As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

...

Deep beneath the Smart Brain building lies the company's most confidential gene laboratory.

Rows of sterile cold lights shone straight down from above, reflecting off the ground in a blinding light. The culture chamber was filled with yellowish tissue fluid, containing various genetic samples of Orphino, as well as fragments of bodies that had been destroyed by desertification.

Lin Chen followed Hanagata step by step inside. The electronic screen continuously scrolled through data streams, densely packed with calculation reports on the collapse of the Orphnoch genes. Red warning signs flashed incessantly, bluntly foreshadowing the outcome: if left unchecked, all Orphnoch would eventually turn to sand and perish completely, without exception.

Hanagata remained silent the whole way, only stopping when he reached the control panel in the very center of the laboratory.

A constant temperature incubator sits quietly in the center of the table, with a silver-gray sealed syringe inside. The bottle contains a clear, light blue liquid, which shimmers with a soft glow. This is the first standardized desertification inhibitor developed.

A thick stack of paper reports was nailed to the side of the workbench, all of which were experimental control data.

Hanagata turned around and stated in a straightforward tone: "The effects of the drug are divided into two parts. On the one hand, it will cure the disease. Within 72 hours after the injection, it will repair the broken and collapsed gene chain of Orphino, completely stop the desertification, restore cell metabolism to the level of an ordinary person, and make lifespan and physical functions exactly the same as humans."

He paused, then continued, "The side effects are also irreversible. After the injection, all of Orphnoch's superhuman strength, rapid self-healing, and mutation abilities are stripped away. They can no longer transform into Orphnoch form; to put it bluntly, they completely regress into ordinary people."

Lin Chen bent down and looked at the bolded words on the report about permanently stripping him of his superpowers. His expression was calm, without the slightest surprise, as if he had already foreseen this outcome.

This degradation plan was the best version he had Philip degrade to – using the power of the race to exchange for the right to live. This was the best solution he could think of after experiencing the seventh loss of control of the power of light in Agito and finally watching that final world with Toma.

Extraordinary power breeds desire; the stronger the power, the greater the ambition, and the more bloodshed and disasters it unleashes. Even setting aside the Orphnochs, ordinary people with power and strength will still do evil and harm others, but their destructive power is far less than the harm caused by everyone possessing superpowers.

“Very good, hold a general meeting of all senior executives tomorrow.” Lin Chen withdrew his hand. “All the advantages, disadvantages and side effects will be laid out on the table, and the choice will be left to each of the Orphinos.”

After finalizing the meeting agenda, the two prepared to leave the laboratory. As they walked to the exit of the corridor, Hanagata suddenly stopped and whispered a reminder: "Murakami Kyoji has left a large number of his old subordinates within the company. Those racially supremacist Orphnochs will definitely not stand idly by with your policies."

A chill flashed in Lin Chen's eyes: "I know. So, get ready to unseal all the Knight Systems you've hidden away. It's time to put them to use."

Hanagata was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, recalling Lin Chen's actions since coming to this world, especially his choice regarding the birth of the king. The long-held concerns in her heart vanished instantly. Yes, why continue to believe in prophecies?

Let's take a gamble!

...

At noon, the Smart Brain conference room was brightly lit.

The massive circular conference table was surrounded by the company's top executives, all of them Orphino elites holding positions of real power. A great deal of whispering rippled through the room, wondering what orders the new president would issue this time. While they had been quite annoyed by the new president's previous order forbidding them from hunting humans, the significant delegation of authority he had delegated had also given them a taste of what it truly felt like to be in charge.

The moment Lin Chen pushed open the door and entered, the atmosphere in the entire room became serious.

He didn't waste any time with pleasantries or opening remarks; he simply raised his hand and projected the message onto the screen. The huge display was filled with data on genetic collapse and desertification projection curves. The eight large, bright red characters, "Universal Desertification, Doomed to Extinction," slammed into everyone's eyes.

A murmur began to ripple through the room, then erupted into a commotion a few seconds later.

"How is that possible? We are an evolved species, how could we become extinct?"

"Is the instrument malfunctioning? Smart Brain has been researching for so many years, and we've never reached this conclusion before!"

Amidst the noise, Hua Xing stood up and meticulously explained the entire process of drug development, revealing the root causes of desertification, the principles of the drug, and irreversible side effects without any concealment.

The entire room fell silent.

Taking advantage of the crowd's shock, Lin Chen took the microphone. His voice was not loud, but it drowned out all the noise and was firm and resolute: "You are all faced with only two paths. There is no compromise, no middle option."

"Firstly, starting today, you are to voluntarily register for the injection, relinquish all Orpheus powers, and abandon hunting. Everything you possess now is sufficient for you to fully integrate into human society and live a peaceful life."

"Secondly, those who refuse the drug, insist on maintaining their power, and continue to harm humanity will be classified as Smart Brain defectors from this day forward. The company will use the sealed Knight System and all its armed forces to carry out a complete purge, regardless of the cost."

