I adopted a child demon from the Gap, and I'm a special agent for the Bureau of Supernatural Ab

Having tide learn basic human knowledge was a decision Li Cheng made after much deliberation. Regardless of her own nature, she was destined to interact with countless humans in this world. Therefore, acquiring sufficient knowledge was crucial.

Li Cheng realized that since she could learn human language on her own in a month or two through television, her learning ability was quite strong. So he borrowed Illya's old textbooks from the Emiya family and, combined with some experience he had gained from his past studies in China, began teaching Yakumo Shio at home.

As it turned out, her resistance to studying was stronger than he had imagined.

The girl looked dejected and had no appetite for the delicious food in her bowl.

Why does this girl hate studying so much? She only studied from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. this morning, which is much shorter than the study time he had when he was young, and it was all so relaxed and stress-free. How can she be so lax with such an easy study life? No, she needs to add an extra hour of study time this afternoon, until 6 p.m.

Thinking this, he reached out and tapped the girl's head. However, seeing the girl's utterly dejected expression, Li Cheng felt a pang of pity. After thinking carefully, he said:

"However, if you can finish all twenty pages of arithmetic problems, it won't be a problem if you don't study this afternoon."

He had only taught her addition and subtraction within 100 and had her memorize the multiplication table. The problems in the workbook were much more difficult, and he figured the girl wouldn't be able to finish them. So Li Cheng made this promise with great confidence.

10 minute later.

"This, this, this, how is this possible?! He actually finished writing the whole book?!"

The workbook, which was over a hundred pages long, contained all the key math concepts up to the sixth grade of the elementary school where Ilya was. Although the questions were all basic and not difficult, they could only be solved if one had a solid grasp of the knowledge. However, Shio solved them all in just ten minutes.

Moreover, after carefully checking all the questions, Li Cheng discovered that she hadn't made a single mistake.

Could it be that the reason she couldn't listen to my lecture was because I was speaking too slowly, and she had already learned far beyond that level? But I didn't explain it to her. It's impossible that she had somehow figured out earlier concepts based on what she heard during my lecture, right?

Could this girl... actually be a genius?

Li Cheng felt frustrated.

Looking at tide beside him, who was both proud and wary, Li Cheng figured that if he actually said "continue studying," she would immediately run away from home. So he could only nod and indicate that she could go play.

In just one day, she's caught up with Ilya's learning pace? Even though it's only math yet, her talent for learning is undeniable. Come to think of it, I can only teach high school math at most before I chose a different major in college. If this continues, she might surpass me in knowledge very quickly.

Watching Yakumo Shio playing by herself while hugging a fox plushie, Li Cheng felt an indescribable sense of frustration. Despite being such a small, innocent girl, he felt an overwhelming pressure, like that of a top student, mocking his past grades where he barely even passed.

No, I'm this child's guardian, which means I'm an elder. An elder should feel gratified to be surpassed by a younger person, not frustrated. Besides, this girl doesn't seem like the type to laugh at others, much less at me, her closest relative. Impossible, impossible.

Yakumo Shio tilted her head, looking at Li Cheng sitting at the desk muttering "Impossible" and "How could this be," while also holding her forehead, and became slightly puzzled.

The phone in his pocket vibrated slightly at that moment. Li Cheng stopped his terrible thoughts about the future, took out his phone, and found that it was a text message from Kiritsugu Emiya.

"What could it be about that's causing the message at this time?"

Li Cheng opened the message, and then his expression froze.

"The leader of the Two Elements Group... is she coming back tonight?!"

…………

Thank you to reader 1551578269 for the monthly pass and to 百世经纶一页书 for the knife.

Thank you to readers Huanyu Zhaokong, Hui Kafei, Binglingtan, Shuke1551578269, Brunhilde, and Apple and Wolf for their recommendation votes.

Section 24, Chapter 2: The Returning Team Leader

At night in the New Tokyo Special District, at the international airport, a plane has just landed amidst a roar on the brightly lit, open-air runway.

Inside the airport, Kokutou Kanya opened his eyes and got up from his seat. He glanced at his watch to confirm the time, then walked towards the exit, a gentle smile unconsciously appearing on his lips.

People disembarking from the plane walked one after another into the exit, men and women, young and old, in large numbers. Kurogiri Kanya stood on one side of the exit, along with those waiting to arrive, gazing towards the innermost part of the exit, carefully discerning each person emerging from within.

Dressed in simple black casual clothes, with delicate features and black-rimmed glasses, Kurogiri Kan stood smiling, appearing refined and elegant. Several young girls who had also come to pick him up frequently turned to look at him, occasionally glancing at him and whispering among themselves. However, Kurogiri Kan paid no attention to any of this; he simply waited quietly, waiting for the person he was waiting for to appear.

His smile quickly warmed up.

A particularly distinctive figure was slowly emerging from the crowd disembarking from the plane.

