The tender, translucent Oyster meat was fresh and vibrant, emitting an almost seductive luster under the neon light. The shells partially enveloping the meat came in various shapes, some of which even possessed a certain peculiar beauty.
With just a drizzle of lemon juice, the oyster meat can be placed into one's mouth.
The melt-in-your-mouth texture, combined with varying levels of crisp sweetness, allows the deliciousness of the oyster to melt perfectly upon the taste buds; a small amount of lemon juice brings a subtle acidity that removes the fishy scent without affecting the oyster's original flavor.
Different types of Oyster also have their differences in texture, but these differences seem so subtle that they are impossible to detect without careful discernment.
Gin ordered a tropical cocktail, its alcohol a shimmering amber color that swirled into a blurred, dreamy hue as it moved.
Not far away, the resident musician at the Bar was playing music and singing songs loudly, drawing endless cheers from the customers. During the climax of a tune, everyone cheered and shouted with excitement, making the entire Bar seem to vibrate.
Amidst the laughter, Gin turned his head to look at the person beside him.
His green eyes held a coldness that felt out of place with the atmosphere of the Bar, his gaze sweeping over casually without a hint of unnecessary emotion.
Takao Haruki locked eyes with him.
The crowd around the two was still boisterous and lively, but the moment they locked eyes, all the noise seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the conversation between them and the expressions on their faces as the only things worth noting.
“Takao Haruki.” Gin said his name slowly, then asked softly, “What is it you want to do?”
..
Takao Haruki." Gin said his name slowly, then asked softly, "What is it you want to do?
Even after leaving the bar, Gin had not received an answer to this question.
What Takao Haruki has been doing these past few days is truly quite unusual.
It wasn't that the things he did were unusual, but rather that the way Takao Haruki did them was very unusual.
—he doesn't act much like the person known as Takao Haruki anymore.
So—
What on earth is he trying to do?
Gin did not care about this question that had no answer for the time being. In his view, he had plenty of time to find the answer to this question.
After all, he is really free right now.
However, based on Gin's observations over the past few days, he felt that Takao Haruki also seemed quite idle lately.
He was so idle that he had nothing to do, to the point where he could just wander aimlessly through the streets.
—And drag him down with him.
That detective boy went abroad with his lover recently." A faint smile still lingered on Takao Haruki's face, but his words sounded somewhat uninterested. "Detective Akechi is handling another serial murder case.. how boring.
Gin..
Is this why you have been so free lately?!
“Are you only looking to cause trouble in Japan?” Gin's mouth twitched slightly, his green eyes revealing a hint of speechlessness.
The "detective boy" in Takao Haruki's mouth clearly referred to his long-standing rival, Kinda Ichichi; and the Detective Akechi he mentioned was, naturally, Akechi Kengo.
I wonder what kind of karma these two must have accumulated in their past lives to have been targeted by Takao Haruki.
Coincidentally, both of them were in Japan.
Hell Puppeteer revealed a smile of ambiguous meaning: "Not exactly.. it's just—"
He pondered for three seconds, then added, "It's just that Japan has a few very interesting people."
Gin: ……
The Silver-haired man gave him a sidelong glance, then, for once, sighed in his heart.
Even for someone with a personality like Gin, even he could not help but..
It was truly an accident to have an appointment with Takao Haruki in the UK.
At that time, he only wanted to go to Europe to lie low; after all, staying in Japan at a time like this was truly not a good idea, equivalent to running straight into the muzzle of an Enemy's gun.
To be fair, he had no intention of fighting to the death with the Black Organization.
After all, as far as Gin is concerned, the Black Organization has been indebted to him.
Of course, after all these years of diligent service, he has more or less repaid this "debt of gratitude."
However, unlike Sherry, Gin has no deep-seated hatred toward the Black Organization; unlike Akai Shuichi and Amuro Tooru, he has no Plan to sacrifice himself for Justice.
If one were to make an analogy, would it actually be similar to Heine?
Gin has no reason to be hostile toward the Black Organization, nor does he have any desire to oppose them—after all, it was a place that once took him in, it was a place he had been loyal to for many years.
As long as the Black Organization does not touch his bottom line, Gin does not want to completely fall out with the Black Organization or fight them to the death.
This could be seen from the very beginning when Gin planned his 'faking death.' Even though he had already defected, there was still a mutual understanding between them that both were well aware of.
However, due to various reasons later on, the Faking death plan was thwarted, Gin was forced to take a much more difficult path.
But regardless, at least for now, he had no intention of going head-to-head with the Organization.
Having spent many years in the Underworld, Gin had many useful fake identities at his disposal. Some of these identities were merely for casual use and could not withstand close scrutiny; however, others were crafted so reliably that they would cause almost no trouble as long as they weren't investigated thoroughly—identities where even the visas and passports could pass through customs without issue.
Before leaving, Gin chose an identity that bore some resemblance to himself in photographs, selected two other identities for emergencies, then had Shimabukuro Kimie disguise him.
