Chapter 58 Let's drink the porridge while it's hot.

Kitagawa Ryusei always thought that the phrase "parting on bad terms" would never apply to him and Furuya Rei.

But that's the reality; in the end, neither of them could convince the other.

Reason told him he should stay calm.

Emotions should tell reason to "get lost."

Those around Kitagawa Ryusei inevitably noticed his low spirits.

Even the gossipy crowd fell silent, avoiding any attempt to provoke the other party.

It's important to know that low-pressure centers of this magnitude are usually accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain.

A few days later, at noon, in the police station canteen.

Seeing the young man add a lethal amount of ketchup to his steak and elegantly slice it with a knife, making it look like a dismembered body, Morofushi Kagemitsu, who had been brought in by his childhood friend as a savior, immediately withdrew the foot he had stepped into the cafeteria and turned to leave without saying a word.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

Sitting motionless in his seat, Kitagawa Ryusei wiped his mouth with a napkin and said calmly, "Where is Kagemitsu going? Won't you join us for lunch before you leave?"

It was only then that Morofushi Kagemitsu realized the seriousness of the situation.

Morofushi Kagemitsu smiled inwardly: ...Zero, thank you.

"No need to thank me, I just ate," Morofushi Kagemitsu forced a smile, managing to tear his gaze away from the visually bloody steak. "Does Ryusei have time this afternoon?"

If you can't find a topic, you don't have to look for one. Kitagawa Ryusei doesn't consider himself the type of person to take his anger out on others.

His gaze was deep and penetrating: "It's a workday today, I should be at work soon."

"Yeah……"

Zhu Fujingguang responded with a faint smile.

God knows the last time he encountered such despair and helplessness was on the rooftop when he thought he was going to die.

No, being on the rooftop was at least part of his duty and mission; right now, he was simply tricked into coming here by that Zero guy.

...Zero, what exactly did you do to cause such a level of damage?

The sins of childhood friends should not be visited upon those who have been raised with them. Kitagawa Ryusei had no intention of making things difficult for the other party. He lowered his eyes, stood up, put away the plate, and took the initiative to change the subject: "I did not participate in the plan to arrest Pisco, I did not have any designs on Vermouth, I did not investigate the Karasuma Group's tax payments, and I certainly did not take explosives to block Gin's Porsche in the street."

"What, is there still something he's worried about?"

Upon hearing what he said, even someone as experienced as Zhu Fujingguang couldn't catch his breath and choked on the air: "Cough cough!"

It's hard to feel at ease when someone says things like that!

He immediately betrayed his childhood friend: "No complaints! Ryusei, if he dares to complain, I'll beat him up for you, right in the face!"

So, can we get these dangerous thoughts out of our heads?

The young man remained silent.

Sure enough, inaction is what makes people most uneasy. Kitagawa Ryusei was too quiet, which made Zero, who originally thought there was no big problem, start to speculate.

Having not received any brainwaves from his friend, Kitagawa Ryusei currently had no interest in beating up that bastard; he'd rather work. He said to Morofushi Kagemitsu, "We've been organizing information for the logistics and personnel team lately. Want to come with me to the Criminal Investigation Bureau?"

Having successfully diverted attention, Morofushi Hiromitsu certainly wouldn't refuse any work related to the organization.

He forgot his original intention to mediate the conflict between his childhood friends and asked curiously, "Does the organization have a personnel department?"

How could he not know?

“Of course,” Kitagawa Ryusei analyzed logically, “given the speed at which these people are executed by their own people, the personnel team must be indispensable, right? Think back to the members you dealt with and evaluated when you first joined the organization, they are probably the same group of people.”

A gang always needs people who are specifically responsible for recruiting new members, conducting initial screening, training, and assessing their abilities.

Not everyone is as smart and sensible as an undercover agent, who will proactively find a way to sneak in and obediently do the work.

“I see…” Morofushi Kagemitsu immediately sensed the underlying meaning: “Then they must be the ones who have the most information about the organization’s members.”

In a black-clad organization where members may not even have met each other, these inconspicuous individuals, who don't even have code names, are especially important.

If it's just a simple investigation of these people, the things Zero is worried about probably won't happen...

Zhu Fujingguang was lost in thought.

*

Nighttime, Beihu Restaurant.

After the memorial service began, the police were on high alert, especially Kazami Yuya, who was wearing a security uniform and wished he had two more pairs of eyes and ears to observe the surrounding situation.

He pressed the earpiece: "No target detected yet, bait is in normal condition."

