Chapter 1027: Not a bad side hustle

The Information Center wasn’t completely illegal, nor was it entirely legal. It toed the line; they could get in trouble, but not too much. Just like those loan sharks who operated with unjust interest rates but stayed afloat because they were upfront about their terms. They’re the types who found holes in the system and used it to get away from trouble.

Moreover, these information centers mostly focused on the personal lives of upper-class individuals; they were essentially the paparazzi of the rich. At least, that’s how this particular information ring began or was supposed to be.

"... In other words, before the attack, we were already onto the group that had been using our name for their own purposes," the man explained under his breath, giving Hugo an overview of their organization’s situation before the incident. "We’d heard that some people were receiving invitations like ours, which gave our boss a lot of headaches. Even so, we continued with our usual operations because the business needed to run, no matter what."

The man paused, trying to recall everything he could. "Then, one day, our boss started acting strange. I don’t know why, but it all began after he took an interest in one particular case. He didn’t tell us much—he did the digging himself."

’It’s the baby swap,’ Hugo thought, recalling the last few words the boss had uttered before he was shot and left for dead.

"And then, when the attack happened," the man sighed, "we were out investigating a case, so many of us weren’t there. However, we retrieved some footage, though it was... misleading."

"That’s where you saw me?" Hugo asked.

The man nodded. "But even before that footage, we’d already received a tip. That tip named you, Hugo Bennet."

Hugo smirked, laughing softly. It all seemed quite meticulous. His presence that night wasn’t planned, but based on what he’d heard so far, someone had been working overtime.

"I see," Hugo replied, nodding in understanding as he stood and walked toward the man. "Keep talking while I untie you. You might get squeezed to death if you keep talking and breathing with these on."

The man nodded, allowing Hugo to loosen his binds. "The problem is, when we got back, our territory had already been taken."

"Taken?"

"The business is still running under our name, but it’s now controlled by a completely different group."

"And what makes you think I’m the boss there?" Hugo scrunched his nose, briefly amused by the idea. ’Not a bad side hustle,’ he thought.

"We initially assumed the military had taken an interest and seized control."

"The military? They already work hand in hand with the biggest intelligence agency in the world. What are you maniacs thinking?"

The man lowered his gaze, unwilling to argue. From their perspective, even if the military had access to Central Intelligence, it wasn’t impossible for them to be running a more private operation with a small unit.

"So?" Hugo paused, his eyes narrowing as he noticed a tattoo peeking out from the man’s nape. Though it seemed like Hugo trusted the man, he didn’t. That would be a mistake. However, the tattoo looked eerily similar to the one he’d seen on the unconscious patient lying in the bed.

"You came here after finding out this is where he was admitted, tried to save him, and then what?" Hugo continued, the ropes coming loose. He walked over to the table and sat on it, keeping his eyes on the man. "The fact that the business is still running means...?"

"We still have a few people on the inside," the man replied. "Some of them I can still trust."

Deep lines appeared on Hugo’s forehead as he studied the man’s stern expression. The latter held his gaze, his anger subdued as he grew more clear-headed.

"The business is still running, but it’s not the same as before," the man added. "It’s become more dangerous and unforgiving. Even for minor mistakes, the ones who pay the price are often those who aren’t directly involved."

"In other words, if I go there now, they won’t just let me in?"

"They’ll kill you—not because they don’t trust you, but because you know too much. Just knowing about its existence is already too much."

A heavy silence fell between them as Hugo began piecing together how the structure of the organization had changed. Before, they toed the line, seeing how far they could push boundaries. Now, it sounded like they’d crossed over into full-blown criminality.

"My boss wasn’t like that," the man said, turning his gaze to the bed. "Even if someone found out about us, my boss wouldn’t order such drastic measures. We’d deny everything and move on. The worst we ever did was threaten people with their dirty secrets to keep them from interfering. But now... if you go there without an exclusive invitation, pretend to be an invitee, or don’t meet the criteria—"

He trailed off, his stern eyes locking onto Hugo.

"They’re dead," Hugo finished, watching the man nod. "Dead men tell no tales."

The man nodded again. "Exactly. Whether the person is innocent or harmless, this new group doesn’t let anyone or anything slide. With their current activities, it’s no surprise security has increased so drastically."

"Dead men tell no tales," Hugo repeated, tilting his head slightly. "Does that mean you’ve already got one foot in the grave? You said it yourself—’dead men tell no tales,’ yet you seem to know quite a lot about—"

PHEW!

Hugo froze as a red dot blinked at the man’s temple. Without hesitation, he lunged, tackling the man to the ground. They rolled across the floor as Hugo grabbed the back of the man’s head, pressing it down to protect him. He glanced up at the wall, now punctured by a bullet.

"Dead men tell no fucking tales, indeed," Hugo hissed, glaring down at the man, who looked dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events. "I don’t know your name, but whoever you are, you’d better figure out who the mole is in your group without getting out of here! Because once you step out of here, you’re as good as dead. That much I can guarantee."