Tokyo Knights: The Odd Jobs X Files

....................................

"Dry!"

Inside the izakaya, Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi toasted each other, downed their beers in one gulp, and then both let out a burp.

After a burp, the master and apprentice exclaimed simultaneously, "That was refreshing!"

“Master, it’s all thanks to your acting skills that you put enough pressure on that antique shop owner. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been fooled so easily.”

"Not at all, Xiao Qi, your skills are quite good too. You didn't give yourself away, not bad at all, you have great potential!"

The master and apprentice complimented each other for a bit, then picked up the yakitori skewers in front of them and took a small bite... no, too extravagant, just half a bite. They bit off half of the yakitori skewer with only three pieces of bird meat, and even then, they both felt they had eaten too much. They were going to sit on two yakitori skewers all night!

At this moment, the master and apprentice finally understood why the Japanese only ordered two skewers of yakitori in the izakaya. This was not about health, it was clearly about being poor!

Speaking of being poor...

"Those poor bastards from Japan, they really are poor bastards!"

Thinking back to his hard work "archaeological" in Japan, where he "explored" the tombs of more than ten Japanese daimyo, only to find a pile of junk, Hu Laoliu felt a pang of sadness.

He only now realized that those daimyo in Japan actually preferred simple burials. Of course, it's also possible that they didn't like them, but were just too poor.

In short, he dug up so many tombs of Japanese daimyo, but the burial goods were shockingly few. Not to mention compared with the princes and nobles of the Central Plains, even ordinary wealthy merchants in the Central Plains had more burial goods than those daimyo, and those burial goods... were mostly antiques from the Central Plains.

I came to Japan precisely because antiques from Central China don't fetch good prices! You bastards!

Feeling depressed, Hu Laoliu didn't even find beer as enjoyable anymore. He could only find some solace in touching the lacquer box beside him.

This is their biggest gain in recent days.

A piece of lacquerware could not possibly fool the knowledgeable antique shop owner. So, the lacquerware the antique shop owner saw at the beginning was indeed genuine and of high quality. However, after Wu Xiaoqi jumped out of the window and escaped, he immediately switched the lacquerware with a fake. When Wu Xiaoqi reappeared, the lacquerware he handed over to the antique shop owner was a fake that Hu Laoliu had carefully made.

Afterwards, the master and apprentice worked together seamlessly, deliberately creating a sense of urgency so that the antique shop owner could not carefully examine the item, and sold a worthless modern craft item for the price of a genuine antique, which was truly gratifying.

“Master, I feel that we should stop doing archaeology and become con artists instead! Being a con artist is much more promising than being a tomb raider, and it doesn’t do us as bad karma.”

Wu Xiaoqi said to Hu Laoliu.

The feeling of having someone completely outmaneuver you is truly irresistible; it's much more interesting and fulfilling than playing in the mud.

Although he had tasted some success these days, Hu Laoliu shook his head without hesitation: "No way!"

Why has the "Holy Ultimate Sect" been engaged in tomb raiding for so many years? It's because dealing with the living is far more dangerous than dealing with the dead.

They took on the part-time job as scammers because the next repayment date was approaching, and they hadn't been able to earn much money from their main job, so they had to resort to shady methods to get through their current difficulties.

Once they overcome their current difficulties, they will return to their old profession for safety.

Wu Xiaoqi sighed when his master disagreed and said nothing more. He looked at the lacquer box next to Hu Laoliu and couldn't help but ask, "Master, is this thing really that valuable?"

"That is!"

Hu Laoliu said with certainty, "Do you think that antique shop owner is really stupid? If this treasure hadn't aroused his greed, would he have fallen for it? That guy dared to ask for 50,000 yen for this thing, he's really ruthless! If it were auctioned off, it could easily fetch 100 million yen!"

"It's worth so much..."

Wu Xiaoqi drooled, then thought for a moment, took out a spherical object that looked like a walnut and said to Hu Laoliu, "Then how can such a treasure be used to store something like this?"

