"One week! Is your Intelligence Unit useless? You don't even know when the mafia joined forces!" Tamazawa Shuxin glared at the report in front of him, wishing he could put a bullet straight through the person standing before him. "Where is Macedonia?"
"Lord Glenlivet, Lord Macedonia went to Sicily for negotiations!"
Tazawa Shuxin massaged his temples. "Dismissed!"
He never expected the situation to become this severe. Logically, the Organization and the mafia minded their own business, and the Organization even supplied the mafia with massive amounts of goods. Why the sudden betrayal?
"According to Sodra, I was assigned to Japan only after going to Britain to see the Boss. But that punishment Vermouth mentioned—tch, it's a complete mess in my head!" Tazawa Shuxin really didn't want to waste any more brainpower. "Let's check the forum for clues!"
["Holy shit, there are major clues in this special six-member arc! Aoyama that old thief is finally willing to spill some info on Tamazawa and Gin. I've never seen Lord Gin be this considerate before—Tazawa wouldn't open the door, so Lord Gin just left!"]
["Seriously, in the main story, there was never any foreshadowing of Tamazawa having ties to the Black Organization. And considering he's dyed-in-the-wool red, how on earth did he get mixed up with Gin?"]
["Just look at Tamazawa's expression—you can tell he doesn't know Gin at all. Is Aoyama trying to lay the groundwork for Tamazawa actually being on the Black side? And how did Tamazawa get the bomb control system, plus where did the eavesdropping equipment come from? Tamazawa just works in the PR department, not Public Security. I'm calling it: Tamazawa is Black, dyed-in-the-wool Black!"]
["That theory doesn't hold up. In the police academy arc, Tamazawa constantly cleaned up messes for the other five, and it showed that his computer skills are top-notch. And aren't Tamazawa and Conan on good terms? The police academy group and Conan both vouch for him—he's dyed-in-the-wool red! How can you make him Black? What is Aoyama going to use to spin Tamazawa as Black? Even if Gin let Tamazawa off, it doesn't prove anything—look at Vermouth!"]
["But that post-credits scene was too bizarre! Gin didn't say anything to Tamazawa's back, he just stared! You call that 'no relation'? Who are you trying to kid? That's Gin! Even Akai wouldn't do that! Tamazawa's red status is far from secure!"]
["And whether Hiromitsu is dead or not is still a mystery. Tamazawa's appearances are way too scarce. Meanwhile, Glenlivet runs around in an alternate persona hanging out with the red faction every day without getting caught, though Glenlivet hasn't made a move against Conan and the others either."]
["If I didn't already know Glenlivet is dyed-in-the-wool Black, I'd suspect he was an undercover agent. Holy shit, the movie is out! The latest movie actually features the whole cast! Turns out Tamazawa is a main plot character too, and even the Organization Boss shows up—big budget production!"]
["Tch, tch, tch. Tamazawa Shuxin, Bourbon, Gin, Vermouth, the Boss, Sherry, Conan, Akai Shuichi, Mary, etc.—all the main characters are gathered, and yet the protagonist is Tamazawa Shuxin. What is Aoyama trying to do?!"]
["Just got back from watching the trailer. It's more than just a big-budget production; even the Miyano couple showed up! If I didn't know Aoyama that old thief isn't ending the series anytime soon, I'd have thought this was the final battle. But this movie doesn't have a release date, dammit!"]
["So this movie is just a trailer? Aoyama really knows how to play with us!"]
Tazawa Shuxin fell into deep thought as he looked at the outrageous yet oddly reasonable comments on the forum. "Did I save Hiromitsu? And Glenlivet running around in an alternate persona mixed with the reds... Looks like keeping my true body hidden is a good choice."
The more Tazawa Shuxin thought about it, the more advantageous it seemed. But right now, what he needed to do was stabilize the Organization's position in Italy. After all, the people beneath him were all loyal subordinates personally promoted by Glenlivet, and they fit his tastes very well. "A coincidence? And Glenlivet's clearance level is actually higher than Rum's. But now is definitely not the time to go see the Boss."
Yet upon arriving in Italy, Tazawa Shuxin did manage to track down some clues about Glenlivet: raised in a British orphanage, but with no name, as if he had been completely erased. Aside from that, there was nothing.
Tazawa Shuxin reined in his thoughts, opened his computer, and prepared to work.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
Ragna walked in. "Lord Glenlivet, we've checked. It's the CIA meddling behind the scenes!"
Tazawa Shuxin continued typing on his keyboard unhurriedly. "Is it really the CIA meddling, or is someone just muddying the waters to fish in troubled times? We'll talk after Macedonia finishes the negotiations."
Ragna withdrew. Tazawa Shuxin brought up the file of a certain individual. "Oh, America! I'm no good guy, but seeing as we're both on the red side, whether you live or die is up to fate!"
***
On Pier No. 2 in Sicily, Tazawa Shuxin walked at the very front. "Lord Samuel, to show our sincerity, I've specifically come here to act as a guarantor!"
Tazawa Shuxin entered the territory of the mafia faction Black entirely alone.