"Of course, you can choose not to believe it, but those of you in higher positions already know the truth, don't you?"

With that one sentence, the huge conference hall split into three factions, and the arguing was deafening.

The moderates are mostly middle-aged and senior executives, whose bodies already show faint gray-white sand-like patterns. The fear of death overwhelms everything, and they immediately raise their hands to show their support.

The radical faction, comprised entirely of young, powerful fighters, was known for its volatile temper and extreme veneration of strength. One of them slammed his fist on the table and roared, "This is utterly absurd! What's the difference between abandoning strength and cutting off your limbs to die? Orpheus was born superior; he's an evolved being. Why should he regress to being just a human! President Lin Chen, are you trying to become a traitor?"

Most of them were still observing, keeping their heads down in silence, their eyes scanning back and forth between the two sides, constantly weighing the pros and cons in their minds.

The meeting room was in complete chaos.

Upon seeing this, Lin Chen changed the projected image, filling the screen with densely packed plans for military operations to eliminate the enemy.

He looked up and surveyed the room, his eyes devoid of any warmth: "I'll say it again, this isn't communication, it's notification. Those who want to register after the meeting, go to the HR department. Those who insist on causing trouble, hide your tails and don't let me catch you."

Hanagata quickly stood up and publicly stood on Lin Chen's side. The imposing aura of the goat Orpheus quietly spread out, forcefully suppressing the restless commotion in the entire arena.

As the meeting ended, the attendees dispersed, their minds heavy with worry. One of the more radical executives, his face grim, deliberately slowed his pace, slipped into a secluded fire escape, and tremblingly dialed a number.

After the call connected, he lowered his voice and reported, "Mr. Murakami, something has happened..." He then recounted everything that had happened in the meeting room.

...

The afternoon sun shone warmly on the street, and a row of clean shirts hung out to dry in front of Kikuchi Laundry Shop, swaying gently in the breeze. The shop was filled with the faint scent of laundry detergent.

In a rare moment of leisure, Inui leaned against the counter, lost in thought, while Soga sat on the sofa, seemingly pondering something. Mari and Saya were tidying up clothes nearby, and Keitaro was busy organizing the shelves.

The tinkling of the wind chimes at the door and the sound of the door being pushed open interrupted the casual conversation inside the shop.

Lin Chen, dressed in a black suit, walked slowly into the store with Smart Lady.

The atmosphere froze instantly.

Kusaka instinctively turned to the side, his right hand silently pressing against the Kaixa belt at his waist, his eyes filled with vigilance, his whole body tense; Inui Takumi suddenly looked up, his previously casual gaze turning cold as he stared directly at the newcomer; Mari stopped what she was doing, her brows furrowing slightly; even the gentle Keitaro subconsciously stopped in his tracks.

Before Lin Chen could explain his purpose, Qian Qiao stood up first and went straight to the point.

"President Lin Chen, are you here to attack us?"

The sudden question left Lin Chen completely bewildered. What was going on? Although he hadn't cultivated any goodwill with the main characters, they shouldn't be behaving this way upon meeting him.

Under his questioning, Qian Qiao told him whether it was because of her previous act of returning the belt or because she had told him about what had happened recently.

After listening quietly, Lin Chen had already identified who was behind it all, and all the characteristics matched Murakami Kyoji.

Thinking of this, he patiently explained, but none of the five people present were convinced by his explanation.

Especially with Kusaka fanning the flames from the sidelines, he scoffed, "That sounds nice. Who knows if it's all a charade, letting your men grab the belt first, then trying to gain our trust by playing the good guy?"

Truth nodded slightly, looking troubled: "Recently, the people at Smart Brain have been targeting us. We can't even see Dad when we try to find him, so it's hard for us to trust you now."

Keitaro looked at everyone and then at Lin Chen, remaining silent throughout.

Qian Qiao also frowned. Without saying a word, his attitude was clear: distrust.

Looking at the wary group in front of him, Lin Chen knew that no amount of empty talk could compare to solid evidence, and further words were useless.

He didn't argue, but calmly said, "Fine, I won't argue. Give me time."

"I'll come with the Delta belt and President Hanagata then. We'll discuss the collaboration then."

"Also, a word of caution: Murakami's goal is all the Rider belts. Be extra careful in the next few days."

After saying that, Lin Chen didn't linger any longer, turned around, and pushed open the door to leave.

...

Clover Bar still had its blackout curtains drawn, and the dim, warm yellow lights enveloped the deep jazz music, creating a lazy yet ambiguous atmosphere.

At the bar stood Saeko Kageyama and Itaro Takuma. Empty glasses sat on the table, their contents long gone. In front of Kitasaki, only a small pile of sand and ash proved that a glass had once been there.

