Casablanca dedicated to Mr. Nakahara

As Qianli expected, Mr. Richard in box 519 gave up and continued the competition.As the auction hammer fell heavily, the final transaction price of the two star sapphires was 18 billion yen.In a few minutes, the relevant staff will come to handle the one-on-one handover procedures. After paying the full amount, the gemstone will truly belong to him.

The corner of the young man's mouth raised as he got his wish, and the light and shallow arc disappeared in an instant.

Zhong Yuanzhong was also keenly aware of the subtle change in Qianli's mood. He pressed the brim of his hat, and a faint smile flashed across his blue eyes that were hidden in the shadows.

"Congratulations."

Qianli raised his head slightly, but his erratic gaze never stopped on Zhongye's face. "……Thanks."

"Do you know the gem dealer in Box 519?" Zhong Yuan Zhong also did not miss the information that the other party inadvertently revealed, and his firm tone fully demonstrated that Qianli was very confident in his own judgment.

It is well known that businessmen value profits, but the star sapphire with a sky-high price of 18 billion must have its unique features.He has heard of a jewelry store called Jewelrytranger several times from his subordinates. It is said that everyone can find the most suitable gemstones in that store.Half an hour ago, I met the invited store manager again, so I got a beautifully crafted business card.

Richard Ranasinghe Dovalpia, the blond man, is no ordinary gem dealer.

Speculating on this premise, the reasons for dropping the bid aren't just about money.

Chuya Nakahara's question made Qianli's breath stagnate, and his spirit, which had been relaxed a little, tensed up again.Silence would have looked suspicious, thankfully he used another person's name every time he visited Jewelrytranger.

"Yes, the leader is one of his clients." After speaking, he added tactfully. "Beautiful hair accessories and dresses..."

Sorry, Alice.

Mori Ogai's fondness for humanoid abilities is obvious to all. Members of the organization who don't know the inside story have already agreed that the blond-haired and blue-eyed young girl is the biological daughter of their leader.

After listening to Qianli's explanation, Zhong Yuanzhong immediately understood.Serving as a guard is not only responsible for protecting the personal safety of the leader, but also must complete a series of daily chores that have been assigned.

At this moment, a rhythmic knock on the door came to the room, and the two people sitting on the sofa looked around.

"Sorry to bother you, I am a staff member sent by the organizer."

Qianli immediately got up and walked towards the door. He took out a thin card from his coat pocket, and immediately opened the door with a gap less than two centimeters.

It was obviously not the first time for the young woman waiting outside the door to receive such a strange guest. The whole process of swiping the card, signing, and handing over the lot was comparable to that of an agent. All she could see was the left hand of the other party wearing a black glove.

Zhong Yuan, who watched this scene from the sidelines, silently raised his forehead, and was as cautious as ever.

The footsteps gradually faded away, Qianli closed the door and sat back in his original position.He put away the star sapphire that had been discarded from the velvet box, and the 10.5-carat one will be sent to Jewelrytranger in May next year.

According to past practice, there will be no more than [-] items displayed throughout the auction.So far, a total of five auctions have ended, and Zhongya Zhongya's goal this time is just in the sixth round.

A picture frame magnified dozens of times suddenly appeared above the hall, and the tight canvas was firmly fixed on it.As soon as it appeared, it caused restlessness among the people, and the guests in the box stopped talking with their companions.

There is no moon in the blackish blue night, and there is not a single star to be seen. The cold and gloomy tones turn into a menacing torrent and sweep across the whole picture.Under the vast night, there is a wasteland made of human bones, and the white bones are closely overlapped. 'His' tibia is connected to 'her' thigh, 'her' skull is pressed against 'her' chest cavity, and the phalanges and phalanges are entangled with each other without any rules.

At the edge of the canvas, the artist gave the reason for the formation of the bone forest, which is a pool of black mud rendered with the richest, coldest and most angry black.It surrounded this wasteland with a violent and dangerous posture, spinning, twisting, and leaping, devouring everything around it one by one like a living creature.

