Gao Yuan laughed.

His smile made his expression quite strange, adding a sense of incongruity to his otherwise handsome face.

"Just for making a couple of sarcastic remarks, does that mean he deserves to die?"

He looked at Tanaka Kikue's face, which was contorted with hatred, and said.

"Your reason for killing him is far too far-fetched."

"Didn't you ever consider that perhaps Master Harui Fuden died a worthy death?"

"As a master of escape magic, wouldn't he feel a sense of fulfillment if he died on stage in the end?"

"A way of dying that so many people would rather die than have..."

He became more and more cheerful as he spoke, and his smile deepened.

That smile was like a knife piercing Takahisa Tanaka's heart.

"Shut up! Shut up!..."

Tanaka Takahisa screamed frantically as the knife plunged into Takato's body.

The two of them rolled to the ground together.

Kaito Kuroba was only a blink of an eye slower when he pounced on Tanaka Kikue and desperately grabbed her arm.

At the same time, he cursed the "troublemaker" countless times in his mind.

Even the kid's "older brother," the meddlesome detective Toyama, got a lot of scolding.

Beneath them, thick, fresh blood was slowly flowing out.

Tanaka Kikue continued to growl softly, struggling under Kuroba Kaito's control.

But the knife that was stuck in Gao Yuan's body seemed to be stuck, and she couldn't pull it out.

The people around finally realized what was happening and helped Kuroba Kaito subdue Tanaka Kikue, pulling her aside and tying her up in a flurry.

"I...I...I called an ambulance...and the police..."

Sonoko had just taken out her phone with trembling hands when she was interrupted by Kaito Kuroba.

"Isn't there no signal here?"

"Don't worry, that brat Conan has already called the police via satellite phone, which is why we came here."

"The police will be here in two hours."

"B-but...but..." As if infected by Sonoko, Kuroda Mako also stammered, "This little brother...can he last for two more hours?..."

The bleeding stopped, but Gao Yuan's chest looked completely soaked.

Kaito Kuroba frowned, first checking Takato's breathing and pulse, then reaching out to grasp the outer half of the sword hilt.

A soft "snap" sound.

Almost at the same time, Kaito Kuroba couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

The knife that had been deeply embedded in Gao Yuan's chest was now perfectly intact in his hand, with hardly any blood on it.

Kaito Kuroba angrily smacked Takato on the head, who was still lying on the ground pretending to be dead.

"Ouch!"

Amidst everyone's horrified gazes, Gao Yuan rubbed his head and sat up.

"You little brat, you stole my props again!"

Because he was also startled, Kaito Kuroba felt a little hot in his face while he was angry.

He didn't want to admit that the kid in front of him was a magician far more skilled than himself!

He just stumbled upon it by accident, that's all!

"Just in case." Gao Yuan stood up, shook his clothes, and took off his coat, which was stained with fake blood.

"I didn't expect Ms. Tanaka to actually make a move."

We didn't expect that either!

The words were clearly written on the faces of everyone around them.

They had heard that Tanaka Takahisa was heartbroken over his grandfather's death and therefore blamed everyone, so they were thinking of being lenient with him.

After all, death is a serious matter, and since we're already here, especially during the Lunar New Year...

Japanese culture is naturally adept at mediating disputes and resolving conflicts.

Who would have thought she would actually kill someone with a knife, especially such a young child!

This is absolutely outrageous!

Recalling what had just happened, everyone was still somewhat frightened.

Therefore, it was decided that Tanaka Takahisa would be guarded in shifts for the two hours before the police arrived.

Tanaka Takahisa remained angry, constantly cursing.

Kaito Kuroba then looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze.

Do you think this child is wrong?

"Did Master Harui Fuden not die a worthy death?"

"Are you saying that it's a disgrace for a master escape artist to have his performance cut short due to a mistake in the final act?"

Tanaka Takahisa, who was about to retort, suddenly choked when she heard the last sentence.

“You’re not a magician.” Kaito Kuroba shook his head as he looked at her.

"You don't understand what a magician is looking for."

"Mistakes in a magic performance may be regrettable, but to die on stage is what a magician longs for most."

"That was his glorious and brilliant life."

"You actually think he'll be resentful..."

Tanaka Takahisa's gaze began to dart away; she lowered her eyes and stopped cursing.

But the attacks on her are not over yet.

“Actually, that’s not true,” Gao Yuan replied with a smile, a smile full of sarcasm.

"Miss Tanaka, it's not that I think Grandfather would be resentful..."

"She's just unwilling to accept it."

“‘Grandfather risked his life for you all, and you still make sarcastic remarks about him, letting him die like a clown’... Ms. Tanaka, is that what you think?”

“Just like Black…” Takato, caught off guard by the name, had to pause and glance at the disguised Kuroba Kaito, “…as I just said, Ms. Tanaka is not a magician.”

"So you have no idea that your grandfather wouldn't care about those things."

"He has become a monument in the history of magic, and those who ignorantly criticize him are just clowns, which does not diminish his great reputation in the slightest."

"Only an outsider like you would make such shallow assumptions about him and smear him with the act of murder."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!