Chapter 226 Conan's Shock

◎Day 13 of the Highway Survival Game!◎

Scotland is already quite vigilant about its surroundings, but as adults, we tend to subconsciously focus our attention on the upper half of our body when observing our surroundings, making the small area below the waist a blind spot.

So he didn't see that when he and Bourbon walked past the vending machine and said those words, there was a little boy next to the vending machine holding something that looked like a badge, whose eyes turned dark gray because of his words.

Even though he didn't understand why Amuro-san had said it was okay and there was no need to worry about the bomb exploding, Conan immediately used his detective badge to contact Genta and the others who were playing around at the aquarium, so that they could leave this place that was obviously going to become dangerous.

As for Ai Haibara, after discovering that Amuro's undercover information had been discovered by Curaçao and that he had helped Amuro escape from the warehouse, and knowing that the organization was doing its best to search for Curaçao's whereabouts, he was worried that the organization would find her, so he told her to go back to Professor Agasa's house first, so there was no need to worry about her safety.

However, the other three children were scattered throughout the Tokyo Aquarium when the explosion occurred, due to their own interests. It was while Conan was contacting them through his detective badge that he overheard a stranger mentioning his and Ai Haibara's real names.

He also revealed a shocking truth—Gin had discovered his and Ai Haibara's identities!

When did this happen? How come I didn't notice at all? Since he did notice, why didn't Gin silence me and Ai Haibara? Who said that? Is he also a member of the organization?

Perhaps the psychological trauma Gin inflicted on him that time was too great, so when he heard the voice, he didn't immediately turn around to see who was speaking, but instead kept his back to them.

While stiffly listening to the three children, including Genta, telling him not to worry because security guards from the nearby aquarium were leading them out through the emergency exit, he also pricked up his ears, using his perfect hearing to continue listening to the conversation on the other end of the line.

Unexpectedly, when faced with such a shocking topic, the next person to speak up was someone who should have put his mind at ease: "As long as it's not March or April next year, given Gin's personality, he should continue to let them fish."

Until the higher-ups of the Symbiotic Cult, or even the leaders and bosses, are lured out, they should be safe from danger. After all, for Gin and the Symbiotic Cult, Shinichi Kudo, Shiho Miyano, and Mary Akai are extremely rare survivors of APTX4869 poison.

If the Symbiosis Cult wants to complete the Silver Bullet in the future and sell it worldwide, it must use their physical information to find out what elements in their genes can provide immunity or reduce the fatal toxin in APTX4869.

As the only three survivors among the many APTX4869 victims, their existence was the best bait for the Symbiotic Cult. Moreover, Shiho Miyano inherited her parents' talent in the research of this drug, making her the most valued person by the Symbiotic Cult followers compared to the other two survivors…

.

That's Amuro-san's voice. So the person next to him is really a member of the organization? Does his statement imply that not only he has been exposed, but also Akai-san's mother?

But Gin felt that keeping him and the others around was a way to 'fish' for them, so he didn't attack them? Fishing? Symbiosis Cult? What kind of criminal organization is this? A criminal organization that even a Black Organization like Gin's needs bait to fish for them?

And it sounds like the Symbiotic Cult, which is completely unknown to him, seems to know, or even understand, APTX4869. They need him and Mary-san Akai, who are survivors of APTX4869 poisoning, to conduct APTX4869 research.

They also intend to turn APTX4869 into a drug called Silver Bullet and sell it worldwide. For this purpose, Ai Haibara, who is in charge of APTX4869 research, seems to be valued by them more than herself and Mary Akai.

It sounds like he's saying that he, Ai Haibara, and Mary Akai thought they were hiding well, but in reality they've been under the Symbiotic Cult's surveillance all along, and that Gin seems to have recently discovered the three of them and decided to keep them around to lure out the Symbiotic Cult's higher-ups...

How could this be? Apart from the time when Vermouth and Akai were following me, I have never sensed anything unusual, nor have I realized that I was being tracked and observed.

But Amuro-san is a member of the Japanese Public Security Bureau. He wouldn't make such a pointless joke. Besides, the tone of the topic didn't sound like a joke. That only meant one thing: the other party's 'observation' was flawless and so perfect that he didn't even notice it.

He's at least a tracker on par with Gin. After all, Gin has already discovered his, Ai Haibara's, and Mary Akai's existence, yet he hasn't sensed anything amiss. Clearly, his tracking skills are exceptionally high...

