Chapter 35 The Legendary Bourbon Whiskey...
Since it's decided that Bourbon and Scotland will conduct the investigation together, they need to show some commitment.
So at 2 a.m., Morofushi Kagemitsu was dragged out of bed, told that the plane was flying too fast and that he had to go pick up Bourbon right now.
Oh, and bring Ray along too. Vodka relayed this to Gin.
Huh? What do you mean the plane is flying too fast? Even if you want to cause trouble, you should at least come up with a decent excuse!
Morofushi Kagemitsu was very unhappy, but considering that the investigation would inevitably involve contact with this Bourbondo, he couldn't just quit.
Helpless, he poured his heart out into his phone, then hastily washed his face before driving his newly purchased car to the airport.
[(Loudspeaker) Please be careful when traveling at night. There are countless roads, but safety is the most important...]
As he drove along, his initially dazed mind gradually cleared, and following the flight information provided by Melo, he went to the terminal to wait for someone.
Morofushi Hiromitsu didn't plan to hold up a sign to find people like the others. Using the code names Ray and Bourbon sounded like he was advertising alcohol, which was too awkward. He only needed to notice Ray to be fairly certain; after all, both were mixed-race and not difficult to distinguish.
He didn't have to wait long before passengers started appearing one after another from the terminal. He overheard a conversation between a mother and daughter next to him and confirmed that they were passengers on the same flight as Ray and Bourbon.
You've got the right one, it's you.
But he waited and waited... and the two bottles of wine never appeared.
He frowned and looked around. All the other passengers had left, but they were nowhere to be seen. Could something have happened to them en route? Had they been hijacked again, like last time?
Surely no one is that unlucky, and he didn't see the airport taking any measures.
Morofushi Hiromitsu called Rai's phone for the third time. The first two times the line was busy, but he could make up an excuse that he was moving his luggage. This time, however, the phone was switched off, leaving only a cold female voice explaining, "Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Sorry..."
There was no other way but to find another way to get Ray's attention.
Although the organization still operates in the shadows under the guise of "keeping a low profile," each situation should be analyzed individually. As long as it's not a criminal act, being a little more high-profile, like Vermouth, is acceptable.
So, Morofushi Kagemitsu went straight to the service desk, took off his mask, and said anxiously to the staff there, "Miss, my foreign friends are lost. Could you please use the public address system to call them here?"
Staff members frequently encounter these kinds of requests for help finding missing persons, and they handle them with ease. There happened to be a couple nearby looking for their unruly child, whom she had just mediated. So, following procedure, she asked, "Are you sure you have no way to contact them?"
Morobuchi Kagemitsu nodded: "I can't get in touch with them. One of their phones seems to be switched off... Honestly, he didn't even borrow someone's phone to call me."
...Well, although the truth might be that Moroboshi Dai didn't even remember his number.
So what? I didn't specifically remember him anyway. It's fair.
After understanding the situation, the staff member took out a pen and paper and asked, "May I ask what your friend's name is...?"
Morofushi Kagemitsu was about to answer "Moroboshi Dai" when he remembered that before leaving work yesterday, Melo had told him with a smile that Ray had used a different identity when he returned from England this time, possibly an alias, and he shouldn't let it slip. Then, she pulled out a few sheets of paper from the stack of documents beside her, saying that they contained Ray's entry information.
With that in mind, he took out the papers and handed them directly to the staff at the service desk. He didn't care much about Bourbon's; after all, they were on the same plane.
[Entry information has been entered. Please note that the accuracy rate of this data is 60% (yellow triangle exclamation mark)]
That's normal; it's a common fake identity used in their line of work.
The staff member looked at the identification information, hesitated, and wanted to ask him something, but was stopped by his gentle smile. Not daring to ask any more questions, they could only turn on the loudspeaker as instructed on the sign:
"Patrick Star, Patrick Star, after hearing this announcement, please come to the service desk on the second floor of the terminal. Your parents are waiting for you here. Patrick Star..."
