Chapter 257: Tit for Tat
The manager furrowed his brow, looking frustrated as he said, "Lady Alice, you're absolutely right. It's quite obvious that someone deliberately came here to cause trouble. Moreover, these people probably already know our secrets, which is why they brought this jamming device. They are intentionally provoking us, confident that we won't be able to catch them."
Alice nodded in agreement and affirmed, "Exactly. Even if we try to access the surveillance footage, we won't be able to identify these individuals. They came prepared, and they won't leave any loopholes for us to exploit. Unless we investigate every person who entered the bar today, and I believe these troublemakers fall into one of two categories. They are either tech enthusiasts or troublemaking gang members who found out we're using listening devices. They want to extort money from us for some reason, but they are aware that Flame Bar isn't an easy target. That's why they've orchestrated this spectacle. If that's the case, they might come back in a few days to demand more. In that case, you should be prepared to pay them off to avoid further trouble. However, if they push their luck, you can arrange for the hunters to deal with them."
The manager nodded in understanding.
Alice paused for a moment, sighed, and continued, "I hope these individuals fall into the first category, but that possibility is slim. Flame Bar has been open for years without any incidents. After all, the Police Chief is on our side, and the underground organizations in Kyoto give us some respect. They wouldn't dare cause trouble for us. Tech enthusiasts are unlikely to visit our bar, and our listening devices are well-hidden. Ordinary people wouldn't think to check the fruit platter for listening devices."
"So, I'm almost certain that these troublemakers belong to the second category they are our rivals within the Deep Sea Gospel Society, and they likely have a grudge against us. Rivalries are common among peers, and Kyoto is a limited pie. We control a significant share of resources, which may have attracted their jealousy. They also know we use listening devices. However, judging from their use of this jamming device, they might still be open to negotiations, seeking benefits from us."
The manager pondered for a moment and asked, "Lady Alice, are you suggesting that we should find an opportunity to eliminate them?"
Slap!
Alice slapped the manager's head, frustration in her voice. "Are you daft? Do you really think Deep Sea Gospel Society can act recklessly in Kyoto? Tell me, how many secret cults are there in Kyoto?"
The manager lowered his head and cautiously replied, "If I'm not mistaken, besides us, there should be thirteen other secret cults in Kyoto, and those are just the ones in plain sight. We don't even know how many exist in secret."
Alice nodded and continued seriously, "That's correct. Currently, there are a total of fourteen secret cults in Kyoto that operate openly. Among them, five are comparable in strength to Deep Sea Gospel Society. Let's not discuss them for now. Let's talk about the three secret cults stronger than us Dawn's Call, Deadpools Society, and Eternal Truth Society. Now, tell me, how do we compare to these three secret cults?"
The manager shook his head in silence and replied, "I have to admit that we can't compete with those three secret cults."
Alice sighed in resignation and said, "It seems you're not entirely foolish. You understand our position in Kyoto. Right now, we're beneath the top-tier and above the bottom. If it were Eternal Truth Society causing trouble, how would you retaliate?"
The manager nodded and raised a question, "I don't think top-tier secret cults like Eternal Truth Society would resort to such underhanded methods. They can openly overpower us, so it doesn't make sense."
Alice chuckled and shook her head. "You can't be too sure. According to Chinese martial arts novels, top-tier sects have to find a suitable excuse to act against lower-tier ones. They can't simply crush us openly because it would cause them significant losses and a bad reputation. So, it's still possible that Eternal Truth Society might be involved."
"So, the plan remains the same. We'll observe the situation, determine who's causing trouble, and if they contact you with reasonable conditions, accept them without consulting me. If they make unreasonable demands, we'll take appropriate action when necessary. We won't back down easily."
The manager nodded with a furrowed brow, realizing that he had become the scapegoat. He knew that if anything went wrong, Alice would likely blame him.
"By the way, do we have any news from the Shadow Clan?" Alice suddenly asked.
A nondescript man among the bar staff and Deep Sea Gospel Society followers spoke up, saying, "There isn't much news from the Shadow Clan at the moment. We do know that they've decided to send people to establish a presence in the Kyoto area. They've also sent a representative to Kyoto with the intention of negotiating cooperation with the Eternal Truth Society since they both share the same god."
Alice nodded and sighed again, picking up a glass of red wine and taking a sip. "It seems like the Shadow Clan is aiming for a significant expansion. If I remember correctly, Shadow Clan used to be just an ordinary underground organization. I wonder how they transformed into a secret cult. I've heard their god is quite formidable, and they've provided the Shadow Clan's leader with many divine artifacts, enabling them to swiftly eliminate several medium-sized secret cults in Tokyo, forcing even the well-known secret cults to sign peace treaties with Shadow Clan. That's why Shadow Clan has started expanding to neighboring regions, with the ultimate goal of spreading throughout the entire Island Nation."
The manager, who had regained his composure, asked with curiosity, "Lady Alice, is Shadow Clan really that strong? I've heard that their organizational structure is unusual, with only the higher-ups being believers, while the lower members are just regular gang members."
Alice took another sip of her wine, smiling, and replied, "You don't understand. That's precisely what makes Shadow Clan so clever. There's a saying in China, 'Quality over quantity.' Let's take everyone here as an example. We are all followers of the Deep Sea Gospel Society, but besides me, do you think there's much difference between you and ordinary people?"
An awkward silence fell over the room as everyone exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond.
Seeing their reactions, Alice shook her head with a smile and continued, "I hope you've all realized that as ordinary followers of the Deep Sea Gospel Society, you're not that different from regular people. You simply have a unique belief. While I may possess certain abilities, I probably couldn't defeat an unarmed strong man in a direct confrontation, let alone those gang members skilled in combat. That's why Shadow Clan could dispatch their gang members to deal with those secret cults in a day. It aligns with an old Chinese saying: 'A scholar may meet a soldier, but reason won't prevail.'"
"Furthermore, the advantage of having only high-ranking members as believers in Shadow Clan is that they can operate openly as a society. They don't need to worry about maintaining a low profile like us, avoiding interactions with outsiders. Shadow Clan can almost do as they please with the cover of a society, without the need for covert operations."
Alice's analysis left everyone in the room enlightened.
"Now, I'll head back. You should tidy up and leave as well. Remember to remove all the listening devices first. Observing doesn't mean sitting idly by. Also, consider closing the bar for a day tomorrow. Post a notice saying Flame Bar will be closed for a day due to special circumstances. I believe those troublemakers will understand what that means." Alice spoke as she picked up her bag and headed towards the door.
Little did Alice know that every word she had just spoken had been eavesdropped on by Miguel.
Tit for tat.
Liu Xing was aware that Flame Bar had discovered their interference with the listening devices. Before leaving, Liu Xing had instructed Miguel to install additional listening devices in various locations within Flame Bar, including the area where Alice had just been. He wanted to eavesdrop on how Alice planned to resolve this issue.
As a result, Miguel compiled the recorded audio information and sent it to Liu Xing's phone.
At that moment, Liu Xing, still gazing at the stars at a 45-degree angle, was lost in thought, contemplating life.
Liu Xing had set a special notification ringtone for Miguel's number, so upon receiving a message from Miguel, he immediately opened his phone and listened to the audio file.
After listening to the recording, Liu Xing fell into contemplation. He hadn't expected the Shadow Clan to transform from a regular gang into a cult, and it appeared to be a recent development.
On a side note, the current leader of Shadow Clan, Miyake Ten, was none other than the antagonist boss, Mikageichi's father, from the Dark Lifemodule.
This led Liu Xing to a daring hypothesis.
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