Chapter 64
Ye Yihe had to admit that he often had no way to deal with Fedor.
The phrase "there was nothing that could be done" here refers to the fact that Fyodor was so adept at understanding his psychology and adjusting his approach accordingly that Ye Yihe's initial wariness was always quickly shattered.
Especially after witnessing the intense pressure the other party exerts when negotiating with others, and then comparing that current concession and show of goodwill...
This frail but clever little mouse really knows how to break down his psychological defenses.
Even though he deliberately went against Fyodor, helping the government strengthen cybersecurity and choosing to eliminate him when Fyodor proposed taking control of the port mafia, and didn't want him to contact Tatsuhiko Shibusawa—all this only earned him the response of "complying with his ideas."
Think of this submissive compromise, which is tantamount to showing weakness, and then think of how Fyodor had terrified the deputy director with just a few words in the private room.
Ye Yihe opened his mouth, but then stopped himself from speaking.
"…………"
How can this guy be so lovable yet infuriating!
"Then tell me first," Ye Yihe finally spoke after a long silence, "What do you want to do with Shibusawa Tatsuhiko? Don't try to fob me off with answers like 'liberating lost souls.' When Ivan was lost, you were planning to cut off the nerves that allowed him to feel pain."
Without delving into how Fyodor managed to do this, there's no such thing as a crude, superficial solution. He was stunned when Ivan mentioned it later.
[Ivan.]
When this was mentioned, Fyodor let out a faint laugh.
[Didn't you heal him very well? For Ivan, it was as if God himself was with him, acting as his God, wiping away every tear from his eyes, and that there was no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, for the old order of things had passed away. I was quite surprised when I discovered this.]
While saying he was "quite surprised," Ye Yihe didn't really feel that he was surprised at all. On the contrary, he seemed to know everything all along.
...No matter how unfamiliar or dangerous the situation, there is no need to worry about his insightful ability to quickly grasp the overall situation.
"Come on, you can do that too," Ye Yihe retorted calmly.
Fyodor only wanted to use the most efficient and effortless method to make the other party completely work for him, without considering anything else.
Like a monkey's paw, the wishes made may come true, but they also bring about worse changes.
[But I won't do that, and that's the difference between you and me.]
Fyodor smiled slightly, his eyes narrowing. "However, I truly have no intention of doing anything to Tatsuhiko Shibusawa. He himself is already chasing after things that bring him spiritual gratification—diamonds, jewels, gold and silver—plundering countless precious possessions like a dragon, only to feel even more empty in the blink of an eye and abandon them."
[His own special ability is also related to this. Tatsuhiko Shibusawa can extract the abilities of others into gem-like crystalline entities and store them in his treasure trove.]
[Furthermore, ordinary people will not be affected in the slightest, because they do not possess this special power.]
[Before he was taken into custody by the Special Abilities Division, the number of superhumans who had died at his hands had already exceeded three digits.]
For so many superhumans, who constitute an absolute minority in human society, to die in one go, Shibusawa Tatsuhiko could truly be described as having gone on a killing spree.
Similarly, it's no wonder that the Special Abilities Division only imprisoned him but didn't execute him. This kind of superhuman who specializes in attacking superhumans is like a father who can defeat magic with magic; he's an indispensable and highly sought-after character no matter which episode he's in.
No matter how heinous the other party's actions are, as long as the superpower is useful, one can survive peacefully.
However, speaking of Tatsuhiko Shibusawa's special ability...
"His ability only targets those with superpowers," Ye Yihe said suddenly, "which perfectly matches your ideal..."
It's practically a perfect match; no wonder Fyodor wanted to get in touch with him.
Even so, Fyodor could give up so easily, simply because he didn't want to anger him?
Ye Yihe's words caught in his throat, unable to escape his tongue.
Fyodor clearly guessed what he was thinking, because that elusive, subtle chuckle was slowly echoing in his mind again.
[As I said, I want to fulfill your wish.]
Ye Yihe understood his unspoken meaning, “…”
I wasn't able to help with the Mafia incident at the port before, but that promise still stands—just like it does now.
...He really was a cunning and clever little mouse.
…………
When they returned to the small building, everyone's eyes were on Ye Yihe.
Ye Yihe smiled at them and gave them a "successfully done" gesture. "Free to work, but the Special Abilities Department will provide backup and intelligence support."
They don't need to bear the responsibilities of the Special Abilities Division, yet they can enjoy their legitimate power to manage villains.
The living room instantly became filled with a joyful atmosphere.
"This is the best possible result! As expected, the boss's negotiations never disappoint us!" Pushkin clapped his hands in approval of his boss.
"To celebrate, how about I have a good meal today, boss?"
His eyes sparkled as he looked at Ye Yihe, full of expectation; it was clearly a compliment with a purpose.
"…………"
With his smile fading, Ye Yihe glanced at Pushkin with a lingering look.
The MVP of the negotiation isn't him, it's Fyodor in the Palace of Consciousness. What's the point of flattering him? Will he become particularly happy?
Want to have a fattening meal? No way!
Pushkin, understanding what was happening, immediately hung his head in dejection: "…………"
Sigh, I won't get a good meal today either. The boss's thoughts are really hard to fathom.
"Let's have sukiyaki tonight,"
However, Yeikh's next words roused him again: "Pushkin can eat the vegetables and beef inside."
Although it's still boiled food, the broth in sukiyaki is incredibly fragrant. It's not just ordinary water without oil or salt; everything cooked in it tastes delicious!
"Boss, you are my best boss!"
Pushkin immediately beamed. "Are you short of ingredients? I'll go buy them, I can go right now!"
