Chapter 23: Surveillance, a rarity in Beika Town. But what is she...

At the doorstep of the doctor's house, the red light of the 24-hour surveillance camera flashes at the corner.

Haibara led Vermouth to the entrance, a blind spot of the camera.

However, when entering the house, she could not avoid the blind spot, so she needed to delete this surveillance video later, and did not want the doctor or Conan to see Vermouth coming home.

Vermouth smiled, a genuine smile. No longer that alluring yet distant smile, her eyes and eyebrows softened slightly, even a bit... gentle under the light? Was she happy to be able to tease Haibara again? (Funny)

Chinese translation: It used to be a standard fake business smile, but now it is a genuine smile of joy (bushi).

"I miss your little head, Shiho. No one sees the world the way you do."

Chinese translation: Everyone else is just an ordinary person, only you, my Shirley, are my soul mate.

This subtle compliment made Huibara feel a little warm in her heart, although she was unwilling to admit it.

(Tsundere detector beeps) Here we go. Textbook Tsundere: "Unwilling to admit" is exactly what Haibara is.

Haibara: Humph, I’m… I’m not very happy.

Chinese translation: Cool. This woman is really nice to hear. More please.

In a life full of deception and constant vigilance, being truly understood is perhaps the most precious luxury.

For people like them who dance on the edge of a knife every day, it is so rare to have someone who sees through them and is willing to get close to them.

"How charming." Vermouth said as she looked at the oval-shaped cake villa. The various flowers and plants in the garden were trimmed quite exquisitely.

"Very…suburban spy fashion sense."

Get the new profession of "Suburban Spy". Love the Vermouth-style quirkiness.

Translation: You're living a pretty comfortable life.

"This is called daily life. You should cherish this feeling." Huibara said coldly.

Haibara: You cosplay all the time, what do you know about daily life?

Say coldly (No) and arrogantly retort (Yes).

Is this the legendary "You don't understand life"?

"Oh, yes. I appreciate your current situation." Vermouth laughed softly, and the background music of the big boss sounded.

Danger. The value of this "appreciation".

Translation: I admire how cute you are even though you are smaller.

"Goodbye, Vermouth." Huibara softly ordered her to leave.

Huh? What's going on?

We're all at the door.

He is the best at saying one thing and thinking another.

Even though my heart was about to jump out of my throat, I still pretended to be calm.

And wasn't it she who originally said that she wanted Vermouth to come over to her house? They had already said so much at the entrance.

"Well, see you next time, Shiho." Vermouth tilted her head, finding it very interesting, and followed her words, then looked at her, "Or, you can invite me in for a cup of tea."

A straight ball player never admits defeat.

She saw through Huibara's tsundere nature at a glance, so she took the initiative to invite herself to her home.

Suddenly being ordered to leave at the door, and then facing Vermouth's "invitation to have tea", how will the tsundere Haibara-chan respond?

A. "Okay, I have some tea leaves unopened."

(Pretending to be calm, but actually imagining a daily tea-drinking world for the two of them)

B. "Sorry, I'm allergic to cats, please don't mind."

(Using the non-existent cat as an excuse, he was actually afraid that he would lose control and want to pounce on it.)

C. "I just want to drink poison now, thank you."

(Hard-mouthed rejection, inner os: I don’t believe your sugar-coated bullet)

D. "My tea is poison. If you drink it, you will die."

(Ambiguous warning: If you dare to come in, be prepared to stay with me)

E. Stay silent for a moment and then move aside to make way. (Silence speaks louder than words; actions speak louder than words.)

"Dr. Agasa isn't home." Huiyuan said suddenly, "He's attending a meeting and won't be back until tomorrow."

Doctor: I have sacrificed so much for this family... (referring to being a tool)

Translation: No one is home, so it's convenient to do things. (No)

Vermouth raised her eyebrows: "Shirley, is this an invitation?"

The composure of a top hunter, a single sentence that hits the nail on the head. What a vixen speaking.

