Chapter 161: The Face Behind the Order

Inside the spacious conference room overlooking Zenith City’s eastern commercial district, Jet sat beside Marcus, examining several photographs displayed across a large screen.

The evening sunlight filtered through the windows, illuminating the documents scattered across the conference table.

Adesewa stood near the screen with her arms folded, while Cassian and Safiya reviewed the latest surveillance reports. Bastian occupied a chair near the entrance, occasionally glancing toward the photographs.

The investigation had finally produced something more substantial than suspicious financial transactions.

Earlier that afternoon, Cassian’s surveillance team had identified a connection between Roland Mercer, the Darkstar logistics supervisor, and the warehouse near the old freight terminal.

More importantly, they had recovered information that suggested the warehouse had been used for activities far beyond ordinary commercial storage.

Marcus enlarged a photograph showing several vehicles parked outside the warehouse.

"These were taken approximately three hours ago," Marcus explained, pointing toward a black transport vehicle. "Our surveillance team followed Mercer after he left his office. He met Tobias Kessler near the freight terminal, and the two entered the warehouse together."

Jet examined the photograph carefully. "Did they bring anything inside?"

"Several sealed containers," Marcus answered, switching to another image. "But that’s not what interested us. Shortly afterward, a third vehicle arrived, and someone stepped out who wasn’t listed among the warehouse’s registered employees or contractors."

The next photograph showed a young man wearing an expensive dark coat. His face was partially obscured by the vehicle’s open door, but his posture suggested someone accustomed to being treated with considerable respect.

"Who is he?" Jet asked, leaning forward.

"That’s what we’ve been trying to establish," Marcus replied. "He remained inside for approximately twenty minutes before leaving. Mercer and Kessler accompanied him to the vehicle, and both appeared unusually deferential."

Adesewa approached the screen. "The surveillance team managed to obtain another image from a different angle. Show him."

Marcus opened the photograph.

This time, the young man’s face was clearly visible. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with neatly styled dark hair, handsome features, and a calm expression.

His clothing was expensive without being excessively elaborate, and a silver wristwatch was visible beneath his sleeve.

Jet studied the photograph.

He didn’t recognize him.

"He’s young," Jet observed, his expression thoughtful. "Younger than I expected."

"Approximately twenty-two or twenty-three," Marcus confirmed. "We’ve been comparing his face against available commercial registrations, property records, and private security databases."

Cassian placed another document on the table. "And we finally found a match."

Marcus changed the display to a company registration containing the same photograph.

The young man’s name was Damian Vale.

According to the records, Damian was a private investor with interests in logistics, property development, and specialized Awakener services.

Several companies associated with him operated through intermediaries, making it difficult to determine the full extent of his holdings.

Jet read the information carefully.

"Damian Visconti.," he repeated, studying the name. "Has he been connected to any of the earlier transactions?"

"Not directly," Marcus answered. "At least, not through the accounts we’ve already examined. But several companies receiving money from the assassination network share directors with businesses linked to him."

Adesewa’s expression remained cautious. "That establishes a financial connection. It doesn’t establish that he’s directing the operation."

"There’s more," Cassian replied, placing a small storage device beside Marcus’s laptop. "Our people recovered something from the warehouse’s security system."

Jet turned toward him. "Recovered how?"

"One of the contractors responsible for maintaining the building’s surveillance equipment cooperated with our investigation," Cassian explained. "He provided archived recordings from the internal security network. Most had been deleted, but several backup files remained intact."

Marcus inserted the storage device and opened a recording.

The screen displayed a dimly illuminated office inside the warehouse. Roland Mercer stood beside a desk while Tobias Kessler examined several documents. A third individual sat behind the desk, although his face remained outside the camera’s view.

Then a cold voice emerged from the recording.

"I don’t want another report explaining why the operation failed," the seated man said, his tone cold. "I want results."

Jet leaned forward.

The recording continued as Mercer shifted uncomfortably.

"Sir, Adesewa’s group has strengthened its defenses," Mercer explained, keeping his hands clasped before him. "The remaining participants are difficult to approach, and several of our operatives have already been captured."

"Then stop sending incompetent people," the seated man replied impatiently. "I’ve provided enough money to hire Awakeners capable of handling this assignment."

Kessler stepped forward, his expression tense. "We can arrange another operation, sir, but we need clarification concerning the objectives. Are the survivors still to be eliminated?"

"Not all of them," the seated man answered. "I want at least one captured alive. The information recovered from Odhran was incomplete, and until we obtain the Palladium Tree’s location, those people remain useful."

The room fell silent.

Jet stared at the screen, feeling his expression harden.

There it was.

A direct reference to Odhran’s interrogation, the expedition survivors, and the Palladium Tree.

Marcus paused the recording.

"That’s the clearest evidence we’ve obtained so far," Marcus explained. "The speaker knew about Odhran, understood why the assassinations were being conducted, and issued instructions concerning the remaining participants."

