After dinner, the two of them went to scout the terrain in unspoken agreement.
Gin was not one to underestimate himself; for Akai Shuichi to travel from so far away to an obscure little island in Tokyo, separated from him by almost half of Japan, made the possibility of him being here for travel almost negligible.
Then what was the purpose of the Black-haired agent? Is it even worth asking?
Similarly, Gin had no interest in driving away combat power that was being delivered right to his doorstep—even if he wanted to, Akai Shuichi would likely not accept it, so why bother with such a redundant gesture?
Having reached a consensus on this point, the two of them began to scout the surroundings in tacit understanding.
However, given this atmosphere and setting.. if you were to insist that the two were merely taking a stroll after eating, there probably wouldn't be much wrong with that.
The Moonlight is thick, the Night is perfect.
The night breeze blew softly, the moon shone brightly in the clear sky.
However, the dangerous words like "sniper range," "insufficient visibility," and "kill" that occasionally surfaced during their conversation revealed that the dialogue between the two was not all that ordinary.
"This looks good." Finally, the two of them came to a halt in front of a lookout tower.
Akai Shuichi ran a hand over the steel-reinforced structure, slightly raising an eyebrow toward Gin as if seeking his opinion.
Gin blinked.
He seemed to be thinking about something, yet he also seemed to be thinking about nothing at all.
.." After a long silence, Gin finally spoke the words he had been keeping to himself all day: "This matter actually has nothing to do with you.
He had hinted at it several times before, but Akai Shuichi had ignored him every time.
So this time, Gin simply laid it all out on the table: "There is no need for you to come here and take such risks."
The silver-haired man stopped in his tracks, his sharp green eyes staring directly at the person in front of him, remaining as cold as ever, yet without that sense of indifferent chill.
Moonlight enveloped the two, silent and soundless, as if it were confessing something, or perhaps hinting at something.
She tilted her head slightly, a few strands of silver hair sliding down the man's shoulder. Gin did not care about this, merely continuing in a declarative tone:
If you leave now, it's not too late.
This was the first time he had explicitly used the word 'leave'.
He had no intention of driving away the combat power that had been delivered right to his doorstep.
However—he also did not want Akai Shuichi to die.
Under the moonlight, Akai Shuichi's eyes were very bright.
The Black-haired agent looked at him with a light chuckle, his eyes holding an almost tender quality.
I know," Akai Shuichi said. "I know all of this.
He took a step forward and reached out to brush the silver hair falling on Gin's shoulder, the slightly cool strands passing between his fingers, fine and dense.
That person's body stiffened for a moment, but in the end, he did not dodge.
The Black-haired agent's voice was very soft, the end of his words almost carrying a hint of lingering affection, entangling and drifting in the night breeze, uncertain whether to stay or go.
It was a sound that was very easy to overlook.
But Gin was so close to him that as the faint sound drifted by, it landed right in his ear.
"I'm already here," Akai Shuichi said.
So, don't even think about trying to kick me out.
-----------------------
Author's Note: This chapter has been released early.
How about we get down to business in the next chapter?
..
Thank you to the Little Angels from the last chapter, love you all!
Meow~
..
Thanks to Huoyu Little Angel's Grenade, love you mwah!
Thank you for the landmine, Li Qianxi Little Angel, love you mwah~
Thank you to the Little Angels who provided [Nutrient solution]:
Chestnut 121 bottles; Meow Unspeakable Little Angel 50 bottles; Yuexia Saibu 43 bottles; maty0703 40 bottles; Lunhui Chongsheng Nana 30 bottles; Abyss Dragon 25 bottles; Chenguang Weixi 21 bottles; Bai Chenshang, Shishang Xishan, Nanqin 20 bottles; Biyan Hu'er, He Lizeyan locked, Laichuang de Miao, Youma Xiansheng Meiru Hua 10 bottles; Yan Jie 9 bottles; Qianxue 7 bottles; Tatami-shang-de Huaping, Huyan Jueruo Xing 5 bottles; Shang, Qianfenzhi Qiji, Kongshan Jue, Lin Yang, Tsundere Furuya Rei, Yebanshi Yushengchi.. Gu Xing.. 1 bottle;
Thank you very much for everyone's support, I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 175: Chapter 159 Why don't you go stay with them..
Despite having exchanged blows from a distance several times, this.. could be considered the first meeting between Gin and the leader of B. W.
The man before him—or perhaps it would be more accurate to call him an Old man—had a slightly aged face, yet it remained sharply defined, with traces of the handsome elegance of his youth still visible.
