How to find Nyarlathotep's whereabouts isn't an easy task for Duanmu Huai, but it's not completely without clues either.

That's why he's sitting here.

"I really didn't expect you, Mr. Duanmu, to actually accept my commission."

Sitting across from Duanmu Huai isn't anyone else, but Hawk Moon Group's Second-in-Command Tezuka Renichi.

Previously, Tezuka Renichi had called Duanmu Huai, hoping to commission him to investigate an incident, but at the time Duanmu Huai wasn't interested in yakuza affairs and decisively refused. However, coming back here again, Duanmu Huai chose to... accept.

In fact, if Duanmu Huai just put himself in the Judge's position and thought carefully, he'd know that gangs could be quite useful. Typically in Hive City's lower levels, if a Judge wants to find some cult organization or such, going through the yakuza is the fastest way. And Duanmu Huai isn't unfamiliar with dealing with Hive City's gangs in games; he knows these people navigate both black and white paths and are quite handy.

Just when he came to this world, maybe because the system gave him several choices pushing him toward the yakuza, Duanmu Huai became wary of the yakuza here. He always feels that if he gets involved with the yakuza in this world, the system will trap him!

But now, since the world's going to be destroyed, sticking to these silly principles and face doesn't have much use; since he has this lead, might as well use it.

Only, in this timeline, the situation where Tezuka Renichi contacts Duanmu Huai is different from before.

In the first timeline, Duanmu Huai went to a small town in Aomori and met Tezuka Renichi there. At the time, Hawk Moon Group was responsible for looking for Group Leader Yingyue's missing only daughter, who was kidnapped by old district people here regarding land acquisition. Tezuka Renichi then commissioned Duanmu Huai for help investigating, and Duanmu Huai entered the old district, eliminated those mutated rabbit people, and killed the also contaminated Group Leader's daughter, eliminating the main culprit, the Green Deity.

Finally, he delivered the Group Leader's daughter's last words to Tezuka Renichi, considering the case closed.

However, after time retrospection, since the Green Deity was already killed by Duanmu Huai, naturally nothing happened over there; thus, the Group Leader's daughter wasn't kidnapped.

Yet Tezuka Renichi still found him.

But this time, he found Duanmu Huai not because of conflicts with Hawk Moon Group, but because of Duanmu Huai's nickname "Extreme Path Detective." He mistakenly thought Duanmu Huai specialized in handling yakuza cases, hence sought him out.

For this, Duanmu Huai was really displeased, but... considering investigating Nyarlathotep is crucial, he endured.

This time Tezuka Renichi commissioned Duanmu Huai for investigation again, still related to land requisition.

Seems like Hawk Moon Group can't seem to avoid real estate in their lifetime.

Duanmu Huai thought, why don't you guys just stop dealing in real estate?

"Mr. Duanmu, do you know Kamurochō?"

"Yes, it's right next door."

Duanmu Huai certainly knows Kamurochō, although he never goes to such places. That place, to put it bluntly, is like an ancient red-light district with all sorts of vices bundled together. Duanmu Huai has always kept away from such places.

"In fact, the government is currently undergoing redevelopment planning for Kamurochō."

Hawk Moon Group seems to have quite a unique connection in this area, always able to find a gap.

"Our problem lies in one particular place."

"A place?"

"Yes, it used to be Kamurochō's market, but there's a plan to build a skyscraper on it, making it a landmark building."

"Oh, so what? The people there are unwilling to move?"

"No, the relocation process itself went smoothly."

"Then what's the problem?"

Duanmu Huai looked puzzled, thinking it would be like Aomori's old district with abnormal holdouts, but they've all relocated? So what's the problem? Isn't it just demolishing and rebuilding?

"The problem is with one piece of land..."

Initially, Duanmu Huai thought Tezuka Renichi wouldn't explain to him, ready to make a picture and ask the Shadow, but unexpectedly, Tezuka Renichi explained the whole matter frankly.

On that market ground, a piece of land belonged to an old man who divided his property among his family before dying. That's no problem; just find those people and buy it up. For the yakuza, what's difficult about it? Merely intimidation or bribery, soon they collected most of the land contracts.

However, the owner of one square meter was missing.

Now the yakuza was all flustered.

Whether it's intimidation or bribery, you've got to do it face-to-face!

If you can't find the person, are you going to talk to the air?

Hearing this, Duanmu Huai was puzzled initially, pondering why not just seize that square meter outright? You're the yakuza; even a legitimate real estate company would cook the rice first when faced with this. You're not even as bold as a real estate company? Makes no sense!

Yet Tezuka Renichi insisted... not possible!

The reason is simple: it's a government project. Just like in the movie "The Godfather," where the old Godfather colludes with politicians, they also have political ties. And this landmark building represents the politician's achievement; you surely can forcefully requisition the land and start building now, but once that landowner shows up holding the deed, sues you, it won't be an achievement for the politician but rather a scandal!

So even the yakuza must ensure all paperwork for the land is spotless, flawless. Therefore, as long as they can't find the owner of that "blank square meter," the redevelopment plan can't proceed. But evidently, the authorities can't indefinitely delay this plan, intensifying gang pressure.

Nonetheless, for Hawk Moon Group, this stands as the best opportunity.

