"Here are the documents for your new identity. I've set it up without any problems. You should receive your new government issued citizen ID card soon, most likely by tomorrow. I've set the address to a remote area, like you asked me, and the picture is with your black hair. Only your name will be Ray Astraeus. I also set your birthday on 23rd May as you told me. You can use these documents to register your driver's license since you're already seventeen." Taeyang told me.
"Any chances I'll get caught?"
"Not unless someone is specifically searching for you. Even then, I have taken counter measures and your data shouldn't appear so easily."
'Wow, he's really good at this', Lianne seemed to like him.
"Thanks, Taeyang."
"Also, take this."
He handed me a phone.
"But why this?", I asked him.
"Company phones are easily trackable. This one is specifically designed to keep your identity hidden."
I took the phone in my hand. It was made in the shape of two rectangular magnet bars which when separated displayed a translucent white screen.
"When the mail delivers your ID, I'll divert it. After I receive it, I'll contact you on this."
I shook his hand and thanked him.
"Also, I've decoded the devices that you gave me."
"Send me the data."
He nodded and started the transfer.
"That Hirastu guy was from the mafia gang Dragon's Cove. He was in charge of supplying drugs to rich customers. His main area of supply was close to Ishiyama High."
Hearing the name of the guy I murdered felt weird.
"He was frequently in contact with Alphonso and supplied him all kinds of recreational drugs."
"I heard him mention someone. He had said, 'Boss'."
"He was referring to the young master of Dragon's Cove. His identity is well hidden. Currently, his faction holds the strongest power in the family. And his family leads the most influential gang of Reji City."
"There was also a black haired woman."
"She is a sex worker, working for that faction. Hiratsu used to frequently call her."
"So she'll let them know that I was the one who killed Hiratsu."
"Unfortunately so."
'This falls under your plan of creating an evil persona', Lianne said.
'I know, I'm just thinking about all the possibilities of my actions.'
"There wasn't any significant data on the family. However, I did find a few other drug supply routes."
"Do the police know?"
"There's a drug control department but most of the officials have been bought off by the families."
"So, we're alone in this fight."
"No, there is one man."
"Who?"
"William Brewer. He is leading his own independent detective agency against the families. He is being backed by multiple foreign institutions."
"Does he have power in Reji city?"
"For now, he's struggling to find a lead causing impatience in his investors. The families perhaps want him to stop and are putting pressure on the police to restrict his actions."
"Leak the data to him anonymously."
Taeyang nodded.
I asked him, "How many mafia families are there in Reji City?"
"Three families. Dragon's Cove, Tiger's Haven and DaggerFall."
"Why are foreign institutions helping to take down these families?"
"I found this information by hacking foreign Government Defense data. Apparently one of the families has created some kind of dimensional travel machine. The technology far surpasses any other invention of modern times."
'So basically they made something amazing and now the whole world wants it.'
'That's over simplification, Ray, but you're not wrong.'
I sighed. All this is too deep for an afternoon conversation.
"Also, I found something disturbing from Alphonso's phone. His group chat had multiple other predators. They prey on young girls and share their nudes online. It's their way of doing business."
'Sickening', Lianne said.
"Can you expose them?"
"Leave it to me. I'm already on it."
As I had predicted, Taeyang was an extremely useful guy.
"If Alphonso is exposed, his father would stop at nothing to hunt us down", Taeyang warned me.
I looked at him and we a shared a moment of silence.
We then both smiled and burst into laughter.
"Guess we're gonna have to accept the challenge, haha!"
"That's right, Ray. It's do or die!"
'You two make a lively couple. Enna will be jealous', Lianne poked me.
"Also Ray, you live in Enna's house right?"
"Yeah."
"Be careful. The two guys you beat up yesterday? They are lackeys of the gang DaggerFall. They have a small student faction in our school. I hacked into their chats and found them mentioning Enna several times."
'Your sanity dropped by 5 points. Ray, calm down.'
"Inform me if they plan something", I told Taeyang.
"Ofcourse."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah sure. What is it?"
"Does Enna have someone she likes?"
"As far as I know, no one. Many guys like her but she's never accepted anyone. Why, are you interested in her?"
I smiled and said, "Did you find anything about the other girls?"
He gave me a sly smile and answered, " I did.
Sasha Belov is the current Saintess. She is supposed to come and join Ishiyama for a single semester. The reason for this sudden transfer is still unclear."
'Lianne, do you know anything?'
'No, I wasn't informed of anyone named Sasha Belov.'
"As for Adeline Laurent. She is the daughter of the CEO of Jeuntech, the multinational corporation. She is also coming to Reji city in a few days for her film shoot."
"All of them are coming to Reji city?"
'This was just cliche.'
"No, Sophie is still in Auspercia...receiving treatment."
I had been insensitive again.
"I'm sorry. I...didn't know."
"It's okay, Ray", Taeyang smiled.
"And what about the last girl?"
"Yeah, I wanted to talk about her. No matter how much I searched, I didn't find anyone with the name Stacy Qu. I rechecked multiple times but still hit nothing."
'Hm, this can't be a coincidence.'
'Are you suspecting something?', Lianne asked me.
'If even Taeyang can't find him, she must be someone who's really good at hiding themselves.'
'How do you plan to find her?'
'I have a feeling I won't need to.'
"There was a girl called Stacy in Alphonso's phone, but her last name is unknown."
"Do you have her picture?"
"Yeah, but it's a blurry one."
"Show it to me."
Taeyang showed me a picture where a group of students were posing infront of a bar.
'Aren't they underage to be drinking?'
'It's not like there's someone to stop them', Lianne answered me.
Taeyang zoomed the picture and at the far corner, I saw a girl with long darkish green hair. It was difficult to make out her face or any other notable feature.
"This is the best I have", Taeyang told me.
"No. This is more than I expected."
"Also, Ray, I have applied to Ishiyama on your behalf with your new identity."
"Will they accept a sudden transfer?"
"Usually they won't. But you have the powers of a Saint. I applied, informing them of your special condition. Your interview will be tomorrow."
"Is being a Saint that great?"
"Sasha Belov has an entire city under her jurisdiction. She leads her own division in the holy army and is second in power only to the current Pope. Every year thousands of people undertake the pilgrimage to the Holy city just to get a chance of seeing her once."
What the...
'Why is such an important person coming here?'
"Don't worry Ray, you're still more popular than her", he teased me.
'I like him', Lianne seemed to agree.
I thanked him again and we shared a few more giggles.
As I was about to leave, he spoke.
"Ray..."
"Yeah?"
"I don't think I can make a harem."