CHAPTER 351: CHAPTER-351.

On the tree nearby sat a few birds—really small ones, like sparrows and even smaller species. Harmless-looking, unremarkable.

But that wasn’t the strangest part.

The strangest part was that they were sitting there *at night*.

These were birds that usually returned to their nests as soon as evening fell, seeking shelter and safety from nocturnal predators. Yet here they were, perched silently outside Kaya’s window in the dead of night, watching.

That was suspicious. Very suspicious.

"They’re not real birds," Kaya said flatly. "Or they’re being controlled. Either way, that’s how he’s been watching us."

Sparrow’s face went pale. "You mean... those birds have been spying on us this whole time?"

"Exactly," Kaya said, her voice laced with cold fury. "The broker didn’t need trackers or recording devices. He used beastmen—bird beastmen who could blend in perfectly as common wildlife. We never even thought to look."

Cutie’s expression hardened. "Clever."

"Too clever," Kaya muttered. "Which means the bastard has been listening to every word we’ve said since we got here."

She turned back to Sparrow. "Go. Now. Scare them off or catch one if you can. I want to know if they’re beastmen in disguise or just controlled animals."

Sparrow hesitated for only a second before transforming. His human form shimmered and shrank, feathers sprouting as he became a small brown sparrow. With a nervous chirp, he fluttered out through a crack in the window and headed toward the tree.

The moment he approached, the suspicious birds scattered—too quickly, too coordinated. One lingered a moment too long, and Sparrow dove at it with surprising aggression.

There was a brief scuffle of wings and feathers, and then the bird let out a very un-birdlike screech before transforming mid-flight into a small, panicked finch beastman who fled into the night.

Sparrow returned moments later, transforming back with wide eyes. "They were beastmen! All of them!"

A glorious smile spread across Kaya’s lips, and suddenly she burst into laughter—genuine, almost manic laughter that echoed through the room.

Cutie and Sparrow both looked at her with confusion, but then some realization dawned in Cutie’s eyes, and a matching smile slowly crept across his face.

Seeing this, Sparrow looked between Kaya and Cutie frantically. "What are you laughing for? Is there something wrong? Did you lose your mind?"

Kaya pointed to her temple, then tapped it. "You know, if you use this right, it’s a powerful weapon. But sometimes, if you become overconfident with it, it leads to your demise."

Sparrow was still utterly confused.

Kaya shook her head, amused, and looked at Cutie. "So, what do you think? What happened here? And why am I smiling?"

Cutie paused, his expression thoughtful, then the smile widened. "Whoever is controlling these bird beastmen... it couldn’t be just a normal person. It means the broker belongs to the higher-ups. Someone with real power in this city."

Sudden realization also dawned on Sparrow, his eyes going wide. "Yes! How could it be that a normal person could mobilize this many bird beastmen? Anyone who can make beastmen work for them needs to be powerful and have money. But to control so many birds..."

He trailed off, the pieces clicking together in his mind.

These weren’t just any birds. These were the same birds Kaya and the others had seen while shopping in the market days ago. At the time, some city guards had explained to them that these were "safety birds"—surveillance birds that kept eyes on people and the surroundings to maintain order and prevent crime.

From those guards, Kaya had learned something crucial: just like in her world, where there were cameras and electronic surveillance systems, in this world—in this capital specifically—people used bird beastmen for the same purpose. It was the capital’s official security infrastructure.

And she’d also discovered that most of the small bird beastmen in the city came under this system. There was an entire *department* that controlled them—a government agency responsible for the surveillance network.

Kaya’s laughter finally subsided into a cold, satisfied smile. "The broker isn’t some underground crime lord hiding in shadows," she said, her voice dripping with realization and fury. "He’s someone with direct access to the capital’s official surveillance system. Someone high enough in the government or tribal leadership to command the security department."

Sparrow’s jaw dropped. "You mean..."

"I mean," Kaya interrupted, her eyes gleaming dangerously, "the broker is either one of the tribal leaders, or someone very close to them. Someone who can mobilize official resources without raising suspicion."

Cutie nodded slowly. "Which explains how he knew Veer’s father was coming. He probably orchestrated the entire crisis with the bird tribes himself."

"Exactly," Kaya said, standing up and pacing. "He has access to intelligence networks, tribal politics, and surveillance systems. That’s why he’s been untouchable. That’s why torturing the hitmen would never have worked—they probably didn’t even know they were working for someone in the government."

She turned to face them, her expression fierce. "But he made a critical mistake. By using official surveillance to spy on me, he’s revealed his position. He’s not just powerful—he’s embedded in the system."

Sparrow was still processing. "But... doesn’t that make him even more dangerous? How do we fight someone like that?"

Kaya’s smile turned absolutely predatory. "Because now I know where to look. And I know his weakness."

"What weakness?" Sparrow asked nervously.

"He can’t move openly," Kaya explained. "If he’s using his official position to conduct personal vendettas, he has to maintain plausible deniability. He can’t just have me arrested or killed publicly—it would raise too many questions. That’s why he used anonymous hitmen. That’s why he’s playing these elaborate games."

She walked to the window, staring out at the city with cold determination. "He’s powerful, but he’s constrained by his position. And that means I can force him to make mistakes."

Cutie spoke quietly. "What’s the plan?"

Kaya’s smile was ice. "We use his own surveillance against him. We feed false information through those birds. We make him think we’re planning one thing while we do another. And most importantly..."

She turned back to them, her eyes blazing. "We figure out which of the five tribal leaders—or their closest advisors—is the broker. And then we expose him."