Over on Jiang Hang's side, after activating Eagle Eye, he indeed saw a faint red glow around Shizuka Sakaki. That red glow was even thinner than the one on Koharu Yoshino, let alone compared to those kids from the Detective Boys.
The main characters in anime showed up as red in Eagle Eye... Could it be determined by their importance or amount of screen time in the story?
As Jiang Hang pondered this, Shizuka Sakaki began introducing herself amid the somewhat eerie silence.
However, she seemed even more nervous than Koharu Yoshino. From the sound of her introduction, she almost seemed to be treating this place like an audition studio.
To ease her nerves, Jiang Hang spoke in a very calm tone. "I saw on your resume that you want to become a voice actress."
"Y-Yes, that's my dream!"
Perhaps remembering that she was still in an interview, Shizuka Sakaki hurriedly added, "Of course, I'll definitely work seriously while I'm on the job. I'll handle my personal matters after work."
Jiang Hang waved a hand indifferently. He did not really care. He probably would not be spending much time at the agency in the future anyway. As long as no clients came by while he was away, Shizuka Sakaki could practice in the office if she wanted.
And even when he was in the office, he would not really mind if she wanted to practice things like seductive moans...
Ahem. There was no need to say that out loud. Straightening out his thoughts, he continued asking, "I've long heard that anyone who can become a voice actor is basically a monster. For a voice actor, being able to freely control your voice should be a given, right?"
"Huh...?" Shizuka Sakaki felt that this interview was rather different from what she had imagined, but she still answered at once. "I can't do that yet myself. I've heard that really skilled voice actors can, but generally speaking, the basic requirement for voice actors is having a distinctive voice..."
Jiang Hang nodded. Indeed, as long as a voice actor had a distinctive, memorable voice, making a living in the industry should not be too difficult. Voice actors who could casually switch between dozens of voices were probably not all that common in the industry.
He seemed to think of something and suddenly asked, "By the way, do you know Kaito Kid?"
"Kaito... Kid? Ah, that urban legend that's been going around lately? The thief who sends a theft notice to the owner before stealing something? He sounds pretty amazing." In Shizuka Sakaki's mind, someone like Kaito Kid was practically an urban legend. After all, phantom thieves were not something an ordinary person like her would ever encounter.
"Kaito Kid isn't some urban legend, though he really is impressive. If there's a chance in the future, maybe I can take you to watch how he pulls off a heist," Jiang Hang said. "He uses magic tricks to steal all kinds of gems, combines that with incredible disguise skills, and can imitate all sorts of voices without any equipment at all... I originally thought voice actors could do that. If you could reach that level, you'd count as a pretty amazing voice actress too, wouldn't you?"
"A voice-changing technique that can imitate all kinds of voices... Kaito Kid..." Though she was still somewhat skeptical of Jiang Hang's account, she remembered the name. And for someone who wanted to become a voice actress, such an ability was something she could only dream of. She immediately began looking forward to Jiang Hang taking her to watch Kaito Kid commit a crime.
But such a thing was still rather distant for Jiang Hang, who was currently a novice himself. He snapped Shizuka Sakaki out of her daydream and brought the topic back to the detective assistant position.
He repeated what he had previously told Koharu Yoshino about the things she might encounter after becoming his assistant, so she could be mentally prepared. If she was unwilling or unable to adapt, he would not force her.
As expected, although Shizuka Sakaki was startled by what Jiang Hang told her, she ultimately said that she was willing to try this challenge.
And so, that day, Jiang Hang successfully recruited two anime characters he had quite liked before transmigrating to serve as his assistants.
At that moment, Jiang Hang felt as though he had reached the pinnacle of life.
What Kind of Detective Was Jiang Hang?
The next day, after Shizuka Sakaki and Koharu Yoshino arrived at his agency one after the other and signed one-month probationary contracts, both girls and Jiang Hang let out sighs of relief.
"Starting today, the two of you are members of the Pathfinder Detective Agency. Shizuka Sakaki, since you're part-time, you'll start as the receptionist. When I'm not at the agency and a client comes by, you'll be responsible for receiving them and finding out what they need before I return."
He then looked at Koharu Yoshino. "You'll start as my assistant. When Shizuka Sakaki isn't around, you'll also be responsible for receiving clients. Usually, you just need to keep the agency running normally."
Keeping the agency running normally basically just meant cleaning the place and ordering takeout at mealtimes. If they really wanted to stretch it, it could also include promoting the agency. Since Koharu Yoshino had managed to revitalize a declining tourist town, promoting a detective agency should not be too difficult for her.
In truth, one person could easily handle both jobs. But since Jiang Hang had hired two people, he had to give both of them at least something to do.
After explaining what each of them would be responsible for, Jiang Hang addressed them both. "Of course, aside from being the receptionist and assistant, you're also my assistants now. If any cases come up in the future, I'll take you to investigate the crime scenes in person. If you feel you can't adapt to the environment at a crime scene, just tell me directly."
Naturally, neither girl would say she could not handle it at this point. Whether they really could or not would only become clear after they experienced a murder scene for themselves.
After assigning their duties and exchanging contact information, Jiang Hang looked at the various system commissions constantly refreshing on the notice board and decided not to waste any more time.
"You two get used to the agency first. I'll head outside and see if I can pick up any commissions. If you're hungry at noon, just order takeout and put it on the agency's tab. You can also buy groceries and cook in the agency kitchen, but remember to keep the place tidy. If you think the agency needs anything, just send me a message."
After saying that, Jiang Hang left the two bewildered girls at the agency and headed off to the shopping district.
Watching Jiang Hang's carefree departing figure, Koharu Yoshino and Shizuka Sakaki looked at each other.
Clearly, both of them were deeply confused about this job.
They were not idiots. They naturally understood whether a job was easy or troublesome.
And according to Jiang Hang, they would practically have nothing to do all day aside from sitting in the agency and waiting for clients to come by.
Wasn't that a little too easy? The same thought flashed through both girls' minds.
Then they thought of the astonishing salary Jiang Hang had offered. If he had not left the agency immediately after giving them their instructions, the two girls might have started wondering whether he wanted them to do something strange.
The two girls could not make heads or tails of it. Shizuka Sakaki was the first to break the silence.
"Um... hello. I'm Shizuka Sakaki. We'll be working together from now on..."
Koharu Yoshino hurriedly responded as well.
"Hello, hello. I'm Koharu Yoshino. Please take care of me from now on."
It was easy for two girls of similar age to find common ground. With their boss Jiang Hang absent, they quickly began chatting.
Of course, the main topic was their suspiciously easy new job.
One was a fresh graduate who had failed thirty consecutive job interviews, while the other was a future voice actress who had only come to casually try for a part-time job. Even after learning about each other's circumstances, neither could figure out what exactly Jiang Hang had been thinking when he hired them.
In the end, they came up with all sorts of possibilities. Maybe Jiang Hang's detective instincts had spotted hidden potential in both of them. Maybe he had simply hired two pretty girls to improve the agency's image. Or perhaps, more crudely, Jiang Hang was after their bodies, but had not shown his true colors yet.
But no matter how they discussed it, there was one thing they could confirm—Jiang Hang was definitely rich.
The agency's luxurious decor, combined with Jiang Hang's generous attitude, made that obvious.
"I heard the annual rent for this agency alone exceeds ten million yen... And I asked the real estate agency yesterday. Our boss is planning to buy this entire floor after a while. That would cost several hundred million yen. I probably couldn't earn that much money in my entire life," Koharu Yoshino quietly told Shizuka Sakaki, sharing what she had learned from the agency yesterday.
No matter who Jiang Hang really was, as long as he paid her and allowed her to keep living in Tokyo, he would be her benefactor from then on. Koharu Yoshino's thinking was that simple.
Shizuka Sakaki did not think too much about it. No matter how rich Jiang Hang was, it had nothing to do with her. Her dream was still to debut as a voice actress and someday make an anime belonging to her and her companions.
After chatting for a while and becoming more familiar with each other, Koharu Yoshino began considering her work.
After all, Jiang Hang had said she would also be responsible for promoting the agency. Advertising in newspapers and handing out flyers on the street were the simplest and most effective methods, but Koharu Yoshino felt they should seek other publicity channels as well.
