The Demon's Menu-Chapter 1144: Who Will it Be?
Onodera’s suspicion was obvious to Hui Lixiang.
"We just need a ’pawn’ to cooperate with us."
"Whether it’s you, or someone else, it’s all the same."
"To put it simply, the moment I came to find you, you had already passed."
Hui Lixiang explained.
But such an explanation only made Onodera feel incredibly nervous.
"Anyone could do?"
Onodera asked the crucial point.
If anyone would suffice, it implied his value was negligible.
Or worse, his life wasn’t guaranteed and he could be discarded at any moment.
This was something Onodera absolutely didn’t want to face.
"Of course not."
Hui Lixiang’s answer brought Onodera a moment of relief, but her next words made his heart tighten again.
"We do have criteria in our selection. At the very least, it must be someone who has the potential to approach the upper echelons of the ’Blossom Cherry’ organization."
The upper echelons?
What are they targeting the upper echelons of ’Blossom Cherry’ for?
In an instant, images of Miyamoto and Sato’s corpses flashed through Onodera’s mind.
Unconsciously, Onodera’s throat bobbed up and down.
He swallowed hard.
His throat felt unbearably dry.
"Was it you who killed Miyamoto and Sato?"
Onodera asked in a slightly hoarse voice.
"Yes."
Hui Lixiang didn’t deny it.
Faced with such an admission, Onodera was stunned.
He thought Hui Lixiang would quibble or deflect, but such straightforward honesty was the last thing he anticipated.
After all, he was just a newly ’recruited’ rookie.
Moreover, ’Blossom Cherry’ wasn’t some flimsy entity that could be toyed with at will.
Unless...
They didn’t care!
The Hui Lixiang in front of him simply didn’t care about these things.
Because she had the confidence to ignore them entirely.
Hiss!
Realizing this, Onodera sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.
Things seemed even more complicated than he had imagined.
Not just Hui Lixiang’s attitude.
But also Hui Lixiang’s identity.
A female fighter!
One participating in this year’s ’King of Fighters Tournament.’
Aiming at ’Blossom Cherry’ while joining the ’King of Fighters Tournament,’ and then, ’Blossom Cherry’ seemed to be scheming, preparing to use the ’King of Fighters’ tournament for something...
And then—
The Hanakaiin Family!
The Hanakaiin Family was also involved in this ’King of Fighters Tournament.’
And under the guise of a trial to let the branch family inherit the main family’s authority.
One by one, the clues began connecting rapidly in Onodera’s mind.
Immediately, an answer surfaced in Onodera’s thoughts.
He looked up, shocked, at Hui Lixiang standing before him.
"Just as you’re thinking."
"’Blossom Cherry’s reach is too long."
"It has to be cut off!"
Hui Lixiang responded definitively.
Onodera broke into a cold sweat.
He needed to inform Jason immediately!
Otherwise, there would be big trouble!
With this thought, he looked up again at Hui Lixiang.
"May I make a phone call?"
Onodera asked tentatively.
"Of course."
Hui Lixiang nodded.
She was fully aware of what Onodera intended to do.
But it was precisely because she understood that she allowed it.
After all, one of the main reasons she targeted Onodera was to establish that cooperation.
...
Hanakaiin Haru sat with his eyes closed, waiting quietly.
Scenes of recent events replayed in his mind.
From the initial attack on him, to the preliminaries of the ’King of Fighters Tournament.’
Then to the death of that bastard from the Hanakaiin main family.
Next came the news he received from Jason.
’Blossom Cherry’ had been subjected to cryptic assassinations.
Whew!
"What an enormous ambition."
"I just don’t know who it is."
Hanakaiin Haru sighed softly and then partially opened his eyes.
Before him was his room; on the long desk sat a single oil lamp.
Despite the annex being fully equipped with modern electrical facilities, Hanakaiin Haru still preferred oil lamps.
Not just for sentimental reasons either.
The oil lamp offered various other uses as well.
Whew!
Taking another deep breath, Hanakaiin Haru picked up a calligraphy brush and began writing intensely.
A few minutes later, the young Onmyoji flicked the sheet of paper.
After waiting for the ink to dry, he placed it inside an envelope.
Jingle.
He shook the small bell at his side.
"Young Master Haru."
A servant quickly entered the room.
"Deliver this letter to Tōru."
The young Onmyoji gave the instruction.
"Understood."
The servant bowed before swiftly leaving the room.
Hanakaiin Haru watched the servant’s retreating figure and patiently waited.
Outwardly calm, but deep down, his mind was turbulent.
Could it be you?
Could it be you?
Could it be you?
This question echoed endlessly in Hanakaiin Haru’s mind.
The current clues were clear: someone within the Hanakaiin Family had engaged in deep collaboration with the increasingly precarious ’Blossom Cherry.’ Of course, such collaboration wasn’t just about helping ’Blossom Cherry’ weather its crisis—it also aimed to absorb ’Blossom Cherry’s’ entire power structure, and this was merely the beginning!
Undoubtedly, the other party’s ambitions extended beyond just ’Blossom Cherry.’
Nor did they stop at the Hanakaiin Family.
Their sights were set on the entirety of the ’Inside World.’
In Hanakaiin Haru’s eyes, among the Hanakaiin Family, only two and a half people possessed the capability and audacity for such a thing.
The first was Hanakaiin Tōru.
The second was Hanakaiin Itsuki.
The remaining half was Hanakaiin Kokorozashi, who had clearly tied himself to the main family and taken his spot in the ’King of Fighters Tournament.’
Hanakaiin Itsuki was notorious for his ruthlessness and exceptional ability.
For him to harbor such ambition was hardly surprising.
As for Hanakaiin Kokorozashi, he usually kept a low profile, yet his fatal move at a critical moment nearly ruined everything. If not for sheer luck, Hanakaiin Haru would have already lost everything by now.
