The taxi stopped at the east exit of Shinjuku Station, the location of Tokyo's most famous red-light district, Kabukichō...
This place was liveliest after eleven or twelve at night, teeming with tourists.
It housed 3000 maid cafes, host clubs, adult video stores, touch clubs, game arcades (some with gambling elements), and numerous Japanese yakuza groups. Every imaginable form of entertainment could be found here...
The middle-aged driver who looked like a seasoned veteran threw Sean a knowing smile from the front seat, "This place doesn't cater to foreigners. If you want to spend, I can take you to a high-end nightclub."
Japan's adult entertainment industry had many unspoken rules...
Most workers had limited education and didn't speak foreign languages. Additionally, there was an underlying fear of foreigners among the locals, stemming from a lack of understanding.
As a result, an unwritten rule had formed in the red-light district: they only served locals, not foreigners...
Sean chuckled, paid the fare, and got out of the car.
Standing at the intersection, he was surrounded by dazzling adult shops, their billboards plastered with seductive and explicit posters. The kaleidoscope of novel stimuli was enough to stir any man's hormones, making it impossible not to feel a restless itch.
Japanese law prohibited adult establishments from providing actual penetration services, which had led to the development of a wide variety of specialized shops catering to every possible desire; soap lands, handjob parlors, role-play shops, massage parlors, gay bars, adult video stores, video chat services, and even home visits... If you could imagine it, they had it.
'Truly the land of thriving adult culture,' Sean mused to himself.
<...If the paparazzi snap photos of New York's genius touring the red-light district, you'll outshine Tony Stark in scandal!..>
Elektra's teasing voice came through the earpiece.
Sean shrugged, replying, "Who'd have thought a Ghoul would hide in a place like this?"
He was quite interested in the Progenitor Virus that Hydra had been tinkering with.
After all, researching viruses and creating zombies should have been his job under the Umbrella banner...
Those Nazi remnants lurking in the shadows should stick to harassing S.H.I.E.L.D. and giving Nick Fury headaches.
Moreover, the Ghouls born from the Progenitor Virus's mutations were an entirely new species...
They possessed human thoughts and emotions, unlike the mindless bioweapons that were zombies. Yet they fed on human flesh, evolved specialized predatory organs, and had vastly enhanced physical abilities.
As Dr. Connors would say, they were 'exceptionally valuable research subjects...'
So Sean temporarily set aside the mess with the Yashida family and focused on tracking down the Ghouls lurking in Tokyo...
Finding three human-looking creatures in a metropolis of 13 million was no easy task.
Even with Hydra's ability to mobilize the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and issue curfews, narrowing the search through large-scale sweeps had yielded no results without effective detection methods.
Public outrage was growing, putting immense pressure on the government. Meanwhile, the yakuza's rising influence further weakened official authority.
But with Skynet's support, Sean had an easier approach...
First, he hacked into the Tokyo police database, retrieving records of frequent cannibalistic incidents. Using computational models, he mapped out the Ghouls' hunting zones, gradually narrowing the search before closing in.
Kabukichō, hailed as one of Asia's largest red-light districts, lit up like a beacon at night, bustling with noise and activity. Even the curfew couldn't dampen Tokyo's insatiable nightlife.
Last week, four murders had occurred in this area, with victims mostly being pleasure-seeking clients or yakuza collecting protection money.
Though the dismembered remains were scattered across different locations, the victims' identities and routines suggested that this so-called "Japan's Premier Entertainment Street" had become the hunting ground of a Ghoul.
As creatures born from the Progenitor Virus's mutations, Ghouls required constant feeding to sate their relentless hunger and replenish their energy. They couldn't resist their biological instincts to hunt and devour.
Following Skynet's coordinates, Sean stepped into a hot spring bathhouse...
The proprietress who was clad in a kimono greeted him warmly. Years in the trade had sharpened her ability to gauge a person's wealth at a glance, and this young man clearly fell into the 'big spender' category, someone worth pampering.
The bathhouse had a nostalgic charm, nestled at the end of the red-light district amidst rows of pachinko parlors and snack stalls. Early-era enka music played in the background, and yellowed posters adorned the walls. The wooden interior exuded a cozy warmth, far removed from the seedy image of adult entertainment...
Initially hesitant upon seeing Sean was a foreigner, the proprietress relented after sensing his determination to spend.
With a practiced smile, she ushered him inside...
"Would the guest like one of our girls to attend to him?" the proprietress asked eagerly.
Though bound by law not to offer explicit services, there were always loopholes. The bathhouse's 'attendance' meant selecting a girl for an hourly fee... bathing and massages were included, while anything further depended on private negotiations.
And with a love hotel right across the street, every man's fantasy could be fulfilled.
"Kozue... her, then." After flipping through the options, Sean picked a petite and pretty girl.
"Ah, the guest has excellent taste! Kozue has only been here for less than a week."
The proprietress shot him a look that said you know what's good, then shuffled out with small quick steps.
A few minutes later, a small-framed girl entered with her head bowed. A white towel wrapped around her flat chest, her shoulder-length hair slightly disheveled. The only striking thing about her was the peculiar aura between youthful innocence and weary maturity...
Sean soaked halfway in the hot spring, faint steam rising into a hazy mist above. Soft, delicate hands kneaded his shoulders before moving down to massage the firm muscles of his back.
The bathhouse had a clever architectural design; wooden beams supported the structure, creating an open airy space. Sean rested his arms on the edge of the pool, his eyes lightly closed as if lost in thought, or simply resting.
Behind him, the seemingly docile girl ladled hot water over him with a wooden scoop. After a dozen pours, she set the scoop aside, picked up a prepared towel, and began drying the young guest..
"Sir, please rest for a moment. I'll prepare tea and return shortly to continue serving you," she said politely.
Sean nodded faintly, his gaze never lingering on the girl's towel-clad figure.
Honestly, her flat physique would hardly stir most men's interest, unless they had particular tastes of course.
Before the girl could return with the tea, a sudden roar erupted from outside the door...