Chapter 255, Seventy-Third Cycle (85)
Conan Edogawa had considered all the possibilities before he came, but he really didn't expect that they would be amused after he asked those questions.
Conan Edogawa instantly realized that the truth of the matter might be beyond his expectations.
He rethought the whole process.
Vodka appeared downstairs at the Mori Detective Agency, and Gin once again set his sights on Kogoro Mori, wanting to get rid of him.
When Amuro Tooru learned of this, he decided to find an opportunity to bring Kogoro Mouri under police surveillance and protection in a reasonable and close manner.
An unexplained explosion occurred at the venue of the Tokyo Summit international conference. A short investigation indicated it was an accident. In order to open a case and protect Kogoro Mouri, Amuro Tooru fabricated evidence to have the police arrest Kogoro Mouri, which attracted nationwide attention and public opinion.
Amuro Tooru learned that there were organized moles within the police force. He captured one of the moles who almost leaked his information and decided to set a trap to conduct a large-scale search to catch all the spies at once.
Amuro Tooru didn't tell him the inside story of the incident, perhaps because the bombing at the Tokyo Summit was related to the plan to catch spies. Currently, only a small number of public security officers in the National Police Agency know about it, and even the police officers in the Metropolitan Police Department don't know the specifics.
However, from eavesdropping on their investigation meetings, it was learned that things were progressing. Sakura's investigation revealed that the incident might be related to an Internet of Things attack, and that the perpetrator was conducting remote operations online through the internationally renowned anonymous website Noah, making it impossible for even Sakura to catch the culprit.
Noah... cherry blossoms...
While Conan Edogawa was pondering something, he was caught eavesdropping by Mr. Amuro. Although he was slightly frightened by Mr. Amuro's stern manner when reprimanding Inspector Kazami, he wasn't afraid. As it turned out, Mr. Amuro didn't blame him; he simply destroyed the listening device and went on with his work.
He was more concerned about Noah and Sakura than that.
Currently, the identity of Sakura has not been confirmed.
The last time he tried to subtly probe Hiroki, Hiroki temporarily managed to evade the question like a riddle.
Because of his strange experience in the church deep in the Nagano mountains, Conan Edogawa didn't dare to ask them directly at the time, fearing that he might accidentally make them "out of character" and "get out of the game".
However, upon hearing the names Noah and Sakura again this time, he simply couldn't resist.
The main reason was that he discovered a hidden monitoring and eavesdropping software that had been installed on his phone at some unknown time. This meant that all his actions and words during this period were being watched by some unknown and terrifying person on the other side of the network, and he was completely unaware of it.
This is terrifying; he has to find out.
There aren't many people who can do that, and the first thing that came to his mind was Hiroki Sawada and Noah's Ark.
Without hesitation, Conan Edogawa rushed forward to ask the question.
Just like when he rushed over to ask Mr. Amuro directly, he also believed that Hiroki wouldn't do such a thing casually. Even if they really did it, there must be some inside story he didn't know.
But even if he guessed wrong, there's no need to laugh out loud, right? It's as if he told a really funny joke, and the serious atmosphere instantly shattered.
"Why are you laughing?" Conan Edogawa stared at the boy in front of him with displeasure. "Was my deduction really that wrong?"
“Sorry, sorry, it’s not that outrageous, but…” Hiroki Sawada turned his computer chair around to face him, thought for a moment, and said, “Okay, it’s okay to tell you some things now.”
He smiled and held up the first finger: "The first thing I want to tell you is that the cherry blossoms now are indeed me."
Conan Edogawa was taken aback, but not because he was shocked that Conan had confessed so directly.
He even confirmed his earlier suspicions, saying, "So, you're still an assistant to the police?"
Hiroki Sawada nodded, picked up the little robot, and laughed, "Noah's Ark also has a backup plan."
Noah's Ark replied earnestly, "Yes, please rest assured, I will not do anything illegal."
In other words, they will still be operating on the fringes of the law, right?
Conan Edogawa suddenly realized: "The current cherry blossoms? So, Hiroki, you're the second-generation cherry blossom? Who was the first-generation cherry blossom?"
This is a very important question. If we know about the cherry blossoms of the first generation, we can gain some certainty about the situation in Scotland.
And Mr. Akai seems to care about this matter very, very, very much...
However, when faced with this question, Hiroki Sawada once again adopted that familiar, enigmatic, and enigmatic expression.
Hiroki Sawada raised his second finger: "Secondly, regarding the Noah Browser... If you had asked me yesterday, my answer would have been no. But if you're asking now, my answer is—yes, the Noah website is currently controlled by Noah's Ark."
Conan Edogawa's thoughts were abruptly pulled to another matter: "So, the Noah website was just coincidentally called that before, but after this incident, Noah's Ark deciphered and took control of the website?"
Noah's Ark turned around and tapped the keyboard twice. A familiar icon appeared on the computer screen.
That's the logo of a cabbage-shaped website, which belongs to Noah, the internationally renowned anonymous browser website.
