Once the affection level is maxed out, the rivalry begins!

"Why? I want to join my senior too!"

Lu Xingyao was the first to lodge a protest.

"I can't! Being alone with a boy will shorten my life!"

Miss Xia Xingzhi also shook her head frantically, her whole body twisted into an abstract painting.

Bai Ze, on the contrary, understood what Leia meant.

"What's the principle behind her ability to attract unusual events but ultimately survive?"

"Just as Bai Ze thought, the misfortune was distributed equally to everyone except himself... hence the name [Chain of Sins]."

Rhea nodded solemnly.

The first effect is to mass-produce criminals, and the second effect is to attract and transfer bad luck. What kind of detective ability is this?

"I want Bai Ze to take her on daily patrols. Since the phantom thief can enter Fuyuna, it's very likely that she'll be captured by Natsumi's abilities, causing you to encounter cases related to her."

Rhea explained frankly, "But considering the side effects of her abilities, the accompanying team must be small and elite."

Otherwise, they might easily die in the abnormal events caused by Xia Xingzhi.

After being refuted with sound reasoning, the two people with differing opinions had no choice but to accept the arrangement.

"I'll be back as soon as possible! Don't worry about me, senior!"

Lu Xingyao was pulled away by Leia with tears in her eyes.

Since the phantom thief dared to impersonate the Serpent of Eternity, she had no choice but to work harder.

"Furthermore, intelligence obtained by the Bureau of Spirit Disasters indicates that after the operation in Fuyuna was thwarted last time, the Holy Trinity Order may have sent four members at the level of high priests to infiltrate the surrounding cities, and their current whereabouts are unknown."

Before leaving, Rhea reminded them, "Be careful of the Order's interference when searching for the Phantom Thief."

The internal structure of the Holy Trinity Order has always been a mystery, but what is clear to the outside world is that the highest combat strength this organization has ever had consisted of four members at the level of high priests.

Even in the realm of the supernatural, she is considered a powerful witch with specialized combat abilities.

After leaving a warning, she dragged Lu Xingyao away from the coffee shop first.

But Rhea's decisive action led to an awkward outcome.

Xia Xingzhi and Bai Ze looked at each other, the coffee on the table still steaming.

"It's another girl."

The owner of the Nine-Ball Cafe muttered as he came over to collect the empty plates from the other two people, but both of them were extraordinary in their senses, so his words were heard very clearly.

Boss! You tricked me!

"I'm sorry... that something that looks like canned herring is considered a girlfriend... if it were me, I'd want to hang myself."

Xia Xingzhi said in a low voice.

I feel like she's always apologizing; she's practically become an apology queen.

"That's not true!"

Bai Ze comforted her, "Canned herring isn't as dangerous as you."

Because he had just fought with a slime that was mixed with this stuff yesterday—why did that junior even order herring canned food for takeout?

"Indeed... I'm even more terrifying than canned herring... So that's what nuclear waste is, right? So that's what I am."

The girl moved away from him more passively and lay down on the empty sofa chair.

"Could you please find some No. 42 concrete to fill this area?"

"I was just kidding! You're not scary at all! Let's go, we still have to catch the phantom thief. Where do you want to go first?"

Bai Ze tried to boost the morale of the detective.

"Eh... are you asking for my opinion?"

Xia Xingzhi blinked, looking very frightened.

"Aren't you the detective?"

Although Bai Ze's task was simply to stay with the other party, it would be difficult to trigger Xia Xingzhi's ability if he remained in one place.

Otherwise, the café would have been in a strange and unusual state before he arrived.

So he planned to walk around Fuyina City with the other person.

"Come on, don't be shy."

Bai Ze encouraged her, "Just think of me as Watson to Sherlock Holmes, and let me witness the wisdom of a master detective!"

Rhea said she was a big shot who had won the title of famous detective for two consecutive years, so there must be some factors beyond her abilities.

Who knows, they might just unleash some brilliant reasoning skills and solve the mystery of the thief in no time!

"...You mean you want to become my assistant?"

The girl hesitated before asking a question, and after Bai Ze nodded, she suddenly sat up.

"No one has ever been willing to be my assistant... even though other members of the association are assigned Watson clones!"

She almost cried with joy.

What the hell is this Watson clone?

It's understandable that no one wants to be her assistant, given the high risk of death if she gets involved in unusual events with her.

Xia Xingzhi solemnly took off her hunting hat and held it to her chest, her short gray hair gently blowing in the breeze from the window.

"Whether it is an intentional crime or a negligent crime, whether it is shooting, poisoning, stabbing, or strangulation, you are willing to be at the scene with me until death."

"Since you've made such a vow, I have nothing more to say. Let's go capture the phantom thief and use her head to build the Tower of Honor!"

Wait a minute! I don't remember making such a vow!

Why does it seem like I've taken on such a heavy responsibility when it was just a casual remark?

But now that things have come to this, seeing the detective girl who finally found the motivation, it's impossible for her to say no!

She carefully put her hunting hat back on, strode confidently out of the café, and Bai Ze had no choice but to follow.

Then, facing the crowd, Xia Xingzhi instantly bent down and darted behind him.

"There are so many people... Shall we go back? Maybe the Phantom Thief will walk into the shop and order a coffee soon?"

She was trembling.

Where did your resolve go?

Bai Ze dragged—or rather, she hunched over and grabbed his clothes from behind—the detective girl moved through the bustling street.

"Miss Xia, why are you so afraid of crowded places?"

Since he's temporarily playing the role of a detective's assistant, let's delve into the reasons behind the other person's social anxiety.

The girl's head peeked out from behind his shoulder, her gray hair as soft as fluff.

"Because, because we always end up killing each other. Whether it's in a locked room, on a roller coaster at an amusement park, or in a mountain lodge during a blizzard, there are always many ugly corpses left behind—even though it's all my fault."

She whispered darkly.

In fact, Bai Ze had pretty much guessed that this was the reason.

Before Xia Xingzhi learned to suppress the first effect of [Chain of Sins], she was like a certain elementary school student who was a death god in Beika City. Wherever she went, murder cases followed her like a shadow. Moreover, unlike the latter, she could not fool the total number of people who died with the episodic setting.

Anyone she knows, or even just passes by, could be stirred by her abilities to awaken their hidden criminal desires, turning them into a murderer who creates victims.

Given such an unfortunate physical condition, the fact that she only exhibits social anxiety is already a testament to her incredible mental fortitude.

Having considered this, Bai Ze asked:

"Putting aside the matter of catching the phantom thief, is there anywhere in Fuyuna you'd like to go?"