Chapter 597

Neon-colored flowers bloomed in the night, the rhythmic beat of the festival drums mixing with the crowd’s exclamations, like a mournful elegy. Holographic koi swam between skyscrapers, LED lanterns flickered crimson, and amid the floral rain, Hanako Arasaka’s parade float slowly approached—like a futuristic dream.

Karl had already paid for his meal and quietly slipped into a stairwell, reaching a monitoring point he had scouted earlier. He drew out a monomolecular wire and connected to the system. Data streamed before his eyes—the full feed from all surveillance cameras deployed prior to the parade streamed into his mind.

“There are a few people in troublesome positions,” Karl thought. “If we want to infiltrate the float, we might need to deal with them first.”