Ghouls didn't lack for money. Their needs were minimal, no food beyond flesh, no lavish homes, so their wealth piled up. After killing, they'd take their victims' cash to maintain their daytime human facades. Aogiri Tree, a massive ghoul organization with high-ranking members, had no trouble amassing funds. With their kagune, robbing or stealing was child's play, netting them fortunes.
Those fortunes now flowed into Altair's pockets.
Seeing the payment hit his account, Altair nodded with satisfaction and signaled the three ghouls to collect their goods. They nodded back, one went to fetch their van to the alley's entrance, while the others hauled crates of weapons to load up. Altair didn't offer delivery; buyers had to handle transport themselves, even from the warehouse. For humans, moving heavy crates would be grueling, but ghouls, with their enhanced strength, carried them effortlessly to the van and sped off.
Amon stood by the alley, watching the van depart. He pulled out a phone and sent a message to the smaller ghoul factions Aogiri was targeting, tipping them off about the new weapons. Though he shadowed Altair daily, he still reported to the CCG each morning. There, he'd overheard colleagues noting a strange drop in ghoul attacks. Some investigators went days without a single incident.
Altair's absurd plan was working. Japan, overrun with ghouls, was changing for the better. Amon felt it was all worthwhile, for Japan.
He returned to the alley, closed the iron door, and resumed his role as gatekeeper, expression blank.
Meanwhile, across Tokyo, CCG investigator Amon patrolled with his partner. Stooped and carrying a white briefcase, he looked like a weary old man, but he was a senior investigator. His wife's gruesome death at the hands of the One-Eyed Owl had twisted his mind, fueling a vow to kill all ghouls, especially the Owl. Though not the strongest, his zeal made him relentless.
Tonight, despite it being past regular hours, he patrolled, driven by obsession. His partner, a junior, tagged along, Japan's overtime culture left no choice. When a senior stayed late, the junior had to follow.
Amon's mismatched eyes scanned the crowd, hunting for hidden ghouls. "The streets are busier at night lately, Amon-senpai." His partner observed. "Think it's tied to the ghouls?"
"Yes." Amon replied, still scanning. "It's likely because ghoul attacks have dropped recently."
As a veteran, he believed he knew ghouls best. "Those creeps in the shadows don't just stop eating. They need flesh to survive. If they're not attacking, it means one thing: they're plotting something big, biding their time, building strength." He chuckled darkly. "Those rats are getting clever. Interesting."
His partner nodded, impressed by the analysis. But Amon's voice carried, and passersby overheard, glaring coldly at him and his junior. The duo noticed but saw no kakugan or RC cell readings on their detectors, these were humans, not ghouls. Attacking civilians would bring trouble, so they ignored the stares and moved on.
A screeching brake shattered the moment. A white van swerved from a side street, nearly hitting pedestrians before crashing into a lamppost. Two black SUVs screeched to a halt behind it, and eight men leaped out, pistols drawn, firing at the van.
The van's occupants fought back fiercely. The driver returned fire with a handgun, one ghoul swept the attackers with an AK, and another climbed into the cargo hold. Moments later, he emerged with a grenade launcher and fired at the SUVs.
Boom! One SUV exploded, sending four men flying. They hit the ground, not dead but screaming, cursing their attackers, ranting about being "changed."
Pedestrians, initially curious, scattered at the first shots. Even Amon and his partner hit the deck.
"What's going on? Gang fight? That was a grenade launcher, like in the movies!" The junior whispered urgently.
"Probably." Amon muttered. "I've never seen one, but we need to get out of here. Gang wars aren't our job, we're after ghouls."
Despite his hatred for ghouls, Amon wanted no part of this firefight. These were armed thugs who'd kill without hesitation. He and his partner crawled back, then scrambled away, crouching low.
Unbeknownst to them, the ghouls they hunted were the ones battling with guns right in front of them.
***
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