After paying 800 Paradise Coins, Su Xiao found a new skill added to his skill list.
The new skill had an eye symbol, and unlike his other skills, it was light gray, likely because it was a temporary skill.
Basic Detection (Temporary)
Skill Level: Lv.2
Usage Requirement: 10 mana points
Skill Effect: Observe the information of any living being. The completeness of the information depends on the strength difference between the observer and the target.
Tip: Each level increase adds 5% to the information completeness.
Tip: This skill has a cooldown time of ten minutes.
From the description, Basic Detection seemed pretty good, but Su Xiao wasn't sure what kind of information he would get.
"Mr. Bai Ye~?"
Suzuki Shizuo walked into the alley, looking confused at Su Xiao.
Seeing Suzuki, Su Xiao raised an eyebrow and used Basic Detection.
[10 mana points consumed. Basic Detection activated, obtaining the following information.]
Name: Suzuki Shizuo
Rank: Third-Class Investigator
Health: 100%
Mana: 50
Strength: 7
Agility: 10
Stamina: 6
Intelligence: 5
Charm: 4
Luck: 1
Skill 1: Masochist (Passive): Experiences heightened excitement after feeling pain, ignoring most of it.
Skill 2: Sadist (Passive): After showing a crazy side, will instill fear in enemies, increasing damage by 8%.
All of Suzuki's information appeared before Su Xiao. Since Suzuki was weaker than him, he got a complete set of data.
Basic Detection was a useful ability, but it was just a temporary skill that would disappear once he left the world of ghouls.
Su Xiao decided that when he returned to the Reincarnation Paradise, he would definitely get a permanent skill or equipment for detecting strength.
"Mr. Bai Ye~, where are we going?"
Suzuki circled around Su Xiao, as if he couldn't stand still for a moment.
Su Xiao stood still, thinking. Suzuki's presence meant that the enemy's contractor had started to take action.
This puzzled him. He felt he was making quick progress on the main quest. Could the ghouls’ contractors be faster?
That seemed unlikely. If the ghouls' contractors were that strong, the balance mechanism of the Reincarnation Paradise wouldn't have activated.
The reason Su Xiao wasn't wary of Suzuki at first was this. Or maybe the one watching him wasn't a contractor from the ghouls' side at all?
The Reincarnation Paradise was full of dangers, and he couldn't afford to think too rigidly.
The contractor watching him hadn't shown themselves yet, and the source of the surveillance had been found and eliminated.
Even so, he was still in the light while the enemy was in the dark. He couldn't complete the main quest (2) while hiding.
"Suzuki Shizuo, follow me. We're going back to the CCG branch."
Su Xiao decided to return to the CCG branch for now. Unlike Makoto, Suzuki had some combat ability.
If the enemy contractor showed up, Suzuki could at least buy him some time. If the enemy wasn't strong, Suzuki might even be able to take out a couple of contractors.
He couldn't stop the main quest. He wouldn't back down just because there were contractors watching him; that would be the dumbest choice.
When there's danger, he needed to address the source of that danger, not run away. That was Su Xiao's way of doing things.
In the CCG branch hall, two rows of investigators in suits stood before Su Xiao.
"Here's the situation. We'll meet here again at nine tonight."
After saying this, Su Xiao walked toward the logistics department.
Once he left, the ghouls' investigators in the hall began to whisper among themselves.
They didn't know the specific plan; Su Xiao had only told them which routes needed to be blocked.
No one knew if there were ghouls' spies in the CCG branch, so it was better to be cautious.
After arranging the plans for tonight, Su Xiao returned to his dormitory on the upper level of the CCG to rest.
He had a feeling that something unexpected might happen during tonight's auction cleanup plan.
With a few hours left before the plan was executed, he needed to make the most of his rest.
At nine that night, the CCG branch was brightly lit. Many CCG vehicles gathered at the entrance, and fully armed CCG members were already waiting there.
As Su Xiao stepped out of the branch, Makoto approached him.
"Mr. Bai Ye, everyone is gathered and ready to go."
Makoto looked a bit nervous; it was her first time participating in such a large-scale ghoul extermination operation.
"Let's go."
Su Xiao got into the car, and the sound of closing doors echoed as the engine roared to life. He led a team of nearly a hundred people.
As a first-class investigator, Su Xiao couldn't have gathered so many people without special permission from Yukinori Shinohara.
The reason for Shinohara's special approval was simply because he was strong.
Additionally, cleaning up the ghouls in District 14 was quite tempting for Shinohara.
Twenty minutes later, the convoy arrived near the auction site. CCG members quickly got out of the vehicles, hiding them first, and gradually surrounded the auction house.
These members had experience in exterminating ghouls and moved silently in the dark night.
"Mr. Bai Ye~?"
Suzuki's voice came through Su Xiao's Bluetooth earpiece.
"What's the situation?"
"We've arrived at the location. No abnormalities for now. Should we charge in?"
Suzuki's strange laughter echoed in the earpiece.
"Stay put."
Su Xiao switched channels to contact Makoto.
"Makoto, report."
"No abnormalities. We're well hidden."
Su Xiao continued contacting others. All three exits of the auction house were being monitored by his team.
It was now nine-thirty, and there was still over an hour until the auction began; it wasn't time to act yet.
"First-class Investigator Bai Ye, here's the mask you requested."
A CCG member in black combat gear handed him a mask.
During large-scale operations, CCG members wore this outfit, as the heavy combat gear helped reduce casualties.
After putting on the mask, Su Xiao headed toward the auction house.
The main entrance of the auction house was tightly locked, with only the back door open.
Ghouls wouldn't hold an auction openly, especially not in District 14.
When he reached the back door of the auction house, Su Xiao took out a small can of spray and sprayed some on his clothes.
This was a scent-masking spray that made it hard for ghouls to detect his human identity.
Most ghouls had a keen sense of smell, so if Su Xiao entered the auction house directly, he would definitely be discovered.
His plan to clean up the auction house was simple: he would enter alone first, and when the auction started, he would seal off the three exits, then it would be a killing spree.
"Password."
Just as Su Xiao was about to enter the back door of the auction house, a burly ghoul stopped him.
"Human blood T3.ST."
After Su Xiao said this strange password, the large ghoul let him pass.
"Don't cause trouble, or I'll kill you."
Su Xiao ignored the threat from the large ghoul; he was there to kill ghouls.
Entering the ghoul auction house, the atmosphere was completely different from during the day.
Before the auction started, loud music played in the auction house, and even a neon light was temporarily set up in the corner of the ceiling.
In the dim environment, the glaring colored lights and deafening music created a wild scene.
These ghouls were really bold; didn't they fear being discovered? They were already partying before the auction even started.
Under the flashing colorful lights and the booming music, ghouls were celebrating wildly.
Madness and hysteria were the feelings these ghouls gave Su Xiao.
They were living for today without a thought for tomorrow, so they indulged in their revelry.
(End of Chapter)