Chapter 149 The list says Bourbon is—…

Binga took a sudden step forward, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger and undisguised scrutiny: "You still dare to be so insolent knowing this?!"

"Bourbon, are you truly fearless, or do you think you can rest easy just because... someone is on your side?" He glossed over the honorific, his gaze sharpening, "?"

Binga stared intently into Bourbon's confident, purplish-gray eyes, a fierce thought forming in his mind: No matter who stands behind Bourbon, now that he's stepped into this place, he can't expect to get away with such underhanded tricks as before.

It is a fact that his name is on the list, and Lord Rum has ordered the purge of those on the list.

Even if that gentleman has other considerations, Binga is determined to peel back the seemingly impeccable skin of Bourbon today and see what's hidden underneath!

Bourbon's smile remained unchanged, and he even slightly raised his chin as Binga approached, his purplish-gray eyes showing no fear.

“I dare to do this, of course, because…” He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the warehouse who was staring at him, and then said clearly and firmly, word by word, “I am certain that I am definitely not an undercover agent.”

He said this without a hint of guilt.

He looked at Binga's suddenly contracted pupils and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Since I'm not an undercover agent, then the authenticity of the list that Curaçao brought back is highly questionable."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Vermouth, who stood calmly and elegantly with her arms crossed, a mischievous smirk in his voice: "Besides, if you were truly 100% certain the list was accurate, wouldn't I be facing bullets right now?"

Bourbon shrugged, looking very relaxed: "Look, you haven't dealt with me yet, and you're even willing to give me, a 'suspect,' a chance to defend myself. Doesn't that just show that you also have doubts about the authenticity of that list?"

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the faces hidden in the shadows or in the light, before finally settling on Binga's face.

“Curaçao hasn’t returned yet,” Bourbon added slowly. “If nothing unexpected had happened, she should have come back to report by now, given her abilities.”

"Since she hasn't returned yet, who can guarantee that she sent the list? It's not impossible that Curaçao has already been captured."

This statement undoubtedly struck a nerve with many people present, including Binga himself.

Binga's expression grew even more grim. Bourbon's words were all true; Curaçao's disappearance had indeed cast a shadow over the authenticity of the list.

The police department's reaction to the missing list was also somewhat strange, leaving many questions unanswered about the operation. More importantly, Bourbon was not one of those minor figures who could be easily disposed of.

His heart sank. Lord Rum's order was issued far too quickly. He gave the order to clean up almost the instant he received the list, and the man didn't even have time to stop him.

The second-in-command of an organization has the power to make decisions at critical moments.

This is partly because many people on the list were people that Lord Rum had previously suspected, which made Lord Rum trust the list more.

In addition, they worried that every hour they spent each night, the undercover agents would have a greater chance of receiving news of the stolen list, and thus a higher probability of successfully withdrawing from the organization.

In short, by the time it was discovered that Curaçao had not returned to report, it was likely that something had happened to him, and it was too late; the list of people had been reduced to only two.

Both of them have someone acting as their guarantor.

The man who maintained a good sleep schedule, went to bed early and woke up early, and never stayed up late woke up to find: the sky had fallen.jpg

Some of the more shrewd members had already begun to look at each other with shifty eyes.

Putting aside the issue of Curaçao's non-return, it seems that... those who have been removed from the list all have some old grudges against Rum.

Yes, the relationship between Bourbon and Rum has become somewhat delicate lately. Bourbon has risen too quickly, and in the past two years, he has begun to subtly threaten Rum's position.

...

"Buzz buzz buzz..."

In the distance, Shuichi Akai's phone vibrated slightly.

He took out his phone with one hand, turned it on, and quickly glanced at the screen. The message was from Conan, and the wording was unusually urgent.

It says on it:

[Mr. Akai, Curaçao's phone has been hacked by the Doctor. She sent Rum a list that includes Bourbon as one of the names—]

Please be extremely careful!!!

Shuichi Akai's dark green pupils suddenly contracted as he abruptly looked at Ikuya Nekono.

Nekono Ikuya looked up and slowly smiled.

...

Inside the warehouse, Bourbon and the others were still talking.

"Sharp-tongued!" Binga sneered. "It's a fact that your name is on the list. Until the list is proven fake, you remain the prime suspects. The organization won't let any potential threat slip by!"

While Lord Rum's purge order was indeed too hasty, Bourbon's composed demeanor, as if he had everything under control, only annoyed him more.

No, this can't go on.

Binga suddenly realized that the authenticity of the list might no longer be so important.

Lord Rum's purge order was issued too quickly. If it is later confirmed that the list is problematic and Bourbon is still alive, the threat to Lord Rum will be enormous.

Conversely, if Bourbon were to die during the investigation now, Rum's situation would be much better even if the list were later proven false.

