Chapter 91 Wow, honey trap...

Shuichi Akai and Hiromitsu Morofushi's strange gazes, which were not well concealed, naturally did not escape the actress's notice.

Vermouth: "..."

"...Rude fellows." She scoffed. Two blockheads who can only fiddle with sniper rifles!

In comparison, Bourbon, who could pry open safes and keep secrets with sweet words and a charming smile, was definitely more interesting.

Vermouth's tone wasn't particularly cold, nor did it reveal much anger; the end of her sentence even carried a slightly lazy, drawn-out quality, as if she were casually scolding an ignorant junior. However, these words simultaneously made Shuichi Akai and Hiromitsu Morofushi both shudder and quickly suppress their outward emotions.

The temporary base leader standing nearby was also sweating profusely, trying to minimize his presence.

He couldn't afford to offend any of the three people in front of him!

“I’m sorry,” Shuichi Akai spoke first, his voice still cold and hard, but his tone had softened somewhat. “I was just surprised by that ‘Bourbon’s’ efficiency.”

Morofushi Kagemitsu also raised his eyes, indicating his stance: "Yes, but we won't fall too far behind."

Beneath his gentle exterior, he finally revealed a hint of his true brilliance.

"Ha, I hope so."

Vermouth chuckled softly and stopped teasing them.

Bourbon had already completed the most important task of recovering the lost data before she arrived, and he was happy to take on the other trivial tasks as well. Vermouth was in a really good mood, having gotten a chance to relax and have some fun. She even found the boyfriend of the eldest daughter left behind by that wicked woman much more agreeable and didn't bother to deliberately make things difficult for him.

She had only acted on a whim, wanting to see how the other two newcomers fared.

The conclusion is that, as expected, the sensible and perceptive Bourbon was more pleasing to her.

Vermouth immediately lost interest and withdrew her gaze listlessly.

"Alright, that's enough small talk." She turned cold, reverting to her businesslike tone.

Vermouth was nominally there to help, but her position in the organization was quite special; she was more like the eyes of the organization's boss watching over its members than someone carrying out a mission.

Due to her experiences and personality, Vermouth would never betray the organization, but she would also never be particularly dedicated to its missions.

She waved her hand lazily, as if shooing away flies.

"The mission information is with the person in charge. The objective is to eliminate a traitor who can't keep his mouth shut; the organization has already located him. Take care of him; this is your opening test."

"I hope your abilities will live up to your recommenders' recommendations," she said meaningfully. "And don't let Bourbon leave you too far behind."

Without giving Shuichi Akai and Hiromitsu Morofushi a chance to ask questions, Vermouth turned and left gracefully after speaking. Her gait lacked the roughness of an ordinary man, instead possessing a unique rhythm.

Throughout the entire process, Vermouth never revealed her code name to the two newcomers, nor did she remove her disguise for them, even though her current disguise was rather perfunctory.

Although both of them were favored by the organization's higher-ups and qualified for the code name assessment, they had not yet truly entered the core circle.

The reconstruction of the French branch was indeed a stepping stone to rapid advancement, but the organization's influence there had just suffered a major blow, leaving it in a precarious and volatile situation.

Sending out prospective codename members first serves both as a capability test for codename members and as a way to clear the way for the actual codename members to join later.

It would be best to succeed like Bourbon, but if you fail, it's not such a pity.

A barely perceptible glint of cold light flashed in Vermouth's eyes.

These two newcomers should focus on surviving first.

The mysterious man swayed away with an air of nonchalance (Shuichi Akai: ...Kagemitsu Morofushi: ...), and the temporary base leader, who had been holding his breath, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said to Shuichi Akai and Hiromitsu Morofushi with a sense of relief, "Gentlemen, please come with me. The details of the mission are in the briefing room."

His words did not receive a full response.

The pressure from the brief confrontation with that mysterious member of the organization had not yet completely dissipated, but it created a strange resonance between Shuichi Akai and Hiromitsu Morofushi.

Before following the person in charge to the briefing room, Morofushi Kagemitsu paused and first turned his head to look at the aloof Akai Shuichi beside him.

Just then, Shuichi Akai was also looking at Kagemitsu Morofushi.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

Both are newcomers, both are under scrutiny, and both face the implicit pressure from the formidable opponent, Bourbon…

They inevitably develop a desire to form an alliance on the same front.

—We absolutely cannot fall too far behind!

We must catch up as soon as possible!

With just one glance, they understood that the other shared the same thoughts, and the barriers that had arisen from unfamiliarity and competition were imperceptibly disappearing.

Shuichi Akai's tone was devoid of emotion: "Bourbon's efficiency is indeed astonishing."

Morofushi Kagemitsu's gentle voice carried a hint of self-deprecation: "Yes, he has set a very high standard for us."

But their eyes met with equal sharpness.

—Aren't benchmarks precisely for catching up with and surpassing?

Shuichi Akai and Hiromitsu Morofushi: "Let's finish this opening test beautifully first."

Consensus reached!

While Bourbon is formidable, they are by no means mediocre talents who can be easily outmaneuvered!

[United We Stand Against the Enemy - Temporarily in Effect]

Fragile alliances are formed.

Shuichi Akai's fighting spirit with Kagemitsu Morofushi increases, their mutual affection increases, while their affection for Bourbon decreases.

