Chapter 5: The Security Bureau

The night was cool, and towering skyscrapers densely filled the central district of Sekawa City. These magnificent buildings generally soared over four hundred meters high. In Wakaba’s previous life, only a few landmarks reached such heights, but here, such altitude was commonplace. These skyscrapers stood like colossal walls upon the earth, with vehicles below appearing as tiny as ants.

At night, the countless grid-patterned windows on these buildings glowed brightly, casting a faint illumination that softened the darkness of the night. To the south stood an older, yet still imposing skyscraper, topped with a helicopter landing pad. In this prime, priceless city center, it even housed a complete range of facilities: a cafeteria, hospital, parking lot, sports center, and more.

This was the Sekawa City Security Bureau.

At that moment, outside the bureau’s main building on the first-floor plaza, numerous reporters from across the city gathered, swarming the area as they awaited the upcoming press conference.

Inside, however, the atmosphere was starkly different. In the spacious, luxurious office of the bureau chief atop the building, an elegant serenity prevailed. A tall, graceful woman sat in the chief’s leather chair, her gaze drifting through the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking down upon the crowds below, minuscule as sesame seeds.

She wore a white blouse paired with a form-fitting skirt that outlined her supple, alluring figure. Her delicate oval face ended in a slightly pointed chin, exuding a hint of strength. Her lips were tinted a soft red, and her brows held a confident sharpness.

She was Shie Miyagawa, the newly appointed director of the Sekawa City Security Bureau.

A few meters to her side, a 3D projection of an elderly woman glared angrily at her. “Director Miyagawa, the Miyagi Momoka Academy clearly informed you that our students are at the harbor. Why did you still order a direct bombing of the harbor?”

The woman was Yoko Toki, the principal of Miyagi Momoka Academy, appearing in her sixties. Her face was creased with frowns, yet her figure remained slender, and her facial contours hinted that she must have been a great beauty in her youth.

If it were just any other students, it might have been tolerable. But among the hostages was Wakaba. If Wakaba died, it would be an unbearable loss for their academy.

“Principal Toki, I am the officially appointed director of the Sekawa City Security Bureau by the central government. I am responsible for the safety of all Sekawa City,” Miyagawa replied calmly to the accusations.

“Then you ordered the killing of hostages along with the criminals?” Principal Toki retorted coldly.

“Principal Toki,” Miyagawa’s tone sharpened slightly as she corrected, “the hostages were killed by the criminals, not by my orders.”

“You didn’t order the attack, yet how could the criminals massacre the hostages?” Toki pressed on.

“That was a necessary sacrifice,” Miyagawa stated resolutely, glancing at her with composed confidence. “In this world, you must give up some to gain others. To eliminate that criminal gang, our bureau does not hesitate to stain its hands with blood.”

Toki paused, her voice softening somewhat. “You clearly have a more prudent approach.”

“Our bureau’s approach is the most prudent one,” Miyagawa answered decisively.

“You…” Toki was momentarily at a loss for words, then gave her a long, meaningful look. “Director Miyagawa, no matter what, I hope you won’t forget you also came from Miyagi Momoka Academy.”

“Hmph!” Miyagawa scoffed coldly, her eyes flashing with a hint of frost. “So what? Our bureau has never denied its origins.”

She rose and walked to the window, overlooking the city’s nightscape. “The world has always been unfair to women. Despite such injustice, I have risen to this position through my own abilities. Principal, do you think I should feel ashamed just because I once studied at Miyagi Momoka Academy?”

Toki was momentarily stunned by her words.

Knock, knock, knock—

Suddenly, a knock came at the office door.

“I still have official business to attend to. Principal Toki, please feel free,” Miyagawa waved her hand, and the office’s AI system ended the communication with the principal.

Yoko Toki’s 3D projection vanished into thin air.

“Come in,” Miyagawa said as she sat back down calmly.

The door creaked open, and a middle-aged man with a square face wearing glasses entered cautiously, holding a tablet. He kept his head down, avoiding Miyagawa’s gaze.

“Director, here is the draft for the press release in one hour,” he said, gently placing the tablet on her desk and sliding it within reach.

Miyagawa glanced over the text, noting the words “sole survivor” prominently displayed. She immediately recalled Principal Toki’s words about her having once attended Miyagi Momoka Academy, and a wave of irritation surged within her.

With a sharp snap, she threw the tablet onto the desk. “Take this back and rewrite it,” she ordered.

“But, Director, I don’t see what’s wrong with this draft,” the man replied cautiously. “And there’s only an hour before the press conference. Revising it now might be tight on time…”

“I said, take it back and rewrite it!” Miyagawa’s tone was sharp, brimming with displeasure. “Do I have to say it twice?”

“I…” The man thought of the property taxes, transportation fees, and countless other levies he paid annually. He nervously wriggled his lips before lowering his head. “Understood, Director,” he said softly and exited with the tablet.

Watching his hunched back leave, Miyagawa sneered disdainfully. “A supposed graduate of a prestigious school, yet can’t even handle such a simple task. Useless.”

Outside the office, the staff caught a glimpse of the scene out of the corner of their eyes. They fell silent, even the clatter of keyboards growing faint.

This director had been parachuted in just two months ago, immensely assertive, and had already dismissed several veteran employees.

They had tried to learn about her background. After all, these days, no ordinary person could be parachuted into such a position.

But they found nothing.

Rumors whispered that the new director was the lover of some influential figure.

Of course, it was just a rumor—no proof.

…

The next day.

A drizzle fell steadily.

The clouds, like soiled rags, stretched endlessly across the sky.

The towering skyscrapers of Central City were shrouded in a hazy mist at their summits, ethereal and fleeting, as though they might vanish at any moment.

In a densely vegetated forested mountain area, rich with rare flora and fauna, atop a terraced peak with a broad, flat expanse roughly the size of a hundred football fields, stood Miyagi Momoka Academy.