“……Who are you? Are you here to save me?”
Ling Ling looked him up and down, noticing a logo embroidered on the chest of his lab coat—a symbol she recognized.
It belonged to Phantom Night Company.
She stopped in front of him, tapping her sword cane lightly under his chin.
“You’re from Phantom Night?”
The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
“……No, I was kidnapped by them. My name is Ian. I was originally a student in the Supernatural Ability Materials Department at Vien Academy. They forced me to stay here optimizing potion formulas for the Awakening Agent. It’s been almost two weeks.”
Ling Ling raised an eyebrow slightly.
A Vien Academy student? Kidnapped by Phantom Night to work on the Awakening Agent?
“What does Phantom Night have to do with this?”
“This shipment… was originally supposed to be routed through the underground channels in the Seventh District to the Ye Family in the Third District…”
Ian panted. “Phantom Night seems to be preparing something for Ye Qinghai. I don’t know the details, but I overheard them saying… at next month’s Ye Family Clan Meeting, they’re going to use some new type of Ability Weapon against the main branch.”
Ling Ling’s smile vanished.
Ye Family, Ye Qinghai, new Ability Weapon.
All these pieces together pointed to a conclusion she didn’t like.
That guy Ye Fengxue… does she know that her uncle’s “outside help” includes something like this?
“Interesting.”
She muttered that iconic word, then withdrew her sword cane and sliced through the rope binding Ian’s hands with the tip.
“Run on your own. Don’t look back. Go straight to the Seventh District Countermeasures Section and report this. Tell them—Moriaty sent you.”
Ian’s eyes widened. “Moriaty? Who is that—“
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Ling Ling turned around, her black-and-red performance outfit fluttering in the moonlight.
She walked out of the warehouse and stood once again in the dim alley.
The night wind blew, gently lifting her golden hair. Behind her mask, her blue eyes gazed toward the Third District.
Phantom Night Company was preparing Ability Weapons for Ye Qinghai.
This intel had to be passed to Ye Fengxue as soon as possible. But before that—
She still needed to investigate further.
“Looks like Moriaty’s first official performance will be even more interesting than I imagined.”
She smiled, then disappeared once more into the night.
All that remained were the unconscious thugs scattered at the warehouse entrance, a black note, and a young researcher staggering toward the Countermeasures Section.
Meanwhile, in the night shift office of the Seventh District Countermeasures Section, Ishida Sanae was organizing the day’s work log.
The door was knocked on.
A young man burst in, panting, with a few fresh streaks of blood on his face.
“……Report! I want to file a report! A woman named Moriaty sent me!”
Ishida Sanae pushed up her glasses, sensing a bad omen.
“……Another weirdo causing trouble?”
Why did it feel like her overtime hours were getting longer and longer?
***
[Luter Academy Forum] → [Campus Gossip]
[Thread] Late-Night Breaking News! New Mysterious Figure Appears in the Seventh District! Code Name: Moriaty!
【1L OP-Night Owl Informant】
Hey everyone still awake, big news!
I just saw a freshly released record from the Countermeasures Section’s public bulletin—tonight, a gang fight broke out in the Old Industrial District of the Seventh District. Eight illegal Awakening Agent dealers were knocked out and left at a warehouse entrance.
Here’s the kicker: a black note was left at the scene, signed with “M”!
The Countermeasures Section has already filed this as a new case, temporarily under the code name Moriaty!
[Image: Screenshot of Countermeasures Section public bulletin]
【2L Anonymous User】
“Moriaty”? That professor from the novels?
Pretty classy name choice.
【3L President of the Melon-Eating Association】
Wait, wait, let me process this.
Current mysterious figures in the Seventh District: the mysterious white-haired girl Bai Ye, and now this golden-haired girl called Moriaty.
Is our Seventh District some blessed land that produces mysterious beauties?
【4L Anonymous User】
How does the guy above know Moriaty is a beauty?
【5L President of the Melon-Eating Association】
Reply to 4L: It’s from witness statements! “Golden hair, blue eyes, wearing a black-and-red performance outfit, wearing a mask, using a sword cane”—does that description sound like some old dude? Obviously a beauty!
【6L Forum Know-It-All】
Supplementary info: The contents of the note leaked from inside the Countermeasures Section are as follows—
“I’ve already taken care of these naughty children for you. Next time, remember to mind your own turf. —M”
Assessment: This person’s style is clearly different from Bai Ye. Bai Ye is pure force intimidation, while Moriaty leans more toward… how to put it… a kind of malicious fun, like playing with people.
Even the note reads like a stage monologue. Interesting stuff.
【7L Anonymous User】
Sword cane? Black-and-red outfit? Petal mask?
This person is so cringey! But I love it!
【8L So It’s Me】
Moriaty… sounds like someone you don’t want to mess with. But as long as she doesn’t get near my sister, I don’t care.
【9L Anonymous User】
The little sister up there is being protective again!
【10L Siren’s Song】
Oh, a new kitten? Looks interesting~ I wonder if I can catch her tail online~
【11L Forum Know-It-All】
Reply to 10L: Transfer student from Vien, what do you think of this new Moriaty?
【12L Siren’s Song】
Nothing special~ I just think the name is pretty amusing.
I mean, it’s Moriaty! The professor, the mastermind, playing everyone like puppets~
If this real-life Moriaty wants to play that game too, I wouldn’t mind having a chat with her~
【13L Anonymous User】
Does that sound like a declaration of war?
【14L Siren’s Song】
‘How could it be? I’m just an ordinary transfer student~’
***
Ling Ling lay on her bed in her apartment, scrolling through the forum on her tablet, expressionlessly reading Siren’s Song’s reply.
That annoying pink-haired girl—she wasn’t satisfied harassing her in person during the day, now she wanted to dig up her alt account at night?
Still, Ling Ling was reassured—this Moriaty identity, from appearance to style, had completely strayed from the Bai Ye framework. Plus, she hadn’t used any supernatural abilities tonight, relying purely on physical skills. Even someone at Hua Jianxi’s hacking level wouldn’t be able to link it to her anytime soon.
She put down the tablet and turned over to sleep.
Then she found an extra person in the covers.
“……Xiao Jiu.”
“Big Sis went out again tonight, didn’t you.”
Lin Jiu’s eyes were closed, her voice slurred, but her arms tightened around Ling Ling’s waist. “You smell like blood.”
“……Someone else’s blood.”
“I know. Big Sis isn’t hurt. Otherwise, I would’ve already torn that place apart.”
Ling Ling was silent for a moment, then reached out and ruffled Lin Jiu’s hair.
“Sleep. We have class tomorrow.”
“Mm… good night, Big Sis…”
Lin Jiu nuzzled into her neck, her breathing gradually evening out.
Ling Ling stared at the ceiling, then started pondering another question.
About the new Ability Weapon Ian mentioned.
Phantom Night was preparing that for Ye Qinghai, clearly targeting the main branch of the Ye Family—that is, Ye Fengxue and her father.
Next month’s clan meeting would be the time to act.
Ye Fengxue had to know this.
But the problem was—
How would Ling Ling explain how she got this intel?
The Moriaty alias had only existed for a day. She wasn’t ready to let too many people know about it yet.
“……Forget it. I’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
She closed her eyes.
Tomorrow was going to be another troublesome day.
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