Biscuit crossed her arms and puckered her lips.
"I was in the area. I'd planned to spend a lot of money to get the 'Promised Ruby,' but I didn't expect you to grab it first. So I headed to the scene to look for clues."
"When I saw the spider pattern on the wall and your symbol, I immediately went to the Hunter Association website to find information about you."
"I know all about your background, your Nen ability, and your career as an assassin. I tracked the clues you left and followed them to find you here."
Germain leaned against the rough alley wall, hands in the pockets of his black coat, looking calm.
"I thought I was being careful, not leaving too many obvious traces."
Biscuit smiled and shook her head.
"On the night you made your move and left the Phantom Troupe's mark, you became a hot topic on the Hunter Association website and on the 'dark web.'"
"There's always someone who knows when and where you've been seen. By piecing together these small clues and with some help from a few hunter friends, it was easy enough to track you down."
"Don't underestimate a hunter's ability to gather and track information. It's one of our specialties."
Germain nodded in agreement.
The group of hunters, information brokers, and gangsters were all on the lookout, and the original body owner's activities were eventually discovered. There wasn't much he could do about it.
It seemed like the Hunter Association website was an excellent source of information, but it wasn't accessible to him without a hunter's license.
Suddenly, a "beep beep beep" sound came from Biscuit's princess dress.
She raised her eyebrows, reached into a hidden pocket in her skirt, and pulled out a small mobile phone.
The phone was adorned with cute, colorful animal stickers.
Biscuit unlocked the phone screen and looked at it for a moment, a faint smile crossing her lips.
She smiled and turned her phone's screen toward Germain, letting him take a look.
Germain squinted and saw an image of the "Promised Ruby" on the screen, with a hefty price tag underneath and the word "Sold" at the bottom.
Biscuit Krueger, or Bisky, as she's known to her friends, gave the phone a little shake for emphasis before slipping it back into her pocket.
"I had a feeling you might have sold off the 'Promised Ruby,'" she said, "so I asked a friend to keep an eye on the black market for me. Ended up paying twice as much as it used to be worth to get it back."
Germain was pensive. It definitely wasn't Chrollo Lucilfer who put the "Promised Ruby" on the black market. He likely sold it to someone else, and after a few quick trades, it ended up there.
Bisky, being the thorough hunter that she is, was tracking Germain while also having her friends watch the black market. In the end, she got the ruby through her connections, even if it meant paying double.
The "twice as much as before" part probably referred to what the gem merchant initially offered for it. But for Bisky, an experienced Hunter, money wasn't an issue. If doubling the price got her the "Promised Ruby," then it was worth it.
Germain decided to probe a little. "Now that you have the 'Promised Ruby,' I guess I'm not much use to you, huh? Or are you interested in collecting bounties?"
Bisky shook her head. "Nope. Even though I paid a lot for it, it's not like your bounty could cover it. I don't plan on taking action against you."
She suddenly extended her left hand, which was covered with a white glove, toward Germain.
Germain looked at her, puzzled.
Bisky smirked and continued to wave her hands, her fingers moving like the tentacles of a jellyfish.
"We've been in this alley for almost five minutes. If we don't leave soon, people might start getting suspicious. Take my hand. A gentleman should always protect a lovely lady."
She moved closer, watching Germain with curiosity. Germain winked at her.
Germain sensed that Bisky's words held a deeper meaning, so he took her small hand in his. The two of them stepped out of the alley and into the bustling street beyond.
Bisky inched toward Germain and clasped his hand, giving it a playful shake with a radiant smile, as if they were siblings on a casual outing.
She lowered her voice and said, "The Phantom Troupe is the most notorious group of thieves in history. If you could eliminate them, you'd gain fame, wealth, and status. But you know, you're suspected of being one of them, which makes you a target for hunters and assassins. You should check online to see how much your bounty has gone up in just a few hours."
"I'm not the only one who's on your trail. Have you noticed how many people are following you?" she added.
Germain paused for a moment and nodded. "Since I entered Cross Town, besides you, there are three people tailing me. Their auras are quite distinct from ordinary people—far more intense."
Bisky raised an eyebrow, impressed. She playfully nudged Germain with her petite frame, pretending to be an affectionate little sister.
"You're sharper than I thought. I figured you'd only spot two at most... but there's actually a fourth person."
"The four of them work as a team of assassins. Two of them are deliberately revealing their presence as a diversion, acting as 'flag cards.' Another is keeping a low profile, playing the role of 'hidden card.' Then there's one who is always lurking, the wild card, the ace in the hole."
"The fourth person in the shadows is their real leader, the last line of defense. You only spotted three, so you'd be at a disadvantage."
Germain calmly held Bisky's hand and continued walking.
"Why are you telling me this? I'm pretty sure this is the first time we've met, and our social circles don't exactly overlap."
Bisky didn't respond immediately. Instead, she grabbed Germain's hand and pulled him along the street. As they walked, she bought a stick of cotton candy from a vendor and took delicate bites.
"As hunters, when we track our prey, we piece together a mental image based on clues they've left behind—patterns of movement, behavior, ways of thinking, and so on."
"Before I found you, I had already formed a general idea of who you were." Bisky continued. "But after watching you for a while, I realized you're quite different from what I expected."
"How can I describe it? It's like I discovered an intriguing gemstone. I thought it was a diamond at first, but when I got closer, it turned out to be amber. It's unexpected, isn't it?"
Bisky finally released Germain's hand, holding the cotton candy aloft. She then pulled out her phone and showed him a few pictures.
The images showed three figures in the midst of a fight, blurry but recognizable. It was Feitan, Phinks, and Uvogin from the Phantom Troupe.
"This scene is from a nearby village last night. According to the initial information I had, you were supposed to be as violent and bloodthirsty as those three."
"But you've been calm the whole way. You ate your noodles without fuss, paid your bill, took out cash, and even ignored someone following you. I don't get it. What's off here?"
Hunters are driven by curiosity. Bisky's gaze was sharp as she looked at Germain. "You clearly have secrets. It'd be a shame if you ended up killed by those three without me learning what they are."
Bisky took a few steps back, flashing a mischievous smile at Germain, her voice rising playfully.
"Big brother, my home is right here. Thanks for walking me back. Let's play again another day!"
She turned around and skipped away.
Germain watched as she disappeared around the street corner. He knew she hadn't gone far. She was probably just lurking where she could keep an eye on him without being seen.
What a crafty one.
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