Having just stepped off the plane, Tamazawa Shuxin stretched lazily. Finally, he was back in Japan. Everything in Italy had been properly arranged; unless Rum reached his hands all the way over there, there would be no more unexpected twists. Walking up to the Porsche, he caught sight of Akai Shuichi's face and raised an eyebrow.
"Gin, it looks like you're getting along quite well."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lord Glenlivet."
It was a very polite greeting, to which Gin said nothing. Tamazawa Shuxin got into the car. "To the research facility. I want to check the data."
Deep in the mountains, after passing through layers of security checks, the car finally stopped outside the gates of the facility. Tamazawa Shuxin stepped out. "I'll go in alone." Gin nonchalantly lit a cigarette. Akai Shuichi knew full well that without Miyano Akemi around, he had no grounds to follow. Tamazawa Shuxin walked inside, where he was greeted by Kono Takuji. "How far along is the development?"
"Lord Glenlivet, so far we haven't successfully developed any beneficial effects. Everything has resulted in bizarre toxins."
Tazawa Shuxin waved a hand dismissively and strolled casually into a laboratory. "Show me the data."
When the words fell, no one made a move. Tamazawa Shuxin turned to look at Kono Takuji, and instantly the laboratory fell into a terrifying silence. Yet Kono Takuji remained completely unfazed. "Lord Glenlivet, without Lord Rum's orders, these data files are strictly confidential."
Tazawa Shuxin smiled. "Is that so? I understand."
Kono Takuji suppressed the corners of his mouth, which were just about to curl upward, and opened his mouth to speak again, but the muzzle of a gun was already pressed against his forehead.
*Bang!*
Blood splattered everywhere. The researchers were so terrified they didn't even dare to scream. Tamazawa Shuxin put away his gun, paying no mind to the corpse collapsed on the floor, turned around, and walked into another laboratory. The gunshot rang out once more.
After executing all the laboratory administrators, he announced, "Broadcast this order now: all research personnel are to bring their data to the main hall. I repeat..."
Tazawa Shuxin sat in the center of the hall, casually toying with his handgun. All the researchers had now gathered in the hall. "Come up one by one and report your data. Remember, I despise disobedient people."
After listening to all the data results, he concluded, "It seems they've all failed. Useless garbage data, every last bit of it."
Tazawa Shuxin turned to leave when a voice suddenly piped up from the crowd, "Just wait until Lord Rum comes back and uses you for human experiments!"
Tazawa Shuxin didn't speak. He fired a single shot straight up toward the ceiling, then picked up his phone. As he stepped out of the hall, with a beep, the sole emergency exit slammed shut.
"Three, two, one, bang!"
The words had barely left his lips when an explosion echoed from behind. Tamazawa Shuxin reached the car just in time. Gin smirked as he watched the research facility billowing with thick, billowing smoke.
"Boss! This is..." Vodka hadn't expected Glenlivet to actually blow up the research facility.
Tazawa Shuxin handed a rocket launcher straight to Akai Shuichi without a second glance. "When you do a job, you see it through to the end." He opened the management system, threw open all the exit doors, shut down the defense systems, and finally activated the facility's self-destruct sequence.
"Now we have five minutes left. I'm really looking forward to seeing the look on Rum's face. What do you think, Gin?"
Gin took a drag of his cigarette. "That would certainly make me very happy."
As soon as he returned to the safe house, Tamazawa Shuxin was summoned away. Akai Shuichi hadn't expected Glenlivet to be even more arrogant, willful, and utterly indifferent to consequences than he had imagined. Such a person was extremely dangerous, with almost no weaknesses to exploit. The intelligence he had gathered so far was far too scarce, Akai Shuichi thought; he would just have to take it one step at a time. He hadn't even learned all the members of Glenlivet's team yet. *Could it be intentional?* Akai Shuichi murmured a guess to himself. If Tamazawa Shuxin were here right now, he would surely praise him—his intuition was frighteningly accurate.
Inside the conference room, Tamazawa Shuxin was the only one present. He propped his feet up on the conference table, rested his hands behind his head, and leaned back in his chair looking thoroughly unbothered. The first to connect was Rum.
"Glenlivet, do you know what you're doing?! You are defying the Boss's orders! This is my jurisdiction, not Italy!"
Tazawa Shuxin didn't even lift an eyelid; he didn't have the slightest desire to speak with Rum.
"Glenlivet! Don't think that just because you're used to lording it over everyone in Italy you have the right to blow up the Organization's hard work! This is serious treason, and you will face severe punishment from the Boss!"
Rum's roar echoed through the entire conference room. Tamazawa Shuxin yawned, stood up, picked up a bottle of rum from the counter, poured a glass, and brought it back to his seat, swirling it casually. "Rum, are you sure you want to accuse me like that?"
His tone was completely indifferent yet loaded with implication, instantly shocking the frantic and furious Rum back to his senses. He had overstepped.