"But for a detective agency, no matter how well it's advertised, what matters most is the detective's ability, right?" While Koharu Yoshino was racking her brains over how to promote the agency, Shizuka Sakaki hit the nail on the head.
Koharu Yoshino immediately seemed to deflate.
What Shizuka Sakaki said was true. No matter how well an agency was run externally, it would still be useless if the detective himself was not capable and could not solve any cases.
"But how would we know whether Jiang Hang is actually a good detective? I asked around. This detective agency only opened a few days ago, and Jiang Hang only recently entered the detective business... Though yesterday, I did hear Jiang Hang say that he helped the police solve a Mafia robbery case involving several hundred million yen the day before yesterday."
Koharu Yoshino seemed to think of something and hurriedly took out her phone to search for related news from the past few days.
Very quickly, Koharu Yoshino found a relevant report. "Found it... the Maple Gold Coin Case. The Mafia members involved in the robbery were arrested by the police the day before yesterday, but the police didn't disclose any specifics of the case. It only says that three fugitive Mafia members were successfully arrested with the assistance of a helpful citizen..."
"If that helpful citizen was Jiang Hang, then maybe Jiang Hang really is an amazing detective," Koharu Yoshino said.
Shizuka Sakaki, meanwhile, recalled Jiang Hang's sharp, hawk-like eyes when they first met yesterday. Someone with eyes like that probably would not be some second-rate detective.
But until Jiang Hang truly took them to a crime scene, all they could do was keep guessing.
A Client with Ulterior Motives
While the two girls discussed what kind of person Jiang Hang was at the agency, Jiang Hang continued his efforts to spread positive energy.
Upgrading the agency was actually not difficult. One requirement was completing enough cases, while the other was accumulating sufficient fame.
Upgrading a Level 1 agency required him to participate in one case rated at least two stars and gain 1,000 points of fame. The Maple Gold Coin Case was a three-star case and had also provided Jiang Hang with 800 fame points, so the agency was now on the verge of upgrading.
As for those trivial commissions on the notice board, they were more like daily quests in a game.
New commissions refreshed almost constantly, while old commissions quickly disappeared from the notice board if they were not completed in time. Completing one such commission usually brought Jiang Hang between 5 and 20 fame points.
It was not much, but every little bit added up. When there were no major cases, those fame points were still quite useful.
After taking an elderly woman who had accidentally fallen to a nearby hospital, Jiang Hang's detective agency successfully upgraded to a Level 2 agency amid the gratitude of her children, who had rushed over after hearing the news.
Jiang Hang looked at the upgrade requirements for a Level 3 agency.
Five cases rated at least two stars, along with 5,000 fame points. It was essentially five times the requirements for a Level 1 agency.
"Congratulations, host. Your agency level has increased. The agency upgrade rewards have been issued. Please check them yourself."
The system had given quite a few rewards this time. First, the notice board's range for discovering commissions expanded to within two thousand meters. It also unlocked a notification function for cases occurring within fifty meters of the host. In other words, whenever the system issued an alert, it meant a case had occurred within fifty meters of Jiang Hang. It was a fairly useful feature. Combined with the exploration quests Jiang Hang had to complete each day, there was always a chance of encountering cases while exploring.
As for his personal rewards, aside from the massive yen reward Jiang Hang had grown accustomed to, he also received an ability called "Disguise (Beginner)."
As new knowledge appeared in his mind, he knew that he had learned another new skill.
Disguise was a very common ability for assassins. It was quite useful when an assassin needed to kill a target, stalk them, or steal intelligence.
The beginner Disguise skill allowed Jiang Hang to make some simple alterations and disguises when he had time to prepare. It also included some knowledge of facial alteration, though only the rather crude kind.
With this level of facial alteration, normal people could spot the flaws at close range. At most, he could only disguise himself as men with builds similar to his own, and his vocal disguise was equally crude. Compared to Kaito Kid's almost miraculous disguises and voice-changing techniques, his disguise skill was truly not worth mentioning.
But the skill was only at the beginner level for now. Perhaps when Disguise became advanced, he too could achieve perfect disguises like Kaito Kid.
For now, though, it was another skill with little practical use for Jiang Hang. Unless someone hired him for a surveillance job, he could use it to avoid being discovered.
