I said you are all war criminals

It's unclear if Riki is particularly skilled at detective work, but in just two years, having earned a considerable fortune from his work, he's finally found the organization suspected of releasing the Hollows and murdering his parents. This organization is incredibly powerful, even having connections with the current Prime Minister... and Riki's former bandmate, Toyokawa Shoko.

Just as Riki was investigating this, Nagasaki Suyo, who had risen in status due to Xiangzi's promotion and became the Prime Minister's personal secretary, called Riki.

“…I’m really lucky.”

Riki continued to investigate the woman he had met before - Yukinoshita Yukino.

Yukinoshita Yukino is one year older than Riki, but unlike Riki who did not continue to go to college, the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family was admitted to the University of Tokyo and studied finance.

Dusk gradually descended on Tokyo, the sky stained a soft orange-red by the setting sun. In the dim light, the convenience store sign glowed faintly, and in the shadows, Li Xi's figure almost blended into the night. She wore a baseball cap with the brim pulled low, covering most of her face, revealing only her delicate chin. Black sunglasses further concealed her identity, and tight jeans outlined her slightly slender legs. Li Xi quietly observed the people passing by, a cigarette tucked between her slender fingers, the scarlet flame flickering in the dim light.

After nearly half an hour, Yukinoshita Yukino finally appeared.

Yukinoshita wore a beige windbreaker, the soft fabric accentuating her fair skin. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, swaying gently with her steps. She walked with a calm demeanor. Li Xi pulled the brim of his hat even lower and followed silently, maintaining a safe distance so as not to alert her to his presence.

In this way, Li Xi quietly shuttled through the crowd and followed Yukinoshita Yukino into a high-end sushi restaurant with exquisite decoration.

"Tsk, Miss is different. She's so particular even when eating sushi."

Li Xi complained inwardly, and after a moment's hesitation, she still walked in. She didn't want to lose her target, so even though this sushi restaurant looked ridiculously expensive, she had no choice but to go in.

The restaurant's decor was elegant and luxurious, the air thick with the faint scent of fish and rice vinegar. Riki found a seat not far from Yukinoshita Yukino, trying to appear nonchalant. Yukinoshita sat alone at the counter, calmly enjoying her sushi with an elegant demeanor, as if nothing around her concerned her.

Li Xi ordered a medium-priced set meal, secretly groaning inwardly. This price alone would have been enough for her to eat at a street vendor for a week. She ate her sushi bite by bite, closely observing Yukinoshita Yukino's every move.

As soon as the first sushi arrived, Li Xi noticed a familiar figure walking in. He had striking green hair, a tall build, and an expressionless face. It was Wakaba Mu! Li Xi's former bandmate, the guitarist, the one who was always silent, making it hard for others to understand what she was thinking. Eventually, the band disbanded and she disappeared without a trace.

"What a narrow road the enemy meets..."

Li Xi cursed under her breath. She didn't expect to run into Wakaba Mu here, and she didn't expect her to walk straight up to Yukinoshita Yukino and sit down opposite her.

Ruoye Mu still had that same poker face, showing no emotion. She spoke in a low voice. Real detectives don't have any fancy props, and Li Xi could only catch a few fragments of words, like "plan," "risk," and "cooperation." These words tangled in Li Xi's mind, outlining a vortex of conspiracy and danger.

The conversation between Yukinoshita and Wakaba Mutsu lasted nearly an hour. Riki suppressed the pain of the high prices at the sushi restaurant and ordered the cheapest main course just to stay longer.

After the meeting, Wakaba Mutsu left the sushi restaurant first. Riki hesitated, paid the bill, and then followed him quietly. She kept a distance, careful not to let Wakaba Mutsu notice her following. The bustling streets of Tokyo at night provided Riki with perfect cover.

Ruoye Mu walked briskly, passing through several busy commercial streets and arriving at a luxury apartment building. Li Xi had never been to Mu's home, so he wasn't sure if this was it. But regardless, the security at such luxury apartments was extremely tight. If Mu entered, Li Xi wouldn't be able to follow.

...Forget it. Isn't the purpose of following Mu to be able to stand up like this when necessary?

Li Xi hardened his heart and ran quickly to Mu.

