Warm lights spilled into the hallway as the door swung open.
With the help of a voice changer, Takahashi Saeko's voice conveyed a chanical, androgynous tone.
A silver-white mask and a cloak added to her mystique.
"Please co in."
She stepped aside, clearing the path to the living room.
Curtis's attire was no different from the dayti: a black vest and wide-leg pants.
She strode into the house.
Following her was her assistant, Yuzuki Suzuko.
Takahashi Saeko closed the door, shutting out the bustle of the street.
The nightlife of Kabukicho had nothing to do with the Hundred Herb Bookstore.
Whether night or day, the Hundred Herb Bookstore's patronage never increased or decreased due to the crowds outside.
Those who were destined to co always found their way.
This year had been relatively lively. In previous years, attracting only three or four custors over an entire year was considered booming business.
Otherwise, her parents wouldn't be traveling around the world.
"Would you like sothing to drink?"
"No need."
Curtis declined, settling onto the sofa. "I prefer to get straight to the point."
"I like custors like you."
Takahashi Saeko smiled, saving herself a cup of tea.
Strangely enough, she found costics worth tens of thousands of Yen affordable, yet the thought of tea costing over a hundred Yen pained her if a deal fell through.
That was a cup of tea, after all.
"Street Cleaner, I want to inquire about Dio."
Upon hearing that na, Takahashi Saeko shook her head. "Sorry, I don't have any information on Dio. I've also decided not to accept inquiries about him."
A look of surprise crossed Curtis's face. "That doesn't sound like sothing the Street Cleaner would say. Are you worried I can't pay?"
"No, I think you misunderstand . The Street Cleaner isn't omniscient.
"We aren't the seekers of the world's mysteries.
"So secrets are best left undisturbed. If they shouldn't be unearthed, then don't unearth them.
"That's always been the Street Cleaner's rule.
"Dio... that na is clearly such a secret."
Takahashi Saeko shook her head firmly.
She had initially declined Emily's request because she couldn't find any intelligence on Dio. Later, she simply didn't dare to investigate him.
The six major financial groups, together with the Phoenix Academy, already ford the most powerful local faction. Furthermore, the CIA, the tropolitan Police Departnt, and various other forces were jointly blockading any related news. This made Takahashi Saeko realize Dio was no ordinary individual.
Although a flicker of curiosity arose within her, she restrained herself from probing further.
Her parents didn't teach her much, but one thing they did instill in her was that curiosity killed the cat.
She took that lesson to heart.
"Then whom should I seek for information about Dio?" Curtis changed her question.
Her information channels in Japan weren't extensive.
Strictly speaking, she wasn't a KGB operative but rather a pawn, overtly deployed to test the CIA.
The KGB would not make contact with her.
Curtis only needed to act according to her own thods.
She knew well that her life was rely a bargaining chip for the KGB to gauge Dio's importance.
Even so, she had to fulfill her duty.
Traitors never et a good end.
"If you're determined to find out, I do have soone to recomnd. The consultation fee is sixty million Yen."
Takahashi Saeko brought out a card reader. "Swipe your card first, then I'll tell you."
"Your business is easier than robbery," Curtis grumbled, but still pulled out a card and swiped it.
This was funding provided from above.
Once the paynt was confird, Takahashi Saeko said, "There's Informant Mickey in Shibuya. You can ask her. The specific address is..."
She divulged the address to Curtis.
"Good. I hope I don't need to work with you next ti." Curtis stood up and headed for the door.
"I, on the other hand, welco your continued patronage," Takahashi Saeko replied.
She watched the two leave, closing the door again. A smile curled on her lips behind the mask. This money was earned so easily.
She took out her smartphone, opened the Hot Girl chat room, and casually scrolled through the past records, noticing that Tama Chan was sharing her experiences at the Marui Departnt Store in Shibuya.
Underneath were astonished comnts from Ayatsuki Ayaka and skeptical words from Miyahara Kaoru.
She skimd past those, the expression beneath the mask growing grave.
She had heard about the man who suddenly appeared in the won's restroom; he was thought to be Handa, a bodyguard hired by the Sumitomo Group.
But then a blond man suddenly appeared, made Handa explode, and then vanished just as abruptly.
Such extraordinary abilities were beyond Takahashi Saeko's comprehension, but she didn't believe Maru was lying.
Blond hair... Dio... The leads the financial conglorates and the CIA were simultaneously suppressing and seeking... Suddenly, they all connected.
Does Dio possess such extraordinary abilities? Is that why no one can track him down? Takahashi Saeko's eyes glinted with contemplation.
If that's the case, this chat room has very likely already been flagged by the think tank's keyword detection.
She knew the CIA constantly monitored Japan's online networks using their think tank. They only needed to input relevant keywords; no manual searching was necessary.
The think tank would automatically extract these keywords from the vast network and lock onto the corresponding chat logs.
