CHAPTER 476: CHAPTER 474: LONELY CHITOSE YEARNING FOR WARMTH_1

The warm light from the cabin ceiling fell upon the young girl’s face, delicate as a porcelain doll’s. Her clear eyes, reminiscent of a bottomless lake, nonetheless revealed a stubbornness like that of a young lioness facing a mighty lion.

In that moment, Phoenix Academy Maggie sensed something was amiss. She hadn’t expected to act so impulsively. All she needed was to endure for just a little while longer, and everything would have been over. But in that instant, anger had overpowered the emotional control she had learned, and defiant words had slipped out. Sometimes, Phoenix Academy Maggie couldn’t understand why some people couldn’t tolerate even the smallest things and seemed foolish. Now, she realized that what seemed small in her eyes might not be so to others. For instance, the current situation was a prime example. She could not tolerate her mother slandering her friends without her saying anything.

The air in the cabin was as silent as the grave. Phoenix Academy Maggie pursed her lips, resolved not to back down.

She knew her mother scorned those who were spineless. Suddenly apologizing after the harsh words she had just uttered would not quell her mother’s anger; on the contrary, it would only infuriate her more. Phoenix Academy Maggie had no choice but to stand her ground to the end, even if the consequence was her mother targeting Little Sayuri’s and Makoto’s families, causing their parents to lose their jobs permanently, unable to find new ones. But she had to overcome those concerns and show that she wasn’t speaking out of consideration for Little Sayuri and Makoto, but purely from her own feelings. If she could attribute her earlier words to a flaw in her own character, she might best prevent her mother from taking action against Little Sayuri’s and Makoto’s families.

She stared at her mother, many thoughts passing through her mind. A calm expression masked all her worries.

Phoenix Academy Kochou looked at her daughter, who seemed to have bared her fangs. A smile touched Kochou’s lips as she said, "Hehe, my apologies. I misspoke."

As she spoke, Phoenix Academy Kochou raised her hand to touch Phoenix Academy Maggie’s head and sighed, "Maggie, you’ve really grown. It seems your declaration about surpassing me wasn’t just a whim. I’m glad you can genuinely express your dissatisfaction to me."

"Mother, thank you for understanding me."

The tension in Phoenix Academy Maggie’s heart eased, and a smile appeared on her face as well.

Phoenix Academy Kochou patted her head and laughed, "Alright, don’t keep your friends waiting. Go have fun tonight."

"Yes." Phoenix Academy Maggie nodded vigorously, carrying the pastry box as she walked towards the cabin door.

Phoenix Academy Kochou watched her daughter disappear from the cabin. The smile on her face slowly froze, and her gaze turned grim.

Her daughter was finally maturing and no longer obeyed her completely. As a mother, Kochou indeed felt a bit displeased. However, joy was the predominant feeling; her daughter’s courage to say ’no’ showed she was maturing. Phoenix Academy Kochou had different expectations for Maggie than for others. She didn’t require Maggie to obey her every word; cultivating a successor was different from training a subordinate. A successor needed the courage to defy her. Although Maggie had defied her on behalf of Little Sayuri and Makoto, which annoyed Kochou, she had no intention of doing anything to Little Sayuri or Makoto. There was no need to let such a trivial matter affect her relationship with Maggie.

Phoenix Academy Kochou turned to the pilot and said, "Return to our residence in Tokyo."

The cabin door closed, and the helicopter’s rotors whirred to life, sending ripples of air outwards, whipping up Yoshikawa Sayuri’s long hair.

"Wow, the helicopter taking off looks just like a scene from a movie!"

"Yeah," Nomura True Wave replied. If a rocket launcher were to blow up the helicopter right now, it would be even more like a movie! she thought. The idea flashed through her mind, but she kept it to herself. It’s fine to think such things, but saying them aloud would be rude.

Phoenix Academy Maggie, beaming, picked up the pastry box and said, "Alright, let’s go eat some pastries."

"Alright!" Yoshikawa Sayuri responded with a laugh and stepped forward, saying, "Maggie, your aunt looks so beautiful—she has a more mature, adult charm than you do. How should I put it?"

She furrowed her brows, as if searching for the right adjective.

Aozawa interjected, "Like a Kyoho grape, plump and ready to burst with sweet and tart juice at the first bite."

"Oh, that’s exactly what I was thinking!" Yoshikawa Sayuri nodded repeatedly.

Phoenix Academy Maggie rolled her eyes at Aozawa and snapped, "What nonsense are you talking about? Believe it or not, I’ll hit you!"

"The Young Lady is being a dictator. I’ll keep quiet then." Aozawa covered his mouth, feigning obedience.

Phoenix Academy Maggie chuckled and said teasingly, "Who dares to be a dictator to you? While we have dessert, let’s think about what to play tonight."

Nomura True Wave nodded. "Indeed, going to bed at seven isn’t something young people do."

"Let’s have a pillow fight!"

"Little Sayuri, that’s too early."

"How about Truth or Dare?"

"Oh, that’s a good one!"

They bantered back and forth as they walked back into the brightly lit castle.

「The lonely night passed, and it was now Sunday, August 6th.」

At dawn, the sun rose from the horizon, its light dyeing the clouds red. Yet in the city, few people could witness such a scene.

