Although the phone in my hand remains lit, my vision darkened some time ago.

  Those threatening messages are like poison-dipped blades, sharp and cruel, slipping through the armor I have painstakingly forged over the years and digging deep into the scars that have never fully healed in my psyche.

  "Whorish animal..."

  "I know what you did..."

  The phone slips from my trembling fingers, falling onto the seat cushion aimlessly. I curl up. The fox ears atop my head press flat against my skull, an instinctual reflex of an animal facing extreme fear. My breathing becomes rapid and broken as if the air in the room suddenly turned into mercury.

  Did I... ever meet him before? Why?

  And then, like a broken dam, old memories I tried to bury under tons of administrative documents and fake industrial smiles come rushing back.

  The voice of Gakai, or whoever stands behind that screen, gradually fades and gives way to other sounds. A slimy and condescending voice echoes from the first days I set foot in The Nexus.

  "You know, Itsuki..." The voice rings in my head, accompanied by hot breath on the back of my neck. "You are all alone here; without help in this place, it is very hard to survive."

  "Want a position? Want FP so you don't undergo Mortal De-evolution? Then you must know how to respect superiors and yield to inferiors."

  "Want to advance further in work? The most important thing is to be compliant. You understand my meaning, right? A smart fox like you surely must understand."

  I clutch my head, claws digging hard into the messy fur.

  Right. What needed to be done, what I was forced to do, I did it all. I traded even my self-respect just to survive until today. Yet why? Why does that stench still cling to me like maggots in bone marrow?

  The memory takes me back to the time when I was just a nameless Neo Deity having just immigrated to The Nexus empty-handed.

  I am not like Zhen Shan, born with strength to move mountains and fill seas or a majestic aura that commands respect at first sight. Nor do I possess transcendent intellect like Alethea. My position, frankly speaking, is nothing special and can be eliminated at any time.

  I am just a fox.

  A small and weak Nine-Tailed Fox. In mythology, my species is labeled as cunning, deceitful, and promiscuous. Who respects a fox?

  When you have no strength and no superior intellect, then in the eyes of others, you are a tool only to be used or for entertainment.

  A hot tear rolls down my cheek and soaks into the white fur. I grit my teeth, trying to suppress a choke threatening to burst from my throat.

  However, the waking nightmare is suddenly torn apart by a cold bolt of lightning running down my spine.

  "Kaito!"

  The name bursts from my throat like a choked sob. My smoky purple pupils contract. The photo of the boy coming home from school... It is not an empty threat.

  I hurriedly snatch the spiritual phone lying askew on the cushion, claws scratching frantically on the touch screen.

  Beep... Beep...

  "Hello, boss? I am..."

  "SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" I scream, cutting off Nanao's leisurely tone. "You, call Xiaolang too, drop everything! Run immediately to Kaito's apartment! Right now! Check if the boy is still intact!"

  The other end falls silent for a second, then Nanao's voice becomes distinctly serious. "Is there an emergency, boss? Did the kid play some dangerous prank again?"

  "Gakai," I hiss through my teeth, breathing heavily. "That bastard is targeting him."

  That name carries the weight of a thousand pounds. The other end immediately goes silent. I can imagine the fur all over the cat standing on end due to killing intent.

  Beep.

  One minute passes. Two minutes.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Time feels stretched out like chewing gum. I pace back and forth in the room, my tail whipping the air creating restless swish swish sounds. If anything happens to Kaito...

  Ring!

  I pick up immediately.

  "Reporting, boss," Nanao's voice rings out, urgent but still maintaining calmness. "The kid is fine. He is sitting watching anime. He was just a bit startled when he saw us barge in. Xiaolang is checking the barrier around the house, and there are no signs of intrusion yet."

  I slide down, leaning my back against the cold wall, exhaling a long breath as if draining all vitality.

  "Thank heavens..."

  "What is the plan now, boss?"

  "Stay put," I command, my voice regaining some authority. "Watch him for me. Tell Xiaolang to stand guard 24/7, take turns keeping watch. If you sense anything wrong, report immediately."

  I hesitate a moment, then add: "Also... do not mention that he is being hunted. The boy is new to the profession; his mentality is still weak. Just say that security in The Nexus is unstable lately, a few Evil Gods escaped from Tartarus so protection must be increased. Understood?"

