Second floor, waiting room.
Takatsuki Izumi sat on the white sofa, holding a long-empty teacup in her hand, seemingly lost in thought.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door. Luo Shu pushed it open and entered, saying:
"Apologies for keeping you waiting."
"It's fine."
Takatsuki Izumi glanced at Luo Shu as he entered, followed by Yukino Yukinoshita. After observing the two for a moment, she asked:
"Where's Shizuka Hio?"
"I gave her time to consider." Luo Shu spoke as he took a seat opposite Takatsuki Izumi.
Meanwhile, Yukino Yukinoshita stepped forward to pick up the tea set on the table, tidied it briefly, then stood behind Luo Shu.
Takatsuki Izumi eyed Yukino suspiciously. She couldn't shake the feeling that this girl had changed somewhat since their last interaction.
'This young secretary seems much more dangerous now... or is it just my imagination?'
With this doubt in mind, Takatsuki Izumi turned back to Luo Shu and asked:
"So, it seems I've passed the test?"
"You have."
Luo Shu glanced at Takatsuki Izumi, offering a faint smile. He then raised his right hand and made a gesture. Yukino Yukinoshita promptly handed him a contract.
"Take a look."
Luo Shu passed the contract to Takatsuki Izumi and said, "If you accept, sign it."
"Of course, if you choose to refuse, I'll have to erase your memories of this meeting."
"Oh?" Takatsuki Izumi raised her eyebrows in surprise at this.
'Memory erasure for refusal? How intriguing.'
She took the document and began flipping through it openly in front of Luo Shu. As she read, a smirk gradually formed on her lips: "Interesting."
After skimming the contract, Takatsuki Izumi smiled at Luo Shu:
"Luo Shu-san, I assume you didn't offer this contract to the old man?"
"Indeed not." Luo Shu responded with complete honesty. "Moreover, he doesn't need contractual constraints. After all, he has far more vulnerabilities than you do."
Takatsuki Izumi blinked at this, her expression turning playful:
"How unusual. I never thought trash like me would earn your praise."
As she spoke, Takatsuki Izumi raised her right hand, bit her index finger, and pressed her bloodied fingerprint onto the contract. Then, narrowing her eyes at Luo Shu, she said:
"Well then, I'll be in your care from now on... god-sama."
The moment these words were spoken, a notification echoed in Luo Shu's mind.
[New Familia member: Eto Yoshimura. Obtained 20,000 Points. Monthly point income increased by 3,000. Current monthly point increase: 14,500.]
[Familia member Takatsuki Izumi has awakened the ability Devouring Evolution (Excellent Rank).]
Hearing this, Luo Shu couldn't help but glance at Takatsuki Izumi.
As he had previously stated, the abilities awakened largely depended on the personal nature of the Familia member.
And this personal nature encompassed personality, mindset, physique, and numerous other factors.
Recalling the Ghouls' traits of consuming humans and their own kind, and considering how Takatsuki Izumi became the strongest Ghoul at just 14, Luo Shu found her awakening the Devouring Evolution ability unexpected yet logical under the circumstances.
At that moment, Takatsuki Izumi clutched her mouth, hunched over as if enduring some agony.
Noticing this, Luo Shu frowned slightly. After consulting the Mysticism Encyclopaedia, he suddenly understood:
"Feeling hungry after awakening the Devouring Evolution ability?"
"Well then, might as well put those things to some use."
As he spoke, Luo Shu stood up, strode forward, grabbed Takatsuki Izumi by the neck, lifted her, and said to Yukino:
"The next part might get bloody. Do you want to come along?"
Hearing this, Yukino connected it with Luo Shu's earlier words and vaguely guessed what was coming, her heart sinking.
Seeing her reaction, Luo Shu chuckled. "If you'd rather not, you can wait here."
"I'll come." Yukino took a deep breath and said solemnly, "After all, it's something I'll have to face sooner or later."
Luo Shu shrugged, then carried Takatsuki Izumi up to the third floor. Entering the lift, he pressed the button for the basement.
Three minutes later, at the entrance to the Hidden Management Zone.
After inputting the access code, Luo Shu led the recovering Takatsuki Izumi and Yukino inside.
There, the trio saw two figures confined in nutrient pods reminiscent of sci-fi films.
