Those sitting in the front couldn't help but turn their heads to look.
As if he couldn't stand so many stares, Nishimoto, with a hysterical expression, suddenly jumped up from the prayer mat and rushed out of the auditorium in a few steps.
Kawashima snorted dismissively and sat up straight again.
Hirata, standing behind him, didn't dare say anything and lowered his head deeply.
This was just a small episode in this grand religious ceremony.
...
"Ahhh..." Conan, sitting on the steps outside the activity center, yawned again.
"How much longer will these monks continue chanting scriptures?"
"It should be over soon, right?" Xiaolan glanced at her watch. "It's been more than two hours."
"It'll definitely be over soon!" Kogoro asserted. "Don't they eat?"
Hmm, your reasoning is indeed simple yet correct.
Conan glanced at the uncle who had become a famous detective thanks to him, but out of consideration for Ran's father, he refrained from further criticism.
However, Xiaolan showed no mercy.
"Dad, stop thinking about food! Mr. Yuanshan asked you to talk to Chief Heiyan. What are you going to do now?"
"What can I do?" Kogoro snorted. "Chief Kuroiwa's head was smashed open, and he's still unconscious!"
"Let me tell you, even if he weren't dizzy, he'd be furious right now, and you won't get anything out of him by asking him questions."
"Then why don't we leave?"
Looking at her father and Conan, the two of them squatting on the steps, Ran felt like she was the leader of a beggar gang.
Kogoro exhaled like a smoke ring, looking at her with disdain for her being so unsophisticated.
"Didn't I already say they were about to eat?"
"Given my friendship with Mr. Kawashima, it would be only right that I be treated to lunch later."
So you've been squatting here all this time just to freeload lunch?!
Despite having long been aware of his future father-in-law's character, Conan was still utterly convinced.
However, before he could finish his internal monologue, Kogoro stood up from the steps.
"It seems they've already finished..."
"Let's go in now and find Mr. Kawashima. They'll definitely feel bad if they don't treat us."
Okay, whatever you say.
Conan's reason for following Kogoro was that he could at least investigate Kawashima a little more, but in reality, his stomach was already rumbling uncontrollably. Conan obediently followed in Kogoro's footsteps.
"Hey, where's Mr. Kawashima?" Unable to find his old friend with whom he had chatted so happily last night, Kogoro had no choice but to ask Hirata, the secretary of the village chief of Kuroiwa.
"No... I don't know either. Mr. Nishimoto, have you seen Mr. Kawashima?"
Nishimoto, who had somehow returned to the auditorium, glanced at the group with a strange look.
"They probably went to the restroom."
Although it was just an ordinary conversation, Conan, who had experienced many incidents, still vaguely sensed something unusual.
It's like... a detective's premonition...
As if in response to him, his little genius phone watch also rang urgently.
Without even looking, you can tell it's one of his direct phone lines, Amuro Tooru.
The other person you can talk to directly is Xiaolan, but isn't Xiaolan here with you?
Conan turned around and answered the phone, only to hear Yoruichi Toyama's hurried voice.
"Hey Conan, over there... where is Chief Kuroiwa now?"
"They should still be in the lounge." Conan, not understanding the situation, could only answer casually.
After thinking for a moment, I briefly explained how the protesters had come to the event center.
For some reason, just by looking through the microphone, I could feel the temperature on the other end drop instantly.
"Go and confirm this right away!" Yoruichi Toyama said bluntly, almost in a commanding tone.
"I'm very worried right now..."
Before he could finish speaking, Conan turned and ran across the corridor, knocking on the door of the lounge where the village chief, Kuroiwa, was.
"Hey kid, what are you doing!" Kogoro shouted as he caught up.
"But Mr. Kuroiwa's family called looking for him urgently!" Conan held up his smartwatch and lied to his face without batting an eye.
Whether he didn't understand or immediately realized the seriousness behind the lie, Kogoro didn't say a word and started banging on the door.
"Mr. Mori, you..."
Hirata, who came over upon hearing the noise, was a little flustered, but Kogoro rolled his eyes at him.
Why is the door locked? Do you have a key?
"I've been knocking on the door for so long and haven't heard Mr. Kuroiwa's voice. I'm worried something might have happened. Hurry up and bring the key!"
As soon as Hirata turned around with trembling hands, a low, quiet melody rang in everyone's ears.
Amidst the hustle and bustle or the bewilderment of the crowd, it is like an uninvited guest wandering around.
"What is that?..."
"It's...it's the sound of a piano..."
"Who's playing the piano? That piano, it's not..."
People chattered amongst themselves, but cautiously swallowed the word "curse."
Only a few of them suddenly remembered Kameyama's death two years ago, and couldn't help but think of Keiji Aso playing this piece in the fire 12 years ago.
But the crowd moved in unison toward the activity room where the piano was located.
The activity room door was wide open.
What was presented to everyone was a horrific scene that they would likely never forget for the rest of their lives.
A figure sat on the piano bench, but his whole body slumped down, lying face down on the open keys, motionless.
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