If the refined and elegant Kurogiri Kaneya attracted the attention of many women around him, then the woman before him possessed a cold aura that was impossible for the men around him to ignore. She had short, choppy hair that barely covered her ears, and wore a plain blue kimono, a stark contrast to the attire of those around her. The red jacket draped over her kimono amplified this difference to an odd degree. Yet, despite this strange combination, looking at her, it all seemed perfectly natural, perhaps precisely because of the oppressive force emanating from her icy gaze.

The appearance of this short-haired girl with a somewhat aloof air at the airport immediately made her the focus of many people's attention. However, it is a civilized society after all, and although people's gazes were perhaps filled with curiosity or admiration, they ultimately only glanced at her restrainedly before looking away.

The woman who stood out from the crowd didn't stop and walked directly up to Kurogiri Mikiya. She looked at the smiling Kurogiri Mikiya, frowned as if wanting to say something, but before she could speak, she smiled and said:

"Welcome back, Shi."

"There was absolutely no need to come all the way to a place like this to wait for me, really... Well, I'm back, goodnight."

Although her tone carried a hint of complaint, the girl named Shiki's expression did soften. While she still didn't smile, her aloof and cold demeanor softened slightly in front of Kurogiri Mikiya. However, she then unceremoniously shoved the luggage she was carrying into Kurogiri Mikiya's hands.

"Since you're here, please help me carry my things. I'm leaving now."

After exchanging only a few words, the two ended their long-awaited reunion conversation, got up and left the bustling airport, heading towards their shared home.

On the streets at night, colorful lights intertwined and illuminated each other, and small groups of people strolled along the road. Kurogiri Kanya and Ryougi Shiki walked calmly among the crowd, seemingly completely integrated into it, yet also naturally separated from the people, as if an invisible line separated their worlds.

"...Zhi, how has she been lately?"

After a long silence, Ryougi Shiki finally reached a deserted intersection and turned to ask Kurogiri Mikiya, who had been silently following her.

"Well, I heard she went on a trip. Judging from the messages she sent me a couple of days ago, she's probably in Egypt."

Kurogiri Mikiya answered with a gentle expression, but to his surprise, Ryougi Shiki's expression immediately hardened upon hearing the reply. She frowned unhappily, tilted her head to the side, and muttered under her breath:

"Tch, you finally got your freedom from me, and now you're running around everywhere?"

"Shiki? What were you just saying?"

There's nothing there.

"Oh, right, speaking of which, Shiki, some very interesting things happened in the sixth group while you were away."

Suddenly remembering that Ryougi Shiki was unaware of what had happened in the sixth group during this time, Kokutou Mikiya brought it up with a smile.

“Not interested,” Ryougi Shiki said bluntly with her eyes closed. After a pause, she added, “So what if he was suspended because he killed a group of teenage superhumans who were imitating serial killers, and then the local juvenile protection alliance cracked down on him, causing a bad social impact? It’s nothing serious. If I were there, hmph, I would definitely kill that entire alliance as well.”

Even though no one tipped you off, you know so much detail. You really care about your team members. That's so kind of you.

Mikiya smiled happily, not revealing his true thoughts. If he did, he knew he would surely provoke the seemingly aloof girl into anger and embarrassment. However, Mikiya didn't have the personality to deliberately provoke others. Although he was the most important person in the intelligence department and possessed countless resources, by nature he was as harmless and honest as he appeared.

"No, Shiki, I'm talking about something that happened afterward."

Kurogiri Mikiya smiled and recounted to Ryougi Shiki how Li Cheng and his companions bravely fought against the cultists to rescue Yakumo Ushio. He explained how, over twelve hours, they traversed multiple locations, including the ruins of the outer city, stormed a stronghold, and finally engaged in a car chase and bloody hand-to-hand combat on the highway. Of course, he was unaware of the secret that Yakumo Ushio was a youkai; Emiya Kiritsugu had told him she was Li Cheng's long-lost distant cousin.

He wasn't stupid; he knew this meant his identity couldn't be revealed. He just didn't investigate because he trusted his friend.

"To think that Li Cheng would be seriously injured by an A-level enemy and hospitalized for five or six days, he's really getting worse and worse. Oh well, since it's already resolved, I won't pursue it any further."

Yawning, Ryougi Shiki showed little interest in what Kokutou Mikiya was saying and completely ignored it. Just then, she arrived near her house, so she quickened her pace, reached the door in a few moments, took out her key, opened the door, and went inside.

She opened the refrigerator, randomly picked out a bottle of mineral water from the full shelf, unscrewed the cap, and took a large gulp. Ryougi Shiki's expression relaxed, and she then took off her coat, revealing a completely relaxed demeanor. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to look at Kurogiri Mikiya, who was packing his luggage, and asked with some confusion:

"That girl, Yakumo Shio, is she living with Li Cheng now?"

“Yes,” Kokutou Mikiya replied while packing his luggage, “the two of them have been living together for over a month now.”

“Is that so?” Ryougi Shiki nodded, walked to the sofa and sat down, sinking most of her body into the soft cotton. “That guy doesn’t seem like the type to take care of people.”

Taking care of a little kid that age would probably be quite a challenge.

…………

"You're really giving me a headache."

