As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

No matter how much the two pressed him for an explanation, Qian Qiao didn't offer any. He turned and walked towards his motorcycle, put on his helmet, and the roar of the engine echoed under the bridge. The motorcycle sped away, leaving everyone with only its back view.

Sonoda Mari looked at the empty intersection, feeling both anxious and helpless.

At this moment, Lin Chen's gaze fell lightly on Kusaka Masato, taking in all his subtle actions.

Kusaka, having deactivated his transformation, was secretly reaching for his fallen Kaixa belt, intending to put it back on and transform again, clearly planning to launch a sneak attack.

"Trying to launch a sneak attack?" Lin Chen said with a smile.

Kusaka Masato paused, remaining silent, but his gaze grew increasingly fierce as he stared intently at Lin Chen, his hostility palpable.

Lin Chen was too lazy to argue with him anymore. He turned to Sonoda Mari and said softly, "Miss Mari, it seems you're already late because of the urgent matter you need to attend to. Haven't you always wanted to see President Hanagata? Now's the perfect time."

Before Sonoda Mari could respond, Kusaka Masato, who was standing next to her, suddenly looked up, his eyes darting around, and hurriedly asked, "Dad? Mari, do you know where Dad is?"

Upon hearing this, Sonoda Mari nodded and relayed the information Lin Chen had previously given her: "President Lin Chen said that Dad has returned to Smart Brain."

Kusaka Masato immediately said, "I'll go with you. I also have a lot of things to ask my father. Besides, it's too dangerous for you to stay with this Orphnoch."

After saying that, he glared at Lin Chen again, his hostility completely undisguised.

"Orphinus? What are you saying, Soga?!" Sonoda Mari was very confused after hearing Soga Masato's words.

Just as Kusaka Masato was about to reveal Lin Chen's identity as an Orphnoch, Lin Chen secretly made a throat-slitting gesture. Seeing this, he knew he was no match for Lin Chen alone. Although he didn't know what this Orphnoch was planning, he knew that if he exposed it, the Orphnoch would be enraged and kill everyone.

Chapter 190 Interested in starting a new job?

The atmosphere under the overpass quieted down. Lin Chen glanced at the three people in front of him and said to Kusaka Masato and Sonoda Mari, "You can go back to Smart Brain with Smart Lady. I have some personal matters to attend to, so I won't be going with you."

Smart Lady paused slightly upon hearing this, instinctively wanting to offer some advice. She wasn't just a simple secretary; she also secretly carried out a mission assigned to her by Hanagata, requiring her to monitor Lin Chen's every move and report back daily. How could Lin Chen act alone?

But she quickly suppressed her concerns. She knew that if she showed any unusual behavior, the other party would definitely discover her intentions, and she would only suffer losses in the end.

After a brief hesitation, Smart Lady immediately composed herself, bowed, and said, "Okay, President! We'll be leaving now. Please let me know if you have any new instructions."

After saying that, she gestured for Kusaka Masato and Sonoda Mari to leave. The group quickly departed, leaving the area under the overpass empty and quiet.

Once everyone's presence had completely dissipated, the void behind Lin Chen rippled slightly, and the dimensional barrier slowly unfolded. He lightly lifted his foot and took a step back, his figure instantly disappearing from the spot.

On the other side, a thin mist swirled in a secluded grove on the outskirts of the city. A cool breeze rustled through the branches and leaves, swirling up tiny fallen leaves, creating a desolate and tranquil atmosphere. Nagata Yuka, dragging her still-healing wounds, transformed back into human form and gritted her teeth as she traversed the grove.

She had only one thought in her mind: to find Kaidou Naoya. He had been chased and fled under the overpass, and his fate was now unknown; she had to confirm his safety.

Just as she was looking around searching, a figure suddenly leaped down from the tall tree trunk—it was Naoya Kaidou. Upon landing, Naoya saw the undisguised joy and relief on Yuka Nagata's face; it was a genuine expression of happiness that he was safe and sound.

But instead of being grateful, he frowned, his tone sharp and defiant, full of arrogance: "What are you so happy about? You went to all this way to find me, and even risked turning back to save me. You're just meddling in other people's business!"

