"As of now, according to public records, the only survivors still alive are Chairman Netero, Beyond, and a few others. If we include private records, there are no more than 10 people in total."
"With so many deaths, Chairman Netero pushed the V5 to stop sending teams to the Dark Continent, and it became a taboo topic within the Hunter Association."
"But that was clearly an act of cowardice. If humans don't truly step onto the 'Dark Continent,' they'll never find a way to resolve the 'Five Great Disasters' or reclaim the 'Five Great Hopes.'"
"A little over a decade ago, Beyond, sticking to this belief, began gathering resources and talented people, preparing for a second trip to the Dark Continent. I joined them during that time."
Saiyu paused here, raising his hands to adjust the slightly crooked golden band on his forehead. It was uncomfortable for him.
Although what he was saying was confidential, many people across the 'Six Continents' knew about it, so it didn't affect the formation of Beyond's team much.
The most important thing was that he had subtly picked out Pariston, the 'Rat,' as his real backup plan.
Even if Germain decided to go back and tell Chairman Netero or the V5, Pariston would find out and respond quickly.
However, Saiyu never expected that Germain not only knew all this, but also knew his undercover identity within the 'Twelve Zodiacs' of the Hunter Association, as well as Pariston's motives.
"So?" Germain made his Firearm disappear, putting his hands into the pockets of his suit. "Are you inviting me to join your secret team?"
Saiyu nodded, saying, "There's no need to hide anymore. We already know your secret. You've been to the Dark Continent at least once, right?"
A light breeze gently ruffled Germain's messy black hair, but his eyes stayed focused, deep and unmoving.
Can he stay this calm?
Saiyu gritted his teeth, keeping his composure, and continued explaining.
"Technically, the Six Continents and the Dark Continent aren't two separate places. They're connected by the ocean."
"That's why, from time to time, creatures from the Dark Continent drift to the Six Continents. It's not uncommon. The V5 and the Dark World have to secretly deal with these 'invading alien species' every month."
Germain blinked and suddenly asked, "For example... Chimera Ant?"
Saiyu paused, looked up, and stared at Germain for a moment.
Then he said, "For instance, the Chimera Ant has appeared on the Six Continents multiple times."
"There are many historical records about them, so humans are quite familiar with their habits of 'feeding and mating,' the structure of the queen ant and her army, as well as the birth of the Ant King and the Royal Guards."
"In short, it's not uncommon for the corpses of 'monsters' from the 'Dark Continent' to end up circulating in the black market."
"However, in the past six months, the number of strange 'monster' corpses being traded has increased, and about half of them match the 'monsters' described in the 'Journey to the New World.'"
"This isn't a number that could come from just dealing with invasive species. It's likely that someone actually made it to the Dark Continent. Though this idea seems unbelievable, we didn't dismiss it."
"Once we noticed this, we began investigating. As long as there's a transaction, no matter how hidden, there will be records. In mid-March, two names came up."
"Biscuit and Shizuku."
"We concluded they weren't the leaders, so we kept investigating and tried to follow them, but they eventually shook us off."
"Still, it's a fact they have a large amount of 'monster' corpses from the Dark Continent."
"The funny thing is, most of the buyers think they're just rare 'monsters' from the Six Continents. Only we know their true value, so we started collecting these corpses."
"After further investigation, we noticed you became a 'One-Star Hunter' in mid-April and caught our attention. We then uncovered your many connections with Biscuit and Shizuku."
"After you committed the 'Promised Ruby Case' and declared yourself a member of the 'Phantom Troupe,' someone saw you and Biscuit together in a nearby town."
"One of the assassins sent by the underworld to kill you searched for information on Biscuit before you took him out, which only confirmed things for us."
"Later, you took part in the 'Professional Hunter Exam' using Biscuit's name, and her disciple Wing personally guided you... Since when did Biscuit ever show anyone such special treatment?"
"You and Shizuku are both from Meteor City, and both of you appeared near Yorknew City during the 'Yorknew Incident with the Shadow Beasts.'"
"All these clues are connected. Even though we don't have solid, undeniable proof, you've become our prime suspect."
"However, after the hijacking incident, you, Biscuit, and Shizuku disappeared for two months. The only person we could turn to was your companion at the time, Kurapika."
"After analyzing his clothing, we determined that he had a close connection with the Kurta Clan. So, we released the information about the five pairs of 'Scarlet Eyes' and waited to see what would happen."
"It wasn't until last night that you finally reappeared."
"German," Saiyu smiled at him, "Work with us, and then tell us how you bypassed the V5 and managed to travel back and forth to the Dark Continent successfully."
"If I'm not mistaken, your goals should align with ours, and we can definitely benefit from each other."
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer