Note: Don't Forget to join my Patreon.com/flokixy to get access to +50 Advance Chapters or unlock the full story from the shop support so I can bring more Chapters for you
"APTX 4869."
Shiho Miyano suddenly raised her head and stared at Tōru Fujihara.
The meaning in her gaze was crystal clear—You still dare to say you're not part of the Organization?!
This drug could only be possessed by members of the Organization, and only those with codenames within the group were authorized to use it. Based on Shiho's observations of those who handled APTX 4869, the person who used it most frequently was Gin. Now, seeing this highly prized poison in Tōru's hands, how could she believe he wasn't affiliated with them?
Tōru noticed Shiho's contracting pupils and obvious shock as she sat on the bed. He calmly explained, "I retrieved this drug yesterday from the lab where you were."
Shiho's expression darkened as she recalled the Apache helicopter that had mercilessly strafed the research facility while she fled. She swallowed hard and asked, "So you were the one piloting the helicopter that attacked the lab?"
"That's correct," Tōru admitted without hesitation.
Shiho cursed inwardly, thinking, Another madman like Gin. Despite her frustration, she forced herself to remain calm and pressed further. "You bombed the lab just for… APTX 4869?" By now, she was certain that Tōru wasn't part of the Black Organization—but he definitely belonged to some powerful organization.
"Yes, for APTX 4869—and for you," Tōru responded, pointing first at the red-and-white capsules and then at Shiho.
Her voice hoarse, Shiho managed to ask, "Why me?"
Tōru couldn't help but chuckle as he appraised her diminutive figure. Smiling faintly, he replied, "Your current state explains it perfectly."
"Shinichi Kudo—the high school detective dubbed 'the Sherlock Holmes of the Reiwa Era' by sensational tabloids—has vanished recently. Once a frequent guest on television and in newspapers, there hasn't been any news about him for quite some time. Some say he disappeared; others claim he left Japan."
"But Sherry, you should know better than anyone—he didn't disappear. Like you now, he became a child."
Shiho's face paled. She silently cursed Gin for his incompetence, allowing Shinichi Kudo to escape. She suspected that Tōru and his organization had found her precisely because they uncovered Kudo's secret.
Even as the creator of the drug, Shiho had only discovered its "side effects" recently.
"Who exactly are you?!" Shiho demanded, realizing she was trapped like a turtle in a jar. Her best chance was to seize any opportunity to run.
Though she had attempted suicide once before and survived by sheer luck, she no longer had the courage to try again. Failing to kill oneself required an unimaginable amount of resolve to attempt a second time.
"The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) branch in Japan—my name is Tōru Fujihara, but you can also call me Adam Spencer," Tōru revealed without hesitation. He understood that if he wanted Shiho to cooperate, concealing his identity wouldn't last long anyway.
When Shiho heard the name of this American intelligence agency, her expression brightened slightly. Though she had always lived under the shadow of the Black Organization, she knew well enough that the CIA wasn't exactly virtuous. They were infamous for orchestrating covert operations and destabilizing regimes worldwide.
But at least the CIA was a national institution of the United States. No matter how flawed, it was still preferable to a transnational criminal syndicate like the Black Organization. Moreover, the fact that the Black Organization had caught the attention of the CIA gave Shiho a fleeting hope—it might not survive much longer.
Despite the Black Organization's immense power, it couldn't possibly rival the full force of institutions like the CIA or other global powers.
Seeing the flicker of hope in Shiho's eyes, Tōru shook his head, amused. "Don't be so naive. Don't let your imagination paint too rosy a picture."
He continued, "Let me shatter your illusions myself. Here's the truth: the current director of the CIA has ties with your organization."
Tōru's words nearly caused Shiho to faint again. It seemed she had escaped the wolf's den only to fall into the tiger's lair.
Tōru picked up one of the capsules and waved it in front of Shiho. "This substance has the ability to shrink human bodies."
"Sherry, someone as intelligent as you must understand just how significant this is. The people who hold power and command billions will be desperate to get their hands on it. For the sake of achieving 'immortality,' staying perpetually above everyone else, and enjoying the privileges of wealth and authority, they'll stop at nothing to obtain it."
"Throughout history, countless rulers have gone mad pursuing immortality."
Shiho bit her lip and replied softly, "This drug doesn't grant immortality."
"Oh? Explain."
"After discovering Shinichi Kudo's transformation, I conducted detailed research. While the body shrinks, the mitochondria in cells responsible for producing energy do not regenerate. This means the drug merely reduces physical size without extending lifespan. Lost life cannot return, and the mechanism behind shrinking remains unclear, with extremely low success rates. Furthermore, the drug has a major side effect: the shrunken body cannot naturally grow. Right now, APTX 4869 is essentially poison."
Tōru nodded thoughtfully. So the drug only reduced size without altering lifespan. The inability to grow naturally was indeed a significant drawback, which explained why Shiho sought an antidote. If the sole effect were shrinking, waiting patiently for natural growth would suffice, and there'd be no rush to find a cure.