After saying that, he didn't give Nagata Yuka a chance to reply, turned around and prepared to leave, not wanting to get involved with anyone. "I'm sorry." A soft and guilty voice came from behind, making Kaidou Naoya stop in his tracks.

He paused for two seconds, then left with a deliberately forceful remark, his tone tinged with awkward stubbornness: "You better remember this, I'm very strong, and when I get serious, I have no rivals. Don't follow me anymore, there's no need."

Upon hearing this, Yuka Nagata's face showed disbelief.

As if noticing her expression, Kaidou Naoya turned his head and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Hey, what's with that look? Don't you believe me?" "Anyway, stop following me, understand?"

Before Nagata Yuka could respond, Kaidou Naoya immediately turned around, rushed into the depths of the woods, and disappeared into the mist in the blink of an eye.

He knew perfectly well that Nagata Yuka genuinely wanted to help him and had no ill intentions whatsoever. He just didn't want to accept it. After Kaidou Naoya ran off, Nagata Yuka turned away dejectedly, just about to leave, when she saw a familiar figure standing under a tree not far away.

It is Qianqiao.

He stood quietly in the woods, his brows furrowed with a hint of hesitation and uncertainty, his gaze fixed on Nagata Yuka.

Yuka Nagata recognized him; he was the person she had saved not long ago. However, back then, she had been surrounded and terrified by a group of bikers, lost control of her emotions, transformed into an Orphnoch, and accidentally killed everyone, all of which was witnessed by Takumi Inui, who had just woken up.

She was panicked and scared, so she turned around and ran away. She never expected that this person would appear in front of her again.

A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, and the occasional birdsong broke the silence. The two leaned against separate trees, a short distance apart, and spoke in hushed tones.

The first to speak was Yuka Nagata: "Aren't you afraid of being with me? I could turn into an Orphnoch again at any time."

Inui Takumi turned to look at Nagata Yuka, who appeared very weak, and said, "Don't be afraid, because you saved me once."

Hearing his answer, Nagata Yuka couldn't help but turn to look at him. Then she heard Inui Takumi speak up, "There's something I've always wanted to ask you. You saved me back then, so why did you attack humans?"

Upon hearing this question, Nagata Yuka's mood sombered. "Because... I'm afraid of humans."

Her voice was soft, tinged with barely concealed timidity, as she slowly recounted, "I've encountered many bad things in the past. Whenever I'm provoked, the Orphnoch power within me goes out of control. I only hurt others by accident; I've never had the intention to harm anyone."

As she spoke, she could no longer hold back, slowly squatted down, hugged her knees tightly with both arms, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

As Qian Qiao looked at the girl curled up on the ground, the tension and indifference in his eyes slowly softened, and he felt a mix of emotions.

"Are you afraid of humans? Will you still attack others on your own initiative in the future?" he asked softly.

"No, there will never be a next time." Nagata Yuka looked up, her eyes red and filled with tears, but her tone was incredibly firm. "Although humans are terrifying, I just want to live peacefully as a human, that's all."

Just as the two were at a loss for words in the quiet atmosphere, a voice suddenly rang out from the forest: "Simply wanting to live as a human being, given your personality, is simply impossible in this world."

The sudden sound startled Inui Takumi and Nagata Yuka, and the two of them looked up at the source of the sound.

Lin Chen stepped calmly out of the thin mist, his steps unhurried, and stopped in front of the two people, his gaze falling on Nagata Yuka. "You are too kind, but this world never treats kind people kindly." Lin Chen's tone was not sarcastic, but bluntly realistic, without any sarcasm.

"President? How did you end up here?" Qian Qiao was full of surprise, never expecting that Lin Chen would specifically seek out this secluded forest.

"I came here specifically to see you, Qian Qiao." Lin Chen smiled faintly, his tone casual. "You don't need to be so formal in the future. Just call me by my name, Lin Chen, and I'll just call you Qiao."

Yuka Nagata, standing to the side, became alert, instinctively spreading her arms to shield Inui Takumi, her whole body tense, her eyes fixed warily on Lin Chen: "What do you want to do? Do you want to hurt him?"