Kitagawa Ryusei did not participate in the operation, but that absolutely does not mean he will stay at home obediently.

In the 24-hour convenience store right across from the Beika Hotel, the young man sat quietly by the window, able to see the hotel from the top of his head.

The oden in front of me was getting colder and colder.

His headset was connected to the combat headset channel of his own team members who had been borrowed, so he had a general understanding of the situation at the hotel, if not an exact one.

Kitagawa Ryusei picked up a paper cup to cover his mouth: "There are too many people at the memorial service, so many eyes watching, they might target the power distribution room."

The team member sat in the monitoring room, his gaze fixed on the screen filled with shadowy figures: "Actually, it's not necessary. These guys decided to turn off the lights themselves and plan to watch a film made by a deceased director."

As soon as the words were spoken, the brightly lit second floor of the Beika Hotel disappeared, as if vanishing into the night.

Kitagawa Ryusei reminded, "Don't forget to keep an eye on the backstage corridor; our collaborators will come out from there."

OK~

After the person in the earpiece finished responding, they couldn't help but ask what was on their mind: "Hey boss, since you're so concerned about this mission, why don't you come and see for yourself?"

"..."

Kitagawa Ryusei remained silent for a moment, holding the bamboo skewer in his palm, and pierced the beef balls in the oden.

The rich, fragrant broth rushed in, filling the beef balls completely.

Just when the team members thought he wouldn't answer, the young man's somewhat distorted voice came through the earpiece:

"My high blood pressure flared up because I was so angry."

Less than five minutes after the hotel lights went out, a loud bang came through the headset.

Someone was shouting loudly to turn on the lights.

The lights came on again, and Kitagawa Ryusei looked up and noticed that one of the lights was missing.

He pursed his lips, his brows slightly furrowed.

The screams came clearly through the earpiece, running out of the open window and across the street into my ears.

Kitagawa Ryusei received feedback at the same time.

"The Metropolitan Police Department personnel failed to hold him off; Shigehiko Toguchi was hit by a crystal chandelier and has been confirmed to have lost vital signs."

"knew."

His voice was flat and emotionless: "Be careful, keep an eye on the target."

"receive."

Although there were some minor, harmless deviations from the plan, fortunately, the overall situation remained on track.

Kitagawa Ryusei stayed in the convenience store for a while longer, then raised his hand and called over a clerk to pack up the oden.

He was about to leave when he froze in place as he pushed open the glass door of the convenience store.

A black sedan slowly drove up from the street corner, its headlights sweeping over Kitagawa Ryusei.

The shadow followed the vehicle's movement, circling halfway around the young man.

Soon the car lights went out, and the shadow on the ground disappeared as well.

The Porsche came to a smooth stop across the street in front of the Beika Restaurant.

At the same time, the sound came through the headset again.

"I woke up in a really bad mood... Boss, I saw an elementary school student solving a case!!"

*

Thinking he had evaded everyone except the eerily glowing camera behind him, Conan Edogawa scanned the group of men in black around him before finally handing the evidence over to the on-site staff.

The scene became chaotic as guests crowded out and reporters rushed in. He noticed two strange figures leaving the scene with the crowd.

Of all the men in black, he had a gut feeling that something was off about this young woman who was a well-known figure in the film industry.

The way she looked at me suggested she knew who I was.

Another entrepreneur was the murderer he had identified.

These two people were labeled as dangerous in the boy's mind.

Knowing full well that being discovered might harm those close to them, the determination to solve the problem completely overwhelmed the fear in their hearts.

Conan Edogawa ultimately chose to secretly follow them.

...

Meanwhile, Pisco disappeared right under their noses, and Kazami Yuya rushed towards the direction the target had last traveled, following a tip from his colleagues in the monitoring room.

"Kazami-kun, Chris Vineyard has also gone missing. Be careful not to run into her."

Kazami Yuya strode forward without stopping, replying in a low voice, "Understood."

The backstage corridor was not wide; it was difficult for three people to walk side by side because it circled the entire second-floor lobby of the hotel, with many corners and blind spots, so the police did not have time to install cameras there.

Footsteps could be heard coming from different corners of places that were normally deserted except for staff.

Almost immediately after answering, Kazami Yuya sensed something was wrong behind him.

A cool breeze ruffled the hair at the back of his head.

A sudden, sharp pain shot through the back of my head and spread throughout my entire body.

My limbs became numb and weak, which I could not resist.

Someone in the channel noticed something was wrong.

"Kazami-kun?"

"Kazami-kun, please reply! Kazami-kun, please reply!"

