I'm in Conan, I'm not a gangster

Chapter 445 The reward is a castle built of gold! (2 updates)
Inside the plum blossom room, wisps of incense smoke rose between the two of them.

Kenzo Masuyama gently swirls the tea whisk in the bowl, causing the matcha powder to dissolve in the hot water, forming a thick, emerald-green vortex.

“Your father’s favorite is this matcha from Shiga Prefecture.” Kenzo Masuyama pushed the teacup toward Akemi, a tiny crack in the glaze on the rim barely visible under the light. “Every time an experiment made progress, he would treat everyone to a cup.”

Akemi took the teacup with both hands, her fingertips trembling slightly as they touched the bottom.

She remembered the feel of it—when she was eight years old, there was a teacup with tiny cracks like this in the break room of her father's laboratory.

The image of her mother hurriedly wiping up the tea with the cuff of her white coat when she accidentally spilled it suddenly came vividly to mind.

"So, you were ordered to protect my parents?" Mingmei asked, watching the bubbles on the surface of the tea gradually dissipate.

Kenzo Masuyama nodded and said, "Yes, their research is very important. However... besides the mission, I also have a good relationship with your mother."

"She is a warm and lively person who makes the lab less dull and lifeless. Everyone likes her."

Mingmei smiled; she knew her mother was very good at interpersonal communication.

When my mother used to run a clinic, she had a good relationship with the neighbors. She would also take the initiative to treat the wounds of injured children.

She gripped the teacup tightly and asked, "Actually, the reason I came to visit this time is to find out... what exactly happened with the fire in the laboratory."

"You saw them with your own eyes..."

She stopped there.

But Kenzo Masuyama understood what Akemi meant. He sighed with regret and said, "Yes, there was an accident in the laboratory. I don't know exactly what the accident was."

"In short, by the time I went to provide support, the laboratory had already become an inferno."

"The fire burned for a long time before it finally stopped. When we went back inside, there were no survivors."

“…………” Mingmei silently put down her teacup, calming herself down.

After Masuyama Kenzo waited for her to process the news, he said, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the good news... I heard that you and your sister were kidnapped by that ruthless bandit."

After composing herself, Mingmei corrected the other person, saying, "It wasn't robbery; I asked him to do it."

"Oh, I see." Kenzo Masuyama nodded knowingly and said, "So, you're working for him now?"

“Yes.” Akemi nodded in acknowledgment.

"Could you please pass on a message for me?" Masuyama Kenzo said slowly, "I want to cooperate with him and do a business deal!"

"What kind of business?" Mingmei asked curiously.

After a moment's thought, Kenzo Masuyama decided to reveal some important information: "When he sees me, I will talk to him in detail... You just need to tell him that the reward is a castle built of gold!"

"I'm sure he'll be interested."

Akemi was quite taken aback, not expecting Masuyama Kenzo to be so generous, offering a castle built of gold as payment?
“Okay…okay, I’ll pass on the message for you.” Mingmei nodded, then got up to take her leave.

"Let me see you off." Kenzo Masuyama politely saw Akemi off until she walked out the door.

..............................

Akemi drove her unassuming gray Toyota away from Kenzo Masuyama's residence.

In the rearview mirror, the Japanese garden gradually disappeared into the twilight, but her nerves remained on edge.

She knew very well that the organization wouldn't easily let go of anyone who knew too much.

The car pulled into a nearby 24-hour parking lot. Mingmei turned off the engine, but did not get out of the car immediately.

She waited quietly for a few minutes to make sure she wasn't being followed before taking a black briefcase out of the trunk.

Inside the box was a sophisticated electronic testing device.

Mingmei skillfully turned on the scanner and first checked her clothes, handbag, and even the soles of her shoes.

After confirming there were no trackers, she began scanning the car body—the chassis, tires, and inside the hood.

"Di-"

The scanner emitted a faint alarm sound inside the car's hood. Akemi frowned, quickly inspected the area, and soon discovered a miniature locator.

"Sigh." She sighed, feeling very disappointed in Kenzo Masuyama, and at the same time realizing that she had been too naive.

After all, they are assassins; ruthlessness is their true nature.

Moreover, the person in question has lived to this age as an assassin; they wouldn't have survived if they weren't extremely cautious.

She threw the tracker into a drain in the corner of the parking lot, then took another set of keys from her bag and walked toward a white Honda parked not far away.

This vehicle was a backup vehicle prepared in advance by Shiraishi E. The license plate was fake, and there was no traceable information inside the vehicle.

Mingmei started the engine and drove off without turning on the navigation.

The neon lights outside the car window cast blurry reflections on the rain-soaked road, but her thoughts drifted back to Kenzo Masuyama's words—

"That fire burned everything to the ground."

Really? Her parents really died in an accident?
Or was the fire itself a meticulously planned murder?

...............

Half an hour later, Akemi arrived at a business hotel in Shinjuku Ward and took the elevator directly upstairs from the underground parking lot.

Upon arriving at room 1608, Akemi took off her coat and poured herself a glass of whiskey.

A few minutes later, Shiraishi E walked in, a slight smile playing on his lips: "This guy is still somewhat cautious; he didn't send anyone to follow you."

Mingmei sat wearily on the sofa and said, "But he installed a tracker in my car."

Shiraishi E was not surprised at all.

If it were him, he would also take this opportunity to do something underhanded.

He had heard Akemi and Kenzo Masuyama's conversation clearly through his earphones.

“He didn’t arrest you, nor did he notify the organization…” Shiraishi muttered to herself, “It seems that Rum did indeed withdraw the kill order against you.”

Of course, he felt that the reason Masuyama Kenzo was so honest was entirely because he knew that he was the one behind the Miyano sisters.

With him acting as a powerful backer for the two of them, he dared not make any rash moves.

"Well, it's somewhat good news." Akemi said with a sense of relief.

One of the reasons for this risky attempt was to test whether Rum had really canceled the kill order.

Now it seems she won't be so nervous when going out in the future.

Of course, not hunting down doesn't mean not monitoring.

Therefore, when going out, it's still necessary to disguise oneself.

Safety is the most important thing.

"So, what are you planning to do next? Are you going to cooperate with him?" Mingmei asked curiously.

"Let's test his mettle first." Shiraishi E smiled and said, "Let's see if he has the ability. If he doesn't... then forget it."

"I see... But he's really generous, managing to produce a castle built entirely of gold!" Mingmei said, unable to contain her curiosity, "What does it look like?"

Upon hearing this, Shiraishi E couldn't help but smile.

That castle built of gold will undoubtedly be the Twilight Mansion!

This castle didn't belong to Kenzo Masuyama at all; it was left to Renya Karasuma by his mother.

Shiraishi realized that although Masuyama Kenzo died in the anime, as a veteran member, his understanding of the organization was far greater than that of ordinary members!
He even knew about the Twilight Mansion, but he didn't tell Karasuma Renya.

This old Deng... is no ordinary person!

(End of this chapter)