SCIAW: Chapter 96/99

Chapter 96: The Suspicious Back Mountain

The morning air on the island was crisp and refreshing.

With few industrial buildings and minimal vehicle emissions, the air here was rich in oxygen.

A single deep breath after waking up was enough to reinvigorate the body.

Ren, following his usual habit, woke up early long before the biological clock within him had fully activated.

Since it wasn't yet time for breakfast, and the girls in the hotel were still deep in sleep, he decided to head out for a morning run in simple sportswear.

His jogging route took him through the island's main residential area.

As he ran, he observed his surroundings.

The atmosphere in the village was completely normal.

There were no traces of evil spirits here, their presence was concentrated entirely on the mountain.

Well, that made sense.

If bodies were being disposed of, it would be done somewhere secluded, like the mountain.

As Ren continued jogging through the village, he gradually approached the outskirts near the back mountain.

And that's when he noticed something unusual.

Surveillance.

At the very edge of the residential area stood a small guard post.

Nearby, there were multiple surveillance cameras, their presence made obvious by their strategic placements.

Even more conspicuous was the large warning sign next to them.

[Danger: Risk of Landslides]

A bright red caution symbol was plastered underneath the text.

It was clear that someone didn't want people going up the mountain.

Using the pretense of landslide hazards to deter villagers from entering, it was a classic tactic.

Which meant…

There was something up there they didn't want people to see.

Though Ren was intrigued, now wasn't the right time to act.

If he deliberately disappeared from the cameras' view, it would immediately raise suspicion.

Perhaps he could explore later at night but for now, it was best not to dwell on it too much.

He continued jogging around the village.

That was when he spotted something else.

Near the corner of a wall, several handmade protest signs had been stacked together.

The message on them read:

[Give Us Back Clean Seawater!]

So, was this the result of drug manufacturing?

Wastewater discharge polluting the nearby waters and impacting the local fisheries?

Although Ren didn't have firsthand experience with drug production, he knew that the process generated toxic byproducts.

Even in his past life, knowledge of this kind was common, if not from research, then from TV dramas and crime documentaries.

The environmental damage caused by drug cultivation and production was severe.

If something like this wasn't done in a remote location, it wouldn't take long before people started noticing.

After all, when the environment changes drastically, even the least observant person would realize something was wrong.

And typically, people would report their concerns to the authorities.

So, was the restricted back mountain being used for drug cultivation? Or was it a full-blown manufacturing site?

Had the villagers discovered the pollution without realizing its true source?

If they knew this was drug production, they likely wouldn't have had the courage to protest with signs.

Because if they truly understood what they were up against, they'd also understand that drug traffickers wouldn't hesitate to use lethal force.

The fact that they were protesting at all suggested ignorance, not bravery.

That meant the drug operation on this island hadn't yet reached the point where the traffickers had absolute control over the local population.

Of course, if the island's criminal activities were that advanced, they wouldn't be welcoming outside visitors so freely.

After finishing his morning run, Ren returned to the hot spring hotel.

A quick glance at his watch told him it was 7:34 AM.

Not bad.

He had run for about an hour and a half.

Even though it was just a light jog, he had worked up a sweat.

Feeling sticky and uncomfortable, he decided to take a shower and change his clothes.

The men's and women's hot springs were in separate locations designed that way to prevent any unnecessary incidents.

So when Ren exited the bath, there was no cliché "accidental encounter" like one might see in manga or anime.

Instead, what he saw was…

A group of half-asleep girls slumped in the hotel lounge.

It seemed they had stayed up too late.

The combination of evil spirits and drug traffickers had certainly made for an eventful day.

For girls unaccustomed to such things, it was understandable that their minds had been too restless to settle down easily.


---

"Good morning~"

Fujiwara was the first to greet him, energetic as ever.

Compared to some of the others, her resilience to stress was truly remarkable.

Seeing the contrast, Ren could appreciate just how mentally tough this girl actually was.

"Good morning."

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"Yep."

"You said there wasn't any danger, so I slept peacefully."

A simple yet solid reason.

Fujiwara was not only incredibly kind, but also someone who trusted others easily.

Ren glanced past her, shifting his gaze to Kaguya and Hayasaka.

Kaguya's condition didn't look great.

Dark circles under her eyes, a slightly sluggish demeanor, clear signs of poor sleep.

On the other hand, Hayasaka looked completely fine, unaffected by whatever had troubled Kaguya.

"Shinomiya didn't sleep well?"

"Hmm…"

Fujiwara tilted her head, looking equally puzzled.

"Not sure."

"I fell asleep while hugging Kaguya last night, so I don't remember much after that."

Seeing Fujiwara's clueless expression, Ren immediately understood.

He could already picture the scene.

Fujiwara clinging to Kaguya while sleeping…

Yeah.

That would explain why Kaguya didn't sleep well.

The person doing the hugging never realizes how uncomfortable it is for the one being hugged.

If he imagined himself in Kaguya's position…

If a boy his age had hugged him to sleep…

Yeah, he wouldn't have slept either.

In truth, Ren wasn't just awkward around girls.

He wasn't particularly comfortable around boys either.

Especially when it came to bathing and sleeping.

For example, he had never liked going to public bathhouses.

Maybe it was due to habits from his past life, growing up where private baths were the norm.

He had simply never adapted to the idea of communal bathing.

He wasn't sure if girls had similar issues, but…

At the very least, Kaguya clearly wasn't used to sleeping next to Fujiwara.

Looking directly at Kaguya, Ren could tell, she was still resentful about her lack of sleep.

"Fujiwara, Shinomiya didn't sleep well. You should be mindful of that today."

"Oh! Amamiya, you noticed too?"

Ren blinked in mild surprise.

"You noticed?"

"Of course."

Fujiwara puffed out her chest proudly.

"I woke up and saw dark circles under Kaguya's eyes. How could I not notice?"

"Hmm~ but I don't know why Kaguya didn't sleep well."

"Even though Hayasaka and I slept right next to her last night."

"…"

Seeing Fujiwara's completely oblivious expression, Ren felt a bit awkward.

Should I… tell her?

Or would it just make things more uncomfortable?

--------------
Chapter 97: Why Are You So Skilled?

"That sow whose nutrition all goes to her chest..."

When Kaguya woke up that morning, she was filled with resentment.

Not for any supernatural reason, no evil spirits, no drug dealersbbut because of the human-sized plush toy that had clung to her all night.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't have been a huge problem.

But the issue was that her so-called 'friend' had an abnormal growth rate, and the inexplicable sensation of soft, spherical compression constantly reminded her of something she didn't have.

As a result, it wasn't the fear of ghosts or criminals that had kept Kaguya awake, it was her overly affectionate friend.

Her first target of resentment? Fujiwara Chika, the "sow" in question.

Her second target? Hayasaka Ai.

"Hayasaka, why didn't you save me last night?"

She had desperately sent countless pleading glances at Hayasaka, silently screaming for help.

But that woman had completely ignored her.

Well, not completely.

She had reacted by casually saying:

"Miss Kaguya and Miss Fujiwara really have such a close bond."

And then she turned over and went to sleep.

Even now, just thinking about it made Kaguya's fingers twitch with frustration.


---

Of course, Hayasaka wasn't even slightly concerned about Kaguya's complaints.

"Miss Kaguya, if you really didn't want to be hugged, you could have broken free anytime."

"You didn't, which means deep down, you actually enjoyed it."

"Enjoyed it?!"

Kaguya felt her vision go dark.

"Which part of me looked happy to you?!"

"I barely got any sleep because Fujiwara wouldn't let go of me all night!"

"Still, didn't she help take your mind off things?"

Kaguya opened her mouth then fell silent.

She wanted to argue.

But she had to admit, the complicated emotions she'd felt yesterday had indeed been completely overshadowed by Fujiwara's suffocating embrace.

Even so—that wasn't the point!

She was frustrated, but she had no way to vent it.


---

"Miss Kaguya, shouldn't we go talk to Amamiya now?"

Hayasaka subtly changed the subject.

"Talk to Amamiya?"

Seeing that Kaguya was about to spiral into pettiness, Hayasaka gently reminded her.

"We still need to inform the police about the drug traffickers and make some follow-up plans."

"This matter…"

Kaguya hesitated.

But yes, this was something that needed to be discussed.

Now that they knew for certain that there were drug dealers on this island, they had to start making the necessary precautions.

"You're right. We need to talk to Amamiya-san."

She paused, then asked:

"Where is he now?"

"According to the bodyguards, Amamiya-san went out for a jog early this morning."

Kaguya nodded slightly.

"I doubt he was just jogging."

"He was probably observing the island's situation."