"What are you saying, Lord Glenlivet? Today's objective is clear to both of us, so let's skip the pleasantries. Please!"
Tazawa Shuxin followed Samuel inside, while the other codename members were stopped at the pier, which deeply surprised Elvis Walker, a CIA operative embedded within Black. Walker immediately reported this to his superiors.
Inside the banquet hall, Hunter received the message and signaled the waiters, who were actually CIA agents in disguise. "Are the snipers in position? Is the boat normal?"
"All normal / Normal." Hunter contacted the officer in charge of this operation. "Officer Robert, everything is ready."
"Good. This time we must capture Glenlivet alive! To ensure the plan goes off without a hitch, the higher-ups agreed to Samuel's absurd conditions. This mission must succeed; failure is not an option!"
"Understood!"
After ending the communication, Hunter put on a smiling face and stood by the door. The comms in his ear crackled with Elvis's voice: "Hunter, I've reached the door!"
Hunter watched the double doors slowly swing open. "Welcome—"
Meanwhile, on an open-air balcony not far from the banquet hall, Tazawa Shuxin finished speaking and crushed the microphone in his hand. The corpse of Elvis Walker lay right at their feet.
"Such an identical voice. Lord Glenlivet has impressive skills!" Samuel said as he raised his red wine glass.
Tazawa Shuxin shifted his gaze from the banquet hall toward Samuel, casually sat down, and picked up the wine glass in front of him.
"Happy cooperation!"
"Hahaha, happy cooperation!"
Gunshots continued to ring out from the direction of the banquet hall, yet Samuel and Tazawa Shuxin acted as if they heard nothing, continuing to discuss their subsequent cooperation.
"Lord Samuel, it's best to avoid playing both ends against the middle. Your godson is a smart boy who understands the current situation!" Tazawa Shuxin placed heavy emphasis on the words "smart boy."
Samuel remained silent opposite him. Tazawa Shuxin wasn't in a hurry to continue. A look of absolute certainty intertwined with the rich body of the red wine as he lazily swirled his glass.
The gunshots stopped.
"Lord Glenlivet, a total of seventeen people, not a single survivor!" Macedonia's report came through Tazawa Shuxin's earpiece.
Tazawa Shuxin frowned slightly, but immediately smoothed his expression. With a smile at the corners of his eyes and a cold, murderous glint in his gaze, he looked at Samuel. "Lord Samuel, it seems our cooperation has come to an end. It's time for me to make my exit. I look forward to our next collaboration!"
Tazawa Shuxin stood up to leave, only to be blocked by Samuel's men.
"What is the meaning of this, Lord Samuel?"
"What is Lord Glenlivet saying? A hospitable host is simply asking a departing guest to stay a little longer!"
Tazawa Shuxin chuckled lightly, completely unfazed. "Then I'd be rude to refuse." With that, he sat back down in his original seat.
"Lord Glenlivet, let us continue our discussion regarding that batch of goods!"
***
Down at the dock, Macedonia listened to the chatter coming through the comms. "Sodra, you can move in!"
"Received!" Sodra looked at the man in front of him. "Mr. Lewis, happy cooperation!"
***
"Lord Glenlivet, Vermouth is here!"
Tazawa Shuxin raised his head. "Vermouth, what are you doing here?"
The door was pushed open, and Vermouth walked right in. "Honestly, you can never be fooled, Renatus!"
*Renatus?* Tazawa Shuxin frowned inwardly, but he couldn't let his composure slip. "Since you're using that name with me, speak your mind if you have something to say."
"Rum sent me to spy on you, but I want to go to America and resume my Hollywood life!" Vermouth replied nonchalantly.
Tazawa Shuxin countered indifferently, "What does Rum's business have to do with Vermouth? Besides, how is Gin doing?"
Tazawa Shuxin simply wanted to know what Gin looked like after being discharged from the hospital and finding no one to vent his vengeance on. But instead, he saw Vermouth wearing an expression that seemed to say, *As expected, you still asked about him.*
Vermouth walked over to the liquor cabinet, took out a bottle of Gin, opened it, poured two glasses, and pushed one toward Tazawa Shuxin. "Gin hasn't seen you in a long time. Who would've thought that as soon as you came back, you'd work the man to exhaustion? You were clearly the one who protected Gin the most before—what's wrong? Finally getting sick of your apprentice?"
The red wine glass Tazawa Shuxin was swirling paused for a fraction of a second. His face remained expressionless, but inside, his mind was screaming wildly. He drained the gin in his wine glass in one gulp. The dissatisfaction in his eyes grew increasingly obvious, and his gradually chilling, bloodthirsty gaze left even Vermouth guessing.
"He certainly makes me dissatisfied. Getting outmaneuvered by Rum—tch, he's losing his edge!"
Vermouth didn't want to dwell on that topic, so she picked up a bottle of Glenlivet. "He asked me to tell you that your performance has left him very displeased!"
"However, he did ask a question: What is your opinion of Rum?"
Vermouth's last sentence gave Tazawa Shuxin a hint of what was really going on. Was she asking him to knock Rum off his pedestal?
