After the call ended, Yuu handed his phone to the burly man in black standing beside him. Though his device was confiscated, he felt a strange sense of relief. Vodka allowing him to call and soothe those close to him—whether it was out of pragmatic caution or a shred of professional courtesy—meant there was no immediate threat to his life. Based on the Organization's track record, especially Gin's, if they wanted him dead, they wouldn't waste time on such pleasantries.
Vodka's leniency was partly born of necessity. Their intelligence had initially suggested Yuu was a loner with no close ties, but the sudden appearance of Seimi in his life had complicated the "quiet abduction" plan. Gin was pressuring him to recruit both Yuu and Hitomi Kujo, and Vodka didn't want to jeopardize future cooperation with unnecessary violence—especially since both targets were being remarkably cooperative.
Vodka ultimately abandoned the idea of snatching Seimi as well. To avoid a high-profile missing persons case, he let Yuu make the call to keep things quiet.
In the second car, Hitomi Kujo sat in the back, her expression grim. She didn't understand why these dangerous men had targeted her. Seeing Yuu also taken, her mind immediately raced back to the incident with the "blonde punk," Kishida. Did his wealthy family find out? Did they hire these professional hitters to take revenge?
Beside her, Chianti, with her short orange-red hair, looked bored out of her mind. She chewed her gum loudly, occasionally blowing a bubble that popped with a sharp snap, heightening Hitomi's anxiety. Chianti had volunteered to help Vodka "invite" the new recruits, expecting some hardened criminals. Instead, she found a polite university student and a handsome, gentle-looking young man.
Is Gin trying to raise successors from scratch? she wondered. No, they were too old for that. Usually, high-ranking members adopted orphans for that purpose—like Tequila or Pisco had done. Unable to fathom Gin's logic and finding no excitement, Chianti went back to blowing bubbles.
Twenty minutes later, the cars pulled up to a facility branded as "Yao Biological Pharmaceuticals." In reality, it was a secret hub for the Organization—their most vital research facility in Japan, where the APTX-4869 was being developed. Security was immense. Not only was the lead researcher, Shiho Miyano (codename: Sherry), stationed here, but Gin and other high-ranking cadres frequently used it for briefings.
Recently, due to Akemi Miyano's desire to leave the Organization, Sherry had been placed under heavy surveillance, forbidden from even leaving the building without permission.
Yuu stepped out of the car and was surprised to see Hitomi being escorted out of the second vehicle by Chianti. Two cars... so it wasn't just me. And they sent Vodka and Chianti together? They're taking this very seriously.
Chianti, noticing Yuu staring, raised an eyebrow and sauntered over on her long, powerful legs. "What's the matter, handsome? Want to have a little 'chat' with big sister?"
Chianti had a great body and decent features, though her heavy makeup and eccentric hair lowered her score in Yuu's mental catalog. Still, in this world, she was well above average. Yuu remained silent, simply observing her. Chianti clicked her tongue in boredom and turned away. She just liked to tease; men loved playing with beauties, and she enjoyed rattling a handsome face.
Hitomi scurried to Yuu's side, her voice trembling. "Hoshimiya-senpai... is this about Kishida?"
Yuu realized she was panicking because of her own guilty conscience. "It's okay. Don't overthink it."
"Then why did they kidnap us?"
"I don't know yet," Yuu shrugged, spotting Vodka gesturing for them to follow. "But we're about to find out."
Yuu's unnatural calmness acted as a sedative for Hitomi. Her nerves weren't as hardened as a professional killer's, but she was tougher than the average girl. The sheer pressure from Chianti and the weight of her secret had just momentarily broken her.
They bypassed the main labs and headed deep underground. The atmosphere shifted from a corporate office to a high-tech fortress. After multiple layers of security—fingerprints, palm prints, and retinal scans—they entered the main hall.
Despite being underground at night, the hall was bright as day. Researchers in white coats moved about, but one figure stood out: a young woman with strawberry-blonde hair, moving between stations and barking corrections at the staff.
The girl looked up. Seeing Yuu and Hitomi, she frowned. "Vodka, I told you. I won't do human experimentation."
"Sherry, these aren't test subjects," Vodka sighed. To prevent a misunderstanding, he added, "The Organization is short-staffed. These are new recruits."
Vodka was already treating their membership as a done deal. Gin's orders were clear: if they didn't join after seeing this much, they were to be liquidated. Only the dead and the loyal keep secrets.
Yuu's eyes lit up at the sight of the adult Shiho Miyano. While Serena looked like her when her hair was down, their temperaments were worlds apart. The adult Shiho had a mature, cool elegance that made her seem much older than her actual years. She wore a long red sleeveless top that reached her porcelain thighs, making it impossible to tell if she had anything on underneath. Her smooth, bare legs shimmered under the lab lights.
The view was mostly obscured by her stylized white lab coat—cut more like a designer trench coat than a doctor's garment. Classic Shiho, Yuu thought. Even in a lab, she never neglected her love for fashion. Through his [Eyes of Truth], he memorized every curve, stashing the image in his "Memory Palace" for later "appreciation."
He also processed Vodka's words. So, the other party investigating me was indeed the Black Organization. He understood the choice they were being given: Join or Die.
"Gin is inside," Shiho said coldly. Her attitude toward the Organization was already curdling into resentment. Her sister's eventual fate would be the final straw, but even now, she was cold toward any "new blood" entering the meat grinder.