Chapter 1068: My Stance is Skewed Yet Again
The group didn't chat for long. Odagiri Toshiya was pulled away by someone, and neither Chi Feichi nor Suzuki Sonoko stayed for long, bidding their farewells early.
Rena Mizunashi (Kir) chatted with Yoko Okino and Morizono Kikuto for a little while longer before also taking her leave, using the excuse of needing to confirm the content for tomorrow's interview.
Arriving at the parking lot alone, the drop in temperature on the underground level sobered Rena Mizunashi up considerably. She cast aside her lighthearted and cheerful mood, got into her car, and took out her mobile phone to send an email stating that she had left the banquet, only then driving away.
Midway, a phone call came in.
Taking advantage of the moment she stopped at a red light, Rena Mizunashi glanced at her mobile phone and answered the call.
"Gin?"
The voice on the other end was sinister.
"Kir, did you go to the THK Company's banquet earlier?"
"Yes, because their President is the son of the Criminal Investigation Department's Chief. I've already reported it to The Boss."
"Find a way to get an invitation letter to their company's grand banquet in two months. It shouldn't be a problem, right? That guy Domon will be there too, so it might come in handy."
"I should be able to get one invitation letter," Rena Mizunashi lowered her eyes slightly. "Should I help get a few more?"
An itinerary like Domon Kouki attending a banquet was definitely a top secret; even THK Company probably couldn't confirm it yet. The Organization was truly something else.
"There's no need for now. The security arrangements for that kind of banquet will be very strict. Making a move there is not a wise choice," Gin said. "This is just to create an opportunity to make contact with him first. I'll tell you what you need to do specifically when the time comes."
"Okay."
Hearing the call end, Rena Mizunashi drove home.
Not far away, in front of an abandoned building on a silent street, two cars were parked at the roadside, one behind the other.
Gin put away his mobile phone and looked at Chi Feichi, who stood aside in a change of clothes and a black baseball cap. "It seems Kir doesn't suspect your identity. However, The Boss still intends to have someone monitor her movements for a while. She'll probably assume it's because she had contact with Odagiri Toshiya, or that it's a security check before an action. She won't get suspicious. Now then... can it be confirmed? Domon's itinerary."
"He personally called to talk about it. The stir "Geisha" has caused is too great, and quite a few councilors are interested," Chi Feichi said calmly. "Barring any accidents, it can be confirmed."
Vodka let out a cold laugh. "After all, it's a good thing for cultural dissemination. The video's popularity in America is also constantly on the rise. It's not strange that those politicians are interested. Otherwise, it would indeed be troublesome for those councilors to schedule a meeting. Even with a legitimate reason, he's hard to get close to, let alone have a private, face-to-face chat."
"Hmph... It's not that troublesome. There are plenty of opportunities to pass information to him," Gin said, then looked at Chi Feichi again. "In a while, Kir will be going abroad. After she returns, there will be two opportunities to contact Domon. If those don't work, we'll have her go to the banquet."
Chi Feichi nodded.
It was best not to involve THK Company.
Although he could also guarantee that even if Rena Mizunashi used THK Company's banquet to contact Domon Kouki, no one would think there was anything wrong with THK Company.
Just as Vodka said, a video that spreads culture and allows other nations to understand and appreciate Japanese tradition was enough to make most councilors feel it necessary to "show concern and encouragement" to THK Company. It was perfectly reasonable for Domon Kouki to attend the banquet.
As long as there were no major openings to arouse suspicion, the filter in Rena Mizunashi's mind wouldn't shatter so easily.
"We probably won't need to trouble you for help then..." Gin said as he opened the back seat door, took out a bag of oranges, and handed it to Chi Feichi naturally. "Is there any news from Bourbon?"
Vodka looked at the bag of oranges, speechless.
Was the Boss really giving Raki oranges?
Yingqu Yan Nan glanced at the bag of oranges and remained silent, speechless.
These two were really something else...
"He sent an email saying the FBI agents have scattered, but he has locked onto Akai Shuichi and two others operating in Otaru Town. He just needs to make a final confirmation," Chi Feichi took the bag and placed it on the hood of the car. "Although he sent me the general procedure of his investigation, I feel like something's wrong."
"Is there a problem with Bourbon?" Gin asked in a low voice.
"He wasn't too detailed, just that he got a clue from a nursing home near their original stronghold. Someone saw a car suspected to be Akai's a while back. At the time, Akai's companion was talking about fuel consumption and was overheard. He locked onto Otaru Town, not far from Beihu Town, suspecting another FBI stronghold was there, one not on our previous intel, so he went to check," Chi Feichi organized his thoughts, speaking very slowly. "Afterwards, he pretended to be working in the vicinity and did indeed find traces of Akai. He also managed to get some information out of the locals; other people have seen Akai Shuichi. In two days, when Jodie is discharged from the hospital, he will find another way to confirm..."
"That guy has always been secretive," Gin took out a cigarette, bit down on it, and lit it, a trace of impatience in his eyes. "Although his intelligence has been accurate so far, if we really get used to trusting his intel, it would be ridiculously easy for him to set a trap somewhere!"
Chi Feichi took an orange from the bag and lowered his head to peel it.
In this investigation, Amuro Toru probably hadn't pulled any tricks. The reason he was hiding his investigation plan and progress was likely to free up his hands to do some work for the Public Security.
In other words, Amuro Toru was indeed aiming to find Akai Shuichi's whereabouts.
But he just felt that something was wrong.
