The ribbon in Torami Toumi's hand suddenly went taut and darted toward the enemy like lightning.
Because he hadn't entered "Bullet Time," Lin Wuming only saw the girl's hand turn into a blur, and at the same time, a large splash of blood "exploded" on the enemy!
Lin Wuming felt a faint pain in his chest. Although he didn't count clearly, he somehow knew that Torami Toumi had stabbed seven times in an instant—the same number as when she attacked him last time.
Perhaps, seven was this crazy girl's lucky number?
Lin Wuming floated backward a little more distance.
The speed of the stabs was so fast that when she withdrew the ribbon, there wasn't a trace of blood on it.
Torami Toumi stood holding the "sword," her posture unchanged, as if she hadn't been the one to injure someone just now.
Only then did the "Hunter" leader realize what had happened, and he cried out in pain.
Waiting for the "blood spring" from the wound to subside, Torami Toumi flicked her wrist and stabbed again...
Repeating this four times, within a mere minute, Torami Toumi stabbed the enemy twenty-eight times in quick succession, all the while remaining silent, with no intention of "interrogation."
It seemed... she was simply torturing him.
In shock and panic, the "Hunter" leader's mind went blank. Aside from instinctive wails, he couldn't offer any other valuable reaction.
In the end, it was Lin Wuming who couldn't bear to watch. Even though this was the enemy he wanted to kill, seeing this scene gave him an inexplicable sense of "empathy."
This also brought him completely out of his previous hysterical state.
"Hey, that's enough, don't actually stab him to death..." Lin Wuming quietly warned.
Regardless, being branded a "murderer" was not a good thing, especially when their side had the absolute advantage. It was definitely not worth risking his future peaceful life to take a life.
"Hmph, relax, I know what I'm doing," the girl said calmly. "I'm avoiding vital organs to prolong his life. That gives us time to press for information, or simply take revenge."
Torami Toumi looked at Lin Wuming and said seriously: "Your way of venting your anger by beating him up is actually more likely to accidentally kill him."
—A female demon!
The "Hunter" leader had only this one thought in his mind—being able to utter such terrifying words in such a casual tone at such a young age, it was hard to imagine how twisted her mind was.
Even Lin Wuming, who was her companion, felt a chill in his heart, let alone the "Hunter" leader who was actually being stabbed.
The "Hunter" leader realized—this female demon was serious. She was one of "their people"! Even more extreme, she was born for the world of darkness!
This female demon truly regarded human life as nothing. In contrast, the boy, who was the target of this mission, was more like a normal person—although very strong, it was clear he was a rookie who hadn't truly killed anyone. He held back throughout the previous fight, afraid to strike a fatal blow.
Precisely because he saw this, the "Hunter" leader had clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and played dead, enduring Lin Wuming's repeated beatings.
He knew clearly that this was the only way to save both his life and the secret—just stall for time until the Judgment force arrived to rescue him.
Although it would be embarrassing and he would be imprisoned, it would at least save his life and preserve the "Hunter's" basic honor—by not leaking the employer's information, he would have a chance to start over after escaping.
But this strategy was useless against the female demon, because she truly would kill him, and in a horrific, torturous way!
"Stop! Wait! I'll talk, I'll tell you everything!" Thus, he quickly admitted defeat and confessed, not daring to hesitate for a moment.
It turned out that the "Black Moon Research Institute" was just a commonly used nickname. The true registered name of the main institution overseeing the "Dark May" project was "Black Moon Technology Development Co., Ltd.," a subsidiary nominally under a foreign investment group.
After learning the enemy organization's real name, it was easy to find the company's headquarters online.
It's worth noting that among the related news found online, one article mentioned that a key laboratory under "Black Moon Technology" had suddenly relocated last month.
The original address of that laboratory was the very building from which Lin Wuming initially fell.
Ordinarily, the relocation of a laboratory is a common occurrence in Academy City—since there are so many labs, such "relocations" happen daily in this city. But viewing it with their preconceived notions, they could spot the problem.
"Alright, we can confirm this is it." Lin Wuming immediately located the new position of the laboratory after its move. "I'm going there now."
"No," Torami Toumi objected. "I think this is likely a decoy or a sacrificial pawn thrown out by the enemy."
She manipulated her phone and showed it to Lin Wuming: "We should go here."
The location displayed on the phone map was the headquarters of "Black Moon Technology."
Strike the leader first, Lin Wuming nodded in agreement.
Torami Toumi put away her ribbon, then pushed the wheelchair lying nearby toward him: "Get in. I'll push you."
Lin Wuming hesitated, but under the girl's intense gaze, he eventually nodded and floated over.
"Your injuries..." Torami Toumi suddenly said. "I'm truly sorry."
"No need to apologize," Lin Wuming shook his head and said cautiously. "I know you were helping me. I should be thanking you instead."
Torami Toumi continued: "I visited Yomikawa-sensei's home today to see you, and I even made a cake myself."
"Eh? Is that so..." Lin Wuming was a little surprised. "Thank you."
"As an apology, I'll make another cake when I visit you, and I promise it will have strawberries on top!"
Lin Wuming was a little puzzled as to why the girl suddenly brought this up: "Oh, oh? Strawberry shortcake. I'll definitely look forward to it."
The two walked away, chatting as Torami Toumi pushed the wheelchair, seemingly forgetting the bleeding enemy still lying on the ground.
The "Hunter" leader lay motionless on the ground. Although they were gone, the psychic power applied to him hadn't diminished in the slightest.
—Or, is it because I'm getting weaker?
He grew anxious. The fear of death, arriving late, made him less afraid.
"...Am I really... going to die?" He regretted it a little. If he had known, he wouldn't have told the truth... No, if he had known, he shouldn't have resisted and just confessed from the beginning.
Just as his consciousness began to fade, he finally glimpsed a familiar dark blue uniform appearing in his sight.
"...Ah..." He let out a sigh of relief, as if relaxing—I'm finally saved!