Chapter 102
System: [Wow! Suspicion values are skyrocketing! This hat clearly has no special attributes, yet you've kept it all along. Were you waiting for today?]
Strangely, Usuha Izuki, who usually enjoyed chatting with the system due to his talkative nature, still didn't respond to the system this time.
After finding and putting on the hat, he sat expressionlessly on his suitcase and continued listening to the radio.
The already extremely eerie abandoned factory became even more ominous.
Vodka stared at the words on Usuha Izuki's hat for a while, then slowly shifted his gaze downward, studying Usuha Izuki's outfit thoughtfully.
Actually, Usuha Izuki had been acting a bit off from the very beginning today.
Usually, Usuha Izuki dressed flamboyantly, and Vodka had expected to see a Christmas tree today, but surprisingly, this guy was dressed unusually low-key.
His outer coat was a black windbreaker, and underneath he could see a gray sweater. The windbreaker was buttoned up tight, so it was impossible to tell if he was wearing any necklaces. The trousers visible below the windbreaker hem were also very ordinary black ones without any extra decorations.
The only bright color on his entire body was his silver short hair, which surprisingly had no messy hair accessories, earrings, or anything else...
Although Vodka had found it a bit strange before, he thought it was because it was deep winter and with the windbreaker wrapped around him, nothing could be seen. Maybe Usuha Izuki was too cold to bother with dressing up, or because he had to go on a mission, Big Brother had told him to dress low-key before, and Scotland had also advised that work clothes should be black to make everyone look like they were from the same company, so Usuha Izuki finally listened for once.
This was also why when Usuha Izuki first walked in, even those meeting him for the first time didn't show expressions of friendly shock—they were merely uncomfortable with his words and actions.
Now that Vodka thought about it, didn't something feel wrong?!
This entire outfit would be perfectly appropriate for attending a funeral!
But no one could have predicted that the Soviet Union would dissolve tonight, so it should just be a coincidence, right?
But while everything else could be coincidental, that hat was definitely prepared well in advance... Uh, but if Usuha Izuki really were a Soviet spy, why would he make a hat that exposed his identity early on and carry it with him? This actually proves that Usuha Izuki completely doesn't care about this matter, right?
Usuha Izuki has mental problems, not intelligence problems!
So, is this a provocation against Big Brother? Because Arak Wine was suspected of being a Soviet spy?
Or is it simply that because he hates the CIA that assassinated Arak Wine, he leans toward the Soviet Union? Thinking that if the Organization has CIA undercover agents, he can disgust them a bit?
All of this seems like something Usuha Izuki could do...
Having figured out this logic, Vodka reluctantly felt a bit more at ease, but because today's Usuha Izuki was indeed too abnormal, some doubt still lingered in his heart. Yet thinking that this abnormality might also be intentional on Usuha Izuki's part, he felt like a joke for thinking so seriously about it.
Gin had roughly the same thought process.
However, his numbed nerves had only been sensitive for a moment before Gin quickly remembered Usuha Izuki's glorious track record.
...This guy could brazenly wear "Boss's Confidant Sweater" and parade it in front of him. What's so strange about wearing an "I'm KGB" hat? He wouldn't be surprised if this guy also bought something with "I'm MI6" printed on it!?
This abnormal behavior might also be an act. In any case, investigation was investigation, but there was no need to give him any attention right now.
So Gin signaled for Vodka to continue while taking the opportunity to observe others and see everyone's reactions to this situation.
Vodka had no choice but to continue explaining mission precautions in this eerie atmosphere.
Mizuno Rena: "......???"
Huh? You're really not going to give any reaction at all? Aren't you afraid this Soviet spy will have a mental breakdown and launch a suicide attack to send us all to hell together?!
That suitcase might contain bombs!
This CIA undercover began questioning reality, even wondering if she was dreaming. Everyone else's reactions were too outrageous—was she the only one this nervous?!
Akai Shuichi looked calm on the surface but was also quite shocked inside.
Even though he knew Usuha Izuki seemed a bit crazy, he hadn't expected the guy to be crazy to this extent without anyone caring.
Today was his first time meeting Gin, and Gin had interrogated that undercover agent right in front of him. That ruthlessness of preferring to wrongly kill rather than let anyone escape finally somewhat matched his impression of the Organization. That person wasn't even dead yet—barely breathing, maintaining some residual deterrent effect.
Yet Usuha Izuki had pulled this stunt of dancing in a minefield, and among all these people present, not a single person expressed any opinion about it, just allowing him to mess around...
Most people might be like him, not understanding the situation and not daring to act rashly, but what was up with Gin?! Where was that murderous aura you had when interrogating the undercover agent?!
Just who is Usuha Izuki that you can tolerate even this?!
The system had never collected such abundant and intense suspicion values and was almost dizzy with happiness: [My god, Usuha, you're so clever. I thought you just wanted to dress differently from usual, acting abnormal to make people suspicious, but I didn't expect that combined with today's special date, the nature completely changed. No wonder you had to wear this hat...]
The system rambled on for a while, but Usuha Izuki still didn't respond.
Now the system finally sensed something was wrong.
It fell silent for a moment, then suddenly remembered that when it had recommended Christmas discounts earlier, Usuha Izuki had said he hated Christmas...
The system's heart surged with shock, and it asked carefully: [Sorry, you're not really KGB, are you?]
The emergency news segment ended, and Usuha Izuki turned off the radio. This time he finally responded: [Of course I'm not. What are you thinking? How old was I when I died? This is just to farm suspicion values.]
