Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 29 – Flower Street Excursion
The group walked down Flower Street, surrounded by the usual bustling crowd.
The atmosphere among them wasn’t exactly awkward, but… perhaps each had their own hidden agenda?
Luo Yan was practicing the breathing technique, hoping to be able to fight even with her eyes closed.
Qin Wen was trying to recall the exact location where she had first encountered Luo Yan.
Unfortunately, perhaps due to her sword training, her sense of direction wasn’t the best. Qin Wen was clearly directionally challenged.
After wandering around for a while, she still couldn’t find the right spot.
The two Apprehension Department members wore expressions of utter resignation. Although they had anticipated this, they hadn’t expected to… just go shopping?
And with no destination in mind…
The surrounding people avoided the two officers in uniform while also speculating about the tall woman in the short skirt, wondering about her status, since she had Apprehension Department members as bodyguards.
Luo Yan had used her life hack to minimize her presence, making ordinary people subconsciously ignore her.
After passing the same department store for the third time, Davis finally couldn’t take it anymore.
“Ladies, where exactly are you going?” Davis sighed. “You didn’t seriously just bring us along for a stroll, did you?”
The message Luo Yan had sent to Frick had also been forwarded to Davis and Cheng Hongyuan, but their opinions were similar to Frick’s. They thought the young ladies were just playing detective.
Seriously, the most troublesome aspect of Devil’s minions and Devil’s Apostles was their ability to hide. They weren’t easy to find.
And finding one based solely on a faint aura, without any devices…
It was simply too far-fetched.
But even playing detective was better than walking around in circles…
“Sorry, I’m lost,” Qin Wen mumbled, feeling frustrated. “Which way did we go…?”
“Try to remember any shops nearby,” Cheng Hongyuan said helplessly. “I grew up here, I know this area well, I might be able to help.”
“Let me think…” Qin Wen touched her chin. “I remember there were a lot of people, and many restaurants nearby…”
“A lot of restaurants? I remember that,” Luo Yan interjected. “When Hua Qiling and I came to Flower Street, we passed an area with many restaurants.
“If you saw me then, I should know the location.”
Luo Yan, unlike Qin Wen, wasn’t directionally challenged, and she had a good memory.
“Then let’s hurry,” Davis sighed. “If we’re playing games, let’s at least have a destination, instead of wandering around like headless chickens…”
“Playing games?”
Luo Yan asked, puzzled.
“It’s nothing, Davis has been on a lot of missions lately, she’s a bit tired, just misspoke,” Cheng Hongyuan quickly explained.
Although he also thought the two young ladies were just playing pretend, he knew better than to say it aloud.
He would just humor them…
“Let’s go, let’s go, Miss Luo Yan, lead the way.”
Qin Wen’s eyes lit up, eager to find the location.
She was frustrated, wanting to find the place as soon as possible.
This feeling of something being on the tip of her tongue, yet unable to recall it, was incredibly annoying.
“Alright, no problem,” Luo Yan nodded. “Miss Qin Wen, please guide me.”
Luo Yan raised her hand slightly, asking Qin Wen to lead her.
Although she could vaguely sense her surroundings, without her sight, she couldn’t accurately judge the details.
For example, a restaurant and a bar felt the same to Luo Yan; she needed Qin Wen to provide more specific information.
Qin Wen hesitated for a moment, then gently took Luo Yan’s small, pristine hand.
Unlike her own calloused hands from years of sword training, Luo Yan’s hand was soft and cool, her delicate skin incredibly smooth.
“It feels like Master’s silk…”
Qin Wen murmured to herself.
A flurry of random thoughts flashed through her mind.
Including how Hua Qiling always seemed eager to hold Luo Yan’s hand, and how happy she looked while doing so.
So that’s why…
“What’s wrong?”
Luo Yan turned slightly and asked softly.
“Nothing, nothing…”
Qin Wen quickly dismissed her thoughts and gently held Luo Yan’s hand.
As they walked, she described the surroundings.
“Miss Luo Yan, there’s a shoe store in this direction… and over here is…”
As Qin Wen described the environment, combined with the information from her breathing technique, Luo Yan pieced together the information.
Like building blocks, lines intersecting, she gradually constructed a virtual map of “Flower Street” in her mind.
And as the virtual map formed, Luo Yan seemed to “see” everything.
“The place where we met is three streets ahead, about five hundred to a thousand meters on the left,” Luo Yan said.
“Eh, that close?” Qin Wen said, surprised. “But why couldn’t we find it earlier?”
“…We’ve passed that place at least five times already, Miss Qin Wen,” Davis said, her brow twitching.
Qin Wen scratched her head. “Really?”
“Six times,” Cheng Hongyuan added.
“…Oh.”
Having finally obtained the location, Qin Wen didn’t waste any time and rushed off, pulling Luo Yan along.
The other two, although still resigned, followed. After all, it was their mission.
However, having come this far, Davis and Cheng Hongyuan were curious.
What were these two young ladies… or rather, the young lady and her bodyguard (they couldn’t sense Qin Wen’s true strength)… planning?
Could it be… that they had actually found a trace of the Devil’s minion?
This seemingly absurd thought crossed both their minds, but they quickly dismissed it.
“If there was even a sliver of a lead, why would the Director only send two ‘Calamity’ level ability users?”
Although not a major threat, a Devil’s minion, especially one with a portion of the “Witch of Envy’s” power, wasn’t to be trifled with.
