The zombie chaos led by the noble vampire Drakel, also known as the Blood Night Incident, came to an abrupt end with Drakel’s capture.

Acknowledged as a high-risk criminal, Drakel was sent to Nastrond, a specialized detention facility managed under the strict supervision of the dragon mayor. It was certain that he would never again see the light of day.

“Are you seriously going to pass up the top commendation for this?! Capturing a noble vampire hiding in the city? That’s a first-class medal-worthy achievement! If it were me, I’d never give up the reward!”

Just hours after Drakel’s arrest, in front of the perpetually lit central police station of Nighthaven, a female officer raised her voice incredulously at Alice.

Judging by the evidence and eyewitness accounts, the Blood Night Incident qualified as a Code Orange, a Level 2 disaster.

While the city itself had not been endangered, the event had the potential to cause catastrophic loss of life had things gone wrong.

To neutralize the mastermind in such a short span and hand him over to the authorities was nothing short of miraculous. For Alice to then decline the top commendation and withdraw? Even the officer, who wasn’t involved directly, couldn’t hide her regret at the missed rewards.

“Haha… Honestly, I didn’t do all that much. The Ghost did most of the work and left Drakel barely standing. I just wrapped things up. I don’t really want to steal the credit, and I’d rather not be in the news.”

Alice’s decision, however, felt completely natural to her.

She was the type of person who would insist on returning even a single coin she found on the ground. Moreover, Drakel’s capture was entirely due to the Ghost’s efforts; Alice had merely delivered the final blow.

As such, Alice stubbornly demanded that the Ghost be credited as the primary hero, pestering the police until they gave in.

Unable to outlast her persistence, the police finally relegated Alice to a second-place commendation and, albeit reluctantly, recorded the Ghost’s name for the top honor.

“Alright, if that’s how you feel, there’s nothing I can do. Well then, I’ll be off! See you next time!”
“Take care!”

Having done what she felt was right, Alice bid farewell to the officer and turned to leave. Just as her feet touched the pavement, a familiar voice called out to her.

“Yo, Alice. All done here? You okay?”
“Oh, Jin! You waited for me?”
“Who said I was waiting? I was just passing through and happened to see you, that’s all.”

The man’s name was Jin Crowley.

Owner of the Crowley Troubleshooter Agency and Alice’s employer, Jin was also a licensed Fixer—albeit one whose license was perpetually on the verge of expiration.

Dressed entirely in black from head to toe, with jet-black hair to match, Jin was often nicknamed “Raven” by those who knew him.

“My sister once said male tsunderes are a tough sell. Like unsold inventory in a warehouse.”
“You need to tell your sister to stop reading those old comics. Tsundere? That’s a word from seventy years ago!”

Alice chuckled, lightly matching her stride to Jin’s as they walked together.

Though Jin gave off the impression of a man who lived without much thought, his subtle gestures of attentiveness to those around him often shone through in moments like these.

For a while, the two walked in silence, their footsteps echoing softly. Eventually, Alice broke the quiet.

“Right, Jin. I actually met the Ghost today—the one Victor mentioned.”
“…Really? What was it like?”
“Well, I didn’t see any of the powers Victor talked about… but I don’t think they’re a bad person, just like he said.”

Alice’s thoughts drifted back to a few days ago when Victor, Jin’s old friend, had visited their office.

Victor, with his striking blond hair and intense gaze, had come to them with an unexpected request.

“Raven, I need a favor. Investigate the Ghost. They might be connected to your missing sister.”
“…Explain.”
“The Nexus Project—one of the largest paranormal research experiments, responsible for thousands of casualties. It’s the only experiment to produce meaningful results related to supernatural powers. I think the Ghost is connected to it.”

Victor’s theory struck a nerve.

The Nexus Project, led by an unknown organization, had aimed to implant supernatural powers—forces that defied both science and magic—into humans. It was believed that Jin’s sister had been caught up in this horrific experiment.

“But how can you be certain? The Nexus Project was run by a shadowy group even the dragons couldn’t trace. I can’t just take your word for it. And how would you even distinguish magic from supernatural abilities?”
“Fair point. But what if… the Ghost is a young child?”
“A child?”

Victor’s serious tone left no room for doubt as he continued.

“Yes. I know what you’re thinking—high-level mages can wield magic that seems indistinguishable from supernatural powers. But do you really think such a mage would skulk around the underworld, stealing from criminals, disguised as a little kid?”
“…I suppose not.”
“My gut tells me the Ghost is a product of the Nexus Project. And if that’s true, they’ve likely endured unimaginable suffering, just like we both know your sister might have.”

The journal Victor had uncovered about the Nexus Project was horrifying.

It detailed experiments where invasive surgeries transplanted alien body parts into humans, minds were tampered with, and unspeakable drugs were administered, forcing test subjects to endure unimaginable pain.

If the Ghost was indeed a “success” of such a project, how much torment had they been through?

“Please, Raven. Investigate the Ghost for me. I’m leaving the city for a while, so I can only rely on you. This might also bring you closer to finding your sister.”
“….”

Jin remained silent for a long time, deep in thought.

Finally, with a determined gaze, he gave Victor his answer.

“One question—what kind of person is the Ghost?”
“From what I’ve seen? A good one. A very good one.”
“Tch. Your optimism isn’t very helpful, but…”

Jin adjusted his posture, a sly grin spreading across his face.

“Fine. I’ll take the job. Before you return to Nighthaven, I’ll find out everything there is to know about the Ghost.”
“Thanks. Just don’t get too carried away.”

The two old friends exchanged a look of understanding—a mix of camaraderie and rivalry.

Alice couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

Victor and Jin were opposites in many ways—blond versus black hair, optimistic versus cynical. But their bond was undeniable, built on years of friendship.

And now, Jin’s fiery determination to uncover the Ghost’s secrets was clear proof of how deeply Victor’s request had resonated with him.

“That’s it! I’m going to the Black Bamboo Society to demand they reconsider the bounty! It’s not fair—if anything, the Ghost protected the labyrinth!” Alice exclaimed, clenching her fists.

“Well, I won’t stop you,” Jin replied with a shrug. “But the Society’s probably too busy dealing with angry bounty hunters to listen right now.”

He explained how the Society’s decision to place bounties on zombies had backfired.

When the incident ended and the pseudo-zombies vanished, many hunters accused the Society of knowing beforehand and exploiting them.

Naturally, this had escalated into chaos, with the hunters demanding compensation for their wasted efforts.

As Jin and Alice parted ways at the agency’s door, the next morning brought an unexpected visitor to their office.

“Can I ask for a favor?”

Standing before them was a towering orc with rippling muscles and a petite maid wearing a fox mask.

The combination was as baffling as it was intriguing.