—and a hint of vague bewilderment.
However, amidst Vermouth's "Are you interested?"—which was unclear whether it was an unintentional inquiry or a deliberate probe—Gin merely raised his eyes nonchalantly, answering as if he didn't care at all, "Since the rat has already been exposed, isn't whether he lives or dies up to us?"
The blonde-haired beauty let out a light laugh and nodded in agreement, "True.. Cavendish has already arranged the personnel; he has always been discreet.
This intelligence, which did not match the Plot, left Gin stunned. He repeated with a hint of surprise, "Cavendish?"
Exactly." Vermouth was somewhat curious about Gin's reaction, the corners of his lips curling upward slightly, like the slender branches of a willow in early spring stretching out: "Is something wrong?
No." Gin's tone was indifferent as he nonchalantly covered his slip-up. "I'm just a little curious, since it has been a long time since he last did this.
True. I was quite surprised at first as well.. However, Scotland ruined one of our major deals, Rum was quite furious about it.." Vermouth explained slowly. "Didn't you go on a mission before? It just so happens that Cavendish is currently free.
"I see," Gin remarked tonelessly.
I see.
However..
If Akai Shuichi were to take action, Scotland might still have a slim chance of survival.. but if it were Cavendish, that sliver of hope would likely vanish entirely.
He even had to consider the possibility of Bourbon being exposed because of it.
—and whether the difficulty of his own cleanup would suddenly increase.
Then again, if it weren't for the fact that Bourbon is so highly valued under you, I doubt Rum would have let him off so easily.
The blonde-haired beauty began to probe cautiously. Her hands were lightly clasped, revealing a poised demeanor, the inquiry in her eyes remained on the boundary between "curiosity" and "probing," never becoming offensive. Her words and mannerisms were so impeccable that one could find no fault in them.
Gin felt a rare sense of impatience toward this kind of verbal sparring, which he should have been accustomed to. His gaze was sharp, as if capable of piercing through hearts, making even the Blonde-haired beauty feel a rare moment of awkwardness: "It's not him you're trying to talk about, is it?"
Thus, Vermouth dropped his facade of insincerity. He turned his head and smiled, essentially admitting it. "Speaking of which, the timing of Rye's return.. isn't it a bit too coincidental?"
The Silver-haired youth's Finger tapped his favorite handgun lightly. Hearing this, he let out a sneer, his Blue-green eyes filled with faint disdain. He observed Vermouth for a moment before casting his gaze down nonchalantly. "You should stop thinking about all sorts of nonsense."
His gaze was somber and his voice low and raspy, speaking with a slowness that, at a time like this, actually carried a hint of tender affection.
A strange.. sense of tenderness.
If Rum sent you to ask, you might as well tell him," the Silver-haired youth said as he unholstered his favorite gun, twirling it casually in his hand, "whether it's Rye or Bourbon..
Gin leisurely raised his eyes, casting an seemingly casual glance at Vermouth, the unintentional chill and murderous aura within his piercing green eyes causing the latter's complexion to pale slightly. A faint, cold smirk curled on his thin lips, his words carried an unmistakable arrogance and indifference that brooked no argument.
“My subordinates are not for anyone else to touch for the time being.”
-----------------------
Author's Note: If the previous few chapters gave the illusion that Gin was being indifferent.. he's back in action in this chapter..
The next update will be tonight..
By the way, I still owe an extra chapter..
Let's talk about that after the wound on my hand has basically scabbed over..
Don't worry, I'll definitely make it up to you!~
..
Thanks to all the Little Angels who gave me big tips~
Thank you, Yingru Shi Little Angel, for your two mines, love you mwah!
Thanks to Dark Erosion Little Angel for the landmines, love you mwah~
Thank you to Gongjun Wangshu, Changhe Luoshi Dongducheng, Ye Ling, Snare " Suo Bushu, Ling, Kongshan Jue Little Angel for the nutrient solution you gave me, love you all, mwah~
Chapter 74 Chapter 70 "Lying."
Vermouth scrutinized that receding black silhouette, which was exceptionally sharp and decisive; even in the brightly lit Base, it remained such a stubborn and persistent pure black, refusing to dissolve into the Light.
—It was also distinct from other forms of darkness.
Gin's figure was tall and slender; even his usual attire looked incredibly sophisticated on him. Perhaps for this reason, this gentleman, who appeared quite lethargic in his daily life, simply couldn't be bothered to change.
As his thoughts drifted this way, a leisurely smile curved Vermouth's red lips, becoming even more seductive, his beautiful voice carried a hint of mature charm: "Come out."
As her voice fell, a youth with a cold appearance and a solemn gaze slowly walked out from the corner behind her. He had equally smooth, long hair, but it was as black as spilled ink, his sideburns were even slightly curly.
The youth stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable, yet his gaze did not spare even a single glance for the blonde-haired beauty; instead, it lingered for a long time on the direction where Gin had departed.
—even though the latter had already vanished from sight.
The blonde-haired beauty's lips twitched at being ignored, yet she maintained her composure with ease. She looked at the black-haired youth thoughtfully, a half-smile appearing on her lips. "Rye, after eavesdropping for so long.. what are your thoughts?"
Akai Shuichi, known as Rye, finally deigned to shift his stagnant gaze toward Vermouth: "I wasn't eavesdropping."
Fair enough.." The blonde-haired beauty took a small step forward, a searching smile playing on her lips. "Then.. eavesdropping.
Akai Shuichi was momentarily speechless.
He was merely passing by chance when he happened to witness two Organization high-level members—one of whom was his superior—facing off against each other. He decided to linger for a while to avoid rushing forward and becoming mere cannon fodder.
