Detective Conan: Shadow Legion Office

29: Chapter 29 Ayako Suzuki’s RequestThe afternoon sunlight filtered through the cafe’s floor-to-ceiling windows, casting diamond-shaped light spots on the natural wood-colored tabletop.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of Blue Mountain coffee, mixed with the scent of cherry blossoms drifting in from outside, creating a lazy and refined atmosphere.

Lin Long sat by the window, an unlit cigar between his fingertips, his gaze fixed on the endless stream of traffic outside.

His blood-colored long hair was loosely tied back with a black hairband, with a few stray strands hanging over his forehead. Wearing a peaked cap, he looked lazy yet carried a hint of nobility.

Ever since Lin Long and Miyano Akemi confirmed their relationship, his life had gained a bit more worldly flavor.

During the day, he would accompany her shopping and watching movies, and at night, they would discuss important life matters together.

Occasionally, Lin Long would personally sneak into the Black Organization’s strongholds for a ”visit,” living a life that was both carefree and domineering.

He appeared here today because he had received a private invitation from Suzuki Ayako—

This seemingly gentle young lady of the Suzuki Family was not someone to be trifled with.

”Sorry, Mr. Lin Long, I’m late.”

Suzuki Ayako’s voice rang out with just the right amount of apology.

She was wearing an off-white business suit today, her long hair pulled into a capable bun, and her face was delicately made up with light makeup, completely different from the kimono look he saw at the mountain villa last time, adding a touch of the shrewdness and crispness of a businesswoman.

”It’s fine, I just arrived too.”

Lin Long looked up at her, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, ”Miss Ayako specifically asked me out, it shouldn’t just be for a cup of coffee, right?”

Suzuki Ayako sat down opposite him, and a waiter stepped up at the right moment to take her order; she asked for a cup of black coffee without sugar, her movements elegant and practiced.

”Mr. Lin Long really is impatient.”

Suzuki Ayako smiled, her fingertips gently tracing the edge of the coffee cup, ”Since that’s the case, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m here today to commission Lins Office to conduct an investigation.”

Lin Long raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

Suzuki Ayako took an envelope out of her Hermes bag, pulled out a photo, placed it gently on the table, and pushed it towards Lin Long.

The photo showed a young man in a high-end suit, with his hair slicked back meticulously. He had handsome features but carried an unconcealable arrogance, and he was hugging a female celebrity’s waist, smiling triumphantly at some banquet.

”This is my fiancé, Tomizawa Yuzo.”

Suzuki Ayako’s tone was very flat, as if she were talking about a stranger, ”The heir to the Tomizawa Financial Group.”

Lin Long picked up the photo and flicked it with his fingertip, making a crisp sound.

He stared at the face of Tomizawa Yuzo in the photo, a flash of amusement in his red eyes: ”Tsk tsk, this kid doesn’t look like a good person. Miss Ayako, your taste is a bit poor.”

”But that’s fair.”

”It’s a Zaibatsu! Don’t they all just do their own thing?”

If anyone else had said this, they probably would have been retorted by Suzuki Ayako long ago, but she only covered her mouth and chuckled, though there was no smile in her eyes: ”Mr. Lin Long is joking. This marriage was decided by the family; I’m just going with the flow.”

She paused, her tone becoming serious: ”I hope Lins Office can help me investigate him—investigate his daily behavior to see if it matches how he acts in front of me; investigate who he associates with in private and if there’s any shameful dirt on him; and by the way... investigate the overall operating situation of the Tomizawa Financial Group, including their capital flow, debt issues, and the selection process for their heir.”

Suzuki Ayako’s voice was very soft, but it carried undeniable determination: ”Mr. Lin Long is the president of an information consulting firm and has dealt with many Zaibatsu, so you should understand what I mean. What I want is not a report that looks good on the surface, but the ’real dirt’ on the tomizawa family.”

Lin Long looked at her.

This young lady of the Suzuki Family was indeed completely different from the ”Yamato Nadeshiko” image she projected.

What she wanted was not a simple investigation, but a weapon to seize absolute initiative in the marriage negotiations, or perhaps even... evidence to completely tear up the engagement.

”Interesting.”

Lin Long put the photo back on the table, tapping his fingertips on the surface, ”Investigating a future fiancé, and even digging up their family’s past... Miss Ayako, aren’t you afraid I’ll leak these things and cause the Suzuki Family and the tomizawa family to have a complete falling out?”

”Mr. Lin Long wouldn’t do that.”

Suzuki Ayako picked up the freshly served black coffee, took a sip, and met his gaze calmly, ”We are in a cooperative relationship. You help me get what I want, and I will pay you enough remuneration—whether it’s money or the connections of the Suzuki Conglomerate, as long as I can do it, it’s all possible.”

She smiled gently, but a trace of contempt appeared in her eyes: ”Besides, it’s not that I look down on the Tomizawa Financial Group, but they want to go head-to-head with the Suzuki Conglomerate?”

”They aren’t qualified enough.”

”Besides, with the capabilities of Mr. Lin Long’s office, it’s impossible for them to be discovered by the Tomizawa Financial Group, right?”

After speaking, Suzuki Ayako gave Lin Long a deep look.

Lin Long’s eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed that Suzuki Ayako had not only investigated Tomizawa Yuzo but had also dug up quite a bit about him.

This woman was even more complicated than he had imagined.

”You are quite well-informed.”

Lin Long smiled, no longer beating around the bush, ”Fine, I’ll take this job. I’ll give you a detailed report in a while.”

