Infinity, Progressing from Arasaka

Although they barely retain a human body shape, most of them are huge and bloated, with blank expressions, and can only roar irrationally, staring with a single Kagune Eye, and swinging their Kagune behind their waists erratically.

The moment they saw the humans who had infiltrated the laboratory, they were like a long-starved beast seeing its prey, their ferocity unleashed, and they pounced on them instantly.

In an instant, the laboratory was filled with the roar of assault rifles, general-purpose machine guns, and heavy machine guns. Everyone was equipped with anti- Ghoul Q-bullets. Amidst the flying flesh and blood, inhuman roars and explosions were deafening...

"That's... that's Da Tian First Class?!"

One of the investigators from Ward 6 recognized one of the modified individuals and cursed with a particularly grim expression, "That bastard, Donato Porpora, that madman, he actually kidnapped an investigator and modified him?!"

After observing for a while, Vera quickly determined that the battle situation was nothing to worry about.

These experimental creations look fierce, but they're all mindless half-finished products, the kind that love to walk into the line of fire. Very few of them possess any basic rationality.

She immediately grabbed the microphone on the table and asked, "Report: Have you found Donato Porpora?"

"Report: No target found. The site is filled with deformed beings that have been modified into Ghoul..."

Unexpectedly, as expected.

"Ha, "Vera sneered.

Really.

Someone tipped them off, Donato Porpora slipped away beforehand.

"The problem is indeed very big."

Vera glanced around at the investigators from District 7 in the room, feigning ignorance.

Ring ring.

As the doorbell rang, Yukino Shinoara pushed open the door. Behind him stood Iwao Kuroiwa, Marude Souta, Kousuke Hoji, and others with stern expressions.

It's unusual that Marude Souta doesn't have a sharp tongue or a sarcastic grin.

Standing beside Vera, the side light illuminating his tense face, he glanced at the Anju Sisters in the interrogation room, then looked at the battle situation in the Anju family's underground laboratory being transmitted back to him on the monitor, his expression inscrutable.

Such a vast and comprehensive laboratory facility, along with the ample supply of prototypes, clearly could not have been accomplished by Donato Porpora and Anju alone through their past investments. There must have been someone providing covert support.

"I never imagined that Anju Nanao's daughters would become Ghoul and work for Donato Porpora, that crazy scientist who monopolizes the family fortune and has no common sense..."

Slapping his forehead, Marude Souta slammed the written testimony about the Ghoul transformation surgery and Donato Porpora's illegal Ghoul experiments onto the table.

Upon receiving Vera's message, he immediately rushed from District 1 to District 7.

He had already read the battle report on the raid on the Ghoul Restaurant in the 7th ward via fax—especially the details of the reserve investigator turning into Ghoul.

"Even Anju's family's Sphinx Company, assets, and real estate have been illegally seized by Donato Porpora. They are clearly top students from the Investigator Training School, not brutes trained in countermeasures education. They should have had basic legal courses, right? Why didn't they report it to the school's higher-ups? Even if they had told Amon and us to call the police, they wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state."

Sphinx Company, a company run by Anzu Kuroi and Anzu Shiroi's father Anju Nanao Nana.

Business chlorine is the solution that provides Rc cells to CCG. This solution is an important raw material for manufacturing Rc cells inhibitors, CRC Gas, and QBullet and Quinque bullets specifically for Ghoul.

It is an important partner of CCG.

They had invested in CCG's research on artificial Ghoul based on better anti- Ghoul, but for some reason were later abandoned by CCG.

Anju Nanao himself and his wife also died in an accidental Ghoul attack.

Marude Souta said with exasperation, "Do you really distrust us that much? Even if you're transformed into Ghoul and fall into hell, you still trust Kanou Donato Porpora, who's completely unrelated to you and suddenly inherits their father's legacy? Just because of some theory that may or may not be true."

"Such blatant exploitation of children who have no one to support them... Sigh, how can they be so stubborn?"

"Alright, A-Wan."

Yukino Shinoara pressed down on Marude Souta's shoulder.

"They were high school students who lost their parents when they were minors. At that time, Donato Porpora took advantage of their vulnerability and forced them to undergo human experiments. They were isolated from society for a long time and spent in the dark laboratory. It is understandable that they were immature. You can't hold them to the standards of adults."

After saying that, Yukino Shinoara glanced at the Anju Sisters in the interrogation room with a sigh.

