Chapter 23: Temporary Work

Ashiya Yuu was once a trusted colleague of his father. Now he runs the largest private exorcism agency in the entire Northern City, reputedly with over three hundred loyal clients. In professions like detectives and lawyers—fields lacking the dominance of grand platforms—regular clients willing to pay for supernatural services are an invaluable asset. So when Ashiya Yuu spoke candidly over the phone, saying he would introduce him to a “major client,” Chen Zi’ang felt genuinely moved; this was truly treating him as an insider.

To show his sincerity, Chen Zi’ang swiftly packed his things, bringing along his Mandala Sword and spiritual pressure gauge. He didn’t even have time for lunch before he hurriedly hailed a taxi to the “Ashiya Detective Agency.” After all, although it was an exorcism office, given the nature of spiritual contamination, they couldn’t exactly put “Exorcism” on the signboard.

By the time he arrived, it was already around one in the afternoon.

Following the secretary down the corridor, Chen Zi’ang suddenly heard an intense female voice from afar, sounding as though venting dissatisfaction:

“If you can’t resolve such a minor issue, then I don’t see any reason for us to continue this discussion.”

“Apologies, we’re still investigating the specifics,” came Ashiya Yuu’s explanation. “But shouldn’t we also rule out illness when it comes to nightmares?”

“That’s not your concern,” the female voice continued sternly. “Your job is to confirm or eliminate supernatural factors in this matter!”

“If it turns out her nightly nightmares have nothing to do with curses or hexes, of course I’ll consult other doctors. But you can’t confirm anything yet, can you?”

“Miss Hoshino,” Ashiya Yuu replied with a bitter smile, “we promise to get back to you as soon as possible... Oh, Chen Zi’ang, you’re here.”

Chen Zi’ang pushed open the door, nodded to Ashiya Yuu, and glanced at the people inside.

Ashiya Yuu, claimed to be the heir of the famed ancient Onmyoji Ashiya Doman and the head of the Ashiya Detective Agency, appeared as a man in his forties with curly hair. He held an unlit cigarette between his fingers, his face etched with a helpless smile.

Seated across the coffee table was a mature woman in professional attire, looking to be in her thirties. Her expression was stern and tinged with impatience, her gaze both contemptuous and scrutinizing as she looked at him.

“And who is this?” the woman asked with a frown.

“My assistant, Chen Zi’ang,” Ashiya Yuu gestured for him to sit beside him.

Chen Zi’ang took a seat on the sofa, noticing a business card on the coffee table emblazoned with: “Agent: Norika Hoshino.”

“What sort of case is this?” he asked quietly.

“Miss Hoshino’s client has been plagued by nightmares every night for a week straight,” Ashiya Yuu sighed. “It’s seriously affecting her routine and sleep quality, so she came to us to investigate the cause.”

“But it seems you can’t solve my problem,” Norika Hoshino said coldly. “Perhaps I should look for another agency.”

“Excuse me, may I ask—are the nightmares the same every night?” Chen Zi’ang confirmed.

Dreams reflect the subconscious. If it’s spiritual contamination, the content should be roughly consistent.

“You could say they’re the same, or different,” Ashiya Yuu explained. “The similarity lies in that, in nearly every nightmare, she is committing suicide.”

“Suicide?”

“The difference is, the method of suicide changes each time,” Ashiya Yuu replied with a wry smile. “We’ve visited her residence and workplace but found no trace of supernatural contamination, so we can’t rule out psychological illness…”

“Maki is always optimistic, and her career is on the rise. Everything is going smoothly—why would she have psychological issues?” Norika Hoshino interrupted. “I need answers, not these ambiguous, baseless guesses!”

“Maki?” Chen Zi’ang was surprised. “Is she the famous singer?”

“She’s the top charting artist, crowned number one in cumulative rankings, has appeared in the Red and White Song Festival for three consecutive years, won the Gold Disc Award as the most valuable creative female singer, and last year was voted the ‘National Goddess’—the renowned singer Maki Kiritani!” Norika Hoshino was clearly displeased by the label “singer.”

“My apologies,” Chen Zi’ang quickly said. “Maki Kiritani is indeed well-known; I even have her albums at home and my sister loves her music... So she has no psychological issues, correct?”

“Maki has a dedicated psychologist,” Norika Hoshino replied icily. “She undergoes regular stress tests, and all her psychological indicators are normal.”

“In fact,” the agent leaned forward, her posture and words growing more forceful, “if you’ve ever met Maki, you’d know she’s not the type to hide her emotions. Even the slightest grievance, she’ll tell me immediately!”

Norika Hoshino spoke so assertively that neither Ashiya Yuu nor Chen Zi’ang could pursue the idea of psychological illness any further.

“Since Miss Hoshino is certain it’s not a psychological issue,” Chen Zi’ang said solemnly, “perhaps you could arrange for us to meet the person involved. After all, whether she’s afflicted by the supernatural can’t be determined just from your account.”

“Impossible!” Norika Hoshino refused instantly. “She has a concert at the Budokan next week and is currently adjusting her condition. I won’t let a bunch of dubious people interfere with her!”

What does she mean by dubious people… Chen Zi’ang, accustomed to working as a security officer, had never been called “dubious” before and couldn’t help but smile wryly.

It was clear the star agent looked down on the detective profession, yet was forced to seek help from those she disdained, suggesting the celebrity was indeed suffering severe effects.

“If she keeps having nightmares, her condition next week will hardly improve,” Ashiya Yuu, well-versed in negotiation, went straight for the kill.

Norika Hoshino’s face was flushed with anger, but she was speechless.

To perform at the Heian-kyo Budokan is the ultimate dream for any singer, and for Maki Kiritani, it’s a key milestone in her rising status in the music world—failure is simply not an option.

She devoted an entire day to adjusting her condition, tormented by nightmares and sleep deprivation each night, leaving her dazed during the day—this morning she nearly mistook a napkin for a slice of toast.

“Fine.” Though deeply dissatisfied at being coerced, Norika Hoshino, knowing everything must yield to the concert for now, finally relented. “I’ll take you to see her, but…”

“…You are not to ask about anything unrelated to the investigation.”

Chen Zi’ang and Ashiya Yuu naturally agreed without hesitation.

Norika Hoshino went outside to arrange for a driver, while Ashiya Yuu asked Chen Zi’ang:

“So, why were you suspended?”

“They want to confiscate the sealed artifact,” Chen Zi’ang sighed.

“Heh.” Ashiya Yuu sneered, lighting a cigarette. “Honestly, I’m not surprised at all.”

“The most formidable thing about the system is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a god or a devil outside—once you’re in, it’ll mold you into its own shape.”

“Confiscating sealed artifacts is just the beginning. Who knows, maybe someday regular security officers won’t do the job, and they’ll just hire people like us to handle anomalies.”

“As long as there’s work, I couldn’t care less about the official status. At least I don’t have to follow those absurd rules.” Chen Zi’ang was still complaining when his phone suddenly vibrated.

He glanced at the screen—a message from Suzuna Tsukimiya: “Senpai, I just cursed out that idiot Baba, and now I’ve been suspended too! Where are you? I’ll come find you~”