Hearing Shouzo's question about the list of SAO players, Sugou's expression wavered for a moment. But when he heard that the reason for the request was simply that the online regulatory department wanted to verify the number of surviving players, he let out a huge sigh of relief.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Yuuki, but since the research wasn't going anywhere, all those materials, including the list, were deleted and discarded. It's been so long, I don't think it would be easy to find that list now. On the other hand, ALO's operations are completely normal. The number of players logging in every day is increasing, and it's bringing in more and more revenue for our company."
As he spoke, Sugou was secretly observing Shouzo's expression. When he saw that Shouzo seemed more interested in ALO's success and didn't press the matter of the SAO list, Sugou relaxed, believing it was just a casual mention.
"I see. Thank you for your hard work. ALO is our company's most profitable game right now. As the main person in charge, I hope you'll continue to give it your all."
"Please don't worry, Mr. Yuuki. I want to see ALO succeed more than anyone, and I'll do my best."
"Alright. Thank you for your hard work. You can go back now, but give me a detailed report later."
The moment Sugou left the office, the relieved smile on Shouzo's face instantly turned grim. He had just performed a simple test and had already noticed many unnatural things about Sugou. Even though Sugou had hidden it well, that brief flicker of panic when he mentioned the list was enough for Shouzo. He had been in the business world for years; he had simply been too trusting of Sugou to notice the details before. But with Seiya's warning, he had seen how skilled Sugou was at deception. While this wasn't solid evidence, knowing that Sugou had something to hide was enough for Shouzo.
Meanwhile, Sugou, who had just left the office, was equally conflicted. Being a cautious person, he realized his momentary panic. Although he had quickly masked it, he couldn't be sure that Shouzo hadn't noticed. Also, why would Shouzo suddenly ask about the SAO player list today? Was it really just because of the regulatory department? It was logical for them to check on the situation after the players were freed, but Sugou still felt something was off.
"This won't do. I can't stay at RECT anymore. Whether I'm just being paranoid or Shouzo is a cunning old fox who suspects me, I need to destroy all my brain experiment data and find a new place. With my talent, I'm sure big companies will want me. Once I have control of Asuna, it won't be too late to come back for this old man."
Sugou was unsure, but his caution told him to run. He was confident that even if Shouzo suspected him, it was only a suspicion. With the trust Shouzo had for him, he had plenty of time. If he destroyed most of the evidence, Shouzo would be powerless against him. And once he had Asuna, Shouzo would have to cover for him.
However, Sugou never imagined that the time he thought he had was already gone. As he was just walking downstairs, two detectives approached him, showed him their badges, and said, "Mr. Sugou Nobuyuki, right? We're with the local police. We've received a report that you're suspected of embezzling company funds. Please come with us to assist with the investigation."
Sugou was completely stunned. He had trapped players' consciousnesses and conducted brain experiments, but embezzling funds? That was completely baseless!
"You must be mistaken! I would never embezzle funds! Our CEO, Shouzo Yuuki, can vouch for me. He..." Sugou's words trailed off as he realized what had happened. Shouzo was setting him up! He had underestimated the man's ruthlessness. Just a suspicion was enough for Shouzo to act decisively, giving him no time to react.
"Wait, I've been framed! I'm a person of status! You can't just arrest me based on one person's word!" Sugou knew he hadn't embezzled anything. He was scared that during the investigation, his other crimes would be discovered! He became hysterical.
"Mr. Sugou, please calm down. We're just asking you to come with us to assist with an investigation. We are not arresting you. Please cooperate."
Facing the business-like detectives, Sugou was unwilling to surrender. If he was convicted of embezzlement, he would only serve a few years. But if his experiments on 300 players were exposed, he wasn't sure if he would even survive. This was the real world, not ALO. Sugou wasn't the powerful Oberon; he was just a powerless researcher. Seeing his fierce resistance, the two detectives were convinced he had something to hide and subdued him.
As Sugou was taken away for investigation, his work and research were also investigated, as was standard procedure. It was confirmed that he had not embezzled company funds—he was innocent of that charge. But during the investigation, they uncovered a much bigger scandal: Sugou's brain experiments on the trapped players. His research plans and data were all there, ironclad evidence that he couldn't deny. With the help of specialists, all 300 of the trapped players, including Asuna, were finally saved. The incident became front-page news the next day.