The Murder of The Crow base camp was a spacious, dimly lit room, its concrete walls adorned with old posters and graffiti.
A single large table dominated the center, cluttered with snacks, drinks, and a few stray weapons.
The air carried a faint smell of smoke and leather, mixing with the sound of muted chatter and the occasional clink of bottles.
Haruto sat across from Enji, the two of them lounging on mismatched chairs near a flickering lamp that cast long shadows on the walls.
In the middle of their conversation, Haruto's ears caught Kikuchi's commanding voice cutting through the ambient noise.
He glanced over to see Kikuchi addressing two gang members he hadn't met before.
"Remember to get at least 20% of what he borrows," Kikuchi ordered, his tone cold and unyielding.
His sharp eyes fixed on the two men like a predator sizing up prey. "That man owes Shohei a lot of money, and he's starting to lose patience."
"Yeah, don't worry, boss," the shorter man with a loud beach shirt replied confidently, his tone almost cocky.
The taller man beside him, silent and imposing, merely nodded in agreement.
Haruto turned back to Enji, raising an eyebrow. "This gang lends money to others too?"
Enji popped a chip into his mouth and nodded lazily. "Yup, with sky-high interest. That guy took a hefty sum and hasn't paid a yen back."
"Who is it?"
Enji chewed thoughtfully before responding. "I think his surname's Inoue or something."
"Inoue? Isamu Inoue?" Haruto asked, startled.
Enji shrugged and nodded again. "Yeah, sounds about right."
"Damn, what a small world," Haruto muttered under his breath.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
He recalled Renji, Asuka's brother, mentioning Isamu's financial troubles.
The man had suffered heavy losses in his company, but the fact that he'd stooped to borrowing from loan sharks was a revelation.
Without hesitation, Haruto stood and strode over to Kikuchi. "Senior Kikuchi, can't I join them?" he asked, his voice steady but brimming with confidence.
Kikuchi raised an eyebrow, amused. "What's this? You suddenly interested in this line of work?"
Haruto stepped forward. "No need for that. Let me handle this."
Ao raised a skeptical eyebrow but stepped aside. Haruto approached the intercom, his tone measured as he pressed the button.
"Mr. Inoue, this is Hayase. I have something important to tell you about your wife—"
Before he could finish, the sharp sound of the gate's lock disengaging cut through the tension. Footsteps hurried toward them from behind the gate.
Moments later, the gate creaked open, revealing Isamu Inoue. Once a polished businessman with an aura of wisdom, the man before them now looked disheveled and broken.
His messy beard and unkempt hair framed bloodshot eyes. He wore only a stained white tank top and loose shorts, a far cry from the image of a successful businessman.
The moment his gaze landed on Haruto, his face contorted with fury. "You bastard!" he screamed, launching a wild punch.
Haruto sidestepped easily, grabbing Isamu's wrist mid-swing. With a swift movement, he drove his knee into Isamu's stomach, forcing the man to collapse to the ground, wheezing.
"Pitiful," Haruto muttered, brushing imaginary dust off his hands. He gestured for Ao and Suo to follow him as he stepped inside.
Once they were all past the threshold, Haruto closed the gate behind them with a heavy click, ensuring no prying eyes could witness what would unfold.
"You finally decided to show your face, you bastard!"
Ao growled, towering over the fallen man. His tattooed face twisted into a menacing grin.
"Pay up, or we'll grind you into pieces!"
But Isamu barely acknowledged Ao's presence. His gaze locked onto Haruto, filled with unbridled rage and desperation.
"Where is she? Where are you hiding my wife, you asshole?!"
Haruto crouched before him, his expression dark. "You really don't get it, do you?"
"You're screwed, Inoue. And now, I get to settle some personal scores for Asuka."
Before Isamu could respond, Haruto's fist connected with his face, a resounding crack echoing through the yard. Isamu slumped unconscious to the ground, blood trickling from his split lip.
Standing, Haruto stretched his shoulders nonchalantly, glancing at Ao and Suo.
"We've got some personal business, so I'll handle him from here. That's fine with you guys?"
Ao and Suo exchanged glances. Suo gave a silent nod, while Ao shrugged. "As long as I get my cut of the money, do whatever you want."
"Perfect," Haruto said with a smirk, the unspoken pact between them sealed as he turned back to the crumpled figure of Isamu, impatient to take his little revenge and also a sign for Asuka's divorce paper.