of a busy temporary caregiver.

Someone glanced at him.

Kuroba Shido immediately nodded: "Excuse me, the patriarch is crying too hard, here's a spare towel to wipe his tears."

The man was filled with respect and quickly stepped aside.

Kuroba Shido, leading Dahei, squeezed his way out of the crowd little by little, his movements as light as a rat stealing oil from a sewer. The Jingu family's black-suited men, despite their professional security skills, were tricked into making way by a tear-wiping towel and a self-righteous face.

As they approached the door, the short-haired woman finally noticed them.

She turned her head and looked over.

Kuroba Shido had just stepped one foot out of the door while the other was still inside, his whole body stuck in the doorway, his eyes meeting those of the short-haired woman.

Short-haired woman: "Young Master Kuroba, where are you going?"

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Big Black: "Squeak?"

The air momentarily froze.

Kuroba Shido slowly raised his hand, placing his index finger to his lips.

"Shhh."

Short-haired woman: "..."

Kuroba Shido pointed to Daimei, who was still lying dead on the cushion, then to the big black dog in his pocket. Finally, he lightly drew two lines across his neck with his fingers, his expression extremely sorrowful, helpless, and as if to say, "You wouldn't want your Daimei, who was just rescued, to be beaten to death again, would you?"

Short-haired woman: "..."

This gesture is incredibly expressive.

It's so powerful that it no longer needs language.

The short-haired woman glanced at Daimei, then at Daikoku, and then at Kuroba Shido's face, which seemed to say, "I'm doing this for the good of the Jingu family." Her lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

Kuroba Shido draped the towel he had used to wipe his tears over his shoulder and nodded slightly, as if he were completing some kind of secret handover ceremony.

"Take care of yourself."

Short-haired woman: "..."

Shido Kuroba disappeared outside the door with Daikoku.

The short-haired woman didn't pursue him.

It's not that I don't want to pursue her.

Instead, she suddenly felt that, from the perspective of the overall interests of the Jingu family, it was indeed better to let Kuroba Shido take the biological bomb away than to leave it next to Omi.

At least Miss Da Mei can live for two more days.

However, just as the scents of Shido Kuroba and Daikoku completely disappeared from the room doorway, Daimi, who had been lying peacefully in the middle of the cushion, suddenly twitched her ears slightly.

It smelled it.

The smell of that giant monster disappeared.

It's not about getting close.

It wasn't an ambush.

It's not about squatting down and preparing to chew it like instant noodles.

It's really gone.

In Da Mei's small mind, the image of Da Hei's terrifying rat face was still playing on a loop, when finally a ray of light called hope appeared.

It cautiously moved its paws.

Nobody noticed.

Da Mei sniffed again quietly.

No, I'm sure.

No, there really isn't.

The next second, Da Mei sat up abruptly.

The doctor in charge of monitoring vital signs suddenly opened his eyes wide: "He's awake!"

The nurse nearly shoved the mini oxygen mask onto her own face: "Miss Da Mei is awake!"

Jingu Yoshiko froze for a moment, then rushed over as if struck by lightning, cupping Daimi in her hands, tears streaming down her face again.

"So beautiful!"

"Da Mei, you're finally awake!"

"I knew it! My magnificent beauty, Yoshiko Jingu, wouldn't fall so easily. You are the strongest! You are the shining light of the Jingu family's boxing champion!"

Da Mei was held in her hands, her body stiff, her black bean eyes slowly looking around.

There is no big black one.

it is good.

Safety.

Da Mei has come back to life.

As for why Jingu Yoshiko was crying, it didn't quite understand.

But the more Miko Jingu cries, the bigger the reward she'll get later.

Daimi slowly lowered her head and gently rubbed her fingers against Jingu Miko's.

Jingu Yoshiko immediately broke down: "It even comforted me!"

Short-haired woman: "..."

Doctors: "..."

The retainers: "..."

Miss Da Mei, what a clever trick!

The Jingu family's medical room soon entered another phase of busy activity.

It wasn't about the busyness of rescue efforts.

It's a busy celebration of the great beauty that survived the catastrophe.

Jingu Miko held Daimei in her arms and sat on a specially brought-over soft chair. Around her were nutritional pastes, chopped nuts, diced fruit, a small heating pad, a small cape, and a whole set of Daimei's special massage tools. The head of the family, who had just been wailing that Daimei couldn't die, was now as excited as if she had just bet on a surprise champion at the boxing gym.

"I knew it, Da Mei has the makings of a champion!"

Jingu Miko carefully placed Da Mei in her palm, first stroking its fur, then gently rubbing its little back with her fingers, her movements as devout as if she were maintaining a family heirloom that the Jingu family had worshipped for three hundred years.

Da Mei lay there, enjoying the massage, and a little clarity gradually returned to her black bean eyes.

well.

The monster is not here.

The massage is still ongoing.

The food is still there.

Although the rat's life experienced a brief period of darkness, it eventually ushered in the light.

The more Jingu Miko massaged, the more energetic she became, and her fighting spirit rekindled in her eyes.

"Da Mei, that wasn't a loss."

Da Mei: "..."

"That was a tactical feigned death."

Da Mei: "..."

"That's right, the great patriarch has already seen through you. You're trying to trick Big Black into lowering his guard so you can find another opportunity to avenge your defeat!"