"It's just objective facts. I have questions. You have answers. And, besides, the rain is going to get heavier soon."

A textbook example of tsundere trifecta.

Translated into adult language: 1. I need you. 2. I need you. 3. I care about you staying out of the rain.

Ai, the Queen of Logic, wants to cover up her emotions with rational logic, but every word she says is filled with the subtext of “come in quickly”.

It's so funny. Isn't this the same sentence that Haibara said when she returned the cookies to Xiaolan: "I didn't make the bento specially for you, I just steamed too much rice in the rice cooker."

Beika Town is famous for its double standards. To Conan: Get lost. To Bayonetta: It’s raining, come in and sit down.

Facing Vermouth's direct attack, Huiyuan offered a "three-part objective fact" response. What is her true inner thought at this moment?

A. I am a scientist. Everything I say is based on facts and I have no personal feelings.

B. Oops, I didn’t have time to clean up the house. Will this female celebrity think it’s a mess if she sees it?

C. Idiot, it’s raining so hard outside, do you want to catch a cold if you don’t come in?

D. Edogawa might burst in at any moment, so we need to finish the job quickly. (referring to asking a question)

Huiyuan suddenly thought of a detail he had seen in a large book on zoology.

Foxes, like dogs, have social needs.

In some villages, cats are free-range and tend to wander around.

Sometimes after a walk, the kitten would actually bring home a fox.

The fox could have eaten the cat, but it didn't.

Because foxes also have social needs.

As expected of you, Miyano Shiho. Quote classics before falling in love.

Using academic papers to explain heartbeats is the last stubbornness of scientists.

So, who is the fox and who is the cat?

Bei Jie: vixen (commendation); Ai: cat queen. A perfect match.

The ruthless movie queen in the organization let go of the kitten that was supposed to be her prey because she needed to "socialize".

Dangerous Liaisons: Love Is War, Beika Town's outrageous release today~

Question: Why did Huiyuan suddenly think of the social behavior of foxes and cats?

A. She wanted to hint to Vermouth through animal behavior: "You can stay, but you are not allowed to eat me."

B. She was trying to avoid embarrassment, but ended up accidentally revealing her literary girl side.

C. She is actually using a metaphor to say that she has been lonely for too long and wants to find a "dangerous friend" who will not kill her.

D. All of the above.

The dim light shines on the wet eaves.

Vermouth stood outside the door, her windbreaker outlining the dangerous and charming figure that she had developed from working diligently in the gym.

Gray Principle was like a kitten with its fur standing on end, one hand still clutching the door handle, thinking frantically in his mind: "What did I say? Did I give myself away?"

The rain hits the empty can, dripping.

The fox doesn't eat the cat because it is lonely.

Is it because Vermouth didn't kill Haibara... that she has been lonely for too long?

For those who survive the hail of bullets, what they fear most is never the bullets.

It was quietness, it was emptiness, it was Yukiko, who had loved her for a long time, saying to her, "I don't need you anymore."

At this moment, the rain curtain of rice flowers became heavier. The rain was dense and woven into a diagonal net.

Beika Town's designated weather: Rain. This is convenient for setting the mood and creating a secret room.

The rain was good and wonderful, driving everyone indoors.

A dragnet, impossible to escape. (Referring to feelings)

Rain accumulated into a small transparent river under the eaves of a house in Beihua 2-chome.

The drizzle seeped into the cracks in the eaves, dripping, dripping, and at the entrance of Agasa's house, in the small flower pots converted from empty cans, it knocked out broken syllables.

It is the romance of science students and also the flowers blooming in the ruins.

Planting flowers in empty cans was originally the daily romance of biologists like Shiho Miyano.

It was only when Haibara Ai was in mode that Miyano Shiho dared to be released secretly.

It's like using a measuring cup as a coffee cup, or even a wine glass, in a lab.

What you drink from a measuring cup is not coffee, but the taste of freedom.