Qianli stared at this strange oil painting in rapt attention, and inadvertently pressed her right hand on the handle of Murasame's knife.There was only one reason for his gaffe, a Casablanca plant with blood-dropped petals growing among the bones.Next to it is another plant that also belongs to the lily family, but the color of the petals is quite special.Five of them used the same black as the 'Aggressor', and the remaining sixth was also contaminated.

Death and despair, this is the only message Qianli receives through this painting.

The scene depicted by the creator has a strong appeal, and the fiery but gloomy emotion seems to break through the frame and deeply reflect into the hearts of every viewer.

The host announced the starting price of 2000 million yen, and no one participated in the auction after 3 minutes.

Zhong Yuanzhong also raised his eyebrows, and entered a number into the auction device.

"No. 529, 5000 million!"

Qianli turned his head abruptly, his eyes could not hide the astonishment. "you--"

"Is it strange?" Zhong Yuan looked back and said, "It is my goal."

"But...why?" Qianli asked puzzled.

The auction brochure he got did not print out the image of this oil painting. Perhaps the manager in charge of the auction thought it did not meet the aesthetics of most people, so he canceled the early publicity.And Zhongyuan Zhong, who represented the port mafia, would inevitably check the warehouse where the lot was stored in advance. Apart from the relevant staff, he was the first person to come into contact with this painting.

"You mean the reason for bidding?" Zhong Yuan also tilted his head, his clear blue eyes under the brim of his hat showed obvious appreciation. "Because of that white Casablanca."

Qianli froze, he hesitated for a moment before mustering up the courage to ask the second question. "You, do you like flowers?"

"It's not." Nakahara Zhong also explained: "It feels very special and unique to me. I have observed the real thing up close before, and I personally think that the theme conveyed by this painting has something very dazzling besides death."

Qianli looked at the picture frame in mid-air again, tracing the pattern on the canvas inch by inch with his focused eyes, not even letting go of the gravel and dirt at the corners.It wasn't until the auction hammer fell that he looked back, his face covered by the Prajna ghost face was a bit frustrated.

He couldn't see the dazzling thing in Mr. Zhongyuan's mouth.

……

……

It was almost midnight, the moon was at its mid-heaven, and the Summer Auctions were successfully concluded.The endless blue sea is rolling with white waves, and the reflection of the moon sprinkles a little bit of starlight on the sea.As the deafening whistle rang through the night sky, the cruise ship under the name of the port mafia was about to sail into Yokohama Port Nine Pier.

Sensing that the speed of the boat was gradually slowing down, Qianli got up and said goodbye.

"Mr. Zhongyuan, I'm going back first."

"Is Oda here?" Nakahara Chuya asked.

Qianli nodded and said, "Come on, he's waiting for me at the pier."

After saying hello, Qianli left the box first, and quietly escaped into the shadow of the cabin according to the route when he came.He stopped suddenly only tens of meters away from the emergency escape door, and looked back at the room 419 that he just passed by.

There was a faint smell of rust in the moist air, and Qianli narrowed his eyes slightly.The faint smell, which is difficult for ordinary people to detect, could not escape the assassin's five senses, and he approached the box door without hesitation.

The smell becomes more pronounced as you get closer, it's blood.

Knock on the door.

No one answered.

He turned the doorknob cautiously, and it unlocked.

Qianli's eyes sank, and he activated his own supernatural ability at the same time as he dodged in.

The layout of each box here is exactly the same, and there are also two sofas and a round table in No. 419.A middle-aged man in a black suit was lying on his back on the sofa inside, his arms hanging limply.A crooked bloodstain spread from between his brows to his jaw, and the protruding eyeballs were cloudy and dull.

Qianli took a few steps forward, deliberately avoiding the blood-soaked area on the carpet.

After careful observation, the man's cause of death was very obvious.A 9mm bullet penetrated his cranial cavity at close range, killing him with one blow.The gilt embossed wallpaper behind the body was stained with red and white slime, and shaped like a brilliant firework in the night sky.

