Chapter 45 The Heir: This is a Reward
The atmosphere was extremely heavy, and no one dared to speak.
Everyone kept their heads down, not daring to look at the cameras all around them.
In the end, it was Takanashi Chinatsu who spoke first, her voice light and cheerful, seemingly trying to lighten the mood: "Father, don't scare us. It's dangerous enough to have one undercover agent around us. We've already caught three. If there are still undercover agents, won't our organization be finished?"
Aside from her, probably no one would dare to casually say that the organization is "finished".
"Hahahaha!" Karasuma Renya laughed loudly and said indulgently, "Black Cherry is right, but these undercover agents are like annoying flies. Kill one and another one comes, kill two and another pair comes. You can never guard against them all, so I can't be careless."
"So does our organization still have undercover agents?" Takanashi Chika blinked, wanting a definite answer.
Karasuma Renya said, "Whether there's a mole or not, you'll have to investigate it yourself."
Chinatsu's eyes lit up instantly.
Rum was almost the first to object: "Sir, we can't entrust the interrogation of undercover agents to Black Cherry. She has never seriously carried out any tasks for the organization, nor does she know how to conduct interrogations. She can't do this kind of thing!"
In this regard, Gin surprisingly shared Rum's stance, not wanting Chika to get involved in this kind of work that was bound to get her hands dirty, and said, "Sir, please leave this matter to me, I will definitely pry their mouths open."
But Karasuma Renya completely ignored them.
Karasuma Renya practically coaxed Chika: "Are you confident, Kuroishiro? If you successfully interrogate her and get anything out of her, I can give you a reward."
Chinatsu immediately raised her hand and asked, "Can we beat up Rum?"
“If you want to.” Karasuma Renya smiled.
Rum's face darkened further.
Especially Karasuma Renya's later words: "Of course, the reward I give you is much better than hitting Rum. I can give you the entire research team."
In an instant, apart from Karasuma Renya's voice, the entire training ground was completely silent.
Even Takanashi Chika didn't respond immediately. She slowly swallowed and stared at the camera in disbelief.
Research group...
No one from the research group attended today's meeting.
This was inevitable, since the research group was almost entirely separate from the organization and was a business entirely belonging to Karasuma Renya.
Without Karasuma Renya's orders, no one is allowed to touch the research group, not even Karasuma Renya's own daughter Vermouth, not even Gin who came from the research institute, not even Rum, the organization's second-in-command... none of them are allowed to.
Handing the research team over to Chika Takanashi is not simply about giving her some controllable power; it's also sending a signal to the outside world that Renya Karasuma has chosen Kuroi Sakura as his successor.
In the future, this entire organization will be gradually handed over to Black Cherry.
"Black Cherry, do you like this reward?" Karasuma Renya asked with a smile when she didn't speak immediately.
Takanashi Chika opened her mouth, her voice hoarse: "Father, this is too..."
“Aren’t you close to the Sherry sisters? When she returns to the country in a while, I will make her the head of the research group. Then you won’t have too much trouble taking over the research group.” Karasuma Renya didn’t care how many people were listening. He was openly telling everyone that Black Cherry was his chosen successor, and this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Takanashi Chika pursed her lips. Why did she become friends with the Miyano sisters in the first place?
At that time, Akemi Miyano was designated as her playmate by Renya Karasuma, and she was also introduced to Shiho Miyano... But that happened not long after she joined the organization. Did Renya Karasuma intend to hand over the organization to her from the very beginning?
She took a deep breath, then slowly and gently exhaled, finally looking up at the camera and smiling, "Okay, I will definitely interrogate him well and live up to my father's expectations!"
"Yes, I believe you."
The meeting ended, and the audio was cut off.
But no one left; everyone stood frozen in place, as if they hadn't yet recovered from the shock.
Everyone looked at each other, and finally all their eyes fell on Chinatsu Takanashi.
Even more attention-grabbing than her title of "Queen of Pranks" is her identity as the "boss's adopted daughter," and even more attention-grabbing than that is her identity as the organization's heir.
Karasuma Renya did not hand over the organization to his biological daughter, nor to Gin or his second-in-command Rum, but to a... Black Cherry who, just a few years ago, no, to be precise, before today, was a good-for-nothing who only knew how to play and cause trouble.
This was utterly shocking; everyone, regardless of their status, couldn't help but exclaim "absurd!" in their hearts.
But no one objected.
Karasuma Renya's decision is beyond question.
Karasuma Renya's orders are ironclad!
"Congratulations." Even Rum had to lower his head. Although the sound seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, it still made Takanashi Chinatsu hear a hint of submission.
Chika Takanashi was still in a dream, feeling as if her feet couldn't touch the ground. If you looked closely, you would find that her eyes were empty.
