Chapter 236 The EQ in Critical Moments Always Turns Out Strange
Night, Unit 23, Beishan Road, Qinglin Residential Area.
Warm yellow light illuminated the clean and tidy room. The room layout was meticulously arranged, almost symmetrical, with bookshelves full of various books, giving a first impression of the owner’s personality and hobbies.
However, on the sofa in front of the desk, sat two figures who looked completely different in style.
The burly middle-aged man, dressed in a neat suit, exuded an indescribable aura of society, but his expression was strange. He picked up the hot tea on the table and examined it for a long time. Then, a small dark shadow beast emerged from the man’s sleeve, its round body drank from the cup, then turned and nodded at the man before returning to the shadows.
After confirming that the hot tea in his hand was fine, Fukada Akihiko brought the teacup to his lips and took a gentle sip. However, his furrowed brows and continued puzzled expression proved that the doubt in his heart had not been resolved.
The rich aroma of the tea spread in his mouth. Fukada Akihiko put down the teacup, carefully looked around the environment, and finally focused his gaze on the long-haired man sitting next to him on the sofa, fiddling with his mobile phone. He couldn’t help but speak.
“Do you know what his situation is… Sakuraba?”
The current situation made Fukada Akihiko feel a sense of powerlessness, as if punching cotton. He knew that when he was on a mission in Bei Du and heard the news that Kazumi was targeted by [Shell], he almost abandoned his mission and rushed back immediately.
Fukada Akihiko, who understood [Shell]’s capabilities and personality, and had a long-standing grudge due to some previous incidents, disregarded the rules set by the leader [Shadow]. He went deep into the shadow plane to retrieve a powerful weapon he had kept for a long time, and even prepared to pay a great price to kill the opponent completely.
As a result, he came with full killing intent, but the opponent was in a very good mood, which puzzled the furious Fukada Akihiko.
Given his personality, if the opponent had directly resisted, he would have acted without any pressure.
But such an unexpected, near suicidal gesture of goodwill seemed extremely strange to him. Moreover, at that time, Kurokawa Iori had exposed the weakness of his true form without any concealment. Regardless of whether it was a trap or not, the shadow ability that had entered his body would have at least caused serious injury if he couldn’t directly kill him.
Could it be that the intelligence he had was wrong? Or did something happen to Kazumi again?
The problem was, given [Shell]’s personality and their relationship, even if he did something, he wouldn’t apologize so humbly. Killing him would be the easiest way to solve the problem in this dark underground.
“Well, let’s put it this way, it is indeed the reason you came to find him, but as for the details… you should ask him yourself.”
Fukada Akihiko’s voice attracted Masashi Sakuraba’s attention. He reached out and sent the edited text. Masashi Sakuraba looked up, glanced at the hot tea in front of Fukada Akihiko, and remembered Kurokawa Iori’s previous behavior. He answered with a strange expression.
Masashi Sakuraba and Fukada Akihiko had a decent relationship, or rather, Fukada Akihiko had a good relationship with most people in the organization. After all, even if the pretended enthusiasm and generosity were just an act, it was still enthusiasm and generosity. At least on the surface, people were more willing to interact with such people.
Swiping on his mobile phone a couple of times, Masashi Sakuraba suddenly seemed to remember something. He put down his phone, leaned next to Fukada Akihiko, who was drinking tea with a constipated expression, and said.
“Uncle, did Kirie tell you this news?”
“Yes, that’s right. The little girl came all the way to Bei Du to find me.”
Fukada Akihiko looked at Masashi Sakuraba strangely, nodded, and continued.
“You mean, the intelligence is fake? But the information my subordinates gave me is also like this.”
The purple little snake in his hand kept coiling. Masashi Sakuraba shook his head.
“Let’s put it this way, Kirie had an argument with Kurokawa about the recruitment of new members before, and he suppressed her by invoking the boss.”
“Are you saying this is the little girl’s prank?”
The expression on his face changed again. Fukada Akihiko was also very familiar with this little devil in the organization. She liked to do things according to her own will, and her temper was also very bad, but the leader [Shadow] indulged her almost to the point of spoiling her.
If Fukada Akihiko didn’t have a lot of understanding of the leader, he would probably have thought that this little girl was the leader [Shadow]’s biological daughter, just like others.
“Not entirely. I don’t know the specifics, and Kurokawa is mainly responsible. But it’s definitely different from what Kirie said.”
Seeing Fukada Akihiko lost in thought, Masashi Sakuraba leaned back on the sofa. Fukada Akihiko was not an easy person to fool. Having said this much, any more would likely arouse his suspicion.
“Crack—”
Just as Fukada Akihiko was about to ask something more, the closed room door was pushed open from the outside. The gentle and quiet young boy walked in, holding a plate of pastries that were clearly prepared as a surprise.
“Uncle Fukada, just some small pastries, a token of my appreciation.”
Fukada Akihiko glanced at the food in front of him with some apprehension, then looked up at Kurokawa Iori, who had a smiling face. Not to mention the strangeness of drinking tea and eating snacks late at night, just the fact that an opponent with a considerable grudge against him called him uncle with a kind and pleasant expression was enough to make one’s hair stand on end.
“Wait a moment!”
He raised his hand, preventing the other party from trying to serve him a portion from the exquisite pastries.
Fukada Akihiko looked at Kurokawa Iori, who had an inexplicable smile, and said with a frown.
“Whatever your intentions are, just get straight to the point. What is Shimizu Kazumi’s situation?”
No matter how the two people in front of him explained, Fukada Akihiko still believed in his intelligence network more. Perhaps Kirie’s actions were indeed a prank, but it was a fact that Kazumi was deceived and drawn into [Shadow] because of him. As her close friend, he absolutely would not allow his friend’s only girlfriend to be drawn into this dark whirlpool again!
Upon hearing Fukada Akihiko’s question, Kurokawa Iori put down the plate in his hand and answered earnestly, like a student being reviewed by a parent.
“[Coffin], that is Shimizu Kazumi, has passed the organization’s new recruit tests and officially joined the [Shadow] organization. She is currently affiliated with the resource division under my command.”
“She successfully completed her first mission today. Both her capabilities and personality are sufficient to be rated as S-class. We plan to report to headquarters and apply for special resources.”
Then, a trace of nervousness flashed in Kurokawa Iori’s eyes. He took a deep breath, straightened his body, and bowed deeply. The seriousness of his demeanor made the shadow behind Fukada Akihiko tremble, ready to block any sudden attack.
The expected attack did not come. Instead, he heard the boy’s earnest, slightly trembling, strange words.
“Finally, please allow her to continue working under me with the purpose of marriage!!!”