"Ara".

A seductive female voice came through the headset: "What a pleasant surprise..."

...

In the blink of an eye, Conan Edogawa lost track of both of them.

That woman is one thing, but her legs are so long that it's normal that I can't keep up with her now.

Heaven knows why that old man, who was over seventy, was so agile.

Even if their base was raided, they wouldn't run this fast, would they?!

Hurried footsteps could be heard ahead.

The boy crouched down, trying to stay close to the wall as he walked, so as not to make too much noise.

Also audible was Kenzo Masuyama's anxious voice; he seemed to be on the phone with someone.

"...disappeared."

"I clearly handcuffed her in the room."

"...They can't get far. I can bring them back. There's no need for..."

The phone call was intermittent and hard to hear clearly. Conan Edogawa worried that it was about to happen to one of the victims targeted by the Black Organization, and unconsciously took a step forward.

He didn't realize that the shadow cast by the lamplight was about to emerge from the shadows and collide with the approaching person.

"Hmm—"

At the critical moment, the boy was covered in the mouth from behind and dragged back into the shadows.

Conan Edogawa: !!!

The unexpected incident startled Conan Edogawa so much that his soul almost flew out of his body.

He raised his wrist, instinctively wanting to use the tranquilizer dart in his watch to subdue the enemy.

But when she turned around, she was faced with a child who was about the same age as herself.

Conan Edogawa quickly braked and stopped.

Kenzo Masuyama sensed something was wrong and covered the microphone of his phone: "Who's there?!"

"Is that you, Vermouth?"

This name sounds like it comes from the same school as "Gin," causing Conan Edogawa's pupils to tremble in shock.

He didn't have time to explain; he turned and grabbed another child, then ran away!

The walkway ahead was straight; if the other party caught up, they would definitely find them.

He acted swiftly, leading his men to slip through a door: "Here!"

The intense running left the boy breathless. Before Conan Edogawa could even figure out where he was, he heard a calm voice behind him.

"Oh, this is a dead end."

He turned around and saw clearly who was speaking.

The girl with short brown hair looked to be in elementary school. She had no expression and her tone was flat: "Luckily, there are many shelves. You can hide and run away. Anyway, he's looking for me."

Conan Edogawa ignored her words and immediately looked up to observe his surroundings.

The shelves in front of me were filled with cardboard boxes, each containing a variety of alcoholic beverages, neatly stacked in a row.

This is the wine cellar where the restaurant stores its beverages.

Although I don't understand why this girl, who looks no more than seven or eight years old, would say that, it's a fact that it's difficult for the two short-armed and short-legged children to run out together right now.

Conan Edogawa recalled the smell of smoke that had drifted down the corridor from the direction of the men in black, and a daring plan came to mind.

He slammed his fist into his palm, and a flash of inspiration materialized in the back of his mind:

"I have an idea, listen to me..."

...

On the command vehicle, the blond youth's face gradually darkened with time, becoming clouded with gloom.

"Report: No movement of Vermouth and Kazami has been detected."

"The target vehicle is still parked in front of the restaurant, and no unidentified person matching the description has been found."

"Group Zero is already coordinating with the transportation department to retrieve surveillance footage from the surrounding roads, and we will have results soon."

In the channel, one voice stood out from the others' brief and cautious replies; Furuya Rei remembered that it was someone borrowed from the Special Investigation Team.

The man said, "'Everyone, I suggest you go to the rooftop and take a look.' Hmm... this is help offered by an anonymous person."

Inside the command vehicle, Furuya Rei's expression darkened further.

He sighed deeply and immediately gave the order: "The two men guarding the power distribution room, go to the rooftop, and remember to carry guns."

...

The Beika Hotel is embroiled in a power struggle among several parties, and a sense of danger permeates the air.

No one has the time to save Conan Edogawa.

He's going to break.

Behind them was a locked wine cellar, with thick smoke billowing from the cracks in the door.

Not long ago, Conan Edogawa used a girl who suddenly appeared as a cover, and used a voice changer to lure a member of the Black Organization into breaking the Water of Life, and then used the girl's cigarette butt to start a fire.

The two took the opportunity to escape.

Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief.

The person in front of him immediately called out his name.

"Shinichi Kudo".

It's like a bomb being thrown into a swimming pool; the splashing water is too trivial.

At that moment, Shinichi Kudo only saw sharp tiles flying everywhere from the explosion; taking lives was incredibly easy for him.

He was on the verge of tears: "What are you talking about? My name is Conan Edogawa!"