Good heavens, is she dreaming? Rum, who just a while ago wanted to kill her, is now expressing his submission to her?
Whether it was genuine or just for show, the fact that Rum expressed this meaning already shocked Chinatsu Takanashi.
Gin also gave Takanashi Chinatsu a deep look with a complicated expression. Instead of walking towards her after the meeting as usual, he left with his entourage.
Gin and Rum left with their respective groups, leaving the training ground empty. The others stood not far from Takanashi Chika, wanting to greet her but hesitant to approach, feeling extremely conflicted.
Vermouth walked over with a smile.
When Takanashi Chika met her blue eyes, she immediately looked away, feeling a little guilty.
“Congratulations, Black Cherry,” Vermouth said casually.
Although many people in the organization did not know Vermouth's identity, Takanashi Chinatsu happened to be one of them. Takanashi Chinatsu was also puzzled as to why Karasuma Renya chose her instead of Vermouth to inherit the organization, and felt ashamed as if she had stolen the other party's property.
"You don't need to feel guilty towards me. He always doted on you more, or rather, he only doted on you." Vermouth's tone was indifferent, showing a rather detached view of the father-daughter relationship between her and Karasuma Renya.
She wasn't surprised at all that the organization would be handed over to Black Cherry.
From the time she could remember, her father had always been a cold and heartless man, and her mother was not his wife, but a tool for procreation.
Fortunately, he took good care of his tools, so she and her mother never lacked money. In fact, a life with plenty of money but no love is not bad. If they could live like that for the rest of their lives, it might be a kind of luck for Vermouth and her mother.
But he was too heartless.
Because he needed to lure out the rebels, he used his mother as bait, causing her to lose her life at a young age.
Because he needed someone related by blood to research APTX4869, and disregarding their familial bond, he abandoned her at the research institute.
Karasuma Renya did not intend to kill her mother; he simply did not care.
He didn't want to kill her, but he didn't love her that much; APTX4869 was just more important to him.
Vermouth endured experiment after experiment, and when her body was on the verge of collapse, she was finally spared by her cold-blooded father. In fact, she felt that he had not developed any affection for her, but only thought that her fragile body could no longer provide any value to the research.
She was trained to be an assassin and a star, spending her days shedding blood for the organization and for Karasuma Renya, using her body and beauty to gather intelligence for him.
Despite the severe side effects of the drugs, which she endured years of experimentation, they also allowed her to maintain her youthful appearance and create more value for Karasuma Renya.
Karasuma Renya doesn't love her, nor does he love her mother. He's a heartless machine who will never love anyone.
That's what Vermouth used to think.
Until the black cherry appeared—
She looks silly and stupid, with no ability and unable to create any value.
But ever since Black Cherry joined the organization, Vermouth has noticed that her father has changed. He has started to learn how to coax people and how to protect Black Cherry from all dangers. It was a kind of fatherly love that Vermouth had never experienced before.
Decades earlier, Vermouth might have harbored resentment, perhaps even hating Black Cherry as much as Rum did, to the point of wanting to kill her. But Vermouth had already experienced so much, and had long since given up any hope of fatherly love.
So at this moment, she calmly looked at the girl who seemed to have stolen all of Karasuma Renya's attention, and said with a smile, "Compared to Rum or Gin getting the organization, Black Cherry, it might be better if the organization is in your hands. I'll be relying on you to protect me then."
Vermouth winked at her playfully and left with Calvados.
Takanashi Chika watched her walk away, a tightness in her chest, a strange and indescribable emotion churning within her.
“Black Cherry, we should go.” Noticing the people around them eager to gather around, Scotland grabbed Chizuru Kotori’s hand.
Lai also put on a cold face, and his aura of "keep away" briefly intimidated those around him, allowing Scotland to successfully lead Chizuru away with Kotori.
While Scottish was driving, Chinatsu Takanashi was sitting alone in the back seat when Rae suddenly opened the door and got into the passenger seat.
Scotland glanced at him, made no comment, and simply started the car.
"I never imagined I'd rise to such heights so quickly." Leaning back in his chair, Lei's tone was languid and smug.
Scotland chimed in jokingly, "You're right, by following lucky people, we've caught the tail end of luck. Future boss, please continue to take care of us."
"Stop messing around, I'm already annoyed," Takanashi Chika said sullenly.
What heir?!
She wanted to unite a group of people to destroy the organization, and even recruited Rye, an undercover agent sent by the FBI. Wouldn't Karasuma Renya's actions put her in a very difficult position?
I can't imagine how Matsuda-san and Kenji-chan will react when they find out. Will Matsuda-san just pull out handcuffs?
Lai knew a little about China's psychology, and while he was wary, he couldn't help but want to laugh.
