Only an entity of this scale could develop such targeted black technology.
“It seems you’ve guessed it.”
Looking at Gluttony’s thoughtful expression, Toudou Daigo did not deny it; instead, he seemed a bit proud.
“That’s right, this is a talisman from the big shots above.”
“As long as we handle some dirty work they’d rather not get involved in, we can get as many of these little toys as we want.”
“Even…” Toudou Daigo lowered his voice, “If we do a good job, it wouldn’t be impossible to get you a seat as a parliamentarian in the next parliamentary election.”
This was the third card she had been looking for — the legal card.
If she could use Toudou Daigo to get in touch with the Liberal Democratic Party, and even infiltrate the political core…
Then her future activities — whether using Gluttony to infiltrate the Inferior Breed Mutual Aid Society or the upcoming Bug Extermination Plan — would all be useful.
“Interesting.”
Gluttony put down the device, a meaningful smile curling at the corner of her mouth.
“I’m very interested in this talisman. I wonder if President Toudou could introduce me?”
“You want to meet that big shot?”
Toudou Daigo paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. “You sure have quite an appetite, wanting to climb the social ladder as soon as you arrive?”
“Good!” Toudou Daigo slapped his thigh. “I like that ambitious spirit of yours. You’re much better than that idiot Ashura who only knows how to kill.”
“As long as you help me accomplish a few things and prove your worth, I can take you to meet the contact from the Liberal Democratic Party.”
“It’s a deal.”
Gluttony raised her glass and clinked it with Toudou Daigo’s.
The crisp clink echoed in the private room.
And so, a deal where both parties had their own ulterior motives was struck.
……
The next morning, at the Heavenly Ladder Project construction site, Zone C office prefab building.
Sunlight streamed through the dusty glass window, shining onto a brand-new desk.
“Sato! Sato!”
The foreman’s wrinkled face beamed like a blooming chrysanthemum as he held a cup of hot tea and placed it reverently on the desk.
“This is freshly brewed Longjing tea. Please have a taste! This is my personal stash!”
Sato Ai, sitting behind the desk, wore an ill-fitting gray clerical uniform and her signature round-rimmed glasses, looking flustered and overwhelmed.
“No, no, no! Foreman Wang, this is too much! I… I’m just a cleaner…”
“Hey! What cleaner? That’s in the past!”
Old Wang waved his hand and said seriously, “After organizational assessment (actually because Yuki Asahi treated her to breakfast yesterday), we discovered that Comrade Zuo Teng has a high cultural level (even though her resume says high school graduate) and a serious work attitude (meaning she slacks off while sweeping). This is definitely a waste of talent!”
“From today, you are the administrative clerk of our Zone C Logistics Department! Responsible for organizing files and inventory lists!”
“Not only will you no longer sweep the streets, your salary doubles! And you get your own desk and air conditioning!”
Old Wang smiled and patted Zuo Teng Ai’s shoulder. “Work hard! And if you ever in front of Mr. Yuki… well, put in a good word for our construction site!”
Seeing Old Wang’s expression as if he wanted to worship her, Jiang Jian Yue’s mouth twitched slightly.
In this new era seemingly filled with superpowers and black technology, human relationships are still the primary productivity.
……
In the corridor, there were only the hurried footsteps of staff and the occasional sound of a printer running.
The three young ones were now sitting nervously on the sofa in the reception room.
The Supernatural Club members, usually so high-spirited at school, didn’t even dare to breathe loudly here.
“Please have some tea.”
Watanabe Hitomi brought three cups of hot tea with a teasing expression, then gently closed the door.
“What do we do… my palms are all sweaty.” Kagegaya Tsubaki said quietly, clutching her skirt tightly with both hands.
“Don’t panic.” Although Kazama Yin said that, his posture was as stiff as a board. “We came to apologize. As long as we’re sincere, Senior Yuki probably won’t do anything to us.”
“I hope so.” Hanyuu Seira pushed up his glasses. “This time we really were too impulsive.”
Just as the three were feeling anxious, the door to the reception room opened.
But the person who walked in was not Yuki Asahi, but a blue-haired girl with dark circles under her eyes, wearing a dress.
“Senior Imai?”
The three were startled and quickly stood up, not expecting that Yamanoi Yayoi, who had been busy recently, would come to see them.
“Sit down, don’t be formal.”
Yamanoi Yayoi waved her hand, her tone gentle.
“Brother Yuki is still handling some documents; he’ll be here soon.”
Yamanoi Yayoi looked at the three and sighed. “I’ve heard about you wanting to break into the Kyokuto Construction headquarters the day before yesterday.”
The three lowered their heads in shame.
“It’s good for young people to have a sense of justice.”
Yamanoi Yayoi changed the subject. “But if a sense of justice lacks the support of power and wisdom, it becomes recklessness. Kyokuto Construction has a complicated background; it’s not something a few high school students can handle.”
“But… Senior Imai!”
Kazama Yin couldn’t help but look up. “Are we just going to let them do whatever they want? They hire illegal workers, and they might even have killed…”
“Of course we won’t let them.”
