Chapter 110
Tequila searched around but still couldn't find that extremely conspicuous figure.
This disappearance speed was definitely premeditated to shake off pursuit!
Tequila recalled what Vodka had said when assigning the task...
"Botanist knows someone will track and investigate him, so if he discovers you or actively greets you, don't be too surprised. Track however you should track, and record where he goes and who he meets......"
So Botanist, knowing someone would investigate him, still pulled this disappearing act!
Tequila had vaguely heard about the traitor discovered this time who committed suicide directly when he found the situation was bad. Now with Botanist also pulling this disappearing stunt, it was hard not to think he might also want to run away.
So Tequila began hesitating whether to report to Vodka now that he'd lost the person.
He was mainly worried about being questioned about his work ability—how could he lose the person so quickly? But delaying the report might lead to suspicion that he deliberately let the person escape...
In the end, Tequila still emailed Vodka, hoping Vodka would check it later and have some misconception about when he lost track, while he himself tried harder to search.
However, Usuha Izuki's sleeping pills were too effective. Three hours later, Vodka finally awakened from his deep sleep.
He pressed his still somewhat groggy head, recalled what happened before losing consciousness, and sat up straight like a carp jumping out of water: "Botanist!"
"Already left." Gin was frowning while studying the distribution of Kansai yakuza forces. "Now that you're awake, get back to work."
Vodka wasn't fully awake yet and was completely confused.
After barely understanding that he'd been drugged with sleeping pills, Vodka clenched his fists: "Big Brother, Botanist used to just talk, but now he's reached the point of directly drugging people......"
Botanist had been watching something lately that made him start learning to be a traitor! Just because he was a bit perfunctory in cooperating, was it necessary to drug him to enhance understanding?!
If this guy watched some historical drama next time, would he want to try usurping the throne?!
Gin thought Vodka would say to accelerate strengthening control over the Middle East so they could kill Botanist without concerns.
Instead, Vodka said: "So from now on, let's really not ask Botanist to work anymore, okay? Can we just pretend he doesn't exist?"
Gin could only repeat: "......Get back to work now that you're awake." This brain was completely hopeless.
Forced into work mode, Vodka checked his emails and found Tequila's report.
Vodka couldn't help thinking: it's just disappearing—doesn't he disappear every day? He didn't even drug you before running away, so be grateful!
So he simply replied [Got it] and called it done.
Tequila waited anxiously for several hours, only to get this reply, and couldn't help speculating—what did "got it" mean? Was Botanist a traitor or not? And he lost the person, yet no criticism? So what should he do next? Was the mission over?
After waiting a bit more without receiving new instructions from Vodka, and not wanting to call and remind him that the mission had failed and get scolded, Tequila returned home with confusion and suspicion.
When friends invited him out for drinks, he was indeed feeling quite depressed and needed alcohol to vent, so he agreed.
After three rounds of drinks, slightly drunk, Tequila said with a thick tongue: "I might have investigated a traitor, but I don't know what the higher-ups mean—they just replied 'got it.'"
His friend joined in complaining: "So many traitors lately? I also encountered one last time. A large-scale mission with many people deployed, but a codename executive actually called the police directly at the scene......"
Tequila's head shot up: "Called the police?"
"Right! Called the police! You think it's outrageous too, right? Our mission wasn't even complete yet, and he came over and called the police first. If the target wasn't caught because of him, all of us would be in trouble!" His friend said indignantly, "Even so, the higher-ups said to leave it alone. Don't know if they caught the person later......"
Tequila was dumbfounded: "Are undercover agents this brazen now? Whose person?"
"Don't know." His friend sighed. "But since he was helping CIA people escape, he should be CIA? But the higher-ups didn't seem to care much. Don't understand what's going on."
Although Tequila didn't know who his friend was talking about, he was already frantically contributing suspicion values.
Usuha Izuki, who had successfully used [Universal Navigation] to exploit various blind spots and unknown paths to shake off Tequila and returned to Tokyo, calculated his "business trip" gains and felt quite satisfied: "Pretty good, earned quite a bit, especially since I don't need to buy the Body Double Puppet—the saved points are even sweeter."
The system, understanding the sarcasm: [......]
Fine, it admitted it was a bit absurd to try selling Body Double Puppets at such a good time for farming suspicion values... But wasn't it because the inventory was too stagnant and it got a bit anxious! This couldn't represent its true intelligence!
Usuha Izuki calculated the time: [A few more days of work, then it's New Year, and I can travel with Kenji and the others. I'm sure the Organization won't come looking for me again in the short term.]
Thinking of the unconscious Vodka, the system couldn't help saying: [For the sake of travel, you really worked hard this time......]
Saying what about trying different methods to see which was more effective—it was really just being deliberately extreme to give Vodka PTSD and make Gin completely not want to see him!
