Yanagi had spent endless hours investigating the source of the sabotage, and at long last, he had unveiled the identity of the perpetrator. However, merely identifying the mastermind was not enough; he needed concrete evidence to back up his claims. All trails led to Asahi, but proving it required a strategic approach.
The weight of the evidence suggested that Asahi was the culprit. To establish his case, Yanagi needed access to Asahi's computer. Yet, to do so, he had to bide his time, waiting for the perfect moment to slip in undetected. This necessitated a meticulous plan, one that would involve approaching Asahi, extracting information about his schedule, and executing his scheme with precision.
While the straightforward solution might have been to consult the schedule board, an unexpected obstacle emerged in the form of an unusually high number of night shifts for Yanagi this month. This made timing his covert operation all the more intricate.
.........…..
Intriguingly, the schedules of scientists were devised by their team leaders or managers, rendering them practically immutable. Alas, changes could only be accommodated in cases of health emergencies. Night shifts, however, offered a degree of flexibility. Scientists could take the initiative to request these shifts themselves, reaching out to their team manager and expressing their desire to extend their laboratory hours. Upon managerial approval, they were granted the extended hours. Curiously, these alterations were not reflected on the public schedule, rendering them cryptic. These clandestine adjustments were communicated to the secretary of the development department, creating an information silo. As such, scientists were left unaware of overshift occurrences.
............
As the realization dawned that deducing Asahi's nocturnal intentions was a Herculean task, the necessity of establishing direct communication with him became evident. Yet, time had slipped through Yanagi's fingers, and the opportunity to engage Asahi in casual conversation to ascertain his plans had passed. Frustration mounted as Yanagi was left with no choice but to retreat, retire to his dwelling, and anxiously await the dawn of a new day.
At 6:00 AM, the resounding chime of an alarm roused Yanagi from his slumber. Swiftly, he silenced the alarm, leaping into action to prepare himself for the day ahead. With determination etched across his features, he embarked on a journey to his laboratory, a thirty-minute endeavor. The hands of the clock seemed to crawl, minute by minute, as Yanagi waited in patient anticipation for Asahi's appearance. Time pressed on, and two hours later, Yanagi's vigil remained unfruitful; Asahi was conspicuously absent.
During this prolonged wait, Yanagi's mind danced with possibilities of how to initiate the conversation and expertly steer it towards his desired revelations. Crafting and perfecting each word became a cerebral exercise, an intricate dance of dialogue. The challenge was to extract key insights from Asahi while maintaining the façade of casual camaraderie. With each passing minute, Yanagi's determination to undertake this task heightened, convinced that the end result would be worth the effort.
At last, as the clock's hands aligned to mark the ninth hour, Asahi materialized in the hall of the laboratory. Yanagi was caught between astonishment and serendipity as he beheld this fortuitous turn of events. The universe had aligned, granting Yanagi the opportunity he had awaited with bated breath.
Approaching Yanagi with a measured pace, Asahi exuded an air of confidence that was undeniable. Yanagi stood poised, ready to initiate the conversation, but Asahi preempted him. Questions flowed from Asahi's lips as he inquired about Yanagi's day, inquiring into the progress of his work. Recognizing Asahi's need to satiate his ego, Yanagi responded with a controlled ease, asserting that all was well under his purview. Leveraging this exchange, Yanagi skillfully redirected the dialogue, probing into Asahi's current projects.
A triumphant smile graced Asahi's features as he recounted the remarkable progress he had made on his project. Yanagi's lack of surprise, however, did not go unnoticed by Asahi. A flicker of uncertainty crossed Asahi's countenance, but it was too fleeting to be adequately deciphered.
The stolen drivers played a pivotal role in this enigmatic encounter. With the knowledge of Asahi's actions, Yanagi was well-versed in the inner workings of this web of deceit. This knowledge allowed Yanagi to engage in a game of verbal intrigue, subtly probing Asahi's awareness of the stolen technology. The revelation that his drivers had been compromised hung heavily in the air, poised to reshape the trajectory of this clandestine confrontation.
