Isn't it very scientific to use the Death Note to kill people?

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His voice lowered, carrying an indescribable heaviness and a hint of barely perceptible sorrow:

"What I can't accept is why it had to be you, Hayashi Yoshiki!"

"..."

"When you first joined this detective agency, seeing you stick to your principles while also helping Kaori Shinna find her missing father... I thought to myself, this country is so lucky to have such an outstanding junior like you! I was already considering whether to recommend you to the Public Security Bureau... But what do you think you are? An omnipotent martyr? Bearing all this filth alone, following Gin around in places I don't know, on orders from above, planning those damn accidents, endlessly repeating the cycle of murder, murder, murder, murder!?"

His questioning was no longer about stance, but about the person in front of him as a whole:

"What makes you think you need to do this and that you can handle it all by yourself? What makes you think it can't be me—" He had to calm his breathing a little, "or rather, that I shouldn't know?!"

The root of Amuro Tooru's anger is very clear.

What echoed in his chest at this moment was a sense of powerlessness of being excluded, a sense of defeat and regret of watching his trusted "junior" jump into the fire pit alone while he was completely unaware and even enjoying the other's secret protection.

Lin Jiashu looked at him in surprise.

He gradually composed himself, his eyes still open and honest, yet tinged with an indescribable complexity. He didn't answer immediately, but simply watched the turbulent emotions swirling in Amuro Tooru's eyes—emotions that weren't anger but rather a deep, agitated frustration.

The office still maintained a tranquil atmosphere.

Although the computer next to them started beeping with an untimely notification of a new email, no one paid any attention at the moment.

After a while,

"The tea is almost cold."

Lin Jiashu reached out and picked up the teacup on the table.

"Lin Jiashu!"

"But some roads are destined to be walked alone to the end, senior."

"..."

Lin Jiashu looked at him with a calm and composed gaze.

Amuro Tooru stood there, looking at Hayashi Yoshiki's face, which showed no emotion other than resolute determination. The churning frustration in his chest did not dissipate; instead, it became even more intense. He understood the darkness of the nation, the necessity of the mission, and even Hayashi Yoshiki's choice. But what he could not let go of was that this gentle "junior" whom he had always regarded as someone who needed care, had, in places he could not see, shouldered such a heavy and dark burden alone.

In the end, he didn't say anything, just clicked his tongue in annoyance and sat back down in his seat.

Don't expect me to agree with your methods!

"Of course, senior."

"And what about Curaçao?"

"She's the nail I've driven into Rum's heart. Don't worry, she's reliable."

Anticipating that Amuro Tooru would probably ask him what he had done, Hayashi Yoshiki didn't wait for him to ask and immediately brought up another topic: "Do you remember that twilight villa we explored before?"

"That mansion built with gold, right?"

“Ah, according to my investigation, its former owner, Karasuma Renya…” Under Amuro Tooru’s puzzled expression, Hayashi Yoshiki said something that made his face change drastically: “He is very likely the mastermind behind the Black Organization.”

"...Where did you get this information!?"

“When I left that villa and returned to Beika Town, Gin said to me, ‘Well done.’ After that, I investigated some information about Karasuma Renya and did some tests. I can basically confirm that the person in charge behind the scenes is him… or someone related to him.”

"If it were him, he would be 142 years old now..."

Hayashi Yoshiki didn't specify what test he did, but Amuro Tooru also thought he wouldn't make things up... And as he spoke, he thought of APTX4869, which Hayashi Yoshiki had mentioned not long ago.

Amuro Tooru's eyes suddenly sharpened: "Have you reported this information to your superiors?"

"No... because the information was too shocking, and I was also worried that the news that Karasuma Renya might be alive would provoke those important figures, so I did not report it."

"Then let's keep this to ourselves for now."

Amuro Tooru also agreed with Hayashi Yoshiki's statement.

Now that it is known that some people in the upper echelons are so greedy, revealing Karasuma Renya's advanced age under these circumstances might drive those aging big shots crazy.

Lin Jiashu did not reveal any further information.

Amuro Tooru was silently processing the information he had just received... He then ran to his computer to deal with the email that had just been sent to him.

Seeing him typing away on the keyboard after finishing his task, Lin Jiashu knew without guessing that he was searching for information related to Karasuma Renya.

He looked out the window and smiled quietly.

Time seems to be moving a little slowly.

It wasn't until evening that Koshimizu Nanatsuki returned after finishing her task.

"How's the commission going?"

Amuro Toru smiled at her as if nothing had happened.

"It's all settled. It was just a simple case of deciphering a code to find a lost item."

Looking for lost items?

Lin Jiashu was at a loss for words when he heard this. Why didn't the person who found the lost item return it directly, but instead created a code to let people find it themselves?

Lin Jiashu immediately looked at Amuro Tooru.

The latter still had a smile on his face, without the slightest hint of guilt: "Well then, how about we have pizza together tonight to celebrate me coming back to work?"

"Oh, I can."

"What's the boss's opinion?"