Now thinking about it, this kind of romance and the movie queen's gunfight under the moon are secretly somewhat similar.

One listens to thunder in silence, the other keeps loneliness in the noise.

One uses ruins to sow hope, the other uses weapons to sustain romance.

Hope (Conan, friends, new life) amidst the ruins (a ruined organization and life).

The romance (beauty, mystery, deadly romance) of a murder weapon (a gun).

Haibara Ai, the frightened bird of the Black Organization, moved as quietly as a little kitten even at her own doorstep.

Cat peeking out.JPG

It's not to avoid anyone's attention, it's just a habit I developed after becoming a small child. It came to Mihua and quietly and secretly became a part of my daily life.

Caution runs deep in her bones. Once a queen, now a master of stealth.

This habit was formed too quickly. It became a habit in just a few months?

Because the living environment in Beika Town is too harsh. (Tactical retreat)

After all, there is a walking case trigger around you. How can you survive to the end without learning more skills?

Beika Town is a place with simple folk customs and Agasa Town is home to many talented people.

After being in the organization for eighteen years, he still had not learned any anti-detection techniques, but after meeting Edogawa, he was forced to learn them quickly.

Edogawa Conan, the gold medal coach of Beika Town, guarantees that you will learn the subject and will not refund the tuition (because you didn’t pay it in the first place).

This is probably the gap between theory and practice (dog head). In the organization, it is scientific research, and in Mihua, it is fighting on the battlefield.

The Edogawa brand survival training camp, which is famous both in Japan and abroad, is truly not deceiving us.

It's a guaranteed lesson, after all, if you can't learn it, you're doomed. Then it's the classic three-choose-one-murderer process, simple and crude.

It is more than ten or a hundred times more efficient than the Black Organization in catching undercover agents.

After all, whether it is anime from Japan or other countries, the protagonist's halo is the strongest catalyst in any timeline.

Miss Sonoko poked her head in: "I know this plot. Next there should be a wall... (being hit by an anesthetic needle)"

In the end, it was the Suzuki Group that took responsibility for everything.

(The comments exploded: Orange is in great shape. Fast forward to the New York episode and reminisce.)

"Dr. Agasa, there will be a meeting in Osaka before tomorrow." Huibara said again.

Subtext: No one is home, come quickly.

Doctor: I am just a tool, responsible for creating a world for two people

"Ah la, so you don't have to worry about explaining."

What's the explanation? "Doctor, I brought a beautiful woman home"?

Huibara hesitated. Inviting Vermouth in was simply crazy.

She felt that hosting the organization's top brass at home was a betrayal to Conan and to her fragile new life.

Yet perhaps, a small, dangerous corner of her mind whispered, this also meant some form of control.

No matter how unreal, facing the monster on their own turf, even if it's just for an hour.

"So, we're alone now." Vermouth added with a smile.

You're laughing too happily. Hold your head back.

"It's so dangerous, so fun."

Belmode's true voice was revealed.

"Dangerous" and "happy" are used together, worthy of being Miss Bayonetta. Oh my god, is this the legendary dangerous love physique?

"The only danger here is that you will be choked by your own exaggerated acting performance." Huiyuan curled her lips and continued to complain about her full-level skills.

"Remember, this is just time for a cup of tea. You drink your tea, we talk about why you came to Japan, and then you go."

The master of time management revealed. Does a cup of tea equal the time of an episode of anime?

Are you setting such a strict time limit because you are afraid of falling in love?

"So organized." Vermouth said elegantly. Her cute bob-haired tourist disguise seemed to make her look more dangerous at that moment.

Tourists disguised as Miss Bei = fairies with beauty filters on. The more harmless something is, the more dangerous it is. This is very scientific.

"But I guess you've always been like this. Even in New York, you treat... everything like a problem that needs to be solved."

New York... The movie's flashbacks are here. Memories of the past are about to be unleashed. This is their shared taboo, their inseparable bond.

