Chapter 209, Seventy-Third Cycle (39)

"Excuse me, have you finished whispering?" The pink-haired man with squinty eyes walked up behind the two and asked with a troubled look, instantly breaking the dangerous and tense atmosphere in the space.

The blond man and the black-haired child, who were staring at each other, both turned to look at him.

“Those two FBI agents seem to have made a new discovery; they might be about to solve the truth of this case,” Subaru Okiya said with a smile to Toru Amuro, who was squatting on the ground, while glancing sideways at Jodie and Cameron over there.

“So, let’s hear the reasoning of these clowns from the United States,” he said gently.

Judy and Carmel: "?!"

Amuro Tooru and Edogawa Conan: "..."

Amidst the furious stares of Judy and Carmel, who seemed ready to pounce on them, Amuro Tooru snapped out of his daze, glanced at the smiling Subaru Okiya for a couple of seconds, then chuckled as he stood up and said, "Alright, then let me hear the great reasoning of the FBI investigators. I hope it won't disappoint me."

Subaru Okiya smiled and nodded, without looking at Conan Edogawa. Instead, he leaned out the window and called in the three policemen, including Jinpei Matsuda.

He did give Judy Cameron a hint, albeit seemingly by accident, but it probably wasn't enough to help them solve the case; however, it was enough to buy them time and distract them.

Conan Edogawa quietly watched the two figures from behind, his stiff and cold body gradually warming up, and the rationality and calmness that had been momentarily lost quickly returned.

However, his gaze toward Amuro Tooru remained sharp and serious.

Misunderstand?

He actually said it was a misunderstanding?!

How could that be!

Although he did have a momentary illusion that he had really lost this game, now that he has calmed down, he is more confident in his own judgment.

Otherwise, even if Bourbon was maliciously toying with his prey like a cat playing with a mouse, he wouldn't have gathered so much intelligence without informing the organization so they could be arrested and killed to silence them.

From what Bourbon just said, it's clear just how terrifying the intelligence he's gathered is.

That would be enough to wipe them out completely.

Conan Edogawa stared intently at the blond, dark-skinned man who was now mocking the FBI and explaining the truth behind the case, his gaze filled with complex emotions.

His ability to instantly see through the truth, his decision to let Haibara and Mr. Akai go despite having the opportunity on the Suzuki Express, his immediate use of the word "zero" from Officer Matsuda, and his final expression of disgust for the FBI and his unwavering belief in "leaving my country"... all these clues point to the truth that he was actually an undercover agent sent by the Public Security Bureau to infiltrate the organization.

But if it weren't like that...

If his reasoning is indeed wrong...

Then everything they've planned up to this point is ruined.

Conan Edogawa's body stiffened again, and panic flashed in his eyes.

This was the most frightening and panicked he had ever been. He had never felt so uneasy or nervous before, whether it was with Gin and Vodka or Pisco Ireland.

Bourbon's terror is on a completely different level from theirs.

He had always been in the shadows, controlling the initiative and intelligence.

But this time it was different. This time, Bourbon moved freely between the open and the shadows, disrupting his judgment. Now, Bourbon had the initiative and the intelligence.

He wasn't even sure what Bourbon wanted to do.

Conan Edogawa gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.

No, wait, calm down. At least we haven't been completely exposed yet.

Even if Amuro Tooru is really just Bourbon, the fact that he hasn't made a move yet means that he must still be missing that crucial piece of information.

Mr. Akai once said that Bourbon was a serious perfectionist to some extent, and he would only show the picture to others when the puzzle was completely completed.

Judging from the current situation, given Bourbon's attitude, it seems like only one last piece of the puzzle is missing.

And in order to obtain that information, he will definitely take action.

This was likely an operation he orchestrated.

To elicit his reaction... that shouldn't be his goal.

So what exactly was the objective of this Bourbon Plan operation?

*

The truth of the case was ultimately revealed by Amuro Tooru, the detective hired by the victim.

Kogoro Mori patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction and said, "Not bad, not bad, you're old enough to graduate."

Amuro Tooru immediately waved his hand modestly, saying that he was still far from being good enough.

Amidst the joyful atmosphere, a phone call from the hospital instantly shattered the mood.

