New Rules

When the turmoil caused by the face-changing chip's disguise finally subsided, the air in the conference room seemed to freeze solid.

"Akechi," who had been standing there, slowly straightened up. The face of the Arasaka senior executive was gone, replaced by KK's face.

"KKK?!" one senior executive cried out, trembling.

The conference room instantly fell deathly silent, before incredulous whispers erupted.

"Impossible. How could KK be here?"

"His whole team is here. Why would it be impossible for KK to appear? It's just that..."

"Akechi was actually KK. Then everything Akechi had done these past days was really KK..."

Carl, better known by his codename KK, gave an elegant, exaggerated bow. The metal case in his hand traced a silver arc with the movement.

"Good afternoon, everyone—" he deliberately drew out the words, his voice brimming with undisguised amusement. "But don't give me all the credit for the overtime these past few days. The real Mr. Akechi Goro has been helping me out a lot."

He paused slightly, a teasing glint flashing in his eyes. "—Of course, the one playing Akechi these past few days was indeed me."

Hearing KK's admission, the person most shocked was neither Oda Sandayu, who had been kept in the dark for so long, nor Hanako Arasaka. It was Digital Saburo.

The moment he saw Akechi's face—the last thing that had offered him even a sliver of hope—shift into KK's, Digital Saburo's mind, mad but far from stupid, had already understood the outcome of this operation against Arakawa Sesen. He also understood his own fate.

Digital Saburo's projection flickered violently. Blocks of pixels frantically rearranged themselves but never stabilized. "Akechi! No... KK, Carl! You dare... You traitor! You liar!"

Carl chuckled and casually handed the metal case to Jack, who had walked over.

His posture