I Had No Choice Before, but Now I Just Want to Be a Good Detective / Arriving at Tsukikage Island

Impossible. Even if there had been an error in the host cultivation plan from the very beginning, that had merely been an accident. Its professional competence was absolutely beyond question. This was the final stubborn pride of the Legendary Assassin System as a veteran system.

Compensation could be given, but that host who disrespected this system all day absolutely could not be allowed to learn that it had resulted from this system's work error!

As a veteran system, the Legendary Assassin System felt that it was time to display the bearing of a veteran system.

Thus, after the system's overloaded processing, it returned to reality.

Facing everyone—especially Shizuka Sakaki's stunned expression—Jiang Hang barely managed to keep his face calm, but inwardly, he had been cursing his scam-ridden system for quite some time.

The system's reply finally arrived belatedly.

"Please believe in this system's professional ethics. The Foundation exists to ensure that the host's source of money is entirely reasonable and legal. This system determined that informing the host of this information would not have any impact on the host, and therefore did not disclose it."

"Note: Without this system's authorization, the host cannot withdraw any assets from the Foundation. Therefore, please continue working hard to complete commissions and earn rewards in the future."

For some reason, although the system's voice was still as flat and emotionless as ever, Jiang Hang felt that it sounded strangely like it was reading from a script.

The moment he heard that he could not withdraw the Foundation's money, Jiang Hang immediately calmed down.

This thing might sound impressive, but it was really just background dressing. It was not strange for the system to create something like this. At the very least, it was far more reasonable than claiming he had secretly made his money through stocks and finance.

As a transmigrator, Jiang Hang realized that his adaptability in this regard had grown surprisingly strong.

Though the system's answer still seemed to have plenty of holes to poke in it, everyone was waiting for his response.

Just as Jiang Hang was about to say something to Taro Matsuno, who was kneeling on the floor and trembling faintly, another system prompt suddenly arrived.

"...Congratulations, host. You have successfully triggered the hidden template, 'Industry Template.' If the host agrees to take over the art museum, the 'Industry Template' will officially activate and continuously provide the host with substantial monetary returns and reputation rewards."

Jiang Hang froze. Why had this damn system suddenly unlocked another feature? And from the sound of it, was it planning to pay for him to take over the art museum?

Something was off. Very off. His system was not usually this generous.

"If the host agrees to take over the art museum, this system will use the Foundation's name to complete the subsequent acquisition on the host's behalf. If the host declines, the Industry Template will automatically close."

Listening to the system's urging, Jiang Hang hurriedly asked one final question.

"I agree, I agree... but System bro, can we discuss switching it to somewhere else? I don't exactly dislike an art museum, but if you could change it to an animation company, I think I'd be more motivated to take commissions in the future!"

Back then, I had no choice. Now, I only wanted to be a good detective.

After the system made it abundantly clear that its attitude was, "Take it if you want it; otherwise, forget it," Jiang Hang could only tearfully accept a private art museum worth roughly seven billion yen.

Even after returning to his detective agency, Jiang Hang could not help letting out a melancholy sigh.

He was supposed to be a wholesome little detective. At most, he dreamed that once he had money in the future, he would make the entire industry compete to produce the animation he wanted to watch. So why had he become a major collector before there was even the slightest progress on the animation company front?

Wait, if I sold that art museum off right now... wouldn't I immediately become a real billionaire?

After all, the system had only said that he could not withdraw the Foundation's money. It had never said that he could not cash out this way.

Jiang Hang suddenly thought of that, but the idea vanished after making only one lap through his mind.

He did not want to hear news that Director Ochiai had vomited blood and died on the spot in prison after learning about it.

Besides, he had gotten this art museum for free. And once the Industry Template activated, according to the system, the art museum would not only require no maintenance expenses from him, but would also regularly bring him a certain amount of money and reputation rewards.

After squeezing the system for benefits and getting a new feature for free, Jiang Hang felt that the system had been almost excessively generous this time.