"What's this?"
Staring at the purple-haired woman floating in the pod, Takatsuki Izumi frowned before turning to the brown-haired girl on the right, her expression shifting to surprise:
"Ghouls?"
"I thought all Ghouls besides us had been exterminated?"
At this, Luo Shu shoved his hands in his pockets and said calmly:
"United Nations policy mandates sample containment strategies for any race subjected to the Demon Slaying Order. The aim is to extract maximum benefit from dangerous species while ensuring they don't threaten human society."
"Hence, the Containment Strategy was born."
"The two before you are special Ghouls captured in Tokyo by operatives under my command."
The operative executing the containment was naturally Sharon, though only Luo Shu knew this. Even within SDS, none knew who he'd dispatched to contain these special Ghouls - only the names he'd reported.
"Special Ghouls?" Takatsuki Izumi couldn't help grinning at this. "If I'd refused you earlier, would I be lying in there instead?"
"Less talking would suit you better." Luo Shu rolled his eyes.
Takatsuki Izumi merely chuckled before asking, "So who are these two Ghouls then?"
Luo Shu looked up at the pods, gazing at the purple-haired figure as he replied:
"The elder one is Rize Kamishiro - the Washuu Clan's purest Ghoul bloodline. The younger is Roma Hoito - SSS-rated Ghoul known as the Mother of Chaos..."
"The Washuu bloodline and the Mother of Chaos?" Takatsuki Izumi's eyes gleamed with peculiar interest.
The Washuu Clan's infiltration of human ruling classes as Ghouls went without saying - their bloodline represented the most potent Ghoul heritage imaginable.
As for the Mother of Chaos, she was a powerful Ghoul who rose to prominence decades earlier than Takatsuki Izumi, an SSS-rated Ghoul from the same era as Yoshimura. Yet her true identity and whereabouts had always remained unknown.
Takatsuki Izumi had once been curious about who the Mother of Chaos really was, but she never expected their first meeting would be inside Luo Shu's specimen preservation cabinet.
At this thought, Takatsuki Izumi licked her lips and said with a smile:
"So, you intend for me to devour these two Ghouls and evolve into the strongest Ghoul?"
Yukino Yukinoshita's expression was somewhat unnatural. Though she had anticipated this scenario before arriving and was aware of Ghoul-related intelligence, the idea of cannibalism being discussed so openly still unsettled her.
Faced with Takatsuki Izumi's eager words, Luo Shu scoffed:
"Dream on. At most, I can provide you with some blood samples. After all, for someone at your current level, blood should be sufficient to activate your abilities, no?"
Hearing this, Takatsuki Izumi suddenly displayed an unexpectedly lively smile that contrasted sharply with her usual demeanour:
"As expected, I can't hide anything from you."
"Just as you've discerned, I'm no longer a Ghoul now."
As she spoke, Takatsuki Izumi curled her lips, revealing two sharp canine teeth:
"Given current circumstances, I should be considered a noble Vampire with the bloodline of the Hio family, shouldn't I?"
Luo Shu showed no surprise at this, merely remarking sarcastically:
"The moment you gained the ability to change species, you immediately abandoned your original race. Just how much do you hate your origins?"
Takatsuki Izumi smiled in response, seemingly unwilling to answer.
Luo Shu didn't press the matter either, turning away calmly as he said:
"Once you've taken enough blood samples, return the specimens to containment. They're precious research materials for the Science Division. Oh, and come upstairs when you're done - I have something to discuss with you."
Having said this, Luo Shu addressed the bewildered Yukino Yukinoshita:
"Why are you standing there dumbfounded? Let's go."
"Um..." Yukinoshita hesitated before voicing her confusion: "Wasn't I supposed to undergo courage training?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu's lips curled into a mischievous smirk:
"Idiot. Blood exposure training isn't conducted in this manner. Wouldn't taking you to a hospital operating theatre be simpler and more socially acceptable than bringing you here?"
"Did you really think I was going to make you watch someone eat people?"
Yukinoshita's expression froze.
"So... that was..."
"Yeah, I was just messing with you."
Yukinoshita's face became completely blank.
'Is this man retaliating for my earlier reprimand?'
'How can there exist such a petty man in this world?'
Yukinoshita found this utterly incomprehensible.