On that day, all the children at the airport were extremely envious.
That's Patrick Star! So cool!
But on Morofushi Kagemitsu's side...
Well……
He opened his mouth.
Is this what they mean by broadcasting messages to find missing persons?
He glanced at the parents who had actually lost their child standing to the side and began to wonder if the staff had mixed up their needs. How did it become Patrick Star's situation for him?
What's the difference between broadcasting this and not broadcasting it at all? Who's going to come over just because they hear Patrick Star?
[Anti-fraud expert doesn't recommend taking this kind of information to the service desk (Little Flower)~]
He lowered his head and sighed softly. He was about to ask the staff if there was a mistake in the information when he saw Patrick Star... well, Moroboshi, no, it's Ray, with a dark expression, coming over with his suitcase.
Seriously? You actually dared to answer Patrick Star's name?
Somewhat bewildered, Morofushi Hiromitsu took a few steps toward Ray. The staff member nudged him, returned the papers, and gave the childlike Patrick Star a curious look.
Before he could ask anything, Lai took the initiative to pull him away from the service desk at lightning speed, pulling down his knit hat and running all the way until they got into the elevator, where they stopped temporarily.
Morofushi Kagemitsu snapped out of his daze and realized that the information Melo had given him was wrong. Not only was the person's name written as 'Patrick Star' on the immigration form, but their age was also missing a digit... Seriously...
He couldn't help but marvel at Melo's ingenious pranks.
He didn't realize until he caught a glimpse of the same information on the boarding pass affixed to his luggage.
...Even if Melo is good at playing pranks, it doesn't seem like it will affect the British airport, right?
He glanced at his boarding pass, then at Ray, who hadn't uttered a word the entire way.
"...Patrick Star?" Morofushi Kagemitsu asked cautiously.
Lai pursed his lips and said, "Direct flights are restricted, so we have to find another way. According to the schedule, we're supposed to transfer in Shanghai, but the organization member who checked me in in the UK is of mixed Chinese and British descent. I don't know what he did..."
Actually, he suspected that Bourbon was behind it, but he had no evidence.
Oh, it seems the order of the names was reversed; it was an accident.
Morofushi Kagemitsu didn't want to rub salt in the wound, and hoped that Rae would quickly forget about the baby's disappearance. So, before they even got off the elevator, he pretended to look around and brought up the third person who was supposed to get off the plane with them:
"Where's Bourbon?"
Mentioning the code name made Ray's face even uglier, matching the knitted hat on his head: "He left as soon as he got off the plane."
Then, recalling his experiences in England, he paused for a few seconds before earnestly admonishing Fu Jingguang:
"He's cunning and capable, but not a trustworthy guy. I don't think it's a good idea for you to cooperate with him on the investigation; he might very well be plotting something against you without your knowledge."
Morofushi Kagemitsu blinked. It seemed that Rae and Bourbon weren't getting along well. He had been a little worried that Rae might also reach some kind of agreement with Bourbon to keep him in check.
However, to receive such a high evaluation from Lei, Bourbon seems to be no pushover either. Perhaps after learning that he had a partner in the investigation in Japan, he has already begun building a secret file for 'Asakawa Sora'.
Moreover, given Ray's generally unassuming nature, the fault probably lies with the other party. How much must Bourbon have displeased him to warrant such treatment? He's likely done more than just one or two outrageous things.
As an ally of Rae and someone who knew Rae's character well, Morofushi Kagemitsu was naturally somewhat biased, and his impression of Bourbon was undoubtedly much lower.
[The new tag 'Difficult to get along with' has been added to Bourbon's profile. Bourbon's profile has been updated (quill pen)]
Bourbon decided not to go with them, saving them the trouble of scheming against each other. After dropping Ray off, he went home to catch up on his sleep.
