Chapter 45— "THE VACATION IDEA"
(INDIA + VIETNAM IN INDIA + THAILAND Groups)
Aranya University had finally entered its rare peaceful phase.
No exams.
No emergency alerts.
No late-night chaos.
Just the slow calm before something bigger arrived.
And Care… was the reason that calm felt suspiciously organized.
---
The Living Room — Mansion Morning
Care sat on the sofa with a tablet in hand.
Not rushing.
Not stressed.
Just casually scrolling like she was planning a picnic.
Lyra came down first, hair slightly messy.
"What are you doing up this early?"
Ash followed behind, still half-awake.
Care didn't look up.
"Planning something."
Lyra narrowed her eyes.
"That sounds dangerous already."
Care finally spoke.
"University break is coming."
A pause.
Then she added casually,
"We should all travel somewhere."
Cole walked in just in time.
"Where."
Care flipped a page on her tablet.
"Sydney."
Silence.
Alex stopped mid-step.
"…Sydney?"
Care nodded.
"Nice weather. Big city. Good break spot."
Like she was suggesting a café.
Not a continent across the ocean.
---
Immediate Reactions
Lyra immediately leaned forward.
"I'm in."
Ash blinked.
"Same."
Cole stared at Care.
"You're suggesting this very casually."
Care shrugged.
"It's just a trip."
Alex crossed his arms.
"Nothing about you is 'just a trip'."
Care didn't react.
Just sipped her coffee.
---
HU Students (India-Based Groups)
Ace was the first to speak.
"Weird timing."
Matt looked up from his phone.
"But… Sydney actually sounds good."
Race nodded.
"We haven't travelled in a while."
Zein leaned back on the couch.
"If it's break, why not?"
Mia smiled slightly.
"Feels refreshing."
Allison added,
"And we deserve it after everything."
Care glanced at them.
Perfectly calm.
No pressure.
No insistence.
Just suggestion.
And that was the dangerous part.
Because when Care suggested something…
People usually agreed without realizing why.
---
Thailand Group (Dragon Crown)
In Bangkok, inside Dragon Crown's private headquarters, the atmosphere was already different.
This wasn't confusion.
This wasn't discussion.
This was confirmation.
Thyme stood in front of the large map screen.
Gorya was beside him, arms folded, calm but focused.
Kavin, MJ, and Ren were already dressed in travel mode.
MJ broke the silence first.
"Sydney is the location."
Ren nodded once.
"Same invitation we all received."
Kavin checked the flight routes displayed on screen.
"It's already aligned. Our names are already in the system for the summit period."
Gorya tilted her head slightly.
"So it's confirmed."
Thyme looked at all of them.
No hesitation.
No debate.
"This isn't a vacation."
He paused.
Then said clearly,
"This is the mafia gala."
Silence.
MJ exhaled slowly.
"Finally."
Ren cracked his neck.
"Dragon Crown doesn't miss something like this."
Kavin closed the file.
"Then we go prepared."
Gorya stepped forward slightly.
"We go as Dragon Crown."
Thyme nodded once.
"Yes."
Gorya looked at him.
"Together."
Thyme answered immediately.
"Together."
No confusion.
No pretending.
Unlike others who are divided...
Dragon Crown was already united.
Sydney meant summit.
And they were going there as one of the strongest mafia groups in Thailand.
---
Back to India — Care's Table
Care continued typing.
Flight synchronization.
Route stability.
Exit contingency alignment.
Cole watched her for a moment longer.
"You're thinking too much again."
Care closed the tablet slightly.
"I'm always thinking."
Cole didn't reply immediately.
But his eyes stayed on her longer than usual.
Something about her still didn't fit the "student" image he knew.
Not fully.
Not anymore.
---
HU Students in India
Ace leaned back.
"So we all agreed?"
Matt nodded.
"Looks like it."
Race smirked.
"Sydney it is."
Zein added calmly,
"Let's just hope it's peaceful."
Allison laughed slightly.
"That's never how our lives work."
Care finally looked up.
"Then adapt."
Simple.
Direct.
Final.
And somehow that one word ended the discussion.
---
Care — Private Moment
Later.
Empty living room.
Night light dim.
Care alone again with multiple devices.
Lyra walked in quietly.
"You really are building something, aren't you?"
Care didn't answer immediately.
Then calmly said,
"I'm just organizing travel."
Lyra didn't believe it.
But she didn't push further.
Because with Care…
Pushing rarely gave answers.
Only more questions.
---
And somewhere across the world…
Multiple groups were packing.
Not knowing they were all heading toward the same place.
Sydney.
The summit was no longer an idea.
It was already in motion.
