Chapter 104:The woman who asks

The military base had finally returned to its usual rhythm.

The walls were repaired.

The casualties buried.

The blood washed away.

Yet one person managed to turn the entire headquarters upside down without lifting a finger.

Lucifer lay sprawled across the roof of the barracks, one leg dangling over the edge while lazily watching clouds drift across the sky.

Chirin floated beside him in her scythe form.

"You know..."

Lucifer yawned.

"I think I've worked enough."

Chirin stared at him.

"You've been resting for two days."

"Exactly."

"..."

"My body deserves a reward."

"It already got one."

"It deserves another."

"You really are shameless."

Lucifer grinned.

"The strongest people usually are."

Before Chirin could insult him again—

A loud voice echoed throughout the courtyard.

"Private Lucifer Morningstar! Report to the Commander's office immediately!"

Lucifer slowly closed his eyes.

"...Pretend I'm dead."

"They already tried that."

"Damn."

A few minutes later...

Commander Duan sat behind her desk as calm as ever.

Amaira stood beside her with crossed arms.

Lucifer entered with both hands in his pockets.

"You called?"

Duan folded a report and pushed it across the table.

"New mission."

Lucifer didn't even look at it.

"I decline."

Amaira blinked.

"You... what?"

"I decline."

"You don't even know what it is."

"I don't need to."

Lucifer stretched.

"If it involves ghosts, danger, blood, near death or paperwork..."

He pointed at the file.

"It definitely isn't worth my beauty sleep."

Amaira's eyebrow twitched.

"You're a soldier."

"I'm a temporary employee."

"You signed the contract."

"I never read it."

"..."

Duan hid a smile behind her teacup.

"You killed a Special Grade."

"So?"

"The military cannot simply let someone of your ability remain idle."

Lucifer sighed dramatically.

"So because I'm competent I get punished with more work?"

"Correct."

"What a cruel organisation."

Amaira couldn't help rolling her eyes.

"I've never met anyone who complains after becoming stronger."

Lucifer looked at her.

"I've never met anyone who enjoys paperwork."

"...Fair point."

Silence filled the office.

Lucifer glanced between the two women before letting out another exaggerated sigh.

"Fine."

He picked up the report.

"But if this mission interrupts my afternoon nap..."

He looked directly at Duan.

"I'm sending you the medical bill."

Commander Duan laughed.

For the first time.

A genuine laugh.

Amaira looked at her commander in surprise.

Very few people had ever managed to make Commander Duan laugh.

Lucifer scratched his cheek.

"...Was my joke that good?"

Duan's expression became serious again.

"This isn't an ordinary mission."

She pointed towards several photographs spread across the desk.

Every single image showed the same thing.

A woman.

Long black hair.

A white mask.

Victims lying around her.

All smiling.

Even after death.

Lucifer's eyes narrowed.

"This..."

He muttered.

"...isn't a ghost."

Duan nodded.

"It isn't."

She looked directly at Lucifer.

"It's an Urban Legend."

The room suddenly became quieter.

Even Amaira's expression stiffened.

Lucifer finally looked interested.

"Oh?"

Duan continued.

"Normal ghosts are born from regret."

"Special Grades are born from powerful souls."

"But..."

She placed another photograph on the desk.

"...Urban Legends are different."

The image showed countless newspaper clippings dating back decades.

Different cities.

Different countries.

The same woman.

"They are stories."

"The more people fear them..."

"The stronger they become."

"They don't rely on one soul."

"They feed upon generations of belief."

Lucifer slowly smiled.

"Now that's interesting."

Duan nodded.

"This particular legend originated in Japan."

She turned another page.

Name: Kuchisake-onna.

Alias: The Slit-Mouthed Woman.

"Locals say she approaches people at night wearing a surgical mask."

"If she asks..."

Duan's voice lowered.

"Am I beautiful?"

"And the victim answers incorrectly..."

She looked at Lucifer.

"They die."

Amaira crossed her arms.

"Entire squads have disappeared trying to hunt her."

Lucifer read further.

Victims.

Missing investigators.

Witness statements.

No consistent pattern.

No reliable weakness.

Only fear.

Only rumours.

Only death.

He slowly closed the file.

"So..."

He smiled.

"We're hunting a ghost born from gossip."

Duan corrected him.

"No."

"We're hunting an idea."

Outside the headquarters—

Amaira walked beside Lucifer as they prepared for departure.

The sun had already begun setting.

Orange light painted the horizon.

Neither spoke for several minutes.

Eventually Amaira broke the silence.

"You know..."

Lucifer looked sideways.

"What?"

"You could've refused."

"I almost did."

"So why accept?"

Lucifer shrugged.

"I got curious."

"That's all?"

"No."

He smiled.

"I also heard Urban Legends evolve differently."

Amaira sighed.

"Of course that's what interests you."

Lucifer laughed.

"What?"

"You expected me to say justice?"

She couldn't help smiling.

"...No."

For some reason...

Travelling beside him no longer felt exhausting.

His ridiculous confidence...

His endless jokes...

Even his shameless flirting...

She found herself becoming strangely accustomed to them.

Realising the thought—

Amaira immediately looked away.

What am I thinking...?

Lucifer noticed.

"You're smiling."

"I am not."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You look cuter when you smile."

Amaira's face instantly reddened.

"Focus on the mission!"

Lucifer laughed even harder.

Night descended.

The pair arrived at an abandoned district swallowed by fog.

Streetlights flickered.

Most no longer worked.

Broken umbrellas rolled across empty roads.

Shop signs creaked despite there being no wind.

No people.

No traffic.

No sound.

Only silence.

Even Chirin stopped talking.

"This place..."

She whispered.

"...feels wrong."

Lucifer nodded.

"The boundary between life and death is thin here."

A lonely swing creaked somewhere in the darkness.

Although...

There was no child.

A stray cat hissed before running away.

The air smelled strangely metallic.

Like old blood.

Amaira tightened her grip around her spear.

"I don't like this."

Lucifer looked around.

"Good."

"Huh?"

"If you're comfortable..."

"You're probably already dead."

The words had barely left his mouth—

Footsteps echoed.

Tap...

Tap...

Tap...

Not hurried.

Not slow.

Perfectly rhythmic.

Someone...

Was walking behind them.

Amaira instantly spun around.

Nothing.

Empty street.

Lucifer's smile disappeared.

For the first time that night—

His Demonic Eye activated.

Crimson light flickered across his pupils.

"I found her."

Amaira's heartbeat quickened.

"Where?"

Lucifer slowly turned his head.

Towards the end of the fog-covered street.

A woman stood beneath a broken streetlamp.

Long black hair covered most of her face.

A white surgical mask hid everything below her eyes.

She held a large pair of rusted scissors.

Without making a sound...

She tilted her head.

Then—

In a calm, almost gentle voice—

She asked,

"Tell me..."

Am... I... beautiful?

Lucifer smiled.

"...Well."

He rested Chirin across his shoulder.

"I think this mission just became interesting."

To Be Continued...