As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

After pondering for a moment, it dawned on them. As for J's death, neither of them said a word, and only the soothing jazz music continued to flow slowly in the bar.

Chapter 199 A Melodramatic Love Story

There was a knock on the door of the president's office on the top floor of Smart Brain, and Hanagata walked in slowly, his posture upright and his face expressionless.

Lin Chen sat in the president's chair, flipping through documents. He glanced at him and put the documents down: "A rare guest. President Hanagata, you're not in the underground lab overseeing drug development at this hour. You've come here to visit me. You can't be just dropping by for no reason."

Hanagata sat down opposite him and cut to the chase: "J is dead. He died during the mission to retrieve the Faiz belt. Let me ask you, were you involved in this? Or rather, did you give him that mission?"

His tone was calm, yet it concealed a subtle probing—despite Lin Chen's behavior being quite different from what was predicted, he remained wary of Lin Chen.

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair and shook his head: "I didn't give the order to retrieve the belt. Besides, J only has eyes for his dog and has never bothered me. I have no reason to target him. In my opinion, he's the most well-behaved member of the Clover family."

“He’s too detached; he shouldn’t have gotten involved in these things in the first place,” Hanagata replied casually, though a chill ran through him. This didn’t align at all with the trajectory predicted in the shrine maiden’s prophecy.

According to the original prophecy, J would eventually be captured by Lin Chen and used as a living sacrifice to awaken the King of Orphnoch, to be devoured by the king to accelerate his awakening. But now he has died at Faiz's hands, leaving the stage silently, his fate deviating further than expected.

He looked up at Lin Chen, whose expression was calm and showed no sign of anything amiss. He was starting to feel uncertain about where this variable would lead the clan.

Lin Chen tapped the table and changed the subject: "Speaking of Murakami, he's been secretly collecting information on orphans after the disaster and searching the world for the host of the King of Orpheus. Are you aware of this?"

Hanagata pulled himself out of his thoughts and nodded: "I know. He found some old research files that I had sealed away and is investigating along the clues. But it's all in vain. The priestess's prophecy clearly states that the true vessel to hold the king has not yet been born. The children he's targeting now are at best ordinary people with good luck, and in the end, it'll all be for nothing."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, his gaze scrutinizing Hana-gata's face, his tone ambiguous: "Judging from your confident words, it seems you've already identified the true king?" He had never fully trusted Hana-gata; Hana-gata alone might be trustworthy, but this one was not.

Hanagata met his gaze, her expression unchanged, and simply nodded.

...

Kikuchi Laundry Shop was as busy as ever. Takumi Inui had been working there to pay off the money he owed Keitaro.

He silently calculated that after working for so long, he should have paid off his debts, including interest. But when he went to check the accounts with Keitaro, he was completely speechless at the other man's actions.

Keitaro, with a serious expression, went over the bill with him, offering only 100 yen per hour—a blatantly outrageous price from the boss. Inui Takumi stared at the outrageous bill, his lips twitching uncontrollably, but there was nothing he could do. He had indeed owed money in the past, so he could only grit his teeth and continue working to pay it off.

A regular customer, the owner of the pizzeria, came in to pick up his laundry. Keitaro warmly greeted him, casually inquiring about the recent business situation. After some small talk, he learned that the pizzeria's staff had all resigned, leaving the shop short-staffed and on the verge of closing down.

Kind-hearted Keitaro immediately wanted to help, offering to lend a hand at the shop during his spare time to get through the crisis. However, as soon as he voiced his idea, both Inui Takumi and Sonoda Mari objected. They both felt it was unnecessary to take on extra work, and besides, the shop was already too busy for them to spare any time.

Unable to persuade the two, Keitaro had no choice but to temporarily abandon his idea of ​​helping.

Kiba has been gathering intelligence for the new job Lin Chen gave him, recording those like them who possess the power of the Orphnoch, but never actively attack humans and want to live as humans.