The lacquer box was discovered by Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi in an ancient tomb. They initially thought it contained some kind of treasure, but when they took it out, they found it was just an indescribable object that resembled neither a gemstone nor a collectible, leaving the master and apprentice greatly disappointed.

Hu Laoliu shook his head and said, "Who knows? Sometimes, the idiom 'buying the casket and returning the pearl' isn't so funny."

Holding the walnut-shaped object in his hand, Wu Xiaoqi said, "By the way, Master, you seem to be talking in your sleep lately."

"I was talking in my sleep? No, I didn't..."

Hu Laoliu shook his head; he didn't recall ever having a habit of talking in his sleep.

"But lately, when I'm sleeping, I keep hearing a voice saying something like... Want wealth and beautiful women? I'll give you whatever you want..."

Wu Xiaoqi said.

"Forget it, if that's just me talking in my sleep, then it's something I want myself, why would I give it to you!"

Hu Laoliu glared at Wu Xiaoqi. What kind of dream was he having? He actually expected Wu Xiaoqi to give him wealth and beautiful women. He had those things, so why didn't he know how to use them himself?

"That's true."

Wu Xiaoqi thought about it and realized that it made sense. His master couldn't possibly be that generous, not even in a dream. So he must have been half asleep and mistook the voice in his dream for his master's sleep talking.

Just as Wu Xiaoqi was idly playing with the "walnut," a voice suddenly came from beside the master and apprentice: "Excuse me, may I take a look at this?"

The master and apprentice looked up and saw a gentle and lovely long-haired beauty.

Upon seeing that his date was a beautiful woman, Wu Xiaoqi immediately and attentively handed the "walnut" in his hand to the long-haired beauty.

This "walnut" resembles a walnut, but its surface lacks the wrinkles of a walnut, appearing extremely smooth, somewhat soft, and flesh-colored, with a tiny gap in the middle.

The long-haired beauty pinched it with her hand, and the "walnut" was stimulated, causing a crack to open slightly, as if an eye was peering into the outside world.

It really was "that thing"...

Having confirmed that the "walnut" was exactly what he had guessed, Qian Jialuo smiled slightly and said to Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi, "I'll take this. Name your price."

Chapter 718 The Most Reliable Person

Back home, Qian Jialuo placed the "walnut" he had acquired at a high price on the table. The scout spirit beast (a winged, eye-shaped spirit beast) that Qian Jialuo had raised flew over and carefully examined the "walnut." Suddenly, the crack in the "walnut" opened, revealing an eye, which frightened the scout spirit beast so much that it ran to Qian Jialuo's shoulder and trembled.

"good."

Qian Jialuo stroked the scout spirit beast to soothe its emotions.

After letting the scout spirit beast go back to rest, Qian Jialuo reached out to touch the "walnut" that had grown eyes. The "walnut" actually rolled backward, not wanting Qian Jialuo to touch it, because it sensed the scent on Qian Jialuo that was completely opposite to its favorite thing.

However, it was only in its most primitive form, and even if it wanted to resist, it could hardly do anything, and it was still caught by Chika.

"'Parasitic Fruit'... I originally thought it was just something from legends, but I never imagined it actually existed. With this, Yan Shan, your death is imminent!"

A fierce killing intent flashed in Qian Jialuo's eyes.

....................................

As Li Xin refined his "Holy Spirit Sword Technique" and (don't ask what) sword technique, time passed day by day.

At the headquarters of Saint-Tropico, a corpse covered in tumors lay on an office chair, its eyes wide open, staring intently at the ceiling, as if it had died with its eyes open in disbelief.

Saeko Nogami stared at the gruesome corpse, her brow furrowed, a spasm rising in her stomach as if stomach acid were about to surge up her throat.

Having been a police officer for so many years, Saeko Nogami considered herself to be well-informed and capable of remaining calm in the face of any crime scene. However, when she saw this scene before her, she still instinctively wanted to vomit—it was just too disgusting!

Suppressing the urge to vomit with all her might, Saeko Nogami looked at a woman who looked like a shrine maiden beside her.

