Chapter 199 Dating Vanguard
They...did they all plan to mess with me today?
As Morofushi Kagemitsu looked at the text message from his closest friend, this thought uncontrollably popped into his mind.
[Anti-Fraud Guru #66: Haha, tonight's going to be quite lively! Come to think of it, they all seem to be your inseparable rumored lovers~]
[Anti-Fraud King No. 19: It seems the dating competition tonight is going to be fierce. Perhaps it's time to release a more mainstream "Date A Live" manga...]
Before Morofushi Kagemitsu's face could turn completely dark, the childhood friends immediately followed in the footsteps of Number 26.
[Anti-Fraud Guru #11: ...However, we really should pay more attention to time management.]
Seeing this, the sensible No. 11 immediately steered the conversation back on a more serious note.
Well... he really wanted to see Jing, who had always maintained a composed attitude in the face of a bleak life, reveal his rare moment of embarrassment. But he was well aware of the difference between a full meal and a full stomach. He absolutely couldn't be like No. 19 and No. 66, unable to control his appetite and thus narrowing his path.
[Anti-fraud King No. 148: Um, but it's hard to refuse invitations from any of these three groups. Gin and Mello's side is a given; it's very likely an internal organization's plan, and we still need to listen to some of their advice at this stage. Akai Shuichi's situation... it's probably also related to the organization's probing, so it's hard to cancel either. As for Zero, I suspect that if you refuse his invitation, he'll start following you out of concern.]
...Zero isn't that bad yet.
He hadn't forgotten to help his childhood friend get rid of the "stalker" label that was about to be pinned on him—although for an intelligence broker in an organization, that might not be such a bad thing.
However, the thought that his current "infamy" was caused by his failure to manage his public image in the first place made him realize that he had to start paying attention to this aspect.
It was precisely because he had considered all of this that he felt a bit of a headache. After all, who could have imagined that Gin and his group would suddenly pull such a stunt?
[Anti-fraud expert #214: Why don't you talk to Zero about these things again? He'll definitely be more understanding.]
Then, we'll have a little tail on our way to meet Shuichi Akai. If this elite FBI agent finds out, given their increasingly strained relationship, I don't even want to imagine how messy the final outcome will be…
[Anti-fraud expert #148: Well then, how about we just activate Zero, and you three, with your whiskeys, team up again for another round?]
Not good!
Zhu Fujingguang was moved but refused. After all, Bourbon was not in the same faction as them on the surface, and this was clearly a gathering of factional alliances within the organization. Given Scotland's emotional intelligence and shrewdness, it was impossible for him to bring Rum's man—Bourbon—to the gathering.
Of course, part of the reason was that he heard the rather mesmerizing phrase "forming a group" again. He immediately thought of the strange "whiskey 101" that the Great Demon King Melo had sent him back in Kyoto, and his wariness was completely uncontrollable.
What if, what if? Who knows what kind of wicked scheme Melo is plotting this time?
[Anti-Fraud Guru #11: It's good to be cautious. However, given the tight schedule tonight, I suggest you tell Zero the truth. If Bourbon can't openly appear in this group, then have him sneak in. Of course, the three of you must be aware of this rearguard action to avoid any misunderstandings.]
After thinking it over, Morofushi Kagemitsu realized that he couldn't come up with a more suitable alternative in a short time, so he had to overturn his original draft and turn it into a concise version.
After some discussion, the arrangements for tonight were finalized quickly:
First, go to the coffee shop to meet Zero, explain the situation, and then create a small group chat for the Whiskey Trio (the last temporary mission group was disbanded in a hurry). Zero and Shuichi Akai will work together, one openly and one covertly, to uncover Gin and the others' mysterious plan.
Having agreed on the general framework, Morobuchi Kagemitsu and the anti-fraud team began to slowly fill in the details. Fortunately, this time they had nothing to hide, and enough energy to avoid having to fabricate lies and then painstakingly cover them up.
Time passed by, and soon it was 6 p.m. When Morofushi Kagemitsu returned to the familiar coffee shop.
However, the last time he came, he was Poirot's guest; this time, he's become the boss.
"Ding~"
Welcome!
The waiter's gentle greeting reminded him of the video of "Waitress Zero carrying plates" that No. 234 had shown him.
He responded with a smile, and then turned his head to see Zero sitting in the corner.
His outstanding appearance attracted a lot of attention, and even though he sat in the most remote corner, it didn't pose much of an obstacle. Instead, it earned him the labels of "low-key" and "mysterious".
