SWNOVELXO Chapter 141: Gold Member
Old Futto sighed, glancing at his account name still highlighted in dull brown.
"We're stuck as bronze members for now. If we want to move up, we'll need to buy more of their filth."
"It's fine," Haruto said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We can take it slow. But I need full access to this account."
Arataki narrowed his eyes. "What are you planning?"
Haruto leaned back, his expression calm but calculating. "Getting closer to Ren will benefit all of us."
"As you said, there's a chance he's holding onto that memory card—one that contains evidence of every victim he's tortured. If I can build trust, maybe even befriend him, we'll have a better chance at getting it."
Arataki's frown deepened, his discomfort evident. "I don't like it. Why waste time when we can just kidnap that bastard and make him talk? Torture him if we have to."
Haruto's eyes widened slightly, recognizing the raw emotion in his friend's voice. He placed a firm hand on Arataki's shoulder, his gaze steady.
"I understand your pain. I really do. But rushing in blind won't solve anything. We'll get him—but on our terms, when we're ready."
"Haruto's right," Enji added, his tone unusually serious.
"You're not alone in this. We're here for you. We'll take Ren down together—properly."
Old Futto adjusted his glasses, his voice taking on a note of reassurance. "And I've already started mining their IPs and tracking data from this chat group."
"Just give me some time, and we'll not only take down Ren but dismantle this entire operation."
Arataki took a deep breath, his clenched fists slowly loosening. "Fine. I'll wait and help however I can."
"That's more like it!" Enji exclaimed, grinning as he clapped Arataki on the shoulder.
Arataki groaned, trying to shrug off Enji's grip, but the tension in his posture eased. A faint smile tugged at his lips despite himself.
The group spent the next hour observing the chat, carefully noting the patterns in conversations and picking up hints about how the members operated.
By the time night fell, they had enough for the day and decided to call it.
As they gathered their things, Old Futto gave Haruto a pointed look. "Remember, act the part. These people love dark humor and won't hesitate to kick you out if you slip up."
"Don't get triggered over their garbage—it's all potential evidence."
Haruto nodded firmly. "I'm not new to this. I can handle it."
Enji smirked. "Oh, really? You can barely reply to my texts with more than a word. Think you've got what it takes to play along here?"
Haruto shot him a challenging glance. "That's because it's you. I can be plenty fun if I want to."
"Sure, sure," Enji teased, shaking his head.
As they headed for the door, Old Futto waved them off with a dismissive hand. "I'll send you the videos you asked as soon as I've secured them, Haruto."
"Now, get out of here—I have more important things to do with my oshi."
Before anyone could respond, Futto slammed the door shut. The trio exchanged weary glances, a collective sigh escaping them.
"He's always like that," Enji muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Yeah," Haruto said with a faint smile. "But he's reliable. That's what matters."
After that they leave the apartment as they went to the Dog Cage. Today was also the day Enji and Haruto need to perform.
***
[King Ren: Wow! You really have great taste in porn, Oni Pantsu! It's been ages since someone asked for this hardcore video.]
[ManOfCultur3: Yup! Definitely a man of culture!]
[Pokopon: Also, you're climbing that golden pass faster than anyone else. You must be loaded. What kind of work do you do?]
[Oni Pantsu: Work? I just need a couple of sugar mommies! I'm that handsome! ಠ↼]
[King Ren: Lucky bastard!]
Haruto leaned back in his creaking chair, a smirk playing on his lips.
The glow from his laptop screen cast sharp shadows across his face, contrasting with the dim light of his bedside lamp.
A digital clock on the wall ticked softly, its red digits glowing 11:47 PM.
His plan was progressing smoothly. After a month of banter and calculated flattery, he'd ingratiate himself with the group.
Most members were egotistical and quick to boast, spilling details about their professions and personal lives—though Haruto took every claim with a grain of salt.
Take Ren, for example. He boasted of being a member of one of Japan's most powerful yakuza clans.
Haruto knew this was nonsense.
What truly intrigued him, however, was the absence of Daiki from this chat.
For someone supposedly orchestrating this operation, Daiki seemed to have left Ren in charge—a puzzling decision, given Ren's recklessness.
"Crown of Ito," Haruto muttered, eyeing the chat group's ostentatious name. Too grand for a cesspool of predators.