Scotland, however, found it strange: "What's bothering you? Don't you know how to interrogate someone? You may lack experience, but I have plenty."
“Me too,” Ray said immediately. He mainly wanted to ask Stout about the last undercover agent. Could his dad have really infiltrated the organization as an undercover agent, and then been caught and killed by the organization?
Takanashi Chika sighed heavily. These two guys really couldn't understand her distress.
"Ray, are you sure you can handle interrogating me?" Takanashi Chika asked Ray. After all, he was an undercover agent; wouldn't she feel bad about doing such dirty work?
Ray turned around and gave her a confident smile, saying, "Don't underestimate me."
"Should we hand it over to Lai? Black Cherry, I also want to help you." Although Scotland was unwilling to harm Stout and Aquavit, who were also undercover agents, he wanted to know about the situation of undercover agents from various countries and show off his skills in front of Black Cherry. Since he had already come to infiltrate, he couldn't just not do anything he didn't want to do.
"Next time, next time," Takanashi Chinatsu waved her hand.
Scotland was somewhat disappointed, but quickly recommended his childhood friend: "Bourbon used to be in the intelligence unit, so he should be quite familiar with interrogation."
Lei immediately retorted, "He's still in the hospital, and it will take too long for him to recover."
"It's okay, I can come even if I'm on crutches."
Looking at the nonchalant expression on Scotland's face, Takanashi Chika couldn't help but gasp. "Are you a living devil?" she thought. "People in the organization might be a bit shrewd, but not to this extent, right? Coming to work on crutches!"
"No, let him rest properly." Not to mention that China didn't want Bourbon to get involved, even if she did want him to, there's no capitalist who would make someone with a broken leg work on crutches.
Scotland was even more disappointed, it seemed that neither he nor his childhood friend would get the job.
For several days in a row, Matsuda Jinpei stayed at Takanashi Chinatsu's house, while Takanashi Chinatsu went with Rai to the organization's interrogation room, since this mission was essentially assigned to her.
Since they were both undercover agents, they shared a similar fate. And because Ray had his own selfish motives, he didn't go too hard on the two undercover agents, and he couldn't get any useful information out of them in several days.
When Takanashi Chika and Rai arrived that day, the interrogation room door was open, and a strong smell of blood emanated from inside.
"Oh no!" Lei's expression changed, and he immediately rushed inside.
Chika Takanashi followed closely behind.
Inside the interrogation room, Stout was beaten black and blue and barely clinging to life.
Gin sat coldly opposite him, while Vodka quickly jotted down the information Stout had revealed.
"You've arrived." Gin looked at Chinatsu Kotori and winked at Vodka.
Vodka immediately shoved the notebook containing the information into Takanashi Chinatsu's hand and whispered, "Big brother saw that you haven't made any progress for several days, so I came to help you."
"Say less and do more," Gin said coldly.
Vodka shrank back and quickly retreated behind Gin.
"This is a task the boss gave to Black Cherry, Gin. Are you trying to steal the credit?" Ray glanced at Stout's situation and immediately confronted Gin.
"You can pretend I was never here." He made it clear that he wanted to give the credit to Takanashi Chinatsu.
"This is also a test for Black Cherry!"
Gin slowly stood up, raised his hand to brush the dust off his clothes, and his eyes seemed to be fixed on Takanashi Chika.
He ignored Lai's words and walked over to gently cover China's eyes.
"If you don't want to do it, then don't do it; if you don't want to watch it, then don't watch it. You didn't need this kind of experience in the first place."
Arrogant and rebellious words.
Chika Takanashi is blind, but her sense of smell is even more acute. She can smell the unpleasant metallic smell of tobacco mixed with Gin's body, which makes her feel nauseous.
But she could feel Gin's protectiveness towards her even more; that tender, careful protection, like that of a precious treasure, warmed her startled heart.
A bloody and cruel reality, a warm heart—Takanashi Chika's senses are momentarily disoriented.
Lei stopped talking and stood quietly watching. Even though Takanashi Chika hadn't said anything, he still knew Gin's fatal weakness at this moment.
It's China.
It's a black cherry.
For someone as cold-blooded as Gin to show such tenderness and gentleness to someone suggests that this person may be more important to him than his own life.
"Let Lei do the final processing, we'll go out first." Gin put his arm around Chika and left the interrogation room.
Vodka stayed behind, told Ray to "get rid of him," and then left.
Lai stood quietly, the interrogation room door completely closed. Gin seemed unwilling to let China feel even the slightest discomfort.
Looking at the half-dead Stout, Ray pursed his lips, knowing that this might be his last chance.
“You’re lucky, you can be free from your suffering.” He pulled out a gun and pointed it at Stout, then approached her with feigned intimacy, a malicious smile creeping across his lips.
