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Ignoring the bodyguard shaking like a leaf behind him, Gojo strode out of the bar's back door. He stretched dynamically, radiating pure contentment.
​Not a bad haul today~
​Not only had he milked over a thousand impression points from three codenamed members, but he had also casually snagged an international superstar as a spokesperson.
​As one of the new products for the Gojo family's expansion into the consumer market, the health tea wasn't just aromatic and delicious—it could actually neutralize the side effects of various medications. It was by no means an exaggerated marketing gimmick. After all, it was a product he had personally refined by combining his own methods with formulas from the system shop.
​Still, relying purely on word of mouth is too slow.
​Currently, the health tea was only minorly famous within Tokyo. To win over a larger market, he needed a spokesperson with massive influence.
​Chris Vineyard, relying on her mother Sharon's reputation and her own top-tier acting skills, had starred in numerous critically and commercially acclaimed films in recent years. Whether in terms of commercial value or media buzz, she was the undisputed choice for a top-tier celebrity endorsement.
​What's that? You ask why he didn't choose the even more famous Sharon, given that mother and daughter were actually the exact same person?
​Well, in a few years, Vermouth would have "Sharon" pass away permanently, and she would even attend the funeral in her identity as the daughter. If Sharon were the spokesperson, the anti-aging and health effects of the tea wouldn't look very convincing afterward.
​As for whether this partnership might trigger little Conan's suspicions down the line, causing him to follow the breadcrumbs and deduce a connection to the Organization... wouldn't that just make things way more fun?
​Gojo: I just love it when everyone can't figure me out, yet can't take me out either~
​Walking to the corner of the alley, the system status panel popped up in his mind.
​Name: Gojo Satoru (Jiang Wu)
Gender: Male
Physical Age: 21
Identity:
​Natural Jujutsu Sorcerer (Evaluation: Having reached the peak, you have virtually no rivals.)
​Caesar of the Black Organization (Evaluation: You are Karasuma Renya's adoptive son and the hidden ace of the Organization.)
​Supreme Head of the Gojo Family (Evaluation: Your clansmen deeply revere the grand name of the Six Eyes.)
​Police Academy Student Hisano Kuno (Disguise Card Active. Remaining Time: 7 months) (Evaluation: The "Sixth Man" who successfully blended into the police academy five-man group. Can you rewrite the established ending?)
​Inventory: Infinite Ammo Desert Eagle x1, Barrett M82 Sniper Rifle x1, Machine Gun x1, Shotgun x1, Flashbangs x10, Tear Gas x10, Offensive Grenades x5... Infinite Gaming Console x1, Hypnotic Pocket Watch x1, Crunchy Potato Chips x5, Rich Cheesecake x5... (rest omitted)
​Manga Pages & Forums: (Accessible)
​Red Side Impression Points: 26,050
Sources: Akai Shuichi, Kuroba Toichi, Kuroba Chikage, Kuroba Kaito, Nakamori Aoko, Furuya Rei, Morofushi Hiromitsu, Date Wataru, Matsuda Jinpei, Hagiwara Kenji, Onizuka Hachizo.
​Black Side Impression Points: 74,700
Sources: Gin, Vodka, Karasuma Renya, Vermouth, Calvados, Tequila, Rum, Curacao, Pinga, Korn, Chianti, Miyano Shiho (pre-defection).
​Popularity Rating: 31.5 Million ↑↑↑
​Compared to before, both his impression points and popularity rating had climbed, and the evaluation for his disguise card had changed to a new phrase.
​"Rewriting the established ending... does that mean..."
​Gojo was rubbing his chin in thought when a short car horn suddenly cut through the air.
​Beep!
​Looking toward the sound, a completely black Porsche 356A was parked at the mouth of the alley. The vintage, streamlined car possessed a matte finish that showcased its owner's excellent taste.
​Isn't that Gin's classic ride? So it's already around this early?
​The passenger window rolled down halfway, revealing the sharp, defined features of the silver-haired man. A cigarette dangled from his lips, its ember blinking in the dim light.
​"Oh? Gin-chan?"
​Gojo curiously sauntered over to the Porsche, leaning down toward the half-open window with a teasing smirk. "I thought you left. What's wrong, couldn't bear to part with me?"
​"Don't flatter yourself. I simply remembered halfway through... that there was something completely extra sitting in my car."