---
Night Conversations — The Same City, Four Hidden Worlds
---
Lotus Shadows Base — Care, Lyra, Ash
The mansion was quiet again.
Only the soft glow of monitors lit the room.
Care was still working.
Lyra flopped onto the couch dramatically.
"I still can't believe they all agreed so easily."
Ash stretched her arms.
"Yeah… I thought Cole would argue more."
Lyra smirked.
"He did. For like five seconds."
Care didn't look up from her screen.
"They agreed because the timing made sense."
Ash leaned forward.
"Or because you made it sound too normal to say no."
Lyra pointed at Care.
"That. That's the real reason."
Care finally paused.
"I didn't force anything."
Lyra laughed.
"You never force. That's the problem."
Ash nodded.
"You just… make it inevitable."
Silence followed for a second.
Then Lyra sat up slightly.
"So the plan stays same."
Care nodded.
"Yes."
Ash smiled faintly.
"Vacation cover."
Lyra added,
"Split from group at gala day."
Care's eyes stayed on the screen.
"Reach venue separately."
Lyra leaned back.
"And nobody suspects anything."
Ash grinned.
"That's the beauty of it."
Care closed the laptop slowly.
"Good."
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
---
Silver Fangs Base — Cole's Room (Onyx)
Cole sat at the edge of a dimly lit desk.
Maps spread out.
Security reports open.
Alex leaned against the wall scrolling through gala details.
"This invitation is too clean."
Cole didn't look up.
"It's meant to look clean."
Alex glanced at him.
"You think it's a trap?"
Cole paused.
Then said,
"Everything that powerful is a trap."
Alex smirked slightly.
"So we're still going."
Cole nodded once.
"Yes."
Alex crossed his arms.
"And the others?"
Cole replied calmly.
"They think it's a vacation."
Alex laughed quietly.
"That's actually hilarious."
Cole finally looked up.
"It works in our favor."
Alex tilted his head.
"How?"
Cole tapped the map.
"If they think it's a break…"
"…they won't suspect movement."
Alex nodded slowly.
"Fair."
Cole leaned back.
"And on gala day…"
Alex finished the sentence.
"We separate."
Cole confirmed.
"Yes."
Alex smiled slightly.
"Simple plan."
Cole's voice lowered.
"Simple plans are usually the most dangerous."
---
Silver Wolves Base — Ace's Room (East Wing)
The room was messy.
Screens everywhere.
Files open.
Matt was lying on the bed scrolling through encrypted feeds.
Race sat on the floor leaning against the wall.
Ace stood near the window.
Matt broke the silence first.
"So… Sydney."
Race nodded.
Ace folded his arms.
"Everyone thinks it's just a vacation."
Matt snorted.
"That's the funniest part."
Race turned his phone in hand.
"Once we reach Sydney…"
Ace nodded.
"…we split from the group."
Matt looked up.
"Then we move as Silver Wolves."
Ace's voice was calm.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then Race added quietly,
"It's weird though."
Matt asked,
"What?"
Race hesitated.
"We're going there with people who think we're normal students."
Ace smirked slightly.
"That's the advantage."
Matt laughed softly.
"Yeah… if they knew what we were…"
He didn't finish.
Ace looked out the window.
"They don't need to know."
---
Crimson Roses Base — Zein's Room (West Wing)
The atmosphere here was calmer.
But sharper.
Zein sat on the bed reviewing gala access codes.
Mia was organizing outfits on the chair.
Allison leaned against the desk.
Mia spoke first.
"So everyone's still thinking vacation."
Allison nodded.
"Even the Indian group."
Zein didn't look up.
"Good."
Mia tilted her head.
"You don't think the gala is suspicious?"
Zein finally spoke.
"It is."
Allison crossed her arms.
"But we still go."
Zein nodded once.
"Yes."
Mia smiled slightly.
"It's actually perfect."
Allison added,
"Gala entry under cover of vacation."
Zein closed the file.
"And exit separately."
Mia leaned forward.
"Without anyone noticing."
Zein's voice stayed steady.
"Exactly."
A pause.
Then Allison said quietly,
"It's funny."
Zein looked at her.
"What is?"
Mia smiled faintly.
"They think we are normal students."
Allison chuckled.
"Yeah…"
Zein stood up.
"And none of them know what we really are either."
Silence settled.
The Crimson Roses were ready.
---
Across All Four Bases
Four groups.
Four rooms.
Four different conversations.
Same truth hidden beneath all of them.
They were all preparing for the same destination.
Sydney.
The mafia gala.
But not a single one of them knew the full reality yet—
That the "friends" they were traveling with…
Were also not normal students.
They were all shadows.
Just from different worlds.