Li Cheng looked exhausted, his hair all black with worry, as he slowly tightened the water pipe with a screwdriver.

He was in the bathroom at the moment, and water droplets were splashed everywhere on the floor, walls and ceiling, including the towel hanging not far away, and even Li Cheng's own clothes, which were all soaked.

With her hair still wet and wearing only a bath towel, Yakumo Shio squatted down next to Li Cheng with a curious expression, watching him intently as he repaired the water pipe, completely unaware of being the culprit.

The incident began very simply. The monster girl, who possessed a magical ability to cleanse herself, had always been curious about Li Cheng's nightly bathing routine. In addition, after seeing some content on television, she expressed to Li Cheng that she wanted to try taking a bath, especially a soaking bath, and what that experience would be like.

Li Cheng thought that on the one hand, this would make her daily life more human and prevent others from noticing anything unusual. On the other hand, he also supported the girl in trying various experiences that she had never had before (provided that they were normal and healthy experiences). So he readily agreed to the girl's request.

I filled the bathtub with water, checked the temperature, and told the girl what to do and what the normal procedure was. Then the girl got into the bathtub, and ten minutes later she accidentally burst the cold water pipe.

It took Li Cheng a good half hour to finally fix the water pipe. Xi, who had been waiting impatiently, had already left and was playing with a fox plushie in the living room with her hair still wet. When Li Cheng came out of the bathroom looking exhausted, he found that she hadn't even noticed that the towel she was wearing had fallen off; she was practically running around naked in the living room.

"Get dressed properly, you brat! Don't give out these kinds of perks that could get your book banned!"

Fortunately, the curtains are usually drawn properly at night, otherwise, it would really be indecent.

He dressed tide in white cartoon frog pajamas, held her still restless body, and dried her hair. Before he knew it, it was past eleven o'clock. Feeling exhausted, Li Cheng quickly washed up and returned to the bedroom, only to find the girl already asleep in her little bed.

Only at this time will this lively guy quiet down.

The crib that Yakumo Shio had was bought the day after the (fake) adoption procedures were completed. It was a particularly soft crib. Although, according to developmental concepts, a firm mattress is more suitable for a child's bone growth, this girl clearly didn't follow that rule. So, based on the principle of maximum comfort, Li Cheng bought this somewhat expensive and exquisite crib, which was placed next to his large bed.

Li Cheng's footsteps disturbed Yakumo Shio, who was fast asleep. The little girl groggily opened her eyes, saw Li Cheng come in, yawned, and softly said "Goodnight" before closing her blue-purple eyes again and falling into a deep sleep. Li Cheng patted the girl's head, then turned off the light, went to bed, and covered himself with the blanket to sleep.

What a troublesome kid! By now, the team leader should be back, which means I have to report to work tomorrow and can't stay home any longer.

Well, tide is quite self-reliant. Although she often gets into trouble, there's no need to worry. The sixth group's office isn't too far from here, so I'll take her out for a buffet lunch.

Lost in thought about these trivial matters, Li Cheng, completely unaware that he was becoming more and more like an old woman, gradually felt the drowsiness creeping in and also drifted off to sleep.

…………

Thank you to readers Big Fish, Smile Now, and Lion-class Battleship Lion for their recommendation votes.

A reader asked about this in the book review section, so I'll address it here. The female lead, also known as the "Gap-Gap Child Demon," has a hidden backstory that forms a major plotline and is a crucial element in the story's progression. Therefore, although she is currently "Yakumo Shio," I cannot reveal her true identity beforehand. Please continue reading patiently.

Of course, I also planted some foreshadowing in some subtle ways in the previous text. If you are interested, you can try to guess what exactly Yakumo Shio is all about.

Come to think of it, I think I made some promise yesterday... uh, this time... I'll try my best, if it really doesn't work out, I can just put it off until tomorrow.

Please vote for me!

Section 25, Chapter 3: The Moment of Walking in Darkness

It is 11:30 p.m. now.

Li Cheng and Yakumo Shio were already sound asleep. In his dream, the former was cooking a sumptuous meal for Yakumo Shio, who happily praised Li Cheng's skills as far surpassing those of Emiya Shirou. The latter's dream was much simpler, consisting of nothing but eating, except that none of the dishes that could be considered delicacies were made by Li Cheng.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Ryougi Shiki had just finished bathing and lay back in bed when she was embraced by *Kanya. In an atmosphere of wanting to accept but resisting, wanting to speak but holding back, the two breathed heavily and soon began the process of creating Ryougi Mina.

At the same time, in the same city under the night sky, but in the suburbs, near the abandoned old town, on a somewhat dirty and dilapidated street, a listless man and a brightly dressed woman walked along the shabby pavement, while furtive figures on the roadside secretly traded white powder and gray pills.

Behind every glamorous facade, darkness often lurks, and this dilapidated, secluded street is one such place. Gangs, drugs, and all sorts of ugly things thrive here. It's a forbidden zone that ordinary people must avoid; if you dare to enter, it's not impossible that you'll be devoured, even if it's just bones.