As long as the USB drive didn't make it out, Davis was confident he could regain his freedom. And now, even the Rensa gang was within reach of his control. Davis's ambition knew no bounds.
Soon enough, Rensa Group received Zhang Yang's heist notice.
The one who personally stood at the front gate to receive it was none other than the Rensa gang boss, Bud.
Unlike others who would release the white dove once they got the heist notice, Bud grabbed it and shoved it into a cage his men had already prepared.
"Study this bird. I want to know exactly what's so special about Kaitō Kid's pigeon!"
Then Bud led his men into the Rensa Group building, taking a private elevator up to the third-to-last floor.
The top five floors of Rensa Group were entirely under Bud's control.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Bud could easily spend the rest of his life living in luxury on those five floors.
There was a private pool, a golf simulator, and even top-tier chefs on standby at all hours.
Other entertainment amenities were fully equipped as well.
But the most unique feature was on the third-to-last floor: the vault that held the USB drive Davis wanted.
"That idiot Davis really thought Kaitō Kid could steal the USB for him? What a joke!"
"He seriously believes a so-called master thief could get into my vault?"
Bud was brimming with confidence. The moment the elevator reached the 33rd floor, the sound of clanking chains echoed outside, followed by the low growls of wild animals.
Waiting at the elevator entrance weren't two guard dogs—but two full-grown tigers.
Real, adult tigers.
Bud stepped out of the elevator first. The two tigers approached him, sniffed him up and down, then obediently rubbed against his legs.
"Hmph, good boys."
"Don't let me down tonight."
With a sinister grin, Bud unlocked the chains around their necks.
The tigers shook their heads and necks, and Bud stepped back into the elevator, leaving them free to roam the floor as they pleased.
These tigers had been specially trained by top animal handlers over the course of more than six months. While they acted like pets in front of Bud, they'd tear anyone else apart without hesitation—including any of his own men if they dared exit the elevator.
That was just one of the reasons Bud felt no concern. Beyond that, there were three concentric corridor rings surrounding the vault. Only after passing through them could one reach it.
Each of those three corridors was rigged with high-end security systems. Bud had absolute faith in them.
Over the years, Rensa Group had expanded into tech and biopharma industries, investing heavily.
Of course, they hadn't fully abandoned their shady operations. His rivalry with Davis—both in public and behind the scenes—had dragged on for years.
"Davis, you moron. You brought this on yourself. And now, the one who ends up getting rid of you… turns out to be Kaitō Kid!"
Back in his spacious office suite, Bud settled onto the couch and picked up a tablet to browse the news.
"Kaitō Kid Sends Heist Notice to Rensa Group—Netizens Call Him the Savior!"
"Eagle Nation's First and Second Major Gangs Hit in Succession—What Is Kaitō Kid's Real Goal?"
"Commander Bruce Issues Latest Statement, Seeking Negotiations with Rensa Group!"
"Was Davis Targeting the Rensa Gang All Along? Is Kaitō Kid Following His Orders?"
Speculation flooded the headlines, each one more detailed than the last.
Even the comments section was packed with all kinds of theories—so much so that Bud couldn't stop grinning.
[Shit! Davis bribed Kaitō Kid to go after the Rensa gang—can Bruce even get involved now?]
[Come on, Davis has already been arrested. You think Bud's gonna follow in his footsteps? The small fry never beats the big fish.]
[Ridiculous. A gang that's turned itself into a corporation—what are Eagle Nation's authorities even doing?]
[Looking forward to Kaitō Kid's action tonight. Could a single master thief really take down two major gangs?]
[A master thief going head-to-head with Eagle Nation's gangs—Bruce must have a massive headache by now!]
After seeing all the comments and reports, Bud set the tablet down.
Among all that info, there was one important point he'd overlooked.
"Bruce?"
"Could he actually intervene?"
There was too much in the 33rd floor vault—besides the USB drive that could determine Davis's fate, there were also documents that could cripple Rensa Group entirely.
Bud was worried that if Bruce got involved, everything in the vault would be in danger.
"Fuck! What a pain in the ass!"
Just like the comments had said, Davis was already paying the price for his arrogance.
If Bud also chose to go head-to-head with Bruce and refused to cooperate, he might end up exactly like Davis. And once you landed in FBI headquarters, that was serious trouble.
In Eagle Nation, if you were just detained by local law enforcement, Bud was confident he could walk free within an hour.
But the FBI was different. The stakes were much higher.
To put it bluntly, if the FBI headquarters had its eye on you, you either committed something massive or posed a threat to national security.
Plus, the FBI could coordinate with military forces or the CIA whenever necessary.
While Bud was still stuck in hesitation, Bruce had already arrived at the base of the Rensa Group building.
After receiving the call from his men, Bud quickly decided to meet Bruce in person.
"Bring them up."
Bruce and Harrison were laser-focused on catching Kaitō Kid. They wouldn't let any chance slip by.
Bud knew that clearly. If he blocked them now, Bruce would definitely take action another way.
Soon, his subordinates brought Bruce and Harrison up to his office.
The other agents stayed stationed downstairs.
Harrison still had a bandage wrapped around his head. Bud gestured for the two of them to take a seat on the sofa.
"Commander Bruce, Commander Harrison, a pleasure to meet you."
Seeing Bud's pleasant demeanor, Bruce let out a sigh of relief.
It wasn't that he couldn't handle Bud—it was just that he didn't have time to get tangled up in another fight.
Every second now had to go toward preparing for Kaitō Kid's capture.
"Mr. Bud, I'm sure you've received Kaitō Kid's notice by now."
"His target is the Rensa Group's vault. I hope you'll cooperate with our operation."
Bruce got straight to the point.
All 35 floors of Rensa Group would need agents to coordinate and secure. Planning a proper ambush would require time and manpower.
Bud frowned and shrugged helplessly.
"Commander Bruce, it's not that I don't want to cooperate."
"For the rest of the building, we'll fully support your arrest operation."
"But when it comes to the vault floor, I'm afraid I can't let you in."
The best plan would have been to wait in ambush.
But with so many floors in Rensa Group, they'd be stretching their manpower thin.
And even though they knew Zhang Yang's target clearly, Bud was still refusing to let them near the vault.