Seeing her instinctive protectiveness and pure, kind nature, Lin Chen sighed softly, "Sure enough, you're still too kind. Don't worry, I didn't mean to hurt him. Besides, you're not the only one; many Orphnochs just want to live peacefully as humans."

After speaking, Lin Chen turned to look directly at Inui Takumi, no longer beating around the bush, and frankly stated: "Let me be frank with you, Takumi. Kusaka Masato wasn't wrong before, I am also an Orphnoch. At the same time, I am also the current president of Smart Brain. You might think that Smart Brain is a company that creates Knight Systems with the mission of protecting humanity, but in reality, it is a company entirely built and controlled by the Orphnochs, existing solely for the survival of the Orphnochs!"

Meanwhile, in front of the magnificent Smart Brain headquarters building, a blue sports car came to a stop, with Masato Soga and Mari Sonoda following closely behind on their motorcycles.

Smart Lady led the two through several corridors, finally stopping in front of the reception room. "Please wait here for a moment, I will inform President Hanagata and his wife of your arrival immediately." Smart Lady nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then turned and quickly left the reception room.

The underground laboratory was coldly lit, with countless sophisticated instruments flashing incessantly, and a giant screen scrolling with dense data. Hanagata stood alone in front of the control panel. Just then, his personal communicator rang, and Smart Lady's voice came through: "President Hanagata, your adopted son, Kusaka Masato, and adopted daughter, Sonoda Mari, have arrived at the company and are currently waiting in the meeting room."

Hanagata's brows furrowed instantly, his eyes filled with confusion: "Why did they suddenly come here?"

Smart Lady made no attempt to conceal anything and recounted in a clear and organized manner all of Lin Chen's actions upon leaving the company that day.

After hearing what had happened, the laboratory fell silent. Hanagata stared at the constantly fluctuating data on the screen, trying to decipher Lin Chen's true intentions.

After a long silence, he spoke into the communicator: "I cannot meet with them right now, so please pass on this message. Make sure to tell Kusaka and Mari to remember my previous instructions and take good care of Faiz and Kaixa belts. From now on, even if I ask for them myself, you must refuse."

This was a matter of great importance; it was a backup plan he had laid out to protect the two of them and prevent unforeseen circumstances.

"Understood," Smart Lady replied.

After hanging up the call, she returned to the meeting room and pushed open the door. Inside, Soga and Mari stood up and looked at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry, President Hanagata is currently unable to meet with you two." Smart Lady relayed Hanagata's order verbatim. "The president specifically instructed that you two must take good care of your knight belts and never hand them over to anyone else. You must refuse anyone who asks for them, including himself."

Kusaka Masato's expectations were dashed, and he was filled with confusion. He stepped forward and asked urgently, "Why? We came all this way to see him, why won't he show himself?"

“I’m sorry, I’m only responsible for relaying instructions and I’m not aware of the president’s specific considerations.” Smart Lady’s attitude remained impeccable. “The most important thing right now is for you two to protect the two knight belts.”

Woods on the outskirts of the city.

After listening to Lin Chen's full explanation of Smart Brain, Inui Takumi was completely stunned, his face filled with disbelief. He was initially skeptical, but Nagata Yuka beside him nodded slightly, giving an affirmative answer.

Two people who had no connection whatsoever had any reason to team up to deceive him, especially since Nagata Yuka had saved him before.

Qian Qiao pondered for a moment, then remembered the key point: "You said that everyone in Smart Brain is an Orphnoch, the Father of Truth..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Chen nodded: "That's right, Hanagata is also an Orphnoch, and he was the one who initially established this company."

Even knowing all this, he still didn't understand Lin Chen's purpose, and asked directly, "I still don't understand, why did you come all this way to find me?"

Lin Chen didn't beat around the bush or mention the so-called "protagonist setting." Instead, he brought up their earliest conversation: "Do you remember the question I asked you before? What would you do if you were faced with a kind Orphnoch that never harms humans?"

Before Qian Qiao could respond, he continued, "Whether it's the snail Orphnoch beside me or the girl in front of me, there are many Orphnochs in this world who just want to live peacefully as ordinary people and live a good life. But there will never be a shortage of violent people in this world, and there are still a large number of Orphnochs who wantonly attack humans and kill innocent people."

