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

With great difficulty, the two doll girls who had started fighting were forcibly separated.

Bai Ze and Lu Xingyao each held one of them like parents on both sides, but they still glared at each other as if they hadn't had enough, hissing intimidatingly.

"Let me go! Human! I'm going to teach this rude bastard a lesson!"

Mingming struggled fiercely in his arms, probably because she had finally met an opponent of equal weight since losing her power, and felt that she had hope of victory, so she became arrogant again.

"Chuckling: You've made this machine's database even richer by being so arrogant after being beaten to a pulp."

The core member crossed his arms and laughed mockingly.

Lu Xingyao poked her head: "Aren't you in the same situation?"

Miss Core remained silent.

"Hahaha!"

Mingming burst out laughing, shaking her long sleeves in a very unladylike manner. "Your way of speaking is already ridiculous, but I never imagined your very existence would be even more laughable! You're practically as insignificant as the air inside a plastic bag!"

"Shut up."

Bai Ze covered her mouth, "If you keep making noise, I'll throw both of you into the washing machine and run it on the highest setting for an hour."

Having already experienced the agony of endless spinning hell, Mingming shuddered.

"As the human who defeated me, you not only condone those who provoke you, but you also resort to threats of torture at every turn. If this were ancient times, you would surely have become a tyrant!"

"No, you're the only one who got provoked."

Bai Ze placed her on the table, and the doll-like girl jumped to the ground indignantly and walked towards the door.

"I'm going to see the sights of the world, don't bother me!"

"Go and watch her, don't let her fight."

Lu Xingyao gave the core instructions, and she reluctantly and slowly followed Mingming's steps.

One of them has black hair and red eyes, and the other has silver hair and blue eyes. Now that they both have this body type, they look like sister dolls made by the same manufacturer.

Perhaps this touched Xia Xingzhi, who also has a younger sister, as she stared enviously at the two dolls as they left.

"That's great... I... I sometimes want to argue with my sister too."

"If the detective says something tough, her health will drop to zero," Lu Xingyao muttered.

"Indeed, it would be more accurate to say that Hoshiori's impression is that she is the weakest character with only one HP. In the game, she would probably be a favorite of players who seek a challenge."

"The second description is too much... I thought Aze would be gentler..."

"...Is there a bug in how you two address each other? When did it become like this?"

Lu Xingyao keenly grasped the key point and looked at them suspiciously.

How much of the plot did she miss while she was absent?

The other two exchanged a glance and told the truth: "Just now."

"Huh? Isn't the pace a bit too fast? I know that to defeat my childhood friend, I have to use a quick approach, but this is going way too fast!"

For some reason, Lu Xingyao angrily grabbed the detective's collar, "Are you underestimating me, someone who's also a 'suddenly fallen' type?!"

"I don't understand what you mean..." Xia Xingzhi looked at him for help.

"Don't worry about it. Occasionally, she has a relapse and brings fictional elements into reality."

Bai Ze sat down at the long table and began collecting the letters sent to the broadcasting room.

This is considered a unique activity at Fuyumei Private Junior High School, taking place on the school radio after school.

In fact, the previous members of the broadcasting department were mainly responsible for this—receiving letters from students who mailed them to the mailbox in front of the broadcasting room, helping them relieve their troubles, and conveying their opinions to the school.

It has replaced the old principal's mailbox in some way. Whether it's useful or not is another matter; just tell me whether it was delivered or not.

"Phew—oh well, losing slightly on this unexpected track is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, my senior and I are friends from middle school."

Lu Xingyao released the detective girl, saying, "As long as the characteristics of the junior female lead remain unchanged, it's fine!"

"Oh, okay... Congratulations?"

Xia Xingzhi clapped her hands timidly to congratulate her.

In fact, they gathered together to discuss matters related to the phantom thief. Lu Xingyao happened to catch her whereabouts and forcibly brought Xia Xingzhi back to the broadcasting room.

"So, neither you nor Rhea gained anything?"

After listening to his junior's report, Bai Ze summarized.

It seems unrealistic to expect to catch the phantom thief in just one or two days.

Although he and Xia Xingzhi encountered something unusual, it didn't seem to have anything to do with the phantom thief; it was just a side story.

Unless the other party reveals something else—hmm?

Bai Ze's movements as he sorted through the letters were slightly sluggish.

A hard postcard emerged from among the many papers, with text clipped from other newspapers pasted on it.

"The phantom thief's... second pre-announcement?"

And it wasn't sent to the witch, it was sent directly to them!

[To those who obstruct my path, your obstructive actions will be of no use. In the name of the Eternal Serpent, I will take away the remnants of the gods.]

There's another line of text on the other side.

To retrieve your lost item, please go to Qingqiu Girls' High School.

The contents of the announcement he read aloud attracted two other people to come closer.

Xia Xingzhi was the first to realize what "the remnants of the gods" meant and immediately ran outside.

"Those two anomalies... are gone."

After confirming the situation, she said.

Both Core and Mystery vanished without a trace, as if they had evaporated into thin air—according to the contents of the pre-announcement, the one who was truly being targeted was the latter.

But what's the point of stealing this guy who's no better than a regular figurine?

They even thoughtfully provided the location to retrieve the lost item.

"No matter how you look at it, it's a trap."

Lu Xingyao took the postcard. "It's bait to lure us to the past."

"To be honest, I don't think it's a big deal to give up that arrogant brat."

Bai Ze made a decision, saying, "But since they've come to us of their own accord, we definitely can't let this opportunity pass us by."

"Senior, male tsundere is not cute at all."

—Hey, do you think I wasn't being sincere when I said I didn't care about giving up on the underworld?

After thinking about it, he decided it was best not to correct it.

"Then we should go to Qingqiu Girls' High School as instructed in the notice, right?"

Xia Xingzhi added with a subtle expression, "He clearly stole it but still claims it's a notice... What a phantom thief with no professional ethics."

"I've heard of Qingqiu High School."

Bai Ze pulled up a map on his phone and found the location of the girls' school in the same city.

It's located halfway between Fuyumei Private School and the rest of the city.

"Without further ado, senior, let's infiltrate the girls' school now!"

Lu Xingyao's eyes inexplicably lit up, "Having lost Miss Core, I'll stay here and go borrow the clothes you need—"

"Give up, I'm not going to infiltrate in drag!"

Bai Ze immediately saw through her sinister intentions and pulled the detective over.

"I have a hypnosis app... I mean, an investigation license."

The girls' school infiltration operation begins!