Challenge: The Fool with the Surname Okayamine

Chapter 27: The British Chapter - "Mutual Exploitation"

"Huh?!" Upon hearing this inexplicable statement, Ming's brain almost went blank, and he stared at Möbius, who was holding him, with a puzzled expression.

Seeing Ming looking at him with confusion, Möbius simply responded with a playful smile, then slowly leaned closer to Ming's ear and whispered:

"What's wrong, little guinea pig? You look really troubled. Do you want me to help you? As for payment, just come find me at this coffee shop later!"

Möbius's lips pursed slightly, and then she slowly moved closer to Ming's ear, Ming could clearly feel her warm breath.

Then a card with the address of a coffee shop was handed to him, and Ming hesitated for a moment upon seeing it.

'What is she planning to do...? But it seems like she wants to make some kind of deal with me. If that's the case, then I can certainly take advantage of her now.' Thinking this, Ming nodded slightly in agreement.

Then, with a blank expression, he seemed to sense a hint of emotion as he shouted:

"PhD!"

Upon seeing this, the receptionist, who had been making things difficult for Ming, was completely stunned. Cold sweat poured down her face, and she was about to sneak away when she was "just in time" seen by Möbius, who had just released Ming's waist and turned around.

Möbius's lips curled into a slight, ambiguous smile as he watched the receptionist preparing to slip away, and he said softly:

"What's wrong, Mr. Kells Doyle? I remember you. So, what do you want?"

Upon hearing his name called, Doyle trembled and slowly turned around.

"This... Investigator Möbius, please, let me explain!"

Möbius looked at him with a mocking gaze, crossed his arms, walked up to Doyle, met his eyes with his snake-like gaze, and then said:

"Oh~ I haven't said anything yet. Ah, I remember now, did I just hear you making things difficult for Klein? He's my most valued assistant, if so..." Möbius's expression turned cold, and he continued:

"If they did, those people at SSS would probably allow me to have you on my operating table, right? They wouldn't be stupid enough to fall out with the chief researcher at DEM for a receptionist like you, hehe~"

"Wh...what!" Hearing Möbius's undisguised threat, Doyle's face turned even paler than Ming's. He retreated step by step in terror, looking at the woman in front of him as if he were seeing a hungry beast in the forest.

"No, no... I just wanted to confirm his identity. I really didn't expect that this seemingly ordinary person with no magical talent was your assistant! Please believe me!" Doyle said in horror.

Ming watched the scene unfold like a spectator. He thought to himself, 'I don't know what's going on, but this woman is quite interesting. But why does she say she's her assistant? Oh well, I can use her.'

So Ming decided to play along with Möbius and cleared his throat, saying:

"Doctor, it's nothing really. I'm fine. It's just that he said I'm too weak and don't have the right status to join the SSS. Don't make things difficult for him... Of course, if you really want to make things difficult for him, I'll hand you the scalpel."

Ming tried his best to imitate the charming expression of Saya in his memory, but because he was usually too expressionless, it looked very funny.

Möbius, on the other hand, almost couldn't hold back his laughter when he heard Ming call him "weak," but he still managed to suppress it with great professionalism.

“Oh, is that so, Klein?” Möbius said, turning his head to look at Doyle again, and continued coldly:

"Did you hear that, Mr. Doyle? Modify Klein's file and add it to the SSS recruit enlistment records. If I don't see it when I wake up tomorrow... well, see you on the operating table then!"

Doyle, feeling like he'd been granted a pardon, nodded repeatedly in agreement. He drastically altered the information on the platform, then fled like the wind into the headquarters' underground level, shouting before he left:

"Alright, um... Lady Klein, please be sure to report here tomorrow. Goodbye!"

After Doyle had run far away, Möbius slowly turned around, meeting Ming's gaze as Ming was about to flee. With barely perceptible speed, Möbius stepped forward, put his arm around Ming's shoulder, and, holding a scalpel slightly behind Ming, said teasingly:

"Ah~ let me think, should I call you Klein now? Or the guinea pig I met a month ago? It's so hard to choose. Never mind, that's not the point. Let's make a promise and hang out at the coffee shop nearby~"

At this moment, Möbius's tone seemed very calm, like a caring older sister, but only Ming, whose back was being pressed against by her scalpel, knew that there wasn't much emotion in her eyes.

"Um... can I refuse?" Ming asked nervously, his face expressionless, the chill on his back making him extremely nervous.

"No way~ Haha~" Möbius's smile widened, but he tightened his grip a little.

Ming nodded helplessly, and under Möbius's "escort," they arrived at the coffee shop she had mentioned.

As soon as Ming arrived at the coffee shop, he felt that it was unusually quiet. Despite being in a bustling area of ​​London, there was not a single person inside.

