69 Jinjiang Exclusive

◎Want to go on a date?◎

71

This was the first time Kawakami Wakana had ever seen Edogawa Ranpo like this since they had met.

In her memory, Ranpo-san was sometimes a bit childish, such as clamoring for a kids' meal when eating at the Whirlpool Cafe, or mixing various self-service drinks together, but he was always very serious when it came to important matters.

At least she wouldn't have gotten so angry just because she mentioned "the president's friend is suspicious".

“Ranpo-san,” Wakana tried to communicate, “I’m not saying Fukuchi-san definitely has a problem, but since there are suspicious points—”

“You must have seen wrong,” Edogawa Ranpo said.

His voice was loud and carried an air of unquestionable authority.

"..."

Kawakami Wakai paused for a moment.

Ranpo-san... Is there something wrong with you being so unwilling to accept the president's friend?

Just then, Yosano Akiko and Tanizaki Naomi returned from buying juice. "We're back—" they began, but then noticed the tense atmosphere in the office.

Huh...?

"I see..."

In the office, after listening to Ruoyi recount everything, Yosano Akiko sighed and swirled the red wine in her glass: "I think Ranpo-san isn't being willful; he just doesn't want to believe the president could misjudge people. I wonder what the president will do if Fukuchi really has a problem..."

"I may not know all about his past, but it was because he met the president that he realized that it wasn't that the world was strange, but that she was too smart and had a stable place to live."

"As for Fukuchi, Ranpo-san once threw a tantrum at me about this. Because compared to him, Fukuchi and the president grew up together and have a very strong bond..."

"..." Holding the juice in her hand, Kawakami Wakana lowered her head.

"But if there really is a problem with the blessed land, instead of staying in the dark, shouldn't we try to recognize the facts and make a clean break if necessary?"

Yosano Akiko remained noncommittal: "Wakai-san, let's still believe Ranpo-san. He's not being willful; he's just having trouble accepting reality right now."

"But nobody knows how much time we have left!" Kawakami Wakana suddenly stood up. "Akiko-chan, do me a favor!"

"I need to see the other members of the hounds again."

Fortunately, Yosano Akiko listened to Wakana's words.

That same day, she suggested to the club president that if the hound was willing to assist the detective agency in resolving the issue of the five signs of decay, they should have a team-building activity together, go out for a meal, and maybe sing some karaoke.

The following evening, several members of the detective agency and the hounds gathered at a restaurant in Chinatown.

Only Edogawa Ranpo and another person, a hound, who was said to have other missions, did not come.

Kawakami Wakana readily exchanged names with her new friends, and the values ​​above their heads could now be viewed.

only……

Yoko Okura, vice-captain of the Hound Team. Special ability: "Soul's Breath". Affection level: 20%, Murder intent: 0%.

Tōno Seiki, a member of the Houndmaster team, possesses the special ability "Tears of a Thousand Gold," with a 10% favorability rating and 0% murderous intent.

Suehiro Tetsugon, a member of the Hound Team, possesses the special ability "Snow Plum," with a favorability rating of 0 and a killing intent of 0.

Everyone's values ​​are normal.

Only Fukuchi Sakura's "Hound Captain" remains a question mark, and his killing intent level cannot be viewed.

So, is the captain the only one with problems with the hound team?

Even in front of Fukuchi Sakura herself, Wakana didn't dare to share her discovery with Yosano Akiko, even on her phone. She could only helplessly watch as Suehiro Tessou, a member of the hounds, suddenly came up with some strange idea: to dip roast duck in wasabi and add his own durian.

"..." This is something no one could stand to watch!

The team-building activity didn't end until after 9 p.m. Once home, Kawakami Wakana immediately knocked on Yosano Akiko's door.

“Everyone else’s stats are normal,” she said bluntly. “Only Fukuchi Sakura…”

"Moreover, I have also carefully observed his behavior based on your description of the previous encounters with the blessed land, and it can be said that there are no flaws in his actions."

"This 'Fukuchi Sakura fanatic' is either the real person or someone who has impersonated him and can perfectly mimic the identity of 'Fukuchi Sakura fanatic'."

“It’s good that the other members of the Hound’s labels are normal, but even so, it’s still terrible,” Yosano Akiko said. “All the members of the Hound have superhuman physical abilities and are all under the command of Captain Fukuchi Ouki. If they are deceived by Fukuchi and attack the Detective Agency, we… might not be able to beat them.”

"..."

"I've got it!" Kawakami Wakana clapped her hands. "I've figured out a way to prove whether the Blessed Land Cherry Blossom Fanaticism is related to the Five Signs of Decay of the Celestials?"

Yosano Akiko immediately appeared to be listening attentively.

But Ruoyi unlocked her phone and opened a chat interface that had been dormant for a long time.

"Don't forget who I know!"

…………

Fedya, Gogol, and Sigma are known members of the Five Signs of Decay. Among them, Ruoyi's phone contains Fedya's chat account.

