Chapter 270
Chianti, who had watched the entire scene from upstairs, was still silent and hadn't reacted even after Gin and Vodka left the rooftop.
It was Usuha Izuki who reached out to stop the video camera from recording.
"Chianti, are you okay?" Usuha Izuki asked.
"..."
Usuha Izuki repeated suspiciously: "Chianti?"
Chianti: "..........."
Oh, it seemed Chianti was also shocked by Gin's performance and would probably need a while to recover.
Usuha Izuki didn't continue calling her and instead checked the recording from earlier.
Due to the distance, neither Usuha Izuki nor Chianti could hear what Gin, Vodka, and Sherry were talking about—at most they could hear gunshots. The recording was similar, only capturing their actions without dialogue.
However, for Usuha Izuki, not recording the dialogue wasn't a problem. His goal had been achieved. He just needed to transfer the video to a computer later so he could email it to the Boss.
...Heh heh, this time he couldn't be too proactive. He'd be reserved about it. With such big material, he had to wait for the Boss to ask before releasing it.
Finally, Chianti came to her senses. She asked in shock: "So that was Sherry just now? Did Gin know Sherry would appear here based on a single hair?"
"Probably because Gin is a pervert." Usuha Izuki slandered him a bit.
Chianti was still shocked: "And what was with Gin's marksmanship?! What the hell?!"
Usuha Izuki hypocritically spoke up for Gin: "He was probably interrogating her. If he killed her directly, he couldn't interrogate her, right?"
"Gin even shot himself!"
"Vodka also fired a shot backward. There might have been someone there."
Chianti looked at Usuha Izuki suspiciously: "Why are you suddenly defending Gin?"
Usuha Izuki sighed: "Who told Vodka to keep saying I misunderstand Gin, and that I badmouth Gin to others, affecting Gin's reputation... Vodka swore that Gin was fine and said he would definitely prove it. I'm waiting for Vodka's evidence. After all, Vodka is also my friend, so I should give my friend some face."
Chianti: "...Botanist, do I look like an idiot to you?"
"Fine." Usuha Izuki admitted. "I'm actually just curious how Vodka will explain this time. I'm rehearsing. Can you think of any excuses?"
Chianti: "Why would I think of excuses for an undercover agent? If the Boss didn't insist Gin was fine, I would have taken him out long ago. Do you think Gin is some relative of the Boss?"
"Shh." Usuha Izuki made a silencing gesture. "It's fine in front of me, but don't talk nonsense in front of others. That person's affairs are all classified."
Chianti's expression became stern as she remembered some organization members she'd been responsible for killing who knew secrets they shouldn't have: "I know... I only mentioned it to you just now, and I mainly wanted to talk about Gin..."
"I understand, I understand." Usuha Izuki said with a smile. "This level is actually fine. I'm just giving you a heads up."
Chianti sighed in relief, then asked: "What do we do now?"
"...Well, whatever Gin does next doesn't really matter. Our harvest this time is really huge." Usuha Izuki touched his chin. "But what I plan to do next is... wait, someone's looking for me."
Usuha Izuki took out his vibrating phone and entered the Gin-persecution group he'd created.
Bourbon: [@Botanist where are you now? Is the mission done?]
Bourbon: [@Botanist Pisco has been exposed.]
Bourbon: [image]
Botanist: [Worthy of someone from the intelligence division, easily obtaining intelligence we didn't know!]
Bourbon: [No, this photo is already spreading quite a bit online. A reporter infiltrated the memorial service to secretly photograph celebrity romances, and Pisco's gun-holding pose ended up in the corner of the photo.]
Bourbon: [I've already sent the intelligence to the Boss, but I want to ask—Pisco wasn't also someone Gin chose, was he? What is he doing? Why has he been messing up everything lately?]
Chianti: [Gin is probably busy dealing with Sherry.]
Bourbon: [Now??? Sherry??? Did he forget what his mission was?]
Bourbon was very alert, not expecting to suddenly hear news about Sherry at this time.
Botanist: [Sherry appeared and was discovered by Gin. Chianti and I were just watching Gin and Sherry face off.]
Bourbon's heart sank.
This was the worst possible news... To be discovered by Gin in that kind of place meant Sherry wasn't being protected by the FBI or other forces at all. She most likely escaped the organization by her own means and didn't have a stable safe haven.
