64: Chapter 64 Akai Marie

Inside the intelligence room of the Lin Family Manor, dense information scrolled across the electronic screens on the walls, and the air was filled with the faint warmth characteristic of electronic equipment.

Lin Long sat in front of the central control console, his fingertips gliding across a transparent touchpad. The images on the screen switched accordingly, finally freezing on two photographs.

In the photo on the left was a capable-looking middle-aged woman with a hint of sharpness in her eyes. Even in a static photo, she exuded the aura of a seasoned veteran—it was Akai Mary, a senior agent of MI6 (British Secret Intelligence Service) and Akai Shuichi's mother.

The photo on the right was of a young girl with short, refreshing hair. Her eyes were rebellious, and the corners of her mouth held a stubborn trace of defiance; it was none other than Sera Masumi.

"Akai Mary... Sera Masumi..."

Lin Long whispered these two names, his fingertips lightly tapping on the conference table.

Lin Long had long known about the Akai family—Akai Shuichi had infiltrated the Black Organization and was the FBI's ace; Akai Mary served MI6 and was an experienced agent; even the young Sera Masumi had inherited the family's investigative talent and possessed extraordinary skills.

It seemed that none of the members of this family were easy to deal with.

"Vermouth."

Lin Long spoke to the empty air.

As soon as he finished speaking, a slender dark figure appeared silently behind him like a bat merging into the darkness, bowing slightly:

"Boss."

Vermouth, wearing a black dress with a slender figure and a charming face, greeted Lin Long.

"Do you know her?"

Lin Long pointed to the photo of Akai Mary on the screen.

Vermouth's gaze fell on the photo, her pupils constricting imperceptibly before she regained her composure:

"Akai Mary, from MI6. A few years ago, the Black Organization sent me on a mission to assassinate her."

"Oh?" Lin Long raised an eyebrow. "And the result?"

"She should be... dead."

Vermouth's tone held a hint of uncertainty, but she soon became certain,

"I personally fed her APTX4869, watched her lose consciousness, and then pushed her into the Thames. With that dosage and the low temperature of the river, it's impossible to survive."

APTX4869 was the drug that caused Kudo Shinichi and Miyano Shiho to shrink.

Lin Long smiled and tapped the touchpad; the photo on the screen switched instantly—

A little girl who looked only seven or eight years old appeared in the frame, wearing an ill-fitting adult coat and scanning her surroundings warily. But that face was clearly a shrunken version of Akai Mary!

"You said she was dead?"

Lin Long's tone was playful,

"But according to information gathered by my people, this 'deceased' person is not only alive but arrived in Tokyo a few days ago with her daughter, Sera Masumi."

Vermouth's body stiffened abruptly, and she jerked her head up.

Staring intently at the little girl on the screen, her eyes were filled with shock and disbelief:

"This... how... she really is lucky." Vermouth uttered these words with a complex expression.

"I didn't expect someone else besides Kudo Shinichi to have shrunken as well," Vermouth remarked with emotion.

"What, can't believe it?"

"Don't forget, Miyano Elena and Akai Mary are relatives. Perhaps Miyano Elena left behind some contingency long ago."

This single sentence left Vermouth momentarily speechless.

Indeed, Kudo Shinichi was the best example. Since Shinichi could survive, it didn't seem impossible for Akai Mary to undergo the same mutation.

It was just that... a mission she personally executed had left behind such a hidden danger?

If the Organization found out, given The Boss's suspicious nature, she would inevitably face severe punishment.

Lin Long took in all of Vermouth's reactions,

"Alright, whether she shrunken or not has nothing to do with you now."

Lin Long's tone was relaxed, as if he were merely discussing something trivial,

"The important thing is that she is in Tokyo now."

Lin Long paused and looked at Vermouth: "You go ahead and get busy.

For now, you don't need to involve yourself in this matter."

"Yes, Boss."

Vermouth responded in a low voice and turned to leave. As she reached the door, she couldn't help but look back at the photo on the screen, her eyes filled with complexity.

Was Akai Mary being alive a threat to her, or something else?

After Vermouth left, Lin Long was the only one left in the intelligence room.

He pulled up Akai Mary's activity logs in Tokyo—from the airport to the hotel, and then to several outing locations, all accurately recorded by Ghost's people.

"Ghost."

A ripple appeared in the air, and a dark shadow materialized: "Boss."

"Have you found Akai Mary's current specific location?"

"I have."

Ghost handed over an encrypted file,

"She and Sera Masumi are staying in a small hotel in Beika Town. There are no MI6 personnel providing support nearby; they seem very cautious."

"Very good."

Lin Long took the file and scanned it quickly,

"Notify the 'Hellfire' squad to go and 'invite' Akai Mary over. Remember, alive. Do not harm her, and especially... do not harm that little girl."

