Suzuka pulled a long face and rolled her eyes in exasperation:
"Why is it that you ignored all my previous attempts to change the subject, but immediately perked up at the mention of confinement?"
"Director, do you have some kind of weird fetish?"
Luo Shu smiled at her: "Because I think you've got real potential in that area~."
"You...!" Suzuka bared her fangs in anger. "Who are you calling a masochist! If anything, I'm clearly the sadistic type!"
Luo Shu looked genuinely surprised: "Do Onmyou Agency students study... that sort of thing?"
Suzuka's entire face turned crimson with a clang-like intensity.
Shaking his head, Luo Shu corrected himself: "No, I shouldn't associate a student's personal interests with the Onmyou Agency's curriculum."
"Should I thank you on behalf of the Onmyou Agency then?"
Suzuka ground her teeth in frustration. She was beginning to realise that Luo Shu was the true master of subject-changing.
It's just that his chosen topics were guaranteed to infuriate people.
"Let's get back to business."
Suzuka gave up on bantering with Luo Shu.
If this continued, she might end up being forced to prove whether she was an M or S.
"What exactly is the Director's purpose in mentioning the Taizan Fukun Ritual to a bereaved sister?"
"Are you trying to lure me into performing that forbidden technique so you can arrest me afterwards and claim credit for your promotion?"
"That would make for a decent backup plan." Luo Shu nodded, appearing to genuinely consider the idea.
Suzuka's mouth twitched: "I'm starting to understand how you rose so quickly to become an SDS Director."
"With your talent for creating achievements where none exist, you absolutely deserve to be in leadership!"
By the end, Suzuka was practically gnashing her teeth.
Seeing this, Luo Shu chuckled before taking a sip of coffee. After several seconds of contemplation, he finally spoke:
"The Taizan Fukun Ritual of the Gokadoin Family currently only exhibits the ability of immortality."
Hearing this, Suzuka Dairenji frowned:
"No resurrection of the dead?"
"I recall the primary function of this technique is to manipulate life and death. Are there limiting conditions preventing its full use, or is there another reason?"
In response to these questions, Luo Shu stood up, walked to a nearby cabinet, opened the third drawer from the left, retrieved a file, and handed it over:
"This is the intelligence the SDS has gathered regarding the Gokadoin Family."
"Is it really appropriate to give such information to a newcomer still preparing for employment?"
Despite her words, Suzuka swiftly snatched the file and began rapidly flipping through its contents.
"Your actions don't seem to reflect any genuine concern about the matter."
Luo Shu chuckled and shook his head before returning to the sofa opposite Suzuka.
Meanwhile, as she scanned the documents, Suzuka's expression grew increasingly grim.
After finishing the last document, she neatly stacked the papers and placed them on the nearby table before turning to Luo Shu:
"The Gokadoin Family's Taizan Fukun Ritual doesn't have the power to resurrect the dead?"
Luo Shu glanced at her: "You're inferring that from the intelligence about Abe no Seimei needing Hagoromo Gitsune to gestate a new body, aren't you?"
Suzuka Dairenji nodded.
Seeing this, Luo Shu replied: "I can only say it's a possibility. But based on my understanding, Abe no Seimei went through such troublesome measures because he needed a body stronger than his previous half-yokai form."
"So he required a special reincarnating yokai like Hagoromo Gitsune to gestate it, until the yokai called Nue could be born as his vessel."
Suzuka's eyes seemed to brighten slightly:
"Meaning the Taizan Fukun Ritual could still potentially resurrect the dead?"
"I can only say there's a possibility."
Luo Shu had actually used the Mysticism Encyclopaedia for divination long ago, and the answer he received did indeed suggest the resurrection ritual could potentially succeed.
According to the divination results, which tended to distort or blur when concerning Demigod Rank or higher entities, Luo Shu could confidently conclude the Taizan Fukun Ritual was connected to beings of at least Demigod Rank.
If so, then Abe no Seimei - that is, Nue - couldn't possibly be the ritual's creator.
After all, the Mysticism Encyclopaedia could still divine information about Nue.
Even Nue and Minagoroshi Jizō's communications linking to hell were within the Encyclopaedia's divinable scope.
Hearing Luo Shu confirm the possibility, Suzuka's mind immediately became active.
If the Gokadoin Family's Taizan Fukun Ritual was usable, she could absolutely seize and employ it herself, then frame the Gokadoin Family for its use while resurrecting her brother.
As for the Onmyou Agency's subsequent investigation, while Suzuka felt some concern, she didn't consider the consequences particularly severe.
At worst, she'd face twenty years of restricted confinement - a bearable price if it meant her dead brother could live again.
Of course, if her brother were revived, there was also the possibility he might be imprisoned or even treated as a rare experimental subject.
In that case, she'd need to find powerful backing to protect both herself and her brother.
And regarding this potential patron...
Suzuka looked up at Luo Shu:
"Is the Director planning to make me sever ties with the Onmyou Agency? To completely defect to the SDS?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu smiled and added:
"Why not throw in having me imprison you as well?"
"Keeping a girl like you as a caged bird to play with sounds quite entertaining, doesn't it?"
Suzuka stared at Luo Shu speechlessly before sighing:
"Fine, I know I'm adorable, but could you stop being so shameless, Director?"
"Even if you're exploiting my debt of gratitude, the most I'd give you is courtship rights at absolute maximum."
She even crossed her legs, adopting an expression that said 'this opportunity is your greatest honour'.
Seeing this, Luo Shu simply continued smiling at Suzuka without the slightest change in expression.
After a full minute of silent staring, Suzuka's composure finally cracked, and she involuntarily took a step back.
"How about being your girlfriend for one year? No hanky-panky allowed."
Three minutes passed.
"Three years, how about three years?"
Five minutes passed.
"Ha, just give me an answer already! Fine, hanky-panky is allowed, happy now?"
Ten minutes passed.
"Alright, alright, I'll agree to any condition! At least say something! You haven't blinked in ten minutes—aren't your eyes dry?"
Suzuka Dairenji collapsed onto the table in frustration, her face twisted with indignation.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Suzuka turned her head and saw the wide-open door—and Luo Shu standing there, arms laden with documents.
"Why are you standing there?"
Suzuka blinked, then turned back to see the Luo Shu sitting across from her begin to blur, dissolving into wisps of indigo mist.
"An Illusion technique?" Suzuka gaped in disbelief.
At that moment, Luo Shu calmly stepped into the room and said:
"Apologies for stepping out earlier. But it seems you've finally settled on your terms?"
Suzuka's face twitched. "When did you leave, Director?"
"I left when you said 'no hanky-panky' and returned when you said 'anything goes.'"
As he spoke, Luo Shu sorted the documents he'd brought and placed them before Suzuka:
"This is the contract."
"The terms are as discussed: I'll assist in reviving your brother, and in return, I can do anything to you."
"The other document contains intel on the Old Rat Gang, a subsidiary of the Nura Clan. I need you to pose as a member of the Hagoromo Group and attack them."
Luo Shu handed her a pen:
"If you have any objections, voice them now. Once signed, the contract can't be altered."
Suzuka gritted her teeth, glared at Luo Shu, and snatched the pen:
"Director, you're truly the most shameless man!!"
Luo Shu smiled in response:
"Thank you for the compliment."