He stared into Stout's eyes, which were cloudy and dull, clearly showing signs of torture.
His bloodied body proved this; he could no longer hold on and was perhaps begging for release.
Lei's throat tightened, and he lowered his voice, almost a whisper: "Do you know Tsutomu Akai?"
This is dangerous.
He didn't know if there were any cameras in the interrogation room that he wasn't aware of, or if there were any listening devices, but this might be the closest he'd ever come to the truth.
He infiltrated the organization largely for his father's sake, and he couldn't let this opportunity slip by.
Stout's eyes darted around, trying hard to focus on Ray.
Ray understood that Stout had probably heard of his father's name.
Forcibly suppressing his excitement and worry, Lei calmly continued to ask, "Was he the undercover agent who was previously executed by the organization?"
Stout looked at him, his lips trembling, he stammered...
“Tell me, Stout.”
Finally, a faint whisper escaped Stout's lips: "No..."
Just one word made Lai breathe a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of relief at surviving a disaster.
Although there is still no news of his father, at least his father has not been confirmed dead.
“I’m sorry, I can’t save you,” Ray said apologetically to Stout.
Under the organization's tight surveillance, not only Ray, but even Gin and Rum couldn't rescue Stout, so there was only one thing he could do.
Stout's eyes flashed with excitement and gratitude. He seemed to be glad that he was finally free, and he also seemed to have misunderstood Ray's identity, taking him for a new undercover agent sent by MI6.
Ray didn't explain anything; he simply pulled the trigger, burying the truth in the dust, and leaving this world with a comforting falsehood.
After killing Stout, Ray stared at his corpse for a long time. He couldn't save Stout, and not only that, he also wanted to kill Aquavit.
This is what it means to be an undercover agent.
When you're undercover in an evil organization, there are always things you have to do that you can't help but do.
But Claire would not succumb to such an organization. No matter how much work he had done that had stained his hands, he always understood the beliefs that led him to the organization. He would be a silver bullet capable of piercing through the organization, delivering a fatal blow when the organization lowered its guard against him.
Both undercover agents were executed within a morning.
Lai drove Takanashi Chinatsu home, remaining silent the entire way. So silent that Takanashi Chinatsu, who usually disliked him, even initiated a conversation with him.
"Lay, I'm sorry."
Recovering from his disappointment, Lei turned to look at her, a smile playing on his lips, as if he had instantly returned to his usual glib and witty self.
"It's really rare that the organization's little princess apologized to me. I should have taken a good picture of it. When you become the boss in the future, you'll definitely be able to extort a lot of money from her."
In the past, Takanashi Chinatsu would have definitely confronted him, but this time she carefully considered his feelings: "I didn't want you to kill them, and I didn't expect Gin to suddenly intervene. Everything happened so suddenly, I'm sorry."
“Even if Gin doesn’t intervene, I will personally conduct the interrogation.” Rae’s expression turned serious as he said, “If I don’t take action, I won’t get anything out of them. Not only will I be suspected, but your abilities will also be reassessed. Gin probably thinks you’re too weak. Actually, I’m the one who’s holding you back. If only I had taken action against them sooner.”
Chika Takanashi wanted to retort, but then she heard Rai continue.
"Besides, they were going to die anyway, either by my hand or by yours. I can't really let you get your hands dirty." Ray chuckled, showing his sense of responsibility for the first time in this matter.
Those two people will eventually die at his hands; it's only a matter of time.
Although Ray didn't want to do it himself, he felt that if he let a young girl who had never gotten her hands dirty before kill someone, then he would be doing a very poor job as an undercover agent.
Becoming an undercover agent already leaves him with many things beyond his control, but he always strives to do his best in whatever he can.
"Don't worry too much. Gin has already helped me out, so I don't need to torture them myself." Ray breathed a sigh of relief, which did make him feel much more relaxed.
Takanashi Chinatsu lowered her head and whispered from the back row, "I...don't want to..."
"You don't want them to die? Gin is not wrong, you're just too soft-hearted."
"Not only that, I don't want to be the boss either." Takanashi Chinatsu revealed her true feelings to Rai for the first time.
She knew that her words had been somewhat willful.
This is an achievement that undercover agents can never attain, and a status that Rum, Gin, and Vermouth can only dream of.
But she still didn't want to.
She was just that kind of willful person. Regardless of whether her current position was obtained by sacrificing two lives, and regardless of how arrogant her behavior seemed to others, she simply did not want to become the successor of the organization.
She thought Ray would be surprised, that Ray would say something sarcastic, but to her surprise, Ray simply said, "Yeah, I know."
The sound was calm, without the storm that Takanashi Chika had imagined; it was just a routine little thing.
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Author's Note: Karasuma Renya: Yes, my successor can only be China!
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