“Don’t think too much about it, Davis, just treat it as a vacation,” Cheng Hongyuan patted Davis’s shoulder, seeing her dejected expression.
Davis rolled her eyes.
“Who wants a vacation with you? This isn’t a vacation.”
“Yes, yes, yes, our honeymoon after we get married will be the real vacation.”
“Still thinking about marriage, Cheng Hongyuan? Weren’t you staring at that frail young lady earlier? Your eyes were practically glued to her.”
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare…”
“Heh.”
They bickered as usual, following Luo Yan and Qin Wen at a distance.
…
“We’re almost there, it’s around here.”
Luo Yan stopped and, after a moment of hesitation, moved slightly to the side.
“I was around here, with Hua Qiling, walking down this street towards the Flower Shop at the end.”
“Wow, Miss Luo Yan, you have such a good memory.”
Qin Wen looked around, then stepped back into the shadows.
“If I remember correctly, I was around here, watching you… and Hua Qiling.”
Just then, Cheng Hongyuan and Davis caught up, overhearing their conversation.
Hearing the name “Hua Qiling,” their expressions faltered, but they quickly recovered.
“Did you hear that?” Davis whispered. “They seem to be talking about the Director of the Disaster Response Department…”
“Yes, and they seem to know each other quite well,” Cheng Hongyuan nodded.
Although Hua Qiling often acted childish and was constantly overshadowed by her sister, she was still the Director of the Disaster Response Department, a position she had received due to Li Ping’s influence and other considerations within Yan City.
And she was a “Ruin” level ability user, still quite young.
It was almost certain she would become a “Peril” level ability user in the future.
From their conversation, it seemed this lead on the Devil’s minion was related to Director Hua Qiling…
Actually, it wasn’t. Hua Qiling was just… there.
“Could this be Director Hua’s arrangement?” Davis suddenly became nervous.
Cheng Hongyuan also hesitated. “Perhaps it really is…”
Meanwhile, Luo Yan and Qin Wen were still searching for clues.
“Can you sense the Devil’s minion’s aura here?” Luo Yan whispered.
Qin Wen closed her eyes tightly, her brow furrowed.
“I think so.”
“Where?”
“I think… not anymore.”
“…Be more specific.”
Qin Wen opened her eyes and sighed.
“Compared to last time, it’s much fainter. If I don’t focus, I can barely sense it.
“But when I do focus… I find it… everywhere.”
She looked at the pedestrians, the shouting vendors, the crowded restaurants.
Everywhere, she sensed the faint, almost imperceptible, yet undeniable aura of the Devil’s minion.
As if everyone here was either the minion himself or one of his flesh puppets.
How was that possible?
Just then, after a brief discussion, Davis and Cheng Hongyuan decided to ask Luo Yan directly.
“Miss Luo Yan,” Davis said casually, “can you find the Devil’s minion?”
Luo Yan thought for a moment, then “looked” at Qin Wen.
Qin Wen, under her gaze, also thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Where?”
Cheng Hongyuan asked.
“Everywhere.”
Qin Wen replied seriously.
“…”
After a moment of awkward silence, Davis, struggling to maintain her composure, asked again,
“Did the Director of the Disaster Response Department provide this lead?”
“Who?”
Qin Wen turned to Luo Yan.
“Hua Qiling.”
Luo Yan replied.
“Oh,” Qin Wen turned back to Davis. “It has nothing to do with her. I… and Miss Luo Yan discovered it.”
“It’s true that it has little to do with Hua Qiling,” Luo Yan nodded in agreement.
“…”
Another long silence.
Davis and Cheng Hongyuan could barely contain their expressions.
They felt like idiots for being so nervous and making all those assumptions…
So in the end, it was just a young lady playing detective?
Back to square one.
However, Davis and Cheng Hongyuan knew that since these two were connected to someone as influential as the Director of the Disaster Response Department, they couldn’t afford to offend them.
Sigh, such is life…
“So, what are you planning to do next, ladies?”
Davis asked listlessly, her demeanor dejected.
Seeing this, Cheng Hongyuan, afraid of upsetting the young ladies, quickly added,
“If you need anything, just tell us. We’re under the Director’s orders to assist you fully.”
“Yes, we understand,” Luo Yan nodded. “This Devil’s minion is no ordinary foe. Qin Wen and I alone will struggle to handle him.
“If we absolutely have to confront him directly, we’ll need your support.”
Struggle to handle… support…
Cheng Hongyuan’s face twitched. He lowered his head and replied in a trembling voice,
“Of course.”
This beautiful young lady didn’t seem to realize her own strength… A “Difficulty” level ability user was barely stronger than an ordinary person, and since she was blind, perhaps even weaker.
If they had any remaining doubts about the Devil’s minion’s trail, this conversation dispelled them completely.
“I sensed the aura again. It seems to be strongest in this direction,” Qin Wen said, pointing. “The aura is much fainter further away from this location, although still very weak.”
“Let’s go then.”
Davis said, resigned to her fate.
Luo Yan also nodded slightly, letting Qin Wen lead her by the hand in the indicated direction.
Only Cheng Hongyuan, looking at where Qin Wen was pointing, frowned slightly.
“Why does this place look so familiar…? Wait!”
As if realizing something, Cheng Hongyuan’s expression changed. He quickly stepped forward, blocking their path.
“Don’t go there!”
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