Chapter 106, Twentieth Round (25)
October 26th.
Kiel didn't sleep all night.
She couldn't even cry in front of her father's tragic death. After dawn, she even had to pretend to be fine and go out to eat, and then she had to cheer up and continue to deceive and infiltrate the CIA with other members of the organization.
Everyone is anxious and confused right now.
Rum's behavior makes no sense; it's all so strange.
Normally, even if Ito Takahiko couldn't be 100% certain that he was an undercover agent, Calvados would still make sense, right?
Isn't that what happens when an undercover agent is discovered and immediately commits suicide?
At the time, almost everyone thought Calvados was an undercover agent. Considering his taciturn personality, it made sense. In fact, no one really knew Calvados. His feigned infatuation with Vermouth could be interpreted as an attempt to get close to the organization's core members and obtain intelligence.
Therefore, after Calvados' death, the suspicions against others should be cleared, and Ito Takahiko was simply a wrongly accused cannon fodder.
This is also why Kiel believes his father behaved that way during the interrogation—because he wanted to take one more Calvados with him before he died.
They might even want to severely damage Bourbon and Vermouth.
But... I still can't accept it, and there are things I can't understand.
Given her father's cautious nature, the fact that he chose to kill Bonnie meant that he wanted to take responsibility for the consequences of her identity being exposed.
Although she was heartbroken, she thought about it for a long time. Her father would commit suicide immediately after killing Bonnie, revealing that he was the undercover agent and letting her leave this place safely, giving her the chance to live so that she could continue to hide in the organization and complete her missions.
This is the kind of thing a father would do if he were 100% certain, rather than risking the life of another member of the organization.
Even though that risk would be a very worthwhile and highly successful method for most people, her father would never risk her safety.
This is not normal, and given Rum's strange reaction, there must be some crucial information that she hasn't discovered yet.
So was her father's reaction a reminder to her?
Kiel clenched his arms, forcing himself to try to recall the entire process of his father's interrogation and execution, hoping to find clues.
Think about it more carefully, what is the real reason?
What message did her father want to convey, even at the cost of enduring such terrible punishment?
*
"Hey, you're one of Rum's men, right? What exactly does he want? Aren't you supposed to be very capable? You must know something, right? Do you know how to remove this collar?" Chianti blocked Bourbon's way as he finished breakfast and was about to leave.
Everyone in the restaurant looked up at the two of them.
“Chianti, I’m really happy that you trust my abilities so much.” Bourbon spread his hands innocently. “But unfortunately, I really don’t know anything this time. But I advise you not to try to remove the collar yourself, it might really explode.”
Chianti clearly didn't believe her, clicking her tongue in annoyance. She turned to make sure Scotland wasn't there before raising her chin and saying, "You look so relaxed, aren't you afraid that the undercover agent voted out tonight is Scotland?"
"Compared to him, I'm in a more dangerous situation, aren't I?" Bourbon tilted his head. "Tonight's undercover agent will probably be chosen from me and Vermouth, right?"
"How could anything happen to you? With your and Vermouth's status, how could anything happen to you so easily? Even if you were chosen, they would probably just make a token gesture and let it go!"
Chianti instantly flew into a rage; she didn't believe Calvados was the undercover agent.
"But Calvados and Scotland are a different story. Aren't you worried about Scotland at all? Shouldn't you be at least a little worried about Scotland? Aren't you two in that kind of relationship? Are you even a man?"
Bourbon: "..."
Bourbon was shocked: "Wait, Chianti, are you misunderstanding something? Scotland and I are just ordinary friends and partners."
Chianti: "..."
Chianti was furious: "Scumbag!"
“…We really are just friends.” Bourbon sighed, a headache looming over him.
"Scumbag!" Chianti cursed angrily.
Bourbon: "..."
Okay, I already have the "pretty boy" label, so adding another "scumbag" label won't make a difference.
Bourbon shrugged, looking indifferent, and turned to go upstairs, where he ran into Scotland on the second floor, who was carrying a guitar.
