Ward 1, CCG Headquarters.
Uchiha Byakuya immediately reported the matter of the "Auction" to his superiors; specifically, CCG Bureau Director Washuu Yoshitoki.
"An Auction... huh..."
Yoshitoki clasped his hands together, resting his elbows on the desk, his tone carrying a hint of heaviness.
"There have indeed been such rumors. Various people frequently go missing, supposedly abducted and sold in underground transactions conducted by certain ghouls."
If they had detailed intelligence, the Washuu Clan also wanted to eliminate certain eyesores present at the Auction.
Many ghouls at these events held significant positions in human society; some were even CEOs of major corporations.
Some had no conflicts of interest with the Washuu Clan and even cooperated with them, but others were clear threats that needed to be removed.
Although Yoshitoki was the heir of the Washuu Clan, he actually possessed a fairly strong sense of justice.
From his perspective, he did not wish for such an Auction to exist.
"Can the CCG investigate which Auctions are scheduled to take place? These events always require registration beforehand, don't they?"
Byakuya asked.
"If we're talking about Auctions throughout the entire year, there are far too many; we can't possibly monitor every single one."
Yoshitoki replied, "But if you mean those that are about to take place, the next one is on November 11th, and then..."
He listed a few other upcoming Auctions that he could recall.
Across Japan, countless Auctions; both large and small were held regularly.
"The one on November 11th is worth paying attention to."
Byakuya stated calmly.
"My instincts tell me we'll find something there."
He distinctly remembered the Auction event from the original story, especially the fact that it was held on November 11th. That date had left the strongest impression on him.
So, he could almost confirm it without a doubt.
Yoshitoki was silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"…Alright. I trust your instincts. The Auction on November 11th happens to be located in your jurisdiction, Ward 2."
He recalled that even Arima Kishou had once mentioned how unerringly accurate Uchiha Byakuya's intuition was, or rather; how exceptionally sharp it was.
"In that case, you will be responsible for leading the 'Auction Operation.'"
Yoshitoki continued,
"Those who can attend the Auction are usually high-profile figures and elite members of the ghoul community. They will likely have high-threat-level ghouls acting as bodyguards. I will arrange for investigators from other wards to support your team."
"Understood."
Byakuya nodded slightly.
There were only a few days left until November 11th.
He had plenty of time to assemble personnel, formulate a battle strategy, and if necessary; prepare a will.
Even though the Zero Squad, consisting of himself and Arima Kishou, was practically invincible, the Auction venue was vast, and the number of ghouls present would be substantial.
Most importantly, their mission this time was not to simply eliminate a few ghouls.
Their primary objective was to rescue the humans being auctioned as 'merchandise.'
For such a large-scale operation, sufficient manpower was crucial.
After returning home, Byakuya briefly explained the situation to Yoshimura Eto and Mayu.
"For the next few days, until November 11th, I'll likely be quite busy."
That was all Byakuya said to Eto, keeping it simple.
"Another large-scale mission? One that takes several days?"
Eto asked casually.
"Yeah. We've discovered that certain high-class ghouls have been secretly hosting 'Auctions' where they sell humans. There's no way we can just ignore this."
Uchiha Byakuya replied.
"Oh~ Those upper-class ghouls, like Madam and the rest… I do know a few of them. But ultimately, I'm not one of their kind."
Eto's tone carried a hint of lament.
As a ghoul from the 24th Ward with no power or influence in human society, she was naturally at odds with those so-called high-class ghouls.
Especially since those people spent their days indulging in pleasure; something she had no interest in associating with.
"In short, our objective is to infiltrate the Auction and rescue the captives."
Byakuya briefly summarized the plan.
"Alright. Then I'll just stay home and watch over Mayu."
Eto had no interest in this so-called elite entertainment, she'd rather stay home and take care of Mayu.
The Day of the Auction Arrives.
The CCG had already finalized the battle plan.
The Zero Squad was responsible for infiltrating the Auction; specifically, Uchiha Byakuya and Arima Kishou.
The rest of the operation team would remain concealed near the Auction site, awaiting orders to storm in at the right moment.
However, Byakuya and Arima's method of infiltration was to be deliberately captured by ghouls and taken to the Auction as merchandise.
It was obvious that not just anyone could enter such a special Auction.
Attendees were required not only to be ghouls but also to possess exclusive invitations.
If Byakuya and Arima simply barged in, they would immediately blow their cover.
With Eto's Assistance; she used her identity as the One-Eyed Owl to contact one of the Madams within this exclusive ghoul network.
This particular group was a highly influential organization among the ghoul elite. Whether it was a ghoul-owned business or an underground Auction, Madam figures were always involved in these high-class venues.
"I have two high-value pieces of merchandise. I'd like to trouble you to auction them off for me at tonight's event since I don't have an invitation."
At this moment, Eto was wrapped in white bandages, draped in a crimson cloak.
Standing before her was a woman wearing an ornate gown and a half-face mask; one of the Madams.
"Oh? What kind of 'merchandise' are we talking about?"
The Madam asked, her curiosity piqued.
She had never interacted with the One-Eyed Owl before, but anyone ranked SSS-class by the CCG was highly respected in the ghoul world.
A character of that caliber personally offering "merchandise" was certainly intriguing.
"Two ghoul investigators; one of them is an Associate Special-Class Investigator, and the other is a drop-dead gorgeous man. I'm sure they'll be a hit~"
Eto's tone carried a teasing edge.
As for Byakuya's actual Special-Class status, she deliberately left that out.
Mentioning an Associate Special-Class Investigator was acceptable, but throwing in a full-fledged Special-Class might make the Madam more cautious.
"Not bad. If they're as valuable as you claim, they should fetch quite a high price."
The Madam was already getting excited.
"Since you want me to handle this for you, I'll be taking a 5% commission as a middleman. How about that?"
"No problem."
Eto agreed without hesitation.