Chapter 12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Perfect Reasoning (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ding!
The grip strength machine let out a cheerful chime. It wasn't the one I had.
Na Hwayoung, sitting beside me, stared blankly at her machine for a moment before hoisting it up triumphantly, like a winner's trophy.
A staff member hurried over in quick steps, checked the number, and smiled.
"Ah, Na Hwayoung, you've hit around 56 grip strength. If you just focus a bit more consciously, you could move right on to the next stage."
She seemed to have some kind of body enhancement ability, too.
Seeing she was weaker than me, I figured it wasn't simple muscle strengthening. It was probably the kind that backed up another specific ability, easing the strain by bolstering strength.
But what did they mean by her power being dangerous around people? The researchers' reactions weren't all that alarmed—just mildly curious. And while she called it dangerous herself, she didn't seem the least bit on edge about it.
Right now, even, Na Hwayoung was fiddling with her grip machine while sitting right next to my chair. The moment Na Hwayoung arrived and registered, they'd moved her chair over here. Maybe they figured she'd get bored squeezing it alone and wanted us to chat.
Looking around, I could see they'd grouped kids with similar ability types in the same areas, making it easy for them to talk.
From my perspective, I'd already been staring at and fiddling with this damn machine for dozens of minutes. I could've used someone to talk to.
But I had no idea how to break the ice with her.
Ding!
While I was mulling it over, the machine chimed cheerfully again.
This time, it was mine.
The staff member rushed back over, checked it, and gave a wry smile.
"88... Alright, Serika, let's try focusing just a bit more. Think of it like petting a chick."
I really did imagine holding a chick gently in my hand and stroking it, but apparently, the chick in my head turned into a chick patty again. I needed to concentrate harder, but with this oddball kid next to me, I just couldn't.
"...W-What?"
I glanced over, and Na Hwayoung was staring holes into my grip machine. She fixed on the number glowing there, and when I hesitated in response, she spoke in a deadpan tone while still eyeing it.
"You're a pure physical strength ability user. With talent like that from a young age, you'll be quite reliable once you're grown."
"...Y-Yeah?"
For someone who'd told me not to come closer, she must've been pretty bored.
No surprise there—two elementary school girls staring at grip machines for dozens of minutes would naturally want to say something to the person next to them.
The conversation had started easier than expected, so I figured I could toss a question her way.
"...But you're Korean, right? How'd you end up all the way out here?"
"My father's working at the branch office here. He's so capable that he's swamped with work. We've been living here for a good while now. Three years, by the calendar. It's been quite an eventful time."
"Really? That's wild. Must've been inconvenient living in another country. Cultural stuff's a little different, points don't always line up, you know? That kind of thing."
In a way, I'd lived over twenty years in Korea in my past life before reincarnating here. Wasn't that like studying abroad? I'd been thrown off plenty by the subtle cultural differences and etiquette when I first arrived. So I could kinda relate to her turbulent struggles.
"Such keen insight. Yes, there were quite a few such incidents. Or perhaps you came from abroad as well?"
"Huh? Oh, no? I'm a total local. Local born and bred."
It was just a casual question with no deeper meaning, but for some reason, I frantically shook my head as I said it. My over-the-top reaction seemed to pique her interest. She nodded and replied.
"I see. My parents were quite worried I might be too shy to make friends. But succeeding in a conversation with someone on my very first day here at the facility—I'm sure they'll be delighted."
"But you were the one who started talking to me just now. Honestly, I was hesitating because I didn't know how to approach you."
Before we knew it, we'd set the grip machines aside and were chatting away. Hwayoung, who had started with the wary eyes of a vigilant soldier, had softened her expression and was actively engaging with my stories.
"I just had the thought. That I should say something."
"You should? Why all of a sudden?"
"I just felt like you'd respond well if I talked to you, Serika. Our faces have some similarities, so maybe we'd click."
"...Uh, thanks?"
Anyway, she really was an unusual kid.
"Iwamoto Industry? We've never done business with them. If they're not on our client list, that means we don't deal with just anyone—and a company Iwamoto's size wouldn't be scraping the bottom of the barrel anyway. Better to assume there's no connection at all."
Shinsuke hung up the phone. Still seated at the café, he flipped through his documents. Every densely packed report said the same thing.
No connections.
[After investigating all local yakuza splinter groups, no links to Iwamoto Industry were found. Iwamoto Yoshio did take out a hasty loan from a lender run by the Ichiwara-gumi during a sudden business slump early on, but it's been fully repaid. The Ichiwara-gumi doesn't appear to have any separate ties to him either.]
Shinsuke grimaced, then pulled out his phone to check his emails.
[Not doing business with Iwamoto Industry.]
Short and to the point. Shinsuke took a deep drag on his cigarette and stuffed all the documents into his bag.
Even as he did, more emails piled up steadily.
[Analyzed Iwamoto Yoshio's recent movements via CCTV: mostly just the company, home, and his usual yakiniku spot for after-work drinks. Checked the yakiniku place's transactions and surroundings—it's just a normal grill. He does family trips occasionally, but even then, he's always with the family, no suspicious activity.]
[Iwamoto Yoshio's email logs show only work-related mails. Seems he talks to family by phone usually.]
[Company has almost no IT security setup. Scanned the internal network—no traces of shady deals or hidden ledgers whatsoever.]
[Found regular transfers from Yoshio's accounts to a group; investigated and confirmed it's a charity for the disabled. Appears to be ongoing donations under Iwamoto Industry's name.]
Shinsuke exhaled a plume of smoke. His sunglasses glinted.
He was certain.
Iwamoto Yoshio wasn't the black curtain. He wasn't the type, and he didn't have the spare capacity for it.
He'd tapped every contact he knew and scoured Yoshio's network and background without gaps, but there wasn't a shred of evidence tying him to the underworld.
Not a single flashy criminal recognized Yoshio's face, and none of the major crime syndicates knew anything about Iwamoto Industry or the man himself. Even if he used aliases, there'd be traces somewhere—but around Iwamoto Yoshio, there were none.
This left two conclusions: either he was a shadowy underworld titan pulling all the strings, or he was innocent.
Recalling his personal investigation from before, Shinsuke ruled out the former.
But at the same time, he frowned.
If Iwamoto Yoshio wasn't the black curtain, then what the hell were all those flashy maneuvers he'd pulled off so far?
To convince the higher-ups, he'd need logical explanations for the stock investments. For diverting Sally to forge a corporate link.
Like claiming he'd just predicted the terror attack out of greed and leveraged it.
Or that he'd "just happened" to pick up a crying girl off the street.
Yeah, right.
Proving Iwamoto Yoshio was harmless right now would be easy.
Now that he knew the man was powerless, he could storm the president's office, snap a limb or two, and the guy would bawl like a baby, swearing he knew nothing.
But that wouldn't uncover the real black curtain behind this mess.
Shinsuke was always rational and cool-headed.
Unlike his looks, he was an investigator who pursued only the truth, leveraging his connections and sharp analytical skills.
When reporting to the bosses, he figured he should wait until he'd exposed the real mastermind.
That way, he could watch Dennis's face twist in frustration.
And earn a higher spot in the organization for steering them back from a near-fatal misstep.
Shinsuke decided to widen the scope of his investigation.