GBP Chapter 283 The Unquenchable Flame of Life
Chapter 283 The Unquenchable Flame of Life
Amidst the scheming and flirtatious banter among the well-dressed gentlemen and ladies at the event, a tall, slender figure stood aloof from the world, quietly observing their childish game of make-believe on the edge of the dirty arena of fame and fortune.
"Subtracting my own overspending of 10,000 points, the basic performance of a code member in a year is 40,000 points."
Based on a minimum of two workdays per week, the average pay for each assigned task is 750 per task. Gin said that if I can't pay off my debts within six months, he'll transfer me to the Thai branch to sell myself. So I have to complete at least four codename-level tasks every week...
Alone, leaning against the corner of the wall, Kurokawa Haruya elegantly held a glass of champagne, uttering indescribable whispers.
Ran Mouri held a strawberry cream cake, her watery eyes filled with worry: "Kuromon has been facing the wall for ten minutes now, is he really alright?"
"It's alright, it's alright, Sister Xiaolan, don't worry~"
Seeing the cake that was about to be fed to his mouth fly away, Conan jumped up and down in a panic: "If Kuromon-kun really encountered something serious, he would pretend that nothing was wrong! The fact that he is like this means that the problem is not serious!"
As he spoke, he opened his enormous mouth shyly and pointed to himself: "Sister Xiaolan, I want to eat cake! Ah—"
"Shinichi," a shadowy figure appeared behind him, reaching out to grab his heartless mouth, "you've chilled me to the bone..."
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"
Hey, what are you doing? Let me go!
Kuromon Haruya snorted coldly, withdrew her hand, and meticulously and forcefully wiped the cream off her fingertips:
"This is punishment for those who forget their brothers when they have a crush on someone!"
Conan instantly blushed with embarrassment: "My...my crush! What nonsense are you talking about, Kuromon-kun?!"
"That's right, this brat hasn't even grown his hair yet!" Kogoro Mouri grabbed Haruya Kuromon from behind, his large hand on Haruya's shoulder gradually tightening.
"By the way, Kuromon. I was just having a great chat with several people, but as soon as I mentioned photographer Kuroba-sensei, they all instantly changed their tune and said goodbye. Do you have any clues about that?"
“Ah, this.” Kuromon Haruya pointed to the large banner in the venue. “It’s probably because I was eliminated from this award.”
At the 35th Annual Quarterly Photography Awards ceremony, Mr. Mori and his family of three were able to attend this prestigious award ceremony as a thank-you invitation from a previous client, thus expanding their client base.
Since the lawyer was attacked and fell into a coma, Kogoro Mouri has undergone a complete transformation, the most obvious evidence being his appearance—he is completely different from the unkempt and slovenly man he used to be.
Wearing a well-tailored, simple navy blue suit with a neat Windsor knot at the collar, Kogoro Mouri adjusted his collar with a gesture that subtly swept his gaze across the guests. His cufflinks, repurposed from an old lawyer's badge, adorned his sleeves. His beard was clean and sharp, and the subtle scent of cologne that wafted from him added to his allure.
Not only did he quit horse racing with strong willpower, but he also rarely touched a few cans of beer a day.
If it weren't for the fact that he still secretly grins at Yoko, listens to horse racing broadcasts, and occasionally has a few drinks late at night, Ran Mouri would have dragged him to see a psychologist!
Ironically, he didn't know how to cherish love back then, but now he has completely changed his ways.
Kuromon Haruya glanced casually at the man standing in the center of the venue and introduced him to the group: "The man standing next to the editor-in-chief of the news agency is this year's winner, Yanase Ryuichi, a rising star in accident reporting photography."
"Oh?" Kogoro Mouri stroked his chin in confusion. "But I heard that this award is kept very secret, and the winner will be announced later, right?"
Kuromon Haruya shrugged, giving a knowing look to the adult: "Yeah. Of course, it has to be kept secret from outsiders, but the results were actually decided a week ago."
"My main focus in photography is nature and people, but I occasionally captured footage of major accidents in my spare time. Yanase protested to the organizing committee, citing differences in road conditions and the negative social impact, which is why I was disqualified from the finals."
Conan suddenly realized: "No wonder you came as a guest this time, instead of as 'Kuroba,' to avoid embarrassment!"
Actually, no, Haruya Kuromon corrected herself in her mind.
Besides his regular bird photography commissions each year, he also casually chooses a category each year to take a few photos for similar awards. If the photographers aren't very good that year, he can get a nomination for fun; if they are good, he won't regret losing the award.
He wouldn't have attended and wasted his time if he weren't trying to capitalize on the Mori family's incident to increase his influence and earn points.
"However, there are indeed some unpleasant rumors circulating about this Mr. Yanase in the industry... You can take a look at his work first."
As soon as the words were spoken, the lights in the venue went out. The host announced Yanase as the winner without any suspense, gave a congratulatory speech, and then took out a gold-plated Omega Constellation watch from the gift box—a watch that was so tacky it was almost gaudy.
Next, along with the introduction of Ryuichi Yanase, his past works appeared on the projection screen:
Beneath the burning, collapsed metal shed, panicked victims desperately fled; a couple, still in their pajamas, fell from a great height, their hands and feet engulfed in flames, a gruesome and agonizing sight; thick black smoke billowed from the bridge under the night sky...
Ran Mouri clutched her chest, feeling a pang of pity: "These candid moments are indeed hard to capture vividly."
"Or rather, it's too much of a coincidence that so many photos were captured."
For the first time, Haruya Kuromon revealed undisguised contempt in front of her:
"Fire scenes are hard to find, even in the dry autumn. But Yanase just happened to be at the best angle to take pictures and just happened to record the accident... He claims it was good luck, but some of us don't think so."
"What?!" Kogoro Mouri's detective experience kicked in. "You mean, that guy might have deliberately staged the arson scene for photos!"
Yoruichi Kuromon nodded: "Even if it wasn't done personally, the nature of it is pretty much the same."
So when he learned that the Maori family was going to attend the meeting, he immediately accepted the invitation from his colleagues.
If a criminal who plays with fire to gain fame and fortune were to burn himself, he would surely burn away his sins and madness, and unleash a magnificent and vivid flame of life!