There were no traces of a fight near the body, and the murderer was probably someone the deceased knew, and he personally invited them in.

Qianli retreated to the door, looked around, and within half a minute found a bullet casing left on the table.

This is……

Parabellum hand/gun/bomb.

Qianli got up quickly and approached the corpse again.

In the man's suit pocket was a tan wallet with a lot of stuff in it.A driver's license issued three days ago, two bank cards, a receipt for an Italian restaurant in Ginza, change of about [-] yen, and a small stack of US dollars.Qianli wrote down the information on the driver's license and put the wallet back.

The man, surnamed Kojima, is 41 years old and lives in Tokyo.

Inform Zhongyuan Chuya of what happened here by email, and Qianli turned and left.The cruise ship has just entered the port, and the murderer is still on board!

One minute and 45 seconds, located in the open-air lounge on the northwest corner of the third floor.The young man wearing the Prajna ghost mask was aimed at the heart by a Bo/Lai/Ta M92F, and the battle was on the verge of breaking out.

The man with the gun was less than ten meters away from him. He was dressed in black and had a tall figure.The narrow-brimmed top hat and bangs covered most of his face, only his waist-length silver hair was particularly eye-catching under the moonlight.

Qianli walked out from the shadow of the parasol, walking calmly, without dodging or evading. "Given your actions tonight, can I understand that the Black Organization intends to tear up the cooperation agreement with the Port Mafia?"

The man had a cigarette in his mouth, and he took a puff with a sneer. The scarlet fire light illuminated a pair of falcon-like eyes. "It is you."

"Answer my question." Qianli slowly raised his head, and the red and black ghost face was reflected in the other's pupils.Senbai's ghost horns are extremely sharp, and the cold moonlight has covered it with a layer of glass-like glaze.

"Gin."

"If you want to tear up the agreement, you won't be able to see me now." Qin Jiu said casually, but the muzzle of the gun never moved.He didn't know the name of the young man in front of him, but the two had a brief meeting.

Three years ago, the Black Organization reached the first deal with the Port Mafia, and Gin and Vodka were the people in charge sent to Yokohama by 'that lord'.The freighter they took carried a large amount of medicines and state-of-the-art medical equipment that could not be purchased through normal channels.In exchange, the port mafia prepared a batch of extremely lethal MK-48 light/machine/guns, M82A1 sniper/shooter/guns, and ten boxes of matching ammunition.

On the surface, Chuya Nakahara, who had not yet been promoted to a cadre, was in charge of handing over the two of them. After the arms were put into storage, Gin noticed a dark shadow lurking in the cargo hold.Out of the killer's instinct, he immediately pulled out the pistol at his waist, and in just half a second, three Parabellum pistols/guns shot out.

In the small space, the ghostly figure pulled out a half-meter-long black short knife out of nowhere, and the seemingly ordinary blade cut through the brass bullet in an instant.The purpose of the shadow does not seem to be assassination. When the only entrance and exit were blocked, he smashed the window of the cargo hold with the handle of a knife and escaped.

Gin remembered the mask, and after a careful investigation, he was found to be a member of the Port Mafia, but no more information could be collected.

An assassin who leaves no trace, a ghost who lives in the shadows.

"You are very confident in your own skills, but——you are too arrogant." Qianli tilted his head, and the silver liquid emitting a faint light behind him was about to move.As soon as the unknown object that looked like flowing metal appeared, the decorative potted plants around the bar instantly withered.The bright green turned yellow, and the crumbling leaves told that life had been cut off.

"Oh, a person with supernatural powers." Qin Jiu looked back coldly, his sharp gaze fell on the eyes of the mask as precisely as a bullet fired from a chamber.However, before the words of ridicule came out, he was stunned for a moment.

This person... didn't breathe, and his chest didn't rise or fall.

