Two months had passed since the operation in the 11th ward. Aogiri Tree's activities had increased significantly, making them the CCG's main enemy.
"The situation is worse than I thought," sighed Yukinori Shinohara at the CCG special meeting. Still tense from his recent recovery, he expressed concern upon hearing about the current situation.
"Relax, Yukinori. If you had sent me earlier, I would have taken care of those scoundrels thoroughly," said Mougan Tanakamaru, a seasoned investigator with a strong accent and a distinctive mustache.
"Why hasn't Mr. Arima arrived? He was absent from the last special meeting," remarked Kiyoko Aura, looking around. Everyone knew about Tanakamaru's character.
"And the newly promoted Special Class Investigator, Lin Yi, isn't here either. Is he going to miss his first special meeting after the promotion?" she added. Kiyoko Aura, with her beautiful purple short hair and delicate features, exuded a somewhat cold aura in her black suit.
"Lin Yi has been busy with cases in the 9th ward recently. Let's forgive him," chimed in Iwao Kuroiwa, trying to ease the tension. After all, Lin Yi had indirectly saved his life, and he owed him a favor.
Kiyoko Aura fell silent. As the only female investigator, her strength should not be underestimated.
"As for Mr. Arima, he never bothers with these things. Everyone knows that," offered Itsuki Marude, trying to reconcile the situation.
In the room, a bald, white-haired man named Kyouji Misaka remained silent throughout, looking somewhat aged. He held a special position as the warden of Cochlea, the Ghoul Detention Center, and was also one of the investigators.
Just then, the door opened, and a man in a white suit with a serious expression walked in. It was Yoshitoki Washuu, the Director of the CCG. Everyone immediately stood up and placed their right hands over their chests as a sign of respect.
"Director, both Mr. Arima and Mr. Lin are absent," reported Kiyoko Aura, the first to speak up.
Before Yoshitoki could respond, the door was forcefully pushed open, and Lin Yi rushed in, panting. He glanced around before smiling.
"I'm not late, it seems. I've been incredibly busy lately," Lin Yi said, addressing Yukinori Shinohara. "Mr. Shinohara, are your injuries getting better?"
"No need to worry, they're much better now," Shinohara replied with a warm smile.
Everyone in the room began to assess Lin Yi. People like Kiyoko Aura, Yoshitoki Washuu, Mougan Tanakamaru, and Kyouji Misaka were seeing him for the first time.
Lin Yi appeared younger than they had imagined, and they couldn't help but feel a resemblance to Arima. However, his current appearance, wearing a blood-stained trench coat and holding a quinque, was a bit unsettling. It was clear that he had just returned from the front lines.
"Apologies, apologies," Lin Yi said, sensing the awkward atmosphere. He waved his hand and intentionally sat down next to Kiyoko Aura. Who would want to sit with a group of rough men?
"Now that only Mr. Arima is absent, we don't need to worry about him. Let's start the special meeting," decisively concluded Yoshitoki Washuu.
After taking their seats, Lin Yi's expression suddenly turned serious. He was no longer carefree but instead attentively observed Yoshitoki Washuu, the Director of the CCG.
Little did they know, if he hadn't read the original story, that the CCG, an organization created to combat Ghouls, had a Ghoul as its director. Yoshitoki was actually a member of the organization called "V." Unfortunately, it wasn't the time yet to confront the V organization.
Lin Yi withdrew his gaze and began to listen attentively to the special meeting.
"After the battle in the 11th ward, Aogiri Tree also took over the 9th and 10th wards. The reputation of our CCG has greatly diminished among the public. We need to investigate the details of Aogiri Tree," stated Yoshitoki Washuu.
Unlike the situation in the 11th ward, where Aogiri Tree had established a stronghold, they had merely captured the 9th and 10th wards, venting their anger and asserting dominance before leaving. This made it impossible for the CCG to seek revenge.
"According to the intelligence, Aogiri Tree, led by an eyepatch Ghoul, captured the 9th and 10th wards," added Kiyoko Aura. "This eyepatch Ghoul has rarely appeared before, but we have gathered a significant amount of information, including eyewitness accounts claiming to have seen this Ghoul. However, the accuracy of this information is still uncertain."
"The 20th ward? I recall the 20th ward being under Lin Yi's responsibility. Lin Yi, do you have any intelligence to share?" raised Marude, his eyebrow raised as he looked at Lin Yi. He vividly remembered assigning Kureo Mado and Koutarou Amon to investigate intelligence in the 20th ward.
"Please spare me, Mr. Marude. I was in charge of the 20th ward for less than a week, from my appointment to departure. As you mentioned earlier, this eyepatch Ghoul emerged recently. How could I know?" Lin Yi helplessly rubbed his temples. "I have been extremely busy in the 9th ward lately, trying to capture Ghouls. If I truly knew his identity, I wouldn't have let him slip away."
No one doubted him, as what Lin Yi said was indeed true.
"That's a shame, but even so, the 20th ward doesn't seem ordinary. The Glutton and Yamori have appeared there before, and now there's another eyepatch. It's possible that the 20th ward has become one of Aogiri Tree's strongholds as well," added Marude, his face filled with anger.
As the commander responsible for the battle in the 11th ward, he bore the primary responsibility for the defeat and was eager to find an opportunity to wash away the disgrace.
"Right, that makes sense. Let's kill two birds with one stone. Starting tomorrow, Lin Yi, as the person in charge of the 20th ward, you will be dispatched back there. Yukinori, since you're familiar with him, you'll assist him," nodded Yoshitoki Washuu and spoke decisively.