Chapter 42 (Previous Chapter 41): Glacial Ruins: Join Us in the Chase...
I have ten virtues:
Ninth, Justice: Then let them all die.
Conan automatically ignored Zhuge Tongzhi's theory about the dirty things, and while observing the situation from beside the cover, he casually said, "Anyway, Uncle has booked a hotel for three days, so you can go if you want."
"Sigh, that's not the problem." Zhuge Tongzhi rested his chin on Conan's head with a worried look, taking advantage of his height to hug the little boy like a big teddy bear, openly adding to his burden. "I think it's a miracle that Midorikawa Hikaru didn't kill me."
"It's dangerous here, don't cause me any more trouble." Conan said speechlessly as he pushed the head off his head, and his hand touched the girl's burning cheek.
His shoving motion paused, and before he could say anything, he felt the weight on his head move away on its own. Then came two muffled coughs, each one trying to be suppressed, the sound traveling up his chest.
"Okay—okay—Great Detective." The girl's voice was hoarse with laughter, but her relaxed tone made it impossible to tell whether she was in a bad physical condition or not. She even joked, "Don't be nervous. From what I've observed, Ireland only brought a pistol."
"Later, you'll see for yourself how easily I, Lord Zhuge, take down the codenamed member!" Zhuge Tongzhi pointed a thumbs-up in his direction, a confident smile appearing on his feverish face, and winked at Conan.
As soon as the words were spoken, a black shadow trailing white smoke streaked across the top of their heads, tracing a smooth parabola before falling toward the edge of the rooftop on the other side, exploding into a burst of flames the moment it hit the ground.
Conan, who was just about to warn his opponent not to underestimate them: ...
Zhuge Tongzhi, who had just uttered such arrogant words: ...?
No, was that a rocket launcher?
After instinctively pulling Conan, who was peeking out, back into cover, she pressed her back against the wall, watching the billowing dust rushing past her side, and took off her sunglasses.
Zhuge Tongzhi squinted and peeked out into the swirling dust for a moment. Suddenly, he grabbed cover and charged out like a cheetah. A moment later, he crouched low and sprinted back.
She brought back Hattori Heiji, whose face was covered in a layer of black ash, and carefully laid the unconscious person flat on the ground in front of her. Conan immediately came over and examined the high school student who had obviously been affected by the explosion.
"It's nothing, he just fainted." He breathed a sigh of relief, and as he withdrew his hand, he felt a snow-white figure beside him, coughing repeatedly from the smoke and dust, carefully tucking in his cloak that was fluttering in the wind.
"I pulled him up, but I was knocked over by the shockwave halfway there," the phantom thief, somewhat disheveled from the attack that was supposed to silence him, said, wiping the layer of dust off his monocle and muttering to himself.
"Is Gin really supporting his comrades? I have a feeling he's targeting Ireland..." Kaito Kuroba dusted off his white suit, revealing a speechless crescent-shaped eye. He turned to look at the two people, one big and one small, squatting side by side, and his expression froze.
"Eh, who are you...?" Without the sunglasses to conceal his identity, Kaito Kuroba quickly recognized the stranger's face in the moonlight and immediately recognized him as the girl he had been with that morning: "Zhuge Tongzhi? You also took the drug and shrunk?"
"Well, I just confirmed it too." Zhuge Tongzhi shook his head and replied weakly, "Never mind that. I think you're right. That shot was obviously aimed at Ireland."
"He's gone mad," Kaito Kuroba commented objectively.
Ireland, who was closest to the epicenter of the explosion and was nearly thrown off the roof by the shockwave, felt the same way.
"Gin, are you insane?" he roared incredulously, pressing his earpiece. "Are you going to kill me?"
A cold, mocking laugh came through the headset, saying, "It's nothing more than cleaning up trash for the organization."
“Your mission has failed, Ireland.” Gin sat in the passenger seat of the Porsche, glancing out the window at the rooftop of the showroom billowing with smoke, and said coldly, “Your identity has been exposed in public; you no longer have any reason to exist.”
"Wait! I told you that someone present knew our plan beforehand, and someone shot at me back then!"
Ireland leaned against the wall to support his feeble steps. At this moment, when the sense of crisis that his life could be so easily manipulated overwhelmed him, he had no choice but to urgently explain to the person he hated most: "You should ask Bourbon why he leaked the information. He was also involved in the mission!"