[Oh oh oh, you scared me to death! Haha, you acted so well, your acting just exploded. I almost believed it.]
The system said this but was still somewhat skeptical. After all, even if he himself wasn't one, that didn't mean people around him weren't. But thinking carefully, Usuha Izuki gave it the feeling that he wasn't a good person in his previous life... so he really was just acting?
Thinking of this, the system relaxed a bit: [Really, it's fine to act for others, but why act for me? You suddenly not talking scared me. It's not like you can use my suspicion values anyway...]
[Mm, I know.]
System: [Come, look at the data I've compiled. Gin, such a suspicious person, hadn't been giving you much suspicion values before, but he finally gave a big wave just now. So hard-won, but now he seems to be leaning toward thinking you're just messing around again. Honestly, farming suspicion values is actually this difficult. It's definitely because your previous decisions were wrong—you actually made Gin trust you so much that you're not an undercover agent. Reflect on this properly.]
Usuha Izuki became lively again: [This isn't called trust, this is called numbness. The human heart can't withstand testing, but it can endure torment... If he can pretend not to see all this, I'm going to report him to the BOSS for dereliction of duty.]
After complaining to the system, Usuha Izuki began typing a message to the Boss.
Seeing Usuha Izuki's usual reporting behavior that was no different from normal, the system finally completely believed that Usuha Izuki had been acting just now... Sigh, his acting had improved too much! You can't blame it for being suspicious!
Because of Usuha Izuki's earlier earth-shattering behavior, although everyone was listening to the mission arrangements, they were still secretly paying attention to Usuha Izuki.
Especially Mizuno Rena, the CIA undercover, simply couldn't understand why others had no reaction to that hat and such obvious memorial behavior!
How could someone pro-Soviet accept all the crap the Organization does? Obviously an undercover agent! Why not arrest him?!
Vodka was relatively close to Usuha Izuki, and today's abnormal behavior had left him with lingering doubts. When Usuha Izuki's typing seemed to pause and he appeared to be checking for typos, Vodka immediately stopped his explanation and walked behind Usuha Izuki, scanning the email content at a glance.
Even though Vodka was wearing sunglasses indoors at night, everyone could still tell his expression instantly darkened.
The hearts of other Organization members watching this began beating faster.
What happened? What did he write? Why does Vodka have that expression? Could it be...
"Big Brother!"
Vodka instinctively shouted: "Botanist is reporting to the Boss again that we're undercover agents! Just because you didn't react when he spoke up for the undercover agent, and we saw him wearing this damn hat and didn't respond!!!"
Gin: "............"
People familiar with Usuha Izuki: "............"
The rest: "............???"
Huh??? No, how does this guy still have the nerve to report Gin as an undercover agent?! Who looks more like an undercover agent—doesn't he know?!
What do you call a villain filing a complaint first?!!
The Boss couldn't possibly believe such ridiculous words, right? And why does someone like this even have the Boss's contact information...
Those familiar with Usuha Izuki just felt it was exactly as expected—the familiar flavor, the familiar formula. Gin was even angered into laughter.
So Usuha Izuki had put on such an elaborate performance today just to retaliate against him and continue complaining to the Boss?!
Even if the Soviet Union hadn't had problems today, judging by how Usuha Izuki carried that hat with him, he would have worn it out to disgust him sooner or later... Just because he once said Arak Wine was a Soviet spy? This guy really holds grudges.
"Botanist." Gin's hand was already gripping his gun. He had no intention of shooting—he just felt that having a gun in his hand helped him stay calm. "If you want to stay, don't do unnecessary things."
"Is reporting suspicious individuals who might be undercover agents also unnecessary?" Usuha Izuki frowned. "How much do you not want people reporting undercover agents? Too suspicious."
Gin's grip on the gun tightened, and Usuha Izuki sharp-eyedly noticed it immediately.
He was furious: "What do you mean? Are you going to silence me?! Gin, and you still say you're not an undercover agent!"
Vodka quickly grabbed Usuha Izuki and began rambling to divert his attention: "No, no, Big Brother probably just wanted to remind you that the Boss isn't handling this kind of complaint anymore—everything's now Rum's responsibility from now on..."
The people meeting Usuha Izuki for the first time watched this scene in fascination, with a dream-like confusion.
Is this elementary school-level arguing really something that should be seen in the Organization?
"Oh right, it's all Rum's responsibility now." Usuha Izuki suddenly returned to his polite manner, this emotional shift so abrupt it nearly gave others whiplash. "Then the fact that everyone here might be undercover agents needs to be thoroughly investigated by Rum. I used to think bothering the Boss with a bunch of small fry wasn't quite right, but since it's Rum, I don't need to be polite."
The small fry: "......???"
Huh? Wasn't it just Gin? How did it involve them too?!
Scotland took a deep breath: "Botanist, undercover agents found through exhaustive methods can't count toward your performance."
"But I really think everyone is suspicious." Usuha Izuki looked serious. "Just now, as an interviewer, I was conducting a test for these new people I'd never met before. The results truly surprised me. Others aside, why didn't even you point out how suspicious I was being?"
Mizuno Rena: "......?"
Since Usuha Izuki was dressed particularly formally today, Mizuno Rena, meeting him for the first time, hadn't yet noticed his mental abnormality and felt this reason did seem to explain all the inexplicable events just now.
Although having to be tested from time to time even after joining the Organization was a bit troublesome, it was understandable.
It's just that this test content... isn't the Organization's style a bit too wild?