Ultraman: It turns out this is the easy mode.

The battle ended faster than expected—the Kirieloid special operations team didn't even have time to put up a decent resistance before being completely surrounded by drones, unmanned turrets, and energy barriers, and was eventually carried back to the base by TPC members like a chicken.

No one thought challenging Cui Ming to a duel was "commendable courage" anymore. Instead, they reached a consensus in private: going against Cui Ming was like lighting a lantern in the toilet—asking for death! Before, everyone was deceived by Cui Ming's usual actions, thinking he was a war maniac who would only charge in and fight head-on. But it wasn't until the Kirieloids were tricked and wiped out that people realized: Cui Ming was the most cunning one.

He usually pilots his mechs at the forefront of monster battles, dismantling spaceships with his bare hands, seemingly incredibly arrogant. However, behind every operation lies meticulous planning. Like this time, from deliberately exposing Kijima Megumi's old house as bait, to pre-positioning drones and unmanned artillery, and then personally disguising himself as Kijima Megumi to lure the enemy out, every step was calculated with perfect clarity regarding the Kirieloids' psychology and actions. Once you're led into the mindset that "he'll only fight head-on," you're completely finished—you think he's going to charge head-on, but he's already dug a pit for you, waiting for you to fall in.

At this moment, in the interrogation room of the TPC base, this "insidious" nature was on full display.

"Hmph hmph hmph ahhhhhh!!!" A shrill scream echoed from the interrogation room, clearly audible even through the thick alloy door. The captured Kirieloid spirit was imprisoned in a specially designed energy container. Cui Ming stood in front of the container, holding a controller that could adjust the "intensity of mental stimulation."

The Kirieloid spirit inside the container was twisted into a ball, and the originally pale red orb of light had become dim and lifeless, clearly having been tortured to the point of collapse.

"Will you talk or not? How many accomplices do you have lurking in the city?" Cui Ming's voice was devoid of any warmth. His fingers slid lightly across the controller, and with each movement, the spirit within the container would emit an even more shrill scream.

"I...I really don't know!" the Kirieloid pleaded intermittently. "I'm just a member of a special operations team, responsible for carrying out missions. I don't know the locations of the other infiltration sites!"

"Don't know?" Cui Ming raised an eyebrow, his finger slamming down a button on the controller, causing the energy in the container to surge violently. "Then who ordered the one who possessed the host in the studio last time? Where is your nest?"

The intense pain rendered the Kirieloid unable to even scream; its spirit trembled wildly within the container. It finally understood that it wasn't facing a "berserker," but a "hunter" adept at destroying the enemy's will with the most precise and ruthless methods. Cui Ming didn't play by the rules; he wouldn't give it any chance to delay or lie, only forcing it to speak through the most direct means.

The idea that they could "go toe-to-toe with Storm One" had long since vanished. The Kirieloids even began to regret provoking this scourge in the first place—not only were they completely annihilated, but they were now enduring this torment worse than death.

Outside the interrogation room, Megumi stood in front of the monitor screen, looking at Cui Ming's figure, and shook her head helplessly. She knew Cui Ming too well. This guy usually seemed carefree, but when it came to "protection" and "interrogation," his methods became exceptionally ruthless. Those enemies who thought he was a "war maniac" would eventually end up like the Kirieloids now, utterly ruined by his "insidious" schemes.

On the monitor screen, Cui Ming's finger rested on the controller again, his tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable sense of pressure: "I'll give you one last chance. Talk, or not?"

The Kirieloid spirit inside the container finally couldn't hold on any longer, trembling as it weakly uttered, "I'll talk... I'll talk about another hideout, the Mother Nest, in an abandoned factory on the eastern outskirts of the city. The Mother Nest is in a lava cave 500 meters underground."

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Cui Ming's lips—yet another enemy he had "led into the rhythm" had completely fallen.

Meanwhile, deep within the underground lava caves, the Kirieloid leadership remained unaware that their stronghold had been betrayed. They were still planning their next operation against Tiga and Cui Ming, oblivious to the fact that they themselves had become Cui Ming's next target. In the director's office at TPC headquarters, Sawai rubbed his throbbing temples. Three documents lay piled on his desk—a public opinion report on the "Kirieloid incident in the studio," an application for "alien containment regulations" for the captured Kirieloids, and a letter to the United Nations explaining whether Cui Ming's interrogation methods were compliant with regulations.

"Sigh..." Sawai sighed deeply, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and looked helpless. He had just come from near the interrogation room and heard the screams of the Kirieloids from afar. He knew without a doubt that Cui Ming had used methods that were "not in accordance with diplomatic etiquette" again.

In Sawai's eyes, Cui Ming was perfect in every way—top-notch combat power, unwavering loyalty to Earth, meticulous planning, and the ability to quickly resolve crises, making him the "pillar of strength" for TPC in its fight against monsters and aliens.

However, there is one problem: Choi's methods are too harsh, so harsh that they are completely unsuitable for diplomatic occasions. Take the capture of the Kirieloids, for example. He could have used a "gentle inducement" approach to extract information, but Choi insisted on choosing the simple and direct method of "psychological stimulation." Although it was efficient, it created a lot of trouble for subsequent diplomatic explanations and public opinion management.

Of course, Sawai is very supportive, but it should be done in a more discreet way!

Good heavens! That scream...
You can hear it from a great distance, and that's with soundproofing!

"Old Cui, Old Cui, can't you tone it down a little?" Zejing muttered to himself, tapping his fingers lightly on the document. "I always have to clean up your messes."

Despite saying that, Sawai knew very well that Choi Myung was never cut out for diplomacy.

In the TPC's division of labor, Choi Myung's role is "deterrence"—to use absolute power to prevent those aliens who covet Earth from making any rash moves, and to resolve threats as quickly as possible. As for subsequent diplomatic communication, public opinion appeasement, and standardization of procedures, these are handled by specialized departments and him.

The same applies this time. Although Cui Ming's interrogation methods may cause controversy over "torturing alien prisoners," Sawai has already thought of a way to deal with it. First, he will have the medical department issue a report that the Kirieloids have "no permanent damage to their mental bodies." Then, he will release evidence that the Kirieloids have "planned terrorist attacks multiple times." Finally, he will emphasize that "Cui Ming's actions are to quickly obtain the location of the mother nest and prevent more citizens from being harmed." The public and the United Nations will most likely understand.

"Oh well, what can we do? He's Old Cui." Zejing put down his teacup, picked up his pen and started working on the documents, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips. "With him in front of us keeping those monsters in check, we can handle these 'trivial matters' with peace of mind."

He quickly signed his name on the "Kiri Elorod Containment Regulations" and added a clause on "Special Authority for Emergency Response" to the letter to the United Nations, his movements as practiced as if he had handled similar situations countless times before.

Outside the window, fighter jets at the TPC base were taking off and landing in an orderly fashion, while in the distant mech parking area, Nix mechs were undergoing routine maintenance. Watching all this, Zei suddenly felt a sense of peace—although Cui Ming's methods gave him a headache, having such a "deterrent" comrade meant that Earth could have a bit more stability in this perilous universe.

As for any subsequent troubles? No problem, he'll handle them. (End of Chapter)