Gravity cannot be defined, just like a black hole. Once you get close to it, you cannot escape.

Two souls that should not have intersected, started a game of "understanding" in an oval cake villa.

As for Dr. Agasa, he's definitely a tool. He's either inventing something or traveling for business. Osaka meeting? He's probably attending some "latest Beetle enthusiasts exchange meeting."

“I just prefer to have a plan before doing anything.”

Huibara's tone was calm, but with a little bit of... well, the composure to create opportunities for "someone"?

"How convenient." Vermouth said softly, the corners of her delicate and beautiful lips raised, not too flirtatious, "Dr. Agasa is not here, it's just like you planned it."

Yes, yes, I plan to have an “in-depth discussion” on tissue pharmacology tonight.

Huiyuan glared at her fiercely and said coldly, "Don't be so self-indulgent. I really don't want to explain to Dr. Agasa why I invited people from the organization to have tea."

Tsundere Huibara is the most deadly. This little look, tsk tsk.

Translation: Shut up, you bad woman! If you continue teasing me, I'll call the police. (Although the police can't beat you.)

Is this an attempt to distance oneself from the issue or to emphasize the danger?

"Is that what we're calling it now? Tea?"

Bei Jie: Oh? Shirley, you call this "tea"? (Raises an eyebrow)

Tea master showdown?

What kind of tea? Wedding tea?

The "tea" here can be replaced by: life, ideals, the side effects of APTX4869... and "our relationship".

Huiyuan curled her lips and said, "If you want, you can also get wet in the rain outside."

The little girl pouted, aggrieved and stubborn: "Hmph, come in or not." (Subtext: Come in quickly.)

Vermouth smiled, her eyes narrowed, and she smiled sweetly to the core: "And then miss the chance to watch cute little Shirley play house? I wouldn't even dare to dream of it."

Playing house? Like a newlywed couple? (Start imagining 10,000 words)

Barrage warning: A large cat-and-mouse (and flirting) scene is ahead.

Huiyuan narrowed her eyes, her mind calculating the risks and benefits at high speed.

Haibara: If you hesitate, you will be defeated. (But I will still open the door)

Inner thoughts: If I open the door, I'm like a sheep entering a tiger's mouth. If I don't open the door... the tiger will pick the lock and come in. After all, it's Vermouth.

"You're very quiet, Shirley." The American tourist accent gradually disappeared from Vermouth's Japanese. "Are you still hesitating about whether to invite the Big Bad Wolf into your cabin?"

The accent disappears = Bayley is serious/about to cause trouble. Is this switching to "truth" mode? Or the more dangerous "hunting" mode?

Huibara tilted her head. "Dr. Agasa isn't home. I think we could have a civilized conversation without the presence of the Junior Detectives and the police."

Oh my, what is this "civilized dialogue" (meaning driving with eyes and testing each other's bottom line).

Haibara: Without the interruptions of little brats and useless policemen, it's just convenient for us to have an "in-depth discussion".

Translation: No one is home, come. (Again emphasized)

"Ah, how intimate," Vermouth said, spinning her umbrella. Drops of water fell like tiny diamonds on the path outside the door. "Just like the old days."

Did anything happen in the past that you couldn't tell anyone? (Prick up your ears)

Is organizational life so... exciting? (Imagine an internal tea party)

Huibara looked up at her, his eyes still sharp. "This isn't an invitation. This is a controlled environment. I'd rather have this conversation where I can monitor it than where you choose."

Huiyuan got angry. The Queen said: "My house, my rules! My house, listen to me."

"Controlled environment"—meaning she can pull out a tranquilizer needle and a football belt (bushi, that's Conan's) at any time. Does Haibara probably have an APTX antidote (temporary) and a little pepper spray?

"You are always a scientist," Vermouth whispered. "You always need to control variables."

Bei Jie: I see through you, little thing.

