Chapter 371: International Assassin Arc Start!
Just as Fang Mo had anticipated.
Makima's intention in seeking him out was indeed not benevolent.
However, Fang Mo was definitely not afraid. In fact, he was quite eager to see how Makima would struggle. Therefore, not long after receiving the call, he went to the police headquarters' office with Shoggoth.
After watching TV for a while, Shoggoth seemed to have become exceptionally smart.
Now, it could not only mimic animals like kittens and puppies but even common items like necklaces, bracelets, or even clothes.
"What's happening?"
As soon as Fang Mo stepped into Makima's office, he directly asked, "Could it be that the cabinet ministers have finally come around and are ready to discuss with me about the contracting fees for the Tokyo Crematorium?"
"They are currently preoccupied with other matters and might not be able to pay attention to this issue."
Makima's tone was very gentle, which was one of her characteristics. Regardless of what she thought internally, she always spoke as if conversing with a friend, never revealing her inner thoughts. "I called you here for another matter."
"What's the matter?"
Fang Mo asked directly.
"I just received some intelligence. The number of foreign Devil hunters applying for entry has suddenly surged," Makima said. "It was already evident yesterday, but today it's even more exaggerated. Even a few individuals whom I can't ignore have started to act."
"Like Germany's Christmas Tree?"
Fang Mo asked with a smile.
"It's Germany's Santa Claus."
Makima, cautious as always, couldn't gather much information through small animals, like not understanding the Christmas Tree joke, and corrected him: "He is a terrifying Devil hunter. There are rumors that he has already died of old age, but it seems now that it might have been a ruse."Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)
"So why is he called Santa Claus?"
Fang Mo couldn't help but ask. "Is this guy's movement speed very fast? Can he deliver gifts all over the world in one night?"
"I'm not sure."
Makima shook her head: "I haven't had a direct encounter with him yet, and the information about this is very tightly controlled, so I'm not clear about what kind of abilities he has."
"When you think of Santa Claus, you think of gifts, and when you think of gifts, you think of the stockings used to hold them."
Fang Mo touched his chin and said, "Do you think Santa Claus would like black stockings or white ones? Personally, I prefer white a bit more... But black seems kind of intense. Which do you prefer?"
"..."
After hearing this, Makima seemed to fall silent for a moment, probably not knowing how to respond, so she changed the subject: "I previously discovered some foreign Devil hunters, so I brought them back for questioning. It turns out their real target seems to be Denji."
"This is too much trouble."
Fang Mo couldn't help but comment, then suggested, "Why don't we just parade Denji through the streets, or hang him at the gates of Tokyo City? Each time they come, we kill one. The heads can be neatly arranged at the side, or find some wooden stakes and impale the bodies on them"
"Consultant Fang Mo, please don't joke during work."
Makima helplessly reminded.
"The most important thing in life is to be happy," Fang Mo said cheerfully, "Anyway, leave this matter to me. I'll make sure everything is clear and straightforward."
"Then let Mr. Fang Mo take the role of chief commander."
Makima said, "I am responsible for guarding the rear. The cabinet is worried about other Devils or Foreign enemies taking advantage of the situation, so I might not be able to lend a hand."
"Just leave it to me and rest assured," replied Fang Mo, patting his chest and showing a confident smile. "I have already drawn up the blueprint for the Third New Tokyo City."
Makima did not speak but looked at Fang Mo, seemingly weighing whether her plan would succeed. However, she soon smiled and said, "Well then, I'll leave it to you."
Soon after, under Makima's introduction, Fang Mo met the members of the escort team.
The team seemed to be led by Kusakabe, who was meticulous about his hair, wore black-framed glasses, and was somewhat obsessive about cleanliness, and his partner, Tamaoki, a short-haired man with a mole on his forehead. Also present was a young man with disheveled hair, Hirofumi Yoshida, who seemed young but always wore a smile, coming from civilian ranks.
After a brief interaction and sharing their views with Fang Mo, Kusakabe suggested meeting with the members of Fourth Division first and then planning the next course of action.
Kusakabe also proposed using 'Denji' as bait, a plan similar to Fang Mo's, considering that the enemy was hiding in the shadows. The idea was to lure them out and then deal with them.
However, arranging the schedule would require a discussion with Denji himself, his partner Powet, and their guardian, Hayakawa Aki.
Therefore, Fang Mo quickly led them to the Hayakawa residence.
Denji and Power were playful, but Hayakawa Aki was serious about the situation, especially since Makima had informed him of its gravity over a phone call earlier.
The plan was quickly approved, and the escort team immediately sprang into action. Although "action" here simply meant wandering the streets to attract the enemy's attack. Denji and Power continued their playful antics, but since the Devil hunters who had arrived were professionals, any slight piece of information could help them locate the target.
However, it wasn't long before Power complained of hunger, as did Denji, since it was nearing noon. After a brief discussion, they decided to eat at a nearby hamburger shop serving Western-style beef cheeseburgers with pickles, tomatoes, and onion rings. Fang Mo also ordered one and began eating with Denji and Power.
Aside from these three, the rest Hayakawa Aki, the Angel Devil, Kusakabe, Tamaoki, and Hirofumi Yoshida did not eat.
With Denji being a special protective target and considering the potential threat of Devil hunters, everyone except the angel Devil was on high alert to prevent any sudden attacks.
Under such surveillance, Denji should have been safe. However, he and Power were always causing trouble. For instance, Power refused to eat vegetables, and Denji forcefully stuffed a tomato into her mouth, causing her to almost vomit, much to the annoyance of the others.
At this critical moment, the enemy began to move. A beautiful woman, who had paid no attention to Denji and the others, subtly scratched Denji with a nail as she passed by.
Her technique was so skillful that not only the escort team but even Denji himself didn't feel any pain.
Though the others didn't notice, Fang Mo did. He watched her and recalled some details from the Darkness Devil. If he remembered correctly, the woman seemed to be one of the bosses, the real identity of Santa Claus. Fang Mo couldn't recall her name, but her demeanor of gradually understanding everything was etched in his memory.
