Solving cases with Detective Conan's science? No, I'm a cultivator!

'Shuichi Akai, the woman you can't save, I'm determined to save!'

Having made a silent decision, Kitagawa Taki then dialed her number. "Hello, is this Ms. Hirota Masami? I am the owner of the car from earlier today. My name is Kitagawa Taki."

Akemi Miyano: "Mr. Kitagawa, hello, has the vehicle damage been confirmed?"

Kitagawa Taki: "No, how about this, Ms. Hirota, are you free tomorrow? We can go together to check the car damage, that way you can rest assured."

Akemi Miyano: "Well... okay, where should I look for you?"

Kitagawa Taki: "Kitagawa Exorcism Office, 5-chome, Beika-cho, around 10 AM!"

Akemi Miyano: "Ah, that exorcism agency?"

Kitagawa Taki: "Is there a problem?"

Akemi Miyano: "No, no, Mr. Kitagawa, it's a date then, goodbye!"

In an apartment building in Beika Town, Akemi Miyano hung up the phone and sighed. She had been overwhelmed with worries lately, and today she was in a car accident. Fortunately, it wasn't serious, otherwise she wouldn't know what to do.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Around 10 a.m. the next day.

Kitagawa Taki waited for Miyano Akemi downstairs.

He hadn't looked closely yesterday, but upon seeing her today, he realized that Miyano Akemi was indeed a stunning beauty. She had long, brown hair parted in a 3/7 ratio, a pretty face, delicate features, and was wearing a beige dress and high heels.

Although her face showed some fatigue and weariness, it only added to her delicate beauty.

"Ms. Hirota!"

Kitagawa Taki greeted him with a smile, but almost called out Miyano Akemi's real name instead.

“Mr. Kitagawa, let’s go!” Akemi Miyano nodded.

The two got into the car and drove to a car repair shop.

After driving quietly for a few minutes, Akemi Miyano broke the silence and asked, "Mr. Kitagawa, is that exorcism agency yours?"

Kitagawa Taki said, "Yes, I could tell from the phone call yesterday that Ms. Hirota seemed quite surprised."

Akemi Miyano explained, "Because I had heard of Kitagawa Exorcism Agency before, and I heard that the president was very powerful and a real exorcist. I didn't expect it to be opened by you, Mr. Kitagawa."

"Oh, I see. So my reputation isn't small after all!" Kitagawa Taki said with a smile.

"May I ask, Mr. Kitagawa, do people in this world have souls or ghosts after they die?" Miyano Akemi asked, her eyes filled with undisguised sorrow, perhaps as if she had remembered something.

“Yes, but the vast majority will dissipate quickly, that is, they will ascend to heaven and become Buddhas.” Kitagawa Taki probably guessed what she wanted to ask.

Upon hearing this, Akemi Miyano nodded slightly.

After that, neither of them spoke again.

Upon arriving at the repair shop, after inspection, it was determined that the hood, headlights, and bumper all needed to be replaced, and the final cost was estimated to be around one million yen.

When Miyano Akemi heard the amount, her heart tightened. She had only prepared 50 yen, but she did not expect it to be more than double.

In the past, she could have come up with more than a million yuan, but recently, because of the forced robbery missions by that organization, the organization has not provided her with any assistance, and she has almost spent all her savings.

"Mr. Kitagawa, could you give me some time to renew this payment?"

Akemi Miyano felt extremely guilty because she didn't know how much longer she could live, and it was highly likely that she wouldn't be able to give out the money.

"Sure, but you have to give me an IOU."

Kitagawa Taki didn't care about the money; he could tell that Miyano Akemi had given up hope of living, and he wanted to find a way to rekindle her desire to live.

Kitagawa Taki was absolutely right. Miyano Akemi had been tasked by the organization with robbing a bank some time ago. If she failed, she and her sister would die; if she succeeded, they would be released from the organization.

Although Miyano Akemi was only an outsider to the organization, she knew very well that the organization would never let anyone leave alive, and that the only way out for anyone who wanted to leave was death.

She also knew very well why the organization would give her such a doomed mission, because of that man—Shuichi Akai.

When Shuichi Akai first approached her, she did develop some feelings for him, but those feelings vanished once she discovered his purpose and identity.

She didn't expose Shuichi Akai's FBI undercover work because it was something she couldn't say. In the organization's eyes, it was she who introduced Shuichi Akai into the organization, and if Shuichi Akai were exposed, she would be finished.

To Miyano Akemi's surprise, Akai Shuichi's identity was actually exposed, which made her an object that had to be eliminated in the eyes of the organization.

That's why the organization assigned her a mission that would undoubtedly lead to her death, but one she had no choice but to accept.

Upon hearing the words "IOU," Akemi Miyano couldn't help but exclaim "Eh!"

Kitagawa Taki asked, "What? Is it not allowed?"

Akemi Miyano shook her head. "No, I can do it."

The two quickly wrote an IOU, with Miyano Akemi writing her pseudonym: Hirota Masami.

Chapter 35 I see your face is dark.

