SCIAW: Chapter 455/456

Chapter 455: “Planter” Miyano Shiho

"Your sisters truly have similar personalities."

Listening to Shiho's words and remembering Akemi's fundamental choice, Ren couldn't help but sigh.

"The elder sister gave everything to protect her younger sister, while the younger sister wants to give everything because she wants to stay with her elder sister."

"So, have you truly made your decision?"

"I personally think you should think about it. But if you have already decided, then I will respect your choice."

"I've decided."

Shiho did not hesitate at all, remaining firm in her choice.

"Since that is the case, I will bestow upon you the identity of a believer of hope, along with the corresponding power."

Accepting others' choices was what Ren was best at.

Since Shiho had chosen her own path, he naturally had no intention of denying it.

As he pondered which Sequence would suit her best, Ren recalled the Brood Hive he had just obtained.

Shiho had good compatibility with both the Moon and Mother pathways.

However, considering her expertise, the Mother pathway was more suitable.

After all, the Mother pathway was closer to that of an alchemist, and Shiho specialized in drug research, making her naturally skilled in strange and complex studies.

After confirming, Ren reached out and placed his hand on Shiho's forehead.

He granted her the power of the Mother pathway, Sequence 9, Planter.

Shiho immediately sensed a power descending upon her, awakening something deep within her body. A strange force surged forth, and at the same time, vast amounts of knowledge and information poured into her mind.

It was knowledge about countless seeds and weather prediction, as if it had been etched into her memory.

There were also techniques for increasing the biological speed of plants through spirituality, sensing plant diseases and eliminating them, as well as methods for improving soil.

All of it was knowledge most suited for cultivation.

"This is the power I have chosen for you, the most suitable for you, Planter."

Shiho nodded slightly.

There was no need for lengthy explanations. Simply by organizing the knowledge and extraordinary abilities in her mind, she could already tell that this was indeed her specialized field.

Many precious materials used in the laboratory, aside from being purchased, had to be cultivated independently.

Several key ingredients in the APTX drug were extremely difficult to acquire, and some required specific cultivation conditions to preserve their medicinal properties.

With the power of a Planter, she could cultivate plants, crops, and herbs with far greater efficiency.

This power nearly encompassed the entire scope of the field.

As long as she had space and seeds, she could cultivate countless medicinal herbs. By accelerating their growth with spirituality and improving the soil, she could drastically shorten their growth cycles.

"Come to me for advancement after you have mastered the power at your current stage."

"Of course, the higher the Sequence, the greater the price that must be paid."

"I understand. Pursuing greater power means delving deeper into the realm of believers, and one's heart will lean further toward god."

Power always came with a price. Shiho could clearly see it.

Loyalty and devotion were the prices for obtaining power.

But in her eyes, this price was far too gentle.

Or rather, it wasn't that god had given them too gentle a price, but that this was simply the natural change brought by faith.

"It's good that you can understand and accept it."

Ren didn't give Shiho more chances to reply. Instead, he pointed toward the room of the two sisters.

"Your sister already knows your decision. You two have much to talk about. Since you've chosen this path, be mentally prepared. At this stage, focus on accumulation. Power is not useless for you and your sister."

Shiho knew this referred to the organization.

She and Akemi would not live under its shadow forever, but there was no need to pay special attention to it.

Since their drug research and its essence had already been exposed, the organization would inevitably become a target of public criticism.

What they needed to do was protect themselves, quietly watch the organization's downfall, and be ready to act when the opportunity came.

By becoming believers and receiving god's protection, they could live normally while slowly accumulating power. Then, when the time was right, they could strike at the already weakened organization.

At this moment, Shiho held even greater expectations for the future.

Besides retaliating against the organization, she also silently vowed to one day teach that man a lesson.

She slowly knelt on the ground, her voice filled with gratitude and respect.

"Thank you again, god, for saving my sister and me."

"Mm, you may go."

Shiho looked up, bowed once more, then stood and went to her room.

Looking at the Miyano sisters' temporary room, Ren shook his head slightly.

"These two sisters are truly very similar."

After sighing, Ren returned to his own room.

Shiho opened the door and saw her sister sitting on the bed with a serious expression. She walked toward her.

"Sister, I know what I'm doing."

Seeing her sister's resolute expression, Akemi sighed.

"God is a very good choice. But even without becoming a believer, you could still have lived a better life."

"I know. But I also know that if I did that, I would only become a burden to you in the future."

Just earlier, god had said the same thing. Yet Shiho had still chosen this path.

To become a believer, to take god as her faith, and to receive a portion of his power.

She didn't want to be a burden, nor did she want to be useless when her sister needed help one day.

"Besides, being protected by god is not a bad thing."

Seeing her sister's determination, Akemi knew she could no longer persuade her.

And at this moment, while the Miyano sisters were relaxing, a huge uproar had already spread throughout the entire Crow Organization.

