Chainsaw Man, starting contract to cut down the Demon Line

Kill...high-ranking police officials?

They even asked if everything should be alright.

Several seconds passed before Anbian finally lowered his hand. He tightened the lid of the wine jug, stuffed it back into his trench coat pocket, and sighed.

“You little rascal…” Anbian said in a hoarse voice, “Do you know who those old guys inside are? Even if they are puppets manipulated by Machima, they are still the group that nominally controls the highest power of the Japanese Public Security Bureau.”

Yan Liang shrugged, his expression utterly innocent:

"I just don't like them; they're too noisy."

"So, there will be trouble?"

"Trouble? Since Machima is willing to let you out, it means she intends to suppress this matter."

“For her, the death of a few puppets is no big deal; she can just replace them with a new batch.” She shook her head slightly, continuing, a hint of appreciation in her eyes.

"But you dared to do this in front of Machima, which is a slap in her face. You're the first person to have that kind of guts."

Yan Liang waved his hand: "It's not really a slap in the face. Let me make it clear beforehand, she was the one who offered her face first. I have a very good temper, and I usually don't do this unless someone provokes me."

"That's for the best."

He nodded from the shore, and their conversation ended there. Actually, he was quite curious about what had happened inside, but seeing that Yan Liang clearly didn't want to talk about it, he was too lazy to ask.

Having worked in the public security system, especially in a frontline position, I've learned a valuable lesson from my long life: don't ask questions you shouldn't ask; surviving is the best outcome.

The two silently kept quiet and walked side by side toward the elevator.

"Ding--"

The elevator doors opened, and the two stepped inside. As the elevator began its descent, Anbian couldn't help but utter a word of praise:

"Thinking about it carefully, you're actually a really nice person."

"It's not just about today's attack, but also about Machima. Very few people have been in contact with her for so long without being affected by her..."

“In today’s public security system, newcomers like you who are clear-headed and efficient are almost extinct.”

This is an affirmation from the most powerful demon hunter.

"It's just that the situation is forcing us to act," Yan Liang replied casually. "I really don't like fighting and killing."

“In this world, being able to survive without dragging others down is a skill in itself.” Anbian put his hands in his pockets and changed the subject: “However, now that you’ve waded into this mess, you’ll only have more trouble like this in the future, so be careful.”

“I hate trouble the most, but…” Yan Liang paused, “If they really come knocking on my door, I won’t be polite.”

"Ding."

The elevator finally arrived at the lobby on the first floor, and the doors slid open to both sides.

The sky outside had darkened sometime earlier. Through the revolving glass doors of the lobby on the first floor, one could barely see layers of dark clouds pressing down in the sky, as if they might collapse at any moment.

"I have other messes to clean up, so I'm leaving now."

He waved from the shore, took out a cigarette case from inside his trench coat, and walked toward another exit of the police station building.

Watching the other person leave, Yan Liang also wanted to walk out the door, but as soon as he reached the door, his gaze suddenly stopped.

A petite figure stood beside the wide glass doorway of the police station building.

Unexpectedly, it was Dongshan Xiaohong.

But why is she here? Yan Liang clearly told Xiao Hong at the hospital this afternoon that she could go home if nothing was wrong.

Upon hearing footsteps behind her, Xiao Hong's eyes lit up the moment she recognized Yan Liang.

"Captain, Captain!"

Xiao Hong stammered a call and quickly ran to Yan Liang.

Yan Liang looked at the girl in front of him who could barely stand up straight and raised an eyebrow.

"Why haven't you left yet?" Yan Liang stopped and asked casually.

When Yan Liang asked her that question, Xiao Hong's already pale cheeks flushed red, and she looked a little shy.

"That... I, I actually..."

Xiao Hong explained haltingly:

"That happened today... I... I'm scared..."

Yan Liang wanted to ask in return, "You're willing to run all the way from the hospital to the police station, but you don't have the guts to go home?" But he didn't say it in the end. He suddenly realized that today's attack had probably made Xiao Hong feel very insecure, and coupled with the fact that she had developed a habit of staying by his side, she had naturally become dependent on him.

“So…” she mustered her courage, stole a glance at Yan Liang, then quickly lowered her head again, “So, I want to wait for the captain downstairs… I want to go home with the captain…”

"Suit yourself, just stay close." With a somewhat helpless sigh, Yan Liang replied indifferently and continued walking outside.

Just then.

"Tick-tock-"

A raindrop the size of a bean struck the concrete ground in front of the porch, followed by a second, then a third. In the blink of an eye, the sky, which had been gloomy and brewing for a long time, poured down a torrential downpour.

Yan Liang stopped at the edge of the porch, looking at the heavy rain outside, his brows furrowed slightly.

Xiao Hong behind her seemed to remember something and frantically rummaged through the umbrella rack placed at the door.

"Thank goodness, my umbrella is still here!"

Xiao Hong pulled a black umbrella from the umbrella stand. Perhaps because she was a little nervous, the ribs got stuck when she opened it. She quickly took two steps forward, trying to hold the umbrella for Yan Liang.

However, the height difference between the two made Xiao Hong's actions look somewhat comical. She almost had to stand on tiptoe to barely keep the umbrella from touching Yan Liang's head.

"Captain... um, let's go together."

Holding up the umbrella, she tried to control her slightly trembling arms and looked at Yan Liang cautiously.

Seeing Xiao Hong's earnest yet clumsy appearance, Yan Liang's eyes softened a little.

He reached out a hand and took the umbrella handle from Xiao Hong.

"You're blocking my view by holding it up like that."