But his agency had only been open for two days. Although he had advertised in the newspapers, no customer had come in with a commission yet.
Of course, Jiang Hang did not rely on commissions to make a living. All he needed to do now was watch the notice board every day to see whether the names Conan or Ran Mori appeared.
It was an idea that had suddenly occurred to him today.
Although his detective agency was not close to the Mori Detective Agency, the straight-line distance was less than a kilometer, placing it within the notice board's search range. If someone came to the Mori Detective Agency with a commission, Jiang Hang could see it from home. If the case was suitable, he could try to solve it before Conan made a move.
Of course, that was a little unethical. For Jiang Hang, the best approach would be to intercept the client before they reached the Mori Detective Agency. As long as Kogoro Mouri and Conan did not know about it, there would be no problem.
Just as Jiang Hang was thinking this, his phone rang.
It was a call from Shizuka Sakaki. Jiang Hang answered.
"Jiang Hang, a client has come to the agency. Can you come back now?"
Jiang Hang was a little surprised. He had just been wondering when his agency would finally receive its first official client, yet one had arrived so quickly.
He did not know whether it was the effect of his fame reaching 1,000, or whether the client had come after seeing the newspaper advertisement.
"Alright, I understand. Shizuka, entertain the client for now. Also, write down what kind of commission they have. I can be back at the agency in ten minutes."
After hanging up, Jiang Hang opened the notice board. If it was a genuine commission, he should be able to see its information there.
The commissions on the notice board were arranged from highest to lowest rank. No matter what, an ordinary commission should rank higher than helping an old lady cross the street.
Sure enough, a one-star commission had appeared on the notice board.
"For personal reasons, Abe Yutaka needs to find a detective to help him create an alibi. One-star commission. Completing it will grant 50 fame points."
Judging from where this commission originated, it was inside his agency. It should be this man.
What drew his attention, however, was the client's motive.
The notice board displayed by the system reflected people's sincere inner wishes. In this regard, Jiang Hang trusted the system.
He had not expected the notice board to have such a use. Wouldn't that mean that any clients with ulterior motives who came to him in the future would be delivering fame right to his door?
Thinking of that, Jiang Hang could not help feeling invigorated. There were no shortage of clients in Conan's stories who deliberately hid information and set traps for people.
And if the commission on the notice board was correct, this client seemed to be hiding some unspeakable secret.
He wanted Jiang Hang to help create an alibi? Jiang Hang had not expected his first official commission to be a trap. Was it because being too close to Conan had drawn in the other man's bad luck, or had his agency simply attracted a client who should have gone to Conan instead?
Interesting. He should hurry back and find out what was going on.
With that thought in mind, Jiang Hang hurried back to his detective agency.
This client, Abe Yutaka, was already forty-two years old. He wore black-rimmed glasses and looked refined and scholarly. According to his own explanation, he was the president of a company, which made him a successful man in most people's eyes.
Shizuka Sakaki had done a good job. She had recorded the client's commission in detail.
Put simply, Abe Yutaka wanted Jiang Hang to follow someone for the next three days. As long as he was not discovered and recorded where that person went during those three days, he would receive a reward of 500,000 yen.
The system often gave rewards in the tens of millions of yen, but that did not mean 500,000 yen was a small amount. An ordinary Japanese office worker's monthly salary was about that much. Many people would be willing to follow someone for three days in exchange for 500,000 yen.
"Surveillance..." Jiang Hang calculated silently.
If Abe Yutaka wanted him to create an alibi, then did that mean Abe Yutaka intended to kill the person Jiang Hang was following during those three days, and use Jiang Hang to prove his innocence?
Turning the Tables
"Mr. Abe, if you don't mind, could you tell me why you want to follow Mr. Negishi Masaki?"
Jiang Hang looked at the photograph in the file. It showed a somewhat fierce-looking middle-aged man.
If Jiang Hang had to judge by first impressions, that man looked more like a murderer.
But reality proved that the gentle-looking middle-aged man sitting before him was more likely to become a murderer. Appearances truly were deceiving.
"Of course, I don't mind." Abe Yutaka's expression did not change in the slightest, as though he had long prepared his explanation.
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