With Usuha Izuki's attitude, regardless of what he felt about Miyano Akemi, in front of Gin, Vodka, and Chianti, he definitely wouldn't help Sherry... With Gin's style, Sherry was probably already...
Bourbon closed his eyes.
Although he had no contact with Sherry... or rather, Miyano Shiho, she was still Dr. Elena's daughter...
The successful fake death escape of Miyano Akemi from the organization had given him some unrealistic hope, thinking that even if he was too late to save Dr. Elena, he could at least protect Dr. Elena's two daughters. But now it seemed...
His phone vibrated several more times. Bourbon quickly adjusted his mindset, forcing himself not to dwell on meaningless negative emotions, then opened his eyes to look at the phone screen.
Even if the group chat next said Sherry had died under Gin's gun, he could calmly...
Botanist: [Gin really stopped pretending this time.]
Botanist: [He went really easy on her. Bang bang, fired several shots, but look carefully—just flesh wounds.]
Botanist: [Just when it looked like he couldn't avoid killing her anymore, but nothing could stump Gin! Suddenly Gin started fighting thin air, and thud, he knelt down, creating a perfect escape opportunity for Sherry!]
Botanist: [That's not all. After Sherry left, he shot himself. I suspect he's going to tell the Boss later that because Sherry's marksmanship was too good and she injured him, she escaped!]
Chianti: [I can testify! That's exactly what happened! I recorded it! If he's not an undercover agent, who is!]
Scotland: [A recording? You were right there?]
Botanist: [Not there. I was resting upstairs. I just happened to look out the window and saw Gin performing. He really knows how to pick locations.]
After reading the chat log, Bourbon gasped, nearly warming Japan's winter day.
Even knowing Usuha Izuki probably used some creative interpretation, this description was truly outrageous! Even if only half of it was true, it was enough to shock him for half a year.
But thinking carefully, the most outrageous part wasn't actually Gin, but Usuha Izuki!!!
How did Usuha Izuki think to have Chianti bring a video camera this time?! And he happened to choose a position that could record Gin's entire series of actions?!
But Bourbon knew that if he asked, he'd only get "coincidence" as an answer.
But if Usuha Izuki had deduced this development based on his understanding of several people, then carefully chosen the location... this terrifying level of psychological and behavioral manipulation...
Botanist: [Gin and Vodka went after Sherry. I'm just waiting for the results to see if they can actually bring Sherry back. If they do, I'll treat all that earlier stuff as Gin's dark humor. But if they don't bring her back, don't blame me for being merciless. I can't tolerate any sand in my eyes!]
Not just Usuha Izuki, but everyone in the group was waiting for Gin's "good news."
However, Gin would never actively contact Usuha Izuki, so the first call Usuha Izuki received was from Vermouth.
"I've already met up with Gin." Vermouth sat in the back seat of Gin's car, calling Usuha Izuki. "Didn't you say you were coming over? Where are you now?"
Usuha Izuki: "I'm at the hotel! Let me ask something—how did things go with Sherry?"
Vermouth paused: "Gin says Sherry escaped."
"Oh..." Usuha Izuki said meaningfully. "I have Chianti with me here, and she doesn't want to see you, so don't worry about me this time. I'll send you something interesting later."
Vermouth raised an eyebrow, not particularly caring that Chianti disliked her, just simply interested in what Usuha Izuki mentioned: "If you call it interesting... then I'll look forward to it."
After hanging up with Vermouth, Usuha Izuki began composing an email to the Boss.
System: [You're going to complain again? Isn't this too frequent lately?]
Usuha Izuki: [So this time it's not a complaint~]
He carefully composed and clicked send.
[Boss, let me ask something. What excuse did Gin give for letting Sherry escape this time?]
The last time Sherry disappeared, it had somehow been characterized as being let go by Gin! Usuha Izuki's wording was also quite vicious, directly calling it an "excuse"...
The moment the Boss opened this brief email, he was influenced by this rhetoric and became somewhat annoyed with Gin.
However, his trust in Gin wasn't so easily shaken. The Boss still trusted Gin quite a bit, but reading the email left him very confused.
Hm? When did Gin encounter Sherry again, and let her escape? How did he not know about this? Wasn't Gin supposed to be handling Pisco?