Da Mei: "..."

It doesn't.

It just wanted to live.

But Yoshiko Jingu doesn't think so.

Jingu Yoshiko had already begun to imagine the legendary life of Da Mei, who endured hardship and humiliation, and returned as a boxing champion. The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed, and the more excited she felt. Finally, she looked up suddenly.

"Where's Shido?"

No one answered from inside the room.

Jingu Yoshiko stood up, holding Daimi, and looked around.

The cushion is there.

Medical equipment is present.

The doctor is here.

A woman with short hair is there.

The retainers of the Jingu family were also present.

However, Shido Kuroba was not there.

Big Black wasn't there either.

Miko Kamiya: "???"

Where are they?

As soon as he finished speaking, the room suddenly fell silent.

It wasn't the kind of quiet where everyone was silent.

Rather, it was a silence born from some instinct that sensed danger first, causing everyone to simultaneously swallow their voices.

Shingu Miko blinked.

strangeness.

Why is it suddenly so quiet?

She held Da Mei in her arms and slowly turned her head to look at the door.

A figure stood there.

With long black hair, aloof features, a slender figure, and a calm posture, she seemed to lower the temperature of the entire room even though she didn't speak or make any unnecessary movements.

Jingu Aoko held a thin stick she'd somehow acquired, her gaze sweeping over the dozen or so doctors in the medical room, then over the vast array of special equipment scattered on the floor, before finally settling on an old woman and her damned rat.

The excitement on Jingu Yoshiko's face gradually disappeared. She swallowed hard, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Da Mei froze again.

The short-haired woman lowered her head.

The doctors bowed their heads.

The retainers bowed their heads.

Jingu Yoshiko swallowed hard, forcing a calm smile befitting the great head of the family.

"Um... Little Qingqing, let me explain. This is actually a comprehensive experiment about life, courage, the spirit of a boxing champion, and the future strategic plan of the Jingu family..."

Aoko Jingu raised her hand with a cold expression.

The thin stick fell.

"Snapped!"

"ah--"

The screams of Jingu Miko echoed throughout the Jingu family's medical room.

At the same time.

Kuroba Shido has successfully escaped from the Jingu family with Daikoku.

He limped along, like a bullfrog that had gone mad...

Wuhu, they've run away, brothers!!!

"Quickly, Big Black, we're free! Wuhu!!!"

Big Black was huddled in the pocket, bouncing up and down as Kuroba Shido ran wildly.

"squeak!"

Kuroba Shido braced himself with his cane and rushed across the long road outside the Jingu family residence. He didn't even dare to hear the retainer's "Take care, young master Kuroba" at the gate completely, as only one thing remained in his mind.

Come back home.

He returned to the apartment that Miyazaki Kiyoshi had arranged for him.

Although that place didn't really resemble his home in terms of property rights, and was more like a high-class fish tank used by a ruthless rich girl to entrap him in terms of class oppression, at least it had a door, a bed, air conditioning, and a sense of security from the fear of Da Mei coming back to life or Jingu Miko going crazy.

As for Lao Niu Ma's place, we can't go there.

I can't go, at least not for the time being...

Kuroba Shido knows his unlucky constitution all too well. If he goes to Amamiya Kaoru's house now, he might just push open the door and see the old man wearing some weird pajamas, sitting on the sofa with a bottle of soda, and asking, "You brat, what are you doing here again?"

Then, the Big Black family, the Old Ox and Horse, the Jingu family, Miyazaki Kiyoshi, Onodera Zannen, Sawamura Rigetsu... all sorts of strange side quests can crawl out like cockroaches in the sewers.

That's enough...

It's so late now, even the hardest worker needs to sleep and rest. I'm going to the zoo with my senior tomorrow...

If I don't rest today, I really can't take it anymore!

All he wants to do right now is go back, lock the door, turn on the air conditioner, grab a soda, open a game, and comfortably enjoy a couple of tense and exciting rounds in that corner of the game...

After having a blast, review today's highlights in your notes...

I've already thought of a title for the review.

How a wild rat can defeat the Jingu family's fancy rat boxing system.

It has great academic value.

Kuroba Shido thought about it more and more and felt that he should run faster, so he quickened his pace and ran wildly in the night, limping like a Tokyo ghost story from an urban legend that appears in the middle of the night, carrying a cane, hiding a mouse in its pocket, and specializing in escaping rich women and young ladies.

At a certain intersection.

Just as the red light turned on, a strange sound suddenly came from the roadside.

Da da da da—

Like a cane.

It's not entirely the same.

Because a normal walking stick wouldn't make that kind of whirlwind-like movement.

Yoshiko Sawamura looked up in confusion, stopping her from drinking her milk tea. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw what was happening.

"Holy crap, pink-haired girl, look what that thing just flew by!"

Ritsuki Sawamura also subconsciously looked up.

On the other side of the intersection, a figure rushed past the edge of a streetlight at great speed... like a mad bullfrog.

"Wuhu!!!"

You can vaguely hear the other person talking around the corner, saying something about having a good time, being free, and that the corner is all theirs...

The next second, the figure turned the corner and disappeared.

Yoshiko Sawamura squinted.

"Could this person be a psychopath?"

For some reason, Yoshiko Sawamura didn't quite like this back view; it felt like it belonged to a pervert...