Chapter 689

It would be embarrassing for him to just be a disgrace, wouldn't it?

Suddenly.

A shadow fell over him, and with a *clatter*, a bowl of tonkotsu ramen was placed in front of the little boy: "Eat!"

"Yay!"

The blond boy immediately pushed his homework aside, looking at the silver-haired man with eyes squinted into lines: "Thank you, Otousan. Thank you for your hard work, Otousan."

The cold, silver-haired man, wearing an apron and possessing a level of "house-husband" capability that would make any woman feel ashamed, gave a cold snort, too lazy to correct him.

"Itadakimasu!"

The little boy, who had grown noticeably taller, pressed his palms together before picking up his chopsticks to eat. The rich flavor of the tonkotsu broth exploded on his taste buds, making him squint his eyes in bliss.

"Hmph, you gluttonous little brat."

The Black Organization executive known as Gin gave a cold snort.

Looking at the boy, who no longer looked as malnourished and thin as when he first arrived, but now had a bit of the baby fat appropriate for his age, he couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl up slightly.

He also calmly picked up his chopsticks to begin enjoying the meal.

Inside the hideout, which had gained some warmth at some unknown point, it suddenly became quiet, and a sense of domestic coziness that shouldn't have been there began to permeate the air.

Opposite them.

Vodka watched the two eating and also curled his lips into a smile.

I'm telling you, Boss, you and this kid really look like father and son.

So...

"Boss, where's mine?"

Gin gave him a faint look.

Vodka immediately shrank his head and went to the kitchen to serve himself silently.

Damn it, why is it that even though I clearly have a higher status in the organization than Boss, I still subconsciously chicken out?

One minute later.

Vodka slurped a mouthful of noodles from a larger bowl, looked at the Sky Curtain, and muttered: "Boss, do you think we can succeed? We won't get killed, will we?"

Thinking of the hellish scene he had resonated with in his dream last night, he put down his bowl and said with some fear: "If we're discovered, we'll end up worse than dead, right? If we get resonated over there too..."

Just thinking about it made him feel terrified.

Wouldn't our consciousness just be annihilated?

Come to think of it, the one on the Sky Curtain is definitely not the same person as them.

As executives of a Black Organization with hands stained in blood, how could they possibly be fighting against such terrifying existences in secret for the sake of humanity, just because they still had a shred of conscience left?

Those are Heroic Spirits!

Terrors that transcend human wisdom, conquerors who rule the mortal world—"human-shaped natural disasters" isn't even enough to describe them.

Especially since that one is a lunatic; heaven knows what methods he'll use to torture them.

Hearing this.

The little boy also looked up from his large bowl, looking at the silver-haired man with concern: "Otousan?"

Gin didn't speak.

Perhaps he could understand a little of what that version of himself on the Sky Curtain was thinking.

A long time ago, he also believed he was just a cold tool; as long as it was the Boss's order, he could even strafe the Tokyo Tower.

But...

He glanced at the little boy and sighed softly.

The killing machine known as Gin was, after all, made of flesh and blood; he was a human too, and he had his own life, hobbies... his own beloved vintage car, his favorite brands of cigarettes and alcohol...

He was just a bad guy, not a devil.

Grabbing children one by one with his own hands and sending them into hell—even he would tremble at that.

He pursed his lips slightly, and the silver-haired man's eyes went blank for a moment.

Last night, he had clearly felt the version of himself on the Sky Curtain experience a shattering of his state of mind and an inexplicable surge of anger upon discovering how terrifying it was that the delicate, cute girl called it "making friends."

【"How is it? Dad, any news?"】

【A chairman's office with elegant decor and a high-class style.】

【The young girl looked nervously at the middle-aged man putting down his phone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window; she had a bad premonition.】

【Behind her.】

【The three sisters exchanged glances, looking at each other.】

【Ichika is being too dramatic.】

【That girl Miku has only been away from home for two hours; she might be looking for the books she wants nearby, just without her phone, so she couldn't tell them.】

【It's not the first time either; after all, if that girl finds the Sengoku-period merchandise she loves, she gets quite absorbed, and it's normal to lose track of time.】

【"Dad?"】

【But Nakano Ichika pressed again.】

【The middle-aged man shook his head solemnly and dialed another number.】

"Damn it, it's nerve-wracking. This is a race against time, okay? By the time Abi comes back, it'll be too late."

【Communication Area.】

People were subconsciously becoming nervous.

After all, the Sky Curtain was from the perspective of that beautiful JK, which subconsciously made people project their own family members into the situation.

"It's only been two hours, that doesn't even count as a disappearance, what do you think? Even the police require twenty-four hours before they consider it a disappearance and open a case."

【Office.】

【Time passed minute by minute.】

【Nakano Ichika was clutching her hem tightly, her pupils shaking, scanning around uneasily. Suddenly, her pupils shrank, and she walked a few steps to the coffee table and picked up a newspaper.】

【"Major Child Victim Case."】

【"According to police statistics, the remains washed up in the river this afternoon belong to multiple children, suspected to be victims of the recent child disappearance cases..."】

【Looking at the shocking photo, the fear in Nakano Ichika's heart finally reached its limit: "Dad, haven't you found her yet?"】

【The middle-aged man hung up the phone, let out a breath, and turned back: "Don't worry, Ichika. Although police manpower is currently insufficient due to the minor disappearance cases, I have also applied pressure, and the police are pulling road surveillance footage; I believe there will be results soon."】

【"In addition, I have also mobilized the local yakuza forces, and hundreds of people have spread out nearby; perhaps they will find her a step faster..."】

【Although he had always disliked using the privileges of a conglomerate.】

【Miku was probably just like before, losing track of time reading books.】

【But that was the daughter of his most beloved 'white moonlight'; in his eyes, she was even more precious than his own, and not even a sliver of risk could be allowed.】

【The three sisters looked at each other and also comforted her: "Don't be so worried, Ichika. You seem to have been... lately."】

【Nakano Ichika interrupted them. As time passed, she became increasingly panicked. She gritted her teeth, looked at the middle-aged man, and said directly: "Dad, do you know about Heroic Spirits... or rather, people with mysterious powers?"】

【People with mysterious powers?】

【Nino and Yotsuba looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.】

【No wonder Ichika has been acting mysterious lately; so she's reached that age. That's right, I heard that in her class, there's also a weirdo with 'flower' in their name...】

【The next moment.】

【The middle-aged man's pupils shrank, and he said in a deep voice: "Are you saying that Miku's disappearance might be related to those people?"】

【The Nakano Group is not small even in Japan, so naturally, they are aware of the existence of those people.】

【"Yes, they seem to be engaged in some kind of competition, and it's the kind that takes the other party's life."】

【Nakano Ichika told him everything she had overheard and all her speculations.】

【She suspected that those people were setting up some kind of ritual that required a young girl as a sacrifice.】

【After all, that's how it's portrayed in movies and TV.】

【Finally, she looked expectantly at her father, whom she had considered omnipotent since childhood: "Dad, you must..."】

【The voice stopped abruptly.】

【For the first time, panic and confusion appeared on the face of the father she had worshipped since childhood.】

【Nakano Maruo's pupils contracted.】

【Only the ignorant are fearless.】