Chapter 178: Coincidence (3)
Chapter 178: Coincidence (3)
The anomaly that occurred in Shanghai was, naturally, reported to the rest of the world immediately.
It was a phenomenon where every single window in the entire city shattered simultaneously—something that had never happened before, even after the emergence of supernatural abilities.
Han Shin and his group were also watching the news on TV at home.
Since many civilians had been seriously injured and some had even met with unfortunate deaths, emergency broadcasts had been scheduled to deliver real-time updates on the situation.
"Do you think the demons are up to something?"
Laysia answered Han Shin’s question cautiously.
"It seems highly likely, but... I’m not entirely sure..."
"I’ve never seen anything like this either, so I can't say for certain," Grace added, her reaction mirroring Laysia's.
"Hmm..."
Even the two who had fought demons in the Other World claimed this was a first, which left Han Shin’s mind in a tangle.
After a moment of silent contemplation, Han Shin reached a conclusion.
"I think we’ll only find answers if we go to Shanghai ourselves."
He didn't know exactly what was happening, but investigating in person was the surest way to find out.
Han Shin believed that such an unprecedented anomaly was no mere coincidence, but he couldn't ignore the possibility that it might be a phenomenon they were simply unfamiliar with.
Grace, Laysia, and Kang Yujin shared his sentiment. They had only spoken with uncertainty because they truly hadn't encountered such a thing before.
Kang Yujin, who had been listening quietly to the conversation, stood up abruptly.
"Then I’ll contact the Association right away."
"Wait a second, Noona. Wouldn't it be better if we went secretly? We’re going there to investigate; if we go officially through the Association, we’ll draw too much attention..."
"Ah..."
Kang Yujin realized what Han Shin was getting at.
In a situation where they weren't even sure if this was the work of demons, going to China officially through the Association would likely result in their information being leaked one way or another.
Furthermore, if they moved around Shanghai to investigate, their equipment would inevitably draw eyes.
Han Shin’s party had become far too famous; the public interest would be so high that moving freely would be nearly impossible.
"You’re right, Shin. If the Demonic Humans or demons are secretly plotting something, we might not be able to investigate properly if we can't slip in unnoticed."
Kang Yujin reproached herself for thinking too simplistically and trying to rely on the Association’s help out of habit.
"Then I’ll check with a broker for a flight and a hotel we can get into right now."
"Yeah, please do, Noona."
Kang Yujin immediately contacted the broker she had used for their trip to Nepal to secure a flight and a place to stay.
While purchasing a house outright like they did in Nepal would have been safer, they didn't have the luxury of time since they needed to move immediately.
From the broker's perspective, Kang Yujin’s request was incredibly easy.
As soon as he heard her requirements, he promised to look into it and call back. In less than ten minutes, he responded that everything was ready.
To avoid standing out, everyone prepared casual, unremarkable clothing.
Of course, that didn't mean the beauty of Grace, Laysia, and Kang Yujin could be hidden; going out as they were would surely attract a crowd.
Naturally, all four of them took Perception Distortion Artifacts—which they had started using recently—ensuring they wouldn't draw attention unless they engaged in direct combat or did something loud and disruptive.
★ ★ ★
Having successfully hidden herself in a hotel room, Sitri felt relieved that she no longer had to deal with the attention of those insect-like humans.
Sinking deep into the luxurious sofa in the room, Sitri felt a sense of hopelessness regarding her current situation.
Closing her eyes, she turned her gaze inward to inspect her own body.
My Dark Mana still hasn't returned...
The fact that she couldn't feel even a trace of Dark Mana in her body filled her with a profound sense of loss and anxiety.
When one who possesses great power loses it, the backlash is inevitably severe.
She had lost all her subordinates and was dropped alone right into the middle of enemy territory.
If she were to be discovered now, she would likely be captured without a fight, tortured, and then die a dog's death.
Her head throbbing, Sitri wondered how she was supposed to contact the Demonic Humans. Moving recklessly would surely leave a trail.
"Sigh..."
A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
Sitri was wrestling with a dilemma.
No matter how much she thought about it, she felt she needed to create a human subordinate.
The easiest way to do that was to use her nature as a succubus to seduce a male.
Though she was a succubus—a race with inherently carnal attributes—she belonged to the faction that preferred martial arts and combat.
Moreover, she was a demon who had reached the highest echelons of Asmodeus's forces through those means.
Because she had never failed and possessed immense pride, she loathed the idea of acting coquettishly or giving her body to insect-like humans.
While she had never been in a serious relationship, it wasn't as if she hadn't had sex before.
However, her partners were never just anyone; they were beings she considered her equal or superior in power.
She had met with a few demons she deemed acceptable, but even those encounters were for the sake of expanding her influence or for political alliances.
Given her history, the thought of surrendering her body to humans—beings she considered lowly and inferior—filled her with extreme revulsion.
After much agonizing, she decided to observe the situation a bit longer and familiarize herself with Earth's culture.
While she was brooding, she fiddled with a remote control and turned on the TV. Seeing the news provide a detailed explanation of the events in the city, she decided to use it to gather information.
Sitri considered it a stroke of immense luck that she had acquired the local language through magic during her process of gathering and analyzing information about Earth.
After watching TV for a long while, it suddenly occurred to Sitri that she hadn't washed yet and looked a mess.
The sun had already set, and the world outside was dark. She decided to wash up while she was resting.
Sitri immediately shed her clothes.
Though her skin was pale, her provocative silhouette—dripping with the innate sensuality of a succubus—was enough to stir even a dying old man.
She possessed large, beautiful breasts tipped with pink areolas, a slender waist, and a pair of captivating hips that made any onlooker want to reach out.
The purple-haired succubus, now without a stitch of clothing, looked even more alluring as her pale skin contrasted with her sensual form.
As she walked toward the bathroom, her breasts swayed and her firm buttocks bounced with every step.
'Well... this isn't bad...'
Sitri was reasonably satisfied with the luxury hotel's bathroom, which was designed more extravagantly than the one she had used in Nippur.
Due to the many events of the day, her body still hadn't recovered its original strength.
Furthermore, it wouldn't have been strange if she had been torn to shreds between the cracks of the Dimensional Barrier like her subordinate demons. The price of her survival was a body that felt as though it had been beaten black and blue.
Shhhhhhh—.
As she showered under the stream of hot water, she felt her body begin to relax.
While Sitri was washing, feeling her fatigue wash away, guests she would find anything but welcome appeared on the first floor of the hotel.
It was Han Shin’s group.
"I have a reservation for Room 808."
Since the broker had made the reservation in advance using a forged identity, Kang Yujin presented the ID she had received from him.
Because the Perception Distortion Artifact could manipulate others' perception to make her look like the face on the ID, she was verified immediately and handed the key.
"Here you go."
It was truly a stroke of terrible luck for Sitri, but the hotel she was staying in was one of the top luxury hotels in Shanghai.
That was why this was happening.
As a top-tier hotel, they always strove to provide the best service. They had moved faster than anyone else to repair the windows shattered by the anomaly, becoming the first hotel in Shanghai to resume taking guests.
That was why Sitri had been able to get a room here with Tsushuan's help...
And the broker Kang Yujin contacted had also chosen the best hotel to accommodate his VIP client, leading to their paths crossing.
Sitri, completely oblivious to this, would have been fuming at her misfortune if she knew.
However... her bad luck and things to worry about didn't end there.