There was always buzzing in the commercial district, the interesting place of the many cultures of the inner circle, a place known for its trading and its food, even those in the bigger districts took a trip or two to these busy streets, there are many to say that if the families ever conquered the inner district it will be because of the smell of the food of stands around here, that even they couldn't help but envy that, and yet is because this place belonged to no one that is charm was such.
Cao knew these streets by heart from the Russian butcher on the easter side, to the ramen stand by the left corner carried on by an old ex-yakuza from Onigashima, he had traded information with the lovely ladies from the Indian restaurant who always had every gossip around on mind and bought his first handgun from the Italian chef that trader black market weapons behind his small restaurant.
This was a place he ventured to often after all it was on the border of both the Triada n the Yakuza territory so it was the very core of the cold war between both families, therefore he considered this place the street where he learned to fight not his fist but with his mind, a nest of spies and also a place of respite from his true home at the heart of the trade.
He was here again after almost a decade still slowly seeing all the signs of change, the small Indian restaurant had already gone out of business, the Italian chef gunned down for getting too cocky with his second-night job and yet new stores, restaurants, and people have already crawled back to fill those empty spots. It was a new town and he was more than eager to learn all about it.
"Mind if I accompany you for dinner Mr.Cao." Cao looked to his side, he was currently dining at a rame stand when Mr. Vic Ocassio the director himself from the newspaper office approached him casually already putting his hat on the bench and sitting at his side, he then spoke to the owner in perfect Japanese.
"So you know Japanese as well."Cao looked to the side giving space without taking his eyes off his plate.
"Yes, as well as Russian and Italian, my Mandarin is still a work in progress, unfortunately, it is just one of the many expectations for my line of work."
"I feel quite honored I knew you had our newest target, but I never expected the director himself to come to deliver, speak as you please, the owner here doesn't know much English."
"A pleasure, truth be told I want to chat with you a little as well, of all the hunters you are the most interesting to me, how does it feel to come back after your many years in exile Mr.Cao?"
"I'm not truly back, I can't even risk going back for a Chinese dish, this place is no home of mine nor I'm welcome here anymore, but never mind that you have the information I requested."
"Sure thing, this was an easy one, I think this is a perfect target for your little group her name is Fong Heng, and she runs a small odd jobs agency here in the very commercial district. She is a civilian with a demon of her own." Vic slipped a photograph to the side and Cao held it he looked at the woman in the picture, a young Chinese woman, she had a very manly air to her wearing her black hair in a long ponytail under a worker cap, she was dressed in a plain shirt with black overalls, not unlike what you would see with construction workers. Still, he could tell by her build that she was in shape, he slowly made the photo disappear on his suit barely acknowledging it.
"A civilian doesn't just merely stumble on a demon, what is the devil's name."
"Diao SI Gui, the hanged devil, people are sometimes chosen by it when on the brink of suicide, is a tiny fry other than the physical boost of a devil, is not know it has any special abilities. I don't know what led her to get that devil, but she was recruited as a bodyguard for a triada before she retired to the inner district, she is quite good at martial arts but is not particularly heavily armed nor does she have any weaponry. A plain old civilian is what she is now."
"Hmm, anyone else on that odd jobs agency?"
"Just two people, her girlfriend Lara Song an orphan born and raised in the inner circle, and Lee Shuchang who worked as a merc on Triada territory, he is well trained as she is but he is but a regular human, they are well respected on town, but don't have any ties to triada any more, they have gone completely clean."
"An easy target indeed, if everything is really as you paint it Mr.Vic." He side-eyed Cao as he slipped two more photos to him.
"My that sound like an accusation."
"Both our small job against a mailman and our hunting of a mercenary got us dangerously close to being on the mark for the families, we even have an important VIP back at home, and don't pretend you knew nothing of it."
"Mr.Louise doesn't always share, but believe me Im sure he has a plan that will benefit of us both."
"Please remember that our hunters don't have any trust in that illusive man, we will only cooperate as long there is mutual benefit to us both so we do understand, but these half-truths are becoming a nuisance."
"Oh, Mr.Cao you will understand in due time, trust me before this year has ended Mr.Louise will make this district its safe haven, and you hunters will reap the rewards as well but never mind that the reason I came here is a simple one. Mr. Cao, you do understand how risky it is for you to come to this city at all, among the hunters your face is the only one famous in the town."
"Appreciate the concern but aside from Aurora I'm the best at moving on these streets so I have no intention of hiding away any longer, I will take care of the target without making a fuss and be on way back to the outskirts, so if you are here concerned I will ruin our cover then, don't Mr.Ocassio." Cao stood up passed the money to the counter and bid farewell/
"No Mr.Cao my real concern is that you are not here for the same reason as your comrades, tell me is the Triada truly no longer your family, if you hold any regrets from your old life then, Im afraid you are a danger Mr.Louise cannot ignore." Vic Occasion put on his fedora again and paid the cook his due, he finished speaking without standing up.
"If Mr.Louise truly knows all, I'll let him figure that out himself, farewell director I have much preparations to take care of." Slowly Cao disappeared into the night and the director walked in opposite directions, they never saw each other eye to eye, but they certainly measured each other's worth in that moment alone, and so two strangers walked away.