[What are you saying? I did it all for suspicion values.] Usuha Izuki said righteously. [Sigh, I earned too much and got too excited—doesn't look like someone who just returned from visiting graves. Let me cultivate emotions for a day.]
Two days later, it was finally time for Mobile Investigation Unit Four to return to work. Only then did Usuha Izuki put on a dead-faced expression and report to their post.
Officer Shima looked at him dressed in black and white, like he'd just attended a funeral, and had a thousand words but could only say: "Your internship is almost over. You... pay more attention and don't do anything that would affect your internship evaluation."
As a responsible police officer, he definitely couldn't conscientiously only praise Samukawa Shinryu in the evaluation—he had to write down some of the other party's outrageous behaviors.
Minor matters that didn't matter much, he'd help cover up for the sake of the other party saving people, but behavior like shooting in front of so many people—he didn't approve and couldn't hide it.
Units that hired Samukawa Shinryu in the future had to consider this risk. He couldn't harm people!
Anyway, after he said such harsh words, Samukawa Shinryu just visited graves and calmly returned. This determination to become a police officer already exceeded that fool who didn't even pass the written exam but started taking revenge on police out of spite.
Officer Shima also reflected, feeling it might be a generational gap issue. Young people nowadays were indeed more casual. He just needed to speak properly—no need to be so severe all at once.
Usuha Izuki nodded as if the previous conflict had never happened and asked blandly: "My self-criticism......"
"You don't need to worry about that. What you write in the self-criticism isn't important—what matters is whether you realize it and can correct it."
Officer Shima, who had helped write a self-criticism to submit, didn't intend to take credit: "Let's go. Earlier Ibuki found a good ramen shop and was thinking of bringing you when you returned. If nothing happens today, we can drive by."
When Ibuki Ai saw Usuha Izuki, he indeed looked very happy: "You're back! I was worried you wouldn't come back!"
Officer Shima held his forehead... Really bringing up the very thing that shouldn't be mentioned.
But facing such straightforward enthusiasm, Usuha Izuki couldn't say anything sarcastic and could only respond dryly: "I still want to be a police officer."
"Exactly! After working so hard for so long, it would be such a waste to quit because of Shima."
Officer Shima's pressure immediately increased: "Hey, you can't blame it all on me?!"
Usuha Izuki chimed in: "It has nothing to do with Shima-senpai—it's all my own problem."
After he said this, Officer Shima felt he was reflecting too extremely and consoled: "You don't need to be so extreme either. I did make mistakes too. Your mistake was just......"
—Not following procedure.
"I should have aimed for the feet. That way I could achieve the deterrent effect while reducing the pressure on seniors."
Officer Shima: "............"
Ibuki Ai: "......Um, Samukawa-kun, have you considered that there's actually an option of not shooting at all?"
"I considered it, but I still think shooting would have been more effective then."
"This is your conclusion from reflection?!" Officer Shima's mentality was somewhat collapsing. "Give me back my self-criticism—no wait, go rewrite one......"
Ibuki Ai laughed dryly and covered the incoherent Officer Shima's mouth: "Let's go, let's go! We still need to assist the Third Mobile Unit with patrols!"
Then he was silent for a moment and sighed: "Never thought there'd be a day when I'd be the one telling Shima to calm down."
Usuha Izuki said: "I always thought you were more emotionally stable than Shima-senpai."
"Eh? Really? So happy~"
Officer Shima: "Mmph mmph mmph!!!"
That's because Ibuki Ai's brain doesn't consider deeper implications at all! He even agrees with you! How could he possibly get angry?!!
Although the start wasn't smooth, it felt quite good once they officially began patrolling.
Another morning without encountering any major crimes—just simple requests for help.
Though this work was scattered and trivial, for the Mobile Investigation Unit that had experienced too much, it brought a kind of peaceful satisfaction, feeling like tranquil times.
"There's the ramen shop I mentioned!"
Ibuki Ai, who was driving today, said happily: "Let's celebrate that nothing happened today! Shall we go eat?"
"If you want to eat, go eat. Don't say such flag-raising things." Officer Shima was also becoming superstitious.
When they entered the shop, there were already customers inside. Everyone was already following public etiquette by speaking quietly, but when Usuha Izuki carrying the "Black Screen Aura" walked in, the shop fell completely silent.
The shop owner hesitated but relaxed when he saw the familiar faces of Officer Shima and Ibuki Ai: "Welcome."
Ibuki Ai smiled: "Boss, last time I said I'd bring colleagues to eat, so this time I'm keeping my promise and bringing people!"
The boss laughed dryly: "Haha, thank you."
Though this guy was smiling cheerfully, he looked a bit fierce. The other one always had no expression and didn't seem easy to get along with. This new one they brought was even more outrageous—this really wasn't some yakuza organization having a team-building meal here, was it?!
Hopefully nothing would happen in his shop today.
The boss had just thought this when something suddenly happened.
A male customer who had been eating peacefully suddenly shouted: "What are you trying to do?!"