  "Roger that, boss," Nanao replies curtly. "I will handle this. You also... pay attention to safety. Your voice doesn't sound very good."

  I hang up, relaxing my stiff body. Kaito's temporary safety acts like a sedative, helping my heart rate gradually return to normal.

  "Right... still have to report this to Sis Alethea," I mutter.

  But my finger keeps hovering over the send button to the big sister.

  Will she wonder why he insulted me with such harsh tones?

  "Probably not," I give a bitter smile to myself. "That lady probably only cares about data and strategies on how to catch Gakai. The trashy private life of an old fox... probably isn't worth her attention."

  Although convincing myself like that, I still draft an extremely brief message, omitting all personal insults, keeping only the information about the threat targeting Kaito.

  Less than five minutes after the message is sent, the sound of high heels clacking on the marble floor rings out, breaking the silence of the Diplomatic Relation Team's workspace.

  Alethea appears, platinum hair in a high bun, face icy but her green eyes wavering intensely. She says nothing, pulling a chair to flop down opposite me, her breathing a bit hurried.

  "Spit it out," she says, brief and steel-hard. "What is the full story? Why would a high-level criminal like Gakai lower himself to target an apprentice like Kaito?"

  I lower my eyes, hands clasped together on the table. Cannot hide it anymore.

  "It is my fault," I admit in a hoarse voice. "I was too negligent when using Ogawa's account to investigate Seikō and the clues leading to Kisaragi. He knows I am digging too much, so he used Kaito as a hostage to silence me."

  Alethea listens, showing no surprise or reproach. She just nods, fingers tapping rhythmically on the table surface.

  "Logical. A psychological preemptive strike." She extends her hand. "Show me all the messages."

  My heart skips a beat. Showing the threat messages to Kaito is fine, but those personal insults...

  "Hurry up," Alethea urges, her gaze looking like it wants to pierce my weak defense. "We are in hot water; what else do you want to hide? A word or a punctuation mark can also be a clue."

  I grit my teeth, trembling as I open the Line app, pushing the hologram screen toward her.

  Alethea takes it, reading each line. She watches the savage execution video, then reads the insulting messages. Her delicate brows furrow tight.

  "Strange... Why is he so harsh? These words... 'animal', 'whorish'... They carry heavy personal hatred rather than a normal threat."

  She looks up at me. "You and he never met before, right?"

  "Never," I affirm firmly, though inside I still feel a bit vague. "When I worked at Takama-ga-hara, I was in charge of the 1031 market. Gakai belonged to Research in a completely different market division. Both certainly never had a chance to cross paths at work."

  "Mm, then I understand," Alethea nods, looking pensive. "It is not a personal grudge due to work friction. Perhaps he is just deliberately using those words to provoke you."

  She intends to ask something more about the "past" that guy mentioned, but then stops.

  "Go wash your face, little fox."

  "Huh?" I look blank.

  "You look terrible," she points at my face. "Just woke up? Why are the whites of your eyes so red? Your facial fur is matted. If subordinates see this appearance of the team leader, they will laugh their heads off."

  I startle, hurriedly raising my hand to touch my face.

  Right... just now I was busy crying, tearing my hair out. I probably look no different from a fox soaked in rain.

  I slink off toward the "bathroom," which is actually a door leading to a small dimensional space designed specifically for divine hygiene, mainly washing and grooming since gods do not need to use the toilet.

  Standing before the large mirror, I cannot help but startle.

  In the mirror is a haggard fox. The smoky purple eyes, usually alert, are now streaked with red blood vessels. The fur around the eyes is wet and messy.

  "How did she figure out 'just woke up' anyway?" I smile bitterly, splashing cold water on my face.

  The cool water helps me sober up a bit. I comb my fur, straighten my clothes, take a deep breath to regain the usual "carefree" look, then step out.

  When I return to the desk, Alethea is intently re-watching Gakai's execution video on the large screen. The beautiful face of the Goddess of Wisdom exudes unconcealed disgust at the butcher's savage behavior, but immediately after, it is replaced by a terrifyingly cold calmness.

  "Hmph... this bastard, very well," she says, her voice deepening, fingers tapping lightly on the table.

  Seeing me approach, she turns, giving a half-smile.

  "Itsuki, I have an idea."

  She pushes up her glasses.

  "Soon, this son of a bitch wont have time targeting Kaito or anyone in our team. Just rest assured and save your strength."