The sudden appearance of the pagoda put a lot of pressure on Liu A'dou. He hadn't even started searching yet, and the pagoda couldn't wait to appear right in front of him. It seemed like he couldn't even catch a moment of rest.
The Minister of Justice didn't explain how he had come into possession of this priceless treasure, but it was clear it wasn't through normal means. Yashida seemed quite satisfied with the gift and instructed the servants to put it away.
During the meal, Yashida sighed and spoke to Logan, "It's been seventy years, and you're still the same, but I'm not."
Yashida had a tumor, and his condition was being suppressed only by the medical robots in his body, along with the medications from Dr. Midori.
"You called me here just to say goodbye?" Logan asked.
Yashida nodded, then shook his head, "Seventy years ago, you saved me. I hope that, seventy years later, you can save me again. Your abilities are the only thing that can keep me alive."
"I'll attend your funeral," Logan said bluntly. He, like many others, only trusted in his own abilities to stay safe and not cause harm to the masses.
They were two of the few who survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. At the time, Logan had seen Yashida release the American prisoners before the explosion, and that was when Logan saved him. But seventy years later, Yashida had long shown his true nature. Back then, he had just had a moment of conscience before his own ritual suicide. A murderer could still feel for small animals, and while Yashida had spared the prisoners, Logan had saved him in a critical moment. Logan didn't owe him anything, so he was definitely not willing to help Yashida extend his life.
"Impudent! How dare you speak to my father like that!" Shinzen slammed his hand on the table, standing up.
"Shinzen, you're the one being impudent. This man, Logan, is my friend. Don't forget your place," Yashida shouted, then gasped for air. Dr. Midori immediately stood up to check on him.
"Father…" Shinzen was shocked to see that he had upset his father.
Thankfully, it was just a false alarm. However, Yashida still needed to rest. Before leaving, he said, "Logan, stay here tonight with your friends. Tomorrow, I'll arrange for a private plane to take you back to the United States."
"Then I'll take you up on the offer," Liu A'dou replied on Logan's behalf.
Yashida added, "Shō-kun, you all should stay as well. Let the young ones bond with each other. Let them communicate amongst themselves."
"I understand." It was clear that the older generation wanted to let the younger ones figure things out on their own. The Minister of Justice glanced at his son, signaling him to take a more active role.
Shinzen also spoke to his daughter, "Mariko, after the meal, take him for a walk."
Mariko didn't respond. The banquet, which hadn't even really started yet, ended abruptly with the host family leaving, making the atmosphere awkward. Luckily, Yukio, being a foster child, was half a host and took charge, encouraging everyone to continue eating.
However, the more Mariko thought about it, the unhappier she became. She put down her bowl and left, with her fiancé quickly following after her.
Logan watched Mariko leave and Liu A'dou thought to himself, 'Logan really does follow his instincts. It's the same with Jean, and now Mariko has given him the same feeling. Could Logan be looking for the perfect combination? That would be twisted.'
Yukio continued to host, telling everyone not to be shy. Liu A'dou didn't hold back—he didn't eat much, but his manners left a lot to be desired. He only chose the food he liked and even snatched a bite from Logan's bowl, which left Logan speechless.
The mansion had many rooms. Yukio led Liu A'dou to a room. "The bathwater will be ready soon, and someone will come to call you. Liu-san, is there anything else you need?"
This was the wealthiest family Liu A'dou had ever seen. Bruce only had an old butler, and Stark only had a computer assistant, but here, he saw many servants. This was the lifestyle of a true local rich family. The only thing that bothered him was that although this was Japan, all the maids were wearing kimonos instead of maid outfits. If he had so much money, land, and a mansion, he would definitely have the maids dressed in proper uniforms.
"If I can't sleep, can I go find Logan to chat?"
"Of course, Logan-san is on the other side. You can go find him anytime."
"Okay, the bathwater is ready. Just call me when it's time."
"Then please rest first."
Yukio left, and Liu A'dou quickly disappeared. He needed to figure out where the pagoda was hidden. However, Liu A'dou knew that this mansion was full of traps, and the security was top-notch. So, he wouldn't rush into action but would take his time to observe his surroundings first.
On the way, he saw Mariko and the son of the Minister of Justice wandering aimlessly in the courtyard. It was clear that the man wanted to start a conversation, but Mariko was aloof, making it hard for him to find a topic.
Then, he saw Logan, who hadn't rested, walking over to this area, seemingly making eye contact with Mariko. Mariko was a good girl, raised as a lady, and couldn't roam around as freely as Yukio. As one of the heirs to the Yashida family, she had to be reserved. So, when Logan appeared, she was drawn to him. He was young, and she wondered how someone like him could be friends with her grandfather. What was his story?
Logan had hundreds of years of experience, like a living storybook that you could never finish reading. Such a mysterious and wild man had a fatal attraction to a lady raised in a cage like Mariko.
Looking at her so-called fiancé, who was nothing special, with no talent or ability except for the protection of his father, Mariko was increasingly frustrated. He was so shallow compared to Logan, who had depth and substance.
"I'm tired. I want to rest," Mariko said, afraid that if she stayed any longer, she'd continue comparing the two men, which only made her angrier.
The man could only watch the lady leave, reluctant to let her go. Liu A'dou thought to himself, 'If you like her, go after her. If you can't catch her, then move on.' Besides, wasn't this her fiancé? Even if he couldn't win her heart, he could still have her body, but that might lead to domestic violence. Looking at the man, it was clear he wouldn't cherish his wife, and if her heart wasn't with him under one roof, it would definitely lead to domestic abuse.
Then, looking at Logan, his eyes also followed Mariko as she left. But this was just Logan's way of life, and Liu A'dou couldn't interfere. He focused on finding the pagoda's location and then went back to his room.
That night, Liu A'dou slept lightly. At ten o'clock at night, he heard hurried footsteps. Though the person wasn't wearing shoes, the sound of feet hitting the floor still woke him up.
Everyone was awake. What happened?
The servants headed in one direction, and the guests followed. Liu A'dou overheard some chaotic Japanese and, after carefully listening, realized that Yashida had died.
"Liu, what happened? What are they saying?" Logan asked, unable to understand Japanese.
"Your old friend is dead. Let's go take a look," Liu A'dou said, his eyes shining. Finally, the event had arrived.
He pushed past the servants and saw Mariko and Yukio standing there with sad faces. Dr. Midori had his head down, sighing. Shinzen's face was ashen. It seemed that Yashida had just changed his will, and now Shinzen would not inherit it. He immediately turned to look at his daughter. He hadn't expected his daughter to bypass him and inherit the entire Yashida family. This was unforgivable.
Logan saw Liu A'dou pushing through to the dead man's side. After a quick glance, Liu A'dou shouted, "Everyone, don't move! Don't tamper with the scene."
Everyone looked at him, confused, not understanding what he meant. The guests, servants, and hosts were all puzzled.
Then, Liu A'dou suddenly raised his head, his eyes shining with wisdom. He spoke in a voice that was clear and authoritative, "This is a murder, not a natural death, and the murderer is one of us."
Everyone was shocked, staring at Liu A'dou in disbelief, not understanding how he could make such a judgment.