At this moment, Luo Shu felt like someone who had thoroughly ransacked a house down to inspecting the owner's underwear with a magnifying glass, only for the owner to insist there was a million hidden somewhere.
If you really had that much money at home, wouldn't I have found it?
Seeing Luo Shu's baffled expression, Haruno - dressed in coffee-coloured office attire with an eye-catchingly short pencil skirt - efficiently arranged all documents before him:
"According to the information passed on from the Metropolitan Police Department, it seems the intel was extracted from the residual Spirit Body of a deceased high-ranking member of the Phenex Society..."
"By the way, the source was that inspector called Juzo Megure. He's collaborated with you before, Luo Shu, hasn't he?"
"I understand what you're implying. On this point, the Metropolitan Police Department likely isn't lying..."
Luo Shu raised his hand slightly to signal for Haruno to let him speak:
"But precisely because I know they're not lying, it feels somewhat strange. After all, you're aware of Nia's Angel, Raziel's power."
"Yet even so, I haven't found any evidence of the Phenex Society possessing some terrifying item capable of destroying a major city..."
"Or rather, an item of that calibre would inherently be equivalent to an Apostle Rank or even higher Angel Rank artefact with significant authority. It wouldn't be unusual for such an item to possess normal human cognitive abilities."
"If the Phenex Society truly had such a treasure, they wouldn't be a subordinate branch of Truth Astronomy, but rather a core faction."
"Moreover, while Raziel can't directly observe Abyss Artefacts of that level, there would still be noticeable gaps in the search results. Yet Nia didn't encounter this issue during her previous investigation..."
Earlier, Nia Honjo and Luo Shu had practically stripped bare every detail about that unfortunate president in this very room using Raziel.
Three-dimensional coordinates precise to three decimal places, power levels, combat habits, even menstrual cycles... Ravel probably knew less about herself than Luo Shu did.
If Ravel had truly been carrying some terrifying Abyss Artefact, would Luo Shu really not know?
This very premise was illogical - it would be questioning the capabilities of Raziel itself.
Hearing Luo Shu's explanation, Haruno Yukinoshita suddenly understood: "So it might just be a misunderstanding, then?"
"That eliminated Phenex Society East Asia executive probably didn't know the specifics of what the headquarters contained, just heard rumours about some Abyss Artefact legend and exaggerated its power in his mind?"
As she spoke, Haruno Yukinoshita spread her hands, putting on an innocent expression:
"It couldn't possibly be that the Phenex personnel planned this in advance, using their own death to intimidate the Metropolitan Police Department, could it?"
"No one would do something that stupid."
Hearing this, Luo Shu immediately shook his head in denial:
"Exposing that you've got an oil field just invites the American troops."
"Moreover, Phenex Society's headquarters are in Europe, the core territory of two of the Five Great Powers. If they truly possessed treasures of that level in such a pressure-cooker environment under major powers' surveillance, they would've long been robbed by the French and British."
And though it was just rumours from Kotoko Iwanaga, Europe has quite a few orthodox Demigods too.
That so-called Sword Saint Twin Wings, plus the witch suspected to be Truth Astronomy's Demigod, and the fact that these two deities can still wander around Europe without any unusual movements, indicate that Europe's mystical side currently lacks any high-authority Abyss Artefact capable of killing them.
Heh, the Union refrains from using those foundational-level Abyss Artefacts against individual sorcerers because they're the ruling class, bound by various considerations and constraints.
But if those crazy mystic organisations obtained such treasures, unless they couldn't use them, they'd have long gone on killing sprees to settle old scores.
Haven't they seen how Lacus frequently wielded the SDS's Demigod-level Abyss Artefact Kusanagi Sword to suppress enemies before Luo Shu arrived?
Precisely because mystic organisations cause so much trouble that the Supreme Chairwoman needed to intervene personally.
The globally widespread Abyss Descent incidents were akin to spawning reward dungeons, with mystic organisations competing for these resources like players.
This covert competition between organisations sometimes resembles arms dealers' shootouts - good weapons must be bloodied eventually.
Abyss Artefacts are precisely such weapons.
And the bulk of arms sales always belong to the Five Great Powers' own official organisations.
Take Juzo Megure's report about that Mystic Art Interference Howitzer - that's already outdated technology from China.
According to SDS intelligence, they've begun reorganising sorcerer legions for brigade-level group operations.
Luo Shu didn't believe the Five Great Powers would tolerate covert organisations within their borders indefinitely, especially when these groups possess literal goldmines.
But... what if there's an exception?
Wouldn't it be rude not to dig up a treasure map delivered to your doorstep?
At this thought, Luo Shu's eyes gleamed as he said to Haruno Yukinoshita:
"Haruno, should we make the first move and intercept Ravel?"
Hearing this, Haruno hugged her folder, tilting her chin up with a light laugh:
"When someone asks another, 'Should we?', it means they've already decided..."
Luo Shu couldn't help chuckling, pushing off the sofa armrest to stand and straighten his clothes:
"Then let's temporarily adjust plans to meet our little phoenix~"
Haruno Yukinoshita merely glanced at Luo Shu upon hearing his words and reminded him:
"Changing plans? What about the collaboration between the Phenex Society and the Hell Sect, Director? They're planning to jointly create a big incident in Akihabara, you know~"
Hearing this, Luo Shu replied with complete nonchalance:
"No need to worry."
"Our department has plenty of comrades who can disguise themselves as others. Failing that, there are temporary Abyss Artefacts that alter appearances. Though it might require Eriri to donate a bit more blood."
After a moment's consideration, Haruno said:
"But those who can impersonate others without being detected... only Kurumi and Her Highness La Folia meet that standard, don't they?"
Yet before she could receive Luo Shu's answer, his figure had already vanished from the office.
Witnessing this, Haruno couldn't help but sigh, expressing her resignation:
"Couldn't wait to start after suspecting there might be treasure? What an impatient fellow."
As she spoke, Haruno tidied up the documents before her, then said with evident relief:
"Though finishing work early isn't a bad thing~"
"Since I have time now, I might as well take Yukino out for dinner in Ginza~"
Humming a light tune, Haruno concluded her first day of overtime work ahead of schedule, ready to enjoy a relaxing evening.
...
Meanwhile...
Ravel Phenex, who had just arrived in Japan, remained unaware that she was about to encounter the most troublesome opponent of her life.