His appearance was that of a typical Caucasian, with features deeper than those of an Asian, a tall stature, a large skeleton.
This Old man looks very thin, but it is not the kind of thin that is weak, but rather a lean type. Despite having aged, his Wrist remains powerful, his gaze remains clear, to the point that an experienced person, the moment he sees him, would not doubt his danger.
B. W. wore a white shirt with delicate silver patterns tracing the edges, paired with a matching vest and a silver-white suit jacket. Under the light, the fabric of the suit reflected a beautiful luster, its smooth and sleek texture faintly visible, clearly indicating its high price.
The Old man's entire outfit consisted only of silver and white. These were colors that an ordinary person would find difficult to pull off, but on him, they looked perfectly harmonious.
Gin slightly lowered the brim of his cap, his green eyes peering through his bangs as he appraised him and the two subordinates he had brought along.
The Old man was also looking at Gin.
B. W. has a pair of reddish-brown eyes, very similar to Brandy's—as expected of the two brothers.
But in comparison to Brandy's composure, he appeared more aggressive, with a hint of Arrogance visible in his features.
But thinking about it, a person who intends to play with life and death.. a person whom even his own brothers call a madman.. it wouldn't make sense if he didn't have a bit of arrogance in his bones.
Gin tilted her head, breaking the silence first: "How should I address you?"
He did not use any honorifics.
Gin was not a man who followed the rules to begin with. Toward an Enemy who had repeatedly tried to kill him, he had no intention of using any honorifics.
The person opposite fell silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating something, as a flicker of an ambiguous light passed through those reddish-brown eyes, much like dried blood.
He let out a light chuckle. "Just call me 'Anatoly'."
This name caused Gin's brow to furrow slightly.
The Silver-haired man naturally knew this was a pseudonym, likely something the Old man had come up with on the spot after thinking of something.
But to be honest, this name was truly—
It was quite ironic.
Gin thought.
The silver-haired man silently curled his lips into a mocking arc, his green eyes shimmering with a half-smile: "A good name."
It truly is a good name.
Anatoly means 'sunrise'.
But the actions of this man before me felt more like a blood-colored twilight, a sorrowful, silent night.
The old man calling himself Anatoly felt no discomfort at this mockery; he accepted Gin's literal meaning quite readily, even smiled at Gin in a remarkably good mood.
Anatoly's Voice had the hoarseness common to the elderly, yet it possessed a clarity and confidence that surpassed an ordinary old man. When he smiled, he carried the untamed charm of an ancient Chinese swordsman; the smile reached his eyes, softening his dark red eyes.
"I also think it's a good name," he replied, a trace of melancholy appearing in his expression.
Gin blinked.
He seemed to have discovered another commonality between the Brandy brothers.
Whether it be Brandy or Anatoly, they both like to use nouns with special significance.
For example, Brandy's codename, the naming of B. W, or even Silver Bonny and Silver Bullet.
Silver Bullet originally referred to bullets made of silver or silver-plated. Under the influence of early Gothic novels, it was considered a powerful weapon with exorcism effects, was later extended to mean a trump card or a decisive move. (1)
It is not unreasonable that the Miyano couple named their Solution Silver Bullet.
However, Gin felt that it was likely driven by Brandy.
Silver beauty and Silver Bullet.
Silver Bonny and Silver Bullet.
The first letters of their English names are both S. B.
This is perhaps a form of commemoration for Brandy.
Regarding his past in Russia, regarding the woman who had influenced him for many years and stunned his entire youth, the girl to whom he had once sworn his loyalty—
Brandy, how could he not feel any lingering attachment?
Therefore, Anatoly, whose obsession ran even deeper than Brandy's, would be even less likely to remain indifferent.
—This was the ace up his sleeve!
Gin thought this, his gaze drifting intentionally or unintentionally toward the window.
..
Time passed minute by minute, the Sun gradually shifted, causing the once somewhat dim House to brighten with the sunlight.
Gin calmly withdrew his gaze and looked at the Old man before him. Perhaps wanting to provoke him, or perhaps merely out of curiosity, Gin spoke up and asked, "You've heard the news of Brandy's death, haven't you?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the smile on Anatoly's lips vanished.
He raised his hand to stop his serious-faced Subordinate beside him, his blood-colored eyes staring straight at Gin, possessing a pressure that could terrify the vast majority of people.
—But that did not include Gin.
Despite such an unbridled gaze, Anatoly remained expressionless, his expression indifferent. "I've heard."
“Didn't he also give his influence to you.." The Old man's voice held a faint, indistinct mockery, "to deal with his Brother."