​Gin casually stubbed out his cigarette in the car's ashtray, pushed the door open, and walked straight to the back, lifting the trunk lid with one hand. The black leather lining paired beautifully with the chrome locks; every single groove radiated the precise design of German craftsmanship.
​"Wow~" Gojo praised in an intentionally dramatic tone. "Gin-chan's car really is incredibly cool. Is it a recent purchase?"
​Gin's movement as he bent down to grab something from the trunk paused slightly. He instinctively pressed his lips together, but he couldn't completely suppress a barely noticeable upward twitch at the corner of his mouth.
​"It's decent. Fairly durable."
​When he was picking a ride out in the garage back then, he had locked eyes with this Porsche instantly. Gin's standards for cars were borderline strict, much like his signature long hair, showing a very specific personal taste. Facing his best friend's compliment, even he couldn't help but feel a bit pleased.
​Catching that subtle smirk, Gojo was just about to tease him when Gin hauled out a paper bag. With a heavy thud, he tossed it straight into Gojo's arms.
​Looking down, Gojo saw two beautifully wrapped boxes of Kikufuku. One was the limited-edition edamame and fresh cream flavor, while the other contained a mix of four or five flavors, including matcha, strawberry, and vanilla, with "Sendai Specialty" printed clearly on the cardboard box.
​He was quite surprised, looking up at Gin. "This is for me?"
​"...I had a mission out in Sendai earlier. It was on the way." The silver-haired assassin threw out the words bluntly.
​Since taking over the management of the active operations division, he had been running himself ragged for the past six months, leaving him basically out of touch with Gojo. Knowing that this kid would probably start shouting strange complaints like, "You total home-wrecker!" the moment they met, Gin had felt a headache coming on. So, remembering the "Kikufuku" the guy constantly babbled about, he decided to use it as hush money to save himself the trouble.
​Sure enough, the way Gojo cradled the paper bag made him look exactly like an oversized child who had just found buried treasure. He was a hair's breadth away from spinning in circles right there on the street.
​"Wah—Gin-chan, you actually remembered my absolute favorite flavor! I am incredibly moved!"
​"It was solely to keep you from causing a relentless racket."
​Gojo picked up one of the boxes, dramatically checking the expiration date. "But wait, these aren't expired, are they? Sendai is a pretty long drive from Tokyo. What if the cream spoiled along the way?"
​Gin let out a cold laugh, the brow beneath his silver hair not moving an inch.
​"Don't eat it then." He reached out to snatch the bag back. "I'll just give it to Vodka."
​"No way, absolutely not!" Gojo reacted instantly, taking a massive step back to dodge Gin's hand. He locked the paper bag firmly against his chest, his face practically screaming 'food protector.' "It's already mine, I'm definitely not giving it to Vodka!"
​Vodka: ...Am I just a prop in your game?
​Though he could easily reach Sendai in a literal blink through teleportation, Gojo hadn't actually eaten Kikufuku in quite a while, and he really missed the taste.
​"Hehe~ So, Gin-chan, you intentionally waited around here just to give me this?"
​The other man didn't argue, simply turning his head away slightly, giving him a silent confirmation.
​"Then if I had hung out with Vermouth a little longer, wouldn't you have been waiting forever?"
​"Hmph, keep dreaming." Gin reached up to pull his black fedora lower, his silver-white hair draping over the shoulders of his trench coat as he bent down to slide back into the car. "Given your orientation, staying around her too long would be the real anomaly..."
​"...Huh?"
​The smile completely froze on Gojo's face. He went entirely rigid as if struck by lightning, his warped expression clear even behind his eye mask.
​"Wait, what exactly do you mean by that?!" Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he slammed both hands onto the car window frame, sticking half his body straight into the vehicle. "Listen, didn't I explain everything clearly last time? What kind of massive misunderstanding do you have about my orientation?!"
​Gin frowned slightly, showing a rare trace of hesitation. "A misunderstanding?"
​"Listen up—" The white-haired young man, practically hanging off the car window, held up a single finger and stated with absolute finality: "I am one hundred percent into girls, you hear me?!"
​Hearing the rare note of absolute sincerity in Gojo's voice, combined with his over-the-top reaction, Gin finally realized something.
​Don't tell me I actually got it wrong before?
​He narrowed his eyes, voicing his doubt: "Is that so? Then why haven't I heard of you dating a single woman over all these years?"