However, when he got home, his head had just hit the pillow, and he was about to yawn and fall asleep, the anti-fraud officer came over and poked him:
[A text message from an unknown number: Tomorrow at 12:30 PM, second floor of Rodney's Fine Dining Restaurant. A reservation has been made. Let's meet up. —Bourbon]
[This number has been noted and uploaded to the Anti-Fraud Center's to-do list (adjusting glasses)]
Morofushi Kagemitsu insisted on finishing his half-yawn, rolled over, and agreed. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "This Bourbon is way too dedicated to his work; doesn't he even need to adjust to the time difference?"
[Reply received, alarm set (on watch)]
He finally fell asleep, accompanied by the anti-fraud expert's rambling.
When he awoke again, he was a hero once more!
Great, very energetic!
Morofushi Hiromitsu pulled out the suit he had worn when he was negotiating with those big bosses a while ago, and drove towards Rodney Restaurant.
It was a high-end Michelin three-star restaurant. He remembered that Melo had a membership card for it, and later Vermouth, under the pretext of gathering intelligence, used the organization's funds to get one as well.
Now Bourbon has also made an appointment here... He wants to get a card too, right? Truly a mystic like Vermouth, even when having dinner with the finance team, he's hiding these little schemes.
Come to think of it, he only booked a table on the second floor, right? He didn't tell me what he looked like.
No photos of 'Bourbon' found (sigh)
Not a single one? Really, not a single trace was left?
[Anti-fraud expert #205 searched using the keywords 'bourbon' and 'Amuro Tooru,' while excluding various alcohol brands (referring to a book)]
As expected of an intelligence operative, he's very good at keeping his information confidential.
[Don't worry, the anti-fraud team is also very careful in handling your photos (confidently sniffing a flower)]
He naturally trusts Anti-Fraud King on this point.
In situations where basic information about the other party is lacking, it's not only difficult to use platitudes, but even finding a topic to start a conversation requires a bit of caution.
What should he say?
Bourbon, do the Queen's pigeons taste a bit more like the smog of London than the pigeons in Times Square? Does the air in Britain smell sweet?
Based on Leigh's terrible experience, asking him about the British actions seemed like a bad idea.
[Anti-fraud expert #11 suggests: Ask him about the funding. You're the mastermind; you have more information on this than he does. Also, see how much information he has.]
What funding? He's tampered with funding more than once or twice.
[Anti-fraud expert #11 continued to offer suggestions → He's fine with any of these, as he hasn't participated in any of them, but there are certain pieces of intelligence that he currently finds very difficult to obtain.]
Morofushi Kagemitsu silently kept this suggestion in mind.
He drove steadily, passing by the police vehicle from the bomb disposal unit. The police car had its windows wide open, and a head of curly hair leaned out of the passenger seat, fluttering in the wind.
Morofushi Kagemitsu and Curly-haired Mandarin exchanged a glance. The latter looked at him strangely, as if he wanted to say something, but Morofushi pretended not to see anything, gently pressed the accelerator, and drove the car away.
He only breathed a sigh of relief after driving quite a distance, secretly lamenting that Matsuda's acting was as stiff as ever.
As he sighed, he parked his car in the underground parking garage, preparing to take some "little gadgets" with him, when the anti-fraud broadcast started playing in his head again:
[Anti-fraud team reminds you: Latest news update!]
Zhu Fujingguang: !!!
He immediately perked up.
Even the anti-fraud team has issued a warning, so it seems that Bourbon is indeed no ordinary person.
Without further ado, he immediately clicked on the news notification:
[Action Team, take note: These intelligence brokers specifically target snipers!]
Just by looking at the title, you can tell this report is highly targeted. Could this be a trap that Bourbon is setting to deal with him?
He continued reading:
Most snipers operate alone.
However, in some cases, someone else may act as their partner, as was the case in this operation.
...
"Here's his information. You know what to do."
