Chapter 16: Karasuma Genta's (mistaken) obsession with the treasure map begins...
Huibara fell into wild thoughts again, while Sato and Takagi were concentrating on their work. The three members of the detective team huddled together, frantically speculating about the spy network and hidden treasure.
Vermouth easily moved Haibara towards the window, away from other people.
Here it comes. Here comes the little move: "Effortlessly" moving Ai-chan towards the window ~ seemingly nonchalant, but actually it has been planned for a long time.
"Stay away from others"... Think about it, think about it carefully. What is this for? Is it a whisper or... (smirk)
Three Little Ones: Wow. Treasure.
Bei Jie: My treasure is here~ (pointing to Ai-chan)
"It's really interesting, isn't it?" she whispered in her eardrums, watching the raindrops flow down the floor-to-ceiling windows of the cafe.
The atmosphere. Rainy day. By the window. Whispering. It feels like an art film.
"Why would the past refuse to be buried?"
Is Sister Bei lamenting the past, or is she hinting that her feelings for Ai-chan have never been "buried"?
Huibara looked at her own reflection, small, looking at her from the window, a child's face hiding the burden of an adult.
Virtual and real, children and adults, past and present.
"What do you want from me, Vermouth?"
A straight ball hits. Ace explodes.
Subtext: Don't try to be so tactful. If you have something to say, just say it. I don't have time for flirting with you. (Inner thought: I can play around a little longer~)
"Maybe I'm just curious about how that awesome Shirley has adapted to her new...declining environment."
This "decline", tut tut, is a bit provocative and a bit heartbreaking, what's going on?
"Or perhaps you're here to complete the organization's unfinished business," Huibara retorted, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. "Eliminate the traitor."
Ai-chan: Don’t try to PUA me. No way.
Vermouth's laughter was gentle and sincere, lacking the theatricality of Tina's earlier response. Without her mask, Bayonetta's charm was at its peak.
"If I wanted you dead, Shiho, you wouldn't have survived New York."
Subtext: I let you go back then, and now I'm still concerned about you. Don't you understand my feelings? You stupid idiot Shiho.
Hearing her real name again, Huibara felt a chill.
"Shiho-chan, you're so cute when you're so calm, like an adult~"
Red bean paste is kawaii + the word "sauce" is used.
The Black Organization's sweet trap is more deadly than Gin's sniper rifle. When Vermouth first called out "Cool Guy," Conan's small back suddenly froze, and he was also a little bit caught in the trap.
If "Sulli" is the cold white coat in the laboratory, the name "Shiho-chan" is the kimono belt hidden in private, soft and gently wrapped with the body temperature of an eighteen-year-old girl.
The Black Organization's code name was originally "Armor", but this movie queen used it interchangeably with her real name and turned it into a fun prop for role-playing.
Even the name is a carefully prepared exclusive lily recipe.
Her gaze was like a faint chain, tightly locking and binding the girl in front of her.
The eye acting of this actress is worth three Oscars.
"Then why?" Huiyuan looked directly at Vermouth and asked, "Why are you looking for me now?"
Vermouth's expression changed, a moment of truth that disappeared so quickly that Haibara even thought she had imagined it.
This damned feeling of being broken. This vulnerability that only shows up in front of certain people.
"Maybe I miss the conversations we had, the intellectual stimulation. The challenge."
Haha, woman, are you sure it’s just a “conversation”?
The Queen's speech: Only you are worthy of being my opponent/teammate/soulmate.
Translation: It’s fun to argue with you, and it’s also fun to stand shoulder to shoulder with you.
"Just chatting?" Huibara raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised at her own boldness.
Is he testing the limits of Miss Bay? Or is he hinting that "it's more than just chatting"? (Screaming mode activated.)
Small body, big courage. As expected of you, Miyano Shiho.
Vermouth narrowed her eyes, and the corners of her beautiful lips slightly rose. There was no trace of "Tina" at all. This was the pure Vermouth, dangerous and attractive.
That smile, a deadly smile. No pretense, only the most genuine attraction. This is the aura of a top-tier OMEGA (crossed out) seducer.
"Do you remember?"
The moonlight in New York or... (mouth covered again) Mmmm.
This is fishing. Definitely fishing. Let's see if Ai-chan takes the bait.
Q: When Vermouth asked, "Do you remember?", what did she most want Haibara (Shiho) to answer?
A. "Remember...that night in New York, you looked so good in that black trench coat." (Fashion commentator Ai)
B. "Remember... the 29th possible isomer structure of APTX4869." (Scientific Research Brain Never Loses Connection)
C. "Remember... you said, A secret makes a woman woman, but now I just want to know your secret." (Reverse fishing master sad)
D. "I forgot. Please tell me again, preferably in detail, with a scene reenactment." (The Dark Routine King Ai)
Before Haibara could answer, Genta's excited voice interrupted their private conversation.
Just when I had a little bit of sugar leftovers, Genta came to ruin the scene. The atmosphere ruiner. It can't be Karasuma Genta.
Yuantai: As long as my voice is loud enough, ambiguity can't catch up with me.
Masaka is a "premature love prevention barrier" unique to primary school students, which has a built-in spell interruption function.
"I found it!" he announced triumphantly. "There must be a treasure map in the phonograph."
It’s the treasure map again... Yuantai, his obsession with the treasure map is comparable to his obsession with eel rice.
Gramophone: I didn't, I didn't, don't talk nonsense. I just want to be an antique quietly, who did I offend?
"Elementary School Student's Treasure Hunt: I Always Find Treasures That Don't Exist".
The moment that belonged to Bey and the other girl was shattered, and reality enveloped them once again.
Haibara, once again, becomes one of the children in the detective team, while Vermouth plays the role of a curious and naive tourist.
Just now it was "Lily's Secret One Night in New York in the Orange Dusk in the Rain", and now it has instantly switched to "The Elementary School Detective Team is on the Move".
Ai-chan: It's so hard for me. One second I'm playing heartbeats with a bad woman, and the next second I have to play house with her. The ups and downs of life are so exciting.
B: If I act, I just act hard. I owe the Oscars an Oscar, no, a lot of them. After all, I've played so many roles I can't even count them.
"Treasure map?" Gao Mu asked suspiciously. Perhaps he thought these naughty kids were up to something again. (Daily 1/1)
Takagi: My career is made up of countless "Huh?"
"Or microfilm," Mitsuhiko said seriously, "like those classic spy movie tropes."
Mitsuhiko is truly a knowledgeable person, even knowing about microfilm. He's way ahead of someone who only knows how to complain about hunger. Even 007 would be a true expert. The Young Detectives, their imaginations are a century ahead of the curve.
"Or, a rare, super beautiful gem." Ayumi added unwillingly.
Ayumi-chan has a very vivid imagination. But gems are usually hidden in more... well, unexpected places, like in a certain thief's preview letter.
The imagination of the Young Detectives is always taking off, and the funds are always burning (if there is any funds).
Sato hung up the phone, his expression serious. "That's headquarters on the other end of the line. In the past month, there have been three thefts from different antique shops. All of them are pre-war items, possibly connected to the diplomatic or military circles."
"Call from headquarters" = "Big things are coming" BGM automatically sounds.
Antique shops, pre-war items, I wonder if the antique shop owners in Beika-cho have collectively bought high-value insurance? Otherwise, with this crime rate, who can withstand it?
But when it comes to "diplomatic or military circles," well, that smells right, the Black Organization's radar is ringing. Or at least a villain of theatrical quality.
"So, what we are dealing with is a thief with special tastes," Takagi pondered.
Takagi's true identity was revealed. This thief truly had a "special" taste, specifically picking out things that would easily draw attention to the Elementary School Detectives and the Black Organization. He knew his stuff.
"Or rather, there's a specific purpose." Huiyuan said. Although she was a little emotional due to Vermouth's presence, her analytical ability was still online. "This isn't a random theft that happened suddenly. It seems that the thief is looking for something specific."
As soon as he opened his mouth, I knew he was a seasoned detective. Emotional fluctuations? Absolutely not. His brain's CPU was still throbbing at top speed, even more stable than Kudo Shinichi next door.
"The question is, what is that?" Sato looked around.
Ah, this is a good question. The answer is usually a primary school student (usually Conan, but Ai-chan carries it here).
Vermouth stepped forward, once again perfectly portraying her "Tina" persona. "In the movies, it's always said that the treasure is gold hidden by the Nazis to stage a comeback, or some secret weapon," she said with a smile. "But in reality, it's rarely that dramatic."
This wave of "Tina" skin is welded on the body, the disguise technique is so terrifying.
"Reality is rarely this dramatic." ...Ms. Thousand Faces of the Movie Queen, is there some misunderstanding between "reality" and the "Conan Universe"? It's more dramatic here than in the movies, isn't it? And Bayley's life alone is enough to make countless Hollywood blockbusters.
Or, had she forgotten that she was one of those people who loved to dramatize reality? It was an occupational ailment.
Faced with Vermouth's acting skills that are worthy of being a movie queen, what is Haibara's most likely inner thoughts at this moment?
A. I don't trust you, you're such a bad woman. Are you acting out "An Actor's Self-Cultivation" with me?
B. She's a good actress, but I'm even better. Humph. Let's see who can reveal the other's hidden cards first.
C. Even though she's an enemy, I have to say, this woman is damn charming... Bah, bah, bah, what was I thinking.
D. Solve the case quickly and stay away from this dangerous woman. (But I can't help but look at her twice because of her damn charm)
"Sometimes, reality is more dramatic than fiction." Haibara retorted, looking at Vermouth with a cold gaze.
