Chapter 107: An Anomaly's Strong Luck
"What?"
"You found a job?!"
Binhai University was one of the top universities in Japan; it wasn't strange for a graduating student to find a job. What was strange to Counselor Tanaka was that the student in question was Kaito Shirogane.
She had half-expected him to just live in dorm room 1314 like a "local spirit" until graduation, and that the next time she'd see him would be on some true-crime TV show.
Kaito just smiled and nodded. His appearance immediately captivated several of the first-year girls who had just joined the student council. Their only regret was that this handsome upperclassman was already graduating and leaving…
"That's right, Tanaka-sensei. I've been thinking carefully about my future path, and I've decided that the life for me is to go out, make a lot of money, and buy a big house."
He was spinning a complete fantasy, but he said it with such earnestness that she couldn't find a way to refuse.
Counselor Tanaka frowned. In her college, there weren't many required courses left by the second half of the third year. Most students were either preparing for various professional certifications or had already started internships to gain experience. Kaito looking for a job was a perfectly normal thing to do. In fact, most of his class was no longer on campus.
But this was Kaito Shirogane…
Counselor Tanaka considered her words. "What company is it? And where is the job located?" she asked. "You know, a lot of graduates get tricked by shell companies these days. They waste their 'tripartite agreements,' and some of the girls even get scammed out of their money and..." She was worried that Kaito's sudden change of heart was the result of him falling for some kind of scam.
Kaito's eyes narrowed. Tanaka-sensei is always so concerned about my affairs, he thought. We're just a teacher and a student. Why do humans do such meaningless things?
His expression remained normal. He took out his phone and showed her the email. It was an electronic offer. "Don't worry, Tanaka-sensei. Do you really think I can't tell the difference between a scam and a pyramid scheme?"
Counselor Tanaka checked the corporate seal and searched for the company online. It was a firm based in a remote southern town, specializing in cross-border timber trade. The position they had offered Kaito was as a "consultant." The company's website was exquisite, and it looked to be very well-funded.
She finally relaxed and handed the phone back. "Congratulations, Kaito-kun. A multinational company like that usually has excellent benefits. It's just… a little far. You might even have to go abroad."
Kaito just kept smiling. "That's right. But you have to work hard to make money. It's normal."
Counselor Tanaka then processed all the necessary paperwork. Kaito left the office, followed by the longing gazes of the first-year girls.
He walked out of the building and dialed a number.
"Hello, Officer Akiyama?" he said, deliberately contacting the more agreeable of the two. "So, it's almost graduation season, and I've just found a job. It might require me to leave Umikaze City, so I was wondering about that observation period…"
On the other end of the line, Mizuki's eyes went wide. Graduation? A job? Those things felt incredibly distant to her. Although she had also just graduated, she had never once had to think about getting a "job." She had only agreed to study under Inspector Sato because she was interested in these mysterious events and wanted to help her family.
"Inspector," she said, turning to her mentor, "Kaito Shirogane says he found a job and has to leave Umikaze…" Her expression was one of confusion and suspicion, as if this had to be some kind of trick.
But Sato, who was busy burying his head in the file of the Samwol Group's eldest daughter, just waved it off. To him, this was normal. For many university students, Umikaze was just a temporary nest; when the season came, they all migrated.
"Oh? Then just file the application with the Director. If there are no new suspicious points, there shouldn't be a problem with lifting his observation."
Ever since that Black Card had appeared in Hakone, along with the news of a lineage-type Reincarnator's death, both Sato's department and the other Reincarnators had basically concluded that Ryo's [Card] had, through some unknown means, ended up in Hakone and been activated by someone else. As a result, all the high-risk Reincarnators had left his city. Sato had almost completely dismissed Kaito as a suspect.
His entire focus was now on the file in his hands. Some people seemed fine until you started digging. And when you dug, what you found was terrifying.
Lee Chae-rin. 24 years old, eldest daughter of the Samwol Group. Rarely participates in the conglomerate's business but is highly valued by the family. She holds 35% of the microchip group's shares, second only to the Chairwoman, Lee Xian-hoo.
This woman has always been a mystery. She studied in the Federation. But there are many back-alley rumors in Korea that the Samwol Group has been involved in multiple murder cases, none of which were ever formally investigated due to their power. What Sato found was that this Lee Chae-rin was always coincidentally near the sites of these "accidents" and "gas leaks."
Sato was becoming more and more certain. This woman was, in all likelihood, an extremely dangerous Reincarnator.
Mizuki, seeing her mentor had no objections, approved Kaito's request and said she would give him an answer as soon as the application was processed.
At that same moment, in the presidential suite of a five-star hotel, the very woman Sato was obsessing over, Lee Chae-rin, was holding a black satellite phone.
"Young Mistress," a voice said from the other end, "according to the Samwol Group's telecommunications data search, we have flagged five users who meet your requirements. All five have recently received large, untraceable sums of money and have begun periodically spending large amounts at various clubs and bars. All five have also resigned from their original jobs."
Lee Chae-rin knew what this meant. All five were highly likely to be Reincarnators. (Or, in the worst case, gamblers who had hit a lucky streak.) As the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, the Samwol Group had access to information-gathering tools that ordinary people couldn't even imagine. While their reach in other countries was limited, within their home country of Korea, they were practically omnipotent. Lee Chae-rin used the Samwol phones that were in nearly every Korean's pocket as her personal information source. It was an advantage almost no one in the world could match.
"Young Mistress, should we alter the itinerary? Should we postpone tomorrow's visit to Binhai University?" her white-haired, but still ramrod-straight, old butler asked. He knew his mistress had a secret, but he also knew that in a family like this, secrets were normal. His greatest wisdom was knowing what not to ask and what not to see.
Lee Chae-rin stood by the window, looking down on Umikaze. This country was so vast. A single one of its cities had more space than her entire country. And in such a vast space, it was inevitable that terrifyingly elite individuals would be born. The emergence of a Reincarnator was, after all, a game of probability. And a Reincarnator who was both powerful and cunning was the rarest prize of all.
Like herself. And like… [Mercenary Tao]!
Lee Chae-rin knew with absolute certainty that [Mercenary Tao] was the Reincarnator from the Dragon Ball world who had destroyed her squad's main quest and caused [Mountain Fiend]'s death. That man had no resources, had only been through one or two missions—or was perhaps even a complete rookie—and yet he had somehow triggered a [Card]'s special trial. And in a world of that difficulty, with both her and [Flame Fiend]'s squads as his opponents, he had still completed it.
A creature like that… he was rare. Exceedingly rare.
She was turned away from her butler, so he could not see the terrifying, greedy smile that spread across the elegant heiress's face.
The next day at noon, Lee Chae-rin, having "temporarily concluded" her inspection, used the pretext of touring the campus and, with Mizuki as her guide, entered Binhai University.
At the main gate, Mizuki's eyes lit up. She saw a familiar face. Kaito Shirogane was walking out, carrying a single shoulder bag, his luggage far too light for someone who was supposedly moving away for a job.
"Kaito-kun! Are you leaving now?"
"Ah, Officer Akiyama. Yes. And thank you for helping me get the permit so quickly."
Mizuki suddenly realized that after today, she would no longer be responsible for this observation target. Her first real "job" had been an unforgettable one. She was actually a little sad to see it end.
Lee Chae-rin stood behind Mizuki, her entourage at a distance. Her eyes narrowed. She spoke to Mizuki in Korean. "What is it, Miss Akiyama? Do you know this handsome man?"
Mizuki, flustered, remembered she was supposed to be a guide and translator. "My apologies, Miss Lee. This is… an acquaintance of mine. He's leaving the university today for a new job. I was just saying goodbye, since I won't see him again."
Lee Chae-rin's expression froze.
Kaito, paying them no mind, waved goodbye to Mizuki and walked out of the school gate, heading for the high-speed rail station.
Lee Chae-rin and Mizuki continued their "tour," but neither of them had any interest in it now. Lee Chae-rin, her face a placid mask, suddenly cut the trip short.
"My apologies, Miss Akiyama. Something urgent has come up back home. I won't be able to continue the tour today. Please forgive me."
Without waiting for a reply, she turned, followed her butler back to her car, and headed for the airport. She frowned, her mind racing. That [Mercenary Tao] was truly bizarre. He had once again escaped her grasp by pure chance. Was it some kind of "strong luck," or... She felt a rare pang of anxiety, worrying that he had somehow seen through her own identity. In this country, she was not safe.
"Back to Korea. Immediately."
Kaito sat on the train heading to the southern border, confirming his itinerary on his phone. He couldn't resist a bit of dark humor.
"The job is in the border town, right? Not… outside the country? I hear that Myanmar region is pretty unsafe."
The reply came back instantly. "Don't worry! It's right inside the border. There's lots of fun stuff to do here. When you get here and finish your onboarding, I'll treat you to a welcome dinner."
Kaito put his phone down. Scams always had a purpose. No matter how you dressed them up, they always came back to that purpose. These people, trying so hard to lure him to the border… their objective was clear.
Kaito leaned back in his seat, feigning sleep. I know you're trying to scam me. You just don't know… I'm only coming because I know exactly what you're planning.
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Guys We cross the 200 power stone goal and as promise here the bonus chapter
Next goal 300 power stone,come on guys you'll can do it, good luck.
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