As soon as he sat down, Möbius seemed to sense Ming's doubts. He casually picked up the hand-ground coffee he had taken from the counter and explained:

"Don't worry, little guinea pig~ This is a coffee shop that I bought specifically. However, it's usually quite popular here. I only close it temporarily when I need to discuss something important. No other colleagues from DEM will see it, so don't worry."

After speaking, she elegantly sipped her coffee, then put it down. She then took out a mysterious document from her white lab coat and said:

"I want to make a deal with you?" Upon hearing the word "deal," Ming's eyes narrowed slightly, but before he could speak, Möbius continued:

"Don't refuse, little guinea pig... or I'll call you Mr. Flame Beast, the fiery spirit!"

"Ah!" he exclaimed in surprise, his face darkening. "How did you know..." Ming asked in a low voice, his eyes filled with wariness.

Seeing this, Möbius chuckled, interrupting Ming, and said with a smile:

"Don't be so nervous, my dear little lab rat. After all, you couldn't have been unaware of the DEM satellite images you were taking while you were escaping, right? It's not difficult to deduce your identity using these images and your location at the time."

Ming's face grew increasingly grim as he listened. Then, a black magic circle appeared beside him, from which a sharp spear pointed at Möbius. Ming coldly said:

"How many people... how many people saw it?"

"Don't worry, it's just me for now~" Möbius gently brushed the spear aside with his fingers. "After discovering this clue, I immediately deleted the portion I had already captured. After all, as a researcher, I don't want to share experimental materials with others~"

"As for those who have been through this? They've already been on my operating table. Don't worry, you're safe."

Upon hearing the assurance, Ming put away the magic circle and sat back down, but his eyes remained fixed on Möbius.

"Are you indiscriminately killing innocent people?"

"How could that be? If I didn't do that, do you think anyone would be willing to inform on someone for even the smallest benefit?"

Mobius waved her hand casually, as if it were just a routine thing to her, nothing to be afraid of, which made Ming shiver.

"Alright, let's get back to the main topic. Do you want to cooperate with me?" With that, Möbius placed another document on the table and pushed it in front of Ming.

Ming picked up the document and quickly scanned it. His expression gradually turned serious, his fists clenched tightly, and he looked angrily at Möbius in front of him, saying:

"How could you... have intelligence on me from this morning until now!" Ming remained silent, while Möbius simply shook his head and explained:

"No, no, no, let me make this clear first. Finding you in our DEM database and the information the Okamine family needs is simply too easy."

Upon hearing the explanation, Ming's expression turned somewhat helpless, and he could only continue to stare at Möbius.

"So what exactly do you want to cooperate with me on? If you try to harm my family, you'll face the consequences..." Ming said.

Upon hearing the threat, Möbius smiled as if he hadn't heard it and said:

"I know what you're worried about, but you have no choice. By the way, I've modified my body. If you get rid of me, then congratulations, you'll be the guinea pig~ The whole world will know you're an [Elf]~"

After Möbius finished speaking, he stared intently at Ming, as if he could devour him at any moment, and then continued:

"The terms of our deal are simple. I need your [Flame Beast]'s seemingly indestructible body for experiments. In return, I will train you to become an extremely powerful magician. What do you say?"

Upon hearing Möbius's request, Ming lowered his head in deep thought. 'She used my body for experiments? Why? If it were the dopants the elves were researching, shouldn't they also...?'

"No, that won't work~" Möbius's helpless voice rang out, completely disrupting Ming's thoughts.

"If it's an elf, then you have four elves in the current data that we at DEM have seen. What's her situation? We don't know, but according to research, each elf has different abilities."

What I seek is immortality, and your abilities perfectly fulfill that need. Besides, do you think those monsters, so weak compared to you, are what I need? I need beings like you, with reason and super regenerative abilities, understand?

"Otherwise, given this much time, I would have already gone to investigate the whereabouts of the second spirit who appeared in the world even earlier than you."

Ming was startled, not expecting this woman to have so much information, but he still tried to remain calm and said:

"Then what ability do you have to train me? With your technological modifications? With your frail research skills?" Ming's tone became disdainful at this point.

Faced with Ming's disdainful words, Möbius could only helplessly cover his face and shake his head, then said:

"Oh dear~ Little mouse, you seem to have misunderstood something. Although scientific research is my main job, I am also a magician~ Do you think an ordinary researcher can make anyone like SSS afraid of me? How ignorant you are."

"Then let's reintroduce ourselves. My name is Möbius, and I am currently the ninth-ranked high magician in the world, known as the hidden devil of the DEM Corporation. If you'd like, I could also be your master. What do you say?"

"Okay, I agree. But I have one more condition: describe to me the entire process of your surgery." Ming finally made his decision.

“No problem, the experiment will begin in an hour. Would you like a cup of coffee, little guinea pig?” Möbius smiled with satisfaction.

Everyone waited quietly for the experiment to begin an hour later.