Because the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's raid on one of their strongholds, and the loss of experimental data stored within, had already become known to the organization.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 456: Gin, Who Really Couldn’t Hold Back

At this moment, the atmosphere inside a quiet bar was suffocating. The only customers were some regulars, and it was these very regulars who made the atmosphere even more stifling.

"So, what's going on?"

Gin was radiating an extraordinary chill.

The entire bar fell silent.

Everyone was confused, for they had only just learned that one of the organization's strongholds had been raided by the police.

"Gin, you know, we don't know much about the organization's strongholds. Especially those related to that woman."

Chianti, who was usually reckless and sharp-tongued, sounded much more restrained now.

Everyone could see that Gin was on the verge of exploding. If anyone dared to joke right now, Gin would not hesitate to pull the trigger.

"Among us cadre members, only you and Vodka are usually allowed to go to that woman's stronghold. No one else would track you, right?"

"Since that stronghold had a problem, why not start investigating from the people who knew about it?"

Chianti's words were logical.

Any suspicion needed evidence. Within the entire organization, only Gin and Vodka were directly in contact with Shiho. Who else had the right to know her exact location?

The killing intent radiating from Gin lessened slightly.

The location of the stronghold was not something easy to guess. Whenever someone targeted Shiho, the stronghold would immediately be relocated. She had stayed in more than a dozen different safe houses scattered across various cities.

This was both to conceal her whereabouts and to keep the organization's most secretive research hidden in the shadows.

Almost every half month, Shiho's residence would change. Under such circumstances, it was nearly impossible for anyone to pinpoint her location.

Yet, despite such careful concealment, her stronghold was still exposed. What was worse, it happened right after she had just been moved.

Of course, there were other members in the organization who knew Shiho's location. But each of them was an important figure, such as Rum, the second-in-command, and that mysterious woman.

Of the two, one had no motive to harm Shiho, while the other had the motive but no opportunity.

Shiho was far too important.

No one in the organization understood her importance better than Gin.

That drug had passed through countless hands, but all research had stagnated, as if everyone was heading in the wrong direction. Only Shiho was different.

Once she took over the project, the deadlock ended and the research advanced again.

Gin didn't know why.

But ever since then, Shiho's value to the organization had risen to the highest level.

If she weren't so vital, given her sister's betrayal and Shiho's subtle cooperation with her, Gin would have already put a bullet in the heads of the two sisters.

That was why this blunder enraged him so much.

The stronghold was raided. The research data was taken by the police. Even the researchers had vanished.

Since becoming a core member of the organization, he had never made such a disastrous mistake.

And worst of all, he was the last to know. The absurdity of it all made his blood boil.

Now, the research data was in enemy hands, the researchers were in police custody, and the stronghold was cordoned off by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Gin exhaled slowly. He was, after all, a killer who lived by calmness. Faced with this maddening situation, his first move was to contact the intelligence division.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Bourbon, what's going on with this police operation?"

"I beg you, don't treat me like your personal intelligence network, alright?"

"I don't have time to listen to your complaints."

"Tch, you're as boring as ever. Fine. I haven't received any intel about this operation either. Everything happened too suddenly. No warning signs at all."

"But I did manage to gather some information."

"Speak."

"According to what I received, the police's action team suffered severe injuries this time. Almost the entire forty-person unit was wounded. Two people were impaled—by hands. Five others had their heads smashed—also by fists."

"Don't doubt this intel. My sources are solid. Also, all 214 guards from that stronghold were collected by the police and sent to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Many researchers have already been escorted there as well. I suspect they're conducting research on the bodies."

Gin's brows knitted tightly.

He immediately grasped Bourbon's implication. Those guards had clearly been drugged.

And the drugs had boosted their physical abilities to an absurd degree, strong enough to pierce bodies and shatter skulls with bare hands.

Gin didn't believe those action team members weren't wearing bulletproof vests.

Either the vests were pierced directly, or the guards struck the unprotected areas.

No matter which, the result was unbelievable.

But what mattered most wasn't whether it was absurd, but the key piece of information Gin picked up.

"Someone used the police as pawns."

"Obviously. But this time, the police aren't focusing on the third party. Their attention has been completely drawn to our stronghold."

"Additionally, I received word that the police obtained research data on a certain drug."

Gin's face twitched. He found it hard to comprehend why so many enemies had suddenly turned their guns on the organization.

Not only had they been handed to the police by an unknown third party, but the police were now concentrating all efforts on them.

Things had taken the worst possible turn.

"Can it be retrieved?"

"That's a joke. No one knows whose hands the data is in now. But I'd say a portion of it will be circulated to every Inspector."

"What's going on?"

"Remember the list of people killed by that drug? That was in the stolen data too. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is preparing to conduct a full investigation into that list. You understand what that means?"

"…Damn it!"

Gin, who was usually composed enough to keep his emotions in check, was about to lose control this time.

(To be continued.)