Chapter 292 Investigate-First Half
Daniel was left in shock, his eyes widened, and his mouth hung open, wide enough to fit a goose egg. He remained in this state until the morning news session ended, and the channel switched to a lighter and more entertaining show.
Slowly regaining his wits, his face still reflecting disbelief, Daniel's first action was to dress and head to the communication center. Here, he had set up a communication routine with his 'supposed teacher,' Atlanteus, who had gone to Japan with Koyuki.
Back then, he had instructed the people involved in overseeing this, as he didn't entirely trust Matsudaira and his associates. To ensure control, he had established a dedicated group within the communication center. However, deeming this issue manageable, he refrained from using the individuals he had actualized from the card, opting for members from the Veneziale Gang who had already passed loyalty checks.
Never did he imagine that an incident of this magnitude could occur under their watch. Uncertain of what transpired, he needed to get to the bottom of it.
"Have you already investigated how this occurred without us noticing? I remember that the periodic calls from my teacher were scheduled weekly, so I didn't bother following them. But why did this happen without us noticing? There's no way the teacher wouldn't inform us or betray us," Daniel questioned Penthesilea, who remained unfazed, having prepared for such an inquiry.
"I have already started investigating this. The moment this news broke two days ago, I believe Odysseus should have some answers..." Penthesilea intended to continue but was interrupted by her ringing phone. Retrieving it, she checked the caller.
"Oh, it's Odysseus. My lord, may I?" Penthesilea sought permission to take the call.
Daniel nodded, commanding, "Open the speaker too. I want to know if he has an update."
Penthesilea complied, opening the speaker for Daniel to listen in.
"Oh, Penthesilea, I've already got to the bottom of this mess. Do you want the short version or the long version?" Odysseus asked from the other side of the phone.
Sensing her lord's impatience and eagerness for results, Penthesilea responded, "A short version, please."
"A short version? Okay... The Veneziale men fucked up. They're too sloppy for critical jobs, even with the easy ones. We shouldn't let them handle such tasks in the future. At most, they should serve as common soldiers in the Spartan program phase 2," Odysseus conveyed the brief version, irritation evident in his voice along with his opinions reflecting his frustration upon discovering the source of the problem.
"The Veneziale Gang is the first ally I had after becoming a mage, and a critical asset for us to control the underworld within Sector Alpha City. I wouldn't want to be too harsh on them if it's not necessary. Give me the long version," Daniel asserted, his voice entering the phone, prompting Odysseus to fall silent momentarily before responding with a solemn tone.
"Yes, my lord, here is the detailed version," Odysseus affirmed, commencing the elaborate account for Daniel.
Evidently, the operations of that division proceeded smoothly until it was deprioritized at some point due to the monotony and stability of the situation, rendering it the most relaxed division to work in. However, a change occurred two weeks ago.
It's crucial to note that Daniel had implemented some fail-safes to verify the authenticity of the message, including a question about Atlantean artifice to ensure that the responder was indeed Atlanteus.
Given Japan's lack of connection to the grid, such as the internet or phone, Atlanteus had devised an artifact for periodic contact with Daniel. Consequently, they could only hear each other's voices, not see each other as in a video call.
Two weeks prior, the call proceeded as scheduled, but Atlanteus mentioned a heavy hangover from the previous night. He skipped the question and reported in, expressing his desire for this information not to reach Daniel, as he didn't want his image as a respected teacher to be tarnished.
The Veneziale gang, recognizing Atlanteus as Daniel's teacher and a person of respect, considered this a first offense against protocol. They reached a compromise, agreeing not to report the incident to Penthesilea.
In the following week, the scheduled contact occurred, but this time, Atlanteus employed a new tactic. He suggested that he owed the Veneziale Gang a favor if they refrained from asking questions, citing urgency due to some business he needed to address.
Upon learning that Daniel's teacher owed them a favor and sensing Atlanteus's urgency, the Veneziale gang once again reached a compromise.
Then came the scheduled contact for this week, but it was delayed. Instead, they received the news that Koyuki was going to marry the new Shogun in Japan.
At present, Odysseus had already rounded up those involved, preparing to present these wrongdoers to his lord for judgment.
"Is Don Veneziale there?" Daniel inquired, sensing that Odysseus should be on the other side of the phone along with Don Veneziale.
"Yes, he's here, m'lord," replied Odysseus.
"I want to speak with him," Daniel commanded, and Odysseus promptly passed his phone to Don Veneziale.
"Yes, Mr. Magitek," Don Veneziale replied. On the other side of the line, his voice carried a hint of nervousness, and he was trembling slightly.
Daniel sensed the tension and decided not to offer them any words of reassurance; he was too angry for that. Choosing to speak in a solemn tone, he conveyed his displeasure.
"Don... I won't give you any fancy words, so... listen carefully. Tone down your and your men's greed. Or you will not be my representative in the underworld anymore... Are we clear?" asked Daniel.
"Ye... Yes, Mr. Magitek," Don Veneziale quickly responded.
"Since this is the first time, I'll be lenient. Those that violate the protocol, I'll assign them to latrine duty for 2 years. As for you, I'll reduce the cut from 60/40 to 80/20 for 6 months. Consider these 6 months a probation period for you and your men. Don't disappoint me again," Daniel stated in a cold tone before nodding at Penthesilea to hang up the phone.
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