The injuries from hitting the head can range from minor to serious. Minor injuries can result in the victim simply getting up and being fine, while serious injuries can lead to death on the spot.

The hospital said that Natsuko Shibuya's condition was very bad and she might not make it.

Judy was stunned by the devastating news of her friend's death, and Carmel immediately sped off to take her to the hospital.

Following closely behind was Amuro Tooru's car.

Subaru Okiya lingered at the scene a little longer because of the suspect's identity. By the time he arrived at the hospital, he had just brushed past a familiar white Mazda.

The squinty-eyed man turned around, pushed up his glasses (which had no prescription), and slowly opened his sharp green eyes to confirm that he wasn't seeing things.

But why was his ex-girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat of Bourbon's car?

Shuichi Akai frowned, quickly realizing the truth.

That couldn't be Judy; it must be Vermouth disguised as Judy.

Shouldn't Belmod have already left for the United States to attend the Oscars ceremony?

Shuichi Akai immediately understood what was happening and quickened his pace toward the hospital.

Right at the hospital gate, Judy and Camel were anxiously talking to Conan Edogawa.

From this angle, Shuichi Akai could see the child's profile under the light, and the expression on it made him pause for a moment.

...This was the first time he had ever seen Conan Edogawa show such a shaken and terrified expression.

The child was genuinely terrified.

Shuichi Akai touched his conscience, which was flickering between light and shadow, and decided to tell Conan Edogawa the truth now.

"What's wrong? What happened?" The pink-haired graduate student stepped forward with a worried expression.

Judy and Carmel immediately shut up, their eyes filled with wariness and hostility as they looked at the man who had previously mocked the FBI alongside Amuro Tooru.

Conan Edogawa suddenly turned around and stared straight at Subaru Okiya.

Yes, he thought, Bourbon's target has always been Shuichi Akai.

*

"Have you collected the last piece of the puzzle?" Vermouth, in the passenger seat, tore off her disguise and casually tossed it onto the back seat.

"Well, the last piece of the puzzle is in hand. I'm almost catching that guy by the tail." Bourbon's face in the driver's seat was partially obscured by the streetlights, making his expression difficult to discern. All that could be seen was that the corners of his mouth were smirking.

Vermouth raised an eyebrow: "Oh? You already know the location of that undead gentleman?"

Her tone was light and joking, but she never truly believed that Shuichi Akai was still alive.

"No, not yet." Bourbon chuckled lightly, in a good mood, but did not explain. He simply said, "However, as long as there is even the slightest clue, finding out the truth is no big deal for me. I will have the answer in less than a day."

Vermouth understood what he meant, and sighed, leaning against the car window with her chin propped up: "Fine, then I'll wait for your final answer."

She will not participate in the following actions.

She is really leaving for the United States tomorrow to attend the Oscars ceremony.

Let Bourbon play with Shuichi Akai's ghost by herself; she's off to collect her Best Actress award.

*

"Mr. Akai! Our plan has been exposed!!!" Conan Edogawa anxiously grabbed Shuichi Akai's sleeve and pulled him into a corner.

“Yes, I understand.” Shuichi Akai pushed up his glasses and opened his calm green eyes. “Bourbon should have already deduced the whole process of my faked death.”

Conan Edogawa choked.

Then why are you still so calm?!

“No, um, Mr. Akai, Bourbon came with Vermouth to test you.” Conan clenched his fist. “Although Vermouth won’t hurt me, she’s ultimately on the organization’s side. The fact that Bourbon is acting with her means that he’s investigating you from the organization’s perspective at least. He really wants to kill you…”

So he might have really misunderstood Amuro Tooru.

That person was the real member of the organization, the pure black Bourbon, not a disguised undercover agent.

“No.” Shuichi Akai shook his head, his tone still calm and steady. “Bourbon is indeed investigating me from the organization’s perspective, but his purpose is not to kill me, but to capture me and hand me over to the organization, so that he can raise his own status within the organization.”

Although Bourbon may seem to frequently lose control of his emotions and act crazy, he is actually more rational than anyone else. Even if he loses control of his emotions for a moment, his final decision will always be based on careful consideration and maximizing his own interests.