“Noah’s Ark was initially developed based on a regular browser. Its most famous use was to anonymize users’ IP addresses, allowing users’ real IP addresses to be protected like layers of a cabbage. If you tried to trace it, the user’s IP address would constantly change to other locations around the world. No matter how much others investigated, they could only find layer after layer of fake IP addresses and could not trace the user’s real address and identity,” said Hiroki Sawada.
Noah's Ark continued, "This website is used for all sorts of illegal activities, big and small, that cannot be carried out through normal channels. However, because it cannot be cracked and there are too many forces and people involved, it has been left unresolved for a long time."
Hiroki Sawada laughed: "But we can do things secretly, as long as no one else finds out."
Noah's Ark also laughed and said, "Yes, even the world's most famous hacker, Sakura, can't crack this website, so others can use it with more peace of mind. However, in reality, their actions are completely transparent to us."
Conan Edogawa: "..."
Conan Edogawa, with dead fish eyes: "Do you think the police will find out if you guys are doing this?"
Hiroki Sawada and Noah's Ark said in unison, "Zero knows."
Conan Edogawa: "..."
Conan Edogawa's half-moon eyes: "So you guys are actually Amuro and Furuya-san's assistants, right?"
Hiroki Sawada smiled without saying a word.
Conan Edogawa suddenly realized that his worries were unnecessary. He should be worried about those people who were being targeted by Noah's Ark.
Furthermore, since even Noah is now under the control of Noah's Ark, the so-called "unbreakable cherry blossom website" is just bait to lure bigger fish into the trap. This is probably related to the police's operation to catch undercover agents...
“Third…” Hiroki Sawada didn’t raise a third finger, but instead extended the index finger of his other hand and gently placed it to his lips, smiling as he said, “The Internet of Things attack can be said to be related to me, or it can be said to be unrelated to me.”
Conan Edogawa was taken aback.
"I've told you everything I can." The boy looked at him with gentle yet encouraging eyes. "From now on, if you want to find out the truth, you'll have to work hard on it yourself."
"Why couldn't you just tell me directly?" Conan Edogawa couldn't help but press, subtly probing other matters. "You even told me more confidential things. Is it something beyond the comprehension of ordinary people? Are you afraid I can't accept it?"
However, Hiroki Sawada simply shook his head and sighed softly, "Perhaps it's because this is an extremely difficult and unfair game."
"There are no walkthroughs, no save/load systems," he said. "The difficulty of this game is no less than defying fate."
Conan Edogawa frowned in thought.
"Even so, are you still going to join this dangerous game?" Hiroki Sawada asked seriously.
Conan Edogawa blinked, then smiled and said firmly, "Of course, I'm even more excited."
*
Conan Edogawa's mind was filled with several pieces of information, and it wasn't until after leaving Dr. Agasa's house that he remembered that Hiroki Sawada hadn't explained the surveillance software.
Conan Edogawa: "..."
Conan Edogawa immediately took out his phone to ask, and soon received a reply.
[It wasn't installed by me, nor is it Noah's Ark.]
[It's quite a coincidence that the person who installed the remote monitoring software for you is the same person you just installed the listening device on.]
[Cat secretly smiling.jpg]
Conan Edogawa: "..."
He stood there for a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise.
Kazami Yuya?!
Okay, now he finally understands why Hiroki and Noah's Ark were laughing.
On closer reflection, it's quite possible. Kazami Yuya had approached him when he was searching the Mouri Detective Agency, and then his phone fell to the ground at some point. It was probably around that time that he secretly took it and installed it.
Why? This must be Mr. Amuro's intention, right? Is it to keep a close eye on his situation and prevent any accidents from being discovered by the organization?
Conan Edogawa could barely explain it, but it still felt a bit strange. In the end, he could only temporarily put it aside with those unspeakable mysteries and continue investigating the case.
He didn't even ask the doctor to help remove the software, and continued his operations with that phone that could monitor and listen to him at any time.
—Since Mr. Amuro wants to see it, then let him see it.
*
April 30th.
Eri Kisaki's law firm.
Even Eri Kisaki, known as the undefeated queen of the legal profession, was helpless in the face of Kogoro Mouri's situation this time.
Because she is Kogoro Mouri's wife, this kinship becomes the biggest obstacle, and they can only seek help from other lawyers.
However, Kogoro Mouri's case this time is really too difficult to handle. Smart lawyers are unwilling to take on cases with a 100% chance of losing, or ordinary lawyers are unwilling or dare not take on cases involving the Public Security Bureau.
But it's not like there's no one at all.
The case was ultimately handled by a two-person team of lawyers who didn't even have an office. They were generally referred to in the industry as "mobile lawyers," meaning they took cases from home using their mobile phones.
29-year-old female lawyer Kyoko Tachibana, and her disciple and assistant, 25-year-old male lawyer Kunihiko Yoshioka.
Unfortunately, they weren't exactly great lawyers.
Although the police cases they took on all had a near 100% failure rate, their record of 100% failure still left people speechless at first glance.
But no one dared to take the case, so we had no choice but to trouble them.
However, Eri Kisaki was quite satisfied and even comforted her anxious daughter, Ran Mouri.