"Guomei, although I understand how you feel, I can't reveal your information." A smooth voice sounded in the earpiece, with an inscrutable, playful smile: "After all, you never told me your fake identity from the beginning."
Bourbon, that cunning fellow… Ireland gritted his teeth, about to offer a new perspective on the tampered bombs he had prepared, when he was interrupted.
"As for the mission failure, that only applies to you personally."
Bourbon, holding his headset, chuckled at the panting Irishman inside. The man in the back seat raised his grey eyes, looked through the rearview mirror at Gin in the passenger seat, and said leisurely, "Thank you for alerting the target, giving me the opportunity to kill him outside the venue."
“You’re the only piece of trash who needs to be cleaned up, Ireland.” He calmly delivered the final blow amidst Ireland’s increasingly rapid breathing in the earpiece. Before Ireland could even utter a curse, Gin, who was already growing impatient, took over the communication channel.
"Goodbye, Ireland." A black hat held down his long silver hair, and Gin's lips curled into a mad smile. After delivering his verdict on Ireland, he unilaterally cut off the communication and gestured towards the vodka outside the car.
The burly Vodka nodded vigorously, turned around, aimed the organization's specialty rocket launcher on his shoulder at the rooftop, and pulled the trigger, firing another bullet at high speed.
Bright flames exploded again in the pitch-black night. Bourbon looked calmly at the illuminated night sky, the miniature earpiece in his ear clearly transmitting the message amidst the deafening roar.
'Zero, mission objective has been safely transferred.'
Morofushi Kagemitsu's voice was slightly panting, as if he were rushing towards a certain place, and the trembling in his tone was very obvious.
'There are still many people in the exhibition hall who haven't left; we can't let them keep bombing like this.'
You're right, Hiro, but I didn't expect Gin to take such drastic measures against Ireland.
Rei Furuya sat in the back seat, propping his face up and pretending to be bored, looking out the window to pass the time. In reality, he was watching Vodka load new ammunition into the rocket launcher, his mind racing as he thought of a way to break the deadlock.
"There are still a few children on the rooftop." Morofushi Kagemitsu's voice steadied, as if he had arrived at his destination, and a clicking sound of mechanical assembly began to accompany his voice.
His gentle voice was now tinged with a chilling intent as he firmly addressed Furuya Rei: 'Let's work together, Zero. I'll force them to leave.'
Hey, Hiro! Don't be impulsive! Furuya Rei's pupils dilated slightly. Outside the car window, the vodka was loaded with ammunition and was being aimed again at the top floor of the exhibition hall, which was beginning to sink.
Just as the man pulled the trigger, a silenced bullet flew out of nowhere and struck his arm, which was holding the rocket launcher, leaving a trail of blood.
Vodka cried out in pain as Gin, who arrived almost simultaneously with the bullets, slammed him to the ground and dragged him to the side of the Porsche. Several bullets grazed their feet and struck the spot where they had been standing.
There's a sniper!
Gin's eyes narrowed as he saw his Porsche being brutally struck by bullets. The clanging and shattering of glass filled his ears, making his face turn completely dark.
The back door was suddenly pushed open, and shattered glass slammed into Gin's hat. He looked up and saw Bourbon scrambling to duck, his hand nearly meeting several bullets as he pulled back from the door.
While dodging the incoming bullets, the blond man nimbly flipped over to the driver's seat and shouted to Gin, who was dragging vodka, "Get in the car, there's an ambush."
"That Irish idiot." Gone was no longer elegant and composed. His hair was disheveled and his suit was askew. The moment Gin and Vodka climbed into the car, he slammed on the gas and sped away with a clanging sound coming from the Porsche's hood.
The sniper pursuing them stopped after a dozen seconds when the Porsche drifted and blocked them behind a house.
The gunfire stopped, and Bourbon, who had successfully worked with Morofushi Kagemitsu to lead the people away from the scene, slowly exhaled.
The handsome blond man with dark skin glanced at the rearview mirror. Gin in the back seat was bandaging Vodka. He feigned anger and regret, and tentatively said, "What a pity that Ireland, that piece of trash who dragged us down, escaped with his life."