Even when it comes to his own affairs, he is rational to the point of being ruthless, and can be described as using any means to achieve his goals.

Of course, this is also why Shuichi Akai admires him and is wary of him.

Otherwise, he would never have reached his current position.

And from now on, he will go even higher and further.

It even gives people the feeling that he is omnipotent.

It was as if no one could stop him from making that decision.

As an enemy, he is undoubtedly the most dangerous blade.

As a companion, he is the most reliable pillar of strength.

"...But isn't his current position equivalent to the second-in-command? Is it necessary to do this?" Conan Edogawa frowned.

"It's just equivalent, not the real second-in-command of the organization." Akai Shuichi subconsciously took out a cigarette, then remembered that there was a child in front of him, so he didn't light it and just played with it between his fingers.

"Currently, all power in the organization is concentrated in the hands of the organization's BOSS. The other codenamed members are at almost the same level, and their power in the organization is determined by the BOSS's level of favor and trust," he said.

Clearly, by bringing back this person who has caused the organization so much loss and trouble, Bourbon can not only slap Gin in the face repeatedly, but also gain the boss's great favor and trust, and might even become the organization's second-in-command in one fell swoop.

Conan Edogawa pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up at him with bright, sharp eyes.

"Mr. Akai, have you already found out Bourbon's true identity?" he asked confidently. "You sound as if you're certain that Bourbon is an undercover agent."

Shuichi Akai glanced around again out of the corner of his eye.

In such cold weather, and at night, it's quite obvious whether someone is approaching a corner of the hospital.

"Yes, what a coincidence, it was just confirmed." He pinched the unlit cigarette between his fingers, bending the flexible cigarette into an "O" shape, and squatted down to hold it in front of the child's bright blue eyes.

Shuichi Akai said slowly, "Zero, that really was his nickname when he was a child."

Conan Edogawa's eyes narrowed.

The cigarette finally couldn't withstand this level of torture and snapped.

Shuichi Akai placed the broken cigarette in his palm: "Fortunately, there aren't many people with that nickname, and there's only one person who meets all the criteria: blond hair, dark skin, incredibly outstanding, and possibly a classmate of Jinpei Matsuda, Kenji Hagiwara, and Wataru Date from the same police academy and who joined the special department Public Security Zero."

Conan Edogawa stared intently at his expression, watching him smile and utter a name.

"Fangya Rei." Akai Shuichi said.

Conan Edogawa's pupils contracted, and then he suddenly realized.

No wonder his childhood nickname was Zero!

Damn it, how could it be such a coincidence that I ran into his department, Zero?

“His real name is Rei Furuya, and he is indeed an undercover agent sent by the Public Security Bureau to infiltrate the organization.” Shuichi Akai sighed, “Rei Furuya, Tooru Amuro, Bourbon, it’s all him.”

Conan Edogawa breathed a sigh of relief; the sword of Damocles above his head had finally been safely removed, and had even become a sharp weapon in his hand to fight his enemies.

Although he was happy to learn that the most terrifying enemy was actually the most reliable ally, he was also somewhat depressed and angry.

So that guy was just bluffing after all? Even though his reasoning was flawed, his final conclusion was correct! And then he put on that villainous act, making him doubt his own reasoning and decisions for the first time…

“So you don’t need to worry too much. Even if he wants to capture me and hand me over to the organization, he won’t actually bring any of the organization’s people with him when he comes to find me.” Shuichi Akai reached out and rubbed the child’s head, then stood up and said, “He has now collected all the information and deduced the whole story. In two days at most, he will come to find me alone.”

The night sky over Hokkaido is filled with countless stars.

"The best opportunity would be on the day of the Oscars. He probably knew that Ms. Yukiko would be in disguise, and that my current disguise was done with her help. So he would choose to ambush me when Mr. and Mrs. Kudo were attending the awards ceremony in the United States, tear off my disguise to confirm my identity, and at the same time grab Jodie and the others to threaten me into obeying him."

Shuichi Akai exhaled a puff of white mist and looked up at the stars: "But it doesn't matter. Whatever his purpose is, I will explain it to him properly and try my best to get him to cooperate with us to deal with the organization."

