Chapter 78 - Is It Really This Easy?

[Three more restaurants have been robbed this morning. The total cases are now 38. Citizens are concerned by the sudden robberies all over the cities, specifically the restaurants. As of now, the police have been mobilized to investigate it. The police department stated that they will get down to the bottom of this and the citizens do not have to worry. Several police have been deployed to patrol and protect the citizens. Additionally, a curfew will be implemented. All citizens that are still outside after the curfew will be apprehended and will be brought by the police for questioning.]

The local morning news spread throughout the city with the use of televisions and the internet. The lives of the people went unperturbed as if this kind of incident is normal. Well, they get news of people getting shot to death in the city and gang wars, so this kind of thing was nothing much.

Deep down, the people knew that the police would just take care of it for a while before washing their hands of this case. There was nothing new about it, people would just go on with their lives, while the victims would just shake in fear or anger.

On this day, many restaurants closed down, afraid that they would be the next ones to be targeted.

At the same time…

"You still haven't found her?" The cold voice echoed throughout the room. A number of people were kneeling with their bodies shaking in front of a person wearing a mask. There was no hint of amusement in their eyes even though they were smiling. 

"It's already been three days." They said, putting emphasis on 'three days'. Cold laughter came out of their mouth. Nobody dared to speak and only waited for the person to stop laughing. 

"Do you think of me as a joke?" They slammed the table, making the table shake for a bit and creating a loud noise. The temperature in the air decreased, making the people shiver. The people couldn't help feeling that the grim reaper was coming to reap their souls as they felt the masked person stare at them. "Your task is simple. Just keeping an eye on a simple 18-year old girl. What's so hard about that?"

They said 'simple', but was it really that simple? The girl they asked to keep an eye on was a student studying at an elite school where the security is top-notch and almost at the same level as the president's security force. If they forced their way in, then there is no guarantee that they would still be able to get out there.

This task is not easy at all!

The people complained in their hearts. They could only swallow their complaints as their new boss scolded them. They were already lucky enough that they weren't killed, much less punished.

"Is it that hard to infiltrate the academy?"

"You people are useless!"

"B-boss Y-Yue, w-why don't you calm down first." A fat man interjected. It was the same man who gave her the authority to become the boss. Now, he was their assistant. The high and mighty him was no more.

Bear was his name, and probably, he would stay as an assistant for long enough as they told him to call them, 'Yue'.

Yue squinted their eyes at him, making Bear cower in fear. Yue shook their head before ordering them.

"Nevermind. Keep searching for her. If she is really not in the academy, then look for other places. I'll give you a month to find her."

There was no way that Ayami would let herself get kidnapped. Even if she was kidnapped, she would be rescued a few hours later. Then, there's also a possibility of her hiding.

"Did her memories return?" Yue mumbled to themself, under those cold eyes was fear. Bear looked at them with wonder before organizing the team.

"By the way, how's the plan going on in Neon City?"

"It's doing well. The White Tiger is starting to prepare for war. It seems like it will start in a month."

The two discussed for a while before going back to their respective jobs.

***

Ayami glanced outside the window of the hotel before turning her head back to the television with the news playing on it. It made her wonder, 'Why are they targeting the restaurants? Shouldn't it be a bank?'

This incident happened in the last three days she was in the city. Ayami was even a victim of this robbery, twice. She heard that the robbers were different each time they robbed a restaurant.

Do they work together or just coincidentally robbing the restaurants at different places? If it happened once, then it may be just a coincidence. But it happened more than once, consecutively. 

There is a possibility that they are working together or under an organization. It would have been fine if they were just working together, robbing the people all day long, but if they are under an organization then that would be a problem.

Ayami eliminated the possibility of them working together, because why would they want to share their 'hard' earnings? They would rather keep it to themselves.

The only possible choices are either they are working under an organization or Ayami is just thinking too much about this.

If they are working under an organization, then what is their purpose of robbing the restaurant? Is there something valuable there? More importantly, which organization is it?

Ayami shook her head and let out a deep sigh. It would be a problem if it interfered with her plans so she needed to quickly remove them.

Another one. Why do they keep piling up?

Ayami glanced at her phone. She had blocked her family and friends in order to not receive their calls. They must have been worried sick as they could not contact her. 

Should she have at least sent them a message? The answer is no. Cold as it might seem but Ayami thought it was better to cut ties with them for now and disappear. She didn't want to see them lose their life in front of her again. They deserve to live better lives than not living at all.

Only when she eradicated all of the threats surrounding her, only then, could she come back to them or maybe just watch them from afar. After all, there is no hope that she could go back to her normal and peaceful life after going through this dark path.

There is no choice left but to do this. There is no turning back. 

It was a shame though. It looks like she would never be able to graduate even in this life.

Speaking of that, how come she still has not received any notice of expulsion or even a warning. Usually, the academy would issue a warning to the student if they were absent twice but there was nothing like that. It was already the third day, but there were still none.

Maybe they still haven't noticed?

Even if they did not notice today, they would surely notice the next time.

Now then, her three days time limit was up and surely there would be someone knocking on the door of the hotel, if the one has manners, but if they don't, then they'll just barge in without warning. The family could pay for the damages after all.

Oh well, she had done her preparations and it could be done without her. There were also possible variables coming into play, even so, she still prepared for that. If this plan fails then it is just due to her lacking or the fault of an outsider. It's not like this was a grand of a plan or something that would affect her future plans. And it's not like she would be depressed for a few days if the plan did fail. Definitely not.

And so, she chilled on the sofa with the manager of the Black Tiger's small branch beside her, still tied up. He has bags under his eyes and it was obvious that he lost tons of weight. 

"Mister, are you hungry?" Ayami smiled at him sweetly, but all the man could see was a demoness smiling at him, making his body shake subconsciously. 

"Would you like beef or soup?"

What the manager heard was: "Chopped into pieces or drowned into boiling hot water?"

Due to fear, hunger, lack of sleep and anxiety, he could not think straight. All he thought was his impending death. Everyday was torture for him as he imagined his death. He did not want to do this anymore. The manager shook his head. 

"You don't want to eat? That can't happen. You'll die at this rate."

His interpretation: "You have to live longer and suffer."

He imagined that the demoness in front of her was laughing happily while torturing him. Ayami didn't know what he was thinking and casually had a meal delivered to the room.

"You know, if you were only a bit smarter then you wouldn't have been captured." She commented and that was the truth.

They both knew that a new young boss was appointed half a year ago. But, to be fooled just like that, he was truly stupid. He did not even wonder why the boss would visit something as useless and small as their branch.

They didn't talk anymore after that. In a blink of an eye, the day passed peacefully without anyone disturbing her peace. There were no people barging inside and not even a notice of expulsion. This was not what she expected.

Ayami thought that there must have been a delay. And so, days passed until it became a week. Her plans were going smoothly and nobody bothered her peaceful days.. The outside was in chaos though.