"I'm this happy just from eating sukiyaki."
Dazai Osamu, who had little appetite, slumped lazily on the sofa, his iris eyes, visible through his bandages, blinking listlessly.
"That's great! I wish I had that puppy-like mindset that makes me happy as long as I eat good food."
Chuuya Nakahara, who was sitting next to him and secretly pleased, turned pale upon hearing this. He reflexively wanted to punch Dazai Osamu, but then he thought that would be tantamount to admitting that he was a dog, which would be a huge loss for him.
As for whether that bandaged bastard said it on purpose or meant something... well, Chuuya Nakahara decided to pretend he didn't hear it. If he didn't hear it, it doesn't exist.
Besides, he's not happy just because he eats good food.
Sitting at the dining table, the pragmatic Oda Sakunosuke had already spread out a piece of paper and started listing the ingredients he needed to buy.
Crabs are listed first.
Adding some crab meat would at least make Dazai happier.
Now that the deal is successful, what is our next goal?
Dazai Osamu slowly shifted his cheek onto the sofa, only half his face showing as he faced Ye Yihe, like a cat that hadn't had enough sleep and didn't want to move at all. "Let me muster some energy—otherwise, I'd rather hang under the eaves as a wind chime—"
"Just say the word when you want to hang it up, and I'll help you," Chuuya Nakahara replied without looking up. "I'll make sure it's securely fastened for you."
By using [gravity manipulation] to reverse your own gravity direction, you can stand on the ceiling without even needing a ladder, allowing you to satisfy the other party's needs at the fastest speed.
"Hmm, I would also suggest giving it a try,"
Dazai Osamu's laughter was muffled, but the power to make Chuuya bristle was no less. "I've heard that in some places there are methods to help children grow taller by stretching their cervical spine. I suppose hanging yourself up would have the same effect?"
Chuuya Nakahara was stunned for a moment, then hesitated and touched his neck, "...Really?"
“It’s fake,” Ye Yihe thought to himself, looking up at the sky in disbelief at Chuuya’s gullibility. “Don’t believe Dazai’s random, made-up remedies.”
No wonder Chuuya almost got swept away after only a few words when he faced Fyodor; luckily, Oda Sakunosuke managed to bring him back.
These two clever guys are both good at using words to hit each other's sore spots... and they hit the mark every time.
Chuuya, who had actually believed Dazai for a few seconds, was speechless.
I really want to kick this bandaged bastard out the window.
"As for the next operation, I do have a target."
Ye Yihe recalled the distribution of illegal organizations in Yokohama that Fyodor had previously described to him: "【Holy Heaven's Staff】, a criminal organization that attracts believers by relying on cults and fake miracles, and then uses that as an opportunity to amass wealth."
No matter how harmful other organizations may be, there are limits to their physical attacks.
For example, if they want to kill someone, they must rely on external forces such as guns, swords, or superpowers.
Furthermore, there is a limit to the number of people a bullet or a single slash can kill. No matter how bizarre the effects of superpowers may be, they are essentially a means of attacking the target's physical body.
But cults are different. The destructive power they bring is not the harm caused by weapons in the conventional sense, but a kind of large-scale spiritual devouring, like a viral infection.
Not only are believers exploited, but once the financial and intellectual exploitation exceeds the limit, their families will also sink into the quagmire of despair.
Moreover, they use supernatural abilities to fake miracles, which allows this organization to recruit followers much faster than ordinary cults.
In short, cult organizations are never good things.
The sooner they are eliminated, the more victims can be saved.
"Hmph... the Holy Heavenly Staff," Dazai Osamu chuckled with amusement. "It won't be easy to take down an organization like that; the collusion between politics and religion could be quite serious, you know?"
Ye Yihe nodded. "I understand."
Cults with a large following want to legitimize themselves, while politicians want power and benefits, so they engage in private exchanges of favors; one side provides votes and political donations from followers, while the other side, after winning the election, enacts policies that benefit the cult organization.
This is also an important factor that has enabled many cults to eventually become legitimate religious groups.
“Before, we had the port mafia keeping us at bay, and the Holy Staff had only been developing for a few years, so its power wasn’t that great yet,” Ye Yihe made a clean and decisive throat-slitting gesture with his hand, “Let’s take advantage of this and finish them off in one go.”
The believer and his family are saved, and he gains the point of resurrection—a win-win situation.
"But what if we eliminate this cult, and another one emerges?" Pushkin pondered, stroking his chin.
“Keep killing them.” Ye Yihe replied without blinking.
Rather, he was overjoyed—killing one resurrection point monster and getting another one to spawn, what a wonderful thing!
Thinking of this, Ye Yihe couldn't help but smile, making Pushkin feel uneasy all over.
His boss really is a devil. What kind of bloody scene is he imagining that makes him so happy... He used to just use his brain to plan bad things, but now even his personality has become twisted, just like Ivan next to him...
Under Ivan's indifferent gaze, who seemed to sense his thoughts, Pushkin immediately straightened his face, his expression serious, upright, and unwavering.
"That's right, that's how you should deal with heinous criminals. Kill them until other villains are terrified, until they wet their pants at the sight of the boss!"
"We must protect Yokohama in the boss's heart!"
Ye Yihe narrowed his eyes: "...There's no need for that."
Anyone walking on the street would smell the ammonia odor. Besides, he doesn't really love Yokohama that much; he's just trying to get some resurrection points.
Pushkin: "...Oh."
Dazai Osamu let out a suppressed chuckle, "Alright," he said, shaking his index finger lightly.
"This time, let's try a different tactic."
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