The witch nodded slightly and used her spiritual power to sense the corpse. The powerful resentment left on the corpse was instantly aroused and erupted, causing the witch to uncontrollably take three steps back.

"Such powerful resentment... I'm sorry, this is beyond my capabilities..."

The witch shook her head.

She is a shrine maiden at a shrine that has a cooperative relationship with the Metropolitan Police Department. When a case is suspected to be related to supernatural arts, the Metropolitan Police Department will notify the cooperative supernatural arts organization to send people to assist the police in investigating and handling the case. This time it was the shrine maiden's turn to be dispatched, but she was very unlucky and the case she encountered was far beyond her ability.

"I understand, thank you for your hard work."

Saeko Nogami nodded slightly. She and the shrine maiden were not from the same system, so she could not force her to do anything. She could only say, "Takada Shrine Maiden, please report the situation of this case to your shrine and send a stronger sorcerer to help us solve the case. This is the third similar case this week. I believe this will not be the last. If we cannot catch the culprit, more people will be killed."

"Yes, I will report to the High Priestess as soon as I return to the shrine."

The priestess nodded.

After the shrine maiden left, Saeko Nogami couldn't help but rub her forehead, feeling an overwhelming pressure wash over her.

The person who died was no ordinary person, but a senior executive of the Japanese pharmaceutical giant, Sentex Pharmaceuticals, a high-ranking manager who could influence some of the company's decisions.

And three such senior executives have died at Saint-Gobain Pharmaceuticals this week. By the way, it's only Thursday today!

In other words, executives at Saint-Gobain Pharmaceuticals are dying at a rate of one per day, driving the company's top management to the brink of madness. They are putting immense pressure on the Metropolitan Police Department, demanding that it solve the case within a limited time.

But the question is, is pressure enough to achieve this? To be able to kill three executives of Saint-Gobain Pharmaceuticals so secretly and in such a bizarre way, the murderer must not be an ordinary person, but an extraordinary individual, or even a sorcerer.

Given the right conditions, a sorcerer can kill someone from a thousand miles away. The person who killed those three executives of Saint-Tropical might not even be in Tokyo. How is she supposed to catch the murderer?

With a headache, Nogami Saeko could only take out her phone and dial the number of Jinguji Ayame, the head of the "Super Disaster Countermeasures Office".

"Hello, is this Chief Jinguji? Sorry to bother you..."

After speaking with Ayame Jinguji over the phone, Saeko Nogami finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Because the Metropolitan Police Department and the "Super Disaster Countermeasures Office" often cooperate, Nogami Saeko and the head of the other department, Jinguji Ayame, are acquaintances. Faced with such pressure this time, she had no choice but to ask Jinguji Ayame for help.

However, Saeko Nogami didn't know if she had enough influence. After all, following the "Black Dragon" incident, government officials, for the sake of their own lives and property, had been continuously increasing funding for the "Super Disaster Countermeasures Office." The "Super Disaster Countermeasures Office" had recently been recruiting and expanding its strength, becoming the most sought-after department in Tokyo, with much greater power than before.

Fortunately, Jinguji Ayame did not forget her friendship with Nogami Saeko despite her rising status, and has agreed to send someone to help Nogami Saeko, which has eased Nogami Saeko's mind.

After thinking for a moment, Saeko Nogami dialed another number: "Hey, Higashina, could you please come over to St. Te Pharmaceuticals? Yes, to headquarters..."

Saeko Nogami brought Hazuki Tomei in because she knew the perpetrator would continue to kill executives at Sentex Pharmaceuticals. As a police officer, she had to not only catch the killer but also protect those who were still alive.

Hazuki Tomei's kite is a master detective. As long as Hazuki Tomei is around, the culprit can sense the opponent's next move in advance thanks to her kite.

After calling for people twice, Saeko Nogami pondered for a moment before heading to the president's office at Sentex Pharmaceuticals to report her arrangements to the president.

"...I'll leave the whole matter to Inspector Nogami. I trust the daughter of the Metropolitan Police Department Commissioner."