After standing outdoors in such cold weather for a long time, Conan Edogawa's hands also got a little cold. He put his hands in his pockets and started walking around Shuichi Akai to warm them up.

"Is Mr. Akai confident he can persuade him?" he asked.

“Half and half,” Shuichi Akai said.

Conan Edogawa circled around him once, and finally stopped in front of him.

Under the moonlight, the child's glasses reflected light slightly.

“No,” he said. “I don’t think Mr. Amuro will necessarily go to see Mr. Akai alone.”

"Hmm?" Shuichi Akai raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think that?"

Conan Edogawa looked up and met his gaze: "Mr. Amuro certainly won't bring people from the organization to ambush you, but he might very well bring his colleagues from the Public Security Bureau to arrest you."

Shuichi Akai frowned slightly: "He probably wouldn't do that. No matter how dangerous the situation, he always prefers to act alone, let alone something involving me. Besides, if he reveals his identity as a public security officer in front of me, isn't he afraid that after handing me over to the organization, I'll tell them..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, then said helplessly, "But if he manages to capture Judy and the others to threaten me, then I will let him do whatever he wants, and even if I know he is an undercover agent, I will not tell the organization."

Conan Edogawa: "..."

Wait, while that's true, Mr. Akai, don't you really think the way you phrased it is a bit strange?

Oh well, Mr. Akai has lived in America for a long time, so this style isn't surprising.

Conan Edogawa tried to make his expression serious again: "Although I don't know the specifics of your entanglement with Mr. Akai and Mr. Amuro, since he went to such lengths for you, given his personality, he would definitely be fully prepared to catch you and would not give you any chance to escape."

Shuichi Akai still felt it was unlikely and a bit strange that Bourbon would come looking for him with a bunch of Public Security officers, but the possibility was not small.

After all, he's the unpredictable Bourbon; it's not surprising that he'd do anything.

Conan Edogawa's eyes brightened, and a smile played on his lips: "So, I have an idea, Mr. Akai, would you like to hear it?"

This wasn't the first time they'd dared to team up and cause trouble, and Conan Edogawa hadn't even considered the possibility of the other party refusing.

Shuichi Akai nodded and hummed in agreement, but then tugged at the back of the child's collar and said, "It's cold outside. Don't catch a cold at this crucial moment. Let's talk about it in detail when we get back."

*

【The Sakura Team to Save the World】

[Zero: The FBI has obtained information about me. Conan and Akai probably already know my real name and identity, and they're definitely discussing their next plan.]

[Zero: Don't worry, Hiro's identity is well protected and hasn't been exposed.]

[Zero: Tsk, if it weren't for the convergence of the world's consciousness and the plot's timeline, those damned FBI wouldn't have been able to uncover my true identity.]

[Noah's Ark: The Kudo couple has already booked their return tickets.]

[zero: Okay, then we can get started.]

*

[Zero's Observation Diary]

[Hiro: Zero, are you feeling unwell today?]

[Mazda: There's no obvious reaction yet, but judging from how obediently he completed the scene, he was definitely warned. I'll ask him about it when I get back.]

[Squad Leader: If we're already issuing warnings now, how can our subsequent operations really proceed smoothly?]

[Hagi-chan: When Zero comes back, I'll put the health monitoring bracelet on him. That way, if he's feeling unwell, he won't have to bear it all alone and hide it from us.]

[Hiro: Did you finally receive it? That's good. Now we can monitor Zero's health at any time.]

[Mazda: Huh? Wait a minute? What are you talking about??]

[Hiro: Because I knew Zero would definitely hide some things he thought were insignificant from us, such as the World Consciousness warning that the pain level wasn't too high, I asked Hiroki and Professor Agasa to expedite the production of a bracelet that can remotely monitor the wearer's health at any time and sent it to you.]

[Class Monitor: ...]

[Mazda: That's fine. Let's see how he tries to lie now. He can't possibly control his heartbeat like that, can he?]

[Class monitor: Never mind, I'll go find Zero with you guys later and make him wear it.]

[Hagi-chan: (Cat happily spinning around.jpg)]

[Hiro: (Smiling cat.jpg)]