Kimie was very worried about Gin's mission, however, the Black-haired girl also knew that she certainly could not follow Gin.
Not to mention whether she would become a burden when facing the Black Organization; even looking solely at her skills in hiding and anti-tracking, she had no confidence that she wouldn't be exposed because of it.
When she was performing a disguise for Gin, the black-haired woman's hands were very steady; every delicate movement was completed meticulously, everything was perfectly stable. He did his best to make this transformation flawless, his expression on his delicate face being terrifyingly serious.
However, in stark contrast to her steady movements, the crimson at the corners of Kimie's eyes was unmistakable.
His eyes were red, that hint of crimson looking just like tears of parting. The black-haired woman's thin lips trembled slightly as she bit her lower lip, leaving a deep indentation.
A faint shimmer seemed to glisten in Kimie's eyes, but in the end, she did not shed a tear.
After Everything was finished, Gin's appearance bore an eighty percent resemblance to the one on the passport, making it almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Shimabukuro Kimie also revealed a smile.
This tearful smile carried a hint of relief, however, this relief did not reach his eyes. Because deep within his eyes and heart, she was likely consumed by another emotion.
This emotion was called worry.
Gin only shook her head slightly and said softly, "I'll be back."
Soon, he left Japan.
Gin did not notify anyone about his trip to Europe; he simply remembered a mission he had previously commissioned to Takao Haruki before leaving. Thinking that he might not know when he would next be able to contact him, he simply gave Takao Haruki a phone call.
Then, he received news that Takao Haruki was currently in the UK.
After much wandering and many years, Gin once again set foot on the soil of the UK.
..
After hanging out with Takao Haruki for about a week, Gin spent his days eating and drinking all day long.
Of course, it wasn't entirely just eating and sleeping; Takao Haruki, this idle fellow, took him wandering around the UK, checking in at various famous scenic spots.
In London alone, they spent two or three days visiting places like Buckingham Palace, Greenwich Observatory, Elizabeth Tower, British Museum, Tower Bridge.
On a night with a sunset, they strolled through an unknown street in London, watching the sunset glow fill the sky, watching the sunset melt into gold, coating everything in a beautiful golden shimmer.
Gin stood not far from the London Eye, gazing out at the Thames River from a distance. A gentle evening breeze drifted in, blowing through his silver hair and lightly brushing his cold green eyes; everything appeared so gentle under the sunset.
It must be said that Takao Haruki is a man who knows how to live well. Or rather, a smart person will never let their life become too miserable.
They can always think of ways to spice up their lives and make themselves happy—as long as they want to.
Of course, Gin had not forgotten his original purpose for seeking out Takao Haruki. However, he clearly had to stay in the UK for a while, so there was obviously no need to be in such a hurry.
And.. what he assigned to the Hell Puppeteer was not even an Unimportant matter.
Speaking of which, it actually has something to do with Akai Shuichi.
Back when Akai Shuichi had not yet revealed his identity within the Black Organization, Takao Haruki had once exposed his background in front of Gin.
But at that time, Gin did not react much, even expressed his attitude toward Takao Haruki with almost complete openness.
After all, in front of him, Akai Shuichi's Vest had long since been exposed, Okay?
Not only Akai Shuichi, but also the Whisky Trio, plus Kiel.
But after that, Gin asked Takao Haruki to investigate the backgrounds of Sera Masumi and Sera Mari.
Although Akai's family would certainly be on guard against this, once their real identity is known, if someone is determined to investigate, they will still be able to find some traces.
At that time, Gin and Akai Shuichi were still enemies. Although everything was within Gin's expectations, it was still unclear when he might encounter some troublesome situations—having an extra controllable card in hand was also a good thing.
Even though he had obtained many crucial clues through the Plot, the Plot was not omniscient and omnipotent; some things still had to be discovered through Investigation.
But now, Gin and Akai Shuichi can no longer be considered enemies. Both have more pressing matters to deal with. Thus, the intelligence that Gin once required now seems less important.
However, to Gin's surprise, Takao Haruki took the initiative to bring up this topic.
The sunset also gilded Takao Haruki with a light layer of gold, making his elegant and handsome features appear even softer under the sunset; only those clear eyes betrayed the danger hidden within this seemingly weak man before Gin.
By the way," he said, his tone casual. "I've made some progress on the two people you asked me to investigate before.
-----------------------
Author's Note: (1) Some parts are adapted from Baidu
(2) The prototype is a bar I visited abroad, but it is not in Manchester.
Chapter 195 Chapter 176 As expected, it is quite interesting..
By the way," he said, his tone casual, "I've made some progress on the two people you asked me to investigate before.
..
Gin lowered his head, observing his clenched hand; there was a small, hard object in his palm, pressed against the skin of his palm, conveying a slight metallic chill.
From this angle, the silver-haired man with lowered eyes actually cannot see the object he is holding in his palm, but he can still feel the edges of a small metal object.
Similarly, Gin also knew what he was holding in his palm.
A single USB.