LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 199: A Good Spy
Today was the day Ayaka would enter the Love Kingdom Hotel, a small, unassuming love hotel tucked away in the heart of the city.
Despite its quaint name and appearance, it was a place shrouded in darkness, a facade hiding the rot beneath.
The exterior was a garish display of pink walls designed to mimic old European brickwork, with a cutesy sign out front that read "Love Kingdom" in bubbly letters.
It looked more like a tacky tourist trap than a hub for criminal activity, but Ayaka knew better.
As she stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. The lobby was dimly lit, with a faint smell of stale air and cheap air freshener.
A fat man sat behind the administration desk, lazily twirling a pen between his lips. He didn't acknowledge her as she passed, and she didn't greet him either.
She moved with purpose, her expression calm but her heart racing. Hidden in her pocket was a tiny camera and microphone, transmitting everything to Haruto and the rest of the Terminators, who were watching from a safe distance.
"Man, that place is a disaster," Enji's voice crackled through the earpiece, his tone dripping with disdain.
"It's worse than Arataki's sense of style. Looks like a giant vomited pink all over the place."
Arataki's voice chimed in, defensive but amused. "I don't agree with you calling my style shit, but yeah, that place is nightmare fuel."
Old Futto's gruff voice cut through the banter. "We haven't even seen the live recording or the people yet. Focus."
Haruto, however, remained silent, his jaw clenched as he watched the feed. He
was begging for her to stop this operation but she insisted anyway and even went to that cursed hotel when he wasn't around.
He disappointed in himself since he couldn't stop her.
His mood lightened slightly when he noticed Ayaka's faint chuckle, likely hearing the team's commentary through the mic.
The hallway was eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from behind closed doors—muffled voices, occasional screams, and the sickening thud of fists meeting flesh.
Each noise made the men on the other end of the feed tense, their usual banter replaced by a heavy silence.
"Tch," Haruto finally muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
"When all of this is over, I'm burning that place to the ground."
The others exchanged glances but said nothing. They knew better than to argue when Haruto was in this mood.
As Ayaka walked further down the hall, a door suddenly swung open, and a man stepped out.
He was tall, with a scowl etched into his face and a cigarette dangling from his lips. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Ayaka.
"Where's the boss?" he barked, his voice rough and impatient.
"That bitch is rampaging again. I'm getting tired of this bullshit."
From inside the room, a woman's scream pierced the air, followed by the sickening sound of a punch.
The scream cut off abruptly, replaced by an unsettling silence.
The man—Sato—sighed, pulling off his glasses and rubbing his temples. "Finally, she's quiet," he muttered.
"Told Ren we should just switch to somnophilia or something. Less hassle."
Ayaka's expression remained neutral. This was her chance to get inside one of the rooms.
"Sato," she said, her voice calm but firm, "can I check on her condition for a moment?"
Sato raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You?" he scoffed. "Since when do you care?"
Ayaka paused, her mind working quickly. Then she smiled, her tone cold and calculated.
"I just think it's bad business to punch her every time she acts up. She's one of our assets, after all. Finding women like her isn't easy these days."
Sato frowned, clearly annoyed but unable to argue with her logic. He spat on the wall, then gestured for her to enter.
"Don't take too long," he warned, his voice laced with menace. "And don't snitch, or I'll ask Ren to replace her with you."
Ayaka nodded, her smile never wavering as she stepped inside the room.
The door closed behind her, and the camera feed showed a dimly lit space, the air thick with the scent of sweat and fear.
Haruto's voice crackled through the earpiece, low and urgent. "Ayaka, be careful."
She didn't respond, but her hand brushed against the hidden mic, a silent acknowledgment.
Inside the room, the scene was grim. The windows were covered with black screens, blocking out any natural light.
A video camera stood in the corner, manned by a cameraman who looked bored, as if this were just another day at work.
In the center of the room, five naked men loomed over a naked woman who lay unconscious on the floor.
Her body was covered in bruises, and blood trickled from her nose.
Ayaka stepped inside, her expression calm but her eyes sharp as she took in the scene. She sighed, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
"Don't hurt her too much, alright? If she dies, it'll be on all of you."
One of the men sneered, but Ayaka didn't flinch. She continued, her tone icy and matter-of-fact.
"And just so you know, disposing of a dead body is a lot harder than keeping a woman quiet. So think twice before you go too far."
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked out, closing the door firmly behind her.
She moved through the hotel with purpose, heading to the third floor where the live streaming rooms were located.
Room by room, she made her rounds, offering the same excuse to each group of men she encountered: she was there to check on things and report back to Ren if anything was amiss.
At first, the men were suspicious, but Ayaka's calm demeanor and her reputation as "Ren's woman" kept them from questioning her too much.
They let her pass, and she used the opportunity to show the Terminators—via the hidden camera—the horrors unfolding behind each door.
The feed was enough to make even the most hardened among them shake their heads in disgust.
Enji cursed under his breath, while Arataki muttered something about Ren deserving worse than death.
Old Futto just clenched his fists, his jaw tight with anger.
When Ayaka finally finished her rounds, she slipped into the emergency stairwell, leaning against the cold concrete wall.
She tapped the hidden mic, her voice low but steady. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire
"How was it? Is it enough?" she asked.
Haruto's voice came through immediately, calm but firm. "You're doing great, Ayaka. Just hang in there."
Old Futto chimed in, his tone gruff. "It's good, but we're missing the child bidding. Without that, the Crown of Ito won't crumble completely."
Ayaka sighed, playing with the hem of her shirt. "That area's off-limits unless I'm with Ren. I chose today because he's away, but… Haruto, you…" She trailed off, her voice tinged with unease.
On the other end, Enji, Arataki, and Old Futto turned to Haruto, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern.
"What did you do, Haruto?" Enji asked, his tone sharp.
Haruto shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Not much. I just… pissed him off a little. He might take it out on Ayaka if he finds out she's here."
Enji groaned, slapping Haruto upside the head. "Are you out of your mind? What if he figures out what we're up to?"
Haruto rubbed the back of his head, wincing. "Relax. Ren's too arrogant and dumb to connect the dots."
Arataki shook his head, his usual humor absent. "Still, it's a shame we can't get into the bidding area. That's where the real dirt is."
Ayaka's voice came through again, soft but determined. "The bidding happens underground. Ren converted the parking lot for it."
Haruto nodded, his tone lighter now. "That's something, at least. What we've got so far is enough to cause some serious damage. Right?"
The others murmured in agreement, but Haruto's relief was short-lived. His mind was already racing, his anxiety spiking at the thought of Ren showing up and catching Ayaka in the act.
And then, as if on cue, the sound of a door slamming open echoed through the mic, followed by the sharp crack of a slap. Ayaka's gasp was audible, and Haruto's blood ran cold.
"Ayaka!" he barked, his voice urgent. "What's happening?"