A Fragment of Ego

"Oh, if you're talking about that customer, she's also a regular at the bar where I work night shifts."

"Wait, you work two jobs?" Raffo said to the barista whom Asic had questioned earlier.

"Of course. You think one job is enough to live on here? Cryptopolis has a crazy cost of living. Too bad I'm not handsome enough to be a host. By the way, that woman loves to bring good-looking guys to drink with her at the bar. She's quite the wild one."

Asic listened to the two coffee shop employees gossiping. After finding out which bar the woman frequented, he left the shop to change his clothes, shedding the nerdy appearance to transform into a creature of the night.

Even though Asic discarded his nerdy look, he still had to maintain a disguise. He changed his eye color to black and painted his lips a bold purple, creating a striking image that matched her tastes. He then sat at her usual spot, knowing exactly where it was thanks to paying the bar staff. His prey fell right into his trap; it was almost laughably easy, largely due to his intense masculine aura and dressing according to Ada's preferences. After chatting for a while, Asic and Ada left the bar arm-in-arm.

"Hey handsome, why don't we head to another place? Big sis will pay," Ada said, holding onto Asic's strong arm. He turned to her with a heated look and smiled.

"I don't think any other place will be as fun as what I have in mind. I'll take you somewhere thrilling."

"Mmm~ Big sis is getting excited now," Ada bit her lip. She was used to being in control, but this time, she found herself following Asic's lead. He brought her to a love motel, one with niche tastes, complete with all sorts of tools and equipment for men and women to indulge their whims. Ada's eyes glistened with excitement, as if she were about to devour Asic whole.

Asic paid for the room and led Ada inside, the room decorated in shades of pink and red, with a cabinet full of special equipment that could only be accessed for an additional fee.

"Alright, handsome, what's the surprise for big—" Ada began, but before she could finish her sentence, a bolt of dark purple lightning appeared in Asic's hand. He struck the base of her neck, where all the nerves converged, the electrical current putting her to sleep almost instantly.

"Sorry, I promised my girlfriend I wouldn't sleep around," Asic said as Ada collapsed to the floor. He lifted her onto the bed before opening his bag, revealing a collection of chemicals and a syringe.

"OC, adjust the formula for a truth serum that doesn't match any existing formulas."

[No effective truth serum formula found on the internet. Purchasing a formula from the black market... Purchase complete. Please allow ten minutes for analysis and creation of a new serum formula.]

Asic spent the next ten minutes tying Ada securely to a chair. After another ten minutes, OC delivered the formula—a new truth serum unlike anything Asic had used during his time in the police force. It was different from anything on the market and more effective than any commercially available truth serum.

The truth serum worked by putting the subject in a dazed state, impairing their ability to think clearly and resist answering questions. Unless they had an incredibly strong will, the person would usually reveal their secrets.

The police also had truth serums, but they were banned by law due to their severe impact on the nervous system. However, in reality, the police used them secretly to interrogate dangerous criminals.

'It must not be traced back to a former agent. OC, how different is this formula compared to the police's truth serum?'

[Answer: The ratio of ingredients used does not match the police formula at all. Master can be assured it will not be traced back.]

'Good.' Asic reviewed the formula and filled the syringe, mixing the chemicals to create the new truth serum. He quickly found Ada's vein and injected it into her bloodstream. He then released the lightning suppressing her nervous system, allowing it to stimulate her cells until she regained consciousness.

Ada awoke, but she seemed dazed, like someone in a dreamlike state. Asic watched her closely for any signs of resistance—sometimes criminals had enough mental fortitude to resist truth serums—but it seemed OC's concoction was working perfectly.

'No signs of resistance. It's working well.'

"Answer my questions. Do you know this boy?" Asic showed Ada a picture of Ejin.

"Yes… He's a special product the boss ordered."

"Special product? What do you mean? Was he specifically targeted for kidnapping?" Asic fired questions at Ada. She paused briefly, gathering her thoughts before answering.

"The boss ordered me to find that boy at the plaza and bring him in."

'Just as I thought. But why? Ejin is just an ordinary kid, no special background, no unique abilities. He's just a regular kid. It doesn't make sense for ransom or for organs. What could they want with him?' Asic pondered. He had already thoroughly investigated Ejin's background before taking on this case. His parents were factory workers who had died from overwork. He had no relatives, no inheritance—nothing that would attract this kind of attention.

With his years of experience as a detective, Asic knew there was more to this case than met the eye.

'This isn't just a scam or illegal labor—it's human trafficking and premeditated crime.' Asic's instincts as a police officer flared up instantly. It made no sense to target a seemingly ordinary young man without a reason. There had to be something about Ejin they wanted.

