Chapter 68: Your Daughter Is Really Cute
After the chubby investigator left, Su Xiao was alone in the underground passage.
Rapid footsteps grew closer, and Su Xiao prepared for battle.
The dim corridor seemed to hide an army of thousands, and cold sweat gradually beaded on Su Xiao's forehead.
Judging by the footsteps, the number of ghouls was definitely not small; a few hundred was a conservative estimate.
Although Su Xiao was an investigator, he wouldn't risk his life for the CCG. Joining the CCG was only to complete his mission.
Pledging loyalty to an organization with unclear intentions was undoubtedly foolish behavior.
Su Xiao hesitated. Should he make a strategic retreat, a strategic retreat, or a strategic retreat~?
Just then, the rumbling footsteps faded into the distance. Those ghouls didn't appear.
This made Su Xiao breathe a sigh of relief. If there were too many ghouls, he would have no choice but to temporarily withdraw.
Something major must have happened in District 24; otherwise, the ghouls wouldn't be this frenzied.
Now, Special Class Investigator Arima was deep in District 24. In the phone call, Arima mentioned that the 'Root Cause' would be handled by him.
'Root Cause'—did that refer to the reason for the upheaval? It was impossible to judge based on mere speculation.
"This way, be careful. Those 'beasts' have gone far."
"Honey, can we still go back to 'Central City'?"
A man and woman's conversation came from deep in the passage.
"Sigh~, we can't go back for now. We have to take shelter on the surface first. How did those 'beasts' break out? The blockade was so solid."
"Daddy, I'm so scared."
"Rika, don't be afraid. Daddy will get us out of here."
Su Xiao raised an eyebrow in the passage. From the sound of it, it was a family of three—a husband, wife, and their daughter.
From their fragmented words, Su Xiao gathered a lot of information.
Deep in District 24, there might be a large population of ghouls. The 'Central City' the ghoul couple mentioned was likely the deepest part of District 24.
The couple also mentioned 'beasts.'
How could beasts appear underground? If 'beasts' was a metaphor, Su Xiao thought of one possibility: those guys wearing grass skirts could be aptly called 'beasts.'
The footsteps grew closer. The ghoul couple and their daughter walked up to the entrance.
What came into their view was a figure in a white trench coat, holding a sharp blade. The sunlight at the entrance made it hard to see the figure's face, only a pair of cold eyes.
"Zero Squad."
The husband among the ghoul couple spoke, his voice strained, his eyes showing helplessness.
"Honey, it looks like we have to fight."
The ghoul couple stood in front of their daughter. She was a short-haired little girl with big, watery eyes, exceptionally adorable.
"Can you let us pass? If we fight to the death, you won't have an easy time either, Zero Squad member."
The male ghoul's kagune appeared—it was an Ukaku. It seemed he had at least two kakuhou, one behind each shoulder.
Two grayish-white kagune greatswords formed, wrapping around the male ghoul's arms.
A kakuja! This ghoul was definitely a kakuja, with strength around SS-rank. From his stance, he was no pushover; he likely had professional training.
After the male ghoul revealed his kagune, the female ghoul's kagune also appeared.
The female ghoul had a Rinkaku—a pair of massive crimson wings spread behind her, at least three meters in diameter.
The larger the kagune, the higher the Rc cell concentration in the ghoul's body, and the stronger the ghoul.
This ghoul couple were both SS-rank ghouls, and they seemed to have good teamwork.
After all, they slept together every day; bad teamwork would be strange.
"Please, we don't want to hurt you. Our family has never eaten humans; we only eat ghouls that died accidentally."
The female ghoul's tone was almost pleading.
"If I let you go, what do I get?"
The couple exchanged glances.
"We just want to leave District 24. Besides, can you really kill both of us? I've never seen you in Zero Squad before."
The male ghoul had a bad temper, killing intent surging in his eyes.
"Oh? Are you sure?"
A smirk curled at the corner of Su Xiao's mouth as he tightened his grip on Dragon-Slaying Flash. The blade let out a clear ring.