“No, from the very beginning, Big Brother never intended for Ireland to live.” Furuya Rei’s pupils dilated for a moment as he looked at Vodka in the rearview mirror, pulled out a small remote control, pressed the red button on it, and said ruthlessly, “A bomb has already been planted on the rooftop where the mission results are delivered.”
Bright flames once again swept across the night sky in the direction of the jewelry exhibition.
Rei Furuya gripped the steering wheel tightly, then forced himself to relax in the next instant, saying cryptically, "Ah, it seems I should thank myself for not going with Ireland."
"Otherwise, will it be disposed of as waste, Gin?" The gray eyes looked at the silver-haired man in the back row who was smoking by himself. The oppressive question only earned him a flick of cigarette ash.
“Just do your job, Bourbon,” Gin said calmly. “You salvaged Ireland’s defeat. I’ll report this to the Boss. Now get out of here.”
“I’m not your driver, Gin.” Bourbon didn’t seem satisfied with the answer that replaced explanation with a reward, his voice tinged with coldness.
"You open the vodka."
The Porsche, its surface uneven, turned into the night. The blond man standing by the roadside watched the black vintage car disappear from sight before turning and running towards the jewelry exhibition.
…
On the rooftop, amidst the smoke and dust
A wise man does not dwell on a dangerous building. Zhuge Tongzhi carried the unconscious Hattori Heiji on his back and, together with Conan and Kuroba Kaito, ran towards Ireland.
The blue and white navigation box stood out brightly against the surrounding gray environment:
"Current path: Restart countdown and dazzling magic show (95% complete)"
"Waypoint: The Curtain Falls on the Rooftop (Incomplete)"
What constitutes the end of the performance? A question flashed through Zhuge Tongzhi's mind. At the same time, another black shadow trailing white smoke was thrown towards the spot where they had just stood.
On the concrete ground shaken by the explosion, four people stumbled and scrambled away from the bomb. Conan shielded his head, but Kaito Kuroba pulled him into his arm to deflect the impact of his fall to the ground.
The moment Zhuge Tongzhi landed, his heart tightened inexplicably. He immediately pushed Hattori Heiji aside, braced himself with both hands, and swept his arms to repel the burly black figure that came rushing in from the dust.
Hattori Heiji groaned as his back hit the ground, but Zhuge Tongzhi ignored his condition. He put on a fighting stance with his hot and weak hands and feet, and after exchanging a few blows with Ireland, he was knocked to the ground by a punch because he couldn't muster any strength.
The instant she scrambled to her feet, she felt a familiar, intense contraction in her heart, and her already burning skin seemed to heat up even more, almost as if she were engulfed in flames.
hateful……
With his heart contracting irregularly, Zhuge Tongzhi couldn't help but gasp for breath. His arms, which were supporting him on the ground, trembled violently. In his melting vision, fragmented images began to flash by blurrily, frame by frame.
She managed to lift her head, looked at Ireland who was clearly unsteady on his feet due to his injury, and stood up once again to assume a fighting stance.
The two people who had rolled behind her quickly came to her side. Kaito Kuroba pulled out his playing card gun, aimed it at Ireland, and fired a few shots to force the other to back down.
Conan also pressed the powerful button on his sneakers and shouted to Ireland, "Gin wants to kill you, doesn't he? You can't go back to the organization now."
Seeing the veins bulging on the man's hand as he gripped the gun, he knew he had correctly described the man's predicament, which was now teetering on the brink of death. He then said more seriously, "Surrender now, and you might still save your life!"
"Surrender?" Blood gushed from the bomb wounds from Ireland's head, back, and arms, and a smile of amusement appeared on the half of his face stained red.
He then focused his gaze on Zhuge Tongzhi, who was subtly shielding everyone behind him. He stared at the girl panting for a while, then looked at Conan and Kaito Kid, who were on guard beside him, and his expression showed realization.
"So that's how it is. You little brat, you're Shinichi Kudo." Ireland couldn't help but burst into laughter, coughing between laughs as he said, "The Albums who was reported to be silenced, and Shinichi Kudo who was marked dead, are actually living well right under Gin's nose."
"That idiot never realized you were who you were."
He looked at the people in front of him, and instead of being surrounded, he casually threw his weapon into the flames. He opened his empty hands, which were stained with blood, and said, "I'll let you go. Live on and bring this mistake to Gin's eyes."