"But these two issues aren't insurmountable," Tōru interjected. "Whether it's the mechanism or lifespan, those aware of this drug's existence will assume its creator—you—can solve these problems. They'll capture you and force you to continue your research. You won't have a choice, Sherry. Do you realize you've opened Pandora's box?"
Shiho gave a bitter smile. "I never imagined my research would lead to this."
Tōru leaned forward. "But you still have a chance to close Pandora's box—to fix this. I was ordered to retrieve this drug and its data from the lab. However, I'm certain that the higher-ups in the CIA don't know the drug's true effects. All they know is that your organization is researching some kind of anti-aging medication."
"The official reports from your lab stated you were working on anti-aging drugs. That data is now in my possession, and I plan to submit it today. If you don't want to become a target for every intelligence agency in the world—if you don't want to unleash Pandora's box—you need to help me."
Tōru pulled out a hard drive. "I need you to extract all critical experimental data and formulas related to APTX 4869, leaving only trivial research content. With this, we can fool whoever's overseeing this task."
The drug was crucial to Tōru. With samples of APTX 4869 and all the development data, Shiho had the capability to perfect it entirely. Whether it was used to achieve "immortality" or leveraged for greater gains, Tōru needed to keep control of the drug. For now, he had to fake compliance with his superiors.
"Can I trust you?" Shiho asked.
Though her failed suicide attempt had robbed her of the will to die, she dreaded unleashing catastrophic consequences upon the world through Pandora's box. If her research brought disaster, she'd rather choose death again than witness such horrors.
It wasn't that Shiho was inherently compassionate; it was simply her basic human conscience speaking. More accurately, it was her way of seeking redemption.
Looking at the long list of names of those who had died due to her creation of APTX 4869, she often felt a deep pang of guilt at night. The ghosts of those who perished haunted her dreams, demanding justice.
Though Shiho didn't believe in God, she hoped to perform acts of kindness to ease the suffering her actions had caused her family—her father, mother, and sister. She wanted to spare them further torment because of her.
Seeing Shiho's cold yet delicate face, Tōru smiled knowingly. "You have no choice but to trust me."
"Why are you doing this? Why go against your orders?"
Shiho was perplexed.
"Why? If I must explain, perhaps it's because I'm too kind-hearted to see something like this fall into the CIA's hands, only to spark greater chaos."
"A CIA agent saying such things is laughable," Shiho retorted sarcastically.
When one feels fearless, their true nature emerges unchecked. Despite knowing her life rested in Tōru's hands, Shiho boldly displayed her sharp tongue.
Tōru laughed. "Don't stereotype so rigidly. Why can't a CIA agent be a good person? Take yourself, for instance. You've done terrible things for that organization, but now you're trying to make amends. In this sense, we're alike."
Tōru's words left Shiho silent.
Seeing her contemplative expression, Tōru pressed further. "Sometimes, death is an escape."
"Sherry, your parents' deaths were suspicious, and your sister's demise was undoubtedly linked to that organization. You could choose death as an escape, but don't you want to seek revenge for them?"
Tōru's words struck a nerve, opening Pandora's box anew. Shiho's expression softened slightly as she asked, "What do you know about my parents' deaths?"
She harbored no doubt that her sister's death was tied to the organization, but her parents' demise remained shrouded in mystery. Though she suspected the organization's involvement, many questions lingered.
Shiho assumed Tōru, being part of the CIA, would have detailed intelligence. "Unfortunately, even the CIA has no records of your parents' deaths. To them, your parents weren't important."
Tōru shook his head. Had the CIA known the specifics of their research, they would have prioritized investigating it. But as mere researchers within the Black Organization, they weren't worth additional resources.
"As long as you're alive, the truth will eventually come to light. Only by living can you exact revenge on that organization."
Tōru's words reignited a spark of hope in Shiho's heart. "Revenge on the organization? Do you know how terrifying they are? Their influence runs deep."
Tōru countered, "How strong can that organization be compared to the CIA?"
Shiho fell silent. Compared to the vast reach of the CIA, the Black Organization paled in comparison. The CIA operated globally, conducting covert operations and maintaining agents everywhere—even in supposed U.S. allies across Europe.
A petty criminal syndicate like the Black Organization couldn't compare.
"Sherry, with my help, you'll have a chance to take revenge on that organization."
Shiho studied Tōru carefully, still unsure of his true intentions. Yet, his words stirred her stagnant heart.
"Fine. For now, I'll trust you—I have no one else to rely on," Shiho said bitterly. Despite her feverish state, she climbed down from the bed, her weakened body trembling as she struggled to breathe. Pale-faced, she extended her hand toward Tōru. "Give me the hard drive and a computer."
Only then did Shiho notice her current condition. She was naked, her feet filthy, and her slender legs covered in mud.
Tōru shrugged. "You had a high fever yesterday, so I couldn't bathe you. Bear with it for now."
As a former pampered researcher, Shiho found her current state unbearable. Clutching her chest with one hand, her cheeks flushed as she demanded, "Find me some clothes!"
"There's nothing remotely enticing about your current appearance."
"Then why do you keep staring?!" Shiho snapped angrily.
Tōru shrugged nonchalantly. "Force of habit."
Shiho seethed, but there was little she could do.