17 | Jinjiang Exclusive · 17
The days of stalking cats in bars.
The real-time coordinate function is a privilege reserved for employees at level B and above. Lai Chuan Huang Quan was able to see Morofushi Kagemitsu's coordinates on the relief character page thanks to the administrator giving her special access.
However, precisely because it was a backdoor and did not follow proper procedures, the real-time coordinate map in Lai Chuan Huang Quan's possession had an error of about 20 to 30 meters.
She only knew the approximate location of Morofushi Kagemitsu, and could not find him precisely using the map.
Following the coordinates, Lai Chuan Huang Quan arrived near the bars on the themed street. He looked back and forth across the long street, which was already lit up with neon lights and starting to attract customers, and hesitated.
She had guessed that Morofushi Kagemitsu would most likely be here, and had even specially changed into a sexy outfit for that purpose. But...
Ugh, what if that jerk of a police officer comes to arrest her again?
Taking a deep breath, Lai Chuan Huang Quan stared at the bar entrance, clenched his fist to encourage himself, and then silently squatted down again. He felt inexplicably guilty, with the unsettling feeling that he was doing something wrong behind that bastard police officer's back.
Moreover, that idiot Hagiwara is the captain of the Explosives Division, and the entire team is actively acting as his informants. Raikawa Yomi suspects that the moment she stepped into the bar, someone from the Explosives Division relayed the information to Hagiwara Kenji.
After looking around and confirming that there were no familiar faces who resembled officers from the Explosives Division, Yomi Yorikawa adjusted his sunglasses, straightened his back, and prepared to go to the bar to wait for Morofushi Kagemitsu.
Feigning composure, she found a seat with a good view, snapped her fingers, and ordered a Scotch from the bartender. News of her presence at the bar had already been relayed to Morofushi Kagemitsu, who was preparing backstage.
“Your girlfriend is here to see you,” the man in the black suit said with a mocking smile. He curled his lip, and a lewd glint appeared in his eyes that would make any woman shudder. “She’s such a cute and clingy girl.”
Morofushi Kagemitsu stopped tuning the guitar. He looked up and met the man's gaze, his previously relaxed expression turning fierce. His jawline tightened, and Morofushi Kagemitsu stared at the man before him with a warning look, saying nothing.
"Tsk tsk, so fierce," the man shrugged nonchalantly, opening the bottle and pouring himself half a glass of red wine. "You should figure out how to deal with your cuckoldry first. Last time, this girl was carried away by a man in front of everyone."
"A disobedient woman deserves a beating."
Morofushi Kagemitsu disliked such remarks. He ignored the man across from him who had his feet on the coffee table, put down his guitar, and left the lounge.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan, who claimed to be his girlfriend, sat in a dimly lit place wearing a black leather mini skirt. The combination of stiletto heels and black stockings made her legs look exceptionally sexy.
The rolling record music from the bar's speakers masked Zhu Fujing's footsteps. He slowly approached Lai Chuan Huang Quan from behind and stopped: "Darling, what are you doing here?"
A gentle voice is like a dandelion seed carried by a breeze, carrying the power to soothe the soul.
But it was precisely this whispered murmur, like that of a lover, that made Raikawa Yomi, who was looking around, tense up like a wooden stake, every muscle in her body.
"Baby, baby!?"
Staring with her almond-shaped eyes, Yomi Laichuan turned her head and met the gentle gaze of Kagemitsu Morofushi. The man was wearing a hoodie, and his chin was as clean as when she last saw him.
Beneath Morofushi Kagemitsu's gentle smile lay a heightened level of vigilance and suspicion.
Zhu Fujingguang did not understand.
He originally thought that Yomi Yorikawa was someone connected to the organization, but today Kazami Yuya brought news that Yomi Yorikawa is suspected to be Kenji Hagiwara's girlfriend.
If she's Kenji Hagiwara's girlfriend, then what am I?
Morofushi Kagemitsu wasn't particularly interested in the power struggle for the empress's position; he simply didn't want to see his important friend being deceived. However, before figuring out the situation, Morofushi Kagemitsu decided to observe first, play along with Yorikawa Yomi, and then make a more informed decision.
Thinking of this, Morofushi Kagemitsu softened his smile again: "Is it because you're bored being home alone?"
