**Chapter 34: Countermeasures (Part One)**
Due to the recent battle between the Temperance and Indulgence factions of the Rose School of Thought, which even drew the presence of a Demigod's aura, official supernatural task forces have been conducting rigorous inspections over the past week. This has caused all manner of shady figures to keep a low profile, leaving Xio without any "arbitration" commissions in the East Borough for some time.
As Ebner met with Ms. Rae, Xio entered a pub in the East Borough that also served lunch. Just as she arrived, she encountered a local resident who occasionally provided her with information.
This young man, around twenty-three or twenty-four, had carefully groomed eyebrows, shoulder-length brown hair, and a face accented with inexpensive makeup, giving him an oddly contrasting look.
As soon as he saw Xio, his face turned tense. Glancing around nervously, he whispered, "Xio, I need to tell you something. Come with me." Without waiting for a reply, he ducked into the shadows beneath the wooden pub staircase—often a rendezvous spot for tipsy men and women looking for a bit of privacy.
Xio frowned, knowing this young man named Sherman generally viewed himself as female. Life had played a cruel trick on him, casting him in a male body, leading him to suffer intense discrimination for many years.
Even if he wanted some company, it wouldn't be with a woman—especially not someone who could lift him with one arm… Clearly, he had something important to say! With this realization, Xio followed him into the shadows.
"Sherman, what's going on?" Xio asked, her expression serious.
"Xio, have you offended someone? There's a strange woman asking around about you!" Sherman's voice quivered as he spoke.
"A strange woman..." Xio thought for a moment, then asked seriously, "What does she look like? And what exactly happened? Tell me everything."
Sherman rubbed his hands anxiously, casting a glance at Xio before saying, "She's a beautiful woman with a scholarly air, but she's incredibly odd. Any man who looks at her just once spills his guts to her without even realizing it… You know, I'm only interested in men, so I could resist her allure to some degree."
"Could it be a supernatural ability? I wonder which pathway she belongs to… I'll have to ask Ebner," Xio mused to herself, before asking aloud, "What was she asking about me?"
"She wanted to know if you had investigated 'Two-Face' Rosen and his advisor. She also asked where you live and how to contact you," Sherman explained, adding, "That's all I know, but it seems a few people who know you agreed to get in touch with her."
Xio nodded and sincerely thanked Sherman. "Thank you, Sherman!"
Sherman smiled sheepishly, showing his teeth. "You're one of the few people who treats me decently and has helped me. If you really want to thank me, just buy me a drink once this all blows over."
"Drinking isn't good for you," Xio replied sternly. Then she quickly left the bar through the back door. Recognizing her upon entry, a few people might try to inform the woman searching for her, so Xio slipped away for safety.
After disguising herself at an old safehouse in the East Borough, Xio made a few detours before finally taking the subway to the Hillston District and entering Detective Isengard's agency.
Ebner was organizing some noble records when he looked up and saw Xio being led in by the housekeeper. He greeted her with surprise, "Xio, what brings you here?"
Waiting for the housekeeper to exit, Xio asked, "Ebner, do you know of any pathways with the ability to charm men and make them act out of character?"
Ebner had no idea why Xio would ask, but after thinking for a moment, he answered, "There are several pathways with similar charm abilities, but if it's specifically toward men, the most likely would be the Witches."
"Witches…" Xio murmured before she recounted her encounter earlier in the day to Ebner in full detail.
Ebner narrowed his eyes as he began to analyze the situation instinctively:
"It's unlikely to be a Sequence 6 'Demoness of Pleasure.' The allure of a Sequence 6 should affect Sherman regardless of his orientation; he's still an ordinary person, after all. So, it's likely a Sequence 7 'Witch' with a supernatural item that limits her charm's effectiveness."
At this, Xio interjected, "Could it be that 'Witch' Lena, the one who cursed me and was betrayed by Turner?"
"It's quite possible. She seems to be investigating the Turner incident, and since you were connected to Rosen's gang around that time, she might be suspicious of you," Ebner agreed with a nod.
