"What is it?" Vermouth leaned closer curiously when she noticed the subtle change in Jiang Xia's expression.
Looking down, she quickly understood what Jiang Xia was thinking.
"Kandagawa Publishing House... is only three street blocks away from the Omura residence." Once again, she felt Anonymous's pervasive malice. "That happens to be the police's so-called 'lockdown area.'"
Jiang Xia studied the map, then recalled the fairly complicated terrain around that area when they had passed through it earlier that day:
"With the police force they can currently mobilize, there's no way they can truly seal off this entire street block. At most, they can increase patrols—so even if we go straight in, the chances of being spotted probably aren't as high as we imagined.
"But constantly hiding and dodging is a hassle, and we can't rule out the possibility that the police have some capable people overseeing things. So it would be best to call and lure Tokito out—I can't get in easily, but getting out should be no problem for him. There were too many guests at Tachibana Goryu's birthday party that day. The police can't possibly put all of them under protection."
The plan sounded simple and convenient.
However, when Jiang Xia made the call, he discovered in surprise that the number was no longer in service—Kandagawa Publishing House seemed to have changed its phone number.
Jiang Xia sighed, hung up the receiver, and rejoined Vermouth. "...Gin's information is outdated. The call won't go through."
Vermouth froze for a moment, then commented without mercy, "What an unreliable guy."
Jiang Xia: "..." Hearing someone with TEM-8-level slacking skills judge a model worker like that felt rather surreal...
He silently lit a candle for Gin in his heart, then suddenly thought of something. He turned to Vermouth and looked her