Hayasaka nodded in agreement.

Just then, she spotted a familiar figure approaching.

Ren had returned his hair still damp from a shower.

She nudged Kaguya lightly.

"Miss Kaguya, Amamiya's back."

Kaguya blinked, subconsciously smoothing her hair and sitting up straight.

Just as she was about to stand up—

Fujiwara beat her to it.

Kaguya froze mid-motion.

And then, sat back down with barely restrained frustration.

Her eyes darkened with resentment.

Why does that well-endowed sow always get in my way?!

Watching Fujiwara happily chatting with Amamiya, Kaguya felt her eye circles grow heavier.

She was already sleep-deprived, and now this?

Finally, after Fujiwara's conversation ended, Kaguya stood up decisively and walked over.

"Amamiya, I need to discuss something with you."

Ren gave a small nod.

"It's about the drug dealers."

"Do we need to contact the police?"

Ren thought for a moment, then nodded again.

"Yes, we do."

"Given that this island is their base, their operations should be spreading outwards."

"Since Tokyo is the closest major city, it's likely the first area affected."

Which meant…

Before Kaguya could say another word, Ren suddenly raised a hand.

"Wait."

Kaguya paused, looking at him in confusion.

Ren reached into his pocket and pulled out a small phone card.

"There's no need to use your own phone."

"It's too easy to trace back to you, which could cause unnecessary trouble later."

His voice was calm and composed.

"Miss Shinomiya, we are good, law-abiding citizens."

"We just happened to stumble upon some drug trafficking activity."

"We shouldn't get involved any more than necessary."

"An anonymous call is the safest option."

His skilled explanation left the three girls staring at him with a strange look.

"…Amamiya, why are you so familiar with this?"

Fujiwara blurted it out immediately.

Next to her, Kaguya and Hayasaka also nodded instinctively.

This operation was way too smooth.

It was too practiced.


---

"I've just had to call the police a lot lately."

Ren said it so matter-of-factly that it almost sounded normal.

Reflecting on the string of bizarre incidents he had dealt with recently, he was actually relieved that he had prepared plenty of disposable phone cards in advance.

They were a bit inconvenient to use, but virtually untraceable.

"However, simply calling the police isn't enough."

"Especially when it comes to drug dealers. If we just file a report, who knows how long it'll take before the police actually act."

The police wouldn't move immediately.

They would need to confirm the report first, which could take too long.

But some things couldn't wait.

They needed to bypass the verification process.

"Shinomiya-san, you said you didn't hide your whereabouts on this trip, right??"

"Yes."

"Fujiwara-san, what about you?"

"Hmm~ I told my parents that I was going to Tsukikage Island with Kaguya for a club activity."

"Good."

With that confirmation, Ren gave a satisfied nod.

"I'll contact Inspector Megure directly."

"He definitely won't ignore a case involving the heir of the Shinomiya family and the second daughter of the Fujiwara family."

His voice remained steady.

"And if we include Sanzenin, Saginomiya, and Suzuki into the equation…"

"…The Metropolitan Police Department will have to act immediately."

----------

Chapter 98: Police Quick Action

On his rare day off, Inspector Megure Juzo was enjoying a peaceful morning at home.

As one of the police chiefs of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, it wasn't often that he got a weekend without work.

And today, he actually had plans.

Most importantly—he was going shopping with his wife.

Since his job rarely allowed for personal time, he wanted to make the most of this precious day off.

"Honey, are you ready?"

His wife, Megure Midori, was already dressed and waiting by the door.

"I'm coming, I'll be right—"

Ring, ring, ring!

Just as he was about to respond, the phone on the table rang abruptly.

The screen displayed an unknown caller, no number, just an anonymous ID.

Megure sighed heavily.

Then, he turned to his wife with a pleading expression.

Midori chuckled, understanding his predicament.

She had been married to a police officer long enough to expect these situations.

"Go ahead and answer it. It might be important."

Letting out a deep breath, Megure picked up the call.


---

"Sorry to disturb you on your weekend, Inspector Megure."

The voice on the other end was deliberately distorted, making it impossible to tell whether the caller was male or female.

However, considering they had his personal number, they had to be someone familiar with him.

"Who is this?"

There was no caller ID, and now they were masking their voice.

Megure immediately felt that something was off.

"That's not important."

The caller ignored his question and got straight to the point.

