Chapter 164: Upperclass (1)
Aren reformed first, his body snapping back into place exactly where he was before entering the abandoned warehouse. The residual charge lingered across his skin for just a moment before fading.
Beside him, a second flicker followed and Miu stumbled out of the transformation a heartbeat later.
"...I hate that," she muttered immediately, gripping the wall with one hand while her other was on her mouth, trying not to vomit everywhere.
"Is it really that bad?" he asked, but even before she answered, his eyes were scanning the area for any potential danger or anyone else watching them.
When the coast was clear, they slipped back through a side alley and passed through the skeletal remains of District 12. With the help of Stella guiding them out, they were able to make it back to some semblance of civilization.
Only then did Miu exhale.
"Let’s head back to our hotel," Aren checked the time on his phone. "We should discuss in person. To avoid any chances of being wiretapped."
"Agreed," Stella’s voice came from the other side of his earpiece before the line cut off immediately.
They managed to catch a cab and hop inside. The hotel wasn’t too far from District 12, mostly because of Aren’s request to stay near the abandoned district in case something happens.
The hotel wasn’t anything fancy, just a place for most travelers and tourists to rest their heads. The hallway outside their room was quiet and clean, the contrast almost felt suffocating after everything they’d just seen.
Aren reached the room number specified and unlocked the door without hesitation and stepped inside first.
Stella was already there. She sat at the small table by the window, tapping away at a tablet before she realized they had come into the room.
"You’re late. Thought something happened on the way back."
Aren moved to his bed and took off his jacket before sitting on the white sheets. A part of him just wanted to lay back and take a nice, long nap, but what he saw barely managed to push himself back up again.
Stella’s fingers stilled against the edge of her tablet. "Well, care to tell me what happened?"
Both Aren and Miu looked at each other, not really sure where to begin, before Aren was the one to speak up first.
"Stella...what do you know about Ghouls?"
"Pardon?"
"Ghouls, have you heard of them?"
Stella’s brows furrowed immediately, the word clearly unfamiliar.
"Ghouls?" she repeated, tilting her head slightly. "That’s not a term I’ve seen in any official reports..."
Aren sat more upright, leaning against the nearby wall. "Well, that’s what they seemed to call themselves anyway."
Stella paused for a second longer before she tapped away on her tablet. After a few seconds, she turned and faced it toward both Aren and Miu.
It was a file on something that’s been on Aren’s mind since he left—Ghoul Division.
"A special task force that recently formed as a branch under Mystic Law Enforcement."
Aren’s eyes narrowed just slightly. "...Tasked with?"
"Eliminating unidentified entities," Stella replied. "At least, that’s the official description."
"It’s been circulating through internal channels for a bit now. They receive heavy funding...but not much transparency in their work nor results."
"Seems like they want to do things under the table, no?" Aren said, scratching his chin in thought. "Why make a whole official branch just for something like this?"
Stella let out a quiet breath. "Well, apparently it was created by Director Khan, the new director of Misarck after the previous corrupted one stepped down."
Director Khan...seems like another lead. But how can I get close to someone like him...?
"Well, whatever it is," Aren said. "Whatever Ghoul Division is hunting...it exists."
Miu swallowed, adding on. "There’s a group in District 12...It seemed like they were hiding there and living together."
Stella’s posture straightened immediately.
"...How many?"
"At least a dozen," Aren replied. "Maybe more."
"And they’re not normal," Miu continued, her fingers tightening slightly against her sleeve. "They look like people, they talk like people but—"
"They feed," Aren finished her sentence.
"...On what?"
"...Ether," Aren said. "From living things. But they eat directly from the source via blood."
"That’s why I thought they might’ve been demonic cultivators at first," he added. "But no demonic cultivator would be so...barbaric and instinctual with their methods."
Stella narrowed her eyes at the info, seemingly taking notes on her tablet before she glanced up again. "Did they say anything about their numbers?"
"Sort of," Aren shook his head lightly. "We know that these so called ’Ghouls’ exist in other Districts as well, and apparently they seem much more violent than Shen is."
"Hmmm, this seems like a problem. I think I’ll put it in the internal database and—"
"No!" both Aren and Miu yelled in unison.
Stella flinched at the sound, her face filled with confusion. "What? Why? Seems pretty reasonable, though?"
The room went quiet for a while.
Damn...Aren why’d you stop her? No...they haven’t done anything just yet. At least Shen’s group that is...
But Miu surprised him by speaking up first.
"Even if they’re not human..." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "They didn’t seem like enemies..."
Stella didn’t respond immediately. Her gaze shifted from Miu...to Aren.
"...And you agree with that?" she asked.
For a moment, his eyes lowered to his hands on the bed, remembering the scene playing in fragments. At first, he thought Shen was some kind of maniac. But now? He’s not so sure...
"No," Aren said at last.
Miu’s head snapped toward him.
"But they’re not monsters either...at least, not yet..."
That was the problem.
Stella exhaled quietly, closing her tablet halfway but not fully shutting it. "...Then what’s your plan?"
Aren finally flipped himself on the bed, all his willpower exhausted as he didn’t even bother changing clothes.
"Stella...how can I see Director Khan?"
"...That’s not something you just ’do,’" Stella said, her brows knitting slightly. "He’s not some mid-level official you can just walk up to."
Guess we’ll just have to find another way. Aren thought as he stared into the white ceiling above, eyelids growing heavy.
"...Actually," Stella paused. "There might be a way."
Aren shifted slightly on the bed, turning his head toward her.
"What is it?"
"Tomorrow night," she said, "Director Khan is hosting a gathering. Officially, it’s to celebrate the completion of one of Misarck’s new initiatives."
"What kind of initiative?" Miu chimed in.
"Something about providing aid for the homeless," she said. "Housing, resources, reintegration programs...that kind of thing."
Seems awfully noble. This guy’s really sunshine and rainbows, huh?
"I’ll most likely be there," she continued. "Law enforcement personnel are expected to show up for appearances. Networking, formalities...you know how it is."
"I can bring guests."
Miu blinked, clearly caught off guard. "...Wait, seriously?"
Stella gave a small shrug. "It’s not uncommon. As long as you’re under someone’s invitation, no one really questions it."
Aren didn’t hesitate.
"Do it."
"...That fast?"
Aren pushed himself up slightly, resting his weight on one arm now.
"If he’s behind Ghoul Division," he said, "then this is the closest we’re going to get without forcing our way in."
And forcing their way in...wasn’t an option.
Stella stared at him for a moment longer before giving a small nod. "...Alright. I’ll handle the invitations."
She reached for her tablet again, fingers already moving across the screen.
"But if you’re going to be there," she added without looking up, "you’ll need to act like you belong."
"...That shouldn’t be too hard," Aren muttered. "I’ve done events like that before."
"No no...that’s not what I meant," Stella replied with a small grin on her face.
"I mean...you need to dress up."