He had no interest in the Tomizawa Financial Group itself; ever since he turned into an immortal dark creature, Lin Long had lost interest in wealth.

But he was interested in this beautiful woman in front of him. Tomizawa Yuzo’s fiancée, this should count as a married woman, right? A married woman, and still the original version at that.

Lin Long expressed that inheriting the Prime Minister’s legacy and carrying forward the Wei Wu spirit was his bounden duty.

”Then thank you, Mr. Lin Long.”

Suzuki Ayako put down the coffee cup, her face showing just the right amount of gratitude, ”I knew that coming to you was the wisest choice.”

”Happy cooperation.”

”Happy cooperation.”

Once the business was finished, the atmosphere in the cafe became much more relaxed.

Suzuki Ayako looked at Lin Long, her gaze falling on his blood-colored long hair and red eyes, a flash of curiosity in her eyes: ”Speaking of which, Mr. Lin Long, are your hair and eyes... wearing contacts and a wig? Very distinctive.”

Last time at the mountain villa, she had noticed Lin Long. At that time, although Lin Long was quite handsome, he was far from having such a drastic change in temperament as he did today.

Observing him closely, Lin Long’s blood-colored long hair had a strange luster in the sunlight, and his red eyes were so clear they didn’t look human, beautiful to the point of being eerie.

Lin Long smiled faintly, picked up his coffee cup, gave a soft ”hmm,” and didn’t offer too much explanation.

He didn’t want to expose his identity as a dark creature, so using ”wig and colored contacts” as an excuse was perfect.

Anyway, given his current strength, even if Suzuki Ayako suspected something, she wouldn’t dare to actually test him.

Seeing that he didn’t want to say more, Suzuki Ayako tactfully didn’t pursue the question, but the inquiry in her eyes deepened.

She could feel that the Lin Long in front of her had a completely different temperament from when they first met half a month ago.

At that time, although he was steady, he carried a kind of deliberate aloofness, as if he were independent from this world; but now, he was domineering and flamboyant, his blood-colored long hair and red eyes seeming to declare his uniqueness, radiating a pressure that made people afraid to look directly at him, yet he was damnably charming.

What was the reason for this transformation from the inside out?

Suzuki Ayako’s heart skipped a beat for no reason.

She had seen too many men pretending to be profound and had dealt with countless suitors coveting the Suzuki Family’s wealth, but no one was like Lin Long.

Just sitting there, he made her feel a strong attraction—it was the appreciation of the strong for the strong, and also a woman’s heart fluttering for a man.

She admitted that Lin Long’s current appearance very much matched one of her ”hobbies.”

This kind of domineering control over everything, this kind of wildness unbound by rules, was much more charming than the fake elegance of Tomizawa Yuzo.

”Mr. Lin Long seems very busy lately?”

Suzuki Ayako asked casually, ”After the incident at the villa last time, I’ve rarely seen you at social events.”

”It’s alright, handling some private matters.”

Lin Long responded indifferently; he had no interest in these hypocritical social interactions.

”Is that so?”

Suzuki Ayako smiled and threw out bait, ”My father is hosting a charity banquet next weekend, and many people from the business and political circles have been invited. Mr. Lin Long is interested? I can save an invitation for you.”

Suzuki Ayako wanted to get to know Lin Long better, and she also wanted to see what kind of attitude this man would show on a real high-society stage.

Lin Long thought about it. A charity banquet? It sounded like a good place to collect malice black qi. Those sanctimonious politicians and Zaibatsu, who knows how many dirty deeds they were hiding behind their backs.

”Sure.”

He nodded in agreement, ”Then I’ll trouble you, Miss Ayako.”

”It’s no trouble.”

Suzuki Ayako smiled even more gently, ”It is my honor to be able to invite Mr. Lin Long.”

The two chatted for a few more sentences, mostly about Tokyo’s business trends and recent news, with Lin Long occasionally chiming in.

Suzuki Ayako, however, chatted enthusiastically, her eyes glancing at his hair and eyes from time to time with undisguised appreciation.

Lin Long took in her reactions, a flash of amusement in his red eyes. It seemed this young lady of the Suzuki Family had quite a bit of interest in him.

That was fine; having one more ”good friend” was better than having one more enemy.

When leaving the cafe, Suzuki Ayako took the initiative to reach out: ”Looking forward to Mr. Lin Long’s good news, and also looking forward to meeting next weekend.”

Lin Long took her hand, the cool touch coming through his fingertips, and he lightly scratched her palm with his finger, winked, and said: ”I will, goodbye, beautiful Miss Ayako.”

Watching Suzuki Ayako get into a taxi and leave, the smile on Lin Long’s face gradually faded.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Butler Ochiai: [Investigate Tomizawa Yuzo, Tomizawa Financial Group, focusing on their internal matters regarding the next heir. Also, prepare an admission ticket for next week’s charity banquet.]

After sending the message, he looked up in the direction of the Tomizawa Financial Group headquarters, lost in thought.

Tomizawa Yuzo, Tomizawa Financial Group... Lin Long felt that the Suzuki Conglomerate marrying Suzuki Ayako off to Tomizawa Yuzo was to let Suzuki Ayako take control of the Tomizawa Financial Group.

”Forget it, it doesn’t matter.”

Lin Long shrugged, turned, and left, his blood-colored long hair rising in the wind.

Lin Long’s figure gradually merged into the shadows of the street corner and disappeared.