Chapter 23: Nothing But a Useless Burden

Xiao Kaitian regarded Rin Ogiwara with the expression one might reserve for an imbecile, exhaling smoke in languid swirls. He had no intention of repeating his explanation. The item had been presented; its merits would have to be judged by Rin herself. He was no salesman—there was no need to prattle on about a product in which he held absolute confidence.

“How did you do it?” Rin’s curiosity was palpable as she tugged on the glove, immediately noticing the difference. The inner lining seemed to have a framework akin to finger bones, likely forged from steel, with several rigid areas that suggested the presence of a control center. “Can I try it here?”

“You know its power,” Xiao Kaitian replied, recognizing her question as another form of probing. He grinned. “I don’t mind if you test it here. But as for the owner of this establishment…”

“You’re certainly extraordinary,” Rin’s eyes glimmered with intrigue. This café was well known among those in the underworld of her country, yet Xiao Kaitian, a foreigner, discerned its secrets at a glance. She couldn’t help but admire him. “How did you manage that?”

She was versed in martial arts—though not deeply—but she retained enough confidence to recognize fellow practitioners by sight. Yet, in Xiao Kaitian, she saw no trace of a martial artist.

A man who appeared not to be a martial artist, and yet could so precisely assess the abilities of those around him—what manner of person was he?

Xiao Kaitian smiled faintly. What was he supposed to say? That he came from a higher-dimensional space, and that everyone here walked about with numerical values above their heads? He could hardly reveal such a thing, especially since, if nothing else, the bald elder of this establishment possessed a staggering combat strength of 160, while the woman who seemed to be his wife had a score of 74.

If a fight broke out here, he might not die, but he would surely suffer losses—not a worthwhile exchange.

“Perhaps you should ask them,” Xiao Kaitian flicked the ash from his cigarette, indicating the couple with a subdued amusement.

Rin’s expression froze. She drew a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. “Just you wait!” She stirred her coffee so forcefully that the spoon clattered against the cup in protest, then pushed it aside and stood, her face cold.

She strode to the bar and engaged the middle-aged woman in conversation, the two seeming quite familiar with one another. Xiao Kaitian paid them no mind, his gaze drifting to the window. Not far away, a car sat parked, its occupants—a man and a woman—observable to him with ease born of superhuman eyesight.

He hadn’t expected her. Xiao Kaitian recalled the earnest expression of Sakura Harui, and couldn’t help but curl his lips in amusement before sinking into thought.

The police’s involvement in his affairs was unsurprising, but dispatching two traffic officers—what was the meaning of that?

“Let’s go,” Rin’s voice broke his reverie. He looked up to see the bald elder and the elegant middle-aged woman flanking her, the automatic door at the entrance now closed.

Led by the bald elder, the group descended into the basement. Step by step, they followed the stairs, discovering a hidden world beneath. The basement was dug deep—at least three stories below ground—and spanned about a hundred square meters, essentially hollowing out the entire underside of the café. Thick metal sheathed the walls, and one side was adorned with an array of firearms and equipment, lending the space a chilling, martial atmosphere.

Xiao Kaitian smiled as the bald elder stood at the center of the basement, assuming a ready stance. The middle-aged woman leaned casually against the banister, smiling as she watched.

It was clear—the elder intended to test the glove’s power himself.

“It’s been a while since I exercised,” the elder grinned. “Rin-chan, please don’t hold back.”

“That will depend on whether this thing works,” Rin replied, throwing Xiao Kaitian a provocative look as she donned the glove.

She clenched her fist, her fingers pressing a button in the palm. A barely perceptible hum sounded, and a faint, ethereal glow shimmered around her right hand.

“So strong!” An unfamiliar surge of power flooded her arm, and Rin’s eyes sparkled. This was promising!

The elder seemed to realize this was a true test of the glove’s abilities—he readied himself in a defensive posture.

“Here I come!” With a sudden shift, Rin sprang forward, her right fist driving straight at the elder—a simple, brutal test.

“Crack!” The elder had intended to block with one hand, but as her punch approached, a hairline fracture appeared in his sunglasses. Forced to react, he raised both hands as two opposing forces collided.

In the silent basement, a sudden whirlwind erupted.

Rin’s hair flew wildly. She was delighted—this power surpassed her own by far, and though she had expected some backlash from the collision, her stance remained steady. The glove’s potency exceeded her imagination.

“Again!” Excited, she spun and transformed her fist into a blade, chopping hard at the elder’s right forearm.

For a moment, both froze, but in the blink of an eye, the elder was sent flying sideways in a defensive pose, crashing into the metal wall with a deep, resonant thud that echoed through the basement.

“That’s enough,” Rin exhaled, satisfied with her assessment of the glove’s functions. The elder straightened his rumpled clothes. “An excellent weapon,” he said, raising a rare thumbs-up.

The experiment concluded, there was no reason to linger. The party returned to the café, Xiao Kaitian and Rin once again seated face-to-face, like a pair of lovers. The elder and his wife resumed their duties behind the bar as if nothing had transpired.

“Better than I expected,” Rin lowered her gaze, trying to conceal her excitement. This time, she wouldn’t let Xiao Kaitian steer the negotiation. “But its flaws are obvious.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Xiao Kaitian seemed unconcerned as he carefully drew out a cigarette and lit it.

“The power reaches the peak of the Yellow Rank, even the initial stage of the Black Rank. It solves the issue of recoil nicely,” Rin decided to knock Xiao Kaitian down a peg—his air of superiority was infuriating, especially as he smoked in front of a beautiful woman. Was he a chain-smoker? No sense of respect at all. “But if the user’s own skill is lacking, their speed won’t keep up—they won’t land a hit.”

A thick cloud of smoke drifted from Xiao Kaitian.

“Cough, cough.” Rin wrinkled her nose, determined to continue her critique. “On the other hand, if the user has sufficient skill, the glove is unnecessary. In simple terms, it’s a useless accessory. Martial artists and the like won’t benefit from it. Xiao Kaitian, I waited three days for this—rather disappointing.”

She flashed him a smile tinged with pity.

Xiao Kaitian replied, unhurried, “When did I ever say it was meant for martial artists?”