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

Naomi Algent, whose hands and feet were also bound, stared blankly at her face.

"I already told you I don't know Shiho Miyano."

Ai Haibara has recognized the other party's identity as the developer of the cross-age tracking system, but she will never admit her true identity under any circumstances—if it really comes to that, she will definitely implicate Jundo.

That said, where exactly is Cointreau...?

They left on their own early in the morning. Did they actually leave Hachijojima?

If he really did leave Hachijojima for some reason and wasn't involved, that would be wonderful.

The girl's eyes unconsciously showed worry.

Naomi Algent continued to look at her with a nostalgic gaze, and finally she smiled bitterly and said, "That's right, Shiho couldn't possibly have a child this big..." She added with emotion, "But when I first met her, she looked exactly like you."

"You've met him before?" Ai Haibara asked in surprise. "Where?"

She felt a sense of familiarity with the other person's face from the very beginning, but she couldn't quite place it.

Naomi Algent didn't hide anything either.

She explained that she grew up in the United States, and because Asian faces were relatively rare there, she was often bullied by her classmates during that time... and the person who protected her from the bullying was Shiho Miyano.

However, after that, the target of bullying changed from Naomi to her, and Naomi was too scared to help her. Because she felt guilty about this, she hoped to eliminate racial discrimination in society when she grew up and also wanted to see Shiho again. So she developed a cross-race and age recognition system and tested it with Shiho Miyano's photo.

The system was indeed successful in finding people; at least she successfully found traces of Shiho Miyano's previous life. However, Naomi Algent couldn't understand why the cross-age recognition system showed the existence of Ai Haibara.

"I'm sorry... I don't know why you look so much like Shiho, but it's true that I dragged you into this."

Naomi Algent was speaking when she suddenly heard the sound of the hatch opening outside the room.

quickly,

The heavy hatch was opened, and Vermouth's gaze made Naomi Algent shrink back nervously.

The moment Ai Haibara recognized Vermouth, her pupils contracted sharply, gripped by immense fear. She instinctively pursed her lips, but dared not let out a tremor.

...If she makes it too obvious, it will be easier for people to identify her as Sulli.

But if Gin were in front of her, she probably wouldn't be able to hide it from him.

Ignoring Ai Haibara's horrified gaze, Vermouth walked straight toward Naomi Algent.

"Did you sleep well, Naomi-san?"

"...What...what exactly is your purpose?"

"Isn't it obvious? The cross-age recognition system you developed is extremely valuable to us. The organization needs your talent, so we hope you can help us further improve this system."

"What does that have to do with the child?!"

"You don't need to know that. Alright, although I don't think you'll be willing to give in, I'll ask for your answer anyway."

"..."

Faced with her condescending gaze, Naomi stubbornly turned her head away, unwilling to answer.

Vermouth wasn't angry. She leaned down, reached out and pinched Naomi's chin, forcing her to look up and face her.

The woman's eyes held a menacing quality.

Just as Naomi thought the other party was about to threaten or even torture her further, Vermouth, taking advantage of her close proximity, spoke quickly and clearly in an extremely low voice that only the two of them could hear:

“You claimed you were completely unaware of the test photo in your necklace, but you didn’t put this photo in the first place.”

Naomi's eyes widened instantly as she stared incredulously at Vermouth, who was standing right next to her.

What did this woman mean by that?

Was he... teaching her to "get away with it"?

Vermouth released her hand as soon as she finished speaking, as if the whispers had been an illusion.

She straightened up, reverting to her alluring yet dangerous demeanor. Her gaze seemed to casually sweep over the stiff Ai Haibara beside her, a cryptic smile playing on her lips. Then she turned and left the room, locking the door behind her.

Silence returned to the cabin, leaving only Naomi with turbulent emotions and uncertainties.

"...What did she say to you?"

Haibara Ai, still reeling from the fear, took a long time to recover. She managed to stop her heart from pounding and asked Naomi for a question.

Looking at the innocent child who had been dragged into this mess, Naomi, who was also somewhat flustered, whispered what the other person had to say.

Ai Haibara was immediately taken aback.

Her heart was racing, and an absurd yet faintly hopeful thought surfaced in her mind—could it be Vermouth…?

No, not possible!

She immediately dismissed the idea.

The people in the organization, especially Vermouth, could never have had good intentions.

Does she have some other scheme in mind?

But what exactly did that look in his eyes, that whisper, mean?

"...Let's do as she says."

After a long pause to come up with an answer, Ai Haibara could only say this in the end.

At least Vermouth's statement wouldn't make things worse; she had no other plans and no other room to fall.

Meanwhile, Vodka, who was in the control room, saw Vermouth come out and immediately leaned closer to her and whispered:

"Vermouth, what do you think? Can you tell the difference?"

The other person just smiled and said, "You do look very similar to Sherry."

"...Can't you just give me a straight answer?"

"Wouldn't it be clear once Gin comes to see for himself?"

"..."

No wonder my brother is so fed up with these mystics!

Chapter 84: Gin's Laughter of Anger

at dusk,

Over the Pacific Ocean, the roar of armed helicopter rotors grew louder as they approached, breaking the tranquility of the clouds.