Naoya Kaido, however, was consumed by heartbreak and looked utterly dejected. He held the roses that Yuuka Nagata had arranged herself, squatting by the table, repeatedly plucking petals to perform a love divination. He kept muttering to himself, forcibly brainwashing himself, insisting that "she likes me" no matter what the result was, a self-deceptive act.

Nagata Yuka sat quietly to the side watching him, her eyes revealing a tenderness and inner turmoil that others could not understand.

The atmosphere inside Bar Clover was oppressive.

After listening to Takumi Itsuki's report, Murakami Kyoji was trembling with rage, thinking about how the new president had been targeting him at every turn since taking office. He was absolutely unwilling to let Smart Brain, which he had worked so hard to control, be completely taken over by a new president who had suddenly appeared.

Even though he was filled with resentment, Murakami did not choose to confront him directly. He coldly instructed Tsurugi not to provoke Lin Chen further. He had thought of another way to deal with those traitors who did not attack humans but betrayed the Orphnoch race.

Currently, there's a vacancy in the Lucky Four-Leaf Clover, which presents a perfect opportunity to create momentum. This would allow ambitious Orphnochs to defy Lin Chen's orders and execute traitors. Firstly, it would purge dissidents; secondly, it would test Lin Chen's limits; and thirdly, it would help select new members for the Four-Leaf Clover.

Takuma and Saeko Kageyama both agreed that the idea was feasible and reached a consensus that new members recruited later must be tested and their strength must be at least similar to theirs before they are truly qualified to join Clover.

Sonoda Mari carried the washed clothes to Kiba and the others' door to deliver dry-cleaned laundry. As soon as she entered, she bumped into Yuka, who had accidentally cut her finger. Mari immediately went to help her and even volunteered to cook for them.

Smoke curled from the kitchen as the two girls chatted idly while they worked. Jiehua couldn't help but confide in them, her voice tinged with grievance and melancholy, saying that the person she liked always found her annoying and deliberately distanced herself from her.

After listening, Zhenli chimed in, complaining that she wasn't much better off. She hadn't been in a serious relationship in a long time, and all the suitors around her were clueless idiots. Their similar anxieties brought them closer, and they found an outlet to confide in each other.

Meanwhile, Kaido Naoya set off on his motorcycle, but halfway there it suddenly ran out of gas. He had no choice but to push the heavy bike uphill, panting heavily. By sheer coincidence, he ran into Kikuchi Keitaro, who was also on his way.

The two had a history of conflict, making their meeting particularly awkward, and they stood there helplessly. But after a moment of silence, Keitaro took the initiative to start a conversation, and as they talked, they discovered that they each had a question they wanted to ask each other.

Keitaro was the first to admit that he already knew Kiba, Yuka, and Kaidou were all Orphnochs. But he didn't care about their identities at all; after spending so much time together, he was certain that all three were good people, otherwise Takumi would have stopped them long ago.

He had always wanted to ask Kaidou why he always deliberately bullied Yuka.

Haitang also expressed his doubts, saying that he had been thinking about the lovely girl at the laundromat and wanted to ask her how she was doing.

In just a few words, the two of them figured out each other's feelings. Keitaro liked Nagata Yuka, while Kaidou was in love with Sonoda Mari.

The awkward atmosphere vanished instantly, and the two hit it off immediately, forming a special "love alliance" on the spot, agreeing to help each other win over the person they liked.

The two acted swiftly the night the alliance was formed. Keitaro mustered his courage and asked Mari out to dinner the next day, while Kaidou also took the initiative to invite Yuka out on a date, both hoping to smoothly advance their relationship.

Lin Chen also came to this pizzeria today. He was led by Snail Orphino, who brought Lin Chen here specifically to thank him in person. Since Lin Chen took office and implemented new regulations, refraining from indiscriminate killing, he gave the kind-hearted Orphino a way to survive, allowing many outcasts like him to live in peace.