"But we didn't leave any evidence or clues in the Turner case…" Xio recalled how cleanly Detective Isengard had handled things.
Ebner chuckled and explained, "The Demoness Sect isn't an official organization, and they certainly don't operate with the kind of restraint a 'Mandated Punisher' does. Proof isn't necessary for them; suspicion alone is enough. Even if they pick the wrong target, they likely don't care—eliminating innocent people would hardly concern them."
At this, Xio suddenly understood, but she still felt puzzled. "The Demoness Sect? Wasn't Turner part of the Theosophy Order?"
"It's highly likely the Theosophy Order is just a front for the Demoness Sect," Ebner noted, before quickly considering the problem from another angle. His main focus now was on finding a solution.
Although this was technically Xio's problem, Ebner couldn't just stand aside and do nothing for his friend and mentor. Besides, he was involved in the capture of Turner, and ignoring it would only lead to the Demonesses tracking him down eventually.
But it was a difficult problem to solve. After all, they were probably dealing with a Sequence 7 'Witch' now. By Sequence 7, the Demoness pathway offered significant survivability and combat power, making its users notoriously hard to kill.
After a moment's thought, Ebner was reminded of the morning's client, Ms. Rae. He suspected she was also a Witch and had a sense of danger about her, which suggested she might be higher-sequenced.
"Judging from her methods, it seems Lena and Rae have different styles, so they're probably separate individuals… meaning, we may end up facing both Lena and Rae," Ebner realized. This made him feel like he'd jinxed himself; that morning, he had resolved not to get involved with the Demoness Sect's plans, yet now he was plotting ways to counter them.
Xio also recognized the gravity of the situation, especially since she was likely to face the first wave of danger. She put her head down to think, trying to come up with a solution.
At that moment, Detective Isengard entered the agency. Noticing his apprentice and Xio both deeply frowning, he asked, "What's troubling you?"
"Professor, it's a continuation of the incident with the 'Instigator' we caught!" Ebner proceeded to brief Detective Isengard on Xio's encounter, along with Ms. Rae's visit and his speculations.
It wasn't until now that Xio learned she might have to contend with a Sequence 6 powerhouse, and the realization left her slightly shaken. Recalling Fors' words, she wondered if this was a sign she needed a change of fortune.
"Your guess isn't bad. I just heard that the Machinery Hivemind squad had laid an ambush at Rosen's gang's hideout and captured a 'Witch.' But a 'Demoness of Pleasure' later broke her out," Detective Isengard said thoughtfully.
"So it really was a 'Demoness of Pleasure'?" Ebner sighed, realizing the difficulty of dealing with such a powerful Sequence 6, who might even be stronger than his teacher.
After contemplating the issue for a while with no solution in sight, Ebner glanced at his teacher, who seemed remarkably calm. A thought struck him, and he asked, "Professor, do you already have a solution?"
"The solution is simple!" Detective Isengard replied with a smile.
"What is it?" Xio and Ebner asked in unison, both genuinely surprised. Their usually deliberate mentor seemed to have an answer ready instantly.
Detective Isengard took a leisurely puff from his cigarette, savoring their suspense before finally saying, "The solution? Report them to the authorities!"
"Report?" Ebner hadn't considered this approach. He knew the authorities might not be able to contain a 'Demoness of Pleasure,' and if she escaped, they'd face retaliation. The authorities wouldn't protect them forever.
Xio, on the other hand, was worried for another reason. "Wouldn't they imprison me in the church's underground cells if they found out I'm a Beyonder?"
"Don't worry, I'll vouch for you. The authorities are always on the lookout for Beyonder informants," Detective Isengard reassured her. He then glanced at Ebner and added, "And reporting them requires finesse. We'll frame it in a way that keeps us out of it as much as possible so the Witches don't know where the information came from. Ideally, we'll report it in a way that doesn't expose you two as Beyonders."