Right at that moment, the large screen finally flickered to life. A line of text appeared on the display: *[Rum, the Organization does not need useless trash. I will deal with Glenlivet myself. I have read the report, Rum, and I am deeply disappointed in you.]*
With such blatant favoritism on display, Rum dared not say another word. "Boss, it was my negligence. I have already sent the Black Angel's daughter to study in America. She is very talented, and given time, she will surely make a breakthrough."
Then the screen went completely dark, and the matter came to an abrupt halt.
Tazawa Shuxin didn't say a single word. After all, he didn't know the full background yet, and when the master spoke, as a sharp blade, he knew better than to flap his gums when he should be quiet and obedient. Talking too much invited mistakes, and the losses would outweigh any gains. Just as he was about to continue mocking Rum, Rum didn't even give him the chance, abruptly cutting off the communication.
Tazawa Shuxin opened his phone and submitted the data results: *[Understood / Unsigned]*, *[Conference room / Unsigned]*, *[ / Unsigned]*—the final email contained only a period, signifying that this affair was now completely over. Knowing when enough was enough, Tamazawa Shuxin leisurely stood up and left the conference room.
Gin and Akai Shuichi had been waiting for a while. Other members passing by kept glancing over—after all, everyone loved a good gossip, especially when it involved Rum. But Tazawa Shuxin ignored them entirely, leading the three of them straight out of the base to head for the next research facility. However, plans could never keep up with sudden changes; an unexpected mission interrupted their schedule. Although there was bad blood between him and Rum, missions still had to be carried out. The only difference was that the initiative always remained in Tamazawa Shuxin's hands—after all, the only person who could order him around was the Boss.
Inside his alias's safe house—as the saying went, the most dangerous place was also the safest place—Tazawa Shuxin had purchased a property right next door to the Kudo residence. The nameplate on this residence read "Shimizu," and the identity used for the paperwork was Shimizu Eiko, a brown-haired, dark-eyed elementary school teacher. He hadn't even told Gin about this safe house, saving it just in case it might come in handy one day.
The study was filled only with the rustling sound of flipping documents. This time, Rum wasn't arguing with Tamazawa Shuxin; all the research data was right here.
"All failures. They possess instant lethality upon contact, yet leave behind no trace that medical examiners can detect; autopsies will simply attribute it to sudden death. In the hands of other terrorist organizations, this would truly be a killer weapon, but for the Organization, it's a complete failure. Still, we can make use of the scraps."
Tazawa Shuxin summarized his thoughts, tossed all the data into the fireplace to burn, and moved on to the next report.
*[No unusual movements from the FBI / Scotch]*
*[No anomalies from the CIA / Bourbon]*
Attached to the reports were records of some missions the two had carried out within their respective agencies, clearly omitting many details as well. Tamazawa Shuxin didn't mind, replied with a brief instruction to continue deep cover, and turned to check the requisition reports.
"Embezzling Organization funds this blatantly? Has Pisco gone senile?"
After forwarding the records of the anomalous personnel to Pisco, Tamazawa Shuxin finally allowed himself a moment to rest. He opened the gacha pool. For two whole years, the gacha had finally returned to its main theme: *[Keitokaku Gacha Pool, Limited Time: 7 Days. UR Card: APTX4869, UR Card: APTX4869 Antidote, SSR Card: Random Dr. Agasa Invention, SSR Card: One-Time Protagonist Plot Armor]*.
Tazawa Shuxin had accumulated a decent amount of merit points, and this was his first time pulling cards using the Glenlivet persona.
"I hope my luck is good. I really don't want to use Liquid Luck."
A hundred pulls in, and not even a single SR card showed up. "What a rip-off! Even blacker than the Organization! As devoid of a lower limit as a British Member of Parliament!"
Tazawa Shuxin opened his inventory and selected the Liquid Luck. It could be used a total of three times. Without hesitation, he drank a dose and threw two hundred more pulls into the pool. *[UR Shards: APTX4869 Card x2, UR Shards: APTX4869 Antidote Card x1, SR Disguise Kit Set x2]*
"Why are there shards of all things? And why are there restrictions?!"
When he tapped on the shards, a note explained that fifty pieces were required to synthesize a complete item, accompanied by a bracketed note: *[UR Shard: APTX4869 Card (restricted to Glenlivet use)]*. Cards drawn under the Glenlivet persona could only be used by Glenlivet.
"Let me try using a main-body item."
It could be used, but items belonging to Glenlivet couldn't be used by his main body. Even with dual-client running, things remained strictly locked to the specific persona.
"Looks like I have to build everything up from scratch. Time for some overtime."
With the sound of an explosion, Tamazawa Shuxin picked up his gun and got into the car. Checking his merit points, which now stood at 5,500, he ordered, "Vodka, head to Shibuya."
Gin observed Tamazawa Shuxin's current state and sensed a very familiar vibe. Trusting his gut, Gin simply got out of the car. "I'll take a solo mission."
Akai Shuichi was baffled, but Tamazawa Shuxin asked solicitously, "Rye, want to come with me on this mission?"
Vodka had no choice in the matter and silently played chauffeur, while Akai Shuichi chose to seize this opportunity to steal more intelligence at all costs.