Once the thought arose, it quickly entangled his reason like a poisonous ivy.

Binga's hand flashed towards his waist with lightning speed. He no longer waited for any explanation or order, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

Right here, before anyone else could react, we made our move.

Kill Bourbon! Once Bourbon is dead, all the subsequent troubles will be solved.

Lord Rum will remember this contribution.

The black muzzle of the gun, carrying a chilling killing intent, was raised and pointed precisely at Bourbon's forehead!

"Binga, you—!" Vermouth's expression changed, and she shouted sharply, leaning forward as if to stop him.

She never expected that Binga would dare to so blatantly use the guise of interrogation to actually kill her!

However, she was still a step too slow. Or rather, someone was faster than her.

Bang! Bang!

Two almost overlapping gunshots ripped through the air in the warehouse without warning!

It didn't come from Binga's gun, nor from any of the weapons in the warehouse.

They came from outside the warehouse.

With the sound of a gunshot, the brightest emergency light on the warehouse roof shattered, glass shards and sparks raining down. The light dimmed abruptly, plunging visibility into a brief state of disorientation.

"Ugh—!" Binga let out a short cry of pain.

In the last instant before the lights went out, those with sharp eyes only caught a glimpse of Binga's wrist jerking violently as a line of blood spurted out, the pistol flying out of his hand and crashing with a clatter onto a metal crate not far away before bouncing to the ground.

Darkness descends, and chaos erupts!

"Who?" "A sniper?!" "Get cover!" "The door's open!"

The warehouse erupted in chaos. The organization's members, well-trained, sought cover and drew their guns, pointing them at the suddenly lit door. However, the alternating light and darkness made their vision uncomfortable, and no one dared to make a move.

The chaos lasted for less than ten seconds.

The automatically activated emergency lights and the light from outside illuminated the mess in the center of the warehouse.

Binga clutched his bleeding wrist, his face contorted with pain and rage, staring intently at the spot where Bourbon and the other suspect had stood.

It was completely empty.

Only a little dust kicked up proved that someone had indeed been standing there.

In the brief darkness and chaos, they vanished without a trace, like ghosts.

...

Under the sunlight, two lithe figures swiftly traversed the intricate network of roads in the abandoned factory area.

They only stopped in a secluded corner after they had completely left the warehouse area and were sure that no pursuers were following them.

Their rapid breathing was particularly clear in the silence, and both of them were slightly adjusting their breathing.

"Phew... Thanks for earlier, Bourbon." The tall man who had escaped with Bourbon under the cover of darkness spoke in a deep voice. There was some dust on his face, and his eyes were quite complicated.

Binga's sudden attack caught everyone off guard. In the instant the lights went out, Bourbon pulled him back from the chaos and quickly indicated the escape route in a very low voice.

It was certainly not a gate used as a cover.

Amuro Tooru leaned against the cold wall, casually wiping away a speck of blood splattered on his cheek—Binga's blood—his purplish-gray eyes still bright.

He tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile that wasn't exactly relaxed.

"You're welcome," he said with a self-deprecating laugh. "Since we're on the same list, we're practically 'comrades'."

Speaking of his companions, Amuro Tooru's eyes clearly showed his fellow sufferers who had been slandered.

He paused, then turned to look at Ireland beside him. "But honestly, it's quite surprising to see you on the list."

"Ireland, you're a second-generation member of the organization, having grown up in it since childhood. Since your name is on it, how could Rum still believe that ridiculous list?"

Ireland's face darkened instantly upon hearing this. But considering that Bourbon had just helped him, he patiently explained.

“Rum may not believe I’m an undercover agent,” he said slowly, his fist clenching unconsciously. “But he thinks I might betray the organization for Pisker.”

“Pisco…” Amuro Tooru’s eyes flashed, as if he understood.

Bourbon: I understand!

Oh, I was just pretending.

He already knew all along.

Pisco, a veteran member of the organization, is also the person who raised Ireland from childhood and is like a father to him.

A few months ago, Pisco was ruthlessly eliminated by the organization due to a failed mission. This incident has been a thorn in Ireland's side and an irreparable rift between him and the organization's top brass, especially Gin, who led the purge.

It's hard to say whether Ireland harbors any resentment towards the organization because of this.

“They think I might hold a grudge, that my loyalty to the organization might be fractured by Pisco’s death, and that I might even turn to other forces to seek revenge.” Ireland’s voice grew colder.

Another strange thing is that since Pisco's death, the police have cracked down on the influence of many organizations, and the source of their intelligence is highly suspicious.

Aside from the deceased Pisco, only Rum, who was like a son to Pisco, might know some of the information. This is why Rum suspects him.

Ireland, who knew he had not betrayed the organization, was completely baffled as to why.

Yes, why is that? Because Pisco is in the hands of the police, and Riku Furuya has already moved.