The mixed-race information broker, with his superior physique and handsome features, spoke to a young man wearing glasses in the corner.
"Yes."
...Some people usually pretend to be approachable, gentle, and patient. They love to deceive those who still have a shred of kindness in their hearts, and exploit this to set traps and maliciously toy with what little emotion they have left.
"Okay, but this question is meaningless now."
……"Bang!"
The shot shattered the glass, and in the moonlight, splashes of water landed on the still-wet invitation, blurring the writing.
After reading the report, Morofushi Kagemitsu put down his phone with a very serious expression. He felt that the profile analysis of the information dealer described in the report seemed too much like a scam targeting him.
If Bourbon is really the kind of person described in the reports, I might actually let my guard down... No wonder Ray dislikes Bourbon so much, there's another reason behind it.
Ray had already had his feelings toyed with; now it was his turn.
The fact that the report was pushed out meant that this was going to happen in the future. It seemed he had fallen into their trap, even though he was confident he wouldn't reveal any public security secrets. He was worried that Bourbon would use his face to roam around, and might even implicate his brother, who bore a resemblance to him.
[Strong desire fluctuation detected; corresponding functional item found (clenched fist)]
[Anti-fraud system has automatically activated the adult anti-addiction system]
Huh? Why is the feature turning on automatically again?
Morofushi Kagemitsu was stunned. If Anti-Fraud King hadn't suddenly opened this thing on his own, he would have almost forgotten that there was such a function in the corner of his memory that was about to be covered in dust.
So, what exactly is this?
[Of course, it's a very useful stealth feature (proud)]
Infiltrating? Today is the day I'm officially meeting Bourbon, so no matter how much I infiltrate, I'll eventually have to show myself.
[No, to be precise, it puts you into an electronic disguise state (adjusts glasses)]
Um, is this... a hacking skill? Something like infiltrating someone's computer without being detected? That's actually quite useful; I can now find a way to expose Bourbon's true nature.
[No, it's exactly electronic camouflage, you could also call it electronic mimicry technology, improved by Anti-Fraud Guru 198. You just need to apply a face cream made of a special material to change your appearance (face cream)]
As soon as Anti-Fraud King finished speaking, the car compartment in front of Morofushi Kagemitsu opened automatically, revealing a bottle of face cream without any markings.
He hesitated, then reached out and picked up the face cream, looking it over.
Anti-fraud expert #198... wait... is this the one who brainwashes criminals? If I use this thing, will I really not lose my memory?
Of course not (feeling wronged)
Okay, is there anything else I should be careful about with this?
[If you wash your face, the masking effect will wear off; each layer has a three-hour lifespan. Hmm... applying too much might cause your skin to become a little dehydrated (probing question mark)]
Water shortage...
Wait a minute, so this is what "addiction" means in the context of this adult anti-addiction system?!
[How about that? Quite a talent for naming, isn't it? It perfectly meets the Eastern preference for subtlety, metaphor, and depth (smug).]
Zhu Fujingguang: ...
He took a deep breath, scooped out some face cream and applied it to his face, reminding himself not to bother with such a trivial matter as the anti-fraud officer.
[Anti-fraud expert #26 suggests: If your skin is dehydrated, place a humidifier indoors. If you have dry skin, apply a hydrating mask before bed to keep your skin moisturized~ (cute)]
"Clatter".
Without a word, Morofushi Kagemitsu closed the car door and walked upstairs faster than usual.
He went to the front desk on the first floor of the restaurant to inquire about the reservation. The waiter smiled and said, "Your companion just arrived as well. The seats are 234, by the window. You can go with him."
He pointed to the blond man climbing the stairs. Unfortunately, the man was quick and disappeared into the second floor in the blink of an eye, vanishing from Morofushi Kagemitsu's sight.
Have I seen him before?
Morofushi Kagemitsu watched Bourbon walk up the stairs. Perhaps it was because of his blond hair, but this guy gave him a complex feeling that was both familiar and strange. Just now, from a distance, he even caught a trace of Zero in this person's back.
