give it all to miss machima

But... for some reason that Shiho herself couldn't explain, she chose to keep the matter from both the organization and Machima.

Using her privileges, she changed Shinichi Kudo's "missing" status to "dead".

In this way...

"Drip."

The sensor door beeped, and Shiho pressed the "uh-huh" button.

"Enter."

A female research assistant from the lab walked in.

"Ms. Shiho, these are the latest drug sample analysis results..."

"Just put it there."

The other party placed a USB drive in front of Shiho Miyano. She glanced at the computer screen as if by chance, but when she saw Shinichi Kudo's name, surrender, and the word "death" in red below, she was stunned.

"what happened?"

Shiho looked at the seemingly stunned research assistant with some oddness, who muttered to herself as if incredulous:

"Shinichi Kudo...is dead?"

Aside from security personnel, most of the lab staff were still researchers originally affiliated with the organization. Shiho had never been friendly towards these people, and given that the matter involved her guinea pigs, she was even more wary.

"You know him? Why?"

The other party quickly came to their senses:

"I...I've seen him on TV before, I think he's a pretty famous detective?"

"..."

Shiho stared intently at the other person's face, trying to find a flaw, but she couldn't. She could only wave her hand dismissively.

"This is none of your business. You're just a fool who overestimated himself and got involved with the organization. Get out."

"Yes……"

The research assistant quickly left, and shortly after she left, she turned and went into a secure storage room, where she took out a cell phone:

“Gin? Send me the list of people the organization has recently poisoned.”

"……What's wrong?"

"There's something I'd like to look into."

A while later, a text message arrived, and she quickly spotted a familiar name near the end.

Shinichi Kudo.

“CoolGuy…”

Vermouth let out a sigh...

Why……

A surge of anger rose within her, but it quickly subsided.

No… things can’t be that simple—that child shouldn’t have died so easily…

And why...why would Shiho Miyano care about an ordinary poison user? There must be something she doesn't know...

Just as she was thinking, her phone received another text message—from Rum.

"They've agreed to discuss participating in this operation with us. You need to be present for the specific negotiations... Also, you need to hurry up with Shiho Miyano; she's key to the success of this operation."

Chapter 124 External Aid from the Organization

"Oh, so... that idiot police officer finally proposed to Hitomi?"

Inside a custom-made car by the sea, Machima, having finished, leaned back comfortably in the back seat, a lollipop dangling from her mouth—because she didn't like smoking, she needed some candy to cleanse her mouth of the aftertaste rather than a cigarette… um…

A faint...smell of the sea.

"Is this really a good idea, Sister Lei? What would a police officer who's determined to catch the thief do if he ever discovered the truth...? Reality isn't some third-rate TV drama where a cop and a thief fall in love... Heh..."

"There's nothing I can do..."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she tossed aside the wet wipes she had used to clean herself, put her clothes back on, and said in a tone full of helplessness:

"I also tried to help Xiaotong end this relationship... but... how can two people who love each other be separated so easily? After all, they've been a couple since high school..."

"Oh dear... I'm a little reluctant to hand over such a cute little Hitomi to a stupid policeman..."

As I recall, these two went through a lot, but in the end, they still ended up together, right?

How wonderful... this kind of mutual, true love...

Machima chewed the candy in her mouth.

It really makes one a little bit...envious!

Or... how about using a slightly more violent method to capture and properly discipline these three sisters? The methods might be crude, but at least it'll give me some satisfaction... Ideally, I'd even have a "husband-in-the-moon" scene, a really good one...

Seeing Machima's eyes suddenly turn mischievous, Lai Sheng Lei couldn't help but pinch Machima's cheek:

"You're not allowed to lay a hand on my sisters. That's someone's promise..."

Machima smiled happily:

"But I'm starting to have second thoughts. If I could hold all three of you sisters in my arms and do whatever I wanted with you, I doubt anyone could refuse, right?"

"Being too greedy can lead to disaster!"

"That's... how about that! Sister Lei, next time, you..."

Machima leaned close to Rui Kisaki's ear and whispered something. A few seconds later, even Rui Kisaki blushed after hearing it, and looked at Machima with disgust.

"Although I thought I knew your despicable nature well enough, it seems... I overestimated you."

Machima laughed again:

"There's no other way, Sister Lei. When your life is like a terrible play that you don't know when it will end, you have to find some fun for yourself, or rather... pursue pleasure."

"Pursuing pleasure... but what about your girlfriend? Why don't you take her to play these kinds of erotic games?" Lai Sheng Rui asked.

Which one are you referring to?

"The one you brought to my shop last time... oh, it seems another beautiful lady came in later?"

"Oh, you mean Shiho..."

Machima smiled.

"She...she'll soon bring me even more joy."

Inside a high-end club in downtown Tokyo

All the waiters and bartenders have been ordered to leave; there are only two groups of people left here.

One group consisted of organization members all dressed in identical black clothing, led by Rum, Gin, and Vermouth, while Vodka and the other members stood expressionless to the side.