"Miss Hirota, let's go. It's getting late. Let's have some food together."

After leaving the auto repair shop, Kitagawa Taki glanced at the time; it was already past eleven.

Just as Miyano Akemi was about to refuse, Kitagawa Taki interrupted her.

"Don't rush to refuse, I have some important things to say to Ms. Hirota."

So, Akemi Miyano had no choice but to go to an ordinary restaurant with Taki Kitagawa.

Within minutes of the two entering, several men dressed in black entered the restaurant one after another.

Kitagawa Taki had already discovered these guys monitoring Miyano Akemi. He knew they were from the brewery, but he couldn't deal with them now, as that would only cause trouble for Miyano Akemi.

The two of them each ordered a few dishes.

Akemi Miyano couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Kitagawa, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Ahem, let me be frank, Miss Hirota, I see a dark aura around your face; you're sure to face some bloodshed soon!"

Kitagawa Taki made up a story, saying he knew nothing about divination or physiognomy.

"Huh?" Miyano Akemi looked surprised.

She never expected that what Kitagawa Taki was talking about would be this kind of thing.

However, upon closer reflection, Kitagawa Taki seems to be right; wouldn't she soon face a "bloody disaster"?

Thinking of this, Akemi Miyano said with a touch of playfulness, "Then, may I ask the master, is there any way to resolve this?"

"Of course there's a way to resolve this, as long as you..."

Before Kitagawa Taki could finish speaking, he looked Miyano Akemi up and down with his eyes.

Miyano Akemi felt a little embarrassed by his gaze and stammered, "Mr. Kitagawa..."

Kitagawa Taki continued, "As long as you buy these talismans from me, you will definitely be able to turn bad luck into good."

"Pfft!"

Akemi Miyano smiled and asked, "Does it really work?"

Akemi Miyano's smile was warm, and with that smile, much of the gloom on her face dissipated.

Kitagawa Taki took out a wooden box containing two of each type of talisman. "I sell each of these talismans for one million yen, for a total of eight million yen."

Akemi Miyano clicked her tongue in amazement and said, "I believe it really works, but it's so expensive, even if I sold myself, I couldn't afford it!"

Kitagawa Taki then took out an IOU, saying, "I'll write it down for you."

After saying that, he didn't care whether Miyano Akemi wanted it or not, and wrote it down directly, turning the debt from one million to nine million.

"Hey, why are you forcing me to buy this?" Miyano Akemi said, somewhat amused and exasperated.

Kitagawa Taki said seriously, "Miss Hirota, just keep these talismans with you at all times, trust me!"

Akemi Miyano looked into Taki Kitagawa's eyes and nodded. She seemed to sense a strange power; although they had only known each other for a few hours, she was willing to believe him.

Actually, among those talismans, the most useful to Miyano Akemi were the Golden Light Talisman and the Spirit Heart Talisman.

"Also, if Miss Hirota encounters any difficulties that she can't solve, she can come to me. I can do more than just exorcisms!" Kitagawa Taki winked.

"Mr. Kitagawa, why are you helping me?" After a moment of silence, Akemi Miyano asked.

"Because you're pretty, it's that simple." Kitagawa Taki said earnestly.

Miyano Akemi didn't believe it at all. She was good-looking, but Kitagawa Taki was good-looking and rich. Why would he lack beautiful women?

However, she genuinely felt the kindness from Kitagawa Taki.

Akemi Miyano sincerely expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Kitagawa."

Kitagawa Taki laughed and said, "It's a good thing you didn't give me a 'nice guy' card, because I'm not a nice guy."

Akemi Miyano was puzzled. "Friend card? What does that mean?"

"Haha, it's nothing, let's eat!"

Just then, the dishes were served, and Kitagawa Taki invited Miyano Akemi to eat.

"Ms. Hirota, I see on your business card that you work at 4M Bank?"

"Yes, I haven't been working at the bank for long." Miyano Akemi's expression was cryptic; she had only joined the bank to carry out robbery missions.

As a member of the Black Organization, it's impossible for her to live like an ordinary person.

"How's working at the bank?"

Akemi Miyano casually remarked, "Anyway, it's the same. Every day I sit at the front desk and have to face all sorts of people."

"Mr. Kitagawa, stop asking me all the time, tell me about yourself too!"

How did Mr. Kitagawa become an exorcist?

Kitagawa Taki explained, "Speaking of which, I used to be a teacher. After returning from studying abroad, I became an English teacher at my alma mater, Teitan. However, I recently resigned and opened my own exorcism agency. I take on cases when there are any, and I'm idle when there aren't. It's pretty good."

“Eh, Teitan?! I graduated from there too!” Miyano Akemi exclaimed in surprise.

Unlike Shiho Miyano, Akemi Miyano has always lived in Japan, from Teitan Elementary School to Nanyang University, but she has never escaped the organization's surveillance.

"Where did Mr. Kitagawa study?" Akemi Miyano asked with some curiosity.

"I spent three years in the United States."

"USA……"