—After all, even Gin hasn't been particularly fond of him lately.
However, he did not make any special effort to hide himself. Who would have thought that Gin seemed so out of it that he failed to notice, instead, it was Vermouth who discovered him first.
What was Gin thinking about? — Rye pondered with great interest.
However—
Hearing the last sentence of their conversation was an unexpected bonus.
Akai Shuichi subconsciously ignored the other protagonist in the conversation.
Despite his thoughts, he still cast his gaze toward Vermouth's Blue eyes, calmly emphasizing, "I was merely passing by."
The Blonde-haired beauty remained noncommittal. "I know.. that's why I'm asking for your thoughts."
Rye's black eyes darkened, his green eyes took on a sharp and dangerous hue under the light, faintly reminding Vermouth of the person who had just left—though, to be sure, they were not the same.
The former was sharper, like an unstoppable bullet; the latter was heavier, like a blade hidden in the darkness, capable of a lethal strike.
“No.” The youth's low voice sounded exceptionally prominent in the empty corridor. As his green eyes gazed over with a heavy intensity, Vermouth subconsciously tensed up a little more.
However, the blonde-haired beauty would not let it go; she looked at Akai Shuichi with a half-smile, her blue eyes containing a faint, elusive amusement and a hidden clarity that made her exceptionally sharp.
As if in a flash, a sudden moment of realization flashed through Vermouth's eyes. He lowered his gaze in silence and composure, his red lips curving into a meaningful arc.
His voice was gentle and soft, devoid of any aggression, as if it were merely a passing breeze, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of certainty, with a hint of indulgence for a Child who refused to speak the truth.
Liar.
..
If Gin knew that such a situation would unfold, he certainly wouldn't have issued such a blunt warning—after all, he really had no desire to have any involvement with these two bottles of Fake Liquor that were certain to defect.
Although he didn't discriminate between men and women and could be quite uninhibited at times, he truly had no habit of trying to lure his Subordinate into bed.
Moreover..
I have a feeling that getting involved with these two.. will be a lot of trouble.
Gin leaned lazily against the rear of the Porsche 356A, his deadpan eyes staring out the window at the scenery passing by.
The twilight was eerie, yet it possessed a unique charm.
Boss. Where do you want to go?" Vodka drove with diligent professionalism, feeling not the slightest dissatisfaction toward Gin, who appeared silent in the backseat but was actually spacing out. "You just returned from abroad; are you tired? Boss, do you want to go back and rest for a bit to adjust to the time difference?
Gin snapped out of his daze, but his eyes, cold yet tinged with exhaustion, remained lifeless, his voice sounded heavy as he spoke, "No need, it is only a one-hour time difference."
However, as soon as he got off the plane, he rushed back to the Base by car to deal with the small flaw left behind by Scotland's exposure—the fact that he had not yet been discovered by the Organization—not even having time to adjust his watch.
He paused for a moment, recalling recent events in his mind. His Finger unconsciously flexed and relaxed, he casually curled his index finger to tap against the car window. This movement caused his sleeve to shift slightly backward, revealing a small section of his pale and incredibly powerful Wrist, as well as a Vacheron Constantin on his wrist that reflected a "luxurious" luster.
"Forget it, let's go back first." He didn't explicitly say where they were going, but Vodka clearly understood his thoughts.
Although he didn't plan on resting yet, he had nothing to do in the meantime anyway.
The sun leisurely cast a slightly somber glow, the sunset clouds on the horizon shimmered with iridescent colors; the rare tranquility felt almost surreal.
"It is just as I thought, the gathering storm precedes the wind," Gin thought mockingly.
Then, the unexpected vibration of a mobile phone broke this unspoken tension.
..
The ringing of the mobile phone shattered the calm Nana was feigning.
She stared fixedly at the name of the caller on the mobile phone screen; for the first time upon seeing this name, what surfaced in her heart was not a faint sweetness, but a panic that swept through her mind.
The Black-haired female detective took a deep breath and slowly exhaled; in that inhalation and exhalation, she seemed to draw some kind of strength from it. She pressed the answer button, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
Yaji..
I don't know what she heard, but her face, which had already looked somewhat pale, had now turned an even more terrifyingly white.
Don't come any closer..
Don't come to my house!
Anxiety welled up in the young girl's eyes, the urgency and panic pushed her, usually quite composed, to the brink of a breakdown. She covered her forehead, shaking her head unconsciously.
The stray hairs by her cheeks were dampened by sweat, sticking messily to her skin and making her look quite disheveled. Her bright Green eyes were now brimming with tears, brokenly reflecting the light and clouds of this world.
The urgent greetings of the youth in her ear continued, his concerned words only served to further catalyze the unspeakable helplessness in Nana's heart. She grit her teeth hard, feeling the heart thumping in her chest and the crimson blood flowing through her veins.
They were still warm.
Amidst the chaos, she clearly realized that time was running out and danger was imminent, so she finally screamed hoarsely, her voice rasping with desperation:
—Run!
Then she suddenly turned her head, her panicked Green eyes meeting the slow-emerging figure in black.
Her pupils suddenly contracted as they brushed against the black object he was holding.
The mobile phone slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, letting out a dull thud.
One could faintly hear that youth calling out nervously.
Nana bit her lip hard, her pale lips marked by deep indentations from her teeth, before several exquisite droplets of blood seeped out.
Green eyes scanned the surrounding scenery. For the first time, she realized her willpower was so strong that she could still analyze the pros and cons even in her current situation—or perhaps, the desperate circumstances were forcing her to be strong.