"Altan!"
As soon as Kaizen gave the order, Altan appeared, holding a modified phone connected to the network, quickly searching for information on Tessia.
"Tessia, can you tell me your mother's name?"
"Also, where are you from? Who's in your family?"
Tessia, completely unguarded, answered without hesitation.
"My mother's name is Rina."
"We are from the United States of Saherta."
"Besides my mother, I have some younger siblings. I had older ones before, but they're all gone now."
"My mother came here this time to sell me for a good price."
Tessia glanced at the woman next to him as he spoke.
Kaizen's eye twitched.
This wasn't just a matter of being naive—he was too familiar with openly sharing his personal details. It was as if he'd been trained to do so.
"A lot of siblings?"
Kaizen narrowed his eyes slightly. No other guardians, yet numerous brothers and sisters. That was far from normal.
How could a single woman give birth to so many children?
'The likelihood is high that these children were all kidnapped.'
'They abduct the kids, raise them for a while, and when the time is right, they sell them as 'high-quality' products for enormous profits.'
Kaizen despised human trafficking. However, he also understood that in this world, it was unavoidable. The elders of Meteor City, the underworld syndicates, and even the Zoldyck family had their hands in it.
Soon, Altan pulled up a significant amount of data.
First, the United States of Saherta—one of the V5 nations. Unlike the Kingdom of Fiora, Saherta was chaotic due to its status as an immigrant country. Its indigenous population had long since disappeared into history. The people living there now came from all over the world, creating a mix of races and cultures.
Among the V5, Saherta had the strongest overall power—politically, economically, and militarily. If not for its internal instability, it might have even dominated the entire human continent by now.
Despite its strength, the nation suffered from extreme wealth inequality, with rampant crime. While the elite lived in luxury, the middle and lower classes were often in dire straits.
As for Rina, Altan found nothing. Clearly, it was a false name.
Kaizen hesitated before making a call to Silva, who was near Heavens Arena. He kept his voice low, making it difficult for those nearby to overhear.
However, Silva Zoldyck on the other end could hear him clearly.
"Uncle Silva."
"Kaizen? What's the matter?"
Kaizen briefly explained the situation.
"Uncle Silva, I met a little girl with extraordinary potential. Even without knowing Nen, she could see my aura."
"Based on what she told me, I suspect her mother is involved with a human trafficking organization."
"If I want to buy this little girl, what should I do?"
Kaizen had considered dealing with the woman directly but decided to consult Silva first. He didn't want to be taken advantage of just because he was a kid. There was no guarantee she wouldn't try to extort him.
"Can you send me a photo of the woman?"
"Sure."
Altan took a quick glance at the woman—no need for a camera. He memorized her features, generated an image, and sent it to Silva via email.
Not long after, Silva called back.
"Uncle Silva."
"Kaizen, I don't recognize the woman, but I do recognize her markings. She belongs to a mid-level human trafficking ring with distinct characteristics."
Silva explained, "Most human trafficking organizations use two primary methods: purchase and sale. They buy children from impoverished families or places like Meteor City and resell them."
"Morally reprehensible, but in some countries, it's not illegal."
"However, this group operates differently. They don't buy—only steal. The core members are Nen users who target children from wealthy families."
"Aristocrats, business magnates, and even powerful elites have fallen victim to them."
"Because of their secrecy, strength, and lack of concrete evidence, even those with means have been unable to act against them. That said, there are high bounties on them in the black market."
"A low-level member fetches ten million Jenny, dead or alive."
"A core member? Three billion."
"They're not easy to deal with."
"You can't bring up a purchase yourself. They have to approach you first. Otherwise, they'll see you as a threat and react aggressively."
Kaizen frowned slightly.
"By the way, one of the Twelve Zodiacs from the Hunter Association has been investigating them," Silva continued. "Mizaistom Nana, if I recall correctly. You could pass the information to them."
"I don't have their direct contact, so you'll need to find them yourself."
Kaizen nodded. "Got it. Thanks, Uncle Silva."
"No problem."
The call ended.
Kaizen turned back to the little girl and the woman. He didn't act rashly.
He was patient.
According to Silva, if he made a move first, the woman wouldn't sell the girl. Worse, she might become suspicious and take drastic measures.
That wasn't worth the risk.
Kaizen waited because he knew that Nen users from the Taris Kingdom planned to use the upcoming Nirvana Conference as a cover for their revenge against the Kingdom of Fiora.
Once chaos erupted—
He could act.
Altan could also use the opportunity to hack the woman's phone.
"Still... she isn't a Nen user."
"Is someone from their group watching nearby?"
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