Upon seeing this, Morofushi Kagemitsu informed the waiter that he had a companion. He then casually walked over to Zero's table and greeted him casually, "Amuro."
Rei Furuya looked over, his sharp eyes sweeping over the person behind him. After confirming that no knitted hat was sticking out, he nodded and replied, "Midori."
The two chatted casually about ordinary opening topics, and when they felt the time was right, Morofushi Kagemitsu lowered his voice and tried to explain the previous misunderstanding to Zero in as much detail as possible. Before Zero could respond, he quickly recounted the situation he was facing this time.
By covering up the misunderstanding with more important matters, he was spared the awkward time of bringing up that topic.
As expected, Furuya Reimi had something more urgent to do at this moment, and he put aside any slight concerns he might have had about the explanation, quickly focusing on his meeting with Gin and the others.
He quickly revealed what he knew: "Recently, I've been gradually getting involved with things in Tottori with Rum. He's busy screening for leaks and also has to be wary of Brandy, who's been acting up lately. He really doesn't have the energy to focus on Melo and the others anymore."
"As far as I know, the major things they've been busy with lately are dealing with Brandy and impersonating Goto Shunsuke." Morofushi Kagemitsu provided more information. "As for the latter, there's no way they'd involve Akai Shuichi. If it's about dealing with Brandy, Merlo will personally go to Kyoto. Trying to bring Akai Shuichi over to work together at this time would be too hasty."
Rei Furuya pondered for a moment, tapped the table lightly with his finger, and said, "Do you think they might be discussing Curaçao? Now, Binga has 'accidentally' discovered traces left by the Public Security Bureau in Kyoto. I guess, given his 'loyalty,' he'll report this to Rum as soon as possible."
“Curaçao…?” Morofushi Kagemitsu was taken aback.
[Anti-fraud expert #19: You just came back from the future, your memories are a bit jumbled, aren't they? Didn't you and Zero already pin the blame for Curaçao's disappearance on Melo? Since Binga has followed the clues, Melo's people might have known about things unfavorable to her beforehand.]
ah……
He remembered.
He also remembered that the task of tracking down Curaçao had been handed over to Ireland. Backed by Pisco, he was very confident and had no fear of the rum and brandy that were currently locked in a fierce battle.
However, at this critical juncture, instead of trying to counterattack or strengthen the defense, why did Rum send Binga out?
He couldn't understand it, so he asked the question.
Rei Furuya had been working under Rum for some time and had a good understanding of his style and abilities. Furthermore, with increased contact with Rum these past few days, he had become adept at understanding his superior's character. He said:
"That guy is probably driven to desperation by the current situation. He hasn't found a breakthrough in the investigation of traitors yet, and as a result, the morale of his subordinates is starting to waver. So, he plans to quickly quell the disappearance of Curaçao, otherwise it will be difficult for him to manage people in the future."
Morofushi Kagemitsu smiled knowingly and said, "Then why don't you take this opportunity to bribe some people? Anyway, that gentleman has been looking to promote some 'young people' recently."
“Of course.” Furuya Rei has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. With Morofushi Kagemitsu’s secret support, taking this position is only a matter of time.
Morofushi Kagemitsu glanced at his watch and said, "It's about time. I should go find Rae too."
Knowing that he would be providing covert support, Furuya Rei nodded, indicating that he would follow.
As soon as Morofushi Kagemitsu stood up, he thought for a moment and then turned back to whisper, "Although the possibility of danger on our journey this time is relatively low, it's best not to artificially increase it."
Rei Furuya said with some dissatisfaction, "I know, the mission is definitely the most important thing."
For the first time, Morofushi Kagemitsu looked at Furuya Rei with a somewhat uneasy gaze.
He will never forget the shock he felt when, in the middle of the night, while he was busy applying for land, he suddenly received the news that "Bourbon and Rye got into a fight in front of the Statue of Liberty."
He even wondered if it was because he had been thinking about a Ferris wheel mission in the future timeline and was having nightmares about it. But then a pile of drone scrap bills came along and told him it wasn't a dream—Number 205 had complained to him the moment he saw the bills, so it was hard to fool himself.
“…The drones are also important,” Zhu Fujingguang added. “If we can keep this batch of goods, the police can still find a way to intercept them.”
Furuya Rei then nodded seriously.
Seeing that his childhood friend was in the right place, Morobushi Kagemitsu was relieved.
In the current international trading environment, he went to great lengths to obtain such a batch of high-quality drones from a major Eastern country. No. 205 even helped him forge a number of related documents.
We can't afford to lose any more.
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