Yomi Yorikawa stared at Morofushi Kagemitsu for a while before speaking, "Well, I was too bored by myself, so I came to play with you."
"You walked all the way from home alone? Are you tired? Let me order you a fruit platter, put it on my tab."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan picked up the Scotch liquor on the table and took a sip. The strong liquor, mixed with ice and honey, was spicy on the palate, followed by a sweet aftertaste, and was extremely delicious. She smiled and said, "It's alright, not too tired."
After all, she had been eating and strolling along the way, taking her time to leisurely explore.
Zhu Fujingguang smiled and tilted his head: "Next time, tell me in advance and I'll come pick you up."
But he had already begun to secretly estimate the possible distance between Lai Chuan Huang Quan's lodging and the bar.
"Midori River, it's about time you went on stage."
A man carrying drumsticks called out to Morofushi Kagemitsu from a distance, then turned back into the rest room.
"Okay, coming right away."
Morofushi Kagemitsu turned his head and responded, then looked back at Yorikawa Yomi. He gave a smile full of apology: "Sorry, I have to go to work now. I'll come find you when I'm done."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan: "Okay, you can go ahead and get busy."
The dim light brought people closer together. Morofushi Kagemitsu sat on a high stool, guitar in hand, the red and blue lights focusing on him. Handsome, with a gentle voice and a youthful, boyish face, this man of exceptional appearance was now hiding in the dim light, slowly singing ambiguous lyrics in his warm voice.
The lavish and boisterous atmosphere of the bar diluted Morofushi Kagemitsu's inherent harmlessness, and his gentle, cat-like eyes softened the dangerous undertones. Under the lights, Morofushi Kagemitsu was mysterious and alluring, yet inexplicably, he evoked a sense of trust and reliance in the female customers gazing at him.
Yomi Yorikawa popped a dewy green grape into her mouth and ordered a Scotch. The central system's explanation for Morofushi Kagemitsu's death was simply, "He died after his undercover identity was exposed." Yomi Yorikawa needed to find out exactly where he had been infiltrating.
She leaned back on the sofa, looking around. Occasionally, when her eyes met those of Morofushi Kagemitsu, he would give her a reassuring smile.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan didn't like the environment here, or rather, she didn't like all bars. Unlike normal modern people, Lai Chuan Huang Quan didn't have the habit of killing time on her phone; her biggest hobby was eating.
Having spent nearly two hours in the bar with her chin resting on her hands, Lai Chuan Huang Quan's patience was nearing its limit. It was definitely more fun being with that jerk of a police officer. She glanced at the silver-haired man in black passing by the table and the square-faced man behind him, then beckoned the bartender and prepared to pay the bill and leave.
In the cramped stage area, Morofushi Kagemitsu had just finished his last song and was about to leave the stage when rolls of banknotes were tossed onto the stage from below, some landing on the ground, others hitting him. A few teasing whistles, like those played on dogs, rang out from a corner, and occasionally a bartender would approach him with a tray. The aluminum trays contained a string of numbers and suggestive messages. Morofushi Kagemitsu politely smiled and accepted the notes one by one, his pace quickening subtly, but before he could even descend the last step, he was surrounded by several women adorned in gold and silver.
After working at the bar for several months, Morofushi Kagemitsu still hadn't gotten used to this kind of life. He kept trying to smooth things over, but when he turned around, he met the gaze of a woman who had been sitting quietly in the corner, her hands clasped behind her back, watching him intently. Her clear eyes were filled with curiosity and inquiry, while his own clear eyes revealed helplessness and a plea for help.
Yomi Laichuan originally considered going forward to help Morofushi Kagemitsu out of the predicament, but her newly bought phone rang at the exact moment. The phone, which kept ringing with Hagiwara Kenji's name on it, was like a hot potato. Yomi Laichuan felt like a child caught playing on his phone without finishing his homework, wishing she could find a hole to bury herself in.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan didn't have time to pay attention to her "boyfriend" Morofushi Kagemitsu, who was surrounded by young women right after her performance. Holding her incessantly ringing phone, she threw a wad of cash on the table and hurriedly left the bar in her ten-centimeter high heels.
