Chainsaw Man, starting contract to cut down the Demon Line

"The real demon is hiding somewhere. Once you find its true form, you can just kill it."

"Okay." Hayakawa Aki nodded and immediately got into work mode. But before that, he asked one more question:

"And what about you, Captain...?"

"What do you mean, 'me'?"

Yan Liang casually pushed open the door of a guest room next door and answered calmly:

"Even if I'm anxious now, it won't do any good. I might as well wait and recover my energy."

"I can't possibly get involved in such a trivial matter personally, can I?"

"Let me know when you make any new discoveries. Until then, don't bother me..."

Chapter Seventy: Himeno immediately identifies it as fake.

After Yan Liang closed the door, the people standing at the door fell silent.

The team lost its leader for a moment, and no one spoke first. In the end, it was Hime, as the senior member, who broke the deadlock.

"Cough cough..."

Ji Ye looked at the others in front of her and spoke in a relaxed tone:

"Alright, now that the captain has spoken, let's not just stand here like wooden blocks."

"Listen carefully, we'll split up; that's the most efficient way." Then, Himeko methodically began assigning tasks:

"Little Red Sauce, take Denji and Pava to search the left half of the corridor, including the unlocked guest rooms and storage rooms."

"Ah Qiu, come with me to the right. We'll focus on checking the elevator shaft and the safety passage on the other side."

As soon as this arrangement was made, the corridor immediately became noisy.

"Huh?! Are you kidding me?!" Denji put his hands behind his head and shouted defiantly, "Why should I listen to your orders?!"

Having just killed the demon, he thought he would receive a reward from Himeno. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, causing Denji to become a little irritable and his attitude towards Himeno to be quite unpleasant.

With Yan Liang absent, Pawa was no longer willing to hold back her temper; her head was practically pointing to the sky. She retorted to Ji Ye:

"That's right! I am a noble demon!"

"Why should a mere human like me be in charge?!"

The two attacked at the same time, and Dongshan Xiaohong, who was caught in the middle, was so frightened that she retreated repeatedly.

She had intended to go into the room with Yan Liang, but he seemed to have no intention of letting her in and left her outside the door.

Considering that taking matters into her own hands would upset the other party, Xiao Hong refrained from disturbing Yan Liang, even though she was afraid.

She now opposes Himeno's suggestion, simply because Koko has no confidence that she can control Denji and Pava.

Xiao Hong explained in a low voice:

"No, no, no! No, it can't be done! Senior Himeno! I can't do it! I can't!"

Seeing the chaotic scene, Hayakawa Aki also felt something was amiss. He stepped forward and said to Hime in a deep voice:

"Senior Himeno, this is indeed a bit unreasonable."

“You know Xiao Hong’s personality; she can’t control Dianci and Pawa at all. What if something goes wrong…”

"Oh, what does it matter?"

Faced with Hayakawa Aki's questioning, Himeno smiled slightly and didn't take it seriously.

She drawled out her words:

“I’m your senior, after all. Since the captain’s orders to us are just to find a way to do something, without giving any more detailed instructions, then as the most senior person on site, it’s not wrong for me to make arrangements, right?”

At this point, Himeko narrowed her eyes, looking at Denji and Power with a half-smile:

"Besides... Xiao Hong is the captain's favorite. If either of you dares to bully her at this time, or disobey orders..."

Ji Ye pointed to the tightly closed door, her tone carrying a hint of warning:

"Do you think the captain will hold you accountable afterward? You should know better than me how terrifying he can be when he's angry, right?"

"..."

"..."

This statement is more effective than any command.

Just moments ago, Dianci and Pawa were so arrogant, but the image of Yan Liang's expressionless face flashed through their minds simultaneously. Their faces were filled with resentment, but they didn't dare to utter a single word in rebuttal.

After intimidating the two troublemakers, Hime gave Hayakawa Aki a wink.

Hayakawa Aki was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood.

“…I understand.” Hayakawa Aki sighed, finally giving in. He turned to Denji and the others, sternly instructing them, “You three, if you encounter danger, don’t be reckless. Shout for help immediately, understand?”

Xiao Hong wanted to say something more, but she didn't dare to contradict Ji Ye, so she finally agreed.

The two groups went in opposite directions, heading towards opposite ends of the corridor.

After pretending to walk around for a while, Hayakawa Aki and Himeno still hadn't found any breakthrough.

Inside the hotel, everything—from the windows and elevator shafts to the rooms—was stuck in a loop.

Hayakawa Aki stopped after checking everything. He looked at Himeko beside him and asked:

"Alright, Himeno-senpai. Judging from your behavior just now, is there something you want to say to me privately?"

"Hey, don't be so serious, A-Chiu."

Hime didn't answer immediately. Instead, she pulled a slightly deformed cigarette case from her pocket. She expertly took out a cigarette, put it in her mouth, leaned against the corridor wall, and then handed the cigarette case to Hayakawa Aki.

"Want one? No rush."

Hayakawa Aki frowned slightly as she looked at the cigarettes being handed to her.

"Senior Himeno, isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to slack off so openly? What if the captain finds out we're being lazy and gets angry?"

"Who are we on good terms with? If I don't tell anyone, how will anyone know you've been slacking off? Besides, haven't we already finished our inspection?"