Huibara didn't want to say anything more. It was too tiring to compete with this woman.

She entered the security code forcefully, of course using her small body to block Vermouth's view.

But she knew very well that an agent of Vermouth's level could easily analyze the password from the sound of the keystrokes, so she had to change the password after Vermouth left.

Dr. Agasa was away, and the house was empty except for her and the most dangerous woman she knew.

Standard fan fiction unfolds. (Wring hands)

OK, the door is open, the game is set, and the mood is right - it's dangerous tonight.

“No one” = high-risk romance.

Sister Bei, you can even apply for the Rice Krispy Kreme Horror Lover Award.

"You come into my room and I control your emotions", the most sweet way of love.

Is this seemingly "letting the wolf in" behavior a result of skill and courage, or is it a crazy attempt to play with fire?

How much sincerity and how much pretense are hidden in Vermouth's seemingly "teasing her prey" attitude?

This is probably what adult (fake) love is like: testing, guarding, and attracting each other. In essence, it's a war without the smoke of gunpowder.

"Ah, your and Dr. Agasa's security system is really impressive for civilians, but I've been circumventing military-grade security systems since before you were born."

Beilu Modou, as always, is a Versailles level 10 scholar.

Chinese translation: This lock in your house can only protect against gentlemen, not villains, and certainly not me. It's just a small scene, don't cue me. When I was a powerful figure, you were still a cell (dog head).

"What do you want to say?" Huibara asked. She realized that she was very vulnerable in this child's body, especially facing a woman who had killed countless people with her bare hands.

Sister Bei: Be good, don’t be afraid, I’m not a good person (bushi).

"Your security system may need an upgrade. A new member of the organization could easily bypass it in seconds."

Chinese translation: "Your firewall is practically non-existent. We, the hackers, will put up a welcome-home scrolling sign for you in no time."

Organization: Are we that powerful? How come we don’t know? (Gin: Trash.)

"Then why didn't the organization do that?" Huibara asked. The Queen of Logic was online. She hit the nail on the head, hitting the nail on the head.

Subtext: "Could it be that you, the one with thick eyebrows and big eyes, have betrayed me?"

Vermouth's smile was mysterious: "Maybe someone has been ensuring the organization... look elsewhere."

"Someone" = me. This is a crazy hint, a crazy favorability boost.

Chinese translation: "Don't ask, if you ask, I'm here to protect you." (domineering)

This was a new detail, and Huibara filed it away to consider later. The suggestion that Vermouth might be protecting her was both unsettling and a little strangely heartwarming.

Stockholm early symptoms (not).

"We both know you don't take risks for no reason."

Tsundere Ai-chan: To be attentive to others for no reason is either (___) or (___). (Please fill in the blanks yourself)

"You too. But you took the risk and took me home. What an interesting choice."

Sister Bei counterattacked: "Oh? Then why did you let the wolf into the house?"

"It's better than discussing organizational affairs in public."

Ai-chan: Stop talking nonsense and go inside. (Queen-like)

Indeed, if the person sitting at the next table was Toru Amuro or Shuichi Akai, it would be quite lively (laughs).

Daily life in Beika Town: Today we are also discussing almond-flavored crime methods/shocking secrets in the cafe/restaurant/movie theater.

At the door, after a lot of talking and pulling, the two finally went into the house.

Dr. Agasa's home cleverly combines cutting-edge technology with a comfortable living environment.

There were little gadgets of varying degrees of completion in almost every corner, but the entire space had the warmth of home. Even Vermouth seemed to notice this as she carefully looked around the room.

The feeling of home. Someone like Bayonetta, walking in the darkness, must be yearning for it. This contrast is the most touching. A little light in the darkness.

Dr. Agasa's house: the designated safe house in the scientific universe, and occasionally works part-time as an explosion laboratory.

"Gadgets of varying degrees of completion" - Doctor: Stop swearing, stop swearing, I'll definitely succeed next time. (Referring to a more violent explosion)

"How cozy." Vermouth looked at the house with interest and said, "This is where the famous Professor Agasa lives and works. I thought it would... explode."

