"These are my personal conclusions. When these inhibitors first arrived in Lungmen, they should still have had their original intended function. It was only afterward that a small amount of Originium dust and other substances were added, which is what made them dangerous."
Originally, Aak had planned to hand the data to Shirou and wait for questions. Instead, Shirou immediately noticed something unusual.
That was something Aak did not expect. But since Shirou could already grasp part of it, there was no need for excessive explanation. Aak simply pointed at several problematic data points and stated his view.
"Mm…"
Looking at the data and listening to Aak's explanation, Shirou's brows gradually furrowed tighter.
Because Chen's side had not gone through the Guard Department's usual channels, the actual results would not be available until tomorrow at the earliest.
He did not expect that Aak already had conclusions so quickly.
This method of taking normal inhibitors and adding substances afterward would be difficult to investigate. At least, Shirou found it troublesome. Perhaps Chen and Hoshiguma might have a way.
As for this data, Shirou found it quite credible.
Most of the infected who were injured or killed were unable to obtain inhibitors through legitimate channels. They could only buy diluted, low-quality inhibitors from the slums.
For infected individuals who could access proper channels, this method posed no danger.
But buying those inferior inhibitors already carried inherent risk. If someone died because of that, it would not be considered unusual.
It was only because this incident had grown large that it was drawing attention.
"…Hah."
Thinking of this possibility, Shirou took a deep breath.
If…
The word had just surfaced in his mind when he immediately pushed it away.
There was no point in overthinking it. Just as Chen had said, the most important thing was to arrest all those responsible.
"Do you think these people are despicable?"
Looking at Shirou, Aak asked, though the answer was already obvious.
Tampering with something that people rely on to survive, then selling it cheaply, willing to take losses just to watch others suffer… it was unquestionably vile.
But since the victims were infected, many people simply did not care.
Clearly, the Shirou in front of him was someone who cared very deeply.
Sitting right across from him, Aak could clearly feel the oppressive atmosphere radiating from Shirou.
To be honest, it made him feel uneasy.
If it were Waai Fu, she would probably drag him and Hung along to beat those people up immediately. However, since this incident was dangerous, Hung or Old Lee would likely stop her.
But Shirou was different.
From Aak's perspective, Shirou was undoubtedly a genuinely kind person not just in words, but someone who took real action.
The children he had taken in were proof enough.
Aak had seen people like this before. Waii fu, who also worked at the Lee Detective Agency, was one of them. So this did not feel unfamiliar to him, in fact he found this somewhat familiar.
That was the reason he agreed to help Shirou. Though only this time, he did not particularly enjoy playing doctor.
Still… compared to Waai Fu, the Shirou before him seemed more extreme in some way.
That was why Aak deliberately asked that question, to shift Shirou's line of thinking.
The more one dwelled on the filth in the mire, the more likely one would sink into it before realizing.
Remaining unstained while emerging from the mud… that kind of thing did not exist.
Maybe at first it had little effect, but over time, that mire would eventually swallow a person whole.
After all, a person's convictions were fragile.
Of course, that was just his personal view.
"…Yes, it is quite despicable. I cannot really accept their thinking."
Pulling his scattered thoughts back together, Shirou adjusted his breathing and emotions before answering.
"It is normal that you cannot accept it, Honestly if you could understand them, I would find that a bit frightening."
Sensing that the heavy atmosphere had eased somewhat, Aak quietly let out a breath of relief.
The direction was right. Now he just needed to guide things slowly.
This kind of thing was really troublesome. Hung should have been the one handling it.
Unfortunately, the two were not familiar yet. Though they would probably get along well and if he remembered correctly Shirou was also quite skilled at cooking.
"I suppose so. Can I take these with me? If not, I can just take photos."
Hearing Aak's words, and seeing his slightly exaggerated gestures paired with that cat-like expression, Shirou felt his mood lighten a bit.
Letting go of those earlier worries, he shifted his focus back to the data on the table.
This information was extremely useful, it could help trace the source of the problematic inhibitors.
"Take them. Just do not lose them. I do not have backups here."
Aak waved his hand, signaling that Shirou could take them, but reminded him to keep them safe.
These were merely results he had gathered out of personal curiosity.
As for punishing evil or promoting justice… he had no interest in that.
He was simply interested in research.
"It is better to leave this kind of matter to the Guard Department or people like Waii fu to handle."
"Thank you very much."
While organizing the documents on the table and finishing the cup of hot tea that had somehow been placed there, Shirou thanked Aak.
"No need to thank me… actually, could you make that seafood dish again from last time?"
At first, Aak had wanted to say there was no need for thanks since they were already acquainted.
But then he suddenly remembered the lunchbox Shirou had brought when he helped with the children's medical checkups.
Just thinking about that meal made with fish from Jaye's seafood stall made his mouth water.
Of course, Hung's cooking was also excellent, but that did not stop him from pursuing other good food.
At this moment, Aak looked exactly like someone who, despite having someone at home, still longed for food from outside.
"Of course, no problem. Though it will have to be in a few days. I will ask Jaye if he has any good fish."
Such a small request was no difficulty for Shirou, so he readily agreed.
After packing everything up, Shirou planned to return to the Guard Department with the materials.
After saying goodbye to Aak and Hung, he rode off on his bicycle.
"That is rare."
Watching Shirou leave, Hung suddenly said.
"Huh? What is rare?"