"Wow, you actually have a guitar." Bourbon chuckled, took it, and winked at Scotland. "The atmosphere's been a bit awful lately, it's affecting my mood. Let me play some guitar for you to cheer you up."
Scotland couldn't help but smile and crinkle her eyes as she said, "Okay."
The two found two chairs by the second-floor window and sat down. The snow outside had lessened considerably, and the white expanse made the light even brighter and more dazzling. Fine snowflakes drifted slowly through the transparent window.
Bourbon strummed a string: "Let's play 'Hometown,' the song you first taught me."
Scotland lay on the table, looking at him intently: "Hmm."
They have their own special way of using secret codes, especially for the nursery rhyme "Hometown," where the hand gestures used to play the guitar and the different melodies convey information that only the two of them can decipher.
Bourbon sang while playing the guitar. Although he sang a little off-key, his gentle and deep voice was still very pleasant to listen to.
Scotland looked at him with a smile on her face and her eyes were gentle yet earnest.
"The mountain where I chased rabbits, the stream where I fished for crucian carp—I still often return to my hometown in my dreams."
The execution was fake; it's likely a fabricated video.
"Unforgettable, unforgettable, my hometown."
It could also be a virtual world.
Are your parents in good health? Have your childhood friends changed? Are they doing well now?
【Don't act now, I already have a plan.】
"Stormy weather often reminds me of my hometown."
This could be a test for everyone.
"I hope that one day I can realize my dream and return to my hometown."
You just need to play the role of Scotland well.
"When will I be able to return to my beautiful hometown with its green hills and clear waters?"
Hang in there, I'll be alright.
Downstairs, Vodka silently took out a tissue and turned around to wipe his tears.
Waaah, he couldn't help but miss his hometown too...
*
After dinner, as the voting time approached midnight, most people became increasingly anxious.
Vermouth couldn't resist going to find Bourbon, only to discover that Bourbon was playing games with Scotland and Vodka, while Ray and Gin were watching strangely from the sidelines.
Vermouth: "..."
She stood behind the three of them, arms crossed, and watched for a while, then roughly understood why.
This single-player game called "Danganronpa" is somewhat similar to their current situation, which is why Ray and Gin are patiently watching it.
But isn't this game a bit too morbid?
"Aaaaah! Bourbon! Why did you choose this! Now we're doomed again—" Vodka pounded the ground.
"Don't worry, don't worry, I won't die," Bourbon said confidently. "It's not time to give up yet. I'm sure I can get a happy ending this time!"
Then he died quickly, and typed a big "Bad End".
Bourbon awkwardly handed the next game to Scotland.
"Ahhh! Scotland, what are you doing?! You can't choose this!" Vodka almost jumped up, looking utterly desperate.
Bourbon comforted the somewhat nervous Scotland: "It's okay, hang in there a little longer, Scotland, maybe you can get through."
Vermouth watched for half an hour, and all she remembered was a bunch of bizarre executions that challenged the limits of human endurance.
She found it to be a very magical game, and didn't think that the absurd things were really related to their real situation. She sighed and left.
Although immortality is also fantastical, she thought, at least it has some scientific basis.
The intangible talents, hopes, and despair are all a bit too fantastical; it's just a game after all.
*
Midnight.
The remaining 10 people sat at the long table.
Voting begins
Gin, Vodka, Chianti, Cohen, and Ireland all voted for Bourbon.
Kiel, Scotland, and Rye voted for Belmod.
Vermouth and Bourbon voted for Kiel.
[Voting Results: Bourbon is the mole]
Lei was stunned for a moment, but quickly realized what was happening.
It's not surprising that Bourbon was voted out.
First of all, there is a reason. Although it is unclear how Bourbon could kill the CIA agent with Vermouth by his side and Calvados outside the door, no evidence is needed now, just a reason will suffice.
