Gin really helped this time.
Thanks to him reporting Vermouth's location and movements over the past few days, Hayashi Yoshiki was able to orchestrate the incident without ever needing to write her name in the Death Note.
The one written in the notebook? Just a disposable bag-carrying lackey working under Vermouth.
By scripting a fatal "accident" for that man—an accident that would spill into Vermouth's path without killing her—Yoshiki could invoke the notebook's mechanics to indirectly influence her fate. A perfect loophole.
The day after the Sunset Mannor incident, Hayashi Yoshiki returned quietly to Beika Town.
His private talk with Detective Hakuba still echoed in his mind—it had gone even better than expected.
Yoshiki had long anticipated that his increasingly visible actions—particularly the string of highly specific "accidental deaths"—would attract attention from the task force investigating deliberate accident-based homicides.
After all, he wasn't exactly low-profile.
One or two "accidental" deaths could be dismissed. But when members of the Organization were escaping danger through improbably staged accidents—repeatedly—officials with eyes on terrorist patterns would take notice.
And that was the whole point.
This was an opportunity. A doorway to the Red Side.
If he could infiltrate the task force—or even just get close to their command tier—he could become indispensable to the Red Team. And eventually, he could control it.
His situation remained dangerous.
As he gained deeper trust from the Black Organization, his exposure to people like Bourbon—undercover agents buried within—grew riskier. If one of them discovered his true allegiance, it would be disastrous.
But if he gained even modest favor on the red side, he'd have a failsafe—a political counterweight to balance both sides.
"So choosing the identity of a detective... was the right move after all."
It also justified his boldness. It let him shine.
After ruminating for a while, Yoshiki finally closed the Death Note.
As expected, news of the Dusk Villa incident had been tightly suppressed.
The political implications of a golden mansion were too vast. Hayashi Yoshiki had no doubt that Karasuma Renya was still watching the Twilight Annex from the shadows.
The tragedy that occurred there?
A punishment. A warning to those who dared to covet his treasures.
"Hmm… What car should I buy this time?"
His Mercedes-Benz E-W210 had been destroyed, but he'd liked how it handled. Still, it was time to consider something new.
Just then, his phone rang.
Gin's cold voice crackled through the line.
"Did your car get bombed?"
"...How do you know that?"
"Heh."Gin gave a cold chuckle but didn't answer.
Of course, he knew. Word of the Dusk Villa had reached the Boss.
The Organization, known for shaking down powerful figures for funding, would never overlook something as obscene as Karasuma Renya's hidden gold.
But with the property now exposed and contested by the authorities, acquiring it would be... complicated.
Still, Karasuma's mood had reportedly improved.
Especially upon hearing that the decades-old mystery inside the villa had been solved—by one of his own cadres.
"The Boss is very pleased with your performance."Gin paused."Do you remember who that loser Pisco was before he died?"
"Of course. The chairman of that automotive conglomerate, right?"
"There are some great cars left in his estate. Come by and pick one."
Before hanging up, Gin added flatly:
"By the way—Vermouth did a good job."
Warehouse Lot, Later That Day
Yoshiki arrived by taxi to the address Vodka had sent.
It was a massive warehouse—filled with over twenty cars, most of them luxury-class.
"Yo, bro!!"A loud voice with a Kansai accent called out.
"Heard you gave that Vermouth bitch a real scare! Good stuff! Haha!"Chianti laughed.
Inside were several familiar faces from the Organization.
"Careful around Calvados. He's not too happy with what you did."Cohen, who had been eyeing a black coupe, warned him offhandedly.
"Calvados?"Yoshiki smiled calmly.
"He wouldn't dare."Tequila, fists clenched, scowled.
"Want me to rattle him for you?"Chianti leaned close, her eyes gleaming.
"Guy's just a sniper with an ego. Forget him."Gin dismissed the topic and gestured at the cars."Pick one."
Yoshiki walked the line.
To his surprise, Gin's Porsche 356A was among the cars.
"What's this doing here?"
"That one was seized after an old case."Vodka explained."But we bought it back legally from police surplus. Gave it a good clean—Gin's been using it again."
Yoshiki raised a brow.
"Tempting... Should I take this one?"
"Up to you."Gin's tone remained unreadable.
"Nah. Driving a classic car is too flashy."
—And frankly, if Conan or Ai saw him in that car, they'd lose their minds.
In the end, Yoshiki picked another Mercedes-Benz E-W210, this time in white.
Same machine. New skin.
The keys were already inside.
"No need to register the vehicle. If something happens, just ditch it."Gin advised.
But Hayashi Yoshiki planned to do the paperwork anyway.
"Need me to mod anything?"Vodka offered.
Vodka looked a little disappointed.
Yoshiki slid into the driver's seat.
Click.The passenger door opened, and Chianti slipped in.
"Let's go! Spin through the city, just you and me! Drinks after, maybe?"She laughed as she shut the door.
Before Yoshiki could answer, Tequila knocked on the window.
"Change of plans. Everyone's heading out to drink together."
"Spider Bar, at the harbor."
"Idiot! It's called the Black Widow Bar, moron."Chianti shot Tequila a glare.
Tequila, unfazed, just shrugged.
Hayashi Yoshiki chuckled, started the car, and drove toward the docks.
Spending time with Chianti alone—tempting, but risky.
Drinks with the team? Less dangerous. Slightly.