The dark streets were shrouded in moonlight, and everywhere you looked was a dazzling display of lights and colors. Men with large bellies were seen with their arms around sexy women, or groups of two or three women were seen chatting and laughing as they turned into host clubs.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan slipped into a dark, secluded corner. The phone call from Hagiwara, which had already automatically hung up, rang again. She swallowed the saliva that had been gathering at the back of her tongue ever since she saw the caller's name, and nervously pressed the answer button.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan: "Hey..."
Kenji Hagiwara's sweet voice carried a hint of coquettishness and complaint: "Seriously, why did it take you so long to answer the phone, you softie?"
Lai Chuan Huang Quan: "I...I was taking a shower just now, I didn't hear you."
Kenji Hagiwara paused, then uttered a drawn-out monosyllable: "Eh~? Is that so? It feels rather suspicious."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan pursed his lips and quickly came up with a new idea: "I... okay, I'll browse the food stalls on the street."
Using a story that makes one appear pathetic as a cover can quickly increase the credibility of a lie. And the idea of searching everywhere for delicious food is indeed something Yomi Laichuan would do.
On the other end of the phone, Kenji Hagiwara chuckled a few times, clearly believing Yomi Rikawa's words. He said slowly in a light tone, "Soft Bread, where are you now? I'll drive over to pick you up."
"I……"
Before Lai Chuan Huang Quan could continue his lie, a man and a woman suddenly walked arm in arm through the alleyway, passing right by Lai Chuan Huang Quan. The man told old, vulgar jokes, while the woman smiled shyly, occasionally punching the man a couple of times, and saying things like "You're so annoying" in a sweet, coquettish voice.
Yomi Yomi: !!!
Damn it, why did he have to walk past her at this time, and even have to have this conversation that's practically harassing her?
Lai Chuan Huang Quan nervously covered the hole in the phone used for sound recording with his hand, fearing that Hagiwara Kenji would notice something was wrong.
But Kenji Hagiwara still heard it.
There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone. Lai Chuan Huang Quan gripped the phone, too afraid to speak, and fell silent as well. His heart was pounding in his throat, and only one thought filled his mind: Damn it, that damn officer is going to get angry.
As expected. The next second, Kenji Hagiwara said, word by word, "Soft bread, where are you?!"
Each sound was made with such force that it seemed to be squeezed out from between the teeth.
Swallowing hard again, Lai Chuan Huang Quan dared not speak and could only hold his phone in silence.
Kenji Hagiwara: "Stay put and don't move. I'm coming to get you right now."
Only then did Raikawa Yomi timidly speak up: "Do you know where I am?"
“Where else could it be?” Kenji Hagiwara said through gritted teeth, “Of course, it’s that bar from last time.”
"I...I didn't go to the bar."
“Oh,” Kenji Hagiwara scoffed, “So where are you now?”
Lai Chuan Huang Quan: "I'm here..."
"Yomi~! Here, here! Yorikawa Yomi~!"
An unfamiliar female voice interrupted Lai Chuan Huang Quan's words.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan's attention was drawn to the sound, and she turned to look in the direction of the sound.
Standing under the streetlamp was a woman with long, wavy hair. She wore delicate, light makeup and looked to be about the same age as Lai Chuan Huang Quan. She raised her hand and waved it vigorously at Lai Chuan Huang Quan. Her smile was youthful and energetic, and her bright eyes were filled with excitement, as if she and Lai Chuan Huang Quan were close friends.
But Raikawa Yomi didn't recognize her; she had no recollection of her face.
The woman cupped her hand to her mouth, making a microphone shape, and shouted at Lai Chuan Huang Quan, "Huang Quan, hurry up! I've been waiting for you for ages!"
Lai Chuan Huang Quan frowned, scrutinizing the woman before her from head to toe, her mind filled with doubt. She hesitantly began, "May I ask who you are...?"
"Coming, coming," another female voice sounded behind Yomi Laichuan, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps: "Mami, you're so long-winded."
A woman's figure rushed past Yomi Laichuan, her long, wine-red hair billowing in the air. She moved like a beautiful little bird, her steps light and quick. She jogged across the street to the girl she called Asami, and stopped beside her.
Mami took the arm of the woman with long, wine-red hair, frowning and smiling: "Huang Quan, really, you're late again."
The woman with long, wine-red hair smiled and said, "I took the lost old lady home, that's why I'm late. Please forgive me, Mami."