Sorry, System bro. I said before that the rewards you gave me were watered down. So you were actually holding back for a big move. I wronged you.

Jiang Hang sincerely apologized to his system in his heart, completely forgetting how he had previously called it a damn system every other sentence.

At the same time, he began considering the so-called Industry Template.

In games, the Assassin's Creed series did have industry-related mechanics. The estates in the second and third games, the Jackdaw that could sail the skies and seas in the fourth, the café in Unity, and the Rooks in Syndicate all had to be built up step by step. They had left an especially deep impression on Jiang Hang back then.

When playing those games, Jiang Hang liked to idle while waiting for the estate income to arrive, buying every available piece of equipment and unlocking every possible skill before heading out to mow down enemies.

Unfortunately, later Assassin's Creed titles changed their style, and such elements were greatly weakened. Thinking about it was rather regrettable.

Coming back to his senses, Jiang Hang finally noticed the increasingly strange looks Shizuka Sakaki and Koharu Yoshino were giving him.

Apparently, Shizuka Sakaki had already told Koharu Yoshino every detail of what had just happened, and Jiang Hang did not think there was any problem with them knowing.

If their relationships with each other changed because of this, then Koharu Yoshino and Shizuka Sakaki would only ever amount to this much in the future.

Naturally, he understood why they were so shocked. He had been just as shocked when he learned from Eri Kisaki that he was apparently so incredible.

He could not help sighing before walking over to them.

"I originally planned to get along with you as an ordinary person, but I didn't expect to be found out."

"No more pretending. I'm a billionaire. I'm coming clean." Jiang Hang shrugged and said it directly to the two girls.

Hearing Jiang Hang's words, Shizuka Sakaki immediately looked at him with an even stranger expression, while Koharu Yoshino glared at him as if he had just spouted utter nonsense.

It had to be said that Koharu Yoshino was indeed stronger when it came to exaggerated facial expressions.

"What do you mean, you originally planned to get along with us as an ordinary person? We knew from the very beginning that you were at least a billionaire, okay?" Koharu Yoshino could not help retorting.

"Do people in your eyes normally rent houses that cost ten million yen a year, then casually donate one hundred million yen?"

Jiang Hang coughed awkwardly. This was one of those classic bragging lines he had desperately wanted to say before transmigrating but had never gotten the chance to use. It had just slipped out of his mouth.

"Since you already knew, why are you making those faces? Is it really that frightening?"

"Although I already knew you were very rich, Jiang Hang... I never imagined it would be to this extent. It really is too shocking," Shizuka Sakaki said honestly.

"I was only planning to donate one hundred million yen to the art museum, then you go out for a while, come back, and tell me that you bought the entire art museum?" Koharu Yoshino was even more dumbfounded. She had been diligently gathering information about Keiji Aso at the detective agency, while her boss had merely stepped out and spent at least several billion yen?

And it was only a drop in the bucket to him. One hundred billion dollars... how much would that be in yen? If she had to count it alone, she probably would not finish even in a lifetime.

At that moment, Jiang Hang hurriedly added an explanation. How could he possibly have that much money? Wasn't it all because System bro was basically bankrolling him?

"You're exaggerating. That money is only mine in name. In reality, I have to fulfill extremely harsh conditions before I can truly inherit those assets—conditions that are basically impossible to complete."

"You've heard of the Twelve Labors of Heracles, right? The difficulty of inheriting the Foundation's assets is roughly on that level."

"This art museum is only an exception. The Foundation decided to do it because it considered that art museum worth investing in. It doesn't have much to do with me. The money I can actually access on a normal basis is only a tiny bit more than what ordinary people have." Jiang Hang coughed lightly and held up his thumb and index finger to indicate a tiny amount.

"Only a tiny bit more than ordinary people?" Shizuka Sakaki stared at Jiang Hang with extreme suspicion. His tiny bit was really more like an enormous bit.