Haha, Shinichi Kudo is a fairly common name, so it's perfectly normal to have people with the same name, right?

Hahaha, the Shinichi Kudo that this person knows is definitely not him.

In an instant, a series of images flashed before Conan Edogawa's eyes.

He had overheard the entire conversation between the girl and the man in black in the wine cellar.

Kenzo Masuyama, who has been diagnosed as a member of the Black Organization, sneered through his nose: "You think you can escape? Sherry, the organization will not let any traitor go unpunished."

The girl, however, was unimpressed and retorted sarcastically, "Don't treat outdated harsh words as gospel. The boss must have a lot of nerve to say something like that after Rye and Scotland defected."

Scotland, Rye, Sherry...

Conan Edogawa, hiding in the shadows, was almost frozen into a corpse by his temporary ally's stage name, nearly missing the best opportunity to strike.

Although they were in a wine cellar, the topic of conversation didn't need to be so appropriate.

Before the boy could react...

Sherry, now shrunken, didn't want to waste time on addressing him or worry about how much harm she had caused him: "There are police waiting at the gate; it's safe to go out from there."

Unable to tell whether this person was friend or foe, Conan Edogawa cautiously took a half-step back and swiftly declined, saying, "Haha, no need, I'll just go through the side door!"

Even now, he still tries his best to pretend to be a harmless child.

Even if a harmless child has just set the entire wine cellar on fire.

Without commenting on his choice or offering any further advice, the girl coldly reminded him, "Then I suggest you run away quickly, or someone will come to silence you soon."

After saying that, she ran towards the hotel entrance without looking back and disappeared from the boy's sight.

Conan Edogawa remained where he was, taking several deep breaths to calm himself down.

He glanced at the wine cellar one last time, then turned and ran off in another direction.

Less than half a minute after the two left, a gunshot rang out from the locked wine cellar.

"Bang!"

To silence them.

Even with Shirley's prior warning, he couldn't help but feel alarmed.

It turns out these people kill their own comrades without hesitation or restraint...

It must not be discovered.

Conan Edogawa's heart sank, the oppressive feeling he had when he was attacked from behind that night instantly engulfing his entire body.

The exit was not far away. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and rushed through the door.

The fresh outdoor air diluted the smell of smoke in the corridor.

The night air in Tokyo is so refreshing it brings tears to your eyes.

The boy was panting heavily, his hands supporting his knees.

"Huff, huff—"

It escaped.

He was still shaken and didn't intend to stay long.

Before I could even turn around, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Shinichi Kudo, it really is you."

"..."

Conan Edogawa: No way... again?!

The girl's light, airy voice was particularly noticeable in the alley, startling the boy who had just relaxed so much that he almost jumped onto the nearby table, which was about half his height.

The familiar voice silenced him again.

"Ryusei-nii!"

Conan Edogawa felt that if things continued like this, he would eventually have a heart attack.

From the Sherlock Holmes of the Heisei era to the first detective of the Heisei era to be scared to death.

Before he could even utter a word of accusation, Kitagawa Ryusei silenced the boy with a single sentence.

"Did you start the fire?"

There was no doubt, only certainty.

"Hahaha,"

Fear and grievance were both stuck on his face, freezing into a guilty conscience. Conan Edogawa could only change the subject:

"Ryusei-nii, you have no idea how terrifying those people are! They're freaks!"

Perhaps because he was completely relieved, he almost danced with excitement as he recounted what had just happened.

A 70-year-old pervert illegally imprisons a young girl, the girl shouts out her real name, and a gunshot rings out after a mysterious event occurs in a locked wine cellar...

All of these things piled up together, causing great trauma to his "young" mind!

Kitagawa Ryusei: "..."

Stripping away the exaggerations, the young man roughly understood how things were going.

—Yuuya Kazami is kidnapped by Vermouth, Conan Edogawa sets fire to the wine cellar, the collaborator shrinks, and Gin kills his target, Pisco…

Kitagawa Ryusei remained silent for a while, then picked up Edogawa Conan with one hand, turned around, and strode towards the command vehicle.

Conan Edogawa didn't struggle. After escaping, he saw Ruki Kitagawa, who was now practically family to him. He simply asked, "Ruki-nii, what are you doing?"

The young man remained unmoved and expressionless, letting the child in his arms sway aimlessly with his steps, bewildered and disoriented in the wind.

Of course, Kitagawa Ryusei himself wasn't much better off.

Although I don't know why things have developed to this point.

But everything's in such a mess, what else can we do but drink it while it's hot?