Japan Is This Hypocritical
"..."
Fujino paused for a moment, then looked down at Ai Haibara with a complex expression in his eyes, as if to say:
Did you really say that?
Um... normal delivery type, frivolous, large forehead?
That's a very accurate description.
As expected of you!
"..."
Ai Haibara also looked up, met Fujino's gaze, and then guiltily looked away, as if to say:
Don't look at me!
I didn't say that!
Even if they did, they wouldn't admit it!
I can't eat dinner tonight!
Hmm, maybe we should just go back!
"..."
The two remained silent.
In a single glance.
It seems like everything has been said.
Are you two coming in or not?
A voice broke the silence. Shimojo Noboru strolled up behind the two and, seeing that they were still not going in, couldn't help but ask, "Can you please not block the doorway?"
"Oh..."
After regaining their senses, the two went into the restaurant.
Their expressions turned strange, but they didn't say anything more.
Ai Haibara sat down, her face calm as she lowered her head, but she felt somewhat embarrassed inside.
"Sigh, those two girls and those kids from earlier in the day, and the ones who were just standing at the restaurant entrance... you were all together, weren't you?"
After entering the restaurant, Shimojo Noboru took a bottle of wine from the bar counter, approached the group's table with a surprised expression, and then asked, "Excuse me, I think my watch is damaged by water. Could you tell me what time it is?"
"It doesn't matter."
Ran glanced at her watch. "It's 7:12 now."
"That's a headache."
Shimojo Noboru scratched his head, then sat down at a table and poured himself a drink. "Looks like I'm too early, that guy hasn't even arrived yet."
"Let's hurry up and order!"
Sonoko glanced at Shimojo Noboru, then flipped through the menu. "So that no one will start arguing later and ruin our good mood for eating."
"We're not trying to argue, we just want to teach each other some rules."
Shimojo Noboru of his drink and flipped through the menu. "That guy is using trawls instead of nets to catch all the fish here. He's even set up a fish farm here, turning this place into a breeding base for a single species. So tonight we're going to teach that guy a lesson and show him how long it takes for a sea area to recover after it's been hollowed out!"
"That's so unfair..."
Sonoko clicked her tongue. "Isn't anyone going to do something about this guy?"
That's impossible.
The amiable, chubby Yoshizawa Yuta had been there during the day, arrived at the restaurant and said with some helplessness, "Although the law strictly prohibits this kind of behavior, there is actually no way to restrict it... In other words, nobody cares."
Sonoko frowned, somewhat puzzled. "Doesn't anyone report him?"
"Reporting it probably won't do any good."
Fujino explained, "As the owner of a major aquaculture business, the local authorities will definitely protect him. The local economy is nothing compared to environmental protection. As for the law, if no one is in charge, it can't restrict him. Besides, so many laws are just for show, so one more won't make a difference."
"Japan is just so hypocritical."
Ai Haibara sat listening nearby and chimed in, "Although they keep talking about protecting the wild environment, there is still only one country in the world that is hunting whales and dolphins."
Fujino didn't say anything, he just nodded silently.
Ai's lamentations are always so insightful and to the point.
He's the one who says everyone has a responsibility to protect the marine environment, yet he's also the one who secretly dumps nuclear wastewater into the ocean.
Japan is indeed hypocritical.
"That's right!"
Shimojo Noboru to the side, said in a deep voice, "What can they do even if they know? They don't care. Who knows how much they've been bribed by that guy?!"
"..."
The elementary school students and two high school students present fell silent for a moment.
Suddenly, the topic seemed to have become much heavier.
Soon, the Chinese food that everyone had ordered was served on the table.
While waiting, the group chatted with people at the two tables next to them.
For example, they might have a companion who didn't come, or their father who died in a storm a few years ago.
However, after waiting for a long time, Shimojo Noboru and Yoshizawa Yuta still did not see Aramaki Yoshichi was supposed to come to the appointment.
"Seriously, why isn't that guy coming over yet?"
Shimojo Noboru seemed to be getting impatient, and took out his phone to call Aramaki Yoshichi: "Why haven't you come yet, so late? Are you going to stand me up?!"
"I think that guy must have fallen asleep after getting drunk!"
Yoshizawa Yuta picked up his glass, took a sip of his drink, and couldn't help but chime in.
"I think so too, we have to wake that guy up!"
Shimojo Noboru nodded, then dialed Aramaki Yoshichi's number.
As the murderer, Shimojo Noboru knew perfectly well that the other party would not be able to answer the phone.
After all, he was the one who got the man drunk, threw him into a small ditch on the beach, and then weighed him down with a boat.
It's estimated that by this time, everyone would have already drowned from being submerged in seawater.
His purpose in making the call was simply to confirm whether the other person was dead or alive.
"Beep... beep..."
A brief shout.
"Splash!"
The call was answered, and the sound of waves could be heard on the other end.
"It's connected?"
Shimojo Noboru was taken aback when he heard this; clearly, the fact that the call had been answered was unexpected.
After all, people are drowning in the sea, how could they possibly get through?!
Could it be a zombie coming back to life?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Was it accidentally connected by being hit by a wave?
"Moshi Moshi?"
"?!"
Shimojo Noboru's hand trembled, and the phone in his hand accidentally fell to the ground.
It really came back to life?!
Impossible, it's impossible for a corpse to come back to life!
Did someone pick up the phone, or was he rescued?!
Countless possibilities flashed through Shimojo Noboru's mind.
"Arden, what's going on?"
Little Fatty, noticing that his best friend was acting strangely, couldn't help but ask him a question.
"It's nothing, I just heard some strange noises..."
Shimojo Noboru barely managed to maintain his composure, though his face had turned deathly pale. His trembling hand picked up his phone, and he couldn't help but ask into the other end, "Who are you?"
"Since you've asked so sincerely, I'll mercifully tell you!"
"To prevent the world from being destroyed!"
"To protect love and peace..."
"Enter the Xiao Hei ginseng!"
"Ha?"
Shimojo Noboru was completely bewildered upon hearing this.
"I know you, Shimojo Noboru. You're the one who buried this guy on the beach, right? That's such a lame way to kill someone. You should thank me for avenging your father's death... Anyway, come to the beach in ten minutes to collect Aramaki Yoshichi's body!"
"Beep beep beep..."
The call was disconnected, Shimojo Noboru stunned and bewildered.
"Arden?"
The chubby boy, Yoshizawa Yuta, couldn't help but ask, "Where exactly is that guy, Aramaki Yoshichi??"
"Seaside..."
Shimojo Noboru recovered from his shock. "Just now, a guy named Xiao Hei told us to go to the beach in ten minutes to collect Aramaki Yoshichi's body!"