"Inspector Megure, I'd like to ask has there been any recent activity from a drug trafficking organization in Tokyo?"

Drug traffickers?

Megure expression darkened.

This was not a minor issue.

Recently, the Metropolitan Police Department had been paying close attention to the rising number of drug-related crimes.

After all, Tokyo was a highly sensitive area, they couldn't allow organized crime to spread unchecked.

"Who are you, and why do you know about this?"

The caller chuckled.

"So it's true, then."

"Inspector Megure, here's some special information for you."

"The drug dealers' base isn't in Tokyo, it's on Tsukikage Island."

"Tsukikage Island?"

Megure's brows furrowed.

Tsukikage Island, a small archipelago just off the coast.

The information sounded legitimate.

And since the caller had directly used the term "drug traffickers," it was clear they had access to classified details.

"Additionally, I have something even more important to tell you."

"I encountered Kaguya Shinomiya, Nagi Sanzenin, Isumi Saginomiya, Sonoko Suzuki, and the second granddaughter of the former prime minister Chika Fujiwara on Tsukikage Island."

"If they end up in the crosshairs of the drug cartel, things will get very messy."

"!?"

Megure jumped to his feet in shock.

He knew all those names.

These young ladies were well-known within the Metropolitan Police Department.

The Shinomiya Zaibatsu

The Suzuki Zaibatsu

The Sanzenin family

A high-ranking political lineage

A former prime minister's direct descendant


If anything happened to them, it wouldn't just be a police matter, it would turn into a national crisis.

The police department, the government, and possibly international forces would get involved.

The phone call ended abruptly.

But Megure heart was pounding.

This is serious.

He immediately dialed his superior officer.


---

"Inspector Matsumoto, I need you to check Kaguya Shinomiya's current location, immediately."

"What's going on?"

"I just received an anonymous call."

"They reported that Shinomiya Kaguya, along with the former prime minister's granddaughter, Chika Fujiwara are currently on Tsukikage Island."

"And that Tsukikage Island might be the source of the drugs appearing in Tokyo."

"...!?"

Matsumoto Kiyonaga, the police superintendent, immediately understood the gravity of the situation.

This was no joke.

If the heir to the Shinomiya Zaibatsu and the granddaughter of a former prime minister were caught in a criminal operation, it would trigger massive political fallout.

"Megure, get back to headquarters immediately."

"You'll lead the response team to Tsukikage Island."

"We can't afford to alert the criminals but we also can't let those girls fall into danger."

"I'll have the Coast Guard mobilized for backup."

Hanging up, Matsumoto Kiyonaga immediately began making high-priority calls.

Megure's intel was too critical to delay.

As soon as they confirmed the locations of the young ladies, the entire Metropolitan Police Department sprang into action.


---

Meanwhile, back on Tsukikage Island.

Ren hung up his phone.

With the heirs of powerful conglomerates, high-ranking officials' children, and a shrine maiden in the mix…

There was no way the Metropolitan Police Department wouldn't act quickly.

However, since they knew the enemy was a drug cartel, they wouldn't recklessly alert them.

Cornered criminals tended to act unpredictably.

Suddenly, Ren paused.

Ah—right.

Except for one specific location, Japan didn't have capital punishment for drug dealers.

What a pity.

The thought lingered for a moment, but he didn't dwell on it.

It was best not to interfere too much with police affairs.

In any case, this was a perfect opportunity to investigate the back mountain while the police handled the drug cartel.

But—

If the back mountain really was the source of a large number of evil spirits, then there was a high chance it was also a drug production site.

Which meant—

Sonoko and Ran couldn't go.

If the worst-case scenario happened, and there were drug cartel members stationed up there, it would be far too dangerous.

Not to mention—

Drug traffickers were inhuman.

The things they did…

Sonoko and Ran weren't ready to witness something like that.

For now, it was better to let them practice with weaker evil spirits while he scouted ahead.


---

By the time he returned to the hot spring hotel, three girls were already waiting outside.

"All set?"

"Yeah."

Ren nodded slightly.

"I used your names. The police should move quickly."

Fujiwara sighed deeply.

"I feel like… after my grandpa hears about this, he's going to keep a much stricter eye on me."

That was almost a certainty.

Ren shrugged.

"No one could have predicted that a simple club trip would turn into a run-in with drug traffickers."

He paused, then added wryly:

"Outdoor activities and direct encounters with criminals don't exactly go well together."