In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 201

“Fibril,” Higashino replied, while casually ruffling Fibril’s hair.

Mugino looked at Febri, who was sitting right next to Higashino, and was even more speechless: "So you actually brought such a little kid to participate in the Anbu's activities?" A little girl actually appeared in the Anbu base; the scene was just too incongruous.

"Otherwise what? I already said I picked it up on the road. It has nowhere to go, so I can't just leave it on the side of the road, can I?" Dongye said confidently.

Frenda, who had finally come over, plopped down on the other side of Higashino, sitting close to him, her face full of surprise: "So you weren't joking? You really found him?" When Higashino came in, he said that Philip was found, but Frenda didn't take it seriously at all, thinking that he was just joking. She didn't expect that he was serious.

Takitsubo tried to lift Febri onto her lap, and this time Febri didn't resist too much, though she still clung to Higashino's clothes. Takitsubo looked at her delicate face and then at her tight-fitting Gothic dress, and had a rough idea of ​​what was going on.

“Is it discarded…” Takitsubo murmured.

The word caused a moment of silence in the room. Abandoned children—this was another, not uncommon, dark side beneath Academy City's glamorous exterior. Some parents paid exorbitant tuition fees to send their children to an institution or dormitory in Academy City, only to vanish completely, abandoning these children in this vast city to fend for themselves.

Judging from Febri's age and condition, this possibility seems quite plausible.

Thinking of this possibility, Mugino clicked her tongue and didn't press the matter further. Kinuhata and Frenda also showed expressions of understanding and a loss of curiosity. Since she was a "discarded object," there was no point in asking further. On the contrary, continuing to ask might hurt the child.

"So, who's going to do today's mission?" Higashino didn't explain Febri's background to them. Compared to the discarded, Febri's actual situation wasn't much better.

Mugino looked around, her gaze finally settling on a notebook on the table. "Let's draw lots today. Two people are enough." She casually tore off a few sheets of paper, marked them, and crumpled them into balls. In the end, Higashino Yu and Kinuhata Saiai drew the winning lots.

"So troublesome..." Kinuhata pouted, but still stood up deftly. "Let's go, Higashino, let's finish this quickly so we can call it a day."

Higashino stood up and glanced at Febri, who was surrounded by Takitsubo and Frenda on the sofa. Febri seemed to sense that he was leaving and subconsciously wanted to stand up and leave with him.

"Stay put, I'll be right back." Higashino gently patted her head, then left the room with Kinuhata Saiai.

The door closed, leaving only Mugino, Takitsubo, Frenda, and a small figurines in the room.

The three female members of the ANBU once again focused their attention on the blonde girl.

Mugino crossed her arms, her tone ambiguous, "So... what are we supposed to do now? Take care of the kids?"

Frenda was already excited again, trying to pinch Febri's cheek: "Come on, little Febri, let your big sister play with you!"

Takitsubo watched quietly, a very important question on her mind. "Has this child eaten dinner?"

Philip glanced in the direction Higashino had left, then at the three seemingly kind older women, and silently hugged the pink heart-shaped bag in his arms even tighter.

Chapter 237 Kinuhata's Favorite and Wall Slam

In the heart of an abandoned factory in Academy City, the figures of Higashino Yuu and Kinuhata Seikai quietly emerge.

"Does this guy always choose places like this for his transactions? It's so remote."

Kinuhata, who loved to look around at the abandoned equipment covered in rust and dust, said in a low voice.

Higashino Yu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the empty factory interior: "Well, after all, these are all shady transactions, so of course we have to choose these secluded places."

He even used his ability to check his surroundings, but didn't sense anyone nearby.

"I was thinking of teleporting directly to the transaction location and wiping them all out. But it seems we've arrived too early."

"This is so troublesome, I'll just have to wait."

Kinuhata leaned against the wall impatiently, and a brief silence fell around her.

After checking the surrounding area again and finding no one nearby, Higashino Yu followed her example and leaned against the side, waiting quietly.

Looking at Higashino Yu beside her, Kinuhata Saiai couldn't help but recall Mugino Shizuri's astonishing announcement not long ago that "everyone is going to conquer Higashino," and her heart involuntarily raced a little faster.