Ai-chan: That’s right. For example, I’m a former tissue scientist who became smaller after taking medicine. I’ve lived safely in Mihua for more than a thousand episodes, and I’m playing a cat-and-mouse game with a murderous and ruthless movie queen. Is that dramatic enough?
The Queen spoke. This eye contact was a scene of intense excitement. This exchange of glances will go down in history. Yuri is a great sport. Love and hate, what? So much for that.
"I have an idea." Huiyuan suddenly turned to Takagi Sato and said, "Perhaps the value of these antiques lies not in the treasures they contain, but in the messages they convey."
The philosophy class is about to begin. Please bring your own notebooks.
Ai-chan: Okay, the ambiguity is over, it’s time to get down to business and solve the case.
A highlight moment. As expected of Ai-chan, she always comes up with ideas. Clear thinking and perfect logic.
Once this flag is raised, it feels like some old story or shocking secret is about to be revealed. After all, one of the laws of the Conan universe is that everything has a foreshadowing.
The mystery of information is harder to find than treasure. I guess Yuan Tai is going to collapse. Just ask, can elementary school students understand such high-level reasoning?
"What does Haibara-chan mean?" Takagi immediately turned into a supporting role as soon as he opened his mouth, perfectly highlighting Ai-chan's aura of intelligence.
Takagi: I’m just an ordinary tool (dog head).
After all, he had seen Haibara's intelligence in many cases, and he respected her as much as he respected Conan.
Gao Mu is a kind person, so he can judge people.
Of course, no matter how respectful you are, you still have to abide by Japan's basic rules of hierarchy and can only call her "chan" instead of "san".
Even if you bow down to Ruisi in your heart, you still have to say "Jiang" to her. After all, Ai-chan (in terms of her physical age) is still a baby.
"A symbol," Huibara explained, his furry little head, with an IQ of 180, rapidly calculating. "It's a sign of something else. A code hidden in plain sight."
Vermouth narrowed her eyes, obviously resonating with Haibara's words.
Inner thoughts: "Oh wow? This little cutie is quite interesting~"
"It's like a treasure hunt," she added, building seamlessly on Huibara's theory. "One clue leads to the next piece of evidence."
The pinnacle of sapiosexuality is a tacit understanding. No translation, no explanation required; one person throws a gag, and the other instantly picks up on it. What divine rapport!
"The ultimate prize is when all the clues are connected in the end," Huibara continued.
Their eyes met again, and at that moment, Huibara felt the dangerous excitement she had experienced in New York.
There was a thrill in meeting someone who matched her intellectual abilities step by step and could understand her logic without explanation.
This feeling had nothing to do with physical attraction, she told herself.
The Anti-Routine Institute automatically translated it as: "The tension between us is about to blow the roof off the house, but I just want to insist that we are pure."
What do you call this? This is called a high-level abstinence-based tug-of-war. The more you say it's irrelevant, the more "related" it becomes.
Haibara's heart sank as she realized that this was exactly why she felt Vermouth was dangerous.
It wasn't her skills as a professional assassin, nor her position in the organization, but her ability to make Haibara forget, even if only temporarily, all the reasons why they should continue to be enemies.
Key point: "Forget the reasons for being enemies." Sister Bay, this fatal attraction is simply a walking "enemy and friend position clearer."
This is not called danger, this is called the top. (The Light of Righteousness)
The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier, hitting the windows.
Yu: I'm just an ordinary atmosphere team leader and official rant officer. My job is to tell you: Danger. Danger. Danger. But are you listening? No. You're still acting like a jerk. Tsk~~
Huiyuan knew she should pay attention, even though she felt she was being drawn deeply into Vermouth's orbit. But...
The coffee shop temporarily became the investigation headquarters.
Daily life in Beika Town: The coffee shop turns into a combat command room in seconds, basic operation.
The rain continued its relentless assault on Tokyo, painting the sky a fruity hue. It felt decadent, yet strangely sweet.
Inside the shop, under the warm glow of retro light bulbs, Sato Takagi and the three children discussed various possible scenarios. Their guesses were each more complex or nonsensical than the last.
Outside, there is the merciless cold rain, while inside, there are lights shining with warm light; the detectives are discussing "complex cases", while what is stirring in Huibara's heart is "a more dangerous mystery" (referring to Sister Bayonetta).
Q: What is most likely the "final prize" between Haibara and Vermouth?
A. The truth behind the case and the missing antique phonograph.
B. A dangerous game of soul resonance that transcends hostility.
C. Another "secret" of Vermouth made Haibara fall completely for her.
D. The truth about Karasuma Sonoko. (??? Persecuting Genta wasn't enough, so they're dragging Sonoko into this too?)
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