Chapter 96 (Chapter 95) The Hunter's Training: Bonfire Party

I love staying up late.

It feels like you're going to have a one-on-one battle with the King of Hell.

However, before staying up all night, they had one more important step—a bonfire, an essential part of any picnic!

After a hearty barbecue dinner that left him stuffed, Ishikawa gathered up some pebbles and slabs, piled them together with firewood from the yard, and finally used a flint gun to spray the tinder at the very back of the pile, igniting a bright, roaring fire.

They casually pulled a few small stools and bamboo chairs from the courtyard, and the group of seven sat around the campfire, chatting under the few stars in the dark night sky.

Professor Agasa and Yu Ishikawa had a lot to reminisce about during their school days, and Yu Ishikawa was inexplicably very interested in Hiromitsu Morofushi, so the only young man in the group was drawn into the conversation.

As for why Uncle Ishikawa was interested in Morofushi Kagemitsu, Zhuge Tongzhi thought about it and figured it was because the man couldn't hide his alcohol fumes and was thus targeted by a shrewd hunter.

It's definitely not that I was implicated by her.

The Junior Detective League chatted enthusiastically about yesterday's operation, today's hunt, and the upcoming Kamen Rider merchandise. Sitting next to Ayumi Yoshida, Zhuge Tongzhi occasionally chimed in, chattering away.

The three elementary school students quickly started talking about their two detectives who weren't there. Most of the time, they were full of a sense of collective honor, but sometimes they would collectively ostracize Conan. They quickly decided to share the bonfire party with their two companions.

The moment the video call connected, Conan's sullen face appeared on the screen.

Seeing his friend heartbroken in love, Zhuge Tongzhi, who had been somewhat listless, immediately perked up and revealed a teasing smile: "Good evening, Conan-kun, how was your day?"

"Hey, Zhuge, why do you look like you already knew what was going to happen..." Conan sat at his desk in the Mouri Detective Agency, propping his sullen face up with his hand, speechlessly watching the black-haired girl laughing smugly on the other side of the screen.

What was supposed to be a carefully planned outing and dinner date was disrupted by a series of cases, and things went wrong just when he was about to reveal his long-buried feelings, and then the antidote's effects wore off.

That restaurant is where his parents pledged their lives to each other!

The detective, who seemed depressed but was actually extremely depressed, was clearly depressed.

"Well, this is something I should have expected." The child's voice, cool in tone and tinged with the languor of night, said slowly, "You've always been chased by cases, haven't you, great detective?"

"...Haibara, you're being a bit too gloating." Conan looked speechlessly at Ai Haibara, who was drinking water on Ayumi Yoshida's phone screen. The brown-haired girl didn't argue, but instead nodded leisurely, indicating that she was indeed happy to see someone suffer.

Zhuge Tongzhi was laughing so hard his arm holding the phone was shaking, while Conan, who had been depressed all night after his confession failed and was ridiculed by his friends, finally couldn't help but roll his eyes at the two of them.

"Isn't this interesting?" Ai Haibara, having mastered the antidote for APTX4869, smiled, exuding a mature and languid charm reminiscent of Sherry, and a fearless air about her.

Knowing Ai Haibara's perverse sense of humor, Conan gave a half-moon glare and then subtly inquired about the antidote, "Haibara, about the cold medicine..."

"Damn, you can't eat any more for a while." Ai Haibara decisively raised her hand to refuse. The girl, who had switched to research mode in an instant, gave Conan and Zhuge Tongzhi a sharp look and commanded with an imposing air, "Both of you."

"Hi—" Zhuge Tongzhi, who had no intention of taking medicine, responded enthusiastically.

Conan, who is so eager to defecate every day, doesn't care about the pain of taking the antidote at all. He starts using the same questioning techniques he uses to interrogate criminals to explore the limits of the antidote, but in the end, Ai Haibara rejects all of his attempts.

Zhuge Tongzhi, a bystander, witnessed the entire scuffle and was told by Ai Haibara that he was not allowed to give out his antidote.

