Who knew if Javier would drag him down with him, determined to take a "cushion" to the grave?
Sarelo's vision went dark; the road ahead felt bleak. Beside him, Tequila held little hope as well. After all, he was considered an interrogation expert within the Organization, yet after days of relentless methods, Javier hadn't coughed up a single useful detail.
However, to everyone's surprise...
About half an hour later, Satoru Gojo walked out humming a tune.
"OK~ He's confessed everything he needs to."
"Really?!"
Tequila and Sarelo exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
"If you don't believe me, let him repeat it for you."
Gojo led them into the small cubicle where Javier was held. A single pendant lamp on the ceiling emitted a faint yellow glow, casting light onto the metal table in the center. The walls were an oppressive grey, devoid of decoration.
Javier was bound to a metal chair bolted to the floor, deep welts visible on his wrists. After days of questioning, he was a mess of bloody flesh and scars; his clothes were tattered and stained. Strands of hair clung to his forehead, deep dark circles sat under his eyes, and his gaze was vacant and dazed as he muttered to himself.
A tape recorder sat before him, its red indicator light blinking. Upon seeing them enter, he immediately spilled the beans like a bag of beans being overturned.
Javier hadn't started out as a spy sent by others. Like countless ordinary members who joined the Organization for money, he was simply well-liked by Sarelo due to his high emotional intelligence, eventually becoming his confidant.
But as time passed, he was no longer satisfied. "That Gentleman" hadn't granted him a codename, and the perks of working for the Organization weren't as great as he'd imagined.
At this point, "Carite," a gang that had been gaining momentum in recent years, extended an olive branch. Seeing the massive profits within reach, Javier couldn't resist the temptation and became their inside man, providing classified intel on the Organization's movements. With Javier pulling strings in the dark, the gang conducted private deals with Sarelo.
Thinking of the Organization's brutal treatment of traitors, Javier had considered backing out, but his wife had already been kidnapped as a hostage; if he dared leak anything, she'd be killed instantly. If Sarelo hadn't been unseated by the sudden arrival of Gojo and the others, a "Hongmen Banquet"—a trap disguised as a trade—would have been waiting for him. Not only would Sarelo have lost his life, but the entire branch might have been swallowed by Carite.
"That was close..."
Sarelo broke into a cold sweat after hearing Javier's account. Tequila, on the other hand, was utterly impressed by Gojo. He had spent days interrogating with no results, yet this kid made the man talk in just thirty minutes. Javier didn't even seem to have new physical injuries, yet he looked dull and hollow-eyed, as if his soul had left his body. Heaven knows what kind of terrifying psychological torture he'd endured.
Looking back at Gojo, his expression remained unchanged, showing no signs of abnormality. To possess such means—he truly was "That Gentleman's" foster son. Terrifying!
[Ding! Impression Points from story character Tequila increased by 500. Analysis: Awe/Veneration.]
Gojo didn't know he was being imagined as some sort of sadistic demon, and he wouldn't care if he did. So, what interrogation method did he actually use?
Actually, the System Mall always has good stuff. Following the "Infinite Gaming Console," he discovered another magical item: the "Hypnotic Pocket Watch." As long as you force someone to stare at the watch for more than 3 seconds, they enter a hypnotized state where they tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—they'd even tell you the color of the underwear they wore yesterday. Once the hypnosis ends, they have no memory of the watch, thinking they just had a nightmare. It's perfect for extracting intel, though its uses are limited.
The System gave a friendly tip: "You can also use it to find out your friends' little secrets~ For example, Gin?"
Hey, hey, I don't have some weird voyeuristic fetish.
Secrets—everyone has a few. Gojo wasn't interested in forcing his friends to talk. Tequila asked Javier a few more questions until no more valuable information could be squeezed out.
The most vital piece of intel was the location of the Carite gang's headquarters. The core base of such a large gang is only known to insiders; otherwise, it's too easy for police or rivals to raid. According to Javier, he had already leaked the Organization's HQ location to the gang, but they were cautious, daring only to strike from the shadows rather than launch an open assault.
"It's fine. They're out in the open now." Seeing Gojo remain silent, Tequila thought he was in a bad mood and comforted him: "We can pretend we haven't found the traitor yet and leak some fake news to lure them into a trap."
"Eh~" Gojo rubbed his chin. "That sounds like a hassle."
"Kaiser-sama, to minimize losses, this is the best option."
"Can't we just strike first and slaughter them all at their headquarters?" He made a "slash" gesture across his own throat. Everyone present jumped at the suggestion.
Tequila explained that while the Organization was powerful in Japan and Germany, its momentum in the Americas—especially the Mexico branch—was poor. They were currently considered a third-rate power, which was why they were fighting for territory with a gang of similar strength like Carite. In a head-on collision, neither side would come out unscathed. Moreover, Carite's members included well-trained mercenaries with ample weapon stockpiles and combat experience. They were hard to deal with.
Seeing their "approaching a great enemy" expressions, Gojo waved his hand and acted cute to brush it off: "I know, I know. I was just talking~"
When they returned to the leader's office, only Gojo and Sarelo remained. Sarelo, knowing a traitor had emerged under his watch, was too ashamed to look up. The 1.8-meter-tall man looked quite pathetic with his head hanging low.
"Sarelo... if you want the Organization to trust you again, you should probably show some sincerity, right?"
The white-haired youth patted his shoulder. Sarelo nodded like a woodpecker. Gritting his teeth with the courage of a man risking his life, he replied: "No matter what you want me to do, I will give it my all. I won't complain a bit!"
He had no choice; if he didn't prove his value, he probably wouldn't see the sun tomorrow.
"Good."
The "Kaiser-sama" who had just said he was "just talking" opened his mouth: "Let's go raid Carite's headquarters. You and me, together."
Sarelo froze. It wasn't that he couldn't accept the mission—after Javier's betrayal, he hated those bastards. But...
"Pardon me, Leader, but besides us two, how many men are we taking?"
"Just the two of us~ Tequila and the others didn't agree, so I'm moving in secret." The boy held up two fingers. "Hehe, let's have an exciting adventure, shall we?"
"...You're joking, right?"
"I'm serious." Gojo's tone was light. "I'm going to wipe them all out."
Sarelo, who had briefly thought the new leader was okay, immediately regretted it.
This guy... is completely and utterly a madman.