"Huh? What did you say?!"
Fusiming’s words struck the Little Succubus like a thunderbolt on a clear day, leaving her utterly stunned and frozen in place.
Nainai knew *exactly* what "curfew" meant for her...
—It meant no more "prey" wandering the streets at night. Period.
Nainai’s composure cracked.
Though she’d only met this taciturn young man twice, and his claim sounded outrageous, something about Fusiming’s cold, reserved face and his calm, gravelly voice made her believe him—70% at least.
"You stalker! If you’re lying, I’ll kill you!"
Heart hammering in her throat, the Little Succubus flailed her arms, putting on a fierce but hollow show of defiance.
"......"
Fusiming didn’t argue. He simply pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and silently showed her the bold red headline on the homepage:
**EMERGENCY CURFEW NOTICE FOR ASHI CITY**
—Effective 22:00 today, Ashi City enters a state of emergency (duration TBD; follow Scavenger Squad official site). Mandatory curfew begins tomorrow at 20:00. All citizens must remain indoors after curfew to avoid unnecessary incidents...
This was the *Federal Evening News* website—not some clickbait hoax.
The curfew was real.
And the phone’s top-left corner clearly displayed "22:31."
Ashi City had already locked down half an hour ago.
If the Scavenger Squad patrols caught her now, she’d be hauled straight to the station for interrogation.
Her plan to hunt in the West District? Shattered.
The last shred of hope in the Little Succubus’s heart crumbled.
"T-This... this..."
Nainai’s body trembled violently, emotions crashing over her like a tsunami. Gurgles bubbled in her throat, but she couldn’t form a single coherent word.
"It’s fake! I don’t believe it... Wait!"
Her eyes darted between Fusiming’s phone and his face, refusing to accept reality.
Then, a critical detail pierced her panic.
"Hey! If there’s a curfew, what about *you*? Why are *you* still roaming outside?"
Her unfocused gaze snapped sharp—like a drowning woman grabbing a lifeline—as she lashed out at Fusiming.
(It wasn’t her business why he was out. But logic had fled.)
Fusiming didn’t answer. He just powered off his phone, slipped it back into his pocket, and shifted his gaze past Nainai toward a nearby intersection.
"Why so quiet? What are you staring at—"
Humans instinctively follow others’ gazes. When one person fixates on something, bystanders inevitably look too.
Nainai was no exception.
"What’s wrong with you? It’s just an intersection. Nothing to—"
***"Ashi City is under emergency lockdown. All civilians outdoors must return home immediately..."***
***"Ashi City is under emergency lockdown. All civilians outdoors must return home immediately..."***
A pitch-black armored vehicle bearing the Scavenger Squad insignia sped through the intersection, its roof-mounted speakers blaring the announcement on loop.
...Okay. He hadn’t lied.
Fusiming watched the vehicle vanish, then turned back to the Little Succubus—who stood frozen like an ice sculpture. His unspoken message was clear:
*See? Told you.*
Truth was, Fusiming had only seen the notice when he left home.
This had to be Wanghong’s doing.
Why impose a curfew when the Ashi City Scavenger Squad was already stretched thin? Patrols would drain even more manpower...
*Is this to protect me?*
Fusiming’s lips tightened. His reckless solo "mission" had been selfish. The curfew wouldn’t help the case—but it *would* protect *him*.
Wanghong’s strategy was transparent: *kill two birds with one stone.*
Two federal statutes made this possible:
First, any violent attack endangering three or more Scavengers would trigger an automatic "Major Challenge to Federal Authority" designation. Response? Immediate deployment of three or more Ferocious Rank Extraordinary Beings to eliminate all perpetrators.
Second, Scavenger patrols—routine, curfew, lockdown—always required 2-3 members per unit.
Combined, they formed the Scavengers’ ultimate deterrent:
***Cross us, and we’ll send three hellraisers to drag you through hell.***
Fusiming was the "mouse."
The "porcelain" the Bones of Death feared breaking? Those three ordinary patrolmen who’d just driven past in the East District.
Fusiming could hold his own. If he reached the patrol before being subdued, the Bones of Death would back off. Their survival depended on avoiding federal wrath.
That’s why gangs stayed in the West District. Poke the federal hornet’s nest, and "internal affairs" became an extermination order.
"You... I... he..."
Nainai flushed crimson under Fusiming’s steady gaze, shame and fury warring on her doll-like face. It glowed like a ripe apple—so tempting you’d want to bite into its sweet, juicy flesh.
"N-No! That’s not the point!"
She stomped her foot, tail lashing wildly, desperately deflecting to hide her embarrassment. "What about *you*? Why aren’t *you* home? Why are *you* out here at night?"
(She was breaking curfew too. But misery loves company.)
Fusiming still didn’t speak. After yesterday’s lesson, he knew arguing with Nainai—whose persistence rivaled Ji Mengzhu’s—was futile.
Actions spoke louder.
Silently, he pulled a palm-sized booklet from his inner pocket. Its dark leather cover bore a stark white emblem:
—An abstract fist gripping a straight-bladed broom.
Every federal citizen recognized it.
The Scavenger Squad insignia.
As Nainai stared, dumbfounded, Fusiming opened the booklet. Beside a high-definition photo matching his face perfectly, anti-counterfeit indented lettering displayed his name, age, rank, and a crimson official seal.
Only now did she learn the brooding 26-year-old’s name:
Fusiming.
Ordinary Squad Member, Ashi City Scavenger Squad, Internal Affairs Division.
