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

He kept pondering the address.

As the head of the intelligence team, he could sense that Vermouth's behavior was genuine.

That attitude of either not doing anything at all or doing it to the extreme has a very high degree of credibility.

"Lord Rum."

Curaçao, standing beside him, asked in a low voice, "What should we do with Vermouth?"

Rum's thoughts were pulled back. He glanced at the woman on the screen, who always looked so charming but was now in such a sorry state, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Find a safe place and settle her in."

He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable authority, "Take good care of her and make sure she and what's in her belly are safe and sound."

Curaçao nodded without hesitation and replied, "Yes."

A glint of light appeared in Rum's single eye.

Vermouth's value now extends far beyond the intelligence she can provide. As the only remaining perfect case of the Miyano couple's experimental results, will the fetus in her womb inherit some of the drug's properties? Will it become an even more ideal research sample...? This is certainly more attractive to him, who is about to take control of the organization's wealth.

However, the most urgent task is to deal with Karasuma Renya.

His thoughts refocused on the problem.

A direct assault would indeed be the most foolish choice, as Vermouth said.

That old fox has a variety of ways to save his life, and if you alert him, all your previous efforts will be in vain.

So, what should we do?

How to do?

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.

Blindfolded, Vermouth was silently escorted to a new location.

When the blindfold was removed, she found herself in a rather comfortable, even elegantly furnished suite—similar to, or even better than, the environment in which she had imprisoned Naomi Algent.

(really……)

She sneered inwardly, not surprised that she would receive such preferential treatment.

Confirming that her life was not in immediate danger, her tense nerves finally relaxed slightly, but the heaviness in her heart only increased.

Who exactly is it...?

Having finally betrayed Karasuma Renya's information, she now has no way to turn back.

Even worse, even if Karasuma Renya really falls from power, what will be his fate if he is imprisoned by these people of unknown origin?

The thought of the man who had caused her to end up like this made Vermouth grit her teeth in anger.

Cointreau——

That guy had better actually keep his promise!

Amidst her chaotic thoughts, the cold, hard voice of the kidnapper leader interrupted her: "You'd better stay here quietly and not have any improper thoughts. Food and water will be delivered on time."

Vermouth looked up.

"Don't worry, I can't do anything right now, and I'm not interested in you guys." Her voice was a little tired and hoarse, but she still maintained her composure.

Her expression returned to its usual indifference and aloofness, as if her disheveled appearance in the warehouse earlier was a lie.

The leader seemed satisfied with her cooperation and said nothing more. He turned and left the room with a few of his men, the heavy door clicking shut and locking behind him.

But not all the kidnappers left.

Vermouth noticed a figure also dressed in black combat gear and wearing a helmet, standing like a silent statue in the corner of the room. The figure leaned against the wall, seemingly relaxed, yet blocking the best routes to the door and windows.

Surveillance?

Vermouth frowned slightly.

This close surveillance was unexpected and made her very unhappy.

She disliked the feeling of being locked on by an invisible gaze, especially when she couldn't see the other person's eyes. This made it impossible for her to judge the other person's emotions and intentions, and she lacked the most basic information exchange.

A silence lingered in the room for a moment before Vermouth broke it, her tone laced with obvious impatience and sarcasm: "Your companions are all gone, what are you still doing here? Enjoying the prisoners' predicament?"

The kidnapper in the corner did not answer immediately.

Under Vermouth's sharp gaze, he merely tilted his head slightly, the dark visor of his helmet facing her, remaining silent.

This silent response only intensified Vermouth's unease.

A typical guard would either issue a warning or simply ignore it, but this silence, which carries a sense of scrutiny…

Just as she was about to speak again, probing with even sharper language, the kidnapper finally made a move.

The other person did not approach her or issue any warning; instead, they slowly and gracefully raised their hands.

Then, under Vermouth's bewildered gaze, he gripped the bottom edge of the helmet with both hands and gently pulled it up—

The helmet was removed, revealing an incredibly handsome face to Vermouth.

He casually brushed back the ends of his hair, looked at Vermouth with wide eyes, and said with a light smile, "You've had a hard time... I'm really sorry to have made you suffer such an injustice, Vermouth."

"Cointreau...!"

Seeing his nonchalant smile, Vermouth's eyes almost spit fire.

Her chest heaved violently, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

She was convinced that this was all a show from beginning to end, a despicable and shameless act orchestrated by Hayashi Yoshiki in order to pry her out and to find out Karasuma Renya's exact whereabouts!

This guy... he even used their unborn child as a bargaining chip!

Seeing the surging anger and almost tangible hatred in her eyes, Lin Jiashu immediately raised his hands slightly to indicate his innocence:

"Don't wrong me, Vermouth."

His voice was steady, a smile playing on his lips. "If I were to direct and act in this whole charade, I wouldn't have chosen to jump out at this time in this capacity and become so disliked. Otherwise, a more heroic entrance that would leave you utterly grateful would be more in my best interest, wouldn't it?"