'They were careful enough to lure Ejin out of Cryptopolis before capturing him at Oceanstone.'

"Are there other victims besides this boy? How many? How do you lure them in?"

"Yes. I lure over a hundred people each month. I approach them with sweet promises—take them out to dinner, watch movies, and promise them a bright future. I exploit their innocence."

"Are the others specifically targeted like the boy in the picture?"

"No. I just randomly pick young people from the plaza. Rarely do I get specific orders, and this was my first time getting one."

"What happens to the victims? What do you do with them?"

"I don't know. My job is just to hand them over to the organization." Ada didn't know any more details. Her work was merely to deliver these innocent young men and women into the hands of the organization. She had no idea what happened to them afterward—whether they were harvested for organs or used as slaves in underground mines, never to see the light of day. Lacking concrete information, Ada couldn't give Asic a definite answer.

Asic listened calmly, his expression unchanged, for this wasn't his first time interrogating a criminal. But just because he didn't show his emotions didn't mean he wasn't angry. When he thought of the hundreds of lives destroyed by this woman's sweet words—children like Ejin who were desperately seeking a job to build a better future, only to be led into a dark abyss—rage surged within him.

"Are the police involved?" Asic probed, suspecting that the police might be complicit, keeping lower-level members of the organization in the dark.

"Yes, we work for high-ranking police officials."

"...." Asic's face remained stoic, but his eyes couldn't hide his disappointment.

'High-ranking police officers—the ones who should be role models, the protectors of society—are the ones destroying countless children's futures. Since when? How long have they been involved? How many innocent people have suffered?'

'They're using Filter Bubble, which should protect witnesses, to cover up their crimes. They're abusing police authority. I need to find out who's behind this, even if I can't expose them. I need to know their names.' Asic clenched his fist, the urge to fight against the police growing stronger. Whatever hesitation he had was now completely gone.

"Who are the police officers behind this?"

"I don't know."

'So she knows there are cops involved but not who they are.'

"How can I find out where the boy in the picture was taken?"

"At the office… there's a file indicating where the 'products' are sent." Ada answered. Asic continued questioning her about the office's location, its security, the number of guards, the leader's name, and anyone particularly dangerous. Ada answered everything clearly until almost fifteen minutes had passed, and the serum was about to wear off.

"One last question… Why are you doing this job?" Asic asked, looking at her. Although anger burned within him, it felt like an icy wall prevented that anger from reaching her—a fire covered by frost.

"My father left my mother with massive debt. My mother was forced into prostitution. If I didn't want to end up like her, I had to do this job."

"I see… If you weren't doing this job, what would you want to do?"

"I'd open a flower shop."

"A flower shop… When you're released, I'll come buy flowers from your store." Asic injected her with a sedative. Ada soon returned to an unconscious state on the bed. Asic stared at her sleeping face, knowing she might not even remember what had happened when she woke up.

He picked up a whip and lashed her body, leaving marks that would suggest they had engaged in some intense activities. When Ada woke, she would think she got too drunk and was brought to an SM motel by Asic. This was a method Asic often used during investigations involving women.

Asic packed his bag and quietly slipped out of the motel, looking for a place to change his disguise before heading to the office Ada had mentioned.

'It's a whole network, an organized crime group. The name of the organization is… Onizuka Tiger. They probably have several offices, operating as a logistics company. The front as a transport company makes it easy for them to move people without suspicion, especially with police protection.'

[Master, based on the information provided, the security at that office is quite strict. It will be difficult to infiltrate the office and steal the documents without confrontation. I suggest stealing an identification item from the woman to use for impersonation and infiltrating from within. This would help avoid a fight.]

'What are you saying? That would put her in danger. If they trace the identification item back to her, she won't just go to prison—she won't survive! Even in the police women's prison, people can disappear without a trace.'

[This approach is inefficient. I recommend lowering moral constraints to make the mission easier. She is a criminal deserving of punishment. Why make things harder for yourself? OC cannot understand this logically.]

'It's simple: I want her to suffer as if she were dying. Death would be too easy. She led hundreds to hell. I'm not sparing her out of pity. Besides, I hate killing—whether directly or indirectly. If things are more challenging, so be it. Whether walking or riding a motorcycle, I'll reach the finish line all the same. She may be a criminal, but letting a woman die by my hand isn't my style as a gentleman.'

[....] OC still couldn't understand its master. What it sensed was that despite her being evil, despite causing many to suffer, Asic still showed her mercy, hoping she would face the justice she deserved and perhaps reform.

For her sake, Asic had thrown away the easier route to avoid confrontation, choosing the harder path instead. But even though it was difficult, he chose to face the challenge head-on.

[Fragment of Ego detected. Ego Awakening progress increased to 27%.]