Hime smiled and handed the cigarette case to Hayakawa Aki.

Hayakawa Aki sighed, but still reached out and took the cigarette case, took out a cigarette and lit it.

"call--"

Hime exhaled a puff of white smoke, which swirled and rose in the dim corridor light.

She turned her head and stared at Hayakawa Aki's profile with her single eye.

Looking at the young man in front of him, Ji Ye felt a little dazed for a moment, for some reason.

She still remembered how Hayakawa Akio looked when he was first assigned to her command. Back then, he was like a hedgehog covered in thorns, his mind filled with nothing but hatred for demons, which made him act recklessly and not even care about his own life.

Now, he has grown into a demon hunter capable of standing on his own.

Although he remained cold on the surface, Ji Ye knew that this man's heart was gentler and heavier than anyone else's...

"Ah Qiu..." Ji Ye flicked his cigarette ash, a helpless smile appearing on his face.

"You're still so naive in this regard."

"That's what they call the 'gap in experience'."

Hayakawa Aki paused, her hand holding a cigarette twitching: "What do you mean?"

“I can tell.” Hime’s smile faded, and her tone became more serious than ever before. “The captain’s performance just now was… too bland.”

"Think about it, trapped here, with unknown strength of the demons lurking in the shadows, most ordinary people would feel helpless or scared, just like Xiao Hong, right?"

"Even if he is incredibly strong and unafraid of demons, from what I've observed, the captain is not someone who speaks without reason. The fact that he abandoned us and stayed alone is very strange to me."

"And his attitude just now didn't seem like he knew nothing."

Himeko moved closer to Hayakawa Aki: "I can guarantee that he might know some information. But he's deliberately hiding it from us."

Upon hearing these words, Hayakawa Aki froze on the spot. He recalled Yan Liang's expression outside the door just now. Indeed, Yan Liang's eyes had not changed at all from beginning to end.

too weird.

Even knowing his personality, Hayakawa Aki felt something was wrong after Himeno reminded him.

As long as you are human, you will inevitably show emotions when you encounter any problem, such as panic, confusion, or fear.

But Yan Liang's performance was too bland, so bland that it was hard not to think about it.

"Why did he keep it from us?" Hayakawa Aki asked, puzzled.

"Who knows? I can't fathom what a monster like him is thinking. But he must have his reasons for doing this."

At this point, Hime suddenly changed the subject:

“But, Ah Qiu… I care more about you than him.”

Hayakawa Aki's fingers tightened around the cigarette, and she asked, feigning ignorance, "What's wrong with me?"

"You're hiding something from me too, aren't you?" Himeno bluntly exposed him, "and it's about the captain."

“I’ve noticed recently that your attitude towards him is strange.”

“Ah Qiu, although you follow the rules, you are a very proud person at heart. But in front of the captain, you have been too... submissive lately. This is not like you at all.”

Ji Ye's eyes held a hint of worry: "A Qiu, tell me honestly, does he have some leverage over you? Or is he threatening you with something?"

The corridor suddenly fell silent.

Only the cigarettes burning between their fingertips emitted a faint hissing sound.

Hayakawa Aki stared silently at the ceiling above her head, without saying a word.

Of course, he was hiding something from Himeko.

He recalled their previous conversation—

"When the Demon of the Future Gun appears, I will seize the opportunity to strike, depending on the specific circumstances at the time."

Because of Yan Liang's promise, he probably didn't even realize that his attitude towards Yan Liang had been very strange lately.

But Himeno is different; she understands him better than Hayakawa Aki himself.

But can he tell Himeno about this?

No.

Hayakawa Aki knows this woman in front of him too well. If she finds out that he made this deal with the other party for revenge, if she finds out that he is going to kill the Demon of the Gun, Himeno will definitely get involved.

She would laugh and say, "Oh dear, since it's A-Qiu's wish, then of course I, as a senior, should help."

The Demon of the Gun is too terrifying; it's an existence that humanity cannot contend with. Hayakawa Aki has already lost his family, and Himeno has helped him too much; he doesn't want to drag Himeno into this vortex anymore.

That's his own business.

"...That's not true."

After a long silence, Hayakawa Aki exhaled a puff of smoke and replied in a dry voice, "Hime-senpai, you're overthinking it. He's just very strong, and as his subordinate, I should respect him."

This is a lie so clumsy that even Hayakawa Aki himself doesn't believe it.

Ji Ye looked into his eyes, which dared not meet her gaze, and understood even without saying a word.

She didn't press the issue any further. Instead, her gaze softened again.

Is that so?

Hime chuckled and casually tossed the half-smoked cigarette onto the stall. She reached out and patted Hayakawa Aki on the shoulder.

"Since you don't want to talk about it, then I won't ask."

"Ah Qiu, you'd better keep this from me."

Hayakawa Aki turned to look at her, her expression somewhat surprised.

Hime smiled at him, a smile that revealed only sincerity.

"But remember, no matter what you're carrying, no matter what you want to do... as long as you need it, I, as your senior, will always support you."

Hayakawa Aki opened her mouth, but in the end, she said nothing. The myriad thoughts churning within her ultimately coalesced into a single sentence: