Chapter 163: Headquarters of the V5 National Parasite
On the imposing rooftop of the V5 building, a burly middle-aged man with a receding hairline leaned against the railing, smoking quietly.
He exhaled a slow puff of smoke, satisfaction flickering in his expression.
From up there, he could see the entire city sprawled beneath him ... an intoxicating view that filled him with a sense of superiority.
The bustling streets, the endless rows of buildings… to his eyes, they looked like nothing more than intersecting lines of toy houses. The people below, rushing about their daily lives, seemed no bigger than ants.
And yet ... this fragile, insignificant race had, through thousands of years of reproduction and struggle, built a civilization that reached every corner of the world.
That was the truly terrifying thing about humanity.
The unknown creatures of the Dark Continent were terrifying, yes ... but judging the danger of a species couldn't be done by looking only at individuals.
For example, the Five Calamities recorded by V5 were mostly classified as level B or C threats. A single human, by comparison, barely ranked at the lowest level of danger. But if you elevated one human to represent an entire nation… everything changed.
In this world, community was everything.
Those who truly had a voice were not individuals, but nations.
Just then, the rooftop door opened behind him.
A well-dressed young man stepped out slowly. Seeing the smoker, he sighed softly.
"I knew I'd find you here."
This rooftop was a favorite spot for senior officers to take a break, especially for a smoke. Only leaders like them could afford such moments.
Ordinary staff barely had time to breathe.
V5 had far too much to handle ... balancing the unstable factors across the human world, managing diplomacy with countless nations, and suppressing any threats that might endanger humanity's stability.
Running such an enormous organization was far from easy.
"Sir… Celine is dead," the young man said quietly as he approached.
The middle-aged man flicked his cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath his heel.
" Haze killed her. From the situation, it seems the Field Family intends to seize control of the entire underworld… and they're furious about our interference."
"A fool who doesn't understand his place."
The man turned to leave, completely indifferent, and gave a curt order:
"Wipe them out. They're nothing but pests ... useless and noisy. The media can't stop talking about them, turning everything into a circus."
To him, the mafia were no different from insects on the roadside ... something to be crushed at will.
He opened the rooftop door, about to step inside ...
"I'm afraid… it's not that simple," said the younger officer suddenly.
The man stopped and frowned.
"Not that simple? Don't tell me it's difficult to have each country eliminate the gangs within its borders."
"I reviewed the information we have on Haze after Celine's death," the subordinate replied. "Normally, Haze wouldn't act this recklessly. There must be a reason."
"Tch… don't overthink it. We have bigger issues to deal with. Just contact the Hunter Association ... let Netero handle it. Or send a request to the Republic of Padokia, have them dispatch a special force. He's just a gang leader ... what can he do?"
The middle-aged man sneered.
"If needed, have Padokia blockade the Field Family base. Then send in a few of our agents ... maybe even bring some 'new blood.' Nen users? Three-star Hunters? Hmph, fairy tales. They won't survive."
He was growing irritated.
"I didn't promote you to subcommander so you could waste time worrying about lowlifes."
The younger officer remained calm.
"I've considered every method possible… But the problem lies exactly where you just mentioned: the government."
He lowered his voice.
"It's been nearly two weeks since the global gang riots began. They were triggered by the sudden nighttime deaths of the Ten Dons. If I'm right, this was all premeditated by the Field Family. The riots have reached levels unseen in years. Civilian casualties across multiple nations are mounting…"
"And yet ... not a single country has taken meaningful action. They're all turning a blind eye. Just a few press conferences, a few patrols for show ... nothing but protocol."
The man at the door froze. He released the handle slowly.
"You mean…"
"Exactly. Many nations didn't participate in the Kuroshio Incident either. At first, I thought it was some secret deal between the mafia and politicians ... but that couldn't possibly explain the scale. Then I contacted the Prime Minister of the Republic of Padokia. His only reply was…"
He paused.
"'The affairs of the Republic of Padokia require no external interference.'"
He handed over a stack of documents.
"After that, I dug deeper ... tracing the Field Family's activities and the backgrounds of Padokia's top officials. I discovered… the country's leadership is deeply tied to the Field Family. In fact, the Field Family directly funds Padokia's military budget, and even supports research, welfare, and technology sectors. Last year alone, one-third of Padokia's total GDP came from companies under the Field Family's control. In short ... Padokia has become a mafia state."
The older man's composed expression faltered.
"What…? Funding an entire country? Where did they get that kind of money?"
"That's the strangest part," the subordinate explained. "Their main revenue doesn't come from drugs or smuggling ... it comes from a game designed for Hunters and Nen users. It's made them richer than any of the Ten Dons ever were. If we compare, even the wealthiest syndicate before them only controlled about ten percent of a nation's economy."
He paused grimly.
"In other words… the Field Family is now completely intertwined with Padokia's national system. If we strike at them, it'll be the same as declaring war on the Republic of Padokia."
"As long as they stay within that country's borders, they're safe."
The man's tone grew heavier.
"And it's not just Padokia. Other nations could follow the same path, each hiding under a national banner. The Field Family plans to use the resources of the old Ten Dons worldwide to replicate their Padokia model ... buying influence, controlling economies, and becoming a parasite inside the global order itself."
"They've probably already bribed officials across multiple countries to suppress any investigation. Padokia's finances are stretched to their limit ... what's left is being used to buy silence."
He looked up.
"Sir… Haze isn't just dangerous. He's terrifying."
The older man's expression darkened.
"Then we can't let him continue. Force him to surrender the entire syndicate!"
"Should we pressure Padokia into negotiations?"
"If they refuse," the older man said coldly, "then eliminate him ... at all costs."
"Understood."
(End of Chapter)