Yamanoi Yayoi interrupted him, her gaze firm. “The very meaning of the Management Department’s existence is to clear out these dark corners. Regarding the issue of Kyokuto Construction, our People’s Coalition Party has already set up a special task force and is conducting a secret investigation.”
“The reason we haven’t acted in a big way is to avoid alarming the enemy, and also to collect more solid evidence to catch all the protectors behind them in one net.”
Yamanoi Yayoi’s speech was watertight, both calming the young people’s emotions and showing the official determination.
Although she knew in her heart how difficult it was to move against Toudou Daigo, who had the Liberal Democratic Party as his backing, in front of the children, she had to maintain an image of justice.
“So, please leave this matter to the adults.”
Yamanoi Yayoi said earnestly, “Your task now is to study hard and hone your abilities, to become heroes who can truly stand on their own in the future, not to go die now. Understand?”
“Yes… we understand.”
The three were convinced, and the remaining unwillingness also dissipated a lot.
Just then, the door opened again.
This time, the familiar figure walked in.
Yuki Asahi was wearing that long black trench coat, with an indifferent expression.
“Senior Yuki!” The three immediately stood up straight.
“I’m sorry! Senior! We caused you trouble!” The three apologized in unison, bowing ninety degrees.
Yuki Asahi walked over and sat down next to Yamanoi Yayoi, without much reproach.
“Exaggerating.”
The atmosphere relaxed a bit.
However, before the three could breathe a sigh of relief, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside the reception room.
Then, a group of people wearing uniforms different from those of the Management Department walked in.
“This is…” Kazama Yin was a bit bewildered.
Yamanoi Yayoi frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the sudden intrusion, but she stood up out of respect for their identity.
“Commissioner Wang, this is the reception room. Can’t we discuss business in the conference room?”
“The situation is urgent, Party Leader Imai.”
The man called Commissioner Wang spoke fluent Japanese with a serious expression.
He ignored the three high school students and instead looked directly at Yuki Asahi.
“Yuki-kun, we are SAAC members from the Dark Crow Special Countermeasures Headquarters. You should know about the Dark Crows appearing in Australia, right?”
Commissioner Wang opened the folder in his hand and pulled out a photo, placing it on the table.
In the photo, a set of DRG combat suits lay on the ground with no one inside, covered in gray dust.
“This is the result of our gathered forces’ encirclement and suppression, but two Dark Crows still escaped.”
Hearing the name Dark Crow, Hanyuu Seira, who had been a background figure, looked thoughtful.
Yuki Asahi picked up the photo and looked at it, his expression still calm. “So?”
“So, we need you.”
Commissioner Wang looked straight at Yuki Asahi. “You are very familiar with DRG. We need you to go to Australia to assist the Joint Investigation Team in identification and pursuit.”
“We need the strongest combat power.”
Yamanoi Yayoi wanted to say something, but she opened her mouth and finally remained silent.
Yuki Asahi kept looking at the photo, contemplating, and finally nodded. “I will go.”
After the SAAC members left, the reception room fell into a long silence.
“Um…”
At that moment, a trembling but firm voice broke the heavy atmosphere.
Hanyuu Seira clenched his fists.
“Excuse me… if we go to Australia to investigate the Dark Crows, can we also find clues about DRG?”
He suddenly looked at Yuki Asahi, his eyes full of pleading. “Senior Yuki! Please take us with you!”
“Huh?”
Before Yuki Asahi could speak, Yamanoi Yayoi spoke first.
“Didn’t you realize the gap last time?”
Yamanoi Yayoi pursed her lips. “You won’t be of much help if you go.”
The three exchanged glances. What Yamanoi Yayoi said was correct, and they might even cause trouble for Senior Yuki.
“Why not?”
Just as the three were about to give up, Yuki Asahi, who had been silently playing with the photo, suddenly spoke.
“I just suddenly remembered something. This photo reminded me.”
Yuki Asahi’s tone carried a hint of barely contained joy, and he couldn’t help the corners of his mouth from lifting.
“This dust is a remnant of Yue’s human sculpture ability. Those Dark Crows… might not be real people.”
Yamanoi Yayoi tilted her head in confusion; she hadn’t seen Jiang Jian Yue’s human sculpture ability.
“That means Hattori Koji might not be dead.”
Kazama Yin looked up, his throat tight.
“Really?”
It wasn’t he who asked, but Miss Meko, who had been silent for a long time.
Yuki Asahi seemed to hear the Miss Meko in his heart, and smiled as he nodded.
“These are just puppets. I guess the people who disappeared with Yue after the DRG civil war are all still with Yue.”
“You… if you want to go, you can come with me.”
Yuki Asahi stood up and casually placed the photo on the table.
Yamanoi Yayoi opened her mouth to stop him, but after seeing Yuki Asahi’s determined gaze, she shook her head and sighed.
“Fine, fine. You three, just don’t cause trouble for Yuki.”
“Yeah!”
At the same time, Jiang Jian Yue also received the news that Sasaki had “died in battle.”