Gin, sitting in the back, looked down at the sea through the porthole with a cold gaze.

It's getting closer and closer.

Cointreau...!

Suppressing his murderous intent and rare anxiety deep within, Gin waited for the distance between them to close.

Meanwhile, inside the submarine.

Vodka rudely opened the hatch where Ai Haibara and Naomi Argent were being held.

He ignored Ai Haibara, who was huddled in the corner with a wary and fearful look in her eyes, and walked straight toward Naomi Algent.

"Hey woman, have you thought it through? Do you want to improve the system for us?"

Vodka grinned, his tone carrying an undisguised threat.

Naomi Algent bit her lower lip tightly and shook her head stubbornly: "I refuse!"

"Tch! You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!"

Vodka spat impatiently, strode forward, grabbed Naomi's arm, and roughly dragged her out of the room amidst her panicked reaction.

"What are you doing?! No—"

Naomi struggled, but the difference in strength was too great, and she could only be dragged along by him, staggering.

Vodka dragged her to the computer in the main control area, pressed her head down to look at the screen—which displayed a picture of Naomi Algente's father, Mario Arguito.

"Take a look at this."

"Dad!?" Naomi's pupils constricted, and she exclaimed in shock, "You... what do you want to do to my father!?"

"With a brain as sharp as yours, you should be able to guess it, right?"

Vodka grinned maliciously, enjoying the sight of the other man's face instantly drain of color in terror.

Realizing that the other party was trying to threaten her, Naomi trembled all over. Helpless, her voice involuntarily trembled with tears: "My father... he wanted to use that system to achieve world peace!"

"Oh? So you're really going to stand by and watch your great father die?" Vodka sneered, his words coiling like venomous snakes. "Your daughter is truly heartless!"

Naomi's tears finally broke free, but she still stubbornly shook her head: "I...I will absolutely not hand over the system to people like you!"

“Then just wait and see—” Vodka’s voice was icy cold. “Thanks to the system you created, we were able to easily find your father’s trail. After dealing with your father, it’ll be your mother’s turn… Before that, you’d better think this through!”

Vodka had seen plenty of guys like this who wouldn't admit defeat until they were faced with a fatal blow. He simply shoved the woman, causing her to lose her balance and collapse to the ground.

The immense fear and helplessness nearly consumed her.

Just then, a staff member from the submarine's back-end reported: "Sir Vodka, the helicopter is about to reach the designated position. Should we surface now?"

"Big Brother is almost here!"

Vodka perked up and immediately ordered, "Surface immediately!"

He subconsciously looked at Lin Jiashu, who had been sitting quietly to the side.

Throughout the entire process from when Naomi Algent was dragged out to when she was threatened, he didn't even lift an eyelid.

Vermouth stood up too, glancing at the time on her phone: "Is it finally almost here?"

Rena Mizunashi silently retreated to a corner a little further away, watching Naomi, who was still slumped there, sobbing softly, her knuckles turning slightly white—her father had also died because of this organization, in front of her, at her hands.

The submarine began to slowly rise to the surface.

Inside the cabin, you can feel a slight lifting sensation.

On the sea, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the surface a golden red, and the black submarine, like a giant whale, gradually rose to the surface, bringing with it surging waves.

The propellers roared high in the sky.

An armed helicopter hovered above the submarine, and after the hatch opened, ropes were lowered.

Gin, with one hand holding down his black top hat that was almost swept away by the gale, stepped on the foot pedals and nimbly slid down the rappelling rope, landing steadily on the cold bridge of the submarine.

He ignored the sea breeze and walked straight to the entrance, his figure exuding a chilling aura.

The sound of leather shoes rapidly descending the ladder echoed inside the submarine. When Gin finally arrived inside and stood in the corridor, Vodka and Kiel were already standing to one side.

"We've been waiting for you, brother." Vodka quickly stepped forward.

Gin's cold green eyes swept over them, and without any pleasantries, he asked directly, "Where is Jundo?"

"He still hasn't done anything, and now Vermouth is watching him."

“Take me to see him.”

Gin got straight to the point, striding towards the control room.

Inside the control room, Lin Jiashu remained seated in his original position, but the book in his hand was now closed and casually placed aside.

Vermouth stood a short distance away, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

When Gin's tall figure appeared at the door, the air in the entire space seemed to freeze, and his cold eyes immediately locked onto Hayashi Yoshiki.

"Thank you for your hard work, coming all this way."

Lin Jiashu greeted him.

Gin, standing there with his hands in his pockets, looked down at him, his voice low and dangerous: "Looks like you have nothing to say, Jundo."

"Yes." Lin Jiashu met his gaze calmly, her smile unchanged. "Or are you expecting a certain reaction from me? Like... a panicked explanation or something?"

"Heh." Gin let out a short, cold laugh, no longer looking at him, and instead ordered Vodka, "Go and bring that brat who looks a lot like Sherry over here. I want to see what's going on."

"yes, Sir!"

Vodka immediately responded and turned to walk toward the cell where Ai Haibara was being held.

Vermouth unconsciously sat up.