"There's no need to worry about those details. In short, I can only use a very small portion of my money normally. If I really had that much money available, I wouldn't have rented a floor of this building for my detective agency—I would have bought the entire building outright."

"Anyway, I've already given up on inheriting that fortune. As long as I can receive some money every month and live comfortably, I'll be satisfied. Come to think of it, I rather like my current life."

Koharu Yoshino actually believed Jiang Hang's explanation this time.

After all, a hundred-billion-dollar tycoon suddenly coming to Japan to become a minor detective was simply too bizarre a story.

But if he knew he could not inherit the fortune, and therefore simply chose to live the life he liked by coming to Japan to become a detective, that development instead felt somewhat romantic to her.

Seeing Jiang Hang running all over Tokyo every day for commissions, he did not have even the slightest air of a hundred-billion-dollar tycoon.

Seeing that the two girls had more or less been talked into it, Jiang Hang sighed heavily once more and thoroughly ended the subject.

"Back then, I had no choice. Now, I only want to be a good detective and bring more positive energy to this restless society. Don't bring up anything else."

Arriving at Moon Shadow Island

Three days had passed since Jiang Hang announced that he had bought the art museum.

Just as the system had said, he did not need to worry about it at all. The so-called Foundation handled every subsequent procedure.

Today, the Beika Art Museum officially came under his name. Although it remained closed for the time being, the Industry Template had officially activated.

After studying it for a while, Jiang Hang realized that the focus of this so-called Industry Template was not the money or reputation that could be collected at regular intervals.

In fact, after deducting the art museum's daily operating and maintenance expenses, the remaining money was only equivalent to Jiang Hang taking on one extra worthless commission each day.

The core of the Industry Template was individual cultivation similar to that of the Brotherhood.

He could now see the two girls' primary personalities, as well as the talents they could cultivate.

Leaving aside everyday skills such as cooking and driving, Koharu Yoshino's special talents included intelligence gathering, which had high potential but was currently only at the basic level, as well as interpersonal communication and leadership talent, which had not yet activated but both possessed high potential.

After all, in the anime, Koharu Yoshino had helped a declining tourist town catch its breath within a single year and even gave it hope of revival. It was hardly strange that she possessed leadership talent.

As for Shizuka Sakaki, most of her talents lay in the performing arts, and her potential was not low either. This meant that if she continued along the path of voice acting, she might not reach the absolute pinnacle, but becoming a well-known voice actress in the future would definitely not be a problem.

The cultivation method was also simple. He could choose one area of talent to cultivate for any of his employees, and when they trained in that corresponding area, they would receive twice the results with half the effort.

The rate of improvement depended mainly not only on the industry level, but even more importantly on the individual.

People with aptitude would improve faster if they worked hard. If someone had mediocre aptitude and did not work hard, then this cultivation function would basically be useless.

It really was something created by his old-fashioned system, Jiang Hang muttered inwardly as he read that explanation.

Overall, Jiang Hang did not need to worry too much about the two girls' personalities. Shizuka Sakaki was extremely hardworking, while Koharu Yoshino was as lazy as he was whenever there was no work, though she was still quite diligent once she entered work mode.

He selected Koharu Yoshino's intelligence gathering and Shizuka Sakaki's acting skills for cultivation. What happened afterward would depend on them.

Overall, this newly activated Industry Template was a tool for expanding his own influence.

If the detective agency template encouraged Jiang Hang himself to work harder at accepting commissions, then this talent cultivation system allowed Jiang Hang to develop more capable subordinates to work for him.

Jiang Hang even wondered whether the system truly intended for him to create a Brotherhood-like detective—or assassin—organization to contend with The Black Organization.

But after thinking it over, he was living perfectly well right now, and The Black Organization had not come to provoke him. Why should he go picking a fight with an organization full of double agents?

Besides, the system had never told him to establish something like an assassin organization, so naturally, he would not do something so thankless.

For all he knew, he might painstakingly build a decent organization, only for intelligence agencies from all over the world to send agents to infiltrate it the next day.

The moment he imagined that scenario, Jiang Hang hurriedly abandoned the idea. Wouldn't it be much better to wait until he had enough money to acquire animation and game companies, raise his industry level, then cultivate a batch of talent for the industry to make animation and games for him?

After handling these matters, with three days remaining until the night of the full moon, Jiang Hang finally embarked on his journey to Moon Shadow Island.

With Officer Takagi's help, Jiang Hang had obtained sufficient information about the case from back then over the past few days. To prepare him mentally, Jiang Hang had also told him that the case contained enormous doubts and that Keiji Aso's death was likely a murder.

However, reopening a case from twelve years ago that had already been recorded in the files and ruled a "suicide" was extremely difficult. If an ordinary person said such a thing, few would believe him.

Unexpectedly, Takagi Wataru believed in Jiang Hang's ability. He directly told Jiang Hang, "If the police truly got the truth wrong back then, then please, Mr. Jiang Hang, make sure you find the real culprit."

Although this would be something that made the police "lose face," for someone with his sense of justice, the real culprit remaining free was far more unforgivable.

It was just that homicide detectives like them spent most of their time dealing with major incidents occurring throughout Tokyo. Otherwise, he probably would have volunteered to come investigate alongside Jiang Hang.

The contents of the case file were much the same as what Koharu Yoshino had found. A man had gone mad, killed his wife and daughter, then burned himself to death.

However, aside from the more rigorous newspapers, the tabloids that had reported the news included plenty of embellishment to attract attention—some false information here, some false information there. With Koharu Yoshino's intelligence gathering ability still only at the basic level, distinguishing truth from falsehood was still somewhat beyond her.

But Jiang Hang was not in a hurry. Koharu Yoshino had great potential in this regard. He merely needed to patiently wait for her to grow.

By now, he could already see the outline of Moon Shadow Island.

Moon Shadow Island lay more than twenty kilometers off Tokyo's coast. It could not really be called far away, and taking a ferry only required a little over an hour.

More than a thousand households lived on the island, most of them having gradually moved there only within the past century. Over the years, the only famous person the island had produced was Keiji Aso. After the incident involving Keiji Aso, the island became even more conservative.

It was obvious that the village chief seemed to want to turn the island into a tourist attraction. Some changes could be seen around the harbor, but clearly they had not achieved much.

On the entire ferry, aside from the three of them, there were only seven or eight island residents. And that was despite this ferry making only five trips a day.

Overall, Moon Shadow Island was not completely isolated from the outside world, but it retained the lifestyle of a previous era.

At the very least, after arriving on the island, Jiang Hang immediately noticed that the network signal had become much worse. It seemed that even keeping up with anime on the island would be a luxury.

"So this is Moon Shadow Island? It's a little bigger than I imagined." Koharu Yoshino exclaimed. She had originally thought it was just an ordinary little island, but it was actually quite large.

Although the island was somewhat underdeveloped, its facilities were fairly complete. After disembarking, they quickly found an inn and completed the check-in procedures.

He did not intend to reveal his identity as a detective yet. That might alert the enemy.

"Remember your identities: reporters from a small news website. Don't mention anything about being detectives," he said, handing the recently acquired press cards and business cards to Koharu Yoshino and Shizuka Sakaki respectively.

He had obtained them through an intermediary. A press card could dispel suspicion in the vast majority of situations.

After all, nobody liked being investigated by a detective. But if a reporter said they wanted to ask some questions in order to write a news report, most people would feel differently.

"When you go out to ask the island residents questions, say that the website asked you to prepare a feature on a musician who died young, and that you were assigned to this island to gather information about Keiji Aso."

Jiang Hang instructed the two girls, telling them not to let anything slip.

The two girls were still a little confused, but after sensing Jiang Hang's seriousness, they carefully memorized his words.

What they did not know was that Jiang Hang had never intended to find the person who sent him the invitation.

He had known that person's identity from the beginning. He simply wanted to meet them after he had uncovered the truth of what happened back then.