Feimo's intelligence network was primarily established in Beika Town and Beihu Town. Although it existed in other places, the surveillance was not as strong as in these two areas. Akai Shuichi seemed to be genuinely planning to hide; he hadn't gone to see Jodie, and he probably wore a hat and scarf when he went out. He also wasn't driving his own car, so the Crows hadn't reacquired a lock on him.
Since he couldn't get confirmation from Feimo, he would have to find the reason why things felt wrong himself.
"Gin, do you suspect there's a problem with Bourbon?" Yingqu Yan Nan asked casually.
"Hard to say," Gin replied. "I just hate that secretive attitude!"
Chi Feichi, still peeling the orange with his head down, suddenly spoke up. "The FBI was spooked by the Organization's intelligence personnel and relocated their stronghold to hide again... In this situation, they should be extremely careful. Would they be locked onto so easily?"
"That guy Bourbon is an expert at searching. He can track them down from the slightest spider silk of a clue," Vodka said with confidence. "It wouldn't be strange for him to find the general location of the FBI's stronghold."
Chi Feichi said no more.
Compared to the Crows of the Feimo Legion, Amuro Toru's advantage was that—as a human—it was easier for him to obtain information from other humans. Additionally, his reasoning ability was stronger than that of the Crows.
But the Crows could conduct aerial searches, and landing on a window of some house wouldn't attract attention. They had their own advantages that Amuro Toru lacked.
Even if Amuro Toru was a step ahead, the Feimo side shouldn't be completely without a clue.
In other words…
The clue was most likely released intentionally by Akai Shuichi.
Gin also thought of this. "You suspect Akai intentionally released a false clue?"
"Then what's the purpose?" Yingqu Yan Nan raised a question. "A group of guys who committed illegal immigration, they can't possibly be thinking of catching us all in one net, right? If things blow up, it won't end well for them either."
Chi Feichi raised his eyes and met Gin's gaze.
If they followed normal procedure, after Amuro Toru provided the intelligence, the Organization would still send people to confirm it.
As long as they set up surveillance points or miniature cameras in Otaru Town, they could screen the suspiciously acting people one by one and identify those sent by the Organization.
Right... The FBI's purpose wasn't to set a trap to wipe them out, but to obtain information on more Organization members!
And as long as they locked onto one or two people in Otaru Town, it would be like aiming for a corner of a fishing net. They could follow the string to the rest of the large net and would also be able to sense when that net was cast somewhere.
He knew that the FBI had already locked onto Rena Mizunashi, but after discovering the Organization was investigating them, the FBI group seemed to feel they hadn't locked onto enough targets. They could use this opportunity to obtain more things to judge the Organization's trajectory.
"What's your plan?" Gin asked.
"Turn the tables on them," Chi Feichi placed the peeled orange on the bag and began sending an email with his mobile phone. "I'll let Rum know. No need to send anyone to Otaru Town to confirm. The place to go is..."
Gin reacted instantly. "Ryokudai!"
Chi Feichi mentally agreed with Gin's answer.
For a false clue to be deceptive, it is often mixed with real clues.
The initial clue was 'fuel consumption', obtained in Beihu Town.
And near Beihu Town, if sorted by distance, the order would be:
Ryokudai—Mihua—Beika—Sawafukuro—Otaru.
The two places, Ryokudai and Otaru, were roughly the same distance from Beihu Town, and in terms of route, the fuel consumption would be similar.
If it wasn't Otaru, then the possibility of Akai Shuichi being in Ryokudai was very high.
Regardless, they couldn't just casually send people to Otaru. Even if they did, it would have to be a smoke bomb for the FBI. The place they really needed to send personnel to investigate was Ryokudai.
Although he didn't know on what basis Amuro Toru had determined the location was 'Otaru', his intuition told him Akai Shuichi was in Ryokudai.
Gin didn't know it, but he was very clear—the place Akai Shuichi really wanted to get close to was Beika Town.
In any case, sending people to investigate Ryokudai wouldn't result in any losses, and it would also allow him to confirm his speculation.
If Akai Shuichi's new stronghold was in Ryokudai, then they could formulate an action plan.
Rushing headfirst into a place someone else had already set up was not a wise move, and the Organization wouldn't do it.
Therefore, the entire plan against Akai Shuichi wasn't to "find them and kill them," but to lock onto the FBI's stronghold and whereabouts, then create an opportunity to lure them out. The moment those people moved, the intelligence personnel would track and investigate the FBI's arrangements. Once they figured out the FBI's plan, they would set their own scheme for a fatal strike.
It was just like that time with Belmode. After confirming Jodie's identity and knowing the FBI had locked onto her, she remained unfazed. Instead, she investigated the other party's plan. When the FBI was setting up an ambush at the wharf, she disguised herself as Jodie, diverted everyone, and then lured Jodie over to be dealt with.
When the time came, Rum would create an opportunity to lure out Akai Shuichi's group, allowing the people who had infiltrated Ryokudai to observe the FBI's arrangements. They would fight with intelligence on their side...
Wait…
His, his stance seemed to be skewed again.
And this time, it was a little serious.
Before long, Gin would be off to kill Mori Kogoro. If they scared off Akai Shuichi's group, wouldn't his Teacher be done for?
Ahem, he believed Akai Shuichi could handle it.
If it really didn't work out, he would think of another way.
Although he had a feeling of 'setting up a scheme to fight myself', he really wanted to have a friendly spar with Akai Shuichi...
Causing trouble always comes with risks.
(End of Chapter)