Zhuge Tongzhi: (-u-)

"You guys are really something, what are you all talking about?" Ayumi Yoshida felt like she was the one who dialed Conan's number, but when they actually started talking, she was excluded from the conversation. She immediately pouted, "Don't ignore us!"

"Well, that's how it is anyway." So Ai Haibara decisively abandoned Conan and listened to Ayumi Yoshida share her adventures over the past two days, simply praising her for going down the mountain alone to seek help.

Ayumi Yoshida, feeling affirmed by her friend, smiled shyly and touched her head, laughing adorably in embarrassment. Ai Haibara, looking at her cute but silly friend, even softened her usually indifferent and cold demeanor.

Sitting to the side, Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya and Genta Kojima thought: Wait, aren't they the ones who are truly being ignored?!

While the two boys were still processing the news, Conan, who had failed to obtain the antidote for the nth time, was regrouping. Zhuge Tongzhi subtly expressed his sympathy amidst his mockery, and suddenly a beautiful face appeared on Conan's phone screen.

It's Ran Mouri with a smile on her face.

"You're not in a hurry at all... Hey Ran, Ran-chan." Conan, whose tone had been serious, suddenly cracked a laugh and said, "You've finished your bath?"

"Hmm, Conan-kun is on the phone with a friend." The girl, her cheeks flushed after showering, greeted Zhuge Tongzhi with a towel on her head, her tone light and cheerful: "Good evening, Tong-chan."

"Good evening, Ran-neechan!" Upon seeing Ran Mouri, Zhuge Tongzhi's voice automatically turned sweet. After sharing the autumn night in the mountains and the roaring campfire with Ran Mouri, who was in the city, he glanced at Conan, who was looking at his childhood friend, and came up with a brilliant idea.

"It's Valentine's Day today, Ran-neechan, why are you so happy?" The black-haired girl's eyes darted around as she mischievously asked Ran Mouri, whose cheeks had turned even redder in an instant: "Could it be... because of Shinichi-kun~?"

"Zhuge, you and Haibara will be sitting at the same table at my wedding banquet." Conan looked expressionlessly at the girl with a mischievous mind, but secretly began to look forward to Ran Mouri's answer.

He left in a hurry during dinner, and even though he tried to salvage the situation by using his Conan identity later, the result was still far worse than he had anticipated.

"Hmm...yes." Ran Mouri held her face in her hands and thought for a moment before admitting it frankly, "Shinichi and I went on a date today, and I had a lot of fun."

The energetic young woman's smile was as radiant as peach blossoms in full bloom in the mountains. She sang with a bright and natural ease, omitting the various cases she had encountered along the way, and recounted the interesting moments of the day as if they were treasures.

Ran… Conan looked at the still spirited girl, his frustration turning into a tender smile. “I will definitely resolve the Black Organization issue as soon as possible, and I won’t keep you waiting any longer.”

Otherwise I will...

"...I'll definitely punch him in the head!" Ran Mouri's fist, carrying a fierce gust of wind, flew past Conan's nose, startling the distracted boy so much that he almost fell off his stool.

Conan turned to look at Ran Mouri, who was still smiling brightly. The girl said gently, "If Shinichi stands me up like that again next time, I will do this."

Would that punch land on Shinichi Kudo's head?

Zhuge Tongzhi briefly imagined the scene, then politely withdrew his imagination.

Although this punch might be able to break the aura of death that hangs over Beika Town, out of humanitarian considerations, we don't recommend doing it this way, honey!

The great detective, feeling a chill run down his spine, silently watched the fist that could have smashed a telephone pole retract from his sight. He then ran to fetch a glass of cold water to cool down Ran Mouri, who was still furious.

"Thank you, Conan-kun. I'm sorry to have troubled you to be that guy's messenger today." Ran Mouri gently patted Conan's head, then turned and sighed, "I wish that guy was like you, not always so carefree."

“Young boys are always impulsive, Miss Mori may have to wait a while longer.” A gentle and refined male voice came from Ai Haibara’s side, and Shuichi Akai, disguised, peeked out from the screen with a slight smile.