"Mu!"

If Ye Mu turned around, a crack appeared on his poker face that had remained unchanged for thousands of years. Although it was fleeting, Li Xi still caught it.

"Lixi? Why are you here?"

Her tone was cold, as if she had just met an insignificant passerby.

"Ah, I... uh..."

Li Xi stammered to explain, "I just happened to be passing by, yes, passing by!"

She scratched her head in embarrassment. Even she felt that this excuse was lame. If she hadn't done it on impulse, she could have come up with a better reason... Well, actually, Li Xi has never been good at making up excuses. After all, detectives don't need to lie, only criminals need to lie.

Ruo Ye Mu did not ask any further questions, but just said "Oh" lightly and turned to leave.

Seeing Ruoye Mu about to disappear into the night, Li Xi suddenly blurted out: "What did you and Yukinoshita Yukino talk about in the sushi restaurant?"

Mu paused.

After a second or a minute, Mu said again, "Lixi, don't investigate any further."

She said in a cold voice.

"I don't want to kill you."

137

Chapter 137: Kuchiki Rukia.

In the abandoned building, Lixi, who was blown away by the explosion, lay on the ground with his back like a carpet.

And Ruoye Mu was walking towards her slowly.

"I warned you, Lixi."

Ruoye Mu approached, the crunching sound of her leather boots on the gravel resonating like the footsteps of death, hammering at Li Xi's nerves. Looking down at Li Xi lying on the ground, Mu's face was devoid of pity, only cold murderous intent. The longbow in her hand, composed of pure blue light, emanated a faint cold glow, which reflected on her face, adding a touch of eeriness.

Li Xi felt as if her whole body was falling apart. The impact of the explosion caused her ears to ring continuously, and the world in front of her eyes was a little blurry. But she endured the severe pain and struggled to find her phone in her pocket. Her detective instinct made her want to record everything, even if it was just the last moment.

"As expected of Li Xi,"

Mu said softly, "You're still thinking about collecting evidence in this situation."

The blue arrow of light gathered on the bowstring, flashing with a heart-pounding light. Mu released the bowstring without hesitation.

With a whoosh, the arrow of light cut through the air and accurately pierced Li Xi's right wrist.

Li Xi groaned, and his phone slipped out of his hand and fell to the dusty ground.

Mu then casually crushed Li Xi's phone with a kick, then drew his longbow again. A blue arrow of light gathered on the bowstring once again, flashing with the light of death.

Li Xi could feel the cold breath of death crawling up her spine, but she wasn't frightened. Instead, she felt unusually calm. Perhaps it was detective intuition, or perhaps it was a fleeting illusion, but she felt she had to ask this question.

"Mu... what is your relationship with Yukinoshita Yukino?"

Li Xi's voice was hoarse and weak, like a whisper coming from the depths of hell.

Hearing this question, Ruo Yemu's originally cold face suddenly showed a subtle fluctuation. It was a complex emotion, like pain and nostalgia. She did not answer immediately, but just stared at Li Xi quietly, her eyes seemed to see through Li Xi.

Time seemed to have frozen, with only the whimpering sound of the wind blowing through the ruins and Lixi's increasingly rapid breathing.

Finally, Mu spoke, her voice low and hoarse, "Lixi, I envy your ignorance."

Mu released the bowstring and a blue arrow of light flew out.

At the critical moment, a petite figure darted past like a swallow, blocking Li Xi's path. Dressed in black, with short, raven hair, she wielded a long sword that flashed with a cold gleam. She swung the sword fiercely, and the blade collided with the arrow of light, unleashing a dazzling burst of light and a deafening roar.

The smoke and dust cleared, revealing the black-clad girl standing there steadily, her Zanpakutō pointed diagonally at the ground, a hint of blue light still lingering on the tip. She raised her head, revealing a delicate face. "Quincy, what are you doing!"

"……who are you?"

Mu raised the Bow of Light in his hand and aimed it at the new person.

"Vice-Captain of Division 6, Rukia Kuchiki."

The visitor clearly announced his name.

Lying on the ground, Li Xi was thinking in a daze, Team 6...what does that mean?

"...The God of Death? So what His Majesty said is true."