Vermouth was taken aback by his blunt words, and her burning anger paused slightly.

Logically speaking, what this guy said is indeed correct. If he only wanted to obtain information, now that he has achieved his goal, there is no need for him to show himself.

Seeing her slightly wavering eyes, Lin Jiashu lowered his hands and smiled, "But I am not entirely innocent either—after all, I had long expected Rum to make a move against you, but I chose to sit idly by."

"Rum...?"

Vermouth was stunned for a moment, but quickly calmed down.

Once she had the answer to the question in her mind, she could deduce the process herself—after Naomi Algent, whom she had been holding captive, was taken away by the FBI, Rum suddenly turned on her and interrogated her about the whereabouts of that man.

After all, Cointreau had revealed that the FBI team leader was Rum's collaborator...

In other words, they have successfully confirmed the man's current situation using Naomi Algent's cross-age tracking system, which is why Rum couldn't sit still any longer?

Thinking of this, Vermouth looked at him as if he were a monster.

This guy...

From the day he placed Naomi Algent under house arrest, had he already planned this all along?

"This is our opportunity."

"An opportunity for Rum to find and deplete Karasuma Renya's last remaining guard."

“I need Rum, this beast, to smash open Karasuma Renya’s hardest shell. All I need to do is follow behind and clean up the mess.”

Lin Jiashu laughed as he said this.

But the next second, Vermouth's words made him look surprised, a rare occurrence. She asked coldly, "So, you just stood by and watched me and the child be in danger?"

"..."

That's really not like her.

Is it due to the influence of pregnancy hormones?

Lin Jiashu looked surprised.

Chapter 108: It's not too late for you to believe me then.

After a brief silence, Lin Jiashu chuckled softly.

"If that were the case, I wouldn't be here."

Lin Jiashu felt that it was understandable that Vermouth was becoming less rational.

After all, the influence of hormones is completely illogical.

He raised his hand, his fingertips gently brushing across her lower abdomen, his movements tender.

“I foresaw that Rum would target you, and I chose to observe for the time being. This is the fastest and most direct way to get you to talk and make you decide to completely betray Karasuma Renya.”

"And this is the only way to get Rum to act as I expect."

Vermouth stiffened slightly, but did not dodge his touch.

Cointreau is right on this point...

If she hadn't been forced to this point, she probably wouldn't have been able to make this decision—she seems to have become weak now.

"Ah……"

She chuckled softly and shook her head: "You managed to infiltrate even Rum's most trusted action team... I really don't understand what you can't do?"

Given Rum's style, when carrying out a mission that concerns his life, fortune, and ambition, he would definitely choose his most trusted and cleanest core subordinates.

However, Jundu managed to blend in like a ghost, completely unnoticed, and even calmly observed everything from the sidelines.

Faced with her words, which were ambiguous in whether they were admiration or sarcasm, Lin Jiashu simply responded with an ambiguous smile.

"Get some rest, Miss Prisoner."

He turned around and picked up the tactical helmet again. "It's safe here. Now, all we have to do is wait patiently... wait for a fireworks display that's been carefully prepared for us."

As he prepared to put his helmet back on and disappear once more into the anonymous armor, Vermouth suddenly spoke, her voice tinged with barely perceptible tension: "Are you sure... Rum can succeed? That gentleman's guards aren't so easy to deal with."

Lin Jiashu paused, holding the helmet in his hand, and turned his head to look back at her, a calm smile curving his lips.

“I understand your anxiety and uncertainty stemming from a lack of confidence, Vermouth. After all, we are facing a situation that feels like walking on thin ice.”

So it doesn't matter.

“You’ve done very well so far. I don’t really need you to do anything extra, so you can just wait and see.”

"Wait until we achieve our goal."

"Wait until the future I create for you, a future that can accommodate the birth of this child, arrives."

"It's not too late for you to believe me then."

As soon as he finished speaking, he put on the helmet steadily, and the dark mask instantly concealed all his expressions.

He then opened the door, his figure disappearing silently into the shadows of the hallway outside.

The heavy door closed again, the latch locked.

Vermouth stood alone in the elegantly decorated but cold and silent suite, slowly raising her hand to cover her still flat stomach.

The drama, written and directed by the other party and starring Rum, with Karasuma Renya's death as its target, has begun. She is both an actress forced onto the stage and an audience member waiting backstage for the outcome.

She walked to the window, where the heavy curtains blocked her view of the outside world.

What's the situation outside right now?

Is Rum's operation about to begin?

And that gentleman... that guy who once cast a shadow over half her life, does he also feel the noose of fate tightening at this moment?

There are no answers to any of the questions.

She could only wait here, relying on that dangerous yet alluring collaborator who had also schemed against her.

"Please don't let me down... Cointreau."

She murmured to herself, her voice blending into the deathly silence of the room.

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.