Upon receiving orders from Lin Yi, Ashikaga immediately organized personnel to retrieve the surveillance footage.
Lin Yi had gained a reputation in District 20 for swiftly solving disappearance cases around Kamii University.
The head of the District 20 branch fully supported Lin Yi's decision and approved it.
When Lin Yi returned home, he put aside his troubles. As he opened the door, Kimi Nishino approached him and helped him take off his suit. A strong aroma of meat filled the air.
"Why are you back so early? Weren't you supposed to meet your old partner?" Kimi Nishino asked.
"Don't mention it. He's an old stubborn man. We spent half the mealtime arguing with each other. I didn't even have a few bites of food. I'm starving," Lin Yi half-jokingly replied.
"Well then, I'll make your favorite grilled meat," Kimi Nishino offered.
Lin Yi agreed.
The interaction between the two made Lin Yi feel incredibly comfortable. He cherished having a supportive and beautiful girlfriend.
Lin Yi was genuinely hungry and quickly devoured his meal while Nishino watched him with her hands supporting her cheeks.
"Aren't you eating?" he asked.
"I thought you would come back late. I already ate just now," Nishino replied, patting her flat stomach.
"Okay then," Lin Yi said, not making a fuss, and continued to eat with enthusiasm. However, he couldn't help but notice that his appetite had become increasingly exaggerated, possibly due to his enhanced body.
He consumed a whole meal that would have been enough for four people.
"Ah, Nishino, your cooking skills are amazing," Lin Yi praised.
Kimi Nishino looked extremely happy. She stood up with a smile and started to clean up the dishes.
"Wait. What's wrong?" Kimi Nishino looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Cough, Nishino, have you heard an ancient saying from my country?" Lin Yi suddenly asked.
"What?" she inquired.
"It's called... 'Satiated and warm, one's thoughts turn to lust'," Lin Yi explained. Surprised, Nishino allowed him to lift her up and walked towards the bedroom.
After a brief struggle, Kimi Nishino stopped resisting and shyly buried her head in Lin Yi's embrace.
However, just as Lin Yi threw her onto the bed, his phone rang.
Lin Yi didn't want to answer it, but the ringtone continued without any intention of stopping. Kimi Nishino felt a bit embarrassed and patted Lin Yi's shoulder.
Annoyed, Lin Yi picked up the phone and glanced at it. It was a call from Ashikaga, so he shifted his focus and answered the call.
"Investigator Lin, I have the information you asked me to investigate," Yoshitomi said.
As soon as Kimi Nishino heard that it was about Lin Yi's work, she realized her man's identity as an investigator involved in cases related to ghouls. In theory, this should not be known to ordinary people.
Her first reaction was to avoid the conversation, but Lin Yi pulled her back into his arms. While caressing Nishino's delicate hands, he continued the phone call.
"Speak," he said.
"Investigator Lin, according to your orders, we thoroughly investigated the reports of homicides and disappearances submitted to the Public Security Bureau in the past three days. We found a significant backlog of cases, and more than half of them have been confirmed to be the work of ghouls."
"Moreover, it is highly likely that it's the same ghoul responsible, and their methods are extremely brutal. Based on the information you provided, we reviewed the surveillance footage and indeed found a woman with purple hair near the locations of the homicides."
"We just checked the recent surveillance footage and spotted this woman with purple hair again. She has entered a Night Bar. Should we send our forces to arrest her?"
"Don't act rashly," Lin Yi interrupted. "She's not an enemy you can handle. Hand her case over to me and don't alert her."
"Understood," the other side readily agreed.
Lin Yi hung up the phone and looked at the beauty in his arms with some regret. "It seems we'll have to continue when I come back."
Nishino blushed at Lin Yi's words, showing a hint of shyness. She playfully tapped his chest, showing her interest in his proposition.
"Wait... When you come back, I can wear those special clothes you've always wanted to see," Nishino said, her voice barely audible.
Lin Yi, with his enhanced hearing, caught her words clearly. He understood that Nishino was trying to cheer him up while also teasing him. He appreciated her concern but also felt a surge of anticipation.
"Promise," Lin Yi replied, his thoughts drifting to the kind of attire he had in mind, which went beyond normal clothing.
Those were accessories designed for intimate encounters, but Nishino had always been reserved and hesitant to wear them.
(TL: Inside of Lin Yi's Mind)
"Rize, Rize... I'm not sure if I should thank you," Lin Yi sighed inwardly as he got into the car.
He found the character Rize Kamishiro intriguing. In the original story, she played a short but crucial role, receiving a bento from Kaneki and becoming a turning point in his journey. She was a member of the organization V and was later hunted by Aogiri Tree for unknown reasons.
Rize's death led Professor Kanou to use her as raw material to create a group of one-eyed ghouls and half-ghouls, which significantly impacted the main storyline.
"It's a shame to let such a powerful Kakuhou go to waste," Lin Yi muttered to himself, glancing at the Jörmungandr Quinque placed on the passenger seat.
He wasn't particularly interested in the original plot; his focus was on Rize Kamishiro's Kakuhou and how much progress it could help him make with his Quinque by devouring it.
Although Lin Yi was attracted to women, he had no interest in someone like Rize, who was unstable and unpredictable.
Women like her couldn't be easily controlled or subdued. There was no guarantee that she wouldn't attack him unexpectedly while he was sleeping.
Ghouls and humans were fundamentally different. Ghouls were monsters who relied on consuming humans for survival.
Who would dare to have a romantic relationship with someone like that?
At least, Lin Yi had no such intentions.
Driving his car swiftly, Lin Yi arrived at the bustling Night Bar. The entrance was crowded with people, and the bar was thriving with business.
The Night Bar was a well-known establishment throughout Japan, but it particularly flourished in stable and peaceful districts like the 20th Ward.
At the entrance, security personnel and police officers maintained constant patrol, ensuring safety and order.
Lin Yi left his Quinque in the car to avoid drawing attention. Carrying a white briefcase into the bar would raise suspicion, especially for someone as perceptive as Rize Kamishiro, who would likely deduce his identity upon seeing it.