Napa is located northwest of Fresno, and is known for its scenic mountains and waters, but the area's economy initially lagged due to difficult infrastructure development. It wasn't until tourism took off that things improved, with casinos, half legal, half underground, becoming a distinctive feature.
In this bustling line of buses, over four hundred sophomore students from Logan's school were set for a two-day, one-night field trip. The itinerary covered a range of natural landscapes and towns, but with time constraints, they'd only visit the more notable sites.
"The way our school's travel club handles this is unbelievable, how did they even negotiate all this? It's practically on par with a private school's trips." David commented, listening intently to the tour guide's lively explanations from the front of the bus.
Each bus is equipped with a tour guide, who is explaining the autumn tour in front of everyone in a lively manner.
Logan agreed, as for a regular high school, such a well-organized trip was rare. His social feed had been flooded with envy-filled comments from students at other schools.
A classmate across the aisle gave David a knowing look, "You don't know the half of it! They say the club president has some serious connections. Money is no object here!"
"Is there really such thing going on?" David's face lit up with intrigue. Boredom often led him to dig into school gossip, and he immediately leaned in to learn more.
Watching this, Logan could only smile wryly. As he listened to the guide's voice over the microphone and gazed at the scenery flashing by, he couldn't help but feel lucky. After all, he was getting paid while enjoying a rare school trip.
As for Damian's request, it was also straightforward. The Blue Gang had a strong presence, with roots stretching beyond Fresno. Recently, some of their territory had been seized by a local gang in another city. Given today's 'civilized' approach to gang conflicts, the rivals' actions were especially audacious.
Whether it's for the sake of reputation or profit, the Blue Gang couldn't ignore it.
However, the problem also arises. After all, this is a foreign city. The Blue Gang cannot mobilize manpower and material resources with great fanfare.
After all, an all-out brawl is against the harmony between the police and the people. Therefore, after a short decision, they simply called Logan, their secret weapon, to avoid the hassle. They didn't need to bother with legalities, as direct, forceful action suited them just fine.
As for the letter Logan was holding, it wasn't exactly necessary. But as Damian explained, 'Bro, you're too quick. If they don't see who's doing it, just leave the letter behind, and they'll know it's a message from us.'
It was dramatic and a little over the top, but what can Logan say? In short, he'll get paid to get it done.
"Logan, Logan, Guess what… I found out why our travel club's so amazing. Do you want to listen? Let me tell you, poverty really limits my imagination. I never expected that..." After the exchange with the classmate next to him, David immediately came back with excitement on his faces, eager to express their desire to talk.
Gossip is only the most enjoyable in the few seconds when it is revealed. Holding it back in your heart will only let the excitement and joy die together with the news.
"Oh, I don't really want to know," Logan replied.
"..." David suddenly felt as if he was struck by lightning, and his whole body felt bad. "You…how can you be so heartless?"
'It was indeed quite heartless.' Logan chuckled to himself, staying calm as he put on his earphones.
David was on the verge of going crazy. He rushed over and strangled Logan neck, with an angry expression on his face, "How dare you! Today, I'm gonna teach you a lesson!"
"Hey, cut it out," Logan finally snapped, "Or I'll really make you pay!"
"Bring it on! Let's go down together!"
"Once I start, not even I can control the outcome, Fatty..."
"Hah! Go ahead and bluff! Take this..."
…
What gave Logan a reason to participate in the autumn field trip was not entirely because the location of his business was also in Napa.
Logan could also happily accept the special car provided by Damian, and the round trip would be faster.
But after arriving home that night, Logan learned the specific information about the hostile underworld, and happened to find that the hot spring inn where the students from Fresno High School stayed was within the rival gang's territory. In this way, he could act more conveniently by using his status as a student.
The versatility of Ninjutsu in modern society feels almost mystical, like magic beyond earthly limitations.
However, Logan was fully aware that in today's world of advanced anti-crime technology, and direct confrontation with modern systems wasn't ideal.
Though Transformation Techniques could evade security cameras, they wouldn't bypass airport checks, where identities are verified online in seconds, and errors would be flagged immediately.
Without specific knowledge in these areas, Logan preferred not to take unnecessary risks.
Amid their mock skirmish, David's dramatic attacks struck Logan as exaggerated, so he matched the energy and exaggerated his reactions in return.
After some playful scuffling, David finally settled down, even forgetting to share the gossip he'd picked up.
The guide's lengthy speech was finally over, but it didn't take long for an eager student to rally the bus for a round of singing.
Even the shyest girls gathered their courage, joining the chorus to egg each other on. Singing on the bus was practically a rite of passage for school trips, and eventually, a boy was pushed forward to sing first.
The driver, unfazed, pressed the music button with a neutral expression, segueing seamlessly into the song.
David sang along in a dramatic, almost comedic way that made Logan feel oddly nostalgic. He clapped along with the others, relishing this unchanging part of the trip's rhythm.
After a while, most of the students had drifted off to sleep, and the bus's quiet felt worlds away from the earlier commotion. Logan casually pushed away David's head as it drooped towards his shoulder, hearing a few girls whispering in the back corner.
'Actually, if I wanted to get the job done, did I really have to sneak into this autumn field trip?'
David was sleeping soundly on the other side of the chair. Logan glanced at him and took away the half-eaten potato chips from his hand.
The crunching sound of the potato chips was a little obvious, and the two girls who were awake at the front seat turned around to see the source and said with a smile, "Logan, want some chocolate?"
"Thanks." Logan whispered back, taking the chocolate with a grin. There was something about this youthful camaraderie he was starting to appreciate.
'Maybe I really wanted to be here.'