Ch. 261..270

Chapter 261 - 261: Maybe There Is Still One More Chance

What appeared before their eyes was a huge football field.

Two football teams were competing fiercely on the field, and at the top of the auditorium—large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators—a blond man in a suit and leather shoes sat in a transparent box.

Using her scope to lock onto the blond man's head, Chianti confidently pulled the trigger.

Diu!

The brass shell flew out, and a bullet instantly pierced the glass of the box—only to land harmlessly in the popcorn bucket to the right of the blond man.

"Tsk!"

Chianti clicked her tongue in displeasure.

Cohen said nothing.

He, too, had failed to hit the target when he aimed just moments earlier.

As the two snipers turned off the simulator, Vodka commented, "Looks like six hundred yards is their limit."

"We'll get it with more practice!" Chianti snapped back, then turned around and noticed Hayashi Yoshiki.

"Oh! Cointreau finished training already?"

"Thanks for your hard work."

Hayashi Yoshiki smiled, raising a hand in greeting.

That small gesture was enough to make Chianti visibly excited. She promptly set her gun down and hopped off the aiming platform.

The taciturn Cohen helped her pack the rifle.

"So? Even if it's just a simulation, it still hurts when you get hit, right? Tsk tsk... you sure you can handle it?"

Chianti walked over and gave Hayashi Yoshiki a few hearty slaps on the shoulders.

Vodka, watching this, quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Cointreau killed his opponent in just over 40 seconds. It probably would've been even faster if he hadn't taken time to observe."

"What?! Seriously!?"

Chianti's jaw dropped.

She had also undergone close-combat simulation before. But as a sniper, her performance wasn't stellar—it had taken her over four minutes, and she'd barely escaped with simulated "serious injuries."

"Did you bring a gun?"

Hayashi Yoshiki just smiled without answering.

Though he hadn't used a gun, the dagger he did bring was a significant advantage. But the Black Organization didn't care about the means—as long as it killed, that was enough.

"When's the book signing?" Cohen asked as he approached.

He had heard that Hayashi Yoshiki's new novel had already been submitted to the publisher and was looking forward to it.

"Still more than ten days to go… but in my current condition, it may not be wise for you to attend."

"…"

Cohen went silent.

His aura visibly dimmed.

"I'll sign a copy for you."

"No, that's different."

"…If necessary, just use a disguise."

"Good."

Cohen accepted without hesitation.

Upon hearing Hayashi Yoshiki mention "disguise," Gin couldn't help but glance over.

"Don't get too close to that woman Vermouth."

"Don't worry. I know my limits."

Gin didn't press further.

He wasn't worried that Hayashi Yoshiki would side with the intelligence team