The president of Sentex Pharmaceuticals was very cooperative, seemingly ready to fully cooperate. Saeko Nogami assumed the president was just scared and didn't pay much attention. She instructed him to gather as many company executives as possible for centralized protection before leaving to return to the Metropolitan Police Department to deploy personnel for the operation.

After Saeko Nogami left, the president of Sentaku Pharmaceuticals immediately left his office and went to a secret room.

Inside the secret chamber, a middle-aged man dressed in priestly attire knelt in a circle of candles, chanting something with his eyes closed.

"Master Yan Shan, how are the preparations going?"

The president of Saint-Tropez Pharmaceuticals asked the man in the priest's robes.

The man opened his eyes and said to the president of Saint-Tropical Pharmaceuticals, "Don't worry, I've already set up a barrier at headquarters. I can sense any villains who dare to enter. President, we've been working together for so many years, don't you know my abilities? The previous times, it was because you didn't contact me in time that that unknown curse master succeeded. Now that I'm here, if he dares to show up, I'll make sure he doesn't leave alive!"

Having received the man's assurance, the president of Saint-Tropez Pharmaceuticals relaxed somewhat and said to the man, "Then I'll leave everything to Master Yan Shan."

He didn't dare to completely trust the people in the Metropolitan Police Department; he had to keep his life in his own hands. So when three senior executives of Sentex Pharmaceuticals died from curses in a short period of time, the president of Sentex Pharmaceuticals brought in the curse master Gendo Kakuzumi, who had a close working relationship with his company.

Yiquan Xianhu Yinyanshan has been helping Shengte Pharmaceuticals eliminate people who would harm or threaten the company's interests over the years, and is Shengte Pharmaceuticals' most trusted sorcerer.

Outside the headquarters of Saint-Tropical, Qian Jialuo sensed a faint barrier rising from the headquarters building. Instead of being worried, she was delighted.

This means that the man has arrived at the headquarters of Saint-Gobain Pharmaceuticals. She did not kill all the senior executives of Saint-Gobain Pharmaceuticals at once, but one by one each day. In addition to making those senior executives of Saint-Gobain Pharmaceuticals live in fear of insecurity, she also wanted to lure out the person she hated the most.

"Your life is now hidden in Yanshan, and tonight is your death day!"

....................................

Just as a bloody storm was about to erupt centered around Saint-Tropez Pharmaceuticals, "X" Agency welcomed a guest.

"Thank you."

A girl who looked to be only a high school student picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

It's clear that this girl has excellent upbringing; she is elegant, well-dressed, and likely comes from a wealthy family.

The girl said to Li Xin, "Hello, Mr. Li Xin. My name is Matsue Misa, and I am a student at the private Seiojo Academy."

Crocodile, standing nearby, couldn't help but say, "That's a prestigious girls' school! It seems Miss Songjiang, you're from a wealthy family!"

Matsue Misa smiled awkwardly: "My family is relatively well-off, but my father is very strict, so my allowance is strictly controlled. Compared to other students, I don't have much more money."

"Oh no, I have no money..."

Crocodile Man immediately lost interest.

Li Xin gave the crocodile man a look of disdain, then asked Matsue Misa, "Ms. Matsue, our fees are quite high. If you don't have much money, please turn back the way you came."

This isn't a place for students anyway, so it's best to persuade them to leave.

Matsue Misa said anxiously, "I understand! I know Mr. Oshin's rules. I have already asked my mother for an advance of all my allowance for this year, which is about two million yen. Please do me a favor, Mr. Oshin!"

Crocodile's lips twitched. He muttered to himself, "Two million yen a year in pocket money? That's not much more than a regular student? Which regular student are you talking about?"

Since the other party was wealthy, Li Xin couldn't simply turn them away, so he could only say:

"Hello, Ms. Songjiang. May I ask who recommended you here? This place is not something a student like you should know."

"Chikara... I don't know this name. Does Mr. Ashin remember it?"

Matsue Misa asked Li Xindao.

Li Xin asked in surprise, "Qian Jialuo...you were introduced by Qian Jialuo?"

That's strange. Isn't that woman usually busy trying to steal my business? Why would she introduce customers to me?