How could he compare Zero to someone like that? Sorry, sorry, it's probably because he hasn't seen Zero in so long and he misses him. They haven't been apart for this long since they met.
He then straightened his clothes, trying to calm himself down, gave the waiter a polite smile, and went up the stairs.
As soon as he stepped into the second-floor area, a row of bright lights shone down on him, blinding him.
[...]
"Excuse me, sir, there's a problem with our newly deployed electronic art lighting." A waiter quickly came over and apologized softly, even giving a sincere slight bow. "I'm so sorry to have bothered you."
Morofushi Kagemitsu waved his hand, naturally not caring about such a small matter, and even smiled to reassure the somewhat nervous waiter.
After the waiter left, he remembered the string of ellipses that the anti-fraud expert had written in his mind and asked with some concern: What happened just now? In this environment, the naked eye shouldn't be able to see through your electronic mimicry disguise, right?
[Anti-fraud system detected two listening devices on table number 234. Should we take action?]
Morofushi Kagemitsu originally wanted to deal with them directly, but he was unsure who had planted the two listening devices, and he also didn't want to reveal that he possessed some advanced information technology, so he gave up the idea.
Just be careful what you say later.
After responding to the anti-fraud reporter, he was about to walk away when he was stopped.
[Please move to the left for a moment. One of the listening devices is hidden in the light. The anti-fraud team needs to simulate a special lighting environment first.]
Helpless, he could only pretend to be attracted by the oil painting on the left wall that didn't even have a name on it. He stood on one side of the aisle, and a beam of light shone down on him. The data cream on his face made his features look hazy and mysterious, attracting many eyes in the shadows.
Bourbon was one of them.
If he hadn't known that his childhood friend couldn't possibly be a member of a terrorist organization, he would have almost thought the person standing there was Hiro.
Honestly, how could he compare Hiro to someone like that? My apologies, my apologies, it must be because they've been apart for so long, he misses Hiro terribly.
Suppressing his excessive emotions, he began to scrutinize this man, who possessed a certain Hiro-like quality, with the eyes of an intelligence officer.
The custom-made suit was a slim fit, and it looked great on him, indicating he was used to this style of dress. His composure even before sitting down suggested he frequented such occasions. His movements, from turning to adjusting his cuffs, were swift and efficient, and his walk, though in leather shoes, involved landing on the balls of his feet first… Furthermore, the places where his gaze lingered when he looked around were practically perfect hiding spots for a sneak attack, completely out of character for him. Plus, this was the third time he'd looked at me, intentionally or unintentionally…
So, this person is very likely that Scottish guy!
Bourbon was confident in his reasoning and patiently sat in his seat waiting for Scotland to arrive.
Bourbon Whiskey, now known as Tooru Amuro, real name Rei Furuya, is an undercover investigator belonging to the Public Security Zero Unit of the National Police Agency. He recently acquired a codename. His return to Japan is not only to investigate the mission assigned by his boss, but also to thoroughly investigate the codenamed members here. He can tolerate these people breaking the law in his home now, but he's waiting to one day send them all to jail!
The thought of sitting next to this rumored money-making gambler from the Shoe Cult made me want to reach for the handcuffs. This organization really has no taste; they take just anyone!
His gaze went straight ahead, and he met Scotland's eyes directly, wearing the disguise provided by Vermouth...
Damn it, this person's eyes even look so much like Hiro/Zero!
Looking into those familiar eyes, Morofushi Kagemitsu felt that Bourbon's face looked utterly out of place. He quickly calmed the ripples in his heart, put on a fake smile, walked to table 234, nodded politely to Bourbon's insincere face, and sat down opposite him.
“I’ve opened a bottle of bourbon,” Bourbon said first, his tone slightly sarcastic. “I hope you don’t mind. I have no problem with Scotch spirits, but I just don’t think they’re quite right for lunch.”
