Chapter 128: The Seven Continents

The investigation had begun with masked assassins, but by the eighth evening, Jet was beginning to suspect that finding the people responsible would require looking far beyond Zenith City.

Inside the concealed base’s operations room, a holographic map of Earth rotated slowly above the central table.

Hundreds of illuminated markers covered its surface, identifying major cities, transportation routes, O.R.D.O. branches, and administrative boundaries established under the Earth Union.

Jet stood beside Marcus, examining a collection of documents transmitted by Adesewa’s contacts earlier that afternoon.

The most important concerned the abandoned industrial compound.

According to the records, the property belonged to a logistics company registered outside Zenith’s administrative Region.

That company was owned by another corporation, which maintained offices in several distant cities. Its listed directors had changed repeatedly over the previous three years, and none of the available records identified who currently controlled its operations.

It was an arrangement Jet recognized immediately.

Companies could purchase properties, transport equipment, employ security personnel, and transfer enormous amounts of money without revealing the individuals directing those activities.

The difficulty wasn’t necessarily that the transactions were illegal. It was determining which legitimate activities concealed something dangerous.

"Another company?" Jet asked, examining the latest document. "That’s the fourth one connected to the compound."

Marcus nodded, enlarging the ownership records.

"And the fourth one registered in a different jurisdiction," he replied. "Whoever established this arrangement clearly didn’t want anyone following a straightforward trail."

Jet studied the addresses.

The companies were scattered across several Regions, with one registered on an entirely different continent.

That complicated matters considerably.

Although humanity continued referring to Earth’s seven continents by their familiar geographical names, the political map had changed dramatically during the fifty years following the First Red Moon.

Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica remained the seven continents, but the territories within them had been reorganized into administrative Regions under the Earth Union’s governing framework.

The changes hadn’t happened overnight. The emergence of Dungeons, the devastation caused by Monster outbreaks, and the rise of Awakeners had forced governments to reconsider boundaries that were no longer practical for defending their populations.

Some Regions encompassed territories that had once belonged to several countries. Others developed around major surviving cities, strategic resources, or heavily fortified population centers.

The Earth Union coordinated the broader international framework, while regional administrations retained responsibility for many aspects of local governance.

Zenith was one of the major cities operating within that system.

Its importance extended beyond its population. The city possessed established Dungeon infrastructure, major Guild headquarters, commercial exchanges, and transportation connections linking it to other Regions.

Consequently, considerable amounts of money, equipment, and Awakener personnel passed through Zenith every day.

That prosperity also made it an attractive location for organizations seeking to conceal their activities among legitimate businesses.

"Have we identified the people behind any of these companies?" Jet asked. 𝐟𝒓ℯⅇ

"Not yet," Marcus answered. "The first two are ordinary registered businesses, at least on paper. The third appears to be an investment firm, while the fourth is a holding company with assets distributed across multiple Regions."

Jet frowned. "And requesting their records?"

"That’s where things become complicated," Marcus replied, opening another document. "We can access basic registration information, but detailed financial records require authorization. Since several companies operate outside our Region, obtaining those records means submitting requests through the appropriate authorities."

Jet looked toward the pending applications displayed on the screen. "How long?"

"Several days under favorable circumstances," Marcus explained. "Potentially longer if the requests involve confidential information or require cooperation between different regional administrations."

Jet exhaled slowly. Several days was an uncomfortable amount of time when an unknown organization was actively trying to murder them.

Still, he understood why the procedures existed.

The Earth Union might provide common regulations, but that didn’t mean every investigator could freely access private records from anywhere in the world.

Regional authorities maintained their own responsibilities, and even O.R.D.O.’s international branches operated through established channels when exchanging sensitive information.

Those protections served legitimate purposes.

Unfortunately, they also created opportunities for criminals who understood how to exploit them.

"Can Adesewa’s contacts speed things up?" Jet asked.

"Some of them," Marcus replied. "But asking for favors doesn’t make the records appear instantly. Someone still has to locate the information, verify it, and determine whether sharing it creates problems for their position."

Marcus enlarged a list of pending requests.

"Besides, we don’t know which institutions we can trust. After that inspection record surfaced, I’d rather wait an extra day than send sensitive information to the wrong person."

Jet nodded.

The document concerning the industrial compound remained troubling. An O.R.D.O. security unit had supposedly inspected the property and found nothing suspicious, despite the unusual activity Adesewa and Cassian had observed.

It could have been an ordinary inspection that missed something.

It could also have been deliberately falsified.

Neither possibility had been established.

---

The following morning, Jet returned to the operations room after completing a light training session.

His ribs were healing, but Safiya had warned him against attempting anything strenuous until the remaining injuries recovered. For now, he concentrated on controlled Mana circulation and familiar movements that placed minimal strain on his body.

Marcus was already working when Jet arrived.

"Any progress?" Jet asked, pulling out a chair.