"As president, I have issued a ban prohibiting all Orphnochs from attacking humans without cause. But you should know that Orphnochs evolved from humans, and people are different; there will always be rebels who refuse to follow the rules."

Qian Qiao frowned after listening, still puzzled: "So? What does this have to do with finding me?"

Lin Chen looked at him and casually extended his invitation: "Interested in changing to a new job? I need someone to specifically deal with those Orphnochs who cause trouble and harm humans."

Chapter 191 Four Leaf Clover

Qian Qiao shook her head and refused without any hesitation.

“I don’t believe in Smart Brain anymore.” He said firmly and decisively. “No matter what rules you change now, I won’t work for you. I just want to do what I can do, that’s all.”

Seeing this, Lin Chen did not press the matter, as he had already anticipated that Qian Qiao would not agree easily.

He casually took out a string of contact information and handed it to Qian Qiao, saying in a calm and composed tone, "I won't force you. You can continue to do things your own way."

After saying that, he turned to look at Nagata Yuka who was standing to the side.

“And you.” Lin Chen’s voice softened a bit. “I have officially rescinded Smart Brain’s execution order against ‘Orphnochs that do not attack humans.’ From now on, you can live as a human being entirely according to your own wishes.”

Similarly, he gave Yuka a set of contact information. "You can contact me if you encounter any trouble in the future."

Yuka Nagata glanced at the contact information but simply put it away. The two quickly parted ways with Takumi Inui and went their separate ways.

Meanwhile, inside the laundromat, Kusaka Masato and Sonoda Mari returned empty-handed from Smart Brain headquarters, having not seen Hanagata even once, and were seething with resentment. As soon as they got back to the laundromat, seeing Sonoda Mari and Kikuchi Keitaro, he couldn't help but speak up.

"Let me tell you, there's definitely something wrong with that Lin Chen!" Cao Jia said, looking worried. "He's not an ordinary person; he's an Orphnoch! Otherwise, you can't explain why he would actively approach that Orphnoch!"

"Moreover, the entire Smart Brain is now under his control. Dad's refusal to see us might not be because he's too busy, but rather because he's very likely under house arrest!"

Finally, he jumped to conclusion: "And then there's Inui Takumi. His sudden attack on me and his protection of that Orphnoch... he might have been secretly colluding with Lin Chen all along!" Upon hearing this, Sonoda Mari immediately retorted: "Impossible! Takumi would never do such a thing!"

Although he said he didn't believe it, the resentment in his heart had completely taken root.

She clearly remembered how Qian Qiao had desperately tried to stop Kusaka and favored Yuuka under the overpass, and she had also witnessed Lin Chen voluntarily letting Orphino go. Countless doubts piled up, making it impossible for her to trust Qian Qiao unconditionally as before.

Keitaro felt the same way. He was extremely unwilling to believe that Takumi would turn bad, but the events that happened one after another made him waver.

Not long after, Qian Qiao returned to the laundry shop.

Faced with the complex gazes and veiled questions from the three, he remained silent throughout. He desperately wanted to confess everything Lin Chen had told him, and the fact that Zhenli and the other's adoptive father was also an Orphnoch, but he had no evidence. To speak rashly would only be seen as a lie intended to sow discord, exacerbating the conflict. After much deliberation, Qian Qiao ultimately chose to remain silent.

This created a subtle and awkward barrier between everyone.

After Mari and Keitaro left dejectedly, only Takumi Inui and Soga remained in the shop. Soga tore off his disguise, no longer pretending to be gentle, and his face was full of hostility.

"Kiyoshi, you're here to protect that Orphnoch today, aren't you?" Kusaka stared intently at him, her tone icy. "Let me tell you, any Orphnoch I see, I'll kill without mercy! And you're really in my way right now. But it won't be long before I completely take your place and kick you out of here!"

"If you're not satisfied, you can fight me anytime." Kusaka's provocation annoyed Inui Takumi. He had originally been thinking of finding an opportunity to tell Hanagata's true identity, but now he gave up on that idea.