If this incident hadn't happened, they would probably have become investigators like Juuzou Suzuya, and would most likely have even been assigned to his team.

"Perhaps in their eyes, the CCG, which harbors filth and refuses to help those in distress, is even more despicable."

"Ugh, so much trouble!"

Slightly annoyed, Marude Souta touched his hair, sighed, straightened his tie, and after composing himself, looked at Vera, who was quietly sipping her coffee, seemingly detached and watching the scene unfold.

"So, Russell, if I'm not mistaken, you've long suspected there are problems within the CCG... No wonder you launched such a large-scale raid the day after you returned to office; you didn't want to give those rats and insects a chance to react and coordinate."

He had more or less guessed that there were traitors within the Countermeasures Bureau, but he didn't expect the problem to be so serious.

"Obviously."

Vera tossed the empty corrugated cup into the trash can, stretched her arms and legs, then turned and glanced at him.

"Just now, the CIA retrieved data to verify the abnormal electricity consumption and the authenticity of suspicious personnel and materials entering and leaving the Anju family mansion. They didn't find it under their noses, which means either incompetence or there is a mole inside... All signs indicate that the CCG and even Tokyo's high society have big problems."

Marude Souta nodded in agreement, feeling both helpless and deeply humiliated.

The fact that one's department has been corrupted and exposed by international investigators is a great disgrace to any department or person in any place!

"Russell, the direct involvement of the US Forces Japan in the Kano Donato Porpora case will likely subject the Countermeasures Bureau to a lot of criticism. Should we..."

Marude Souta knew perfectly well that he had no right to order Vera around. Although he was the head of Countermeasures Division II and Vera was the deputy head, it was obvious to everyone that the latter was just a figurehead. He was trying to make a fuss and save face for the Tokyo Ghoul Countermeasures Bureau.

"There is no yes or no."

Vera shook her head and refused outright.

"Marute, I trust you, but this isn't a matter of criticism. Whether it's decay and collapse or radical reform, it's up to you to make the decision. I've already opened the floodgates for you. If there are problems, it's a disgrace, so you should expose them, resolve them, and redeem yourselves. That's the right attitude to do things."

A very factual statement, but it's easy to talk when you're not in the situation.

When the North American Ghoul Countermeasures Committee was exposed, Vera guessed that her superiors' first reaction was no different from that of the Marude Souta: cover it up first and deal with it internally first, so as not to lose face. But in Japan, she didn't have so many concerns. She could stand on the moral high ground and point fingers.

Several special investigators listened silently, not interrupting Marude Souta and Vera's conversation. Instead, they held the Anju Sisters' testimonies about numerous Ghoul hideouts and the CCG's accusations against them, and talked in hushed tones.

"...I see."

Finally, realizing that the involvement of US Forces Japan was irreversible, Marude Souta nodded and slowly exhaled. After a moment of silence, he picked up the notes on the table again.

"I agree with Commissioner Russell's decision."

"After all... we had no other choice, did we?"

Vera was very pleased with the support expressed by Marude Souta, a senior and powerful CCG Special Agent.

Washuu Clan lacked virtue.

Would you like to take the position of head of the Countermeasures Bureau?

"At this point, minor repairs are pointless. We must break with the old ways before building the new, Marute..."

She raised the corners of her mouth, a glint of instigation flashing in her indigo eyes. She stepped forward, her pale fingertips lightly tapping the transcript in Marude Souta's hand, leaving behind something. "Internal investigation."

After speaking, she walked towards the exit of the interrogation room.

With a creak, an US Forces Japan pushed open the door at the opportune moment and whispered in Vera's ear, "Commissioner, Operation Number 2 is ready."

"Hmm... lead the way."

She nodded.

"I'll leave the protection and surveillance of the Anju Sisters to you, Shinohara."

After tidying her clothes a bit, Vera gave Yukino Shinoara a final reminder before leaving, "They are important as witnesses, so be careful in everything you do."

She walked outside.

"..."

Yukino Shinoara watched Vera's figure disappear, and the room fell silent again. Turning around, he was about to say something when he saw a cold expression that he had never seen before gradually appear on Marude Souta's face.

"A-Wan, what's wrong?"

"What else could it be? One thorny problem after another..."

Unconsciously, Marude Souta Sai crumpled the transcript in his hand. He carefully put away the note Vera had left behind, then looked up and glanced at his friends Iwao Kuroiwa, Yukino Shinoara, Kousuke Hoji.

"Gentlemen, we're in big trouble."