"Let's go."

He didn't say anything more, and with one hand supporting the large black umbrella, he stepped into the drizzling rain.

"Ah...yes! Thank you, Captain!"

Xiao Hong was stunned for a moment, then as if waking from a dream, she quickly followed.

Chapter 147 Alone After the Rain

The rain wasn't heavy, but even so, pedestrians on the street quickened their pace. Raindrops splashed on the ground, and the streetlights cast a dim, yellowish glow, casting hurried reflections in the puddles.

Yan Liang walked through the rain, holding the black umbrella. The cold raindrops pattered against the umbrella, but the sound didn't bother him. Instead, it led him into calm contemplation.

That's too dangerous.

Even now, looking back, Yan Liang has to admit that his probing with Machima just now was like walking a tightrope.

Including his past interactions with her, he realized he had lacked the necessary vigilance, which led him to lose his composure. If he hadn't been so self-controlled and quick-witted, he might have actually fallen for Machima's tricks.

"When dealing with this woman, one truly cannot afford to be even the slightest bit lax..."

Yan Liang silently reminded himself.

Fortunately, the result wasn't too bad. At least on the surface, the two were evenly matched. Machima removed the condition for killing the Gun Demon and reduced his spying on her.

But given Machima's meaningful attitude, Yan Liang couldn't help but think it was a ruse, a prelude to something bigger...

With this in mind, Yan Liang temporarily suppressed these complicated thoughts.

Forget it, overthinking is just asking for trouble.

Plans can never keep up with changes. If anything happens, we'll deal with it as it comes. The most urgent task right now is to find a way to bring those gangsters and the Knife Demon to justice.

Just then, a gentle breeze carrying raindrops blew into the umbrella.

Back in reality, Yan Liang suddenly realized that something was wrong.

This black umbrella is actually quite large, easily accommodating two people.

But at this moment, Xiao Hong seemed to be deliberately avoiding him, clinging tightly to the very edge of the umbrella. The rain had slightly dampened her white shirt, and upon closer inspection, her small, thin body was trembling uncontrollably. Even so, Xiao Hong seemed oblivious, walking forward silently with her head down.

Yan Liang stopped in his tracks.

Xiao Hong had her head down, her eyes fixed on the ground, when Yan Liang suddenly stopped, and she almost bumped into him.

"what……!"

Dongshan Xiaohong looked up at Yan Liang in a panic. Yan Liang didn't say anything, but simply tilted the hand holding the umbrella handle towards her, shrouding her in the shadows where there was no rain.

"Why are you hiding so far away?" Yan Liang's voice was unreadable. "Is it fun to get in the rain?"

"No, no! I'm sorry!"

Xiao Hong instinctively wanted to back away, but she froze in place because of Yan Liang's oppressive gaze.

"I...I'm fine, um, I didn't get much rain on me..." she stammered, her eyes darting around, but she didn't dare look Yan Liang in the eye.

Seeing her like this, Yan Liang's initial confusion gradually turned into helplessness.

Even a fool would know that he has something on his mind.

"Dongshan Xiaohong".

Yan Liang's tone was slightly more forceful than before. Through the dim light, Yan Liang spoke to her:

"I hate guessing what other people are thinking; it's a real hassle."

"Compared to others who keep their thoughts to themselves and suffer in silence, I prefer people who speak their minds. What are you hiding from?"

Upon hearing the word "hate," Xiaohong's body trembled. Her eyes immediately reddened, and tears welled up instantly.

"Because...because..."

Her voice was filled with grievance:

"I'm afraid... the captain will hate me..."

"Hate you?" Yan Liang was taken aback.

“Ugh… at the coffee shop…”

Xiaohong couldn't hold back anymore, tears streaming down her face. Between sobs, she spoke haltingly:

"When we were in the cafe, Captain, you pushed me out..."

"Captain, at that time, you must have thought I was annoying, right..."

"That's why I did it without hesitation at that time..."

Listening to Xiao Hong's incoherent sobs, Yan Liang was stunned for a few seconds.

Cafe...

Faced with the perilous situation of limited abilities, he immediately pushed Xiao Hong out in order to find a way out.

Looking back now, he didn't think too much at the time; it was purely an action driven by instinct. Because in his mind, keeping Little Red alive was to shield him from harm…

He had assumed that Xiao Hong's timid demeanor stemmed from fear of him or resentment. So, he was somewhat surprised to see her at the door.

But to his utter surprise, the circuitry in Xiao Hong's brain was actually reversed.

She wasn't angry at being used as bait; instead, she felt wronged. The reason for her grievance was that she found him annoying, and she hadn't even considered being angry. She was even behaving so humbly now, just to avoid provoking him.

Looking at the girl in front of him, her shoulders shaking with sobs, Yan Liang felt a mix of emotions.

The good news is that, under his guidance, Dongshan Xiaohong is unlikely to betray him one day. The bad news is that this kind of mentality is still not suitable for him to have around.

"Ugh……"

A helpless sigh rang out amidst the sound of rain. Yan Liang didn't offer any words of comfort; that wouldn't be in his nature. He simply reached out his free hand and grabbed Xiao Hong's sleeve.

"Huh?" Xiao Hong exclaimed in surprise.

Yan Liang used a little force to pull her close to him, bringing them closer together. The space under the umbrella was large, and she didn't get wet at all.

“Yes, Captain…” Xiao Hong stared blankly at Yan Liang, who was so close to her. Her crying stopped, but tears still clung to her eyelashes.

"If I thought you were a nuisance, I would have just told you to walk back by yourself downstairs."