funbook-pk Chapter 142 Who are we, the four of us?
Chapter 142 Who are we, the four of us?
If that's the case, Calvados's frequent absences from the group become a reasonable explanation. Two of the three colleagues in the group chat are dating; instead of actively following his crush away, why would he stay behind and be a third wheel?
Upon hearing his guess, Fan Ze gasped several times, his pupils dilating as he retorted with a start:
"So the organization doesn't prohibit workplace romances?"
After a moment of silence, Kuromon Haruya's lips moved slightly: "...I don't think I've ever really considered this question."
In his envisioned construction process, the selection of undercover agents from various countries and the screening of members' qualifications have always been of paramount importance.
Over the past forty years, the number of undercover agents who have attempted to infiltrate the organization is far more than just the few whose names appear in the original work. Those who have been given codenames, such as Rye and Bourbon, are the best of the best among the undercover agents.
Moreover, in the darker side of society, where the survival of the fittest prevails, the open and covert struggles between different factions have always existed. Minimizing the losses caused by infighting among the genuine drinkers is already a challenge enough; how could he have imagined that anyone would be in a relationship?!
At this moment, Kuromon Haruya, whose organization is built on the goal of being a united and loving family, felt somewhat conflicted.
“Mr. Fanze,” Fanze Zhenren heard him ask quietly, “Do you think that if a codename member in the organization holds a wedding, the Boss should be present to witness it?”
Is that gentleman attending Chianti and Cohen's wedding?
Fanze Zhenren: (Brain overload)
The complex emotional issues caused both of them to fall silent.
Conan, being led by Ran: Those two are whispering behind my back again, staring—
Before he knew it, the line ahead of him had gradually shortened, and by the time Heimen Yaoye came to his senses, he was already at the very front of the worship hall. Coincidentally, it was also their turn in the same line as Chianti and his companion.
Following the procedure, Kuromon Haruya bowed slightly before the offering box, then rang the bell to inform the gods...
Ring the bell, ring, ring...
Why can't I get it to work again?
"Hmm? That's strange."
Seeing this, Master Fanze stepped forward to help, but he also tried and couldn't make a sound.
Chianti and Cohen, who were in the same row, tugged at the strings a few times, but there was still no sound.
Chianti clicked her tongue impatiently, frowned, and called out to the priest: "Hey, is the bell at this shrine broken? It won't ring no matter how I shake it."
"Wait a moment, wait a moment."
Abbot Mamegaki stepped forward, saw Hanzawa, and recalled Kuromon Haruya's last pilgrimage experience. He immediately sensed something was wrong: "It might be stuck. Let me try."
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring!
The moment the host's hand touched the rope, without even applying any force, the bell made a series of crisp sounds, proving that the problem wasn't with the bell itself.
The four people in the organization: ...
Four intense killing intents surged up simultaneously. It was a clear, sunny morning, yet the other onlookers felt a chill run down their spines for no apparent reason.
Kuromon Haruya smiled devoutly and kindly, his eyes filled with longing. He took out a five-yen coin from his pocket, put it into the offering box, and took the lead in worshipping first.
He bowed twice, clapped his hands twice, and then prayed with his hands clasped together.
'Greetings, Inari deity enshrined at this shrine. I am the demon of crows. My New Year's wish this year is for the happiness and peace of those I care about. If you're sensible, please grant me a great fortune in the fortune-telling later.'
Bow once, then bow gently again, and leave the worship hall.
With Abbot Douyuan nervously following them, the four of them went one by one to the box where the divination slips were placed and bought their respective slips.
The results are: [Very bad], [Bad], [Bad], [Bad], [Bad].
Kuromon Haruya is that great calamity.
Haruya Kuromon: ......
The head priest of his shrine, Mamegaki, who had just been praising his own shrine, now wished he could turn into an ostrich and bury his head in the ditch.
He has been helping with the offerings at the shrine since he was a child, and at the age of 75, he has never seen such a grand occasion!
The host cautiously suggested in a barely audible voice, "Well, tying the ominous divination stick to the stick-binding pole will ward off bad luck. I'll also give you a few amulets for free later..."
Under the watchful eyes of the four, the host's voice grew softer and softer until he finally succumbed to the pressure and left.
With one hand in his pocket, Yoruichi Kuromon casually pulled out his phone and struck up a conversation with them, saying, "I feel like we're quite destined to meet, how about we exchange contact information?"
Chianti clicked her tongue, shrugged, and pulled out her phone: "Fine. As the most unlucky one among us, the fact that he has this attitude makes me not need to curse him."
“Yes, it’s fate.” Cohen recited a string of numbers in broken Japanese.
After writing down the two people's private phone numbers and pseudonyms in his contacts, Kuromon Haruya took a few steps back and pulled Conan, who was eavesdropping on their conversation by the pillar, over.
"Hey, Brother Kuromon, wait a minute!"
Conan, holding a fortune slip that also read "Ominous," helplessly reached out his hand to Ran Mouri, only to receive the latter's words of advice: "Have fun with your new friend!"
Placing the Red Team's eldest son and Black Team's eldest grandson in the middle of the codenamed members, Kuromon Haruya patted Conan on the shoulder and introduced them, saying, "Actually, this kid is very curious about your identities, but he's too shy to come forward, so I'll ask for him."
Are you two professional snipers?
Conan:! ! !
Kuromon-kun, are you driven mad by the shrine? What are you doing?!
"Pfft." Seeing Conan's face turn pale instantly, Masato Hanzawa burst out laughing and, very tactfully, put his arm around Haruka Kuromon's shoulder to chime in: "That's right, Conan's dream is to become a famous detective."
He didn't mind his identity being exposed three times; he simply didn't go up to greet him earlier because he wanted to protect the privacy of Kuromon Haruya's real identity.
As an external staff member of the Operations Department, besides his two old partners from the Beer Team, Fanze Zhenren is most familiar with this pair of sniper partners.
To meet the organization's regular physical fitness test passing standard, he spent a lot of his free time practicing at the training ground. Although logistics personnel helped him disguise himself and conceal his identity each time he went, he couldn't change his voice, and his true voice was always exposed to his two training partners.
They're colleagues, and both have good personalities, so Master Fanze strongly discourages them from contacting each other privately. Since Mr. Kuromon doesn't mind, he's even less concerned!
As expected, Chianti and Cohen exchanged a surprised glance upon hearing Fanze Zhenren's voice.
Chianti: Guinness? And who's that next to me...?
Haruya Kuromon blinked and mouthed: 'Butbell.'
Chianti, who had been nervously flustered for a moment, rolled her eyes and instantly abandoned any social politeness towards strangers. Her eyebrows rose and fell as she let out a resentful sigh.
What's going on? All four codenamed members are here drawing lots and collecting stamps?!
Could it be that, corresponding to the Ark, the criterion for that gentleman's selection of people is simply bad luck in the lottery?