Yawning, Aak felt a bit sleepy. That conversation had cost him quite a few brain cells.
"Hmm… you actually cared about someone else's state of mind."
Hung had originally thought Aak was aware of it himself, but apparently not.
"Oh, that? It is nothing. He just feels a lot like Waii fu. People like that can get into trouble if they get stuck in their own thoughts"
Hearing Hung's words, Aak stretched slightly and explained his earlier behavior.
However, for some reason, when he mentioned that Waii fu could be troublesome when she got stubborn, Hung quietly took two steps back.
In the next second, Aak understood why.
A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a bespectacled female Feline.
"…Oh, Waii fu. Were you not preparing materials for tomorrow's lesson? Why are you here?"
His voice trembled slightly as he looked for an opportunity to escape.
"I happened to hear that a guest arrived earlier, so I came out but I did not expect to hear someone speaking badly about me. Care to explain why being stubborn is 'troublesome'?"
As she spoke, Waai Fu's grip on Aak's shoulder tightened to prevent him from escaping.
"You must have misheard. I did not say anything…ow, ow, ow!"
Swallowing nervously, A forced a smile when he realized he could not get away.
Then Waai Fu promptly restrained him.
"Do not make too much noise. You will disturb the neighbors."
Watching the two, Hung gave a reminder before going back to his work.
Another lively day at the Lee Detective Agency.
Meanwhile, riding his bicycle through the night breeze, Shirou had calmed down considerably.
Thinking back on his conversation with Aak, he now realized that Aak had deliberately changed the topic earlier.
"I will have to prepare something extra special."
Letting out a breath, Shirou muttered to himself as he pedaled faster.
The issue of the infected had always been something ordinary people avoided thinking about.
In normal life, most people rarely encountered the infected. They were, after all, a minority.
More accurately, the infected themselves would avoid crowds or disguise themselves.
Someone like Shirou, who actively sought them out and tried to help them, was the unusual one.
But that did not matter. He simply could not ignore those in need.
Just as Archer once described him, Emiya Shirou had always lived with the belief of helping others. It was essentially the core principle of his life.
Even now, he saw nothing wrong with that belief.
Seeing others smile made everything worthwhile to him.
That was why he could not accept those people.
Like a certain priest, filled with twisted amusement.
Finding happiness in others' suffering… Shirou truly did not get it.
Carrying questions that he might never find answers to, Shirou returned to the Guard Department. He handed over the newly obtained intelligence and data to Hoshiguma and Chen, and also relayed A's thoughts verbally.
"The Lee Detective Agency… I have some impression of them. Their information is quite reliable."
To prevent Chen from doubting the intelligence, Hoshiguma added that remark.
"Understood."
Hearing that, Chen placed greater trust in the information.
It was not that she was overly suspicious. Incorrect intelligence would not only hinder an investigation, it could even put them in danger.
The more detailed the information, the more they could narrow down their search.
With what they already had, combined with the intelligence Shirou brought back, it was more than enough.
Especially the analysis results of those inhibitors, if they took that to Wei Yenwu, it would likely be enough to mobilize the entire Guard Department.
If it were merely an incident in the slums involving infected individuals, Wei Yenwu might not necessarily pay attention or commit resources.
But if it involved the processing and tampering of inhibitors, then it was a different matter.
After all, purchasing large quantities of inhibitors required proper authorization and modifying them afterward made it even more serious.
This clearly violated Lungmen's laws, and Chen now held concrete evidence.
However, Chen had no intention of alerting the enemy. She was hoping to capture the entire group in one sweep.
Under that premise, a large-scale operation was not feasible.
It would be best to first obtain authorization from Wei Yenwu to mobilize the Guard Department.
With Shirou's support, she and Hoshiguma could already handle many situations. Having the authority to mobilize the Guard Department would simply add an extra layer of security.
Of course, all of this depended on getting past Wei Yenwu.
It should be noted that Wei Yenwu had never had a particularly favorable attitude toward the slums. If he refused to accept these data results, then all her plans would become meaningless.
"The cost of this intelligence must not be low, right? Do we need to apply for funds?"
Hoshiguma, on the other hand, was not thinking that far ahead. After briefly scanning the documents, she looked up and asked Shirou directly.
Obtaining intelligence was never free, not even for the Guard Department.
Just like how Chen would pay informants for information, the Guard Department also had to pay when acquiring intelligence from other sources.
Of course, they could force people to hand it over, but that would make future intelligence gathering much more difficult.
It was an unspoken rule of sorts.
"They did not charge for this information, but…"
Hearing Hoshiguma's question, Shirou shook his head, though he hesitated slightly at the end.
"But?"
Hoshiguma frowned slightly. If it was unpaid because they now owed a favor, that would be harder to deal with.
Though if it was a detective agency, it might not be too bad as at least Jaye was acquainted with them.
"But they asked me to cook a meal for them instead. Can that be reimbursed?"
The reason Shirou had hesitated was that he was unsure whether something like this could be counted as an expense.
However, after thinking about how he usually handled things with his employer, he figured it should be similar with the Guard Department, so he asked.
"Pfft…"
That was Hoshiguma, who had been thinking about how to repay a favor if one had been owed.
"Cough, cough…"
That was Chen, who had been thinking about how to obtain authorization from Wei Yenwu to mobilize the Guard Department for this operation, while also listening to their conversation.