Supervillain Idol System: My Sidekick Is A Yandere

Chapter 695: Same City, Different Structure (Part 9)

After another hour and some minutes, Don, Charles, and Ash were finally done with their portion of the distribution.The work continued without them, now handled by other students who had received clear directions from Mr. Xiao.

Whatever arrangement those students had struck with the chairman remained unknown to Don and Charles, but the way the young people carried themselves—with focused diligence and determination—suggested the rewards were substantial.

Scholarships, future opportunities, or other benefits that made the effort worthwhile.

The trio climbed back into the dark silver Mercedes Sprinter and left. Surprisingly, a handful of protesters still lingered near there as they returned, though their numbers had thinned considerably.

Police maintained a visible presence along the perimeter, their postures alert but no longer stretched to the breaking point.

The Sprinter came to a smooth stop in front of the steps. Don shifted toward the door, poised to exit, when Charles spoke.

"Thank you again for coming along. Your presence there helped quite a bit, especially that little incident by the ghettos." Charles chuckled, the sound low and genuine. "I'm sure if you check online you'll be trending again."

Don replied without much enthusiasm. "Whatever helps the cause, am I right?"

Charles gave a small smile and nodded. "That you are."

Ash remained mostly silent throughout the exchange, her gaze fixed on her phone as she scrolled through random feeds. Charles turned his attention to her. "Where should I drop you off, Miss Ash?"

Ash pulled her eyes away from the screen, brows furrowing slightly. "Ash is just fine."

It was clear she disliked the formal address. "I was staying at the encampment in SHQ, but Mr. Xiao told me I can move into one of the dormitories on campus. So you can drop me off by SHQ so I can grab a few things, then I can head there myself."

Charles considered it for a moment. "Hmm. If you're lacking a place to stay, my family owns a few residences that are still intact. If you don't mind, you could stay at one such residence. They have modern amenities and are quite secure."

Ash didn't even glance at Don for permission this time. "No thanks. I would probably feel out of place in a fancy place like yours. Besides, I prefer being on campus. It will help keep me busy and stuff. Plus it's also probably even safer."

Charles did not push. "Not a problem then. We shall drive you to SHQ, collect your things, then drop you off by the campus."

Ash simply replied, "Thanks."

Seeing the matter settled, Don stepped fully out of the vehicle. "I'll speak to you guys later."

Charles nodded. "I'll contact you if anything else comes up."

Ash gave a short nod. "Sure… later."

Don pulled away as the Sprinter rolled off. He turned and ascended the wide steps leading into City Hall.

Police officers stationed at the entrance asked for his papers and identification.

Don reached into his pocket. "I left my papers in another car, but I have my identification here."

He handed it over. One of the officers began to speak. "I'm sorry, sir, but without all the necessary papers we cannot let you—"

The second officer cut him off immediately. "Hold on, Jim. He's good."

The first officer looked confused but did not argue further. He handed the identification back with a polite nod. "You can go right in, sir."

Don thanked them and walked inside. Behind him, he caught the exchange with his enhanced hearing. "Why the hell did you let him through without papers? Is he some rich kid or something?"

The second officer replied, "You're new to the city so you probably don't know him, but that kid is a rising hero. More than that, he's got close ties to Mr. Xiao."

At the mention of the name, the first officer's tone shifted. "Shit… I hope I didn't offend him."

Don allowed the smallest of smiles to touch his lips as he continued deeper into the building.

The ground floor had largely emptied out. He made his way up to the second floor, where the original arrangement remained largely intact: wide corridors lined with offices belonging to various city departments, including the mayor's suite and meeting rooms.

Polished wood paneling and tall windows overlooking the city gave the level a sense of established authority, even amid the current chaos.

His superhuman hearing picked up the low murmur of voices from the main conference room.

He walked down the corridor and turned the corner to find two police officers standing guard outside the door.

They straightened noticeably at his approach, one even swallowing as Don's imposing frame cast a shadow over them.

Don kept his expression neutral and asked in a low tone, "How long until the meeting is over?"

One officer checked his watch. "It should be done in about twenty-three minutes, sir."

Don nodded and continued farther down the corridor to a row of waiting seats outside another office. He settled into one, pulled out his phone, and texted Gary.

