American Union Embassy in Japan.
Ambassador Iman was listening to a report from his subordinate.
"You're saying that after we notified them of the Class requirements for True Dragon Sorcerers, Japan's Cabinet newly established a department to collect resources from anomalous beings?"
Hearing Iman's question, the staff member Corrine immediately confirmed:
"Yes, Ambassador."
"Though I hate to admit it, that is indeed what Japan's Cabinet has done."
"My God."
Iman couldn't help but hold his forehead, sitting somewhat irritably in his armchair, tapping the armrest with his index finger:
"They actually directly established a department?"
"Do those Japanese people think the Chinese Union and the SDS can't see their Cabinet's actions?"
"To so openly establish a department for this kind of thing, does he think intelligence operatives are fools who can't see their actions done while covering their ears?"
Hearing this, Corrine's expression turned somewhat troubled as he said:
"Ambassador, you already said the Japanese are acting while covering their ears, so isn't it quite normal that they wouldn't know their behaviour is being monitored?"
Hearing this, Iman resisted the urge to roll his eyes, cursed, and then asked:
"I recall our nation's requirement to Japan's Cabinet was to collect anomalous beings as discreetly as possible, correct?"
"Did the intelligence personnel forget to communicate that requirement?"
Hearing this, Corrine's expression turned somewhat awkward as he said:
"We're quite certain we informed them of this matter."
"So this is the Cabinet acting deliberately?" Iman gave a dry laugh at this point.
Having Japan secretly conduct the True Dragon Sorcerer ritual, collecting the lives of those peculiar races, yet they're doing it brazenly - what they're trying to achieve hardly needs guessing.
Aren't they just afraid of offending the Chinese Union, or even the SDS?
Putting things out in the open, selling out our American Union?
How dare they!!
At this, Iman nearly laughed in anger:
"Are they saying they fear offending the Chinese Union, fear offending the SDS, but don't fear offending us?"
Hearing this, Corri,ne beside him, instead showed a rather subtle expression as he said:
"According to CIA personnel feedback... that's not how they see it."
"Quite the opposite, in fact - they believe this is perfectly executing our requirements."
"What?" Iman was momentarily stunned, curious: "How are they doing it?"
"Aside from being somewhat conspicuous in establishing the department, they have indeed followed the requirements of 'secretly capturing anomalous beings', 'targeting isolated and weak anomalous beings for capture', and 'testing the performance of new capture equipment' in their operations."
"To ensure strict adherence to these requirements, they've even placed the special department under the management of a naturalised non-human."
"Naturalised non-human?" Iman looked over in confusion.
At this, Corien spread his hands and replied:
"Reportedly, a member of those vampires unique to Japan. I've heard he's even nobility among those vampires."
Hearing this, Iman frowned and straightened up to ask:
"Do we have intelligence on this individual?"
"We do." Corien quickly stepped forward and presented the prepared intelligence.
Iman reached out to take it, scrutinised it carefully, and even read aloud from it:
"Hong Ruowang, a noble vampire registered as Grade B with the vampire Elder Council, branch of the pureblood Hong family? Suspected of being marginalised by fellow clansmen in the Council?"
"A noble vampire, not content playing lord in his remote mountains, actually comes to serve as the Cabinet's butcher of anomalous beings?"
At this point, Corien casually explained:
"It's said this Hong Ruowang greatly admires human identity, hoping to be accepted by Japanese society and become a normal person."
"Is that so? How truly interesting."
Hearing this, Iman's expression carried a hint of mockery.
As an ambassador of the American Union, Iman had a reasonable understanding of the world's current situation.
"I recall most anomalous beings in Japan are special individuals rather than racial groups, correct?"
"Yes." Corien nodded in agreement.
Then, Iman narrowed his eyes while holding the documents:
"Powerful anomalous beings that form races are forcibly confined to the Australian Demon Realm by 'that' when they descend into our world."
"So those racial anomalous beings remaining outside either descended early before the Australian Demon Realm formed, or their racial threat level was too low to meet the criteria."
"Then what's the situation with these Japanese vampires?"
As a Japan expert stationed there for over twenty years, Corien quickly explained:
"According to records, Japan's vampire community should be a product from 25 years ago, predating the Australian Demon Realm's formation period. Simultaneously, because their combat ability isn't strong, they weren't placed on the Union's purge list and were assigned monitored residence in Japan's Kyushu region."
Hearing this, Iman immediately understood the Japanese Cabinet's thinking:
"Granting power to a weak non-human race that hopes to obtain basic human rights by persecuting their own kind?"
"Using this Hong Ruowang as a mad dog? Then harvesting when the fruit ripens?"
"What a twisted idea, quite fitting for the Japanese character."
Iman hardly needed to think - this kind of scheme undoubtedly came from some Japanese political family.
Only those hereditary, underdeveloped minds would think of using such a radical mad dog.
Doesn't he fear the mad dog might bite someone it shouldn't?
"Assign some people to investigate this Hong Ruowang, and also look into which Japanese family in the Cabinet is supporting them."
"Yes."
Just as Corinne acknowledged the task,
BOOM!!!
The sudden rumble of thunder made both Iman and Corinne start in surprise, turning their heads to look at the night sky outside the window.
Only then did the two notice that the sky, which had just been dusk, was now covered in dark clouds, with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling.
Seeing this, Iman, who watched the morning news every day, was taken aback for a moment before expressing his confusion:
"Strange, today's weather forecast said it was supposed to be clear and sunny, didn't it?"
The next instant,
Purple lightning engulfed Iman's entire field of vision.
By the time he closed his eyes and regained some of his sight, he finally heard the roaring explosion.
In that moment, Iman immediately realised the problem.
Had lightning struck nearby?
Wait, this area around the American embassy is the heart of Chiyoda Ward. The surroundings are either imperial institutions, various countries' embassies, or the locations of Japanese government departments.
If lightning had struck nearby...
Instantly, as his vision returned, Iman struggled to open his eyes, tears of discomfort streaming from the corners as he said:
"Corinne, go quickly and find out where the lightning struck?"
Hearing this, Corinne, who had recovered her composure, immediately nodded and turned to go confirm the situation.
Within a few minutes, Corinne pushed the door open and came back in, looking at Iman with a peculiar expression:
"Ambassador, I have some bad news to tell you."
"What news?" Iman frowned, then said with a grim expression: "Don't tell me that lightning just struck our embassy?"
"Worse than that," Corinne said with a conflicted expression.
"Then is it the Hidden Management Department coming to question us about our last attempt to plant a spy?"
"Even worse than that." Corinne's expression was very unnatural.
Hearing this, Iman found it strange: "In this small island nation of Japan, could there be something worse than that?"
At that moment, Corinne said quietly:
"Her Highness the Chaos Bride, Giada Kukulcan, is leading people in an attack on Japan's Kasumigaseki Building, and it seems to have already caused significant casualties."
Hearing this news, Iman was dumbfounded, his expression stunned as he said:
"I recall that Her Highness came to Japan under the identity of an American Union Apostle, didn't she?"
"Yes." Corinne pressed her lips together and nodded, then added: "If the information is correct, Her Majesty the Blood Queen, Krul Tepes, should also be among the attacking group."
Hearing this, Iman fell silent, taking a long moment to process the situation.
"So... you're telling me that two Apostles of our American Union are attacking Japanese government institutions?!!"
"Yes, Ambassador."
"Today isn't April Fool's Day, is it?"
"It shouldn't be, Ambassador."
"Oh, my, god!!"
Iman covered his face, took a deep breath, then roared at Corinne:
"Then go stop them already—!!!"