Virtual Idol in the Beast World: Five Clans Fight Over Me

Late at night.

The police station.

"Is he done looking at that yet?"

"How much longer do we have to stay here?"

"Why did they only arrest us?"

"That leopard actually ditched us and ran, damn it..."

"..."

Leighton looked up from his files at the grumbling Lion Clan Beastmen.

Their hair was a mess, and their faces were all more or less bruised. They were disheveled, yet brimming with energy.

Leighton glanced again at the report the Beast Police had taken. These lions weren’t sleeping in the middle of the night; they had gone to a deli... to work?

He tossed the incomprehensible report onto the desk.

Even if he didn’t know who owned that deli, this pride of lions didn’t look like the type to work for anyone.

He could tell from their clothes and accessories that they were accustomed to the good life; they didn’t look like they’d ever known a day of hardship. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Even though they had specifically changed into simple combat uniforms, they still adorned themselves with flashy, useless trinkets.

The jeweled chains on their chests, Golden Lion Badges, intricately crafted belts...

Even the clips holding their hair back were sparkling gold, as if they were afraid people *wouldn’t* know they were from the Upper District.

Now they were huddled together, muttering amongst themselves, constantly standing up from their chairs only to sit back down, as if the station’s seats were lined with thorns.

Seeing them so restless, Leighton couldn’t help but think of the little Mixed Breed who had sat there waiting so obediently a few days ago.

’These Upper District People don’t even have the patience of a little Mixed Breed.’

"Officer, can we go now?"

Belial, one of the Lion Clan Beastmen, was the first to lose his patience and stepped forward to ask Leighton.

Leighton stared blankly at the blond Beastman before him, tapping a Golden Lion Badge against the table. "Go? You assaulted police officers and you still want to just walk out of here?"

"Didn’t we already explain? They started it." Belial pointed to three other Beastmen sitting on another bench. "And them—we don’t even know them. They just came up and started swinging. Officer, did you arrest the wrong people?"

Leighton glanced at the three men, knowing full well whose people they were.

’Perfect. He and Alex hadn’t settled their score yet, and now this black wolf had just added another item to his tab.’

Once he was done with his work, he’d have to have a good, long chat with him. He was going to make these Upper District People understand that Zone 19 wasn’t a place to be messed with.

"I’ll get to the bottom of it." Leighton gave a look to the officer beside him, then said to Belial, "For tonight, you’ll just have to deign to do us the honor of spending the night in our humble little station."

As he finished speaking, several officers moved to take Belial and the others to the holding cells.

Seeing that he was getting nowhere with Leighton, Belial turned and called out, "Mingxi!"

Mingxi saw the confrontation, shut off his terminal to end the call, and strode over to Leighton’s desk.

He first glanced at the nameplate on Leighton’s desk. Seeing the name on it and the black sheep icon, he said, "Officer Little Black, hello."

Little Black, who was sitting next to Leighton organizing files: "..."

He leaned over and silently took away the nameplate his colleague used as a joke.

’It’s been sitting there for so long, and it finally tricked a greenhorn.’

Leighton leaned back in his chair and looked at Little Black. "Little Black, he’s calling for you."

Mingxi froze for a second before it dawned on him. "My apologies. A different officer brought us in. May I ask who you are?"

Leighton sized him up. "Are you their leader?" ’He at least looks more level-headed than the others.’

Mingxi replied, "I am."

Leighton nodded. "Good. Then lead them to the holding cells. You, as their leader, can comfort your little lions. If you want to get out sooner, then be smart and don’t cause any more trouble."

He could have been having a nice, quiet night. But then his subordinate had called, saying they’d arrested some difficult-to-handle Upper District People who had been raising a ruckus at the station for hours, a single call dragging him out of bed in the middle of the night.

He was not in a good mood after being woken up.

Mingxi glanced at the badge in Leighton’s hand. "You know we were sent by the Beast Alliance."

Leighton raised an eyebrow. "So what?"

Mingxi said, "Officer, we are on a mission. We can’t be detained here."

Leighton asked, "What mission?"

"Apologies, but the mission is confidential. I hope you can cooperate with us." After saying this, Mingxi paused and added in a low voice, "We’re from Zone 3."

Leighton heard the mild tone in his voice but also the distinct, natural air of pressure that came with it, and he was instantly annoyed.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration and tossed the badge at him. "I don’t care what zone you’re from. In Zone 19, you follow Zone 19’s rules!"

’Just looking at these Upper District people is irritating.’

Mingxi wanted to reason with him further, but Leighton pulled a stun baton from his drawer, tapped it impatiently on the desk, and cut the nonsense. "So, my esteemed young masters, are we carrying you in, or are you walking in yourselves?"