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

Lin Jiashu listened quietly, his face still wearing that gentle yet aloof mask.

Finally, he smiled.

"Then I'll accept your kindness for now..."

"I'm really having a headache. How can I make sure this guy doesn't die so easily?"

Upon hearing this, Marume Asahi, who was tied up there, narrowed his terrified eyes even further. He struggled violently, making "woo-woo" sounds through his gagged mouth.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

I didn't finish writing last night, so I'm sorry for the delay.

Chapter 71: A Conversation with Gin, and a Prank

Late night

In the dimly lit bar booths, the noisy chatter of customers in the front row cheering and applauding the resident singer on the bar could be faintly heard.

Lin Jiashu's phone screen lit up at that moment.

He opened a video he had just received in his email.

The video shows Marume Asahi lying on the ground like a dead dog, his face and body covered in bruises and bleeding wounds, one arm twisted to an aggrieved degree, and his blood-stained face mumbling and begging for mercy at the camera.

"...Please let me go...I know I was wrong...Please—"

Before he could finish pleading for mercy, a foot in a leather shoe suddenly kicked out from off-screen, violently striking his face and shoving the rest of his words and a few teeth back into his throat, leaving only painful whimpers.

A hand grabbed his hair and lifted him up.

The agonizing screams suddenly became even more devastating.

"Oh"

Gin's mocking laughter came from the side.

Although he didn't look at the video on Lin Jiashu's phone, he could roughly guess what it was just from the sound.

"I really don't know when you developed such a tasteless hobby. It's amazing that you can be attracted to this kind of trashy, dying struggle."

Lin Jiashu long-pressed the screen and deleted the video he had just received.

He still wore a calm smile.

"That's a huge underestimation of me, Gin."

Gin chuckled.

He didn't dwell on the topic. He shifted his gaze from the resident singer on the distant stage to Lin Jiashu: "Enough with the nonsense, what do you want to talk to me about?"

Tonight was a rare occasion for Jundu to take the initiative to ask him to talk, and he specifically requested that the two of them speak alone.

That's quite unusual.

He had previously learned from Vermouth that Rum had sent Curaçao to contact Coindus, and that Coindus had kept this a secret. This was like a small thorn in his side. Although he wouldn't turn against Coindus because of it, he was certainly annoyed.

In fact, even if Cointreau really did "jump ship", Gin would most likely not directly intend to kill him.

After all, in theory, everyone is working for the organization.

However, this feeling of being "betrayed" would infuriate him.

Lin Jiashu did not answer directly.

He operated his phone for a moment, and soon a recording was played.

"Come work for me, Cointreau! Your talents are better suited for the intelligence team!"

"You have a much brighter future with me than you do under Gin. Gin only knows how to destroy and eliminate, but intelligence... is the real key to controlling everything. The intelligence team's secrecy, combined with the vast intelligence network I can mobilize, will allow you to maximize your talents."

Gin just listened until the entire recording finished playing.

He took out a cigarette case from his pocket, lit one, and put it in his mouth.

The grayish-white smoke rose in wisps, blurring his cold expression.

After a while,

He then spoke mockingly, "You have to be careful when talking to someone like you, because you never know when you might betray you."

"We're even."

Lin Jiashu chuckled, "Do you think Rum invited me to that building without leaving any backup plan? The simplest and most effective way would be to place a hidden camera there and film me showing up there to accept his good intentions in getting rid of Marume Asahi."

At this point, Lin Jiashu paused, then added with a hint of admiration, "But if it were me, I would definitely do the same."

Gin flicked his cigarette ash without commenting.

So what exactly do you want to talk about?

"I just feel that the workplace environment in the organization is too harsh, full of backstabbing and sabotage."

"..." Gin waited for him to continue.

"To be honest, I'm not really interested in the environment in Rum."

Even though Lin Jiashu's voice was drowned out by the singing from the bar, it remained clear.

He picked up his glass and gently swirled the amber liquid inside. "The intelligence group—just the name alone tells you how murky it is... the infighting, and who knows how many rats from all sides are lurking there... Curaçao mentioned that there's a guy in the intelligence group named Binga who seems to have a problem with you, and he doesn't like me either. If I go over there, having to deal with someone like that would be too much trouble."

"The trouble you're referring to is knowing that Rum values ​​Binga highly, so it's difficult to take action against that guy, right?"

Lin Jiashu's smile deepened.

He neither admitted nor denied it, but simply said, "Compared to the other side, the action team is simpler. The objective is clear, and everyone is straightforward."

Gin's brow twitched upon hearing this.

Straight to the point... Coindus probably wasn't referring to Vodka and Chianti, those idiots... After all, in Coindus's opinion, those guys' brains are completely unwrinkled.

"However, I am not entirely uninterested in the intelligence group's capabilities."

Lin Jiashu suddenly changed the subject.

Gin's dark green pupils suddenly narrowed as he stared intently at Yoshiki Hayashi's face, his voice becoming low and dangerous: "What exactly do you want, Jundo?"

"Your tolerance for Rum seems to be even greater than I imagined."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating cold ripples in Gin's eyes. His aura suddenly became chilling, and his killing intent almost solidified.