As sophisticated as gin, the hand holding the gun is still steady.The scattered soot was blown away by the sea breeze, and he opened his mouth slowly. "Traitors from the organization have escaped to your ship."

Qianli's eyes flickered slightly. When he touched the corpse, he found that the man who had been dead for a long time had not received any combat training.In other words, the so-called traitor should be a researcher of the Black Organization and a civilian worker.

"You should have informed us in advance."

"I thought you had seen the list of invitees." Gin put away his pistol/gun, and took out an undamaged invitation letter from his coat pocket.

...that bastard young girl!

Recalling Mori Ogai's meaningful gaze when he left the chief's office, Chisato narrowed his eyes slightly.Letting myself meet Zhongya Nakahara unprepared can be explained as the other party's bad taste, but what about Gin?

Qianli quickly flipped through the information in his mind, and suddenly he caught something.

——I heard that the boss of the Black Organization has changed.

——It's a pity that I can't come to an agreement with the new leader.

——Qianli-kun, what do you think of gin?

Some time ago, I went to the office on duty, and was harassed by Mori Ogai's soliloquy every day.This person inexplicably mentioned the Black Organization and Gin... Tsk, he should have taken precautions earlier.

"I heard that your immediate boss has changed. Do you know about this? Qin, Jiu, Mr., sir." Qianli read out the other party's code name word by word, with a bit of undisguised indifference in his tone.

Gin raised his head abruptly, his dark green pupils constricted suddenly.After half a minute of silence, he jumped off the cruise ship expressionlessly.The black coat bulged against the wind, like a soaring falcon.

Looking at the back of the man going away, Qianli murmured in a low voice: "It seems that I didn't know it, and I was completely tricked."

Nakahara Nakaya was also responsible for the follow-up of the corpse, and Qianli left the cruise ship immediately.

Oda Shinichi, who had been waiting for a long time, parked his car in an alley next to a warehouse. He himself was leaning on the rear of the car with his head bowed in thought, with a lit cigarette between his fingertips.Although the boss's cleanliness is serious, smoking is not prohibited for subordinates.

"Let's go back."

The sudden sound made Oda Shinichi stiff for a moment, he stubbed out the cigarette butt and put it in a portable ashtray.No matter how many times I have experienced it, I still can't adapt to the disappearance of thousands of miles.

"Yes."

The black car quickly left Pier No. [-], and Qianli, who was sitting in the passenger seat, sighed silently.

"Oda."

"You say."

"Do I look bad?"

This situation...

Have you met the Central Plains cadres?

Oda Shinichi pursed his lips: "No."

After a while, Qianli asserted in a firm tone: "The scarf is a bit ugly."

Wrap yourself tightly every day, is the scarf the key point?No wonder Takahashi Kazuko named this abnormal phenomenon Nakahara Chuya Sequelae.

Oda Shinichi nodded with a complicated expression, and said without conscience: "You are right."

***

Back at the mansion, Qianli left Oda Shinichi alone to walk through the long corridor full of lights.

After stepping into the bedroom, he first put Murasame back on the knife holder, and immediately took out the star sapphire he bought at the auction.There is a safe in the cloakroom for storage. Apart from some expensive gems, there are also several Chokers hidden in velvet boxes.

This year's commission was Padma corundum, and last year's choice was phosphophyllite.

After closing the box door, Qianli took off her clothes and walked into the bathroom.

[Midazolam: "Moths to the flame" is not because they like light, it just needs light source for its own navigation.However, their brains couldn't tell the difference between moonlight and artificial light sources. Driven by their biological instincts, they flew around the radial light tirelessly round and round until they died. ]

[Retrograde: Ah, I don't understand it at all. ]

[Fishing and watching the tide: I have an inexplicable and deep feeling, what exactly does Mida-kun want to express? ]

Chisato, who was wearing a black bathrobe, put the phone back under the pillow and lay down on his back.The paper lantern hanging on the corner of the wall elongated his shadow, followed by a strange yet familiar sleepiness.

——What do you want to express?

He is not a moth.

He likes light.