Tazawa Shuxin's eyes carried a look of disdain, the corners of his eyes dripping with mockery and contempt. He replied unhurriedly, "Rum? He makes a pretty good stepping stone for Gin. An overambitious idiot!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Tazawa Shuxin recalled what Vermouth had mentioned earlier. "What? Did Rum report your little side projects?"
Vermouth frankly admitted it. "Hmph, that guy Rum really treats everyone like they're already in the palm of his hand!"
Tazawa Shuxin checked the time and shut his computer down. "Time's up. If you don't leave now, do you want to come with me to meet the boss of the mafia family?"
It was a blatant dismissal. Before leaving, Vermouth added, "Oh, right, he hopes you'll develop a few new members in Japan as your new subordinates. And I already told Gin about this news. Bye!"
*Vermouth is definitely doing this on purpose,* Tazawa Shuxin thought to himself as he went to handle the negotiations. Once business was concluded and he returned to his safehouse in Italy, Tazawa Shuxin analyzed the intelligence he had gathered so far.
"So my name was Renatus, huh? But if I want to dig deeper, I'll have to go back to Britain, and now is definitely not the right time for that. I'll have to shelve this clue for now. The relationship between Glenlivet and Vermouth seems pretty good. And since Glenlivet is the one who raised and mentored Gin, and Glenlivet is fiercely protective of his own, no wonder Gin put up with me without complaining and didn't blow my brains out. Putting together the current pieces of information: First, Glenlivet and Vermouth have likely known each other for a long time, making Glenlivet's true age questionable; second, Gin is a disciple raised by Glenlivet since childhood, and Gin holds deep respect for him; third, does the Boss want Glenlivet to take out Rum and become the representative in Japan?"
Knowing full well that Glenlivet had a capable asset like Gin in Japan, if the Boss wanted to maintain a balance of power, he should have thrown more weight behind Rum's side. Yet instead, the Boss asked him what he thought of Rum and wanted to add more assistance for Glenlivet. Furthermore, Italy was Glenlivet's main territory, yet he was transferred to Japan without his original codename subordinates being allowed to follow him.
"What is the Boss trying to cultivate here? When Glenlivet was heading back to Britain, what on earth did the Boss say to him...?"
***
[POST-CREDITS SCENE]
Key members of the Italian branch of the Organization:
- Intelligence Unit: Macedonia (Second-in-command), Sassicaia, Soraya, Ornellaia
- Action Unit: Sodra (Third-in-command), Davofino, Rinaldi, Conterno
- Financial & Management Unit: Giacosa, Gaja, Tina, Massarino
The Italian branch primarily focused on arms trafficking and served as a crucial backup armory for the Organization.
***
How Gin chooses his people:
- Passerby A: Comprehensive ability A, but arrogant and loud-mouthed. Shot dead.
- Passerby B: Comprehensive ability B, silver-tongued, but a drug addict. Shot dead.
- Hiromitsu: Comprehensive ability A, ambitious, excellent at reading the room, knows his place. Competitive without being overly aggressive. Passed.
- Rei: Comprehensive ability A, outrageously bold, yet knows when to advance and retreat. Operates with caution and thoroughness. Fits his tastes entirely. Passed.
- Akai: A kindred spirit. Wanted to shoot him on the spot, but he's a hexagonal all-rounder—truly a talent the Organization needs. Passed, though Gin still wanted to put a bullet through him.
***
[Forum Post-Credits Scene]
["Aoyama that old thief is finally willing to write about branches outside of Japan! Hallelujah, and it's even Glenlivet's home turf!"]
["So what name did Vermouth use? And what on earth is the relationship between Gin and Glenlivet? At a glance it's all clues, but look closer and it's all death traps!"]
["Vermouth even asked Glenlivet what he thinks of Rum—is she trying to instigate Glenlivet into taking Rum down? So is Glenlivet going to turn traitor later on?"]
["You're overthinking it upstairs. Disliking someone is one thing, but Glenlivet runs Italy, and he's getting ready to push Gin up the ladder. It's obvious Glenlivet and Gin are on the same side. What their exact relationship is remains to be seen, but I'm shipping them first!"]
["Hear me out, the real focus is the new recruits later on—the Whiskey group! The Boss even told Glenlivet to recruit them. Could it be that Rum is more likely to turn traitor? Not flipping to red, but a direct betrayal. Otherwise, what's the point of the Boss telling Glenlivet to recruit new people in Japan? That's just making them kill each other, and the Organization takes the loss."]
["Is it possible the Boss is simply playing a game of divide-and-conquer? If you transfer Glenlivet back to headquarters, you have to give him some clout. If the subordinates don't fight amongst themselves, how can those at the top sit securely?"]
["Holy crap, seriously? Writing about branch offices, and then elevating the prestige back to Japan? Isn't this just messing things up? Aoyama that old thief might as well not write about the branches at all. If you write about them, at least expand the scale!"]
["Let's just keep reading downwards. What on earth are the relationships between Glenlivet, Vermouth, the Boss, and Gin? None of them have been fully revealed yet. Damn it, Lord Glenlivet goes around in an alternate persona every day watching the red faction investigate cases without ever blowing his cover. He's way too good at this!"]