---
PHILIPPINES (IRON WOLVES + NIGHT SERPENTS)
---
🌤️ Morning — Chaos Like Always
The HVIS university dorms were already loud before sunrise.
Percy was the first to ruin the peace.
"BABY SISTAHHHHH—WAKE UP, THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOUR PRESENCE."
JJ threw a pillow without even opening her eyes.
"SHUT UP, PERCY."
Cin was already sitting on the floor eating ice cream like it was the most normal breakfast in existence.
Aries stared at him.
"…Why ice cream?"
Cin shrugged.
"It's breakfast. Breakfast is a mindset."
Endrix just sighed.
"This group is mentally unstable."
Keifer leaned against the wall, watching JJ argue with Percy like it was daily entertainment.
JJ sat up finally, hair messy, still annoyed.
Then suddenly—
She turned serious.
"I want a vacation."
Everyone paused.
Percy blinked.
"A what?"
JJ stretched slightly.
"Sydney sounds good."
Keifer looked at her instantly.
That pause again.
Then calmly—
"I was thinking the same place."
JJ narrowed her eyes.
"Don't copy me."
Keifer smirked slightly.
"I didn't."
Aries leaned forward.
"This is too aligned."
Freya nodded.
"Suspiciously aligned."
Rakhi shrugged.
"Or just good timing."
JJ stood up.
"Then it's decided."
Keifer added,
"We all go."
Percy gasped dramatically.
"WAIT—WE'RE ACTUALLY LEAVING THE COUNTRY FOR A VACATION?"
JJ pointed at him.
"Yes. And you're coming."
Percy immediately saluted.
"Yes, ma'am."
Cin raised his ice cream.
"I vote yes."
Endrix muttered,
"This is not a democracy anymore."
---
🌙 Night — Separate Bases, Same Decision
The city was divided into two silent worlds.
⚫ Iron Wolves Base (Keifer's group)
Keifer, Aries, Percy, Cin, Endrix gathered around a digital map.
Aries spoke first.
"So everyone thinks it's just a trip."
Percy grinned.
"Bro it is a trip… with mafia networking potential."
Endrix crossed his arms.
"It's a cover."
Keifer nodded.
"Yes."
Cin added casually,
"We split on gala day."
Aries looked at Keifer.
"And girl's group?"
Keifer replied calmly,
"We will make them busy before disappearing with a normal excuse."
Percy laughed.
"This is so organized it's scary."
Endrix added quietly,
"Good. Less suspicion."
Percy leaned forward.
"Imagine meeting other mafia leaders there."
Aries glanced at him.
"We will."
Endrix added quietly,
"Phoenix. Onyx. Dragon Crown."
Silence followed for a second.
Then Percy grinned again.
"This is getting interesting."
Keifer's eyes stayed fixed on the screen.
"Sydney is just the entry point."
No one questioned it further.
Because for them…
It was already a mission disguised as normal life.
---
🔴 Night Serpents Base (JJ's group)
JJ sat at the center of the room.
Freya, Rakhi, and a few trusted allies around her.
JJ spoke first.
"Keifer suggested Sydney too."
Freya raised an eyebrow.
"Coincidence?"
JJ shrugged.
"Maybe."
Rakhi leaned back.
"Or maybe everyone wants the same thing."
JJ tapped the table.
"We go. As Night Serpents."
Freya nodded immediately.
"And act like it's just vacation."
Rakhi smirked.
"Easy."
JJ added,
"On gala day—we separate."
Freya grinned.
"Classic move."
Rakhi added,
"No one suspects a thing."
JJ leaned back slightly.
"Good."
A pause.
Then she said quietly,
"They think we're just going on a trip."
Freya laughed softly.
"Let them think that."
---
🌍 The Blind Truth
Two groups in the Philippines.
Iron Wolves.
Night Serpents.
Same city.
Same timing.
Same destination.
Same "vacation" excuse.
But neither group realizes the truth:
They are both mafia organizations operating in parallel…
while believing the other is just a normal student group going on holiday.
And even worse—
Somewhere across the world…
others are doing the exact same thing.
Same lie.
Same plan.
Same destination.
Sydney.
But none of them connected the most dangerous detail yet—
They were not just meeting other mafia groups there.
They were also unknowingly about to meet the people they already lived, argued, survived, and laughed with for 30 days.
The "students" they trusted.
The "friends" they ate with.
The "normal people" they joked with.
All of it… was not what it seemed.
-------
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ❓ ⁉️
WHAT IS OBSIDIAN COUNCIL?
A FRIEND OR A FOE ??
WHO IS THE LEADER ???
---
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Regards,
Yours lovingly,
Author. ~ Care...