Chapter 81: Arima
"To put it simply, the CCG you serve is not a human organization at all. We, the Aogiri Tree, fight for freedom, to break the twisted rules of this world."
Eto Yoshimura's eyes were filled with rage, showing a deep hatred for the CCG. She stared at Su Xiao, hoping to see a look of shattered faith and doubt about life on his face.
Eto was destined to be disappointed. Su Xiao accepted this fact very calmly.
"I was wondering before why the CCG high-ups always issue idiotic orders, causing investigators and ghouls to mutually destroy each other during raids."
Su Xiao had already grasped the general picture of the CCG. In short, the CCG wasn't fighting for humanity; it was an organization controlled by ghouls. The highest position a human could hold in the CCG was Special Class Investigator, with no possibility of promotion.
Of course, there had been smart investigators who sensed something was wrong over the years. Their fates were predictable—they were all silenced by powerful ghouls.
The CCG's process for controlling the human and ghoul populations was as follows:
Investigators were responsible for controlling the ghoul population, using Quinques to kill a small number of ghouls.
Ghouls hidden among humans unconsciously controlled the human population; they only needed to feed normally.
Under the CCG's interference, a twisted balance was achieved: ghouls had enough food, and humans wouldn't go extinct.
After the Aogiri Tree emerged to disrupt things, the balance was broken, so the CCG high-ups ordered a full-scale purge of the Aogiri Tree.
The lie that firearms were ineffective against ghouls had become deeply ingrained. Because of this, the CCG only sent investigators to deal with the Aogiri Tree.
"I have a question. Besides sending investigators to fight you, does the CCG have any other forces?"
Su Xiao was asking Eto.
"Of course. Those investigators are the easiest to deal with. What can truly threaten us are those well-trained humans who use firearms."
Eto pulled open the bandage on her lower abdomen. On her flat, fair stomach, faint coin-sized scars could be seen. The scars were very light, only noticeable upon close inspection.
"This was the most dangerous time. I was surrounded and hunted by several human snipers. If Noro hadn't come to support me, I would have died."
Eto pressed her hand to her stomach, still shaken.
Under the management of the Washuu family over several generations, the CCG had formed the current power structure and balance.
Ghouls lived in the shadows, humans lived under the sunlight, but in reality, humans were being farmed by the CCG high-ups.
The Washuu family was a ghoul family, also members of the V Organization that Arima Kishou mentioned. This organization was exceptionally powerful.
"Remember the 'One-Eyed Owl' you fought before? That's my father. He's just a cleaner for the V Organization, a thug who eliminates dissidents."
Eto's tone was less than pleasant when mentioning her father, Kuzen Yoshimura, as if she held some grudge against the manager.
"I basically understand now. But after all this talk, how does it relate to cooperating with the two of you?"
Su Xiao looked at the two of them. Even if the CCG wasn't for humanity, Arima Kishou, being human, was unlikely to cooperate with Eto, unless...
"Of course it's related, because I'm not human either."
Arima Kishou dropped a bombshell. The CCG's strongest investigator admitted he wasn't human.
"What do you mean?"
"My genes are half human, half ghoul."
"A half-ghoul?"
Su Xiao had never seen Arima Kishou use a kagune, and his eyes were a normal color.
"Not a half-ghoul. I'm a half-human. When ghouls and humans mate, there are two outcomes.
The common one is a half-human, which is my current state. As for the 'half-ghoul' you mentioned, it's very rare. Currently, the only half-ghoul I know of is Eto."
Su Xiao's gaze shifted to Eto.
"Didn't expect you to be a rare species."
Eto's face darkened, and her gaze clearly turned hostile.
"Half-humans, while possessing extremely strong physical abilities, also have a major flaw: a very short lifespan.
For example, my hair started turning white in my twenties. If nothing unexpected happens, I have about three to four years left to live."
Now Su Xiao finally understood where Arima Kishou's extraordinary physical abilities came from.
"So that means your right eye is..."
"Glaucoma. My vision is very blurry. It's a bit better with glasses. Compared to my right eye, the decline in bodily functions is a more serious problem."
Arima Kishou and Eto's previous statements had basically no loopholes. However, Su Xiao still had one thing he didn't understand. If this wasn't clarified, he would immediately find a way to retreat.
"Arima, since you're a ghoul, how did you get through the Rc cell detection gates? Even if you're a half-human, your Rc cell concentration shouldn't be low."
Not only Arima Kishou, but if the Washuu family members were all ghouls, how did they get through the Rc cell detection gates?
Eto spoke up:
"That damn gate has a 'flaw.' Ghouls from the V Organization won't be detected. Not only Arima, but I also won't be detected."
Su Xiao suddenly remembered that in the original story, Eto, the literary ghoul, had once gone to a CCG branch to interview Shinohara Yuuki and Mado Sachi.
So that meant the Washuu family might have tampered with the Rc cell detection gates, since this thing was invented by the CCG.
"Arima and I have been cooperating for thirteen years. Now, I'm planning to do something that Arima and I alone can't accomplish. I want to invite you to join us."
Arima Kishou and Eto's cooperation had already shown hints in the original story. The two had fought before, and although the battle was intense, neither showed a tendency to fight to the death.
After Eto swallowed her father and successfully escaped, she said one sentence: 'That guy really goes all out.'
The meaning of that sentence was already obvious. The two were putting on an act.
But during the act, Arima Kishou had cut off one of Eto's kakuja shell arms. Eto, angered, smashed Arima Kishou's S+ rank Quinque 'IXA'.
Many signs indicated that the two had long joined forces—one hiding in the CCG as the strongest investigator, the other being the 'King' of ghouls.
"What you've said, I can't find any flaws in for now. But why did you start cooperating thirteen years ago?"
Arima Kishou and Eto's words were just one-sided statements. Although they were logical and had no loopholes, the claim that they had been cooperating for thirteen years was not convincing.
"Because, before Eto, I was the previous generation's 'King' of ghouls."
Arima Kishou dropped another bombshell.
"I have the strength of a 'King,' but I'm not a ghoul. Eto is a ghoul, but she doesn't have the strength of a 'King.' Neither of us is complete. So we cooperated to find and cultivate the next generation's 'King'—a complete Ghoul King."
Things were getting interesting.
"A complete king? Interesting. If I'm not mistaken, the king you cultivated is already dead."
"That's right. You killed him."
"You bastard."
Eto stared at Su Xiao, her eyes blazing.
"Why are we cooperating with him? He clearly ruined our plan."
"Because he's strong enough, and he's not a member of V, not a member of the Clowns, and not even a ghoul."
Arima Kishou looked directly at Su Xiao.
"I've told you everything. Now, are you willing to cooperate with us?"
Su Xiao pondered for a moment. He had just heard too many secrets. If he didn't cooperate with the two now, they would definitely join forces to silence him.
Eto's current condition was poor, but Arima Kishou was very troublesome to deal with. This guy was strong at both long and short range, and had the Quinque 'IXA' for defense.
"Tell me what you want to do. I'm very interested."