This means that if she can successfully get information out of Fedia, she might be able to determine whether he has been having private conversations with Fukuchi Sakura.

The only concern is that Fei Jia's skill level might make it easy for others to see through her attempts to extract information.

Therefore, even Yosano Akiko advised Wakana to be careful.

“I know,” Ruoyi said with a smile as she left Akiko’s room. “I certainly won’t be too rash in bringing up anything related to Fukuchi Sakura.”

"—However, I happen to have something I need to show him."

On the other side.

When Fyodor received the message from Kawakami Wakai, he was quite surprised.

After all, the kitten hadn't contacted him via chat software for a long time.

He didn't even know why he was keeping the software.

As if guided by some unseen force, he had already opened the file Ruoyi had sent him; it was a document. Inside the document was, surprisingly, a novel.

My Liar Friend

Fyodor: "..."

Could it be that the kitten is accusing him of lying to her time and time again?

But he continued reading anyway.

The gist of the story is that after the female protagonist has a fight with her best friend, the friend tearfully tells her, "I'm never talking to you again. I'm going to take a time machine to a future a thousand years from now where you won't be."

The next day, when the female protagonist went to school, she heard that her friend had died in an accident.

She didn't want to believe her friend was dead, only that she was truly angry with her and had gone to the future. So, the little girl would make a wish upon a star every day, hoping that she could also travel through time or have immortality.

One day, she heard a voice say, "I can grant your wish."

This concludes the article.

Fyodor: "..."

"You haven't finished writing," he replied.

His reply was quickly marked as read, and a new message popped up.

【It's not finished yet!】

This story cannot be told in just a few words.

"..."

Looking at the content on his phone screen, Fyodor smiled slightly.

"I'd like to see what kind of story you can write."

…………

Kawakami Wakana's latest novel is intended to resonate with F.J. by using the life of an "immortal" protagonist as a blueprint.

After sending out the opening paragraph and promising to finish the story, she suddenly didn't know what to write next.

The departure of loved ones and friends, the panic caused by unchanging appearances, watching alone as the city is no longer what it used to be...

But can these really be considered a comprehensive overview?

Among the people she knows, perhaps only Ranpo-san, who frequently reads manga and plays games, could offer suitable advice on this kind of scenario.

But she had just recently been with Ranpo-san...

Uh, I don't know if that counts as an argument.

Kawakami Wakana turned off her computer monitor, intending to go downstairs to buy a glass of juice to relax. However, as soon as she opened the detective agency's door, she saw Xiaowen sneaking around, clutching something and hiding to the side.

Kawakami Ruoyi: "..."

Koda Fumi: "..."

"Kunikida-san isn't here right now," Ruoyi reminded the little girl.

Xiaowen immediately retorted, "I didn't come here to see Kunikida-san!"

"However... I've been studying anatomy very hard lately and have redrawn a portrait of Vampire-chan. If I can find him, I wonder if I could let him see it?"

Vampire-chan...

What a strange name...

wrong!

Kawakami Wakana quickly grasped the key point.

"Wenjiang," she said, looking at Xiaowen seriously, "today isn't a holiday. Aren't you going to school?"

“I skipped school,” Xiaowen said seriously.

"..." How could anyone in this world talk about skipping school so openly and honestly!

"Because I want Vampire-chan to see this painting as soon as possible!" the little girl continued to defend herself.

Ruoyi could only shake her head helplessly and tell the little girl that the Detective Agency would accept her, but she shouldn't do anything like that again, otherwise "Vampire-chan" would be unhappy.

The little girl then left, satisfied.

Ruoyi sighed and returned to her workstation, opening Xiaowen's sketchbook.

It is a chibi-style character portrait.

I wouldn't say it's drawn exceptionally well, but it definitely seems to have improved a lot compared to last time.

Looking at the portrait, Ruoyi suddenly felt a pang of heartache.

Xiaowen did all this for "Vampire Sauce" simply because the innocent girl saw his loneliness and wanted to warm him as much as possible.

But now she...

Whether it was an attempt to gain Fega's favor or something like what Dr. Yosano had discussed about "getting information out of Fega," it was all done with a purpose.

she……

Can we still view Feda with the same pure perspective that Xiaowen had on vampires?

Thinking of this, Ruoyi suddenly felt a lump in her throat. Her vision seemed to blur with tears.

Having found Fei Jia's chat interface, she subconsciously typed a line of text:

Can I...see you?

The other party sent a question mark.

【If you're worried and think I'm planning to ambush you, we can leave Yokohama!】Ruoyi typed rapidly.

I just wanted to experience a real date with Fedia, one without any factions or stances...

"A date...?" Fyodor frowned as he looked at the message Ruoyi had sent him on his phone.

But for some reason, he subconsciously believed that what Kawakami Wakana said was the truth.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally sent it—

"good."

Then, he sent another message to Sigma:

Come find me and tell me about your next steps.

[Author's Note]

(ω)

How many people have been watching this far? qwq

let me see!