If Botobai's sudden arrival to challenge Moyu had left him baffled...
Then Gel's attack in the hotel had tipped him off.
From that moment on, every move Moyu made had accounted for the possibility that other Zodiacs were involved.
That was why, after severing Gel's hand in the corridor outside the elevator, Moyu had not pressed his advantage.
He had made that decision to preserve Gel's fighting strength.
Once the black mycelium finished developing, Gel would become a suitable Dark Chess Piece.
Botobai's timely arrival afterward, and his decision to make Gel withdraw, had effectively given Moyu another helping hand.
Moyu had welcomed this development and cooperated sincerely with Botobai's arrangements like a law-abiding citizen.
If there was a second person Moyu needed to thank, it was undoubtedly the honorable Three-Star Terrorist Hunter lying on the ground.
Otherwise, Moyu would likely have faced a sudden attack from over half the Zodiacs without knowing what was going on.
Even with the enormous margin for error afforded by his manifestation aura, Moyu could never have handled that situation as easily as he had now.
Precisely because he had been on guard, Moyu had dealt so perfectly with the joint ambush from Cluck, Ginta, Saccho, and Mizaistom.
That preparation had also allowed him to make perfect use of Gel as his hidden Dark Chess Piece. The moment he revealed her, he had effortlessly taken Cluck out.
Under Kyoka Suigetsu's influence, Gel naturally could not answer the questions from her "companions."
And although Mizaistom and the others had heard Moyu thanking Gel, they could not rashly label her a traitor.
The special directive Netero had issued did not strictly require every Zodiac to participate.
While giving them ample freedom to choose, the directive had not explicitly required them to cooperate, either.
Its general meaning