For some reason, Su Xiao had recently felt as if something inside Dragon-Slaying Flash had come alive; it grew more and more responsive.
Earlier, when guarding the back door of the Bronze Tree stronghold in District 11, he had the illusion that Dragon-Slaying Flash was cooperating with him in battle.
Su Xiao gave a bitter smile and shook his head. How could a blade cooperate with him in battle? It was just an inanimate object.
Even if a weapon could truly gain consciousness, it wouldn't be one of Dragon-Slaying Flash's grade.
Su Xiao's smile and the clear ring of Dragon-Slaying Flash made the ghoul couple's scalps tingle. The little girl hid behind her mother, as if Su Xiao were a ferocious beast.
Ghouls had instincts sharper than beasts. The ghoul couple sensed that the human before them might have slaughtered many of their kind, far more than they could imagine.
The couple felt fear. They weren't afraid of fighting, nor of death—both were SS-rank ghouls.
But their daughter was behind them. If they fought an overly dangerous enemy, their daughter would be at risk, as blades and swords were blind.
To the couple, Su Xiao now felt beyond 'too dangerous'—he was extremely dangerous.
"You investigators like ghoul kakuhou, don't you? If you let my wife and daughter leave, I'll give you one of my kakuhou."
This man was a ghoul, but he had the responsibility of a man.
"Honey..."
The female ghoul started to speak but was silenced by a glare from her husband.
"Daddy."
The little ghoul girl grabbed her father's sleeve, her eyes teary as she shook her head.
Su Xiao was a bit speechless. The family of three in front of him needed a lighting technician and a camera.
"What happened deep in District 24?"
Su Xiao's sudden question made the female ghoul's face light up. As long as they could communicate, there was a chance.
"No comment..."
The male ghoul was about to speak, but his wife quickly grabbed him.
"Honey, the previous 'King' has abandoned us. The current 'King' isn't qualified to lead us two. We're free now, no longer loyal to anyone."
After hearing his wife's words, the male ghoul closed his eyes in pain.
"Speak."
Guilt appeared in the female ghoul's eyes. Sometimes, women could sacrifice many things for their children.
"Investigator sir, the 'beasts' deep in District 24 have broken out of their cage. I don't know if you've seen a primitive-looking ghoul. Now, 'Central City' is occupied by those 'beasts.'
They're different from us. Besides eating people, they're completely like humans normally."
Even though the couple agreed to answer Su Xiao's questions, they kept it brief.
"Where did those 'beasts' you mentioned come from? And who are the two 'Kings' you mentioned earlier?"
These two questions seemed to stump the couple.
"Those beasts came from deep underground. I don't know the details. As for the two 'Kings,' it's a long story. The 'King' is our ghoul leader. The previous 'King' abandoned us. The current 'King' is someone named Yoshimura..."
"Slap."
A sharp slap rang out.
The male ghoul had slapped his wife.
"Have you forgotten who saved our lives? Have you forgotten who specially brought us medicine when Rika was seriously ill? It was her father. Without that person, Rika might have died. If the 'King' hadn't been hostile to her father, we would have already pledged loyalty to her."
The male ghoul's face was full of pain. After slapping his wife, it seemed to drain all his strength.
The female ghoul lowered her head, saying nothing, her face full of guilt.
"Pfft..."
Blood splattered as a bloody kakuhou was tossed toward Su Xiao.
"The kakuhou is yours. Let my wife and daughter pass."
Su Xiao caught the kakuhou but didn't step aside.
"It seems you know many secrets. I can let you pass and provide you with a safe place to stay, but I need some information.
Don't underestimate the surface world. SS-rank ghouls like you, without protection from a large organization, will soon become quinque."
The male ghoul was about to refuse when he noticed Su Xiao's gaze growing more dangerous.
"Your daughter is really cute. It would be a shame if she died, wouldn't it?"
The male ghoul's expression twisted; he wished he could devour Su Xiao alive. After more than ten seconds, the male ghoul sighed and chose to compromise.
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