It seems that Takitsubo and that idiot Frenda have already... made progress? What about me?

Kinuhata Saiai, who had never had a similar experience before, felt a sudden surge of inexplicable anxiety and bewilderment.

She tried hard to recall the plots of the R-rated movies she'd seen, hoping to find some inspiration. In those movies, the male and female leads always seemed to initially... try to start a conversation?

Yes, we need to find a topic to talk about first!

Without thinking twice about whether it was appropriate, Kinuhata Saiai suddenly turned her head to look at Higashino Yu, who was observing the outside world beside her, and said in a tone that was trying to sound natural but was obviously a little stiff: "Hey, Higashino."

"Ok?"

Higashino Yu turned his head and looked at her with some confusion.

"What kind of underwear do you like girls to wear? I'm so curious."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Kinuhata Saiai regretted them.

She suddenly realized that in movies, this kind of question usually only arises after the male and female leads are already dating! Wouldn't asking it like that seem incredibly strange and forward?!

Higashino Yu's face showed obvious surprise, full of question marks, clearly unable to understand why he would hear such a question while carrying out an ambush mission, especially in such a direct way.

Is it appropriate to talk about what style of underwear you like while on a mission?

Kinuhata, don't you want to listen to what you're saying?!

Kinuhata Ai's cheeks flushed instantly. She subconsciously lowered her head, not daring to look at Higashino's expression anymore, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Higashino Yu looked at her unusually embarrassed and annoyed expression, and although he didn't understand why, he found it quite amusing.

Is the impression formed at the first meeting now ready to bear fruit?

The timing is indeed about right. After all, Frenda was already given away a few days ago, and Kinuhata Saiai, whose feelings for her were subtly influenced during their first meeting, should be about the same.

Thinking of this, Higashino Yu's lips curled into a playful smile, deliberately drawing out his words: "As for me..."

The heart that Kinuhachi cherished most was lifted.

"I absolutely love the one you're wearing right now, Kinuhata."

Higashino Yu's voice was tinged with laughter.

Of course, he was just making that up. He didn't use his ability to see through things, so how would he know what style Kinuhata likes to wear right now?

However, judging from her unremarkable figure, the bra she's wearing is probably a very ordinary style.

She probably can't use something as high-end as a bra, since without enough curves, using one would just be humiliating...

However, Kinuhachi should still have room for growth, right?

"Eh?!"

Kinuhata Ai suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with disbelief, and in her astonishment, her voice even rose a few decibels.

"You...you were spying?! That's incredibly perverted!"

Higashino Yu's lips twitched, feeling somewhat speechless.

The focus on the silk banner is too off-topic... and where am I supposed to spy on it?

Although he was inwardly cursing Kinuhata Saiai, his smile remained unchanged. Instead, he leaned closer, even more mischievously, and lowered his voice: "Hmm... I haven't actually seen it yet. But I think yours should be pretty good, right? How about... I see it now? I'm super curious too!"

Higashino deliberately imitated her verbal tic, always feeling that imitating her was super fun.

"Idiot! Don't make such outrageous requests! And don't do what I did!"

Kinuhata was prone to losing her temper instantly. In a fit of embarrassment and anger, she didn't hesitate to throw her little fist at Higashino and kick him as well.

All she wanted to do right now was give this jerk in front of her a good beating.

However, all of her attacks were easily dodged by Higashino Yu. After missing several times, Higashino Yu seized the opportunity, suddenly grabbed her wrist, and with a quick turn, gently pressed her against the wall, creating a perfect wall-slamming position.

"Ok?"

Higashino Yu lowered his head, staring at Kinuhata's wavering eyes, his voice full of mockery.

"Didn't you ask me this, Kinuhata? Why are you hitting me instead?"

Trapped between Higashino's embrace and the wall, enveloped by his presence, Kinuhata's heart pounded like a drum, and she stammered, "This...this is...I...I just..."

Higashino Yu's free hand naturally wrapped around her slender waist, pulling her closer to him.

In an instant, Kinuhata Saiai felt as if she were completely enveloped by Higashino, and she crashed into his arms.

"But compared to underwear."

Higashino Yu's gaze fell on her slightly parted lips, and his voice deepened.

"I'm so curious about what it tastes like here now!"

