Chapter 24: S's Troubles

"Ah... you're late again..."

In the dim forest, K heard footsteps, turned around to glance at Jin, and complained:

"You rascal, confess honestly, have you been hitting on girls lately? You even extorted this much money from me."

Jin smiled and shook his head, saying: "Remember Kyoka? I took her in as my younger sister, and now I'm taking care of her."

"Kyoka?" K stood up, looked at the deep crater in front of him, and asked, "Is she the sister of Shimazaki Yuji, the brain-dead victim?"

Jin nodded. "Yes..."

"Why are you suddenly feeling so charitable?"

"Not really..." Jin squatted down, looking at the debris scattered on the ground, and replied:

"Just... wanting to have a home, I suppose..."

K fell silent. He had always possessed the temperament of a wanderer, yet upon hearing Jin's words, he inexplicably felt a trace of loneliness. He changed the subject:

"How much bounty do you think we'll get after handling this matter?"

The DEUS organization operated on a system without a base salary; instead, earnings were calculated based on performance, much like a salesperson. Upon completion of each task, the DEUS headquarters would evaluate it and issue a bounty. At the end of the year, year-end bonuses were distributed according to the handling of tasks throughout the year.

However, after the previous incident with Shiner 5, they hadn't been so fortunate—not only did they receive no bounty, but their year-end bonuses had even been deducted. Consequently, Jin had been forced to borrow a sum of money from K, resulting in endless nagging from the latter.

Jin smiled and did not pick up on the thread, instead looking toward the deep crater ahead. "This was a crash..."

"What about the guy who was riding in it?"

"He's probably done for by now, likely perished in the crash."

However, after scanning the surrounding area, Jin's gaze fixed on a certain spot, and he shook his head. "No..."

"It seems that's not the case..."

On the ground, there was unmistakably a small patch of green blood...

"Collect the blood sample, we need to send it in for analysis... Looks like we've got work to do."

***

Under the dim, yellowish lights in the sparse meeting room, S walked over and said:

"Based on the analysis of the blood collected from the scene last night, and comparing it with information on extraterrestrials on Earth, the fellow who arrived here last night is an alien from the Alpha Centauri system."

K was startled and cried out, "Hey... why... why are you here again? This should just be a mission for me and Jin..."

S glared at him and raised a fist. K immediately fell silent.

Glancing sideways at Jin, S continued: "Actually, quite a few aliens from the Alpha Centauri system have been fleeing here recently."

"Fleeing?"

"Perhaps they were invaded by extraterrestrials from the same system..." S nodded, casually retrieving a piece of chocolate from a tin box in her pocket and popping it into her mouth as she spoke:

"So these guys came to Earth to seek refuge."

Jin pulled out a chair from under the table, sat down, and asked, "Their home planet was taken from them?"

"Mm..."

"Following the continuous influx of Alpha Centauri refugees onto Earth, DEUS was quite vigilant at first, but later judged them to be harmless."

K interrupted, "Why?"

"They've already integrated into Earth's lifestyle..."

Chewing on her chocolate, S said: "Therefore, it's highly likely that this incident is also an escape; upon arrival, they will probably contact their compatriots on Earth immediately."

"So on our end, we need to ferret out these extraterrestrials one by one."

"What are their characteristics?"

S gave a light, mocking laugh. "Fragile..."

"Their physical capabilities are extremely weak, but records indicate they possess social skills."

"Weak physical capabilities?" K asked curiously, "Just how weak?"

"No difference at all..." S shook her head.

"No difference?"

Sweeping her gaze across the two men before her, S seated herself regally on top of the desk and said with confidence:

"To me, weak is weak. What difference is there between slightly weak and even weaker?"

Looking provocatively at Jin, S said: "That's why I said there's no difference. In my eyes, you guys are no different from them."

"Ah... I've been looked down upon..." K slumped backward in his chair, putting on a thoroughly wounded expression as if his fragile heart had been hurt.

Jin stood up and said, "Then let's wrap this up quickly. The investigation will start bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Okay..." K raised a hand. "I have no objections..."

After a brief pause, he said: "Then... let's go grab a drink. I heard there are some girls at a bar..."

With a slight smile, Jin glanced at his wristwatch and replied, "You go ahead by yourself. I need to pick up my little sister from school..."

S, displaying a rare, mischievous smile, waved her hand and then followed Jin out of the meeting room.

"Ah... two people who don't understand the pleasures of life..."

Jin gave no thought to such things. He opened the car door, climbed inside, and prepared to start the engine.

S, however, knocked on the car window and asked, "Can you give me a ride?"

After a moment of hesitation, Jin complied with courtesy and let S in.

"You have a little sister?"

"We're not blood-related. Her older brother died working for aliens in order to cure her illness."

"Oh..." S nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face as she said:

"I didn't take you for such a tender-hearted person, huh."

The corner of Jin's twitched...

"Seeing you with a cold face every day, anyone who didn't know would think you were harboring a grudge against them."

"Me? Am I like that?" Jin was momentarily stunned. Perhaps... he really was.

That kind of heartfelt smile seemed to appear only when he was facing Kyoka.

"Yeah... right here, I'll get out here," S pointed to the intersection ahead and said:

"Dropping me off here is fine..."

Nodding, Jin brought the car to a halt, watched S step out, and after a brief hesitation, said:

"You... should eat a little less chocolate..."

S was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and pointed toward a company building ahead:

"Do you know what place that is?"

"What is it?"

"Anri Corporation, they specialize in making and selling chocolate... My father is the company's president."

"Uh... so what are you trying to say?" Jin looked somewhat puzzled.

"I mean... if my family manufactures the product, if I don't eat it, who will?!"

Jin retreated in defeat...

Watching the departing car, S wore a smile, though it was unclear what she was thinking.

Just then, a middle-aged woman walked over, looked curiously at the receding vehicle, and called out:

"Was that... your boyfriend?"

"Oh... Mom... what nonsense are you talking about?"

S's mother immediately furrowed her brows and began to lecture:

"Look at you, won't you? You're already an older single woman. Which of your peers isn't married by now?"

"And look at what you're wearing! What is this supposed to be? It's simply outrageous. A young woman could do anything, yet you insist on doing such dangerous work!"

Ordinarily, S projected the aura of a queen, and coupled with her exceptional combat skills, people dared not underestimate her—a single glare from her was enough to terrify K into complete submission. Yet, facing her own mother, she was utterly helpless and could only retort:

"That's..."

"What is that? Yes, yes, yes, protecting the Earth, right? There are so many people on Earth, does it have to be you saving it? Just hurry up and find a man to marry, that's all. Besides, how dangerous is this job? It's not like we're short on money. If something were to happen to you, what would your father and I do..."

S felt her head splitting in two...

"Anri... let me tell you, this job is simply too dangerous, and your father and I only have you as a daughter..."

Subjected to the verbal barrage from her mother, S found herself powerless to refute it, feeling thoroughly miserable.