Here, I would like to explain that the Hawk Moon Group belongs to the largest Yakuza organization in Kanto, "Toujou Group," and is a subordinate Yakuza organization of the Toujou Group. However, the Hawk Moon Group's territory is not in Kamurochō but in the Aomori area. Logically speaking, they shouldn't have to worry about this affair.

But the problem is, the control of Kamurochō is in the hands of another subordinate group of the Toujou Group — the Tang Island Group, which is also the most powerful group within the Toujou Group.

Moreover, there's another issue within the Toujou Group. After the death of the second-generation president, no successor has been designated. Currently, an elder, Niijihara Takashi, from the Toujou Group's main family is acting in charge. Of course, as the saying goes, a nation cannot last a day without a ruler. The Toujou Group can't keep the position of leader vacant indefinitely. Given the current dominance of the Tang Island Group within the Toujou Group, it's all but certain that their leader, Tang Daosong, will become the next president. As long as he successfully completes this Kamurochō redevelopment plan, Tang Daosong's achievements in the Toujou Group would be unparalleled, and his appointment as the Toujou Group's third-generation president would be just around the corner!

Other groups certainly wouldn't just sit back and watch Tang Daosong succeed, but they had no options. What nobody expected was that the previously smooth-sailing Kamurochō redevelopment plan would encounter a variable due to a small plot of land with an unknown owner!

If Tang Daosong cannot find the owner of that plot, not only will he gain nothing from this project, but he might also end up taking the blame!

After all, this is a major collaboration project between the Toujou Group and politicians. As everyone knows, in such projects, the importance doesn't lie in how much effort you exert but rather in your significance.

Much like with holdouts during demolitions, no one cares about those who accepted the contract early on. Only those who persist to the end attract public and media attention. If you can confront backhoes and throw a few Molotov cocktails or something, you'll immediately make the social news. At that point, whoever manages to persuade the holdout to agree to the demolition would be seen as a hero and be significantly praised, with promotion and wealth just around the corner.

As for others involved in the demolition work, they receive no merit, only the hard labor.

If Tang Daosong effortlessly acquired all this land, everyone would simply admit it was bad luck and move on. But now there's a loophole, so naturally, other groups won't just watch!

Even if they can't become president themselves, they certainly won't let this fat man succeed!

The Hawk Moon Group took the initiative to step in under such circumstances.

After all, this redevelopment plan is currently the top priority of the Toujou Group. Whoever can locate the owner of that vacant plot, their leader will become the third-generation president of the Toujou Group and command the entire Kanto Yakuza!

Now, other groups immediately became envious.

It should be understood that Kamurochō is under the jurisdiction of the Tang Island Group. Trying to encroach upon the Tang Island Group's territory to acquire land there is out of the question.

First, it would be against the rules; second, on their territory, you wouldn't even stand a chance.

But now, everyone doesn't have to exert so much effort. Simply find the owner of that one plot of land and obtain the land rights from them, and the credit will be unmatched!

For Tang Daosong, naturally, this is displeasing. After all the hard work, only to benefit others in the end? Forget about it!

Therefore, the Tang Island Group is now frenziedly searching everywhere as well. After all, if someone else truly beats them to it and finds the owner, Tang Daosong might even have suicidal thoughts.

"So, you're here to commission me to find the owner of that one plot of land and then bring them to your Hawk Moon Group?"

At this point, Duanmu Huai naturally understood why Tezuka Renichi had sought him out.

"That's right."

Tezuka Renichi nodded.

"Finding people is what detectives like you are best at, isn't it?"

He wasn't wrong, even though Duanmu Huai's methods of finding people weren't always scientific.

"No problem."

Duanmu Huai had no objection to the deal, but he also put forward his own requirements.

"However, regarding the compensation, I have a proposal."

"What proposal?"

"I hope you can help me investigate some matters... According to your statement, if I successfully deliver the owner of that one plot to your Hawk Moon Group's leader, then he will become the third-generation president of the Toujou Group, correct?"

"That's correct."

Although unsure of what Duanmu Huai intended to say, Tezuka Renichi still nodded.

"Then, I hope you can help me investigate some things."

"Some... things?"

"Yes, what exactly we'll discuss after I've completed the commission, is that okay?"

"No problem."

Tezuka Renichi thought for a moment before nodding. While Duanmu Huai's demand seemed odd, if he could truly fulfill the commission and help the Hawk Moon Group find the owner of that one plot of land, then the Hawk Moon Group would certainly owe him a huge favor. Let alone just investigating a few things, even if Duanmu Huai wanted them to drown a few people in Tokyo Bay, it wouldn't be an issue.

The reason Duanmu Huai proposed this condition was actually because of the Cult Organization of the Light of the Universe. Since Yog Sothoth confirmed this organization existed in Japan, they were likely hiding somewhere. Duanmu Huai didn't want to slowly search for it alone since the Toujou Group is the largest Yakuza organization in Kanto, making them the most suitable to search for these mice hiding in the dark.

After all, snakes know the ways of snakes, and mice know the holes of mice.

"Then, it's decided."

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai stood up and extended his hand towards Tezuka Renichi.

"Pleasure working together."

"Pleasure working together."

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