News of the Smart Brain high-level meeting during the day had already reached the ears of these strongest Orphnochs.

Once again, drinks were prepared for everyone. Saeko Kageyama gently swirled her glass, the liquid clinging to the side and slowly sliding down. A playful smile played on her lips: "This new president is truly unexpected. He's incredibly audacious, directly overturning the rules that have been followed by the entire clan for so long. He certainly has guts. It's just a pity that he has now revealed his identity as a traitor."

Zhuo Moyilang held a glass, his brows furrowed, seemingly lost in thought.

At the innermost side, Kitasaki leaned back lazily, his curly hair hanging over his youthful face. He casually remarked, "There are too many boring old guys. This new president is quite interesting. He's much more fun than those lifeless executives. Since he's a traitor, we can ignore the bans he issued."

Just as the three were chatting, the bar's wooden door was gently pushed open, shattering the relaxed atmosphere inside.

Lin Chen walked ahead, dressed impeccably in a suit, while Sudo Kirihiko, also dressed in a black formal suit, followed closely behind at a half-step distance.

As soon as the two entered, the three who had been relaxed became serious and all looked towards the door.

Lin Chen's gaze swept over the bar and booths, then over the three faces. He got straight to the point, without beating around the bush: "Gentlemen, we meet again. Help me contact Murakami Kyoji."

Saeko Kageyama put down her glass, rested her elbow on the bar, turned her head and asked with a smile, "The new president comes to the door and immediately asks for someone. What does that mean? What advice do you have? Besides, your meeting today was quite problematic!"

"He took what didn't belong to him." Lin Chen's eyes were indifferent, and the corners of his mouth curled up. "As for today's meeting, gentlemen, this is also a choice for you."

The air froze for a moment, and the entire venue fell silent except for the background music.

Just then, a casual yet playful chuckle suddenly rang out.

It's Kitasaki.

He slowly picked up a black briefcase from the side of the sofa, placed his fingers on the clasp, and flicked it lightly.

"Click—"

The lid of the box was slowly lifted, revealing a silver-gray Delta belt lying quietly on the black lining.

Kitasaki looked up, his seemingly innocent eyes filled with provocation, a wanton smile spreading across his lips, and slowly began to speak:

"Is this what you meant by 'I shouldn't have taken'?"

The light fell on their faces, and Lin Chen's lips slowly curved into a faint smile: "You must be Kitazaki. This is our first time meeting."

Chapter 213 Orga VS Delta

"This is the first time I've met you. New president, I'm very interested in you." Kitasaki could no longer suppress the joy on his face when he heard Lin Chen's voice and saw the new toy.

I never expected Kitasaki to dare to play like this. The new president came to ask for the belt, and instead of hiding it, he directly put it out there to provoke him, clearly wanting to go head-to-head with the new president. But I couldn't help but feel secretly pleased. Let them fight, let them fight, it would be best if they both suffered heavy losses.

Saeko Kageyama was not surprised at all. She gently swirled her wine glass, letting the wine slowly slide down the glass. A smile played on her lips as her gaze swept back and forth between the two of them, clearly waiting to see a good show.

Lin Chen looked at Kitasaki's expression but didn't react much: "So it was here. Perfect, let's return Delta!"

"Oh, you want it?" Kitasaki chuckled, his fingers resting on the edge of the box, pushing it forward half an inch before pulling it back sharply, as if teasing his prey. "The belt is my toy now, you can have it if you want."

He looked up at Lin Chen, his baby face full of eager excitement, his fighting spirit almost overflowing from his eyes: "Beat me, and you can have the belt. If you lose, you have to stay and play with me until I'm satisfied. How about it, new club president, want to join in the fun?"

Sudo Kirihiko stepped forward and stood beside Lin Chen, still maintaining his elegance: "President, let me handle this. I've fought him before, so I know what I'm doing."

"You?" Kitasaki tilted his head, as if he had just noticed Kirihiko, then curled his lip in disdain. "You stopped halfway through last time, no fun. Let's play the most interesting game." He pointed at Lin Chen. "I want to fight you. You're the club president, you can't be weaker than your subordinates, right?"

Lin Chen raised his eyes. Kitasaki was warlike and loved to fight strong opponents, like a child with endless energy. The only way to deal with this kind of person was to beat them into submission.

“Okay,” Lin Chen readily agreed. “But don’t fight here. If you tear down the bar, you won’t even have anywhere to drink afterwards. Isn’t there a junkyard over there? Let’s go there.”

"Great!" Kitasaki's eyes lit up immediately, and he snapped the suitcase shut and picked it up.

Saeko Kageyama put down her wine glass, stood up, and smiled as she gestured with her chin towards Takuma: "Let's go see the show. It's a rare treat to see such a wonderful performance; it would be a shame to miss it."

Zhuomo couldn't help but smile as he pondered the expression on his face; the fight was finally about to begin.