On the other side was a group of blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners.

To be precise, they were a group of Russians, each of whom looked very intimidating. Judging from their casual gestures and postures, they all had backgrounds in the military.

"...We have a deep impression of the strength of the Moscow Hotel. More than a year ago, the Kasaka-kai, the mafia that ruled the Kanto region of Japan, was completely disintegrated under your attack."

As Rum spoke, he sized up the blonde woman smoking a cigar in front of him, his gaze lingering for a few seconds on the large, undisguised scars on her right cheek, neck, and chest—scars left by real war.

"During the process, the tactical prowess and operational efficiency you demonstrated shocked the underworld and police throughout the Kanto region, to the point that no one dared to stop the expansion of the Moscow Hotel in Japan afterward... And this powerful offensive and assault capability of yours is something we lack."

"Let's skip the compliments..."

The blonde woman took a puff of her cigar and said calmly.

“Your sincerity has been seen by Chief Slaibin, which is why I have brought my men to Japan again. But... the trouble that you are willing to pay such a high price to resolve is obviously not a small trouble... and I have received instructions from the chief that I have discretion in this operation. If the situation makes me feel that it is dangerous, I will not act.”

"Of course, we are gathering and organizing further intelligence, and we will soon find the perfect opportunity... Vermouth?"

Rum nodded to Vermouth, or quickly produced a document, which the blonde woman took and glanced at.

"Public Security Investigation Bureau... Special Incident Investigation and Handling Division... Machima... is she only going to kill a cop?"

"Believe me, this girl is much more than just a police officer..."

"Vermouth said."

"She incredibly controls a vast black empire that rivals both our organization and yours, and it is extremely, extremely dangerous..."

"It doesn't look like it."

The blonde woman looked at the photo and gave a forced, insincere smile.

"...But I believe you wouldn't joke about something like this. If she really is as powerful as you say, can you bear the consequences of killing such a person?"

"Because we are certain that she is the most vulnerable link in this dark empire, especially... after her stupidity was exposed beneath the surface and she didn't back down."

"……oh?"

The other person looked at Vermouth with curiosity.

"So, you already have a plan?"

"It will be available soon."

Rum took over the conversation.

"The most crucial point is that the other party has enormous influence within the government. She can even easily mobilize military and police forces, and she has elite security personnel around her. Therefore, we must ensure that she is killed as soon as possible, and this is the part of the attack that we are currently lacking. We need your side to kill her cleanly, efficiently, and accurately... just like you did in Tokyo more than a year ago."

The blonde woman was silent for a moment, then exhaled a puff of smoke:

"I need weapons and ammunition—not the childish kind."

“We will prepare it for you—as long as it’s not too difficult, we can get it.”

"I need a more complete attack plan, and my people must also be involved in the intelligence aspect."

"of course."

"...Pleasure doing business with you?"

"Pleasant to work with."

Emerging from the building, the blonde woman, surrounded by her subordinates, got into a black luxury car. The convoy quickly left the brightly lit city center and headed towards their lodgings.

A burly man with a similar scar on his face nodded to his superior after listening to the conversation on the walkie-talkie.

"Captain, they're not following us. It seems they're still following the rules."

Balalaika shrugs:

"They're smart. The scouts said they had two snipers lying in ambush in the building across the street. I thought they were up to no good."

"They're probably scared, right? After all, we have a history of this... Last time, we were nominally invited by the Washi-mine Group, but we ended up killing them. After that, Kasuna wanted to negotiate with us, but we killed her too... They're worried that we're a bunch of warmongers, which is why they chose to hold the meeting in the city center."

"Ah……"

The Russian leader smiled.

"These guys in black aren't just the same group of low-level street thugs from last time... Boris, you should have realized that by now, right?"

"what……"

The adjutant nodded.

"Although most of them are just ordinary people who have received some training... the leaders... do have a dangerous aura. However, they don't seem like soldiers, but rather like... well-trained NOC members who have killed many people, or professional assassins."

"Hmph, hyenas lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike, are deadly and dangerous, but they lack the physique and strength to openly snatch meat from a lion's mouth... No wonder they've hired us war dogs to do this..."

Balalaika watched the street scene rushing past outside, rested one hand on the car window, and rubbed her temples while brushing her hair aside.

"I don't know how the headquarters in Moscow got involved with these people... and sent us over again... Hmph, good military dogs should be used to the fullest extent, that's our greatest value..."

"At least compared to last time, headquarters hasn't treated us too badly this time."

"Be careful, Boris."

Balalaika said.

"I have a bad feeling... Also, have Laptev investigate as much as possible about who this Machima, whom these people are so desperate to kill, really is. I don't believe that a little girl could terrify these black hyenas so much that they're both trembling with fear and hating her to death..."

"Moscow...hotel?"

Makima had just finished her business when Shiho shoved her out of the room with a pillow, only to hear Tamiya Ryoko's report.