Chapter 22

Kirako Haruno, a newly-employed newcomer, was sitting at her workstation. When she noticed a customer coming in, she immediately picked up the registration book on her desk and trotted to the door.

It was her first time receiving a guest, and Haruno Kirako was so nervous that she didn't dare to look up and could only fix her eyes on the guest's chest.

Fortunately, she had studied very hard during the training, and even though her mind was blank at the moment, she could still blurt out the welcome words: "Welcome to the Armed Detective Agency, do you have any cases to entrust us with?"

Douma's eyes swept across the empty office, and the faint sweet fragrance in his nose made him take a second look at the decadent otaku in the corner.

Tian Shan Huadai, who was buried behind the computer and wrapped in a quilt, suddenly felt his heart skip a beat. He looked up in horror and met the visitor's cold and emotionless eyes. A chill spread from his spine to his whole body.

Unaware of Tayama Hanabi's exaggerated reaction, Douma nodded politely to Tayama Hanabi, then turned to answer Haruno Kirako's question: "Yes, I have a very important commission here."

The undercurrent that only one person knows.jpg

By the window with the best sunlight, Ranpo Edogawa, who always wears a detective suit, curls up in a chair like a cat, with his long legs resting on the desk, leisurely eating snacks, and ignoring the client who suddenly comes to his door.

Douma was actually relieved to be ignored. The cheating Edogawa Ranpo was too much of a headache. He could see through people at a glance. It was too much of a cheat.

As a person with many secrets, Douma doesn't want to attract the other party's attention.

"Please follow me, guest." Haruno Kirako pushed her glasses awkwardly, with a business smile on her face, and led Douma to the reception room as professionally as possible.

"Okay." Douma followed the other person's lead. The habit he had developed over the past two months made him subconsciously avoid the sunlight that was shining into the room.

This peculiar behavior immediately attracted Ranpo Edogawa, whose curiosity was greater than that of a cat. He stared at Douma's dark back with a thoughtful look on his face.

After Douma walked away, Hanako Tayama covered her throbbing heart and whispered in Edogawa Ranpo's ear, "Mr. Ranpo, this client is a bit scary."

"It's okay, just a little weird." Edogawa Ranpo got up from the chair and stretched lazily.

"It's suspicious indeed!" Tayama Hanadai excitedly grabbed Edogawa Ranpo's sleeve.

Edogawa hurriedly pulled back his sleeves, and the cat bent down to rummage in his exclusive snack cabinet. Until he successfully found a package of thick snacks in the corner, he happily sat on the desk, crossed his feet and ate snacks with satisfaction.

In response to Kadai Tayama's questioning, Ranpo Edogawa, with his mouth stuffed full, just waved his hands and said vaguely, "It's okay. It has nothing to do with us."

Everyone in the Armed Detective Agency unconditionally believes in the judgment made by Ranpo Edogawa.

Therefore, after he said this, although Tianshan Hanadai didn't dare to agree in her heart, her pounding heart finally calmed down.

There are many terrible people in this world, but as long as they don't cause any trouble to you, there's no need to pay too much attention to them. This is also the way of survival that a qualified Yokohama person should have.

Douma in the reception room knew nothing about what was happening outside. After all, it was impossible for him to maximize his perception all the time.

He politely took the tea that Haruno Kirako poured for him, held the cup to his lips and touched it to his lips. After the warm tea moistened his lips, he pretended to drink it and put the cup back on the tea table.

Haruno Kirako didn't notice Douma's fake move. She was writing Douma's request in the register seriously. As she wrote, she confirmed again: "Looking for blue spider lilies that only bloom during the day. There is no time limit, right, Douma-san?"

"Yes, Miss Haruno, this is the commission fee." Douma generously took out an anonymous bank card and placed it on the coffee table and pushed it in front of the other party. No one could tell that he was short of money before. ♀

Kirako Haruno carefully put away the bank card.

The newcomers in the workplace who are completely ignorant of the dangers of the world do not know that their guest, Douma, has quietly entrusted them with a mission that is almost impossible to complete.

Douma feels no guilt for throwing the difficult problem to the Armed Detective Agency and says that the protagonists deserve it!

Douma's kind attitude made Haruno Kirako no longer nervous. She put down the pen in her hand, looked up and said very relaxedly: "Okay, I have written down your request truthfully, and we will arrange personnel to investigate later."

"Thank you." Douma said to Haruno Kirako without any conscience: "The blue spider lily is very, very, very important to me. I hope you can bring me good news as soon as possible."

The three consecutive "very"s made Haruno Kirako fully understand Douma's urgency. She nodded repeatedly and assured very solemnly: "Yes, if we find relevant information, we will contact you as soon as possible."

