Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Territorial Dispute (5)
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The warehouse at the grocery store was filled with an air slightly different from the usual.
As the place storing all the homeless people's hope—food nearing its expiration date—the warehouse was generally cool in temperature.
However,
The dawn breeze seeping in through the ventilator was creating an ominous atmosphere.
Tik.
The fluorescent light flickered brightly to life.
The pitch-black ninja, bound tightly from head to toe, grimaced as if blinded by the light.
The tension was clearly visible on his face peeking through the mask.
Well, from his perspective, it was as good as being captured helplessly by a hostile organization.
The surprising part was that he'd maintained silence and harbored hostility all this time.
Michael approached from behind me as I admired him.
"I checked him roughly, but there don't seem to be any smart chips or neural implants on his body. His arms and legs look like cybernetic prosthetics, though."
"If there's no smart chip at all, there's no risk of him being brainwashed like the church people."
"Yes, it seems they anticipated that possibility in advance."
I had no intention of using the file Troy gave me anyway.
Aside from it being illegal under city law.
I felt a strong aversion to the technology itself that completely manipulated a person's personality and memories.
The people at the church?
In truth, I'd been tricked by Troy too.
'If I'd known from the start it was about re-brainwashing people, I might have thought twice about it.'
One wrong move, and a cult in my name would've sprung up.
The homeless shouting "Hotdog Man!" was already burdensome enough.
Anyway.
"Your name?"
"……."
The fake ninja, plopped roughly on a box in the warehouse, showed no intention of answering any questions easily.
Well, it wasn't unexpected, so I shrugged nonchalantly.
Right on cue, a clear, refreshing chime rang out from the microwave.
Ding─.
I rummaged inside the microwave and offered him a steaming hot dog.
"Wanna eat?"
"“…!!”"
The people around flinched in surprise.
Me sharing a hot dog with someone else was like entrusting my precious life to them...
─not quite.
Since he'd been eyeing the surrounding products, I figured he was hungry and offered it out of pure goodwill.
"…Ha."
A very low chuckle followed.
Perhaps my action felt like mockery instead, as a grinding sound like teeth clenching erupted from inside the mask of the nameless fake ninja.
"Must be laced with truth serum or something. Too bad, but I have nothing to tell you people."
"Don't wanna eat it? Fine by me."
"……."
As I casually munched on the hot dog, the fake ninja's brow furrowed naturally.
I squatted in front of him, eating hot dogs and tossing empty wrappers—repeating the cycle down to the second.
A feat even a competitive eater couldn't pull off.
Maybe because I'd been through so many complicated things lately.
'Mm, delicious.'
I felt like I could eat at least one more box than usual.
While I devoured countless hot dogs,
Michael, Liberra, and even Nova had meticulously prepared to pry open the fake ninja's mouth.
My gaze and the fake ninja's gaze simultaneously locked on the 'tools'.
'A bucket full of water, dirty rags, broken glass, bolts and nuts. Big pliers, nippers, screwdriver, old hacksaw, and...'
What the hell is that?
Utterly inexplicable items spilled out one by one.
The fake ninja muttered in a trembling voice.
"…It won't work. I've already shut off the pain sensors in my brain."
"No neural implants, and you think that'll work?"
"Of course."
Upon closer look, it wasn't fear making his voice shake—his tongue barely seemed to move.
As I curiously poked his thigh, Liberra nodded while lighting a 'industrial torch' with familiar motions.
"It's fine. Just give me two hours. I'll make him spill memories from when he was born."
"Th-that's awfully reassuring, but..."
Was this ethically okay?
But Nova and Michael didn't seem bothered at all.
"Then we should focus on deprivation rather than pain for the interrogation."
"…Ah, I know a few similar methods too. Working for the corp comes in handy."
It was a moment revealing the scary side of Area 49 residents.
This was Risk City...
A city where getting your nose cut off in broad daylight was par for the course.
Literally, physically.
Well, none of them were ordinary people anyway.
The fake ninja's face darkened, but he didn't break his resolve.
"…Just kill me."
Like a knight captured by goblins, he spat a line full of determination.
In this heartless cyberpunk world, no one cared about the Geneva Conventions.
Michael, Liberra, and Nova slowly advanced to punish the bastard who'd dared make 'Hotdog Man' spill blood.
"Tch, forget it."
If I hadn't brushed it off casually,
That's probably exactly what would've happened.
"No real need to ask seriously anyway."
"…?"
A question mark popped up over the fake ninja's head.
But I continued indifferently.
"No matter how I think about it, doesn't seem worth torturing to death. My anger's cooled off by now anyway."
That was my 'gut feeling'.
If he were truly evil, I'd have put a bullet hole in his forehead without hesitation.