​Gojo was left entirely speechless. "Aren't you exactly the same? Does that prove you like men?"
​Gin: ...Fair point.
​"I've got it!" Gojo suddenly gasped dramatically, putting his hands on his cheeks and swaying side to side in a perfect imitation of a shojo manga heroine. His voice turned incredibly campy: "Gin-chan is so deeply invested in my romantic life and has never had a girlfriend... Oh my gosh, you're actually the one who likes men! Wow~ I can't believe you've had a secret crush on me for this long~"
​"Shut up." A thick layer of black lines covered Gin's face as he threw in the towel. "I read it wrong. Happy now?"
​"Hey, hey, what do you mean 'Happy now?' It should be 'I am deeply sorry, Lord Caesar, please forgive me!' maps. You broke a pure young man's heart; it'll take at least a year's supply of free Kikufuku to heal this emotional damage—"
​Right there, Gojo's tone suddenly took a dangerous dip. "Come to think of it, I get the distinct feeling that someone within the Organization has been intentionally spreading rumors about me..."
​Hearing this, the burly man hiding in the driver's seat trying to blend in with the oxygen supply flinched violently.
​Remembering that phrase he had caught earlier—"Don't go spreading this around"—and seeing how incredibly tense Vodka looked, Gojo's voice turned sweeter by the second: "Say, Vodka, you haven't been... talking behind my back, have you?"
​In reality, Vodka had already figured out that he had completely misread the relationship between his boss and Caesar, and his sunglasses were practically sliding off his face from terror. He stammered out a frantic denial, "N-No way, Lord Caesar! I wouldn't dare..."
​"Good to hear. Because otherwise, even if you are Gin-chan's right-hand man, I would still..." The white-haired youth beamed a perfectly sunny smile, yet it didn't feel like a joke in the slightest. "...end you."
​Vodka swallowed hard. To save his own skin, he was absolutely going to stay up all night pulling back every single rumor he had ever put out.
​"Alright, time to head over to the transaction point." Gin rolled up the window directly, gesturing for Vodka to drive. Before pulling away, he caught the eye of the man standing outside, adding flatly, "Don't forget what I told you."
​The white-haired young man, who had already ripped open one of the Kikufuku boxes, blinked. "Oh—don't worry, Gin-chan. The guy who can actually hurt me hasn't even been born into this world yet... Honestly, even I can't manage it myself, you know?"
​"Hmph, who knows."
​Standing at the mouth of the alley, Gojo watched the black Porsche speed away into the distance. He pinched a soft, chewy daifuku and took a bite. The dense cream dissolved beautifully across his tongue, the sweetness perfectly balanced by the unique fragrance of the edamame.
​Yep, this flavor is definitely the best.
​"And... it's incredibly fresh, too."
​Picturing Gin, packed to the brim with murderous aura, standing patiently in a long retail queue, he almost laughed out loud. Though, realistically, it was far more likely he had made Vodka stand in line for it.
​Seeing that the coast was clear, Gojo tossed the remaining treats into his system inventory.
​I've stalled for quite a while... better get my consciousness back into the disguise card as fast as possible.
​Shortly after, the system re-established its link with the secondary AI, Shiro.
​Shiro felt incredibly ashamed about getting spotted by Gin so easily: [I am so sorry, Host, this was entirely my slip-up...]
​[Can't be helped. Just try your best to avoid running into him face-to-face next time.]
​[Sigh, I just know when I get back, Tama is going to tease me to absolute death...]
​Ignoring Shiro's endless grumbling, Gojo mentally triggered the return command. Two seconds later, his consciousness plunged into absolute darkness.
​"Mmh..."
​The sharp scent of disinfectant filtered into his nose. The black-haired, red-eyed youth slowly blinked his eyes open, his blurry vision gradually locking into focus.
​A white ceiling, white walls, and a white curtain swaying gently in the soft breeze.
​A hospital?
​Gojo tried moving his fingers, immediately feeling the cold sensation of an IV needle tapped against the back of his hand.
​Ah, I'm back in the student body.
​The moment he twitched his hand, the sharp sound of a chair scraping against the floor echoed out beside him.
​"Little Kuno?!"
​Hagiwara Kenji's face abruptly filled his field of vision, his violet eyes packed to the brim with pure relief. "You're finally awake!"
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