In a calculated display of audacity, Yanagi asserted his intention to uncover the identity of the perpetrator behind the driver theft. Asahi's bravado faltered, his smirk dissipating as he confronted the gravity of the situation. Yanagi's unwavering gaze bore into Asahi's eyes, a testament to the unyielding resolve that fueled his pursuit of justice.
The room was pregnant with tension as Yanagi unveiled his intention to unearth the truth. Asahi's response, a cautionary statement laden with implications, echoed in the silence that followed. With those final words, Asahi exited the room, leaving Yanagi alone with his thoughts. The gravity of Asahi's veiled threat lingered, a haunting reminder of the stakes at play.
Despite Yanagi's deliberate effort to preserve an appearance of retreat, his heart burned with indignation at Asahi's audacity. A newfound determination ignited within him, stoking the fires of his resolve to challenge Asahi's dominance and dismantle his facade of arrogance.
The revelation was undeniable; Asahi was the linchpin of this complex web of deception. He stood at the crossroads of sabotage and stolen technology, a nexus that Yanagi was determined to unravel. Identifying the culprit had been the easy part; the real challenge lay in ensuring that Asahi's nefarious actions were brought to light and his web of deceit untangled.
With the information he had gleaned from his confrontation with Asahi, Yanagi now faced the formidable task of strategizing his next steps. His objective was clear: delve into Asahi's projects, uncover their true nature, and secure the recovery of his stolen drivers. While his primary goal centered around his drivers, Yanagi's inquisitive nature was also piqued by the allure of Asahi's research, hidden behind the veil of stringent privacy rules.
Intrigued and resolute, Yanagi meticulously detailed a step-by-step plan, meticulously mapping out the intricacies of his forthcoming endeavor:
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"Research" about Asahi:
Step 1:
Devising a strategy to harmonize my schedule for covert entry without arousing suspicion.
Step 2:
Adapting my timetable to facilitate seamless navigation within the system.
Step 3:
Infiltrating the laboratory, bypassing any obstacles that may arise.
Step 4:
Penetrating the fortress of Asahi's computer defenses using the formidable "Hack Pad" tool.
Step 5:
Offering up silent supplications in the hope of evading detection during my departure.
.........
With his blueprint for action laid bare, Yanagi confronted the challenge of implementing each facet of his intricate design.
Step 1:
Yanagi unfortunately could ask Asahi after the talk they had so he needed to improvise. He took a look around him to see if Yuto was in the Laboratory. Yuto is always taking overshifts since he was single and ambitious about his future. He made a quick walk around to see if he could find him but unlucky overheard that this is the first time he got a day off. The hot tea around was that he finally dating someone and it was going pretty well. He was proud of him, he really deserved someone, since he was the kindest guy in the team and probably in the whole building.
The next plan was to ask the Haruto, the janitor. He is very curious and mostly described the gossiper. He was walking to his office but he had a break, so he joined him. He asked him about the people of overnight shift and he said the nobody was going to. He said that it was really weird. Not even Yuto was. Which means that he would be the only one. What a great news to hear. His ears was really blessed after this information.
Step 2:
Armed with this information, Yanagi approached Tongi the team manager, requesting a night shift. The manager, open to the idea since no one else applied, granted Yanagi's request. Additionally, Yanagi asked the manager to inform him of any other applicants.
Step 3:
To sneak in, Yanagi deactivated the cameras using his app. This was aided by his prior experience creating the camera app. Yanagi was thrilled not only because he had a solution for the most hardest obstacle but also because his work was useful at the end of the day.
Step 4:
Breaking into Asahi's computer posed a challenge. Yanagi's hacking program required more time than his camera breaker app provided. To overcome this, Yanagi needed to insert the USB with "Hack Pad" an hour before, while distracting Asahi. Yanagi was triggered by this, since from a simple task turned to a hard task replacing the step 3.
Step 5:
Yanagi found some prayers online to recite while carrying out the plan. At least he had something in his list that was simple than the other. It hmgave him motivation since it was the first step that he could completed successfully.