Morofushi Kagemitsu smiled dignifiedly and retorted slightly in his anti-fraud-master-modified voice: "It's nothing, it's just that I'm not used to drinking bourbon. This kind of wine is a bit too sweet for me, the cloying sweetness is really unappetizing."
...
They hurt each other a bit, so this round is a draw.
[You promised to ask about funding... (testing the waters)]
Don't worry about it, I have my own rhythm.
Bourbon's smile widened, and he initiated the next round of conversation: "I've heard that you've made quite a stir in America, Asakawa-kun, that even the BOSS personally inquired about you. You've only been in the organization for a few months and already received a codename; you're clearly destined for great things."
Morofushi Kagemitsu followed suit with flattery: "My little tricks are nothing compared to yours. Not only did you come up with a way to infiltrate the FBI, but you also managed to get a list of so many DDoS agents in one go. Even the boss praised you highly. Your path will definitely be smoother than mine."
Since you're going to jail anyway, it doesn't matter if I flatter you now.
After some more pretense and polite conversation, the two finally managed to persuade the waiter to bring out the appetizers.
One of the dishes was made with parsley. Morofushi Hiromitsu noticed that Bourbon ate a few more bites, and then, remembering that Zero also loved celery, he unconsciously rolled up a fork of shredded cheese in the same way he would roll up soba noodles.
...Ha, you're lucky to resemble Zero/Hiro to some extent! For his sake, I won't trick you today.
Unfortunately, this vow of "not cheating anyone" only lasted until the main course was served before it crumbled. The two of them didn't even touch the vegetables that were meant to garnish their plates before becoming wary of each other.
No, this person doesn't look like Hiro/Zero at all, but that vague feeling he gives off is still too dangerous. I should talk to him about serious matters as soon as possible.
The two tacitly began discussing the investigation mission.
Morofushi Kagemitsu put down his knife and fork and got straight to the point: "The mission information has already been sent to Amuro-kun. I wonder what your thoughts are?"
Bourbon didn't mention the huge compressed file, whose analysis was already quite detailed. As an intelligence expert, he naturally wanted to approach it from a unique angle:
“Sometimes clues have to be found outside the scene. Besides the two explosion sites, there are three other exits that can also serve as backup passages. Coincidentally, I found some gunpowder residue and some suspicious traces near those three exits.”
How is that possible? He specifically checked with Matsuda and Hagiwara, and everything else was handled very cleanly. How could evidence still be left behind?
Morofushi Kagemitsu's heart sank as he recalled Gin's immediate retrieval of satellite images. Could these images have been taken at that time? But even Mello hadn't immediately checked for alternative routes back then, had he?
He felt there was more to this question than met the eye, so he didn't continue along with the other person's words. Instead, he found a loophole and raised his own question: "Suspicious traces? It's normal to have all sorts of traces on a highway, especially in the mountains."
“It’s highly likely that these are traces left during the loading and unloading of the bomb.” Bourbon invoked his professional expertise to tone it down. “I just specifically confirmed this with an expert in explosives. In this regard, I have more faith in the professionals.”
...Experts, sigh.
Morofushi Kagemitsu picked up his cup, took a sip of water, and said, "There are people in the organization who are skilled in demolition, but they only investigated the two roads where the incident occurred, following Gin's instructions. You investigated other places, so naturally you have to rule out more irrelevant factors."
“Of course I know. If those people weren’t so narrow-minded, the investigation would already be making some progress.” Bourbon casually poked at the medium-rare steak on his plate with his fork. “That’s how the intelligence team is. The action team guys can just stand there with their guns and shoot indiscriminately, but we intelligence officers have to consider a lot more.”
"Heh." It's perfectly normal for Lei to dislike this guy. Morofushi Hiromitsu steered the conversation back on track. "Now that we have a direction, let's investigate further. I suspect they have some connection with the cops."
