On the other side, Conan and Heiji Hattori stood at the security checkpoint, observing everyone entering the venue.

Hattori Heiji's face was terribly gloomy.

"Hattori, don't think about it too much," Conan tried to comfort his best friend. "What's said online is just..."

They also saw the violent remarks.

Honestly, if Hattori Heizo weren't his best friend's father, Conan would think there was some truth to what he said. If apologies were enough, what would be the point of having police?

Oh, he's just a police inspector. Never mind then.

Hearing Conan's words, Hattori Heiji sneered: "They're all a bunch of troublemakers. Don't they realize who they're relying on to live such a peaceful life? It's all thanks to my dad's hard work and countless efforts!"

His father was responsible for maintaining order in all 33 cities of Osaka Prefecture.

Without him, given the current crime rate, who knows what kind of chaos would ensue!

The two were chatting.

As Yuzuru and his group walked in from outside, security personnel were preparing to conduct a check when Ginjiro Toyama, who was making work arrangements not far away, walked over first.

"Alright, I'll check these people."

"Yes, sir!"

After dismissing his subordinates, Ginjiro Toyama looked at his daughter beside Kusunoki Hanyu and smiled like a proud father: "Kazuha, good luck today. Dad will be waiting for your triumphant return."

"Don't worry, Dad, I guarantee we'll win the game."

Kazuha made the promise with a confident expression.

The intensive karuta training these past two days has made her progress rapidly; she can now go toe-to-toe with her master for three hundred rounds.

Although I still lose more than I win, I have to consider who my opponent is.

That's former karuta queen Shizuka Ikemami.

After a brief chat, Xiaolan and the others entered the venue first, while Toyama Ginjiro pulled Hanyu Nan aside to talk about something.

"Xiao Nan, we've made progress on that lead from a couple of days ago."

"oh?"

“All the clues point to one person—former Nagoro Shikao, the head of the Nagoro-kai.” Toyama Ginjiro lowered his voice. “He mysteriously disappeared five years ago on the eve of his match against Lady Satsuki. We suspect that this series of events is his revenge against the Satsuki-kai.”

"Furthermore, the karuta cards that Ai found back then, we also found karuta cards about autumn leaves with other people. These are all cards that Nagoro Shikao is good at playing..."

Yuzuru nodded, then suddenly asked, "Did the police investigate Nagayoshi Shiro's whereabouts before his disappearance? For example, hospital records? These shouldn't be difficult for your police."

Ginjiro Toyama was taken aback: "This...not at the moment."

"Perhaps there will be unexpected gains," Yuzuru said meaningfully. "A person who suddenly disappears always leaves a trace."

This is also amazing. The police did not investigate a person who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness five years ago, even though they had listed him as a suspect. They just thought they could wait for him to come to them.

Otherwise, they would have discovered long ago that the other party was very likely already dead.

It's no wonder that people are complaining online about the police's incompetence, ignoring such an obvious direction for the investigation.

Watching Yuzuru's retreating figure as he entered the venue, Ginjiro Toyama seemed lost in thought. He stood there silently for a moment before calling over his subordinates.

"Go and retrieve all of Ming Qinglu Xiong's files from five years ago, including his travel records, medical reports, social activities, and all relevant information. Not a single piece should be missed."

Looks like I'll have to write a note to the higher-ups.

We can no longer solve cases using the old methods and approaches. In this information-exploding era, the power of big data cannot be ignored. We must take it seriously and make full use of various resources to solve cases more quickly.

His old friend Hattori Heizo was still too traditional and conservative when faced with the new crime situation.

Perhaps it's time to make some changes.

...

...

Inside the venue, the competition is about to begin.

Kazuha was dressed in an Aikido uniform today, looking dashing but unable to hide her nervousness, and she was constantly rubbing her hands together.

Ran and Sonoko cheered her on from both sides.

"Kazuha, relax," Ran said gently. "Just like you do during practice."

Sonoko excitedly waved her fist: "Let's take down those people from Tokyo and Kyoto! Let them see how powerful Osaka girls are!"

Ayako sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Sonoko, you're from Tokyo too..."

"Huh?" Sonoko was taken aback, then waved her hand. "That's not important! What's important is that Kazuha wins!"

In the VIP section not far away, three mature women with distinct styles sat together, creating a stunning scene that naturally attracted the attention of many spectators.

Their charisma and charm made everything around them pale in comparison.

“Ms. Jinghua,” Eri Kisaki adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, “I heard you’re the former karuta queen?”

Ikenami Shizuka nodded gracefully: "That was a long time ago. Now I only occasionally give guidance to Kazuha."

Yukiko suddenly leaned closer and asked mysteriously, "Master Jinghua, how did you and Xiaonan meet?"

She blinked her big eyes, "You naughty little brother wouldn't be doing this to you..."

"Yukiko!" Eri Kisaki frowned and interrupted her, "Don't talk nonsense."

Chibo Jinghua touched the gilded hairpin in her hair, her expression unchanged, and said, "Xiao Nan is indeed exceptionally talented in swordsmanship... This child learns everything very quickly."

"That's right, even the naughty little brother is great!"

Hearing someone praise Yukiko Hanyu, Yukiko felt honored.

She didn't want to hide her overly intimate relationship with her bad brother, not in front of those little girls.

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