Mami grabbed the face of the woman with long, wine-red hair: "Stop it. You asked me out because you were curious about what this street is like at night, and you dare to be so late. Treat me to dinner tomorrow, or I'll post your embarrassing story of falling flat on your face last time, Huang Quan."
"I know I was wrong!" The woman clasped her hands together and begged Mami for forgiveness, "Please forgive me, you're so kind!"
Across the street, Asami and the woman with long, wine-red hair were bickering and arguing incessantly, while Kenji Hagiwara's voice came through the phone. He kept calling out "hello" anxiously, but he couldn't get Yomi Laichuan's attention back, nor could he get any response.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan's eyes widened, his pupils contracting and trembling incessantly. His fingers, cold with shock, were too weak to grip anything, and the still-on-call phone crashed to the ground with a loud thud, cracking the screen in a spiderweb pattern.
Yomi Laichuan was certain she wasn't mistaken—the long, wine-red-haired woman across the street, also called "Yomi Laichuan," seemed to have a mist veil over her face. Yomi Laichuan knew she was smiling, but she couldn't make out her features. It was as if… someone had deliberately blurred her appearance.
This was the first time Lai Chuan Huang Quan had encountered such a situation. Even in the post-apocalyptic world that caused her to be downgraded, there had never been anyone whose face was not clearly visible.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan raised his hand to brush a strand of dark hair behind his ear, cold sweat already covering his forehead. In those few seconds when his brain stopped working, the woman with the long, wine-red hair had already bent over and was about to walk away with Mami. Lai Chuan Huang Quan was startled, ignoring the phone that had automatically disconnected due to being knocked to the ground, and lifted his leg to chase after her.
Her eyes were only on the woman across the street; she couldn't see anyone else. There must be something wrong with the way this world works; it must be. Otherwise, how could a tiny 21st-century country, a nation that hasn't experienced war, possibly have three employees fail in a row?
The 10cm stilettos I specifically chose to blend into the bar atmosphere became an obstacle; when my attention was focused on her, everything else besides the woman with the burgundy hair was automatically ignored by my brain.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan didn't notice the car speeding towards him from around the corner, and the private car driver, whose brain was numbed by excessive alcohol, also didn't notice Lai Chuan Huang Quan suddenly rushing out—he didn't even notice that he hadn't turned on his headlights.
The wheels kicked up dust as the car rolled, and just as it was about a meter away from Yomi Laichuan, a fierce force struck from behind, slamming Yomi Laichuan away. Morofushi Kagemitsu held Yomi Laichuan tightly in his arms, protecting the back of her head as they rolled several times on the flat ground, sliding quite a distance before finally coming to a stop.
The sudden anomaly caught the red-haired woman's attention, but she only glanced back at Raikawa Yomi and the others with a probing look before turning and leaving with Mami in her arms.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan bit her lower lip, staring intently at the woman who was moving away. She tried to get up, but her slender waist was held tightly by Morofushi Kagemitsu. Not only that, but any slight movement caused sharp pains from the large abrasions on her thighs and arms, and her ankle, which she had twisted when she was tackled, also hurt terribly.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan could only watch the red-haired woman walk further and further away until the crowd of onlookers blocked his view.
Morifushi Kagemitsu let go and got up from the ground. He frowned, but his tone was as gentle as ever: "Are you hurt anywhere? Can you still stand up?"
Lai Chuan Huang Quan tried to pull his foot back, and a sharp pain instantly shot from his ankle to his brain.
"Ouch—it hurts, it hurts, it hurts..."
Morofushi Kagemitsu squatted down in front of Raikawa Yomi and carefully examined her wounds. He gave a helpless smile and said, "Would you like to rest at my house? I have a first-aid kit there."
The building where Morofushi Kagemitsu lived, which had narrowly escaped being bombed, was nearby, just a ten-minute walk away. Morofushi Kagemitsu had confirmed that Yomi Kurikawa hadn't suffered any fractures, only a sprain and extensive abrasions, a condition he could handle on his own. He should have taken Yomi Kurikawa to the hospital, but this was a perfect opportunity—an opportunity to test Yomi Kurikawa.
Room 2013 had already been equipped with eavesdropping and surveillance devices by Morofushi Kagemitsu. Why not take this opportunity to keep Yorikawa Yomi here and test her properly?
[Author's Note]
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