“The police will certainly investigate, but we can’t let the organization off the hook either.” Bourbon smiled at him. “For example, Asakawa-kun, you seem to have a deep connection to all of these matters. You wouldn’t keep quiet about it, would you?”
...Could Gin point a gun at him just once?
The fire had spread to him, and Morofushi Kagemitsu calmly muttered to himself, but the anti-fraud squad seemed a little nervous:
[A discussion meeting of the Anti-Fraud 233 Corps is currently underway...]
[Enable group voice chat mode?]
Right...?
[Connected]
Moribu Kagemitsu subconsciously held his breath and controlled his facial expression, trying not to become distorted by the sudden, explosive sound in his mind.
However, his preparations seemed somewhat unnecessary this time. The anti-fraud teams controlled their volume well; their numerous sub-teams were very organized, and even with voice permissions enabled, they only discussed things in hushed tones.
However, because the questions this time were quite specific, the anti-fraud team only called on a few players with similar experience to speak, similar to a game of Werewolf, with players number 1 through 12 speaking one by one:
[I don't think Bourbon suspected him; he was just bluffing. (Pass)]
[Did he see the security camera footage? But we've already dealt with it. He can't possibly have a subordinate specifically assigned to keep an eye on things like Gin. (Pass)]
[Does he have an informant within the police station? (Pass)]
[Very likely. Pass]
[Is the mole in the traffic department? Or is it in the virginity squad? (Pass)]
[Wouldn't Matsuda-kun and Hagiwara-kun be in danger then? (Pass)]
[Upstairs, you've already commented, don't violate the rules! I think it might be under investigation by the First Investigation Division. Pass.]
...
Even if the anti-fraud commander-in-chief processes the messages quickly, it's still a series of accelerated voice messages, which are still quite tiring to listen to.
Using the act of fetching water, Morofushi Kagemitsu bought some time. Seeing that these clowns were arguing about the identity of the mole, whose existence was unknown, he quickly asked the Commander-in-Chief to give them a private room to discuss the matter. He himself decided to expose Bourbon's eavesdropping trick right now.
“I’m not that stupid. I don’t like doing anything under Gin’s nose or getting myself into this mess.” Morofushi Kagemitsu appropriately showed his impatience, and the smile on his lips faded. “Amuro-kun, if you’ve made us wait three days and this is all we get, I’m very dissatisfied. Are you simply incapable of obtaining more information, or are you just unwilling to put in the effort?”
Bourbon's expression also faded, and he said, "If you weren't so useless, you wouldn't have sent me to Japan to provide support." He emphasized the last two words.
"Oh?" Morifushi Kagemitsu raised an eyebrow, pointing to the floral ribbon disguised as a table decoration. "The support you're referring to is the eavesdropping device?"
Bourbon wasn't embarrassed at all when his little trick was exposed. He calmly said, "When you're doing intelligence work, you always have to be wary of a few untrustworthy users when you're out and about."
What, did you just finish doing business with the Indians? You need to record everything they say to ensure they deliver on time, right? How naive.
Bourbon then stared at Morofushi Kagemitsu's tie clip and said, "Asakawa-kun, didn't you also bring a little thing? You're not being honest."
[Besides the listening device, Bourbon's face also showed signs of disguise (raises hand)!]
Excellent, that assist came at just the right time!
Morofushi Kagemitsu immediately retorted: "Amuro-kun is the one who's not being honest. Even Vermouth doesn't often use a disguised face in meetings."
Bourbon glanced at the reflection in the glass and snorted coldly, "Asakawa-kun, you have the nerve to talk to me while wearing such a mask?"
[Forehead (sweating)]
[We can't control other people's gaze yet, and the image generated by reflection may indeed have some flaws (feeling guilty)]
There is no such thing as a perfect disguise; it's just that Bourbon was too perceptive.