The pink-haired man, dressed in casual clothes, naturally joined the conversation: "After becoming your father's apprentice, I finally understand why famous detectives are always in short supply, and it's no wonder that Kudo-kun is so busy."

The reliable adults started patching up the issues for their ally, defusing Ran's already waning anger with a few words, and then started talking about tips for preparing dinner.

Mr. Akai… Conan’s eyes flickered slightly.

Congratulations, Shuichi Akai! Congratulations, Shuichi Akai! Your standing in Conan Edogawa's heart has risen even higher!

Zhuge Tongzhi was broadcasting silently from the side, and then suddenly another person appeared in the camera's view. He raised his hand to greet Ran Mouri and Shuichi Akai, saying, "Good evening, Ms. Mouri, Mr. Okiya."

Morofushi Kagemitsu exchanged pleasantries with the two men in a gentle manner, then calmly began to fabricate a story about a sudden case he had learned about from rumors earlier that day, and logically attributed it to Shinichi Kudo, who had abruptly left the scene.

Combined with Shuichi Akai's series of moves, Shinichi Kudo's departure was made even more perfectly reasonable, both from a logical and practical standpoint.

Mr. Midorikawa… Conan blinked.

As expected of their former partners in murder and robbery, Scotland and Rye's teamwork remained impeccable. Zhuge Tongzhi silently gave the two undercover agents a thumbs up.

However, even well-intentioned lies can have their consequences. The black-haired girl watched Conan, who was using a high-pitched voice to take Ran Mouri to get her hair dried, and lit a candle for the day Shinichi Kudo would confess the truth.

'

From: Ai Haibara

Title: None

Best of luck, Edogawa (candle)

'

Conan immediately understood what the other person meant and crossed out the greeting from Ai Haibara. Then he received a knowing look from Zhuge Tongzhi—good luck, Conan-kun.

Conan: "..."

Zhuge Tongzhi: "Actually, we have a martial art called Iron Head Kung Fu in our area."

Conan: "...Thank you for your kindness."

The video call, which involved multiple cell phones, ended with everyone saying goodnight. As the campfire crackled, the children, feeling sleepy from being full, started yawning. Before they could even stay up all night, Professor Agasa sent them back to their rooms to sleep.

They're leaving here first thing tomorrow morning.

Zhuge Tongzhi arrived a little later, sitting beside the burning campfire, watching the flames that took on different shapes every second, and seemed slightly lost in thought.

In her memory, there were many campfires, some on star-filled nights during hikes, in farmhouses, in tents in the mountains, or during local ethnic minority festivals. The flames illuminated every smiling face, and the crackling sounds were drowned out by the singing of the crowd.

But there are also some in the pitch-black, silent night, with sparks being hastily extinguished, makeshift campsites, and the soft humming of a person. The campfire illuminates the woman opposite, who is bent over tending to her wounds, and the crackling of firewood keeps time for her off-key song. The deep night sky is actually sparsely lit by the moon and stars.

Every campfire was so clear, and every face illuminated by the firelight was so vivid.

Morofushi Kagemitsu walked over, looked at the black-haired girl who was sitting by the campfire with her head resting on her knees, thought for a moment, and then sat cross-legged next to her.

As the undercover agent was preparing his words to comfort Zhuge Tongzhi, who had been in a bad mood for the past two days, he heard someone next to him speak.

“Hey, I say, let’s kill Rum and let Bourbon take over.”

Morobuchi Kagemitsu: ...?

-----------------------

Author's Note: A chapter about everyday phone calls (and a bit awkward).

Congratulations, El's hard work is finally starting to pay off!

…

Zhuge: You'll die soon.

Morofuku: ...Wait, what did I just hear?

…

The outcome of last night's gossip was:

Chenxing listened through the window for a long time last night.

As a result, I couldn't hear anything clearly.

Leaving with regret (What's there to be regretful about?!)

…

Next, let's get to the rum (roll up our sleeves).

Mwah!