Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 320: Ghost of Black Swan Bay (5)

Dragon Raja 3

“I don’t believe there’s anyone in this world who can’t be killed, and I don’t believe Osho is some ghost. He must be an extremely rare Hybrid with an extraordinary regenerative ability, close to resurrection. I’m not sure how strong he is in combat, but to assassinate a powerful Hybrid, I need killers of equal caliber. My subordinates are efficient, but they aren’t at that level. You two are different—you’re elite agents from Cassell College’s undergraduate division, with experience killing Dragon Kings. In Japan right now, you’re my only option,” Ruri said slowly. “We might only get one chance. The Yamata no Orochi clan has destroyed the Oni Clan’s network. In this situation, Osho is acting in the shadows and is heavily guarded, making him hard even for me to find. I’ll have to set a trap to kill him. I’m not concerned about his resurrection ability. I’ll stand watch over his body. If he revives, I’ll kill him again and again, until he’s nothing more than a pile of cells that can’t reassemble.”

“That doesn’t sound like something a sentimental kabuki actor would say,” Caesar remarked.

“If I kill him, I’ll be free. For freedom, I’d dare kill a god, let alone the ghosts of Black Swan Bay.” Ruri stood up proudly, the pupils beneath his long eyebrows blazing with a fiery light. “I’m different from my brother. I don’t know if justice exists in this world, but I want freedom. I want to dance freely upon this earth. I was born for that, and I am willing to die for it!”

It was still the same gentle face, but in that moment, Ruri was as unyielding as steel. A majestic, unstoppable aura erupted from his body, even surpassing that of his brother, who controlled the entire yakuza of Japan.

“I haven’t decided yet whether to cooperate with you, but I have to say, it’s hard not to applaud,” Caesar said, half in admiration, half in jest.

“Then I’ll take my leave. I hope that when we meet again, we can shake hands. I also hope to meet Sakura—those lion-like eyes are truly intriguing.” Ruri bowed deeply. “Goodbye!”

“In such a hurry to leave?” Caesar was surprised. “I still have a lot of questions I haven’t asked.”

“You’ll have to save your questions for next time. It won’t be long before the Execution Bureau of the Yamata no Orochi clan surrounds the Kabuki Theater. My esteemed brother will personally join the team to capture us. If we stay here any longer, we’ll be having our conversation inside a private prison set up by the Yamata no Orochi clan,” Ruri said quickly, clearly in a hurry.

“The Oni Clan’s intelligence work is this poor? As the second-in-command, your hideout was found so easily?” Caesar was shocked.

The relationship between the college and the Yamata no Orochi clan, and between them and Chisei, was always a mix of opposition and delicate cooperation. If Chisei were to discover them secretly meeting with the second-in-command of the Oni Clan, it wouldn’t be something easy to explain away. Moreover, the relationship between Chisei and Chime likely wasn’t that harmonious. Chisei had never mentioned having a brother, and although Chime had never spoken ill of him, it was clear from his words that Chisei regarded him as a dangerous ghost. That’s why he sought cooperation with Caesar and Chu Zihang, rather than with Chisei.

“When there are reporters around, any secrecy is out of the question,” Ruri smiled.

“Reporters? Where did the reporters come from?” Caesar was stunned.

“A rookie actor, praised by critics and seniors alike, performing his newly choreographed mythological play at the Kabuki Theater—this is a major event in the kabuki world. How could there not be reporters? The cultural journalists in attendance include those from Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, Bungei Shunju, and CNN. By tomorrow morning, my photo will be on the front page of the culture sections of major newspapers, and CNN’s website will have the story up tonight.” Ruri pulled out a prepared iPad, refreshed CNN’s website, and handed it to Caesar. “Not only does it have my photo, but it also features photos of some VIP guests watching intently.”

Sure enough, CNN had placed the news about the new mythological play, Reimagined Kojiki, on the top of its front page. The headline read, “The Flower of Kabuki,” and the first picture was of Ruri in women’s attire. The second image was of Caesar and Chu Zihang in the VIP box, dressed in traditional Japanese clothing and holding white paper fans, appearing as if they were foreign kabuki enthusiasts. The caption even said as much. However, Whale in the same box was not captured in the photo. Caesar’s head buzzed. No matter how much Ruri’s appearance changed, Chisei would certainly recognize his own brother. The implicit message of this news was that Cassell College’s envoys to Japan were secretly colluding with a high-ranking member of the Oni Clan at the Kabuki Theater. Now, there was no way they could talk their way out of this.

“The CNN reporter was arranged by you, wasn’t it?” Caesar glared at Ruri.

“No, actually. But photography is prohibited during performances, and only authorized photographers of the Kabuki Theater can take pictures. They then provide the photos to the media.” Ruri smiled. “I happen to know that photographer quite well.”

“The difference in character between brothers couldn’t be greater! Compared to you, your brother seems like an innocent little angel!” Caesar wanted to shout but felt helpless.

“I had to ensure our cooperation somehow, didn’t I? Otherwise, how would you have the courage to join me on this pirate ship?” Ruri laughed and tossed a car key to Caesar. “I’ve left you a dark green Range Rover in the underground garage. If I were you, I’d hurry down there. By now, my brother’s car is probably halfway here. The Yamata no Orochi clan has people monitoring all the major news sites, and their noses are sharper than any dog’s.”

As he finished speaking, the screech of tires echoed from outside. It sounded like a supercar coming to a sudden stop in front of the Kabuki Theater—a modified Ferrari 599GTB. At the same time, the sound of a helicopter could be heard from above, someone descending onto the theater’s roof.

Japan’s yakuza, the most efficient in the world, had already formed a perimeter, both in the air and on the ground, just minutes after CNN broke the news. Caesar didn’t hesitate—he grabbed the Range Rover’s keys and sprinted outside. Chu Zihang picked up the files and folder from the tatami mat and followed him. They had to make it to the underground garage before Chisei stormed down the hallway; otherwise, given the layout of the building, they would be trapped like fish in a barrel. Ruri stood in the center of the room, watching them leave with a silent smile.

Just moments earlier, the hallway had been filled with guards in black suits, but now it was completely empty. The Oni Clan’s men had disappeared without Caesar even noticing, like mercury silently seeping into the cracks of the earth. Everything related to the Oni Clan had vanished from the Kabuki Theater, including the stage decorations, props, and the cast celebrating the successful performance in the dressing room. Only an empty theater remained, as if tonight’s emotionally charged performance had been nothing more than an illusion.

“LSD! Damn it! That was the effect of LSD!” Caesar cursed as he ran.

Chu Zihang immediately understood. The performance had been so moving because the air had been laced with a small dose of hallucinogens. After inhaling a trace of LSD and hearing Ruri’s emotional singing, people’s emotions would have been easily stirred. As Hybrids, both he and Caesar had much stronger drug resistance than ordinary people. This entire performance had been under the control of the Oni Clan, with the rest of the audience merely serving as props. Ruri’s performance had been solely for them.

As they reached the stairs to the underground garage, Caesar heard the sound of a blade slicing through a wooden door upstairs. That sharp cut had to come from someone well-versed in traditional swordsmanship—it was clear that the head of the Yamata no Orochi clan had arrived in person.