Although the goatee guy and the parted-hair guy were once seasoned robbers, ten years of retirement spent "washing their hands in a golden pot" had clearly dulled their edge—both in terms of combat ability and mental resilience.
Jiangxia knocked out the murderous aura (read: the actual criminals) before the villa owner and Amuro Toru made it downstairs.
He handed the stolen watch he'd recovered to the villa owner's tragically unlucky granddaughter.
By now, the gemstones on the watch had dimmed slightly—unsurprising, considering there was a little energy core tucked inside. After all, these jewels were originally stolen goods, and apparently theft has poor battery life.
Amuro gave the watch a glance. Something about the shine seemed off.
But back when he'd found it, the room was pitch-black and only illuminated by his industrial-strength flashlight. Now, under the warm lighting of Jiangxia's study, everything looked different. Luster changed. Totally normal. Probably.
Nakamura thanked them and unearthed a dusty landline from the utility room.
She was a mystery novelist, and had long planned to move into this villa to mine it for inspiration. She'd already brought her luggage, paid all the fees, and made big declarations to the universe. She just... hadn't actually unpacked yet. Procrastination: the true horror story.
After she called the police, they arrived quickly and collected the two dazed robbers like takeaway.
Nakamura handed over the stolen jewelry-watch to the police. Between a shiny trinket and a villa filled with suspicious puzzles, her priorities were clear. Give her a dead body over diamonds any day.
…
Eventually, everyone piled into a police car and hitched a ride back to central Tokyo.
By the time the paperwork was done and the robbers had been scolded into custody, it was already dark out.
Amuro arranged for a tow truck to grab his wrecked car from the suburbs. In the meantime, he procured a completely different vehicle to drive. No one asked whose car it was or who'd be footing the bill. Frankly, no one wanted to know.
Jiangxia didn't bother hitching a ride with him. According to his mental "Detective Habits Observation Notes – Toru Amuro Edition," once Amuro entered Tokyo proper, his ability to attract bizarre murder cases dropped sharply.
Besides, two cases had already popped up around Amuro in just a few days. Clearly, it was time for the Boss to rest and recharge for the next chaos arc.
Dr. Agasa heard about the situation and rolled up in his tiny Beetle to pick up Jiangxia and the two fake children.
…
Jiangxia thought the night was finally winding down into peace.
He was wrong.
As their car passed through a bustling street, Tengu—perched like a haunted hood ornament—perked up.
It knocked on the window, stared out for a moment, then flew out for a recon loop.
Just as they stopped at a red light, Tengu happily swooped back into the car, practically buzzing with excitement.
It poked Jiangxia, eyes shining with ghostly glee—it had spotted Kid nearby.
Then it swallowed, ominously.
The other ghosts in the car—never ones to miss a good snack—lit up too, their expressions matching Tengu's.
An energy core was, after all, a rare treat. For ghosts who'd tasted one, the craving was reflexive. Hearing "Kid" was like hearing a dinner bell.
Jiangxia perked up as well.
He glanced back at the street they'd passed and memorized the location. "Alright," he said. "Where exactly did you see him?"
…
At that moment, Kid was indeed loitering with Terai in a nearby alley.
Soon, a high school girl in casual clothes jogged toward them.
This was Nakamori Aoko—childhood friend of Kid. Her father? Nakamori Ginzo, the eternally unfortunate detective from Division Two whose full-time job was chasing Kid around the city.
Neither of the Nakamoris currently knew Kid's true identity. If they did, they'd probably team up to cave in his skull with a broom handle.
…
In the alley, Kid eyed Aoko's outfit and sighed. "You won't be able to get into the bar dressed like that."
Beside him, Grandpa Terai corrected with an utterly serious face: "Sir, it's not a bar. It's a billiards club."
Kid waved this off. "Same difference."
Tonight's outing was personal.
—Back in his glory days, Terai had been a legend in the local billiards scene. He'd owned a priceless cue stick inlaid with more gemstones than a royal crown.
But decades ago, during a high-stakes match, that very cue had been won by a rival club—one ominously called "America." This boss had shown up with an ace pool player and even sabotaged Terai's chalk powder.
Years later, Terai looked back on it calmly. "A loss is a loss," he said, zen-like.
Kid, being a thief rather than a saint, disagreed. "If they won it by cheating, I can win it back by thieving," he declared.
So, a few days ago, he sent a notice letter to America, promising to steal back the king cue.
Tonight's plan: sneak into the club under his normal identity, cause a little chaos, and swipe the goods.
…
Despite being officially a billiards club, America also had a bar and gambling dens tucked inside. Technically, seventeen-year-olds like Kid and Aoko weren't allowed.
But let's be honest—clubs like this thrived on turning a blind eye.
Ten minutes later, Kid and Aoko were seated at the bar.
Kid sat with the poise of a grown-up, scanned the drink list… and confidently ordered a double-scoop chocolate ice cream.
Grandpa Terai, sweating bullets at the bartender's side-eye, frantically ordered a cocktail for Aoko to save face.
Their "desserts and drinks" arrived. But just as Kid was about to dig in, he noticed someone entering the bar.
Tall. Kimono-clad. Carrying a long, lumpy bundle wrapped in black cloth. Narrow at the bottom, wide at the top.
Tengu.
The ghost had found a piece of fabric to cover its wings. It even had the gall to dress up like a normal human.
And worse—it actually pulled it off.
…No, wait. Focus. That's not the problem.
The problem is: why the hell is it here?!
Kid's eyes darted from Tengu to Aoko sitting beside him.
He suddenly remembered something important.
According to the rumors he'd picked up, the police had started noticing the existence of Tengu. Of course, they thought it was a person in some weird black-winged flight suit.
Since Kid usually operated at night, Tengu—who often popped up during Kid's heists—had only been spotted in the dark, with minimal lighting or camera footage. So far, the sightings were vague and unverifiable.
But still… if this continues, it's only a matter of time before the police see Tengu clearly. And when they do, they're bound to assume it's one of Kid's accomplices.
Which means…
If right now, Tengu suddenly strolls up to him like they're old buddies—in front of Aoko—
...this is going to be a pain in the pot.
*Goal #1: Top 200 fanfics published within the last 31 - 90 days by POWER STONES.
Progress: 18/60(approx) for 10 BONUS CHAPTERS
Goal #2: One BONUS CHAPTER per review for the first 10 REVIEWS.
Progress:2/10*