The owner of this pizzeria is also Orphino. Orphino, a homeless snail, once received a favor from the owner. At that time, the owner kindly took him in and wanted him to work in the shop to make a living, but Orphino was too proud and refused the offer. He was too embarrassed to come back for help afterward.

Now that they have returned, the two Orphnochs are having a very pleasant conversation.

Lin Chen was sitting in the shop eating a freshly baked pizza when he glanced up and bumped into four people entering. He watched the scene unfold silently, unmoved. The four, each lost in their own thoughts, were completely unaware of Lin Chen in the corner.

Ironically, the way the four of them sat formed a one-way arrow formation: Mari, Kaido, Yuka, and Keitaro, creating a subtly awkward atmosphere.

The perceptive Mari saw through this awkward romantic farce. Yuka also understood everything, glaring angrily at Mari, never expecting that the person Kaidou had always cherished and kept hidden in his heart was actually Sonoda Mari.

To break the suffocating awkwardness, Yuka volunteered to work at the pizzeria, offering to help keep the business afloat. The other three, seeing this, quickly followed suit. What was supposed to be a romantic date completely veered off course, turning into a four-person workday.

Lin Chen, sitting in the corner, silently watched this absurd and melodramatic scene, his mind filled with questions.

Life is unpredictable. The four people who worked that day all contracted the virus the next day for unknown reasons. All four were bedridden, weak, and completely unable to leave their homes.

When faced with Keitaro's request for him to work for them, Takumi initially refused outright, but eventually relented despite his stubbornness; Kiba, seeing the two patients, reluctantly accepted the job as well.

And so, Inui Takumi and Kiba Yuuji were temporarily assigned to work as pizza deliverymen, and they met again at the store. Looking at each other in their delivery uniforms, they couldn't help but complain to each other about how troublesome their partner was.

The two went out separately to deliver food, and unexpected events followed one after another.

While delivering food, Inui was suddenly stopped by Kageyama Saeko. Saeko got straight to the point, her purpose was clear: to take the Faiz belt.

The situation was urgent, and Takumi Inui didn't have time to think. He immediately transformed into Kamen Rider Faiz to fight.

Chapter 200 Four Leaf Clover

As a member of the Lucky Clover, Saeko Kageyama's combat experience and strength completely overwhelm ordinary Orphnochs. Wielding a slender, cold sword, her attacks are both fierce and elegant, each move cunning and deadly.

Caught off guard, Faiz was completely overwhelmed and suppressed throughout the battle. In just a few rounds, he was repeatedly struck down, his armor exploding and sparks flying, forcing him into his transformed state. Saeko Kageyama seized the opportunity and cleanly took Faiz's belt.

Having lost his belt, Inui Takumi was rendered powerless and could only retreat in a sorry state into the depths of the alley. Saeko was in no hurry to give chase, calmly watching him escape with the air of a cat playing with a mouse.

Meanwhile, Yuji Kiba also encountered an obstacle. An ambitious scorpion named Orphnoch suddenly appeared, threatening to execute Kiba and use his life as a merit to become a new member of the Lucky Clover.

Kiba had no intention of fighting and immediately explained loudly that the new president, Lin Chen, had issued a decree abolishing the order to execute Xiang Shan Orphino, so everyone did not need to kill each other.

But Scorpion Orphnoch remained unmoved, sneering that the new president's ban only applied to humans, and traitors like Kiba were not protected. Having said that, Kiba had no choice but to transform into a horse-type Orphnoch to fight.

Although Scorpion Orpheus was ambitious, his strength was far inferior to Kiba's. After several rounds of fighting, he was suppressed by Kiba and forced to retreat step by step, unable to fight back.

Just then, Takumi Inui, being chased by Saeko, was sent flying backwards in a sorry state, crashing right into the battlefield in this alley.