Inside the Organization's hospital, Akai Shuichi lay on a hospital bed, lacking even the slightest desire to move. The missions hadn't stopped for a single moment over the past few days. Vodka had broken down by the fourth day, and the drivers had been swapped out one after another. Breaking in an eagle wasn't even this grueling. He hadn't managed to gather any intelligence at all, simply because Tamazawa Shuxin hadn't let a single piece of intel pass through Akai Shuichi's hands.
This operation was, for Akai Shuichi, an utter and complete failure—he had lost both the battle and the prize. Not only had he failed to obtain any intelligence, but he had even missed his rendezvous time. Before Akai Shuichi could continue contemplating his next move, the door was pushed open.
Tazawa Shuxin walked in, thoughtfully carrying a basket of fruit. He casually pulled up a chair beside the bed, began peeling an apple, and said, "You won't be this lucky next time."
A storm raged beneath Akai Shuichi's calm exterior, but on the surface, he maintained a puzzled expression. "Lord Glenlivet, I will prove my value."
Tazawa Shuxin didn't answer, giving a reply that had nothing to do with the question, yet his objective had already been achieved. He bit straight into the peeled apple himself. For a moment, the only sound in the hospital room was the crunching of the apple. Once he finished eating, he said, "Next Tuesday, interrogation room, Base 03."
Without waiting for Akai Shuichi's reply, Tamazawa Shuxin turned and left on his own accord.
Inside the base's database, Tamazawa Shuxin encrypted the files of Bourbon, Scotch, and Rye, setting their access permissions so that only himself and those above him could view them. He then reviewed the Organization's financial flows and project changes over the past decade.
He had to admit, Rum was an ambitious man with both strategy and foresight. Through wave after wave of bloodletting and replacement within the Organization, the majority of the personnel now answered directly to Rum.
"This is getting a bit tricky. Pisco completely leaves Rum to seize power while guarding only his own little patch of turf. Looks like I'll need to recruit some fresh talent."
Deep into the night, Tamazawa Shuxin suddenly remembered that he was supposed to interrogate Akai Shuichi tonight. By the time he sauntered leisurely into the interrogation room, Akai Shuichi had been waiting for quite a while.
As soon as he stepped inside, Tamazawa Shuxin glanced up at the surveillance camera in the corner, raised his gun, fired a shot right through it just as before, and then casually remarked, "Don't sweat the small stuff. This is just a formality anyway. Even if you are an undercover agent, as long as I feel you still have value, I'll keep using you, Rye."
At these words, Akai Shuichi paused for a fraction of a second before quickly recovering. "Lord Glenlivet, please do not doubt my loyalty to the Organization."
With great interest, Tamazawa Shuxin pulled out a vial of hallucinogen. Just as Akai Shuichi expected the agent to use it on him, Tamazawa Shuxin simply smashed the vial against the floor. His aggressive gaze stared straight into Akai Shuichi's eyes—like a lone wolf hunting its prey, in no rush to kill its trapped quarry in a single strike, but rather tormenting it slowly until the prey lost all will to resist before going in for the kill. It was malicious to the extreme.
Pity that Akai Shuichi showed no outward reaction. Tamazawa Shuxin waved a hand. "Fifteen minutes are up. You may leave."
Akai Shuichi remained silent, perfectly composed and nearly flawless. Instead of leaving immediately when he stood up, he walked over to the cabinet where the hallucinogen vials were kept, picked up a fresh bottle, and handed it to Tamazawa Shuxin.
"I believe Lord Glenlivet must have some misunderstanding about me."
Akai Shuichi's eyes were completely devoid of ripples, as if innocence proved itself and Glenlivet had simply misjudged him. Naturally, Tazawa Shuxin wasn't about to let down a subordinate's proactive request. "Rye, drink it."
"Hm? It's just glucose."
Tazawa Shuxin finally burst into laughter, casually picked up another bottle, opened it, and drank it down. "Not bad, pineapple flavor."
He tossed his sidearm to Akai Shuichi. Running a hand over it, Akai Shuichi found that the magazine was completely empty. It finally dawned on him: Glenlivet had simply been going through the motions just to mess with his head, playing him in the palm of his hand. Just as Akai Shuichi opened his mouth to speak, Tamazawa Shuxin turned and walked out. "Have a good night's dream, Rye."
Living alone in the safe house, Akai Shuichi sat on the living room sofa, the ashtray already piled high with cigarette butts. Recalling the scene in the interrogation room, his hand resting on the sofa tightened involuntarily, the veins bulging prominently beneath his skin. His current situation was far too passive, a state of affairs that made Akai Shuichi extremely uncomfortable. The feeling of being stripped of control over his own fate and having his life dictated by someone else brought a surge of frustration and hunting desire welling up together.
"Glenlivet, the game of who is the hunter and who is the prey has only just begun."
Meanwhile, Tamazawa Shuxin, Gin, and Vodka were hunting for recruits in the black market when a sudden chill washed over him. Without even needing to think, he muttered, "Damn FBI."
"?"
Tazawa Shuxin shook his head. "Nothing. Probably just Rum cursing me out."