Moribu Kagemitsu had a good grasp of the techniques for countering fraudsters, and he knew that it was a human problem.
The two were silent for a while, then felt that damned unspoken understanding again.
Bourbon broke the silence first: "It seems we lack a little bit of trust in each other."
Morofushi Kagemitsu said, "Then let's be honest with each other."
"Can."
Five minutes passed, and the two remained motionless, waiting for the other to make the first move.
“…Fine, then let’s both drop our pretenses at the same time, right?” Bourbon suggested, feeling that the stalemate couldn’t continue.
"I have no objection."
Both of them reached for the edge of the mask at the same time. Bourbon grabbed a tiny bit of the edge and pulled it up, while Morofushi Hiromitsu performed a live-action act without any props. With the extremely realistic perspective simulation from the anti-fraud king, he finally slowly restored his original face.
Then, he froze.
The same goes for Bourbon on the other side.
Nothing is more embarrassing than suddenly discovering that the super villain in front of you is actually your dear childhood friend!
There won't be any more!
It really is Hiro/Zero?!
(Shouting.jpg)
(Wandering.jpg)
Stay calm!
Both were highly skilled agents. After the initial chaos, they both unconsciously reverted to the performance of 'the displeasure of mediocre colleagues upon seeing each other's true faces'.
The next second, the two of them, perfectly in sync, reached out to the small carp-shaped lantern on their left front.
Need I even ask? They both discovered there was a hidden surveillance camera here.
After quickly disposing of the eavesdropping, Furuya Rei thoroughly searched the small area, while Morofushi Kagemitsu drew the curtains. These were originally intended for couples dining there, but in their current situation, they needed them even more to conceal their presence.
After confirming that the surrounding area was temporarily safe, the two looked at each other and the good friends excitedly held hands.
Hiro!
Zero!
I never imagined that all of us undercover agents would end up working together!
I also cursed my own police force for not sharing intelligence with each other 800 times in my mind! It made me agonize for a long time when I sent Zero/Hiro a farewell text message!
After exchanging glances and showing concern for each other countless times, the childhood friends finally began to share their experiences. Only then did they realize that they had already heard, either explicitly or implicitly, about each other's heroic deeds.
Of course, besides their deeds, there were also the codenamed members they knew.
Speaking of this, we have to mention someone they all know.
“Ray…” Furuya Rei’s good mood dampened a bit, and she said with a hint of grievance, “That guy is so shameless. Not only do I have to work hard to gather intelligence in a foreign country, braving wind and rain, but I also have to support him with my own budget. Not only can he not cook, but he also has no sense of taste! He even stuffs canned surströmming into the refrigerator! Damn it, I don’t know which bastard insisted on cutting the budget! If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been blacklisted by the finance department!”
Then he looked pitifully at Morofushi Kagemitsu, knowing that Scotland was in the finance group.
"It's okay, I'll release you." Feeling guilty and ashamed, Morofushi Kagemitsu agreed on the spot, not daring to mention that he was the one who blocked Zero. He immediately offered compensation, "I'll take care of it and transfer all your expense reports for the second half of the year to Lei's account."
I knew it! Hiro was definitely on my side!
Rei Furuya, moved to tears, began to complain again: "By the way, do you remember who was with you when you were on a mission in America? One of them betrayed me! Rum even suspected that I leaked the operation plan in America to that Jewish businessman who was always at odds with him. Do you know who he is?"
Then he added some details, "He's a man, and all I found out was that he's a good sniper."
Ah, this...
Morofushi Kagemitsu felt cold sweat beading on his forehead. What should have been a joyous reunion of childhood friends had turned out like this.
He used his ingenuity to quickly investigate:
He's been to the US on business and is a sniper. Who else fits this description?
[Find the blame to Rye (firmly)!]
Yes! And Ray too!
Please, for the sake of my friendship, just sacrifice this!
-----------------------
Author's note: Lei: I don't really want to get involved in your play!
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