Takahashi Saeko began sending ssages, asking for these details. She didn't want Maru to be apprehended. The best course of action is to clarify all the details now—from the ti and location to the people involved, even their heights. I need to put all this information in the chat room so they can capture it. Then, they might give up on trying to find soone to verify it in person. As long as the CIA can get the detailed information online, they won't deploy agents offline, thus avoiding an escalation of the situation.
"Wow, that's amazing!" Ayatsuki Ayaka exclaid, her face alight with excitent as she sat bolt upright in bed.
She used to fantasize about having magical powers, like snapping her fingers to make streetlights go out from a distance, or touching a wall and making it explode with a BANG if it was in her way.
Since entering her third year of middle school, those fantasies had gradually faded.
But Maru's words had reignited those fantasies.
Ayatsuki Ayaka didn't doubt Tama Chan was lying.
She believed Maru.
Even if Maru hadn't described the details, she would have believed her.
Ayatsuki Ayaka's heart thumped with excitent, and she imdiately shared the news with Aozawa.
To her, it was a piece of great news worth sharing.
"Aozawa, do you know? There are people in this world with special abilities! Maru t one in the won's restroom at Shibuya's Marui Departnt Store—a blond man who, just by touching soone, could make them explode!"
She relayed to Aozawa the description Maru had given Saeko, then hit send.
Imdiately, Ayatsuki Ayaka bounced out of bed, slipped on her bunny-eared plush slippers, and dashed out, calling, "Sister, where are you?"
"I'm in the bathroom. What's up?"
Hearing this response, Ayatsuki Ayaka rushed over, twisted the doorknob, and found it locked.
"Hey, what are you trying to do? I already said I'm in here!" Ayaka, sitting on the toilet, shouted. Thank goodness I know my sister's clingy habits and always rember to lock the door! she thought with relief.
"Sister, listen! Maru found soone with a unique power! He could appear and disappear suddenly, and then, just by touching soone, make them explode!"
"Are you an idiot?" Ayaka retorted, thinking her sister was having another one of her episodes. She added irritably, "Don't forget you're a high schooler now."
"Sister, Maru really saw it happen, right in Shibuya's Marui Departnt Store!"
"You're an idiot for believing such things! Go back to your room and sleep!" Ayaka yelled, not wanting to continue talking to her sister through the door while she was on the toilet. I have an image to maintain!
Sister is the real idiot, Ayatsuki Ayaka muttered.
"Iroha, are you looking for a spanking?"
Ayatsuki Ayaka made a face at the door but didn't reply, turning back to her room.
In this sweltering early sumr, she still wore pajamas, jumped into bed, and covered herself with a blanket.
The air conditioning in her room was the reason she could wear pajamas and still snuggle under a blanket.
"Hmph, Sister is such an idiot. I'm not telling her anything else about it."
Ayatsuki Ayaka flopped onto her bed, phone in hand, and continued chatting with Maru and the others. The topic shifted from the blond man to the costics Maru had bought at the Marui Departnt Store.
Then, her excitent suddenly gave way to a sobering thought.
Ayatsuki Ayaka exited the chat room and checked her ssages with Aozawa; hers was still marked as unread.
Her brow furrowed. What if Aozawa, like my sister, thinks I'm having another one of my 'eighth-grader syndro' episodes? I shouldn't have sent that ssage in my excitent. It's already too late to retract it. All I can do is silently pray Aozawa doesn't see it. But that was obviously impossible.
A spark of inspiration hit Ayatsuki Ayaka. Instead of praying he doesn't see it, I should bury the ssage with a flood of new ones!
Acting on her idea, she began to spam Aozawa with the sa emoji, sending hundreds of them in one go.
If he sees all these emojis, she thought, he'll assu the ssage above was just another smiley emoji. He won't scroll up and will just ask why I sent so many smileys! That way, I can perfectly cover up what I said earlier!
She silently high-fived herself for her cleverness, gazing at the screen now filled with smiling emojis.
A small smile played on Ayatsuki Ayaka's lips. I'm so smart!
Wait, she thought, sensing sothing was still off. She quickly typed and sent another ssage: "Sending a hundred smiles! Hope you have a good night's sleep!"
With that done, she jumped back into the chat room with Maru and the others to discuss ideas for her next short video.
The CIA's think tank captured the chat room's content.
As Takahashi Saeko had anticipated, the think tank's supercomputer would flag any dostic online conversations containing keywords like 'blond,' 'male,' 'unnatural powers,' or 'Superpower User.'
Once detected, these conversations would swiftly appear on the computers of the Special Intelligence Investigation Departnt, where analysts would determine their authenticity.
A torrent of irrelevant information poured in daily, such as discussions about ani or character power levels.
But as the monitor reviewed the chat logs ntioning the Marui Departnt Store, a blond man appearing and disappearing suddenly, and explosions, he beca certain it was likely Dio's handiwork.
He stood up and headed to the departnt head's office.
To demonstrate his competence, Jack practically lived in his office, which indirectly forced the other agents in the departnt into mandatory overti.
That bastard, the man cursed inwardly before knocking on Jack's door.
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