Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 738, page 152. The one related to Haruko.
"that."

While removing his mask to reveal his true face to Kenichi Shiro in the distance, Karl actually wanted to tell Kenichi Kazuya that Kenichi Shiro was alright. The reason he thought Kenichi Shiro was in trouble was probably because of a problem with the life detection equipment.

However, Kenichi, who was immersed in great grief, did not give Karl a chance to explain.

“I know it’s hard for you to believe, Mr. Carl,” came Kenichi’s voice, choked with suppressed sobs, through the communicator. “But please listen carefully to what I’m about to say. This is my uncle’s last wish, and I must convey it to you in its entirety.”

Karl blinked unconsciously.

You've already gone this far, how can I possibly interrupt you?
He looked at Kenichi Shiro, who was standing alive and well just a dozen meters away, and realized that the most reasonable thing to do at this moment was to immediately clear up the misunderstanding and tell Kenichi and his uncle the truth that they were safe and sound, but—

Carl was very curious.

At this moment, he probably needed to say those words as quickly as possible and immediately tell Kenichi and Kazuya the real situation, but
Carl was very curious.

To be honest, Carl had a bad habit: if he became curious about something, he might do something quite different from his usual behavior.

For example, right now, he temporarily hides the fact that Kenichi Shiro is alright from the grieving Kenichi Kazuya, in order to satisfy his own curiosity.

Karl is very curious about what Kenichi Shiro meant by the last words that must be conveyed to him.

"My uncle instructed me before he died that if anything happened to him," Kenichi's voice, strained with grief, came through the communicator, "he hoped—no, he begged—that Mr. Carl could..."

Just then, Carl noticed that Kenichi Shiro in the distance suddenly made a move. He bent down and picked up the silver-white EMP knife that had fallen—a gift that Haruko had given him a few days ago, which he treasured dearly.

Kenichi Shiro picked up the silver-white EMP knife, his fingertips gently tracing the patterns carved by Haruko, whom he regarded as his daughter, on the hilt—a gift from her that he had carried with him closely and treasured since receiving it a few days prior. However, at this moment, his attention was firmly captured by Karl, who was not far away.

The man removed his mask, revealing a face that was both familiar and inexplicably irritating to Karl. Karl tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow, as if he were listening intently to something.

Communication? Who is he talking to?

The moment he thought of communication, Kenichi Shiro's heart skipped a beat, and his heart clenched as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

For some reason, a strange sense of suffocation welled up in his heart, giving him an extremely ominous feeling.

Something's wrong. Something's not right!

A strange feeling was telling him that something bad had happened, and that it definitely involved him.

Who could communicate with Karl?

Judging from Carl's current situation, he has unexpectedly gained the trust of the Pheasant Faction in a short period of time and has been sent on field missions. Given that he can act freely on his own, he must have a lot of authority, and may even be the leader of the Pheasant Faction's team this time.

So, he's currently in contact with his subordinates?

The battle he just fought with himself must have left his external life detector, which he had installed with great care, in a state of confusion. It would be only natural for his subordinates to send messages inquiring about his condition.

If this is a communication from the Pheasant Faction, then I should remain silent now.
Just as Kenichi Shiro was thinking this, an idea suddenly flashed through his mind.

Wait a moment.

Life detector?

Kenichi Shiro seemed to instantly realize where his strange sense of unease came from.

His neck stiffened momentarily, and even the movement of lowering his head was slow and sluggish, like a machine that hadn't been oiled in a long time. But no matter how slow it was, it was just lowering his head, not enough to make Kenichi Shiro's gaze focus on him too slowly.

Time seemed to freeze when my gaze finally focused on the damaged equipment beside me.

The shattered life monitor lay quietly on the ground, its circuit board exposed, occasionally emitting tiny sparks.

Upon seeing the device, his ominous premonition instantly reached its peak, and at the same time, the strange feeling in his heart seemed to find its explanation at that moment.

broken
An unprecedented chill instantly swept over my entire body.

This damned device was damaged in the battle just now—it was supposed to transmit his vital signs to headquarters in real time, so that Kenichi and Kazuya would receive an alarm immediately if anything went wrong.
'I told Kazuya before we left.'
Before he left, he instructed Kenichi and Kazuya that if something happened to him in Dogtown, Kenichi and Kazuya would need to give his last words and requests.

The words that were meant to be spoken in a pleading manner after death were to be entrusted to the black-haired youth standing before him.

if
If, that is to say, possibly, just in case, perhaps, that kid Karl is currently connected to Kazuya's communication, then what he is hearing now...
Kenichi Shiro suddenly felt a little hesitant to think any further.

"Karl!"

His sudden shout interrupted Karl's almost finished speaking.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the earphone, Kenichi heard the loud and very familiar voice. His sorrowful emotions were abruptly interrupted, and Karl frowned as he looked at Kenichi Shiro, who was walking rapidly towards him.

He had to speak up and remind the person who had hastily given their last words.

“You’re being a bit noisy, Mr. Kenichi Shiro.”

But Kenichi Shiro completely ignored this subtle warning. His jawline was taut like a fully drawn bowstring, and all his emotions were forcibly suppressed into a cold, hard armor covering his face.

When he finally stood before Karl, the two men of similar height formed a delicate standoff. Kenichi Shiro's eyes swirled with a sharp, questioning gaze, but when he actually spoke, that sharpness vanished into a wisp of mist.

"Karl." This time the call was like a feather falling on snow, "Whose communication channel are you receiving?"

"Whose communication?" Karl's brows smoothed out, revealing an expression that was somewhere between confusion and sudden realization.

He answered with unusual calmness, just like an honest student facing a teacher's question.

"It is said to be your last message."

"My...last words?" Kenichi Shiro heard his own voice distorted in the air, as if he was unwilling to accept the truth, yet still retained a last shred of dignity and hope.

"Ah."

Carl, completely unaware of the distortion in Kenichi Shiro's face and voice, nodded naturally.

"The one related to Haruko."

After Karl said that, the environment suddenly became quiet, and Karl and Kenichi Shiro fell into an awkward stare.

then.

"Hey, Kenichi Shiro, you're one of us! Why are you resorting to violence again?!"

(End of this chapter)