Even Chianti's argument that he was an undercover agent and that's why he framed Calvados, who was sure to target him, was accepted.
And then... give it a try.
Previously, they used uncoded cannon fodder and ordinary members with codes to test the waters; now, it's better to use high-ranking members with special codes. Not to mention, Bourbon is Rum's man; he'll definitely be able to glean some information.
Finally, it's simply about "revenge." Bourbon has indeed offended many people, and many want to take this rare opportunity to get back at him.
Moreover, keeping him around might put him in even greater danger later on, so throwing out the dangerous Bourbon is the best option.
However... he thought that everyone would at least first throw out Scotland to test Bourbon's reaction, and then throw out Bourbon to test Rum.
Bourbon's behavior today really stirred up a lot of hatred.
[Execution begins]
[Selection of Execution Methods]
[Execution method: Crushed to pieces]
"Wait, what does 'shattered to pieces' mean?" Bourbon frowned.
He seemed to realize something was wrong, and finally started to panic, slamming his fist on the table and standing up angrily: "No way? You're not really going to kill me for this reason?"
He raised his voice: "Isn't this strange? It really is strange, isn't it? Is this how the organization treats its comrades who serve it?"
"Whether you're an ally or not can only be determined after you prove your innocence," Rum said slowly.
Bourbon laughed in exasperation: "The most ridiculous thing in the world is proving that you didn't do anything."
Seeing that the two men in black had already approached, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and then opened them again, regaining some composure.
"It seems we have no choice but to go to the interrogation room." The blond, dark-skinned youth gave a mocking smile, then reluctantly got up to leave with them.
However, as soon as he walked over, a red light flashed on the collar around his neck, and he immediately staggered and collapsed into the hands of the two men in black.
“It’s safer this way to prevent you from doing anything underhanded,” Rum said.
Scotland finally couldn't help but stand up: "Wait, this too—"
“Scotland, if you don’t want to go into the interrogation room with him, sit quietly.” Rum turned the television head towards him, the electronic screen flashing a dim light.
Scotland hesitated for a moment, then finally sat down.
Vermouth also spoke up: "Rum, if you really attack Bourbon or even kill him for such a reason, and it turns out he's not an undercover agent, even you will be in big trouble. The boss will be angry."
“But that’s what the boss allows,” Rum simply said.
The remaining nine people were led by Rum and Curaçao into the movie theater on the basement level.
Once they were all seated, all the lights went out, and the movie screen lit up.
Perhaps they had lingered a little while up there, because Bourbon had already been awakened from the anesthesia. His hands and feet were chained to a chair, and he frowned as he looked around. He paused when he saw the computer on the table next to him displaying images of everyone in the movie theater.
Scotland stared intently at him.
These reactions don't seem to be virtual fabrications; they are indeed from Bourbon himself.
He tightened his cold fingers and shifted his gaze to the thing behind Bo.
It was still the same interrogation room, but now there was a huge machine.
It looked so familiar it was almost frightening; it was very similar to the execution device in the game he played not long ago.
“This is a modified 800-ton pressure press,” Rum explained. “Bourbon, this room isn’t very big. Even if the conveyor belt slows down, it will only take three minutes at most to send you under the press and crush you into a meat patty. You only have three minutes to explain.”
As soon as the words were spoken, the machine started up with a chilling creaking sound.
The huge square iron block was slowly pulled up to its highest point from the base, and then plunged down suddenly.
"when!"
The loud noise was clearly audible even to those upstairs, and they also clearly felt the terrifying, earthquake-like tremors.
"when!"
Needless to say, Bourbon, who was tied to the conveyor belt and slowly approached the press, tensed up instantly, his hair stood on end, and his purple pupils constricted.
"when!"
A loud metallic clanging sound gradually approached from behind.
"when!"
The violent tremors shook the world so violently that objects appeared as afterimages, and the brain and consciousness were almost flung out, the soul leaving the body.
"when!"
