Inside the office of the drug research base, the lights cast a dim, sickly yellow glow, and the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.
Pisco's face was ashen, the veins on his forehead throbbing faintly. He glared fiercely at Gin and Vodka before him. "What did I tell you two before? Keep a low profile! Did my words go in one ear and out the other?"
"Establishing a drug research base in Tokyo—that's the Boss's order! Instead of staying put in the base, what were you two doing running around outside, causing trouble?"
"Even if you wanted a drink, you could have sent someone to buy it! Why did you have to go flaunting yourselves at an izakaya?"
"If you really had clashed with the police tonight, how did you plan to clean up that mess? Were you prepared to be kicked out of Japan, never to return?"
Gin's expression was grim, his lips tightly pressed together, his stern face revealing little emotion.
He lowered his gaze, listening silently to Pisco's reprimand, offering no rebuttal.
Vodka, however, couldn't hold back and interjected, "If we just eliminate everyone who saw us, wouldn't that solve the problem?"
"Hah, eliminate everyone?"
Pisco scoffed, his face full of derision. He tilted his head slightly, looking down on Vodka with disdain.
"Is there something wrong with your brain? You're ready to wipe out an entire izakaya just for a minor infraction like underage drinking? Do you have any idea how much impact that would have?"
"But…"
Vodka, feeling unjustly accused, was about to argue further. The words had barely left his mouth when Gin cut him off.
"Enough. This time, my planning was indeed insufficient."
"It's good that you know!"
Pisco angrily waved his hand, the muscles in his face twitching slightly.
"This incident has certainly made that woman, Vermouth, smug. I just finished scolding her, telling her not to run around, and then you two pull a stunt like this! I've lost face completely in front of her!"
Vodka quickly defended, "Big Brother was also worried about Vermouth having issues, which is why he followed her."
"Vermouth is the Boss's person. Her purpose in coming to Tokyo is to supervise the construction of this drug research base! Even if she has problems, it's not your place to interfere!" Pisco reprimanded sternly. "From now on, if anything similar happens, report it to me first! Got it?"
"…Yes!" Vodka quickly agreed.
Gin also kept a stiff face, nodding slightly, a flicker of unwillingness in his eyes.
"By the way, is that izakaya really innocent?" Pisco narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why were so many police officers there?"
"I inquired about it. The owner of that establishment is the high school detective often reported by the media recently, Hayashi Shuichi," Gin replied. "He has helped the Metropolitan Police Department with many cases, so it's normal for him to be familiar with the police."
"The information you can dig up, Vermouth wouldn't be able to?" Pisco hinted pointedly. "Did she just randomly pick an izakaya to go into, or…"
"What do you mean?" Vodka hadn't understood, a look of confusion on his face.
"You mean she already knew there would be police visiting that establishment," Gin's face darkened, a flash of anger in his eyes, "but deliberately lured us in, just to make us clash with the police?"
"That's highly possible," Pisco snorted. "Don't underestimate her just because she's a woman. The fact that the Boss values her means she naturally has her capabilities."
"That woman was already working for the organization as a spy when you two were still in diapers."
"But if Vermouth deliberately led us there," Vodka scratched his head in bewilderment, his face full of doubt, "then why did she still help us? If it weren't for her, we would have really fought with the police, wouldn't we?"
"What else could it be for?" Gin clenched his fists, his usually calm face now filled with exasperation. "That way, it just makes us look even more incompetent! And she gets to play the hero in front of us! That scheming, detestable woman…"
Gin had always considered himself exceptionally capable, but he never expected to be outmaneuvered by Vermouth.
To be tricked by a woman—how could he possibly swallow this indignity?
"Let's go!" Gin's face was dark as he turned and gestured for Vodka to leave the office.
In the lounge area outside the office, Vermouth sat leisurely on a sofa, one leg crossed over the other, elegantly smoking a slender lady's cigarette.
Puffs of smoke spiraled upwards, and in the dim light, her face appeared and disappeared, adding to her mysterious aura.
Seeing Gin and Vodka emerge, Vermouth's lips curved into a slight smile, and she greeted them proactively.
However, she was met with Gin's disregard. He didn't even glance at Vermouth as he walked straight past.
Vodka, walking behind him, let out a cold snort and glared fiercely at Vermouth, his eyes filled with hostility.
Are these two crazy? I just helped them!
Vermouth watched their retreating backs as they exited the second floor of the base, a look of helplessness and confusion on her face.
"These two boys are still too young," Pisco said, stepping out of the office with a benevolent smile. "Thanks to your help this time, otherwise these two would have really messed up."
"Their attitude just now didn't seem like they were thanking me, though?" Vermouth scoffed, raising the cigarette to her lips for a gentle puff, then slowly exhaled a smoke ring.
"Youngsters are hot-headed; it's normal for them to be too proud to admit their mistakes right away," Pisco chuckled, his wrinkles crinkling around his eyes. "They'll definitely thank you later."
"Perhaps," Vermouth gave Pisco a meaningful look, a flash of cunning in her eyes. "About today's incident…"
"It's better not to report it to the Boss," Pisco volunteered. "Gin and Vodka are valuable talents the organization worked hard to cultivate. To give up on them just for one mistake would be too regrettable."
"Tokyo is your territory, so of course, I'll listen to you," Vermouth said with a half-smile. "Then, from now on, I…"
"You can act as you please," Pisco knew exactly what she meant, and nodded reluctantly. "As long as it doesn't delay the Boss's mission, then it's fine. As for Gin and Vodka, they will never track you again."
"Good," Vermouth stood up from the sofa, flicked her cigarette butt to the ground, crushed it with her high heel, and then walked out of the base.
Pisco watched her retreating figure, a cold smirk on his face.
Back in the office, he had deliberately incited Gin and Vodka to be hostile towards Vermouth. If these two factions fought among themselves, his own position would be much more secure.
The Boss had been away from Japan for too long. Japan was his territory now. Don't think that just by sending a few people, he could be easily sidelined…
(End of Chapter)
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