Marude Souta suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh, then said gravely, "If this isn't handled properly, the CCG could suffer heavy losses, and Japan's countermeasures agency will become a laughingstock on the international stage..."

A clenched palm, a small piece of paper damp with sweat.

The text gradually became blurred and indistinct.

There's a problem with the Washuu Clan.

Yukino Shinoara said, "We support you, Maru. At times like these, we really need external forces like Russell to break the deadlock within us."

"Commissioner Russell is right. It is indeed a disgrace to have problems, but finding them and solving them is the way to redeem ourselves, not to hide them."

Iwao Kuroiwa crossed his arms and said, "As Special Class, we bear an unshirkable responsibility for such a major problem that has occurred in the CCG."

Kousuke Hoji nodded, "Should we hold a special meeting to inform Tanaka Maru and Akiura, the Special Investigator Yasuoka...?"

Before he could finish speaking, a deafening roar echoed throughout the building. Very close to the interrogation room, Marude Souta's expression changed. He kicked over the chair beside him and yelled, "Damn it, what's going on?"

"Report! Ghoul! Enemy attack!"

"What?!"

A moment ago.

Vera left the interrogation room, talking with a USA officer stationed in Japan about the special operations raid on Donato Porpora's laboratory and the subsequent sweeping procedures.

The officer said, "Your instructions, made with great fanfare and a feint, have led the CIA and cyber warfare units to secretly wiretap several business people, members of Congress, and politicians on the list."

"Hmm, let's get the Prosecution Department Special Investigation Unit involved too. The big investor behind that Ghoul Restaurant —if we pull him out, we'll uncover a whole mess; that's a huge piece of the pie..."

During the conversation, Vera walked to the corner of the corridor and was met by two investigators, one fat and one thin, one short and one tall, carrying Quinque cases.

"Huh?"

After seeing who it was, she couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation.

A big fish actually came to our door!

Among them, the tall and thin one is a young man with black hair, who has bangs that cover his left eye, red eyes, and a beauty mark at the corner of his right eye. He looks handsome yet effeminate.

At the same time, the newcomer also saw Vera coming towards him. He first widened his eyes, and then, unable to hide his excitement, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed as if he had seen an idol, saying, "Ah, hello, Special Class Investigator Russell, I am Furuta Nimura, my position is First Class Investigator of District 23."

The stocky, short, stout investigator also came over.

"Thank you for your trust, Special Class Investigator Russell. Upon receiving your order, I rushed over from Quilalea without stopping."

He removed his hat, touched his chest, and saluted. He raised his disfigured, grotesque round face and patted the shoulder of Furuta Nimura, who was bowing deeply and had not risen for a long time.

"This is my partner, a very good junior. He is diligent and highly motivated. When he heard that he was coming to District 7 to be under your command to drive out the ghouls, he applied to work overtime and come with me."

Kishima, Associate Special Investigator at the 23rd Ward Ghoul Prison, is also an outstanding torturer.

Looking at the other person's face—with its ears, nose, and obvious signs of transplantation— Vera pondered the other person's information and nodded in acknowledgment.

She specifically requested that the other party come. It was a small, casual gesture based on their needs, but unexpectedly, it yielded surprising results.

Without making a sound, Vera stepped forward to help Furuta Nimura Ichigo up and looked at Kishima, "Ms. A and the trash captured by the Ghoul Restaurant are now in your hands and First Class Kureo Mado. One request: extract every last drop of value from them."

She casually issued the task.

Those who can go to Ghoul Restaurant to watch human gladiatorial combat and enjoy freshly killed and sliced human sashimi are naturally innocent, and their rights, human rights, and legitimate political rights are irrelevant. No amount of torture is too much.

"Welcome to serve."

Upon hearing this, Kishima held his top hat to his chest, grinned, and revealed a terrifying smile filled with grotesque malice.

Beside him, Furuta Nimura, who had been helped up by Vera and looked excited, also lowered his head. The smooth floor reflected a bright halo, obscuring his expression.

"Yes, I look forward to your results. Marude Souta, and Furuta, First Class Investigator Furuta..."

Vera smiled slightly, brushed past the two men, and walked toward the waiting USA officer.

"Alright, Furuta, we should get to work."

Kishima excitedly told Furuta Nimura that he couldn't wait to interrogate the Ghoul!

"Um..."

Furuta Nimura smiled and nodded innocently, but the moment he turned around—

A gunshot rang out.