Before he could finish speaking, he lowered his head and kissed her.

"Well!?"

Kinuhata's mind went completely blank for a moment, her eyes widened, and her body was at a loss for how to react.

At the same time, she felt that Higashino's hand, which was around her waist, had quietly moved upwards.

Higashino Yu felt that her previous judgment seemed a bit arbitrary, and that saying that she couldn't wear a bra was really awful.

Although the silk flag isn't very noticeable, Higashino can still grasp it when he makes a move... The soft feel is quite nice.

The kiss wasn't long, but it was enough to make Kinuhata Saiai's body go weak and her cheeks turn so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

He smacked his lips, as if tasting something, and commented in a flat tone, "It's sweet, and the taste and texture are both good. It's just that the feel of it... there's a lot of room for growth in scale."

Kinuhata Saiai, still reeling from the sudden kiss, heard this "plain" comment and was instantly both embarrassed and angry. Forgetting all about being ambushed and kissed, she swung her little fist and punched Higashino in the chest: "Idiot! Don't be so bland in your comments about me! It's so annoying!"

This time, Higashino Yu didn't dodge, taking the full force of her few weak punches, but his smile only grew wider.

Just then, Higashino Yu's expression shifted slightly as he listened intently: "Shh, there seems to be some movement."

He immediately released Kinuhata Saiai and resumed his alert state. Kinuhata Saiai also quickly suppressed her turbulent emotions, held her breath, and carefully sensed the movements around her.

However, the two held their breath and waited for a long time, but apart from the sound of the wind and the chirping of cicadas outside, there was no other unusual noise inside or outside the factory.

"That's so ridiculous..."

Kinuhata loves to mutter to herself, her tense nerves relaxing slightly.

"Could the intelligence be incorrect?"

"Maybe. Looks like I made a wasted trip today."

Higashino Yu shrugged, seemingly a little disappointed.

"Let's go, contact logistics, and call it a day."

The two stepped out from behind the wall, preparing to leave. However, just as they passed a relatively open area in the center of the factory…

hum!hum!hum!

The ear-piercing roar of engines suddenly erupted from all directions!

Several entrances and exits of the factory building, as well as the ventilation ducts above, were instantly breached, and a full eight Drive Armor vehicles with identical designs and paint schemes rushed in, completely surrounding them!

"Drive armor?!"

Kinuhata Ai exclaimed in surprise, instantly entering battle mode, her pale blue nitrogen armor covering her entire body.

However, before she could make a move, the weapons of those powered armors were already spitting fire! Bullets rained down like a storm!

But in the next instant, all the attacks mysteriously stopped in mid-air, a meter away from Higashino Yu and Kinuhata Saiai, as if they had hit an invisible, solid wall, creating tiny ripples before falling or dissipating powerlessly.

Higashino Yu didn't even move a finger, merely glancing casually at the uninvited guests around him.

"Amazing..."

Kinuhata loved looking at that invisible barrier, sighing softly, then muttering with some dissatisfaction.

"...I feel so safe just having you around as an audience member."

Upon hearing this, Higashino Yu chuckled and said, "Alright, Miss Audience, I'll get on with it quickly."

He waved his hand casually, as if shooing away flies.

The torsos of the eight powered armors that were preparing to launch a second round of attacks were instantly severed.

In just a moment, these once menacing drive armors were all turned into piles of twisted, broken, and sparking scrap metal, collapsing to the ground with a crash and becoming completely still.

Kinuhata Saiai blinked, looking at the terrifyingly overwhelming scene before her. Although she knew that Higashino was very strong, witnessing such an illogical power still shocked her.

"...That's outrageous."

In the end, all she could utter was this one comment.

Higashino Yu patted non-existent dust off his hands: "Alright, contact logistics to clean up the mess. The mission report... just say we were ambushed by armored vehicles driven by an unknown force, and all have been eliminated. As for the arms deal, it probably never existed in the first place; we were just set up."

He did recall that such an event did occur in the original story, but he didn't care. Anyway, he didn't intend to let the organization behind the scenes continue their antics, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he could deal with them tomorrow.

"Know it."

Kinuhata obediently took out her communicator and began contacting Item's logistics team, but her gaze couldn't help but drift back to the pile of drive armor wreckage.