“I can no longer avenge Pisco, but you can continue the investigation,” Ireland said, coughing, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with an open hand. “Until…”
Before he could finish speaking, Conan was startled and suddenly grabbed Ireland, pulling him to the side. A bullet flew past where Ireland's head had just been, grazing Zhuge Tongzhi's hair as it flew into the night sky behind them.
"If you want to avenge your loved ones, join us!"
Conan got up from Ireland, reached out and pulled Zhuge Tongzhi, who was standing unsteadily in the face of bullets, down. He turned around and looked at Ireland, who had a blank expression, and shouted, "What's the point of dying so pathetically like this!"
Who's sniping me? Is someone trying to kill me? Zhuge Tongzhi collapsed to the ground, feeling as if his brain was about to melt. He shook his head violently, trying to stay awake, as Conan's voice rang out.
Another series of violent explosions began to resound in the distance, and the already swaying rooftop began to show a clear tendency to sink. In the firelight that was getting closer and closer, several people began to slide involuntarily toward the edge of the rooftop.
"Great Detective, I can't hold on any longer." Zhuge Tongzhi felt his heart pounding faster and faster, his hands clenched tightly into his chest, and beads of sweat streamed down his face. He looked up at Conan and said, "At most... one more minute."
"Kidd!" / "I know, I know!"
Kaito Kuroba quickly pulled out a bunch of things from his magic suit, as if he were turning over an alien bag. He held Heiji Hattori down with one hand and quickly picked out the useful items from inside with the other.
The magician quickly pulled out several parachutes and handed them to Zhuge Tongzhi and Conan. He then helped Hattori Heiji put them on, stood on the edge of the rooftop, unfolded the magic hang glider, and turned to look at Conan.
"Here you go." Conan handed the parachute to Ireland, his bright blue eyes looking up at Ireland, yet he showed no weakness, his unconsciously lowered voice carrying a calm and firm tone.
"Then join us on our journey, Ireland."
The towering flames were closing in, and Kaito Kuroba had already opened the parachute on Heiji Hattori. Meanwhile, Kirito Zhuge was also ready and was now crouching uncomfortably on the edge of the rooftop.
They all knew it was time to leave, but no one went first. Conan stood motionless, his hand outstretched to Ireland as steady as a rock in the swaying environment.
“…Shinichi Kudo, you have indeed exceeded my expectations time and time again.” Ireland smiled and shook her head, but refused the help in front of her. “But I will not join you.”
"Didn't you want revenge...?" Conan's urgent question was cut off by the girl who walked up beside him. He felt a hand on his shoulder that felt like boiling water, and when he looked up, he saw Zhuge Tongzhi with his mouth wide open, panting.
"There's no time, Great Detective." Zhuge Tongzhi looked at the flames that were about to explode in their direction, pushed Conan toward Kuroba Kaito, and calmly said, "Ignore him."
The wise choice was to escape; staying here now would be foolish justice. Ireland's choice regarding the ale was not surprising. He turned to look at the sea of fire behind him, preparing to calmly face his unwilling death.
But amidst the collapse, a whooshing sound suddenly came from behind him. He turned around in surprise and instinctively tried to defend himself, only to see the girl's legs, encased in black sweatpants, almost within reach.
With a loud bang, Ireland, who had already lost too much blood, was knocked to the ground by this powerful spinning kick. Zhuge Tongzhi, unsteady on his feet, withdrew his leg and deftly put a parachute on the trophy.
Dragging Ireland to the edge of the rooftop, she casually tossed her off. Under the awe-inspiring gazes of Conan and Kaito Kuroba, she wiped the sweat from her face and said hoarsely, "I told you, I'm going to bring my guardian some souvenirs."
The next second, the black-haired girl stumbled and fell face down into the night sky, her white parachute opening wide behind her.
Kaito Kid also threw Heiji Hattori off the building, grabbed Conan, opened his hang glider, and leaped off the rooftop before Kouki could, nimbly maneuvering between the three parachutes to adjust their positions.
Four snow-white shadows fell towards the back of the exhibition hall.
Rei Furuya stood beneath four swaying shadows, his gray eyes looking up with a deep, dark expression.
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Author's Note: Mwah!
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