Unlike the ones I'd personally dealt with before, there was no clear reason, and he didn't give off strong villain vibes.
"The grocery store's location isn't a secret either."
The weapons stolen from the megacorp were already stashed in some corner, so no secrets were exposed.
Anyway,
We're not a real gang.
Couldn't think of a reason for cruelty.
Not wanting to see Liberra, Nova, and Michael like that was a big factor too.
I unwound the thick wire restraining the fake ninja and spoke without turning around.
"You guys okay with that?"
"As long as Hotdog Man's fine with it, I'm good."
Nova and Michael reacted similarly.
"Prioritizing the user's choice."
"Not a bad call from a risk management standpoint. Though I figured it'd be something like this."
I shoved the awkwardly standing ninja in the back.
"You heard that, right? Don't say you can't move 'cause pain sensors are off. We're not close enough to carry you."
"…I can move."
"Good. Don't linger around. Next time I catch you, won't let you off like this."
Even with pain sensors off, could he endure watching peanuts spin dozens of times?
The mere thought made my legs weak, so I shook my head quickly.
He slowly clenched his fist.
"…I really don't get it. Does that mean a worthless guy like me isn't even worth killing?"
"Ugh, I'm letting you go and you're still bitching."
As I reflexively raised my hand, the ninja flinched, recalling the earlier fight.
"Just go."
I had no desire to film a third-rate splatter movie in my happy, peaceful warehouse.
Even if this was a game world, I wouldn't forget the line humans should hold.
I'd resolved not to kill for 'experience points' alone.
Perhaps distrustful by nature, the fake ninja kept glancing back as he headed for the back door.
Just before opening it.
"One question."
"This guy's a riot. You said so proudly you had nothing to say."
"…True."
Even he thought it sounded off.
He quietly gripped the back door handle.
I tossed one last question his way.
"Go ahead, let's hear it."
"…Why's there so much food here? Isn't this place supposed to be a front to avoid eyes?"
"What, you think I haven't been seriously running this grocery store as manager?"
I'd been faithfully manning the counter lately, waiting eagerly for customers.
Even if none had come yet.
I added to the dazed fake ninja.
"Go back and tell your organization. Don't mess with good, honest folks for no reason."
"……."
"Wow, that rude jerk... Curiosity satisfied, no answer now."
"…That's not it."
Whatever 'not it' meant.
With those words, the fake ninja slipped out the back door.
A quiet exit, like his entrance.
A few hours later.
The fake ninja—no, Shadow—arrived at the Hakuga-gumi safehouse and operated the terminal to contact headquarters.
"This is Shadow. Just returned to House 7 from the mission I was assigned."
The other end, who should respond sequentially, suddenly fell silent.
A reaction like hearing a ghost's voice.
"That's right."
But Shadow conveyed the miraculous fact that he'd escaped unscathed, without leaking any info, thanks to the 'opponent's goodwill'.
"Didn't violate security protocols. Moved to House 7 in case of tracking."
He'd circled for hours to confirm, but it only solidified that they'd truly released him without any measures.
"Understood."
Shadow understood Owl's reaction.
He could hardly believe it himself.
And shortly after,
A translucent hologram suddenly appeared over the old terminal.
Recognizing the face, Shadow reflexively dropped to his knees, forehead to the floor.
"…Shadow greets the Section Chief!"
Countless scars etched across the face.
The copper-skinned man in a bulging white suit leaned forward.
A low but booming voice vibrated with suspicion.
"…There was fighting, but I returned to base unscathed—"
The Hakuga-gumi's 'Section Chief', holding all the power, cut Shadow off instantly.
As if he had no intention of listening from the start.
Laughter boomed after.
A roar so thunderous it drew blood from Shadow's ears.
Fangs sharp as a beast's bared wide, as if to tear Shadow's throat.
"It's true."
From Shadow's standpoint, it was pure injustice.
They really just let him go.
The Hakuga-gumi Section Chief, [Black Tiger], slowly pulled his head back.
Languidness returned to his expression.
The hologram screen faded gradually.
"That's not—!"
All sound cut off.
Unlike at the grocery store, not even a word of excuse left behind.
Shadow had been abandoned by the Hakuga-gumi.
"…Haha."
A small laugh escaped.
Was this why he'd pledged loyalty to the Hakuga-gumi?
Shadow noticed countless 'bastards' already surrounding the safehouse.
Opening his skull and removing his frontal lobe would reveal the truth, but what use then?
In the face of inevitable death,
What Shadow recalled last wasn't rage, regret, or despair.
Cat food sold at some grocery store.
'If only…'
After the cult incident ended.
A few days later, one morning.
As usual, stretching and about to flip the grocery store sign to 'Open', I spotted a familiar ragged figure out front.
"What's this."
"…Do─mo, it's a cat."