Conan: Begins to collaborate with Miss Bayonetta and become famous

Chapter 818: Confession to Vermouth

The two were silent, their eyes silently confronting each other in the air.

Finally, Macallan broke the deadlock and turned to leave the room. Vermouth stole a glance and caught a glimpse of sadness in his expression.

She turned to Lao Hei and asked softly, "What happened?"

"Please sit down." Lao Hei spread his hands and gestured to the bench beside him.

Vermouth took a graceful seat. Old Black took a deep breath and spoke earnestly, "Although I haven't known Baijiu as long as you have... he has a peculiarity: whenever something tragic happens to the organization or the world, he always thinks, 'I could have done something.'"

"Including my wife," Lao Hei's tone was calm after a period of calmness, "He also protected her very well."

"You're married?" Vermouth couldn't hide her surprise. "Sorry, I always thought... after all, you and Baijiu never mentioned it..."

"It's 'married'." Lao Hei corrected her calmly.

"Married?" Vermouth cautiously probed, "Did something happen in the meantime? If you don't want to talk about it—"

"It happened a few months ago." Lao Hei's eyes drifted off into the distance. "At that time, I had just met Baijiu in Eastern Europe. Someone kidnapped my wife, no, my ex-wife, and used her as a threat to force me to develop software for them."

He gave a wry smile. "Before Baijiu returned home, he noticed something was amiss with me... He beat around the bush and managed to get the truth out of me. Honestly, this guy has a natural talent for reading people's minds."

"He always says that he is an idiot when it comes to feelings." A nostalgic smile appeared on Lao Hei's lips.

Vermouth just listened quietly and responded with an understanding smile.

"Later," a long-lost glow of happiness appeared on Lao Hei's face, "he rescued her unharmed... and then I disappeared for a while. At that time, we hadn't met yet..." His voice trailed off, "We... had a very wonderful time. It was really, very wonderful."

"Where is she now?" Vermouth asked softly.

"I don't know." Lao Hei shook his head. "After Baijiu repeatedly confirmed her safety with me, he placed her in an absolutely safe place." His fingers tapped unconsciously on the table. "She's very good at hiding... I taught her." A trace of the old warmth in his eyes flashed. "From time to time, she would send me a signal to prove that she was safe... This is the motivation that keeps me going."

"Why are you telling me this?" Vermouth stared at him.

Lao Hei's throat tightened, his eyes reddened slightly, and tears glistened in his eyes: "We got into this mess because of the liquor... He couldn't just watch me die."

He wiped away the tears with his rough hands. "He... is a good man, really. He never admits what he did for you... but in his heart, he cares about you very much. Now, he really has no time to care about anything else..."

Lao Hei choked up and paused for several seconds before he mustered up the courage to continue, "If you care about him... you should leave. Although this sounds like moral kidnapping... someone has to be the bad guy." He lowered his head, not daring to look Vermouth in the eye, "White wine... he has done so much for me..."

"Old Black..." Vermouth lowered her eyes.

"Are you okay?" a familiar, gentle, and steady male voice came from behind. Baijiu leaned against the door frame, a black coat casually draped over his sturdy arms.

Baijiu's eyes met Vermouth's, and silence lasted for several seconds in the air.

Finally, Vermouth made a decision and looked at Baijiu with a resolute gaze: "I'll go with you."

Lao Hei covered his forehead in pain - his passionate persuasion not only did not work, but made Vermouth's determination even more unshakable!

Baijiu nodded, seeming not surprised by Vermouth's choice.

"I understand," he said simply.

Vermouth smiled, trying to dispel the oppressive depression in the air: "So, how do we find him?"

Lao Hei quickly looked at Baijiu with a questioning look. Baijiu nodded slightly and pressed his palm downwards, indicating to continue.

Lao Hei immediately took out a small device from his breast pocket - as thin as a ballpoint pen and no longer than a fingertip.

"Microwave transceiver," he said, pinching the ends of the device, "can be tracked to any corner of the earth via satellite."

Vermouth leaned in for a closer look. Old Black then explained, "Ryan already had one on the back of his neck. We had it removed when we were in Paris."

Seeing Vermouth frowning in confusion, Baijiu added: "At the same time, put our own in there."

"The start is delayed for 36 hours to prevent Ryan's people from scanning him." The corners of Lao Hei's mouth rose unconsciously.

"So... you let him go on purpose?" Vermouth suddenly realized.

"The process is different," Baijiu said, without directly confirming it, but his eyes were firm. "The result is the same. He will lead us to the plutonium core."

Vermouth pressed on: "Why are you so sure?"

Baijiu said bluntly: "His plan to frame me and put me in jail has failed... Now, he must want me to witness the end of it all with my own eyes."

"When will the transceiver be activated?" asked Vermouth.

"Found him!" McCarron rushed in, holding a computer, his voice trembling with excitement. "I found him! I found him!!!"

He folded his laptop, using it as a tablet, and slammed it on the table. On the screen, a dot of light was moving at high speed: "He's heading east across Europe at 500 knots—he's on a plane now!"

"Should we notify the organization?" MacLaren looked up at Baijiu, waiting for instructions.

Baijiu's eyes were icy. "At least the European department has definitely been infiltrated. I only trust the people in this room right now." He stood up straight, his tone more serious than ever before. "We must act independently. Listen, this time... this is no joke."

McAllen and Old Black took a deep breath together, even though they were already accustomed to such dangerous situations.

"Then where are we going?" Vermouth asked the key question on behalf of everyone.

Baijiu supported himself on the table with both hands, and pointed his finger heavily at an area on the east side of the map: "Let's go here."

Morning, Kashmir.

The sun shines on the rolling hillsides, snow remains between the gullies, and most of the surface is covered by withered yellow meadows.

A jeep was driving along a winding mountain road. The snow-capped peaks in the distance were covered with white snow, standing out against the azure blue sky, exuding a fresh and lonely atmosphere.

"What's the situation? Macallan." Baijiu's voice came from the front.

McAllen stared at the tablet in his hand, shaking his head with a frown. "Even if there really was a way to disarm these bombs... I can't find the entrance."

"There will be a way," Baijiu's voice was calm and full of trust, "I believe in you."

"Damn it! Liquor!" Lao Hei suddenly slammed his fist on the tablet, "We lost the signal!"