Seeing this, Kiba immediately stopped, turned to look at the disheveled Inui, and frowned as he asked, "What happened to you? How did you get like this?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Saeko Kageyama had caught up to the alley entrance, clutching the Faiz belt she had just stolen.

Qian Qiao's face turned pale, and she said urgently, "There's no time to explain, let's go!"

Kiba quickly assessed the situation: facing the formidable Kageyama Saeko and the lurking Orphnoch scorpion, he had no chance against two opponents. Without hesitation, he transformed once more, his lower body becoming a four-legged horse. He tossed Inui Takumi onto his back, and galloped away, quickly breaking through the encirclement and escaping.

After the battle, Scorpion Orpheus followed Saeko Kageyama back to Bar Clover. He volunteered to take credit, stating his desire to fill the vacancy and become a new member of Clover.

Saeko Kageyama, with a cold expression, commented indifferently, "Your performance was terrible. You couldn't even handle that traitor Yuji Kiba. You're not qualified at all."

Scorpion Orpheus, however, was not discouraged, saying it was just a momentary lapse in judgment and that she already had a new goal for promotion. Meanwhile, Takuma Itsuki, looking at the Faiz belt on the table with great curiosity, asked if he could play with it for a few days. Saeko waved her hand dismissively, agreeing; the belt was already in her hands, it didn't matter who used it.

Undeterred by his ambition, Scorpion Orpheus headed straight for the pizzeria. Knowing that the manager was also a benevolent Orpheus, he planned to take the manager's life, make up for his shortcomings, and force his way into the Clover.

On the other side, having successfully shaken off their pursuers, Inui and Kiba briefly exchanged information before returning home.

Back at Kikuchi Laundry, Takumi Inui concealed the news of the stolen belt from Mari and Keitaro, fearing they would worry. He secretly sent a message to Masato Kusaka, reminding him that the Faiz belt had fallen into the hands of the Orphnochs and that the enemy would definitely be eyeing the Kaixa belt next, urging him to be on guard.

After returning to the apartment, Kiba immediately told Yuka and Kaidou the whole story. Both of them were full of doubts after hearing it. The new president had clearly abolished the execution order, so why were their own kind still hunting them down on their own?

Kiba pondered for a moment and then gave his answer: "It must be the Orphnochs below, who secretly acted behind the new president's back to take the opportunity to rise to power."

Upon hearing this, Yuka immediately suggested that they report the matter to Lin Chen and ask the new president to help stop it. Kiba, remembering the task Lin Chen had given him and considering the current chaotic situation, nodded.

The next day, Takumi Inui and Kiba returned to work at the pizzeria. As soon as they arrived, they witnessed a terrifying scene: Orphnoch the Scorpion was holding the pizzeria owner by the neck, his murderous intent palpable, and he was about to kill him.

Seeing this, Kiba didn't have time to think. He immediately transformed into his horse form, standing in front of his boss and engaging in a fierce battle with Scorpion Orpheus. Having already figured out Kiba's tactics from their previous encounters, Scorpion Orpheus was exceptionally difficult to deal with, and Kiba couldn't quickly defeat his opponent.

Just as the battle reached a stalemate, two dark figures suddenly darted in from outside the shop; Earthworm Orpheus and Sea Cucumber Orpheus appeared one after the other. Clearly, these two were also eyeing the vacant four-leaf clover spot, hoping to seize the opportunity to take it over.

Interestingly, the three Orphnochs were hardly allies; each harbored their own ulterior motives and wanted to claim all the credit. Before they could even join forces against Kiba, the three sides started fighting amongst themselves, becoming wary of each other and turning the shop into chaos.

Kiba seized the opportunity and, without hesitation, grabbed the still-shaken pizza shop owner and, along with Inui Takumi, rushed out of the pizza shop without looking back.

Meanwhile, in the Smart Brain office, Lin Chen had just hung up on Nagata Yuka's distress call and learned that they were being hunted again. Before he could think further, an urgent distress message from Snail Orpheus came through, informing him that the pizza shop owner was being chased by Orpheus.