73 Unsolved Mysteries of the Universe: Did Dr. Agasa's house explode today? (1/1)

Sister Bei: Wow, it’s a little safer than I thought. At least I didn’t step on a landmine just after entering the door.

Chinese translation: "I thought your house was like my safe house, full of traps and gadgets. If you're not careful, boom, you'll be up in the air." (Raises an eyebrow)

"That kind of thing usually happens in underground laboratories," Huibara replied dryly.

Precise rants are the most deadly. Basement: I've endured too much. Don't cue me, the smoke from the exploding lab equipment hasn't even cleared yet.

"So the little scientist lives in this house." Vermouth still maintained the disguise of "Tina" and groped along the edge of the table with her neatly manicured fingers. This woman's exquisiteness was evident from her hair to her nails.

"It's quite quaint. I never thought of it before."

Chinese translation: "Oh, the former genius scientist has now lived an ordinary life of gardening and planting plants (not really)? Tsk tsk, what a twist of fate (gloating face)."

Huiyuan narrowed her eyes slightly. "Disappointed? Did you expect to see test tubes filled with experimental compounds and half-finished robots?"

Huiyuan: What? It's not to your taste, the queen of many faces? Do you want me to show you how to rub APTX4869 with my bare hands? (Dangerous statement)

"On the contrary." Vermouth smiled, and the dangerous curve of her lips was the same as that night in New York, which was still fresh in Huihara's memory.

"I find it fascinating that you're completely absorbed in the daily life of Mika. The brilliant Miyano Shiho has been reduced to homework and elementary school plays."

Oh my, what's wrong with elementary school drama? Our elementary school students' dramas also have dignity. (The Junior Detective Team sent a congratulatory message and requested to join the group chat)

"Your sarcastic put-downs are useless," Haibara replied coldly. "I've adapted to it. Given your... theatrical background, you should understand that."

Ai-chan: I have the maximum adaptability and can shine anywhere.

"Theatrical background" or something, a nice counterattack. A double entendre, directly hitting Sister Bay's old profession.

Sharon Wynyard: I felt offended, but not much. I even wanted to applaud the little girl.

When masters fight, every word they say is brilliant, their exchanges are sharp and sparks fly.

"I have to say, you guys have cleaned up the house...it really feels like home." Vermouth murmured as she walked around the house leisurely, looking confident as if she had memorized the floor plan.

Basic operations for a professional agent. Observe the terrain and escape routes before entering the house. Sister Bei's professionalism is perfect.

Chinese translation: “Feeling of home” = I already consider this place my home, including you, Shirley.

The doctor's house, the oval-shaped cake villa, is a two-story building with a large area and a basement. There are many bedrooms.

Such a spacious villa, where two people live, has an average area of ​​over 100 square meters per person, which is considered luxurious in Tokyo.

After all, most of Tokyo's working class people live in a cramped single-family house in the suburbs with their entire family, and the stairs are very narrow.

Look at the doctor’s house again, the wide spiral staircase is completely different.

However, Vermouth secretly felt that Shiho was only an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl in her prime, and it was not appropriate for her to live under the same roof with a middle-aged man like the Doctor.

But she didn't say it out loud.

Because she knew that speaking out now wouldn't change anything. She had to take it slow.

Beilu Modou was effortlessly drawing a floor plan in his mind while his inner commentary reached a speed of 500 words per second. "My possessiveness is about to explode. I own luxury homes in every one of Tokyo's six central wards. You have to move in tomorrow. Whether it's a penthouse in Azabu, Minato Ward, or an old residence adjacent to the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda Ward, take your pick. I've got silk cartoon pajamas ready."

American movie star, Tokyo landlord.

You can add "The mansion used in this episode... is sponsored by Absinthe Real Estate Co., Ltd." in the end credits.