Chapter 2
Matsuda Jinpei helped the police officer in charge of escorting by temporarily sending the emotionally unstable bomber back to the adjacent interrogation room. Hagiwara Kenji coughed once, skipped over the earlier incident, and forcibly picked up the previous topic.
"Well, don't let the criminal's words influence you. The police force needs fresh blood like Mr. Samukawa who likes to act heroically... If Mr. Samukawa has any questions about becoming a police officer, feel free to ask me. Active police officer online Q&A~ Could we exchange contact information? Maybe there'll be a chance for me to repay the favor in the future~"
Usuha Izuki snapped back to attention from his communication with the system and asked casually.
"Would you help with illegal activities too?"
"Haha, Mr. Samukawa is really good at joking..."
The young man who had never smiled before swept over with his red eyes and silently curved his lips: "I think so too."
Hagiwara Kenji's expression instantly stiffened.
The young man's smile was like the shadow brought by a solar eclipse, swallowing all surrounding light, leaving only himself, like the brightest golden ring remaining from an annular eclipse—mesmerizing.
His gaze, utterly devoid of mirth, fell on Hagiwara Kenji, making every hair on Hagiwara Kenji's body stand on end.
Was this a test? Testing whether he was a corrupt cop who could be won over?
If someone else said such things, Hagiwara Kenji could easily take it as a joke and joke back. But facing this Samukawa Shinryu, he inexplicably felt like the other party might actually do such things.
But how could anyone seriously tell active police officers in the Metropolitan Police Department that they should help with illegal activities in the future?!!
Hagiwara Kenji didn't know that while his rationality was struggling against the 'Black Screen Aura', Usuha Izuki was opening the system notification page, admiring the string of suspicion values he provided.
[Suspicion Value from Hagiwara Kenji, +500]
[Suspicion Value from Hagiwara Kenji, +300]
[Suspicion Value from Hagiwara Kenji, +100]
Usuha Izuki: "..."
This interface's data updated every second. Watching the rapidly decreasing suspicion values, he was somewhat dissatisfied: [He convinced himself way too fast. It dropped from +500 to +100 in an instant... Wasn't what I said suspicious enough?]
System: [After all, you just saved over ten people, including himself. Right now is when his favorability toward you is at its peak. That he can suspect you at all is thanks to this 'Black Screen Aura'... Don't be dissatisfied. He's an important plot character, and there's weighting when exchanging points.]
Important characters like Hagiwara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei weren't in the same league as that bomber just now. Even if that bomber provided 1000 suspicion value, when exchanging points, it would only be 1000 points. But Hagiwara Kenji had a weight of 2, meaning 1000×2=2000 points.
Usuha Izuki was already dead and had only recently signed a contract with the [Suspicion Value System] in this world. He was still in the newbie protection period. Once the newbie protection period ended, he would need to use points to exchange for daily lifespan or various items.
If he still had enough remaining points after the stipulated time arrived, he could exchange for permanent residence rights in this world, or even fulfill some other wishes, like reviving someone.
So getting to know more weighted people and grinding suspicion values in a targeted way would be more efficient.
Of course, grinding suspicion values required restraint. He couldn't actually get himself arrested, or that would be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs...
Hagiwara Kenji still had things to do and could only bid farewell to Usuha Izuki for now.
Usuha Izuki wasn't in a hurry either. He'd gotten the contact information anyway, and there would be plenty of opportunities to grind suspicion values in the future. He'd already said something as suspicious as wanting to become a police officer—the bait was cast, and he didn't believe they wouldn't take it.
His Tokyo objective was complete. Now he needed to leave Tokyo and hurry back to Fukuoka City to meet with Gin and Vodka according to the original plan.
While calculating the time, Usuha Izuki couldn't help but complain to the system: [In novels I've read, others can control two bodies simultaneously—that's what you call aliases. I only have one body, so strictly speaking, this should be called transformation, right?]
The system protested: [If you have extra points, you can exchange for another body in the mall. You're the one who refuses to buy—]
[Then controlling the alias costs points every minute and second. You guys are real capitalists... If I get exposed, it's definitely because of flaws in your design.]
That said, Usuha Izuki wasn't too worried.
Because when originally exchanging skills for 'Samukawa Shinryu', the idea was that Samukawa Shinryu would enter the Organization, and more skills never hurt, so naturally he also had techniques for avoiding surveillance cameras.
Japan didn't have many surveillance cameras to begin with, and this era was early, so there weren't many installed throughout all of Japan. Hiding his tracks was even easier.
Even if now it had become the main body entering the Organization, at least Samukawa's skills hadn't gone to waste—that was some consolation.
Moreover—
[Furuya Rei openly went in and out of the Organization and police headquarters, even worked part-time jobs everywhere, and never got exposed! I can do it too!]
System: [...Don't develop competitive feelings about strange things. Hurry back to Fukuoka—Gin and Vodka are waiting for you.]
The Gin and Vodka that the system and Usuha Izuki were deeply concerned about entered Fukuoka City that night.
Vodka was very alertly observing the surroundings.