His phone buzzed suddenly, pulling his attention away from the laptop. Haruto grabbed it and saw a message from Old Futto.
[Cool Futto: Check this out! I found a video of that porn star Aka Rui! She's so hot!!!]
Haruto frowned, a flicker of annoyance passing through him.
He didn't like the thought of Futto—or anyone—seeing Asuka this way. Opening the video, his jaw tightened as the woman on screen confirmed Zenzai's suspicions.
"Holy shit... Zenzai was right," he murmured, his smirk returning.
With calculated precision, Haruto edited the video and cut it short, just less than a minute only to show Asuke's face.
After that, he forwarded the video to his Oni Pantsu account. The group's reaction was immediate and predictable—a storm of messages buzzing with shock and awe.
[Oni Pantsu: Doesn't this woman from the video remind you of the new otoro sushi menu? ╰(▔∀▔)╯]
The group erupted, their twisted fantasies now fueled by the newfound face of their obsession. Haruto noted Ren's silence amidst the chaos.
Then, a chime from his laptop caught his attention—a private message from Ren.
[King Ren: Where did you get that video?]
Haruto's smirk deepened as he began typing:
[Oni Pantsu: A secret! You won't find her, even if you try. She's retired, and all her tracks are wiped clean!]
[King Ren: Damn. Playing hard to get, huh? I'll find that video!]
[Oni Pantsu: Hehe, go ahead and try (♡´艸`)]
Ren didn't reply immediately. Haruto tapped his fingers on the desk, his impatience bubbling to the surface.
The notification chimed from Haruto's laptop. He sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing as he read the message that had just popped up.
[King Ren: You're right. I want the full version!]
Haruto's eye twitched, the smirk on his lips fading into a grim line. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as a wave of annoyance washed over him.
Should he really hand over the video?
On one hand, this was his chance to solidify trust and get closer to Ren.
On the other hand, the thought of letting that scumbag and a lot of people lay eyes on Asuka filled him with disgust.
With a heavy sigh, Haruto ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, the strands sticking up in frustration.
His laptop screen cast a cold glow over his face, emphasizing the conflict in his furrowed brows.
"Damn it," he muttered. "For revenge, I'll do it. But as Asuka's man... this feels like betrayal."
He exhaled sharply, shaking off the guilt. Revenge came first. It had to. His hands moved swiftly over the keyboard.
[Oni Pantsu: Yeah, but it'll cost a lot. ٢ ` ౪´ ì.]
He leaned back, his chair creaking beneath him as he watched the dots indicating Ren was typing.
He already knew Ren's greed would take the bait, especially since Haruto's cleverly disguised message had already skyrocketed the "otoro sushi menu" into the platform's bestseller.
[King Ren: Don't worry, you'll make plenty from it! Now send me the video!]
Haruto tapped his fingers against the desk, the rhythmic sound a faint counterpoint to the hum of his laptop. He hesitated, his mind weighing the cost.
Should he have demanded more? His lips pressed into a thin line as he closed his eyes and made his decision.
[Oni Pantsu: I also want the Golden Member Pass.]
A beat passed before Ren's irritated reply arrived.
[King Ren: Man, you're asking too much! Money or the Golden Member Pass—pick one.]
[Oni Pantsu: Gold Member.]
[King Ren: Great choice, but you need to remember you'll need to spend 1,000,000 yen on sushi to maintain that status. This month, though, you're exempt.]
Haruto's brows shot up as he read the message, his voice breaking the stillness of his room.
"Holy shit. Isn't that way too much just for some damn porn videos?"
He leaned back, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Pulling out his phone, he opened the group chat with Old Futto, Enji, and Arataki, quickly typing out his update.
[Kuro Usagi: Guys, this operation needs A LOT of money. Ren wants me to buy a sushi subscription worth 1,000,000 yen to maintain the Golden Member Pass.]
The first reply came almost instantly from Arataki.
[Midori man: Don't worry about money. I've got plenty.]
[Enji: Hear that, Haruto? Keep going.]
Haruto exhaled in relief. He often forgot just how wealthy Arataki was—a hidden ace up his sleeve. With renewed determination, he turned back to the chat with Ren and began typing.
[Oni Pantsu: Absolutely! That's pocket change for me. (･ω･)b.]