Exposure, Disguise, and Contact

Chapter 38: Exposure × Disguise × Contact

"The most important question right now is whether Kite can make it back from NGL alive. If he does, everything will fall into place.

Otherwise, once word gets out about you, a whole swarm of Hunters will come looking for you within three days," Andrei said, cutting straight to the point.

"My identity's already been leaked?" Joey frowned.

How could his identity have gotten out in such a short time? Besides, Killua and Gon should have been the only people who knew the details of his situation.

But neither of them was loose-lipped!

Seemingly sensing Joey's confusion, Andrei sighed. "Your identity as the Murderer has been exposed. It all started with Pokkle, the Magical Beast Hunter who came out of NGL the day before yesterday.

Something seems to have shaken him up. He went to a bar to drown his sorrows, and someone coaxed information about NGL out of him while he was drunk. That included your identity as the Murderer, as well as his suspicion that you possess a special treasure capable of restoring stamina."

Joey's eyes widened in disbelief. "Am I supposed to call him smart or stupid?"

Smart because Pokkle had guessed correctly about both Joey's identity and his possessions; stupid because he had gotten drunk and let someone pry information out of him. Was he really a professional Hunter?

"Either way, you've had some bad luck," Andrei said helplessly.

If Pokkle hadn't caused this mess, they could have brought Joey out of NGL without any immediate problems, even if Kite failed to return, as long as Joey didn't let himself get recognized.

But now that this had happened, his identity as the Murderer would draw a flood of Bounty Hunters and Crime Hunters.

After all, the bounty on Yoshikage Kira was enormous! And even being cut into a thousand pieces wouldn't have been excessive punishment for his crimes.

"So what should I do now?" Joey looked grim.

"Hide and wait to see how things develop. Ideally, wait until Kite returns. I'll help you in the meantime," Andrei proposed.

Clearly, they had already considered a solution. They hadn't simply brought Joey out without any idea what to do next.

"I'll leave the Prisoner's Single Room connected to NGL. If things get out of hand, you may have to return there and lie low for a while."

That answer drew Joey's handsome, downward-slanting eyebrows into an even tighter frown. Then he sighed. "Sorry for the trouble."

"It's all right. I trust Kite's judgment, and I've accepted the job, too." Andrei seemed quite easygoing.

"In that case, why not let Joey stay with Gon and me for now? Shiping and the others aren't Hunters. It'll be a real problem if they get dragged into this, and don't they have other things Kite asked them to do?" Killua suddenly spoke up.

Joey looked at Andrei. He wasn't exactly in a position to make his own decisions right now.

Andrei considered it, then nodded. "That works. Besides, I can't show myself anywhere too conspicuous. Quite a few Bounty Hunters know what sort of ability I have. If I'm exposed, Joey might lose his escape route as well."

"Try a disguise," Gon suggested. "Change your hairstyle and clothes, then put on some makeup. With Joey's looks, he might not be able to pass for a woman, but he should still be able to fool plenty of people.

After all, I don't sense any kind of Murderer's aura from him. That should matter a lot to the people coming to look for him."

Everyone's eyes lit up. His identity as the Murderer might have been exposed, but no photographs of Joey had circulated. There was only Pokkle's simple description.

With a suitable disguise and a place to hide, the chances of him being exposed would drop dramatically.

So, over the next little while, Joey enjoyed a comfortable bath, bandaged his wounds, and had his hair cut into a neat, clean short style.

He changed into a fine suit and put on a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. His whole appearance gave off an air of refinement, making him look just like a successful corporate professional.

Especially when he sat straight at the table, raised his coffee, and took a small sip, his natural bearing made it seem as though he belonged at a large company, living a quiet life with a few modest luxuries.

The only blemish was the empty space where his left hand should have been.

But a missing hand was a very obvious feature that distinguished him from the Murderer, so Joey simply made no attempt to conceal it and openly displayed his disability.

Watching Joey's quiet, composed demeanor and comparing it with the sorry state he had been in when they first brought him back, everyone in the room could hardly believe he was the same person.

"Were you really a hunter before?" Killua couldn't help asking doubtfully.

"Of course. But there's no rule saying a hunter can't enjoy idol dramas and anime, is there?" Joey casually set down his coffee cup. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and his eyes narrowed in a faint smile.

"So handsome!" Shiping could barely tear her eyes away from Joey. "Can I get your number, handsome?"

"Of course." Joey reached into his jacket and took out his phone. "I'll call you. Do you have caller ID?"

"Yes, yes." Shiping quickly rattled off her phone number. Once the call connected, Joey saw his own number on her phone and quietly committed it to memory.

"Now that we're done, let's get moving. Time waits for no one." Andrei glanced at his watch.

No one objected to his suggestion. Killua and Gon wanted to return to NGL and find Kite as soon as possible, while Shiping and Kite's other companions all had their own tasks to attend to.

After saying their goodbyes, they quickly went their separate ways.

Andrei didn't stay with Joey. Instead, he told him where he had set up the [Prisoner's Single Room], then left alone.

If Joey ran into trouble, he could find the single room himself and return to NGL through it.

Joey then followed Gon and Killua toward the train station.

According to Killua, he had left a mark on a signboard there. Once it had been erased, that would mean their contact had arrived.

Through that contact, he and Gon could learn what conditions they needed to meet to return to NGL and search for Kite.

When they reached the station, sure enough, the writing on the signboard had been erased.

Just then, a low voice suddenly came from behind them. "You're Killua and Gon, right?"

All three turned at once and saw a woman with loose, disheveled hair, wearing a dress and slippers.

The air around her was downright oppressive, and her aura was truly peculiar.

From the moment she appeared, the people around them kept glancing her way, some openly and others less so. Clearly, her clothes, appearance, and the aura she gave off had all drawn their attention.

"Hmm? Who's he?" Seeing Killua and Gon nod, the woman shifted her gaze to Joey.

A moment later, as Joey watched her, the face hidden beneath her messy hair flushed slightly.

"Joey. He's with us, but he won't be taking the test."

The woman nodded. "Nice to meet you. My name is Palm, Palm Siberia. I look forward to getting to know you."

Seemingly noticing that Killua and Gon were a little nervous around her, Palm spoke again. "Don't be nervous. The chairman probably didn't tell you the details, did he? Come with me. Let's have some tea, and I'll explain."