The two undercover agents exchanged glances, each lost in their own thoughts.

By using a complete stranger as a single enemy to bridge the gap between oneself and temporary 'teammates,' the groundwork was laid for subsequent mission coordination and intelligence exchange, resulting in a successful operation!

Rei Furuya, who becomes a tool to bring his childhood friend closer to others: "..."

What goes around comes around, and no one escapes the wrath of Heaven; he has finally become part of someone else's game.

Shuichi Akai and Kagemitsu Morofushi are working hard to get their codenames.

Unaware of the presence of cattle, Furuya Rei is, unlike others, 'difficultly' building connections to re-establish his smuggling operations.

When Nekono Ikuya made his decision to infiltrate the organization, he had already prepared in advance, so now Furuya Rei only needs to symbolically perform his efforts in front of Vermouth to create the image of a shrewd, ambitious and capable rising star of the organization—the emotional fraud master Bourbon.

The naive Samuel introduced the ill-intentioned Amuro Tooru to many artists and collectors in Paris. Using Samuel's name as a stepping stone, Amuro Tooru fully utilized his powerful intelligence-gathering abilities to screen out people who already had private connections with smuggling or who could be taken advantage of, and secretly made contact with them.

A new art smuggling line was already taking shape in his hands.

This speed drew sidelong glances from Rum and Vermouth, while Brandy, who had just arrived in Paris, looked grim.

A brilliant newcomer/a formidable opponent!

Brandy's eyes darkened; the real test for him in controlling the French region was to establish a new smuggling route.

Bourbon...?! What an ambitious newcomer.

But the elders of his organization are no pushovers either!

Everyone thought that Bourbon, who had achieved such results, was very busy lately. In fact, the list of people who were willing and qualified to fill the missing nodes of the old smuggling network had already been secretly recorded by Nekono Ikuya, and Nekono Ikuya had also collected their incriminating information in advance.

Bourbon, who should have been doing the most work on the surface, is probably the one with the easiest job right now.

The true MVP, Nekono Ikuya, smiled but remained silent.

Rei Furuya's biggest worry is only one thing.

In a safe space where no one else could be watching, Rei Furuya removed the gentle disguise that belonged to Tooru Amuro, his eyes turning serious and disapproving: "You know I won't approve of you infiltrating the organization, Ikuya? Even though you've disguised yourself."

He did it because of the needs of his undercover mission. As an undercover police officer, protecting the safety of the people and eliminating the dangers in the darkness was his will and duty. But Nekono Ikuya was not like that. Why should he get involved in this mess and put himself in danger?

To express his concern, Rei Furuya gently tucked a strand of Ikuya Nekono's long, curly black hair behind his ear, and softly held his head still.

He looked directly into Nekono Ikumi's now deep and affectionate azure eyes, as if he could see through the blue disguise and see that familiar emerald green.

He was gazing into the soul of Nekono Ikuya through his eyes.

Nekono Ikuya: "..."

Nekono Ikuya: "...Wow, honey trap? You're here? Zero's gotten so cunning!"

When did he become so skilled at Zero? What did the police academy and the organization teach Zero?!

Nekono Ikuya's soul was touched, because although Furuya Rei had cleverly used his beauty to persuade him, the worry and fear in his purplish-gray eyes were genuine.

Rei Furuya was worried that something might happen to him, and this had nothing to do with whether Ikuya Nekono was powerful or not.

Nekono Ikuya blinked and quickly gave in: "Okay, then I won't infiltrate."

He thought casually that he had initially investigated the organization out of curiosity and boredom, and he had never seen an organization with such a strong sense of destiny since he was five years old and played with Shin-chan.

Jianggu Ling: "...Eh?"

Rei Furuya was stunned when Nekono Yuuya agreed so readily.

His purplish-gray eyes widened as he stared blankly at Nekono Ikuya, looking somewhat adorable, and he asked incredulously, "Really?"

Having encountered too many stubborn people around him, and with Nekono Ikuya's personality always being so self-centered, it's quite unbelievable to Furuya Rei that Nekono Ikuya is being so understanding now.

Didn't you just smile and remain silent in the coffee shop before, silently refusing to participate?

The undercover experience was so thoroughly savored that Rei Furuya unconsciously revealed a hint of suspicion.

Could Yu Mi be planning something big behind his back?! It's as unsettling as suddenly seeing him in the organization's target location in Paris.

Nekono Ikuya: "..."

"Hey!" Nekono Ikuya's eyes widened suddenly. "That's so unfair! You actually doubted me?!"

That's outrageous! That's absolutely too much!

Nekono Ikuya shook off Furuya Rei's hand that was cupping his face and walked angrily to the sofa to sit down.

The footsteps were heavy as he walked, clearly indicating that he was angry.

Oh no! Furuya Rei: "!!!" His heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong.

It seems I really shouldn't have questioned it... I feel like my emotional intelligence just vanished.

Rei Furuya sighed, quickly walked over to Ikuya Nekono and sat down, causing the sofa to sag slightly.

“Ikuya?” he called out in a softer voice, his tone carrying a slight hint of weakness.

And he deliberately looked up at people, his usually sharp purplish-gray eyes subtly revealing an innocent, droopy look due to the angle and the change in his expression.

It's kind of cute...

After a pause, Nekono Ikumi abruptly turned her head away, leaving behind a deliberately indifferent back of her head.