He could almost guess what Lin Jiashu was going to say.

However, Lin Jiashu seemed oblivious to the piercing gaze that seemed to penetrate him, and continued with a smile:

"Rum has tested your limits time and time again, whether it's recruiting your men or secretly supporting that idiot named Binga to compete with you... and you seem to have done little more than occasionally take out a few troublesome intelligence group bastards during missions as a form of retaliation."

He looked at Gin, the emotion in his eyes particularly jarring to Gin: "Compared to Rum's meticulous planning, you seem to be much more passive."

What Lin Jiashu said is indeed true.

—Compared to Rum, Gin is much more passive.

He doesn't seem to actively seek trouble with Rum. At most, he'll do what he did in the original story—planting a bomb without warning during the Mysterious Train incident without informing Amuro Tooru and Vermouth. Aside from that, he'll kill Binga whenever he has the chance.

"so"

Gin's voice was chillingly cold, "You want to incite me to fight Rum?"

"provoke?"

Yoshiki Hayashi seemed amused by Gin's comment.

“It is true that some people in society can develop feelings of dislike for each other because of a few words from others, which can then lead to conflict.”

"But it would be too ridiculous to say that something like that happened to you."

"Whether it's you or Rum, if a conflict of that magnitude really breaks out, it will be the result of careful consideration. If I can really make you waver with just a few words, then it proves that what I said is indeed serious enough, and you will have even less reason to refuse to communicate with me."

Lin Jiashu leaned forward slightly.

He gave a clear smile: "Let me start with something interesting. Rum's statement, 'This should be the first time I've spoken directly to you, Cointreau,' is a lie."

“…” Gin’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Actually, I had met him before and we talked quite a bit."

Hayashi Yoshiki said cheerfully, "Wakita Kanenori—the one-eyed helper at the Iroha Sushi restaurant near the Mori Detective Agency."

Gin's expression became quite amusing upon hearing the name.

—It was rare for Lin Jiashu to see such obvious astonishment on his face.

Gin knew that Rum was using the alias Wakita Kanenori to infiltrate the sushi restaurant, and he commented that "that guy just changed to a made-up name." But Rum's disguise and what he did should have been an absolute secret to Cointreau!

When and how did this guy find out Rum's true identity so quietly?!

Moreover, judging from Rum's attitude today, he is clearly unaware that Cointreau knows his identity...

"Rum is a very ambitious man, and you and I both know that. I'm just curious why someone who has already risen to the position of the organization's number two would still go to such lengths to cultivate his own faction and spare no effort in excluding and suppressing those who are not his direct subordinates... So do you think his ultimate goal will be to stop at just being the second-in-command?"

"..."

Gin did not answer, but his eyes remained unfathomable.

Of course he knew the answer.

Rum is ambitious... He figured that out a long time ago.

In fact, Gin had already given that gentleman a veiled warning about the matter, but the gentleman did not respond, perhaps because he had his own reasons.

"It seems you are quite interested in his intelligence group," he sneered. "But Rum won't fall without clear instructions from the Boss."

"So I didn't intend to advise you to do anything, it was just a simple exchange."

Lin Jiashu also laughed.

After all, the distillery wasn't a proper organization, so Lin Jiashu's disrespectful words to the second-in-command wouldn't provoke Gin's hostility or thoughts of cleaning house... Ultimately, he had also had a grudge against Rum for a long time.

It's just that the gentleman hasn't said a word.

Gin seemed to have lost interest in continuing the conversation.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and rubbed it in his mouth.

Lin Jiashu only stayed for a short while before leaving the bar.

As he went outside, he saw Vodka standing outside Gin's Porsche, casually scrolling through videos of his idol's concert on his phone.

"You're really engrossed."

"Cointreau?" Volt quickly put down his phone and looked up. "Have you finished talking with your brother?"

"Okay, we're done talking. You can go in now."

"Ok."

Watching Lin Jiashu walk towards his car, Vodka added, "Then drive slowly, be careful there might be a DUI checkpoint ahead."

"..."

A simple "Be careful, they check for drunk driving" left Lin Jiashu somewhat at a loss for words.

But actually he didn't drink any.

After Lin Jiashu got into the car and started the engine, he quickly drove away from the street.

Recalling his conversation with Gin, Yoshiki couldn't help but smile.

He certainly didn't expect to provoke a more intense conflict between Gin and Rum with just a few words; it was merely planting a seed.

Instead, he thought of an interesting prank...

Lin Jiashu drove the car to the side of the road and took out a notebook with a black cover from the inside pocket of his coat.

Just as he opened one of the pages and was about to start writing, his phone screen lit up, and a message from an unknown number popped up:

[Marume Asahi has already cleaned up the mess; the police won't find any trace of him.]

Rum's text message.

After all, the police are still searching for him all over the streets. If Marume Asahi's body, which has been subjected to inhuman treatment, is found, even if the police do not suspect Hayashi Yoshiki, it will still be a point of concern.

Lin Jiashu replied with an "OK".

His attention returned to the pages of the Death Note, a playful smile curving his lips. He picked up the pen and smoothly wrote down several unfamiliar names—names of petty thugs active in the Beika Town area that he had collected. He clearly wrote down their time and manner of death: