Chapter 40: Breaking into the Scene
Ayakoji Chiyoko walked out of the classroom, followed by ten imposing burly men and strong women, like dark clouds pressing down, their 'Discipline' red armbands uniformly torn off and placed on the table at the door.
Discipline Committee members are not allowed to participate in off-campus disputes, which is a violation of school rules.
But by taking off their armbands, they temporarily became free agents.
To avoid drawing attention, Ayakoji Chiyoko had her subordinates disperse and leave the school in several groups, quickly heading to the scene.
Half an hour later, near an abandoned factory.
This place is on the edge of Tokyo, once a well-known industrial development zone, but now it is desolate, dilapidated, and impoverished, seemingly stuck in the era when the last century's bubble burst.
Those who remain here are all from the lower strata of society, or those who have fallen into the valley waiting for a resurgence.
Kagura Hikaru stood at the entrance of a small, old-fashioned grocery store, a cigarette-shaped mint candy hanging from his lips, listlessly as if waiting for someone.
Suddenly, he seemed to hear a noise and turned his head toward the street corner.
At the corner, the figure of a tall woman appeared, followed by one burly man and door-kicking strong women after another, striding forward with a formidable presence and disheveled, heavy footsteps.
A dense group of people, all dressed in the same black uniforms, followed behind Ayakoji Chiyoko, approaching with an aggressive air, anyone unaware might think they were Yakuza about to contest turf.
Kagura Hikaru watched this group of menacing looking Discipline Committee members approaching, thinking to himself what high school drama are you all acting out here, he nodded as a greeting and was about to speak, but then saw Ayakoji Chiyoko's expression change, she swiftly snatched the 'cigarette' from his mouth.
"Smoking violates the Discipline Code, write me a reflection for tomorrow."
Kagura Hikaru, speechless, ".....this is candy, give it back."
"?"
Picking up the 'cigarette' and smelling it, Ayakoji Chiyoko then confirmed it wasn't the real thing.
Unembarrassed, she tossed the candy cigarette back to him and looked towards the distant abandoned factory, casually starting a conversation.
"So that's where they're hiding?"
"Hmm."
"How did you find them?"
Tokyo is a vast metropolis, home to over ten million people, a true melting pot, yet remarkably, Kagura Hikaru had found the target in just three days.
Kagura Hikaru chewed the candy cigarette in his mouth, briefly lost in memories.
On the first day the blackmailers disappeared, Kagura Hikaru took a sketch of the factory from his memory and attempted to match it online without success, then went around asking the locals in Tokyo.
But he soon realized it was too slow until he passed by a private detective agency and had an epiphany about the right approach, hiring several detectives to distribute several copies of the factory image, along with sketches of the three blackmailers' faces, and asking them to help look for the people.
The private detective industry in the Island Nation has a history and is still not prohibited to this day.
Although they don't have the credentials to participate in criminal cases like some comics about grim reapers, and most of their jobs are minuscule, such as catching adulterers or following celebrities, these tasks are unmanageable without connections and familiarity with the local area; it was much easier than if Kagura Hikaru had done it alone, costing only some money.
By the third day, Kagura Hikaru got the specific location from one of the detectives, found the abandoned factory he had seen in his mind-reading, quickly paid, scoped out the site briefly, and then called Ayakoji Chiyoko.
"There are only three of them inside, along with two motorcycles; I saw no weapons."
During his survey, he saw instant noodle tubs all over the floor, as well as sleeping bags and fire barrels.
These people planned to hide here until they got the money.
A bunch of idiots.
Indeed, one had to be stupid to get involved in extortion.
The group quickly reached the vicinity of the abandoned factory and split into two to block both the front and rear entrances. At Ayakoji Chiyoko's command, they collectively stormed in.
"Bang!"
A loud noise as the factory door was kicked open. A band of burly men rushed forward, pinning down three extortionists, who were obliviously eating instant noodles, onto the floor. They skillfully tied their thumbs together with cable ties.
There was no thrill; the target was captured smoothly.
Until the end, Takayama Kenta and the others were bewildered, evidently clueless about how the Discipline Committee members had found them.
Soon, someone collected their mobile phones and handed them to Ayakoji Chiyoko.
She opened the mobile gallery, which was filled with all sorts of obscene images. The photos of Ruzaki Mami and Sato Seiji were mixed in among them.
In the photos, they were embracing and kissing in an empty classroom. The photos were taken from outside, somewhat blurry, but the identities of the two individuals were clearly discernible.
Then she opened the call log.
In Takayama Kenta's phone, she indeed found the number of a certain Chinese language teacher. Both the frequency and duration of the calls were abnormal.
The evidence had been collected.
Ayakoji Chiyoko smiled satisfactorily. Her smile was beautiful but somehow cruel.
Sato Seiji, as expected, this man was also a criminal.
Deceiving an innocent girl, engaging in extortion, his crimes were unforgivable.
He was about to meet a painful end at the hands of Ayakoji Chiyoko.
Just as they were victorious and about to escort the captives back to school, the sound of motorcycles approaching from afar suddenly filled the air.
In a moment, more than ten modified cruiser motorcycles charged through the main gate into the factory.
They were a group dressed in special attack uniforms, better known as a biker gang.
The so-called biker gang, in fact a derogatory term for a motorcycle club, often involved in reckless riding and vandalism.
Takayama Kenta, previously subdued by the burly men, suddenly cried out in surprise and delight upon seeing them, "Big brother, save me!"
With these words, everyone immediately realized they were in big trouble.
The leader of the Sha Ma Te biker gang, with long hair, got off his bike and pointed fiercely at them, shouting, "Who the hell are you guys, daring to mess with my brother? Don't you believe I can kill you!"
The other gang members also dismounted and stood behind Sha Ma Te to back him up, shaking their heads and cursing.
Ayakoji Chiyoko sneered coldly and gestured with her fingers. The Discipline Committee members immediately lined up behind her, their presence menacing and silent, their gaze fixed on the newcomers, showing no fear.
The leader of the Sha Ma Te biker gang hesitated for a moment upon seeing this but glanced at his cousin bound and lying on the ground, gritted his teeth, and abruptly waved his hand, "Attack!"
Over a dozen gang members charged at them.
The Discipline Committee members immediately assigned two to protect Ayakoji Chiyoko at the back, while the others rushed forward to intercept the gang mid-way.
A fierce brawl broke out.