Lin Chen sighed inwardly, never expecting that J's passing would cause so much chaos due to the vacancy of the Clover roster. He reassured the flustered snail Orpheus, assuring her that he would handle the situation.

To thank Saeko Kageyama for allowing him to play with the Faiz belt, Takuma Itarou took the initiative to bring the stolen belt to her door, his target being Masato Kusaka, intending to take the Kaixa belt as well.

Upon seeing this, Masato Soga immediately transformed into Kamen Rider Kaixa to fight, engaging in a fierce battle with Takuma. After a hard-fought battle, Soga successfully suppressed and defeated Takuma, but Takuma's fighting style was tricky and he was good at escaping. Even after his defeat, he still managed to escape with the Faiz belt.

When Zhuomo returned to the bar, he froze the moment he stepped inside. Lin Chen, who should have been at the company, was sitting alone at the bar, leisurely sipping his drink. A deep sense of unease welled up inside Zhuomo; he had absolutely no idea why the new president had suddenly come to visit.

Takuma Itsuki, clutching his Faiz belt, pushed open the bar door, but froze mid-step. At the bar, Lin Chen leisurely swished a half-empty glass of LLB, glanced at him, and asked in a tone devoid of emotion, "You're back? Mr. Takuma, did you get another request from Murakami Shin to retrieve the belt?"

Saeko Kageyama stood up from behind the bar, interrupting the conversation with a polite smile: "Why did the new president suddenly have time to come over? He didn't even give us a heads-up." She knew perfectly well that Lin Chen's visit at this time was definitely not for drinking.

"If you don't come soon, those Orphnochs down there will almost be fighting to the death under the pretext of filling the vacant Clover spots." Lin Chen put down his wine glass. "You didn't even inform me, the club president, about the vacant spot in J, and started secretly selecting people to fill it. You really don't respect me at all!"

Zhuomo put the belt on the bar and said with a stiff neck, "It's an old rule to fill vacancies in the Clover Clan. We select capable clansmen to take over. What's wrong with that? We can't let the Clover Clan be short of people like this."

“I have no objection to filling in the vacancy.” Lin Chen raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the two of them. “But it’s not right to use the pretext of filling in the vacancy to let your subordinates hunt down those of your own kind who want to live a peaceful life!”

Saeko Kageyama gently pushed the prepared drink towards Lin Chen again, her tone calm: "Those below are eager to climb the ranks, and their actions have indeed become somewhat reckless. We will take care of them afterwards. After all, J just left, and everyone is eyeing this position, so a little chaos is normal. Besides, we Orphnochs are an evolved race; isn't the law of the jungle normal?"

Furthermore, President Lin Chen, you still haven't given us the reasons why we're prohibited from attacking humans without cause!

“Whether it’s normal or not, it has to be done according to my rules.” Lin Chen’s tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable sense of pressure. “As for why we’re not allowed to attack humans anymore? The company has developed a method that can reliably transform humans into Orphnochs. We are currently conducting experiments in secret. Now, every human who dies could potentially be an Orphnoch.”

"Really? How come we didn't know about this?" Zhuomo and the other man clearly didn't believe it. Indeed, this was just Lin Chen trying to fool them. His original reason was to explain the side effects of the potion, since the Orphnoch would eventually have to be integrated into humans. But then he thought about it. That would cause huge problems before the potion was even finished developing, so he came up with this excuse.

Fearing they would press him further, he paused, his gaze falling on the Faiz belt on the bar: "I'll take this belt. Leaving it out there will only cause trouble; it's safer to keep it under the company's control."

Zhuomo panicked instantly and was about to speak when he was stopped by a look from Kageyama Saeko.

Lin Chen stood up, picked up the belt, and casually weighed it in his hand. His tone softened a bit: "But speaking of which, I will have the company record the contribution of getting the belt back."