The goal was achieved.
Hayashi Yoshiki had successfully joined the task force—as a consultant.
Over the following day, he carefully digested the data the task force had compiled so far.
Faced with a killer who used "accidents" as the method of murder, the task force's information amounted to little more than fog.
Even more troubling—there was no mention of the codename "Cointreau."
Did Amuro Tōru choose not to report it?Or perhaps the team feared an internal leak—an undercover agent within their ranks?
Yoshiki narrowed his eyes.
"Based on the data so far," he explained in a remote briefing, "the victims killed by the murderer through these staged 'accidents'... were almost never good people."
"Rapists. Fraudsters. School bullies. Domestic abusers. Murderers. Gangsters..." he listed.
"Some were ex-cons released years ago. Others—criminals living double lives, hiding in plain sight."
"Even the man driving the fuel tanker during that infamous explosion? Not the vehicle's registered driver."
"It's as if the killer is executing people society already wants dead."
"What is this? A purge? A self-appointed executioner of evil?"
"Maybe he believes he's punishing the wicked. Maybe he's a narcissist cloaking his cruelty in 'justice.' Either way—he has clear intelligence channels. He knows who to target."
"Police officer. Detective. Psychiatrist. Lawyer..." he speculated.
"And of course... the possibility of a team is rising fast."
Inside the task force's conference room, several officers listened attentively to Yoshiki's voice, echoing through the laptop speaker. Many were jotting down detailed notes.
"Also—has any information about the victims' past crimes circulated online?" he asked. "Any viral posts? Anonymous exposes?"
"We haven't investigated that yet," admitted one officer, raising his hand.
"Please follow up in that direction."
"Consultant Hayashi," asked Odagiri Toshiro, "do you believe the killer is identifying targets through the internet?"
"We can't rule it out. Even if not the main source, it's a potential lead."
"Agreed." Odagiri nodded.
The meeting concluded quickly.
Some officers continued taking notes, others immediately returned to work. Just outside the room, Odagiri took a call—from Hayashi Yoshiki.
"Your presence has really given the team a morale boost, Consultant."
"Has it? I was worried the 'elites' might think I was deadweight."
Odagiri, normally reserved and stoic, sounded almost exasperated.
"Seriously? Don't be ridiculous."
"Haha… By the way, hasn't the task force given the accidental killer an official codename yet? Something memorable?"
"We've… considered it," Odagiri replied hesitantly.
They discussed the matter briefly, then hung up.
So… was "Cointreau" ever proposed? Or has it been deliberately hidden?Too difficult to read Odagiri's reaction…
Hayashi Yoshiki closed the call and restarted his laptop.
At that moment, a sultry female voice interrupted.
"Are you finally done with your work~?"
Shimizu Reiko stepped closer.
The scent of expensive perfume drifted in the air. Her perfectly done makeup, her silk-like skin, and the fact that she wore nothing but luxurious lingerie—she was a vision of indulgence.
"The camera wasn't on, and surely no one would dare interrupt Mr. Hayashi's call..."
"Apologies—" he smiled gently, brushing his fingers through her hair as she knelt by his chair, "it was an important meeting."
"I don't think I could've kept a straight voice if you'd gotten any closer."
Reiko giggled and leaned into him, her joy unhidden.
Hayashi launched his browser and opened a private forum:
The Zoo's Assassination Platform —
Since the company's fall in Osaka, many of the platform's darker dealings had gone underground. Gun-running and smuggling operations were half-paralyzed. But the assassination contracts?
"That new guy—Kira—finished another hit."
"Still 100% completion rate…""Didn't they say the target had bodyguards?""He had a lot of them—and Kira still got him."
Ever since his debut, the mysterious hitman "Kira" had pulled off kill after kill—efficient, silent, perfect.
In most cases, same-day completion.
His specialty: environmental traps. Indirect execution.
If the site had a leaderboard, Kira's name would be rising like a rocket.
Hayashi checked something else.
The bounty on Gin.Still standing—$13 million just for his head.
"How's Ito Suehiko?" he asked suddenly.
Reiko paused, then answered reluctantly:
"He's still hiding in that hotel dark room, dreaming his little dreams. I could seize his assets at any time… Can't I just kill him now, Mr. Hayashi~~?"
She gave a pitiful look and rubbed her cheek against his thigh.
"That would be too cruel," he replied calmly.
"What does it matter~? Reiko's just a wicked woman," she purred.
"No," he whispered, stroking her cheek and lifting her chin gently. "To me, Reiko is a very good woman."
His black eyes shimmered—reflecting her face like polished obsidian.
"Life is a game," he said softly. "The winner takes all. The loser becomes a victim—or bait."
"That's how it's always been, hasn't it?"
"You're just bound by the rules. Morality. Law."