Koshimizu Nanatsuki's gaze met Amuro Tooru's, and Hayashi Yoshiki simply returned the glance with a smile.

"If Mr. Amuro were to treat me to a meal."

"If I'm suggesting it, then of course I'll treat you. I'll call and order takeout now."

As a "senior," he addressed the boss quite naturally when required.

"I want double cheese."

"Oh, and for drinks, please order me ginger ale!"

Chapter 20: He behaved very gentlemanly

The Tokyo night rain curtain isolated the silver Mercedes-Benz, making it appear as a moving island.

The windshield wipers stubbornly traced two fan-shaped lines on the windshield, while the neon lights outside the window were blurred into hazy halos by the moisture.

The torrential rain on the way home can sometimes make people unconsciously irritable, but James Black's outward calm masked an undercurrent of anxiety.

Judy has been acting a bit strange lately.

Although she concealed it well, James Black still noticed some of her subconscious defensive behaviors in the details.

Did she notice anything?

The halo of the red light ahead was blurred in the rain, but became clear again the next second as the wipers worked. James couldn't help but push up his glasses.

He carefully reviewed his behavior over the past few days and thought he shouldn't have given anything away.

Or was there something she overlooked that made Judy realize something was wrong?

Thinking back to when Judy's parents were murdered, and I went to investigate and brought her back to the FBI, she was still a very lovely child...

Later, when she offered to join the FBI to track down the Black Organization and avenge her family as a condition for accepting the witness protection program, James began to intentionally groom her.

Twenty years have passed.

Despite his own internal struggles, James Black was not entirely without affection for Judy Starling, whom he had watched grow up.

but……

He leaned back in the seat, his well-fitting black suit revealing the stiffness in his shoulders and back. The rearview mirror reflected a deeply lined face—he was already an old man with silver hair and beard.

Aging is truly a detestable thing.

Especially when you realize that your energy and physical condition are declining...

His grey-green eyes were fixed on the phone, which emitted a ghostly blue light. The communication interface displayed a series of constantly changing, encrypted messages that ultimately pointed to nothingness.

"Rum".

James's voice rang out, calm and composed.

And from the receiver came a processed sound, like the rubbing of metal sandpaper:

"What's the matter?"

"The spy list your man, codenamed Curaçao, obtained from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department." James didn't bother with pleasantries with Rum; he went straight to his point. "Give me a copy of the list too."

"It's just a list to help with an internal cleanup within our organization. Are you interested in this?"

"Don't joke around. The scope of this list goes far beyond your so-called 'internal purge.' The individuals involved have touched the nerves of intelligence agencies in multiple countries. Don't think I don't know the value of this list."

James had no interest in beating around the bush with Ron, and his tone carried an unquestionable air.

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, broken only by the hissing sound of an electric current simulating a voice changer; Rum was clearly weighing his options.

"Sharing..." He hesitated for a moment, "It's not impossible, but you have to understand that I took a great risk to obtain this list, and its value is just as you just said..."

"Don't just focus on what's in front of you, Rum. Don't forget our goal."

"Hehehe"

"The core of our cooperation is still the search for 'that gentleman'. Finding him is the most important part of our cooperation."

"But you haven't given me anything yet."

Do you think I'm not doing anything?

"I just wish you could hurry up."

"Don't be so impatient, I need the list now."

"……All right."

Rum finally relented, "I'll send you the list later, but I hope you can bring it to me soon and we can stay in touch."

Communication abruptly stopped.

The car was instantly filled with deeper darkness and the annoying sound of rain.

James Black tossed his phone aside.

The list of spies gathered by Japan was extremely valuable, but he also knew that the version Rum would send would be a vetted one—their cooperation was nothing more than mutual exploitation, each taking what they needed before reaching their desired outcome.

at the same time

In a secluded room protected by heavy electronic barriers and physical security, Rum's burly figure sat in a large, high-backed chair, almost completely enveloped by shadows. His single, intact eye gleamed with a cold, eerie light in the dim light as he casually placed his cell phone, which he had just ended a call on, on the table.

For him, working with James Black has always been a pleasant experience.

Moreover, cooperation is absolutely necessary.

The core issue now is finding traces of the gentleman who has disappeared.

Although Rum was the organization's second-in-command, he dared not openly seek out Karasuma Renya, otherwise he would surely be dealt with by Karasuma Renya if this behavior were discovered.

If the FBI were to handle this, there would be no such concern.

Next up is Gin.

That loyal dog who only obeys Karasuma Renya, I can also get rid of him with the help of the FBI when necessary.

Thinking of this, Rum sent out another message.

After a while,

"Lord Rum."

Curaçao walked in from outside the door, her voice calm and steady, without a trace of emotion.

Rum scrutinized her with his single eye:

"I saw from the report that you had contact with Cointreau during this operation... So, what did he say to you on the day you lost your memory?"

"Nothing special. He behaved very gentlemanly, just like the famous detective in the public eye."

"Didn't he show you any particular attention?"

"No."