Couldn't help it—Fukuoka City was a mixed bag, especially Hakata District. It was said that even a falling billboard could hit a hitman. Several Organization members had mysteriously gone missing here.
At first they thought it was betrayal, but investigation revealed they were all collateral damage, accidentally implicated and killed by affairs involving other forces.
Last month no one went missing here, but someone did betray the Organization and was eventually shot by Gin. The attrition rate here was really somewhat high.
To ensure this mission's successful completion and avoid dying before accomplishing anything, the intelligence team requested a bodyguard, so Gin, who happened to be free, came over with Vodka.
Their mission this time was to find someone.
There was little intelligence—they only knew the target had smuggled ashore at Hakata Port. If he was intentionally hiding his tracks, it should be quite difficult to find him. But the target's value was too high; if no trace was found, the Organization would send even more people later.
"Boss, what if that kid is already dead?" Vodka worried. "I heard Arak Wine really spoiled his adopted son. He might be a pampered young master. Our people have already lost several here, and for a young master..."
Gin snorted coldly: "No matter how chaotic Fukuoka is, it's not as chaotic as the Middle East. If he could survive in the Middle East, he wouldn't die in a place like this."
"But that was with Arak Wine's protection. This isn't Arak Wine's territory, and now that Arak Wine is..."
Suddenly, Gin stopped walking and looked in a certain direction.
Vodka, who had been full of worries, also instantly fell silent and stopped, turning his head to follow.
Under the streetlight over there stood a silver-haired youth wearing a cowboy hat.
His hair was somewhat long with unruly ends, and his bangs were a bit over his eyes, though the left side of his hair was pinned to the side with a hair clip, revealing his pale green eyes and an earring reflecting the light on his earlobe.
So far he still seemed like just an ordinary young person pursuing fashion, but looking further down...
This youth was wearing a green haori, with a black shirt underneath. Below red pants, he wore brown leather boots.
The color scheme was already blinding enough, but Vodka also noticed that when the youth raised his left hand to press down his brown cowboy hat, his slender wrist was wrapped with a string of prayer beads, and the problem was, he also wore a cross around his neck...
Vodka felt like he'd been dealt critical damage!
What kind of messy mix-and-match was this?! Did he just leave the newbie village and put on whatever equipment he found?!!
What's wrong with young people these days?! The future will be doomed if left to them!!
Vodka, who always dressed plainly in black, complained loudly in his heart.
The silver-haired youth wasn't afraid despite being stared at by Gin and Vodka, and even initiated conversation: "Hey, how much does your organization pay you to kill someone? Interested in switching jobs?"
Having their non-civilian status suddenly called out, Vodka's scattered thoughts instantly cleared, and he alertly reached for his lower back: "Boss?"
Gin was quite calm: "This is Fukuoka Hakata."
Hitmen everywhere, corpses common as dogs—street recruitment by assassination companies was also normal.
Even so, Vodka still couldn't quite understand: "Why would you think we're hitmen?"
This was known as Asia's little Gotham. Even ordinary people liked to dress like they were in organized crime to add some sense of security and avoid being looked down upon. Wasn't their plain black suits just basic?!
The silver-haired youth smiled and answered: "I just returned from the Middle East and am very sensitive to the aura of people like you. That's why I can be an HR for an assassination company—it's called leveraging personal advantages! Otherwise I wouldn't know how to find work."
Hm?! Middle East!?
Vodka suddenly caught a key word.
He seemed to understand why his boss suddenly stopped to look at the other party. It might not just be because the other party looked at them differently from other passersby, but possibly because...
Both he and their target for coming to Fukuoka this time had silver hair and seemed to be about the same age.
Probably the youth's outfit full of absurd elements had drawn away Vodka's attention earlier, so he had no impression of what this guy actually looked like, completely overlooking such important clues. Looking again now, not only did the attributes match, but he seemed somewhat familiar...
Vodka pulled out a photo from his pocket and compared back and forth.
After eliminating a series of interfering elements, Vodka finally reached a conclusion.
"Are you Usuha Izuki?"
"...You know me?"
Vodka's face lit up with joy: "Boss! We found him! Our mission is complete!!"
Oh heavens, oh earth, what kind of luck was this?! In this vast sea of people, they found their target not long after entering Fukuoka!!
"Looking for me?" Usuha Izuki tilted his head. "So you're the Japanese whisky my old man sent to pick me up?"
Vodka's face immediately hardened: "No. Japanese Whisky was an undercover agent who was eliminated last month."
"Huh? I wondered why I waited so long without anyone coming to get me, forcing me to work part-time jobs for so long to support myself... My dad went missing too, so I didn't even know what to do... Speaking of which, is my dad alright?"
Vodka pushed up his sunglasses: "Arak Wine was assassinated by the CIA."
Usuha Izuki's smile instantly vanished: "CIA?"
Gin suddenly spoke up at this point: "I heard Arak Wine was a Soviet spy."
He looked down at Usuha Izuki with cold, scrutinizing eyes: "As his adopted son, what explanation do you have?"