"Okay, then I'll leave this matter to you, the Armed Detective Agency." Douma curled up his lips into a happy smile and stretched out his right hand to shake hands with Haruno Kirako.

At the same time, the piercing gazes on his body and the suddenly strong fragrance told Douma without a doubt that someone with special abilities was looking at him.

Douma looked up calmly following his perception, and what he saw was a girl wearing a professional skirt and a butterfly hairpin on her short black hair.

It was obvious that the people who came were Wen Ye's first wet nurse and Xie Ye Akiko.

Don't offend your wet nurse no matter who you offend.

Adhering to this truth, Douma gave a friendly smile to Yoseno Akiko, although his current body seemed to not require a wet nurse.

Noticing that Douma's eyes were cast towards the door, Haruno Kirako turned her head curiously and found that the person standing at the door was the doctor at the top of their Armed Detective Agency's food chain. She quickly stood up and introduced him, "Dr. Yosano, this is the client I just received, Mr. Douma."

"This is Dr. Yoseno from our detective agency. Her medical skills are very superb." Haruno Kirako turned around and introduced Douma.

Douma stood up upon hearing this and bowed to Yoseno Akiko like a gentleman: "Hello, Dr. Yoseno."

Yosano Akiko looked at this man who was full of hypocrisy, and suppressed the turmoil in her heart caused by the association with the person she hated so much, but her attitude became much colder:

"Hello."

Confused by the tone full of the aloof and arrogant Sister Tsunayo's temperament, Douma just nodded as if it was commonplace. He was not a direct subordinate of Ozaki Koyo for nothing. He had long been accustomed to Sister Tsunayo, okay?

Yosano Akiko frowned, feeling that Douma's pretentious expression at the moment was more like that damn guy.

She couldn't help but feel jealous of Douma. No matter what, anyone who made her think of someone other than Morio must be no good person.

Under the wary gaze of Yosano Akiko, Douma calmly said goodbye and left. There were so many people who always liked to think about how complicated he was that he had become accustomed to it.

It was not until Douma's back completely disappeared from sight that Yosano Akiko withdrew her inquiring gaze. She turned to look at Haruno Kirako and asked with concern, "Did that person not give you any trouble just now?"

"No, no, Mr. Douma is a very nice person." Haruno Kirako waved her hands repeatedly, shaking her head like a wave drum, and her glasses slid down a little.

Seeing Haruno Kirako fumbling to explain to Douma, Yosano Akiko looked at Haruno Kirako with a look that was hard to describe: "Silly girl, he is not a good person. Remember to stay away from him next time you see him."

"Eh, is that so?" Haruno Kirako looked incredulous, but did not refute what Yosano Akiko said.

Because she knew that everyone in the Armed Detective Agency was not simple. Since Dr. Xie Ye said so, she might have really made a mistake.

Thinking of this, Haruno Kirako sighed with disappointment: "I thought Douma-san was a good person. He gave me such a warm feeling that I felt like I could tell him whatever was in my heart."

Ranpo Edogawa came over at some point, stuffing potato chips into his mouth while making a few clacking noises, "You have the temperament of a cult leader."

Hearing this, Haruno Kirako slapped her forehead in sudden realization: "Indeed, Mr. Douma's temperament is really like the leader of the Xie Cult in the movie, very charming."

Douma, who was seduce by Edogawa Ranpo as the leader, had already left the Armed Detective Agency and knew nothing about their discussion.

After finally being able to walk under the sun again, Douma's novelty had not yet worn off, so naturally he didn't want to go back directly.

He held up a huge black umbrella without getting tired, wandering aimlessly in the streets and alleys of Yokohama, ignoring the strange looks from others. It was just summer clothes, wasn't it? It was no big deal, it was just unusual.

They walked around until the sun went down. The aroma of food wafted from the surrounding residential buildings. Douma, who could smell the food but couldn't eat it, decided to go home.

But at this moment, the shrill sound of sirens came closer and closer, and he looked curiously at the line of police cars passing by.

Pedestrians on the road immediately became nervous. After all, this was Yokohama, and the sudden large-scale mobilization of the police must have meant something big had happened.

Even if they are just strangers to each other, at this time they don't care too much and gather together to exchange information to improve the survival rate of themselves and their families.

"What happened?"

“I don’t know.”

"I have inside information!"

"What? Tell us now, don't keep us in suspense."

"Ahem...something big happened in the suburban mental hospital. Those patients suddenly went crazy and attacked each other desperately. It is said that several people have died." The middle-aged man lowered his voice, looking mysterious.

Douma paused as he was about to leave. The key words "mental hospital", "sudden madness", and "desperately attacking each other" plus this delicate timing.

Could it be... Yumeno Hisasaku? !

You have become more and more charming recently. Everyone wants to hear you spoil the latest chapter of the book.