"A little," Marcus replied, passing him a tablet. "Cassian contacted someone who works with regional transportation records. We’ve identified several cargo movements involving companies connected to the compound."

Jet examined the information.

The shipments had passed through Zenith at different times, originating from several cities and administrative Regions. Their declared contents included industrial equipment, protective materials, and ordinary commercial supplies.

Nothing immediately suggested illegal activity.

"These could all be legitimate," Jet observed.

"Exactly," Marcus agreed. "And that’s the problem. We’re looking for something that connects these businesses to the assassins, not merely proof that they conduct business across regional boundaries."

Jet continued reading.

In the decades following the First Red Moon, transportation between major cities had become heavily dependent on secured routes, licensed carriers, and established Guild protection.

Some regions remained relatively safe, while others faced persistent threats from Monsters and unstable Dungeon activity. Long-distance shipments therefore required careful planning, particularly when valuable Awakener materials were involved.

Organizations with enough money could move substantial resources across the world.

And if those organizations employed powerful Awakeners, their influence could extend far beyond the territories where their headquarters were located.

Jet had seen the consequences of such power during his previous life.

Some Guilds possessed branches across multiple continents. Others controlled valuable Dungeon resources, maintained private combat forces, or operated businesses large enough to influence regional economies.

Their influence didn’t automatically place them above the law, but investigating them could become extraordinarily complicated.

"Have we considered whether the assassins belong to a Guild?" Jet asked.

Marcus looked up.

"It’s possible," he answered. "But we haven’t found evidence supporting that conclusion. They could be independent mercenaries, members of a criminal organization, or Awakeners employed through intermediaries."

Jet tapped the tablet.

"Whoever hired them had enough money to coordinate attacks against multiple targets," he pointed out. "That suggests substantial financial backing."

"Agreed," Marcus replied. "But wealth alone won’t identify them. Zenith contains plenty of individuals and organizations capable of paying for dangerous work."

A communication notification appeared above the table.

Marcus opened it.

Cassian’s face emerged on the display, with the interior of a parked vehicle visible behind him.

"Morning, Marcus," Cassian greeted him. "Jet’s there too? Good. I’ve got an update."

Jet leaned forward.

"Did you find something?" he asked.

"Possibly," Cassian answered. "The compound received shipments from two separate regional carriers. One of those carriers has contracts with several major Guilds, but the company handles thousands of deliveries. That connection alone doesn’t tell us anything."

Marcus frowned.

"What about the cargo records?" he asked.

"Still waiting," Cassian replied. "My contact requested the detailed manifests, but the regional office won’t release them without additional authorization."

Jet shook his head. "Another delay."

Cassian gave a humorless smile.

"Welcome to investigating people who understand paperwork," he remarked. "I’d almost prefer another Dungeon raid."

Marcus ignored the complaint.

"How’s the Captain?" he asked.

"Still examining the compound’s security arrangements," Cassian replied. "She’s checking whether the inspection record matches what actually happened there. We haven’t approached the occupants."

"Good," Marcus answered. "Keep us informed."

The connection ended shortly afterward.

Jet stared at the map.

A week earlier, he had been concerned primarily with surviving the assassins pursuing him through Zenith’s streets.

Now the investigation involved corporate registrations, regional transportation records, private security arrangements, and possible connections to organizations operating across entire continents.

The scale of the problem was becoming increasingly apparent.

---

By late afternoon, Marcus had submitted additional information requests through two trusted contacts.

Neither promised immediate results.

One needed approval from a regional administration before accessing the requested documents. The other was waiting for a transportation company to release records concerning several shipments.

Adesewa had also instructed everyone to avoid unnecessary travel until they could establish whether the suspicious businesses were connected to the assassins.

Jet understood the decision, although he disliked remaining at the base while others pursued the investigation.

For the moment, protecting Inez and their companions remained his responsibility.

He was reviewing another shipment record when Marcus received a message.

The older Awakener opened it, read the contents, and frowned.

"Something wrong?" Jet asked.

Marcus enlarged the document. ⅇ

"One of the companies connected to the compound recently transferred ownership of several properties," he explained. "The transactions occurred across three different Regions."

Jet examined the dates.

All three transfers had been completed shortly before the assassination attempts began.

"That’s interesting timing," Jet observed.

"It is," Marcus agreed cautiously. "But we still need to establish whether the properties have any connection to the attacks."

Jet looked at the three locations highlighted on the holographic map.

They were hundreds of kilometers apart.

Different cities. Different regional authorities. Different records that would require separate investigations.

Whoever stood behind the assassins might possess resources far beyond Zenith.

And if the properties were connected, then the abandoned industrial compound could be only one small part of a much larger operation.

Marcus reached for his communication device.

"I’ll forward this to the Captain," he said.

Jet remained seated, watching the three markers glow against the map of Earth.

Finding their enemies was no longer simply a matter of discovering where the masked assassins had gone.

They first had to determine how far the organization behind them actually reached.