He specifically emphasized the words "little girl." Although the shrunken Akai Mary's body had turned into a child's, her mind and abilities remained. Such a "bargaining chip" was much more useful than a dead agent.

The "Hellfire" squad was another force Lin Long had secretly established in Tokyo. Its members were all local elites from Tokyo, specifically responsible for handling "under-the-table" missions. They were more secretive and efficient than the mercenary group led by James.

"Yes, Boss."

Ghost bowed and accepted the order, his figure merging into the darkness once more.

Lin Long leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table as his gaze returned to the screen.

On the screen, besides Akai Mary's data, there was also an investigation report on Akai Shuichi—

It detailed Akai Shuichi's recent activities: continuing to secretly investigate the identity of the "Joker," attempting to investigate the Joker through arms smuggling at a US military base, and even contacting some former FBI subordinates to act independently, bypassing James.

"Heh, quite persistent, isn't he?"

Lin Long looked at the report, a cold smile curling on his lips.

"Doesn't he want to find the 'Joker's' whereabouts? Then I'll give him what he wants."

He picked up the encrypted phone and dialed the number of the Shadow Squad leader:

"During the operation, deliberately leave behind some 'clues' pointing to the identity of the 'Joker'... It doesn't have to be too obvious, just enough for people to know the Joker did it."

"Understood, Boss," came a low voice from the other end.

Lin Long hung up, calculating light flashing in his eyes.

Akai Shuichi wants to investigate the Joker? Fine.

He would give Akai Shuichi an "answer," one he had carefully woven.

He wanted Akai Shuichi to believe he had found the truth and follow this false trail, eventually... stepping into the trap he had laid.

And Akai Mary was the most crucial bait in this trap.

He wanted to see what choice Akai Shuichi would make when he discovered his mother had fallen into the "Joker's" hands.

Would he save her at all costs, or abandon family for his so-called "justice"?

Either choice would be a good show for Lin Long.

...

Half an hour later, outside that small hotel in Beika Town.

Three inconspicuous black sedans stopped silently at the street corner, their windows tinted dark, making it impossible to see the people inside.

The leader of the Hellfire squad sat in the middle car, issuing orders through a miniature earpiece:

"The targets are in room 307, mother and daughter. Remember The Boss's orders: capture them alive, leave clues, and move fast."

"Roger."

"Roger."

The team members' responses came through the earpiece.

The leader glanced at his watch; the hour hand pointed to nine o'clock in the evening—at this time, most guests in the hotel were resting in their rooms, making it the perfect time to act.

"Move out."

At his command, eight men in black burst from the three cars simultaneously, moving as swiftly as leopards as they quickly slipped into the hotel.

They didn't use the main entrance, instead entering through the fire escape at the back of the hotel to avoid the front desk's surveillance.

Outside room 307, two team members pressed against the wall, pulled out a specialized decoder, and manipulated the door lock for a moment.

"Click."

The door lock opened silently.

The team members exchanged glances and burst through the door!

Inside the room, Sera Masumi was sitting on the sofa watching TV, while Akai Mary (shrunken) sat by the window, reading a document by the moonlight—it was some MI6 data regarding the Black Organization.

Hearing the door, both of them looked up alertly!

"Who's there?!" Sera Masumi immediately stood up, adopting a fighting stance.

But the Shadow Squad moved faster. Two members surged forward, using a specialized stun spray to release a colorless and odorless gas at them.

Akai Mary reacted extremely quickly, trying to pull Sera Masumi back, but it was too late—the stun spray was incredibly potent, and both of them soon blacked out and lost consciousness.

"Targets secured," a team member reported into the earpiece.

The leader entered the room, looked at the two fallen figures, and gave the team members a look.

"Take them and retreat along the planned route. Also, leave this behind."

He pulled a small metal badge from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table—the badge was shaped like a grinning Joker.

This was the "clue" for Akai Shuichi.

The team members quickly placed Akai Mary and Sera Masumi into specialized black bags, shouldered them, and retreated rapidly.

The entire process was clean and efficient, taking less than three minutes from start to finish, as if no one had ever been there.

Only that Joker badge on the coffee table emitted an eerie glow under the dim light.

...

Inside the intelligence room of the Lin Family Manor, Lin Long watched the real-time footage—the Shadow Squad had already left the hotel with the targets and was heading toward the manor.

He picked up Akai Shuichi's investigation report and lightly tapped Akai Shuichi's name with his fingertip.

"Akai Shuichi, oh Akai Shuichi,"

Lin Long whispered to himself, a cold spark of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"Your mother and sister are now in my hands. Next, it's your turn."

What he wanted was not just to capture Akai Mary, but to use her to completely disrupt Akai Shuichi's rhythm, making him run ragged between family and duty until he finally revealed a weakness.

And finally, to completely crush Akai Shuichi's spirit and shatter his pride.