The ever-increasing, terrifying sense of oppression forced people's bodies to tense uncontrollably, their faces turning pale as they subconsciously imagined themselves being crushed into a meat patty by a hammer at any moment.
"when!"
Even Bourbon couldn't help but change his expression, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth with an ugly look on his face.
With two minutes left, Rum spoke up: "Bourbon, don't you have anything to explain?"
Bourbon looked up, revealing his face, veins bulging and covered in cold sweat.
"when!"
The blond youth turned his head to look at the computer screen on the table next to him, and gave a mocking smile.
“Once suspicion arises, the charge is already established,” he said.
"when!"
The huge iron block had landed just a few steps behind Bo Ben and was about to hit him. The shockwave even made his hair extremely messy.
One minute left.
"Hey, Rum, you're not really going to do this, are you?" Vermouth in the movie theater couldn't help but get up and walk towards the Rum robot, a little anxious. "Are you really going to kill Bourbon? Why? He obviously can't be an undercover agent, can he?"
Ray turned his gaze away and continued watching Bourbon on the big screen in front of him.
Seeing Bourbon's expression for the first time made his previous belief that Bourbon couldn't possibly be in trouble begin to waver.
But no way, how could that be?
Ray turned to look at Scotland beside him.
The black-haired man was tense all over, his fists clenched so tightly that crimson blood seeped out, and his blue eyes gradually became bloodshot as he stared intently at the screen without blinking.
"when!"
Ray's heart pounded violently at the deafening noise. He turned to look at the screen again and found that the press was very close to Bourbon, almost to the point that it would crash into him at any moment.
"when!"
Bourbon closed his eyes.
"when!"
Lei's eyes slowly widened.
Wait, no way, could it really be...?
"when!"
The screen exploded with blood.
Lei was stunned.
Everything stopped, the scene became utterly silent, save for the dripping sound of blood.
How fast can an 800-ton stamping press be?
Even a sniper's eyesight couldn't see what happened in that instant. Before their eyes could react, the blond youth under the press had vanished, leaving only a huge, blood-stained black metal block and crimson blood splattered all over the screen.
Only a wisp of light golden hair peeking out from the edge of the press proved that a blond youth had indeed just died here.
Bourbon died.
Ray turned to look at Rum in disbelief.
"Looks like Bourbon isn't an undercover agent after all," Rum simply said.
Leigh paused for two seconds, then turned to look at Scotland.
Scotland seemed completely stunned, still staring blankly at the screen filled with crimson light.
Yes, Scotland's mind went blank, his vision went black, and then the whole world was plunged into darkness and bloodshed, making it impossible for him to think normally for a full minute.
No, Zero, he thought. Even though I was prepared, I still can't accept this scene.
He thought, "It's really hard, Zero. It's really hard to keep going, but I will try my best."
But what if... what if Zero really died?
Zero isn't sure if the execution was fake or not, is he?
Even if it were a real virtual world holographic game, this kind of death would still be terrifying, and the pain doesn't seem to have been modulated at all.
Even if you don't actually die, the feeling of being gradually approached by despair and fear is enough to scare most people to death.
Moreover, it wasn't unheard of for Zero to deceive him, temporarily appease him, and then go off to test the waters and die.
So, what if, what if this is true?
If Zero really died and the game was reloaded, he wouldn't know.
He couldn't even be sure whether Zero had successfully loaded the save file or if the system had malfunctioned and he had actually died. Should he continue living in this world without Zero?
Morifushi Kagemitsu clenched his hands tightly, trembling. All sorts of terrible guesses tormented him uncontrollably, over and over again in his mind. His heart was being torn apart, and he could hardly breathe. Only the faint thread left by his childhood friend before his death held him up so that he would not fall completely into hell.
A world where... there is zero true death?
I'm sorry, he really can't imagine it, and he doesn't dare to imagine it.
Morofushi Kagemitsu could hardly imagine what kind of life he would lead in such a world or what he would become.
So, Zero, you'll keep your promise and come back safely, right?
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