Fantasy Assassin in a modern world

Chapter 73 - Asking For Help

It took Matsuri's 'friends' a few hours to gain the information they needed to start an investigation on the Yui Clan. Unlike Harold's information, the group Matsuri hired wasn't able to go as deep, but they didn't need too much information as they only needed enough evidence to start an investigation on the Yui Clan. 

Once she gained the evidence that the Yui Clan had a hand in passing around contraband in the city, she and John headed to the Regional Base of the Elite Dragon Brigade. 

...

The base was located in an open area away from the city. Upon arriving at the base, a soldier approached Matsuri's car. 

"Ma'am this is a restricted area." 

"I'm here to meet with your Captain. Tell him Detective Watanabe is here to see him." Matsuri showed her badge and ID to the soldier. When the soldier saw her name he quickly saluted her and took out his radio and made a report, after a short while he went back to Matsuri. 

"I'm sorry for the delay Detective, the Captain is waiting for you in the main office." The soldier opened the gates and allowed Matsuri to enter. 

...

Inside the main office of the base Captain Tang Ao, Detective Matsuri, and John were sitting facing each other. Tang Ao was reading at the documents Matsuri handed to him. 

"Where did you get this information?"

"I can't divulge anything about my sources. All I can say is that all the information in there is 100% true." 

"Hmph, still doing your own thing and taking justice in your hands." 

"Well, if I don't do things this way then nothing is ever going to get done." 

"Heh, if everyone does it your way then it's no longer justice that will rule but chaos." 

"Enough about that, I didn't come here to have a debate in regards to my way of doing things." 

"Of course, you came here to ask for a favor, and I'm sure it has something to do with the person you came with. If I remember correctly you're the husband of  Yui Hanaka, the genius martial artist of the Yui Clan." 

John was about to respond but Matsuri cut him off and spoke first. 

"Seeing as you already know who he is, this will be easy to explain." Matsuri gestured to John to explain the situation to the Captain. After listening to the whole story the captain sighed. The mighty Captain stood up from his seat faced John then bowed his head, causing both John and Matsuri to look at him in surprise. 

"I apologize it seems that my unit has failed you in your time of need." 

"... It's alright, as long as you can help me now. Please help me save my daughter."

Tang Ao didn't raise his head and responded with a solemn tone. 

"Unfortunately, we cannot apprehend the members of the Yui Clan." 

"Huh?" John looked at Tang Ao in confusion, on the other hand, Matsuri had stood up from her seat and grabbed Tang Ao's collar. 

"What the f*ck do you mean you can't do it?! I already handed you enough evidence to at least take some of them for questioning! So what the f*ck are you saying that you can't apprehend them?!" 

Tang Ao lifted his head and looked directly at Matsuri's eyes as he responded with the same solemn tone as before, but with a tinge of anger within. 

"Did you really think that we of the Elite Dragon Brigade don't know about the dealings of the Yui Clan when some random nobodies like your 'friends' could get the information? Of course, we knew about it, we knew about it for a long time now." 

Matsuri already had a hunch, but hearing it from Tang Ao's mouth still hit differently. It took a while for her to calm her mind before she continued to speak. 

"... Then why, why haven't you done anything? Since you already knew about John before we came here, that must mean you must have had some clue about what happened to him." 

"I knew about his wife, but what happened to his daughter is new information. I'm truly sorry about that."

"Don't just be sorry, you sh*t! Do something about it!" 

"I cannot, the Brigade cannot do anything about the Yui Clan at this time." 

"Why the f*ck not!" 

Tang Ao looked at Matsuri then at the disheartened John. Seeing them Tang Ao made a decision and sighed. 

"Fine, I will tell you why we can't do anything to them. The Yui Clan is just a minor clan that we could annihilate whenever we want, but even after all they've done we did nothing to them. The reason for that is because they're the bait. They're connected to one of the most powerful Clans in the country, a clan which I cannot name. We've been trying to find a reason to bring down that Clan filled with... I guess you call them 'terrorists'... Unfortunately, we can never find enough evidence to make a move on them. Their secrets were tightly guarded and they had no weaknesses, that was until they started dealing with the weaker clans, and even the gangs. Now they finally showed a weakness we can exploit. I'm sorry about your daughter, but this is too important for us to mess up right now for a single girl... This is a sacrifice that we need to make for the greater good of the country." 

"Huh, a single girl, a sacrifice?" Matsuri suddenly punched Tang Ao's face. As a powerful martial artist, Tang Ao wasn't truly affected by Matsuri's punch in fact Matsuri was the one who was hurting. Still, he showed a somewhat pained expression as he said nothing nor reacted and continued to look at Matsuri.

"This is a life of an innocent little girl, we're talking about! What sacrifice! If the country can't even save itself without sacrificing a little girl, then this country isn't worth sh*t! Come on John, let's get out of here, we don't need this b*stard's help." 

As Matsuri was about to take the dazed John away, Tang Ao stopped her. He then mumbled something for Matsuri and John to hear. Hearing what he said Matsuri and John looked at him rather shocked. 

"That's all I can do for you, I'm truly sorry... I hope that you can save her." 

"... I guess you aren't a complete b*stard after all," Matsuri responded her lips curved slightly upward. John approached Tang Ao was already tearing up as he grabbed the latter's hands.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." 

"There's no need to thank me, this is something I should've done in the first place. You can bring two of my men with you. They can only give you a few minutes to do what you have to do." 

"That will do...  I owe you one."

Tang Ao shook his head as he responded. 

"Just help this man and we'll be even."