Adesewa nodded slowly. "But we still need to establish that the speaker is Damian Visconti."

Cassian gestured toward the screen. "Keep watching."

Marcus resumed the recording.

A moment later, the seated man rose from his chair and walked toward the desk. As he approached Mercer, his face entered the camera’s field of view.

Jet immediately recognized him.

The young man in the photograph.

Damian Visconti.

"Listen carefully, Mercer," Damian said, placing one hand on the desk. "I’ve invested too much into this operation to accept another failure. The Palladium Fruits are valuable, but the tree is what matters. I want its location, and I don’t care how much it costs to obtain it."

Mercer lowered his head. "Understood, Mr. Damian."

"And make certain Veyr understands that his involvement remains confidential," Damian continued, his expression darkening. "If he starts making unnecessary demands, remind him that discretion was part of our agreement."

The recording ended shortly afterward.

For several moments, nobody spoke.

Jet continued staring at Damian’s face, his thoughts returning to everything that had happened since the Palladium Fruit expedition.

The attacks against the survivors. The threats against their associates. The attempts to obtain information about the fruits. Corvin’s capture and the financial transactions that had eventually led them to Lucien Veyr.

All those incidents had appeared to involve different people operating through separate arrangements.

Now, they finally had someone connecting them.

"So he’s the one giving the orders," Jet said, his voice noticeably colder.

"That’s what the evidence indicates," Adesewa answered, examining the paused recording. "He knows about the expedition, directs the operatives, and has a clear interest in obtaining the Palladium Tree."

Safiya folded her arms. "And he isn’t satisfied with the fruits already harvested. He wants the source."

"Exactly," Marcus agreed, opening another document. "We’ve also identified several payments associated with Vale’s companies. The money passed through multiple intermediaries before reaching contractors involved in the assassination attempts."

Bastian frowned. "Then we finally have our bastard."

Jet remained silent, studying Damian’s photograph.

He had expected the person behind the attacks to be an experienced criminal, perhaps an older Awakener with decades of connections and considerable influence.

Instead, the man responsible appeared barely older than himself.

Twenty-two or twenty-three.

Only a few years separated them.

Yet Damian had apparently been willing to finance an assassination campaign against powerful Awakeners simply to obtain a treasure he couldn’t purchase through ordinary means.

"What do we know about his Divine Rune?" Jet asked, looking toward Marcus.

"Very little," Marcus admitted. "His public records contain almost nothing about his Awakener status. We haven’t confirmed whether he possesses a Divine Rune, what rank it might be, or whether he relies primarily on hired protection."

Adesewa considered the information carefully. "Then we don’t underestimate him. Someone capable of coordinating this operation has resources and connections we haven’t fully identified."

Jet nodded.

The recording had provided the first recognizable face behind the assassination campaign, but it hadn’t revealed everything about the organization.

There were still questions concerning Damian’s associates, the extent of his financial influence, and the people who had helped him remain concealed.

However, one thing was now clear.

The attacks weren’t random.

They had been ordered by someone who wanted the Palladium Tree badly enough to kill for it.

---

Later that evening, Jet stood beside the conference room window, watching the lights of Zenith City gradually illuminate the streets below. The others had begun preparing their next steps, while Adesewa remained at the table examining the recording.

Jet approached her after several minutes.

"Captain, what happens now?" Jet asked, glancing toward Damian’s photograph.

Adesewa looked up from the documents. "Now we establish where he operates, who protects him, and how many people he has available. We have evidence linking him to the operation, but that doesn’t mean we can simply walk into his residence and arrest him."

"Because of his connections?" Jet asked.

"Among other things," Adesewa answered. "Someone with that much money can arrange considerable protection. And if he realizes we’ve identified him, he might disappear before we reach him."

Jet considered her response.

"And what about Lucien Veyr?" Jet asked. "If Damian hired him to extract Odhran’s memories, shouldn’t we move against both of them?"

"Eventually," Adesewa replied, gathering the documents. "But we need to determine how closely they’re working together. Veyr might possess information that could help us understand the rest of the network."

Jet nodded slowly.

Adesewa studied him for a moment before continuing.

"Jet, I know you want this resolved quickly," Adesewa said, her expression softening slightly. "But we’ve spent weeks dealing with people who were operating from the shadows. Now that we have a face, we can’t afford to become careless."

"I understand, Captain," Jet answered, looking toward the photograph again. "I just don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of him."

"Neither do I," Adesewa replied firmly.

Jet remained beside the window for another moment before turning toward the exit.

He had finally seen the man responsible for directing the assassination campaign.

Damian Visconti.

A wealthy young investor who wanted complete control over the Palladium Tree.

Jet didn’t know what kind of person Damian had been before discovering the fruits, nor did he particularly care. Whatever ambitions had driven him, they had already cost numerous people their lives.

And if Damian believed he could continue hunting the remaining survivors without consequences, Jet intended to prove him wrong.