*In the current state of the city, I'm seeing a lot of the elites making moves. I'm going to make some as well using what connections I have, but I'm more concerned about us making sure we have the larger control of the city's underbelly. What do you think we can do to achieve this under the current circumstances? Looking past what we already discussed.*

He sent it and waited.

Their gains from the incident had been substantial—Gary's teams had swept through the chaos, securing crypto, safes, gold, weapons, and drug caches worth roughly three hundred and forty-six million.

Most of it tied to the drug trade.

They had held off on major moves until the new governing body took clearer shape, but the board members were already positioning themselves aggressively.

Several minutes later, Gary replied.

*Well, I've had scouts looking over several sectors of the city and we've been actively collecting data. However, if we are to act soon, then I would need to go over this data and see how best we can act on it. If it is fine with you, sir, we could discuss it later this evening? I will need about five or so hours to compile everything I've collected and analyze it. Since Winter cannot assist me directly, it will be a bit tricky.*

Don typed back quickly. *I understand. I'll be waiting for your message.*

Gary responded almost immediately. *Wonderful, sir. There was also something else I wish to discuss, but I shall address it later as well.*

*That won't be a problem.*

Don spent the remaining time replying to messages.

Most came from Samantha, who had seen him on television and excitedly told him how she had shared the news with his grandmother.

The older woman was proud, missing him, and insisting he had grown so much. The warmth of those messages grounded him, pulling his thoughts away from the colder calculations of power and control.

After about twenty-seven minutes, the conference room door opened.

Don looked up as people began filing out. He recognized the former mayor, the police commissioner speaking with two suited men, and then Miss Claire walking beside an older, slightly stocky gentleman with white balding hair and a full beard, both wearing warm smiles.

Bernard Monclaire and Mr. Xiao followed, engaged in conversation with Gerald Richmond.

Don stood from his seat. Mr. Xiao turned his head at the movement, likely due to his own enhanced senses, and offered a small smile as if waiting.

Don approached without fanfare. Mr. Xiao spoke first. "Mr. Bright, so good to see you. I was just informed that you took part in my latest project for the city. I'm very much thankful for that."

Don paused, posture indicating he would not linger. "It's only natural given I'm from the same institution and the cause was good."

Mr. Xiao smiled and nodded. "Of course, it's only natural, but I'm thankful nonetheless. When a student in a position such as yours acts on behalf of the school, it encourages others to do the same."

"Let's hope it does." Don gave a polite nod to Bernard and Gerald before walking on.

Bernard looked as though he wanted to say something but held back, simply smiling as he watched Don continue.

Miss Claire had turned the corner ahead and noticed him before deciding to waited as the gentleman she was with walked on.

When he reached her, she offered a small smile. "You didn't have to come all the way up here to wait."

Don shrugged. "I just ended up coming."

Miss Claire did not press the point. "I see. Well then, shall we?"

Don nodded and fell into step beside her as they left together.

——-

Several minutes later, the two were back in the luxurious comfort of the Rolls Royce, gliding through the mostly empty streets of Santos City.

Occasional construction zones slowed their progress, along with the familiar checkpoints, but neither commented on them.

They listened quietly to the news recapping the very event they had just left.

The anchor spoke with clear admiration. "Bernard Monclaire continues to demonstrate exceptional leadership in these trying times. Through his various organizations and personal investments, he has already helped countless families secure temporary housing, medical supplies, and essential resources in the wake of the incident."

Miss Claire gave a light scoff at one particularly glowing line about Bernard acting out of the goodness of his heart.

"More like out of the goodness of his wallet," she muttered. "If they knew the policies he was trying to push for, they wouldn't think he were such a generous and kind man."

Don glanced at her. "Are they that bad?"

Miss Claire kept her expression neutral. "For people like us? No. If anything, I'm sure it will prove quite beneficial for me and you. However, the coming generation? Not so much."

Don asked, "Are you against it?"

She gave a subtle shake of her head. "No. Why would I be against anything that I benefit from? I am not so kind. Unfortunately, I learned a long time ago that our society does not reward kindness."

Don could not argue with the truth of it. "That's true."

A brief silence followed. Then Miss Claire asked in a softer tone, "Do you think that makes me a bad person?"

Don met her gaze steadily. "That depends on who you ask."

Miss Claire turned slightly toward him. "I'm asking you."