Morimoto Chiyoda awoke on time.

The cool air brushed her cheeks, and the thin blanket covering her curvaceous body offered little warmth.

Perhaps it was psychological, but without Aozawa, the house always felt incredibly empty to her. Strangely, she didn’t feel that way when she was away on business trips; only when she stayed home alone did this peculiar emptiness arise. Especially when she imagined that certain heartless fellow probably happily chatting with the Young Lady, sharing a harmonious breakfast. The emptiness intensified until she desperately wanted Aozawa to fill that void. Tonight, she would absolutely go wild. To ensure her own enjoyment, she had quietly brought handcuffs home yesterday, intending to cuff Aozawa to the bed and see if he still dared to be so arrogant.

Thinking about tonight’s activities, Morimoto Chiyoda felt her emptiness quickly swept away by anticipation. She got out of bed, not rushing to make breakfast since it was just for herself. Naturally, she prioritized her workout.

After completing a full yoga routine, a light sheen of sweat had formed on Morimoto Chiyoda’s forehead. She then got up to brush her teeth, wash her face, and comb her hair neatly. She put on a loose short-sleeved T-shirt paired with hip-hugging, ultra-short denim shorts, with an M500 revolver holstered at her waist.

As Director of Intelligence, Morimoto Chiyoda wasn’t required to report to the Metropolitan Police Department. The task force didn’t gather at the Metropolitan Police Department either. More often, they flew to various locations, tracking leads related to the Different World or other unnatural phenomena.

The influence of the Different World spread over time, beginning to affect the world. In Japan alone, various religions, Qigong practices, and incredible tales of the supernatural emerged in abundance. It was like when health supplements first became popular, sweeping the country with unstoppable momentum. This prompted all sorts of opportunists to enter the industry, attempting to make a quick fortune.

Naturally, the task force became busier. They had to discern what was real and what was fake.

To this day, experts had still not reached a consensus on what the fourteen cryptic phrases represented. Emily was also poring over data, seeking the truth.

Morimoto Chiyoda, however, was not in a hurry. She never wasted energy on things beyond her control.

After enjoying a delicious breakfast, she left home. Choosing between the Bugatti Veyron and the Lamborghini, she decided to drive the Pagani. Morimoto Chiyoda loved sports cars, and she loved free sports cars even more. This particular Pagani hadn’t cost her a penny; it was an additional gift from Jack to celebrate her appointment as Director of Intelligence.

She drove the new car straight to the Port District. Her routes were always screened and surveyed in advance by Intelligence Department personnel, with covert guard vehicles secretly following alongside to ensure safety. By regulation, as long as the Director of Intelligence did not personally dismiss her escort, her security was absolutely guaranteed.

This made Morimoto Chiyoda feel somewhat speechless regarding her predecessor’s death. Ambition and profit always cloud people’s judgment. Her predecessor probably never imagined Kochou would dare to target her personally.

After arriving at the Intelligence Department building in the Port District and parking in the underground garage, Morimoto Chiyoda locked her car. A tall, shapely senior executive assistant was waiting for her outside.

Linna Kumpf.

Linna identified psychologically as male, was physically female, and her sexual orientation was towards men, as a submissive partner. But, as far as Morimoto Chiyoda was concerned, this was just an excuse to use the men’s restroom without issue. Morimoto Chiyoda had no comment on her personality, but her work abilities were outstanding.

"Director Morimoto, Assistant Charles hasn’t arrived yet."

Morimoto Chiyoda paused slightly and turned her head. "Did you try calling him?"

Linna answered truthfully, "The call didn’t go through. There might have been an accident."

"Arrange for someone to go check immediately."

"Understood." Lenna nodded.

Morimoto Chiyoda continued towards the elevator, her mind deep in thought. Charles was under her thumb; he wouldn’t dare be late, nor would he try to flee. She only wanted Charles to dedicate himself to his work. Charles should have understood that and wouldn’t have abandoned his position and power. Therefore, something must have happened to him. Who did it?

Morimoto Chiyoda pondered but did not immediately pinpoint a suspect. Without sufficient information, relying on preconceived notions could easily lead to misjudgment.

「Soon, a report on Charles’s death was placed before Morimoto Chiyoda.」

It included photos of the death scene and the results of ballistic reconstruction on the window. The shooter was estimated to be on the rooftop of a thirty-three-story building a kilometer away, killing two people with one shot. Even his mistress was pierced by the bullet. Judging by the bullet type, it was from a Chukavin sniper rifle.

A list of suspects in Tokyo likely to possess such a firearm was also placed before Morimoto Chiyoda. Lenna, well aware of her superior’s disposition, had gathered all available information before presenting it.

After reviewing the documents, Morimoto Chiyoda looked up. "Who do you think did it?"

"It’s highly likely KGB personnel. The Chukavin sniper rifle was tested last October and was issued in limited numbers to troops during the recent conflict." Lenna voiced her suspicion, believing the KGB had ample reason to target Charles. This was because Charles was responsible for investigating KGB intelligence and activities in Tokyo.

Morimoto Chiyoda tapped her index finger on the table, contemplating another possibility. She asked softly, "What do you think? Could Phoenix Academy Kochou have killed Charles?"