A rookie lawyer is great, because it makes it easier for her to manipulate and guide from behind the scenes—after all, if you're talking about the most powerful lawyer in this country, Eri Kisaki is second to none.
The case of Kogoro Mouri is just too strange. It was already unexpected that he was locked up in a detention center without any regard for the consequences, but then a large-scale Internet of Things attack occurred at noon today, which made it even more overwhelming and confusing.
Although no one was ultimately injured, and it appeared more like a test or threat, it still caused some confusion. Fortunately, security had been tight recently, with patrols and police officers on standby everywhere, and the situation was quickly calmed down.
However, this incident is actually beneficial to Kogoro Mouri – the Internet of Things attack indirectly proves his innocence.
After all, Kogoro Mouri was being watched in the detention center, so it was clear that he wasn't the one who did this.
The person capable of manipulating smart appliances to launch an attack must be someone highly skilled in information technology, making it easy for them to fabricate evidence and frame Kogoro Mouri.
Eri Kisaki finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although it cannot prove anything completely yet, at least there are clues and directions. And for her, with this intelligence, winning this battle will not be difficult.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm here, I'm here!"
A woman suddenly pushed open the door and came in carrying a pile of documents.
"Some things happened on the way and I was delayed quite a bit. I don't know if I'm late?"
"Ms. Kuriyama?" Ran Mouri turned around in surprise. "Weren't you resting these past few days?"
“Such a big thing has happened here. As an employee of the firm, how can I just rest and go out to have fun?” Kuriyama Midori said with a smile.
Eri Kisaki said gratefully and apologetically, "I'm so sorry, your rare vacation is gone just like that. I'll give you a few more days off after everything is over."
"No, no..."
Conan Edogawa couldn't wait any longer and went over, feigning curiosity, and asked, "Huh? Ms. Kuriyama, what documents are you holding? I see the name Mirror Attorney on the cover?"
Kuriyama Midori immediately remembered the important matter and placed the documents on the table, saying, "This is something that Shinichi Kudo asked me to investigate. It is indeed information on Tachibana Kyoko and Yoshioka Kunihiko."
"Shinichi?" Ran Mouri exclaimed in surprise. "When did he say that?"
Eri Kisaki was also a little puzzled: "Why is he investigating their affairs?"
Conan Edogawa was already quickly flipping through the information.
Professional tasks can be handled more perfectly by professionals in the field, and the information compiled by Midori Kuriyama did indeed resolve his doubts.
Conan Edogawa fell into deep thought.
The orange mirror was indeed problematic.
Yesterday, I happened to overhear her inexplicably getting close to Kazami Yuya, which was not a coincidence, but a deliberate attempt to exchange information.
If nothing unexpected happens, she should be Kazami Yuya's assistant.
And Kunihiko Yoshioka...
Conan Edogawa quickly arranged the clues in his mind, vaguely grasping the most fundamental core clue.
Police Department... Metropolitan Police Department... Public Prosecutor's Office...
Could the list of spies that the police are trying to lure into include people from the procuratorate?
Conan Edogawa frowned.
He wasn't surprised that the organization's reach had extended into almost all authoritative official organizations, but he was worried that such a massive operation might really have no impact on Furuya Rei himself.
Won't that alert the enemy?
Has the situation reached the point where we must prepare for a decisive battle?
But that doesn't make sense either, since the FBI and CIA haven't found any clues...
"Ms. Kuriyama, what happened to your clothes? Did something happen on the way?" Ran Mouri noticed that the hem of her clothes and the legs of her trousers were torn and asked with concern.
"Ah, it's nothing. It's just that the taxi driver I took seemed to be a new driver. I urged him to hurry up, and he got nervous and... cough. But thankfully, he was alright in the end, just his clothes and the car were a little damaged," Kuriyama Midori said with an embarrassed smile.
"Safety is the most important thing," Eri Kisaki solemnly instructed. "No matter how urgent the situation, you can't drive recklessly."
Kuriyama Midori nodded quickly, then laughed as if she remembered something, "Haha, it's actually not that bad. This is nothing compared to that time I was in a hurry and rode in Mr. Amuro's car! But it's true, Mr. Amuro has the skill to dare to drive so recklessly, and it was mainly because the situation was urgent... Of course! We ordinary people still need to drive properly! Yes! Safety is the most important!"
Conan Edogawa turned his head curiously and asked, "When did Ms. Kuriyama ride in Mr. Amuro's car?"
"It was that time when I bought breakfast in Poirot and almost missed the court hearing."
Kuriyama Midori recalled the events, her face turning pale and then flushed with fear.
"Although I'm very grateful to Mr. Amuro, the whole experience was a nightmare. I'm not exaggerating when I say I thought I was going to die. I'm sure that anyone who has ever ridden in Mr. Amuro's car would never want to ride in it again. Ah, so that's why I always see Mr. Amuro driving alone!"
Conan Edogawa: "..."
No way, that's way too exaggerated.
He had ridden in Mr. Amuro's car many times. Although it was sometimes a bit thrilling, it wasn't that scary, was it?
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