"However, if Gin is tricked in March or April next year, it means there are two possibilities. One is that Shiho Miyano's research on APTX4869 will break through to a stage that satisfies the Symbiosis Cult, and they will no longer need the organization's research data on APTX4869."

Another possibility is that in the coming year, they have either completely eradicated the organization or are confident enough to seize the APTX4869 research data from the organization's heavily guarded research institute. Just as Conan was making corresponding speculations in his mind because of Bourbon's words, Scotland continued his topic and brought up the deductions that Bourbon had not yet said.

Bourbon nodded and continued, "In any case, the Silver Bullet is a drug that must never be completed or sold publicly in the future, not to mention that the Symbiosis Cult is very likely to use the effects of the Silver Bullet."

They granted themselves immortality and deliberately reduced the global population using flawed silver bullets, concentrating more resources in the hands of their own faction.

"It's a bit of a pity. If Shiho Miyano hadn't inherited her parents' research, her future wouldn't have been destined for a dead end..." Scotland said with some sympathy, but the implication was clear that he had already made his decision.

Conan felt a chill run down his spine, but at that moment, the two figures gradually moved away, making it impossible for him to hear the rest of their words. Only then did he turn around and look at the pale blond hair and back view that were indeed unique to Amuro-san.

.

After hesitating for two seconds, knowing full well that if the person next to Amuro Tooru might be a member of the organization, and he were to follow him again without authorization, Amuro-san would not do anything suspicious to protect him in front of the organization members in order to complete the Public Security Bureau's work.

After exchanging a few brief words with the children opposite the detective badge, he took advantage of the children's size and the blind spot in the adults' view to quietly follow them. In the two seconds he hesitated, he missed some of their conversation.

When he tracked them down again and could hear their conversation, he heard the black-haired man next to Amuro-san, whose face was obscured because his back was to him, saying something that he initially found hard to understand: "...It's quite surprising that Lei would make such a request."

However, his abilities remained as astonishing as ever. Without our knowledge, he had already uncovered Feng Sang's secrets, much like when we were on missions together before. He always produced intelligence he had somehow found out when we least expected it.

"Hmph! That despicable guy doesn't deserve any praise. Also, remember to stay away from him in the future. I have a feeling he might be your nemesis."

"Heh... When did you start believing in the feng shui and fortune-telling of Zhongzhou? Could it be because you met Feng Sang that you subconsciously developed this idea? It's all a coincidence. As a police officer, you can't be superstitious."

"The existence and abilities of Feng Sang have already transcended the realm of superstition!"

"..." Upon hearing this, Conan, who had already decided to risk his life to obtain important information involving himself, Ai Haibara, and Sera's mother, was surprised to hear such a speechless conversation.

This made him involuntarily reveal a brief glimpse of crescent-shaped eyes. At the same time, he also noticed that Amuro-san's obviously relaxed and joking tone, and the fact that he mentioned Akai-san's codename in the organization to the black-haired man next to him without any murderous intent or malice, made him realize that he was likely the same kind of person as Amuro-san.

After all, if it were someone from the organization, they wouldn't be so calm when mentioning Akai-san's codename, and Amuro-san wouldn't jokingly tease the other person with Akai-san, whom he hates the most!

In other words, it could also be a Japanese public security officer who infiltrated the organization and was quite familiar with Amuro-san. This made him slightly less afraid; at least if it really was a Japanese public security officer, they wouldn't kill him to silence him if they discovered he was following and eavesdropping. -_-||

But they just mentioned Akai-san, and something about an agreement. They said Akai-san recently contacted Amuro-san privately and they had some kind of conditional 'cooperation'? Really? Aren't they sworn enemies?

However, just as he was relaxing and wondering what Akai-san wanted to make a promise with Amuro-san, he heard Amuro-san's tone turn serious again and ask, "By the way, based on your current understanding of Fu-san..."

Do you really think she'll keep her promise to Akai and help save his father? After all, you don't know until you investigate, and once you do, you find out she's much more capable than Akai.

If his fate were truly changed—that he would be captured and imprisoned by Radiant Pharmaceuticals, and ultimately killed because he had no further use after Shiho Miyano completed the Silver Bullet or after taking the APTX4869 research data from the organization—he would be completely unsuitable for their purposes.

With his abilities, 17 years is more than enough time for him to thoroughly investigate and eradicate the organization. If that happens, Gin, the organization's heir, will surely suffer as well, right? Could she really allow a future that would lead to her brother's downfall to occur?