Mu coldly drew his bow again and aimed it at the woman who called herself Rukia.

Mutsushi Wakaba and Rukia Kuchiki were facing each other, and the air was filled with tension.

After a few seconds, Mu slowly retracted the bow of light, and the blue light dissipated.

"You saved your life, Lixi."

Li Xi, lying on the ground, coughed a few times and spat out a mouthful of blood foam. She struggled to sit up, but found that she was weak all over.

Wakaba Mu's figure disappeared into the shadows of the ruins, leaving only the lingering fragrance in the air. Li Xi gasped for air, her lungs burning with pain. She felt as if her right wrist had been scalded by molten iron, the pain nearly causing her to faint.

At this moment, a petite figure stood in front of her. It was the black-clad girl who had just come to her rescue. She squatted down, her short black hair falling down, covering half of her face. Li Xi could see her face clearly. She was pretty with a hint of heroism.

"Are you ok?"

The girl's voice was unexpectedly gentle, completely different from her fierce voice during battle.

Li Xi gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words: "I can't... die yet..."

Rukia reached out and placed her hand on Riki's wrist.

"Sorry, my reply wasn't very good..."

A pale green light lit up, and the wound on Li Xi's wrist gradually healed. She felt the burning sensation on her wrist gradually subside, replaced by a cool feeling. She looked at the petite girl in front of her, her heart full of questions.

"You... who are you? What was that power Mu used just now... and the Shinigami, the Quincy... what's going on?"

Rukia withdrew her hand, and the pale green light disappeared.

"how do you feel?"

Rukia didn't answer Riki's question.

Li Xi moved his wrist and the pain had completely disappeared.

"Much better...thank you."

After saying that, Li Xi tried to stand up but failed.

"Don't provoke the Quincy next time... You're just an ordinary person, right?"

This Miss Death didn't seem to intend to explain to Li Xi, and just wanted to leave alone.

Just as Rukia was about to take a step, a weak hand gripped her ankle tightly. She looked down and saw Li Xi struggling to look up at her. His eyes were like a drowning man grasping at the last straw, stubborn and fragile.

"Wait...wait a minute..."

Li Xi gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words, "You... those... Death Gods... Quincy... you mentioned... what exactly... are they?"

Rukia hesitated for a moment, as if weighing something. She sighed, then finally squatted down and helped Lixi sit on a relatively intact rock.

"It's better if you don't know."

Rukia's voice was filled with resignation, "Actually, I shouldn't be telling you this."

Li Xi held his breath, waiting for Rukia's next words.

"You know those... lingering spirits?"

Rukia chose her words carefully, trying to avoid mentioning the word "Hollow." "Some souls, due to deep obsessions or other reasons, are unable to reincarnate normally, so they will..."

"Become a ghost?"

Li Xi asked tentatively.

Rukia shook her head, "Not exactly... they'll become a... more dangerous existence."

Lixi's throat was dry.

She had already guessed what Rukia was going to say.

That was... the monster that killed Li Xi's entire family.

"You mean... 'Hollow'?"

138

Chapter 138: Audience.

Ruoye Mu emerged from the teleportation array and walked into the satellite hall.

It was empty and silent, like an abandoned temple. The dome towered, shimmering with a faint blue light, like a frozen galaxy. The ground was smooth as a mirror, reflecting the dome. If Ye Mu glanced to the side, the Earth itself would be revealed through the glass.

The Quincy's base is in the sky.

To be more precise, in space.

This satellite, known as the "Eye of the Soul King," floats in low Earth orbit, silently watching the ground. Only Quincies bearing the "Words" recognized by Goto Ichiri can enter.

Wakaba Mutsu's Chinese character is [M], the M in Mortis.

She has a right to be here.

Mu strode briskly down the long corridor, through the starry sky.

At last she came to the throne room.

——This is a huge room.

At the end of the room, a figure stood quietly in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window with his back to Mu, overlooking the blue planet below.

"You're here, Mu."

The deep voice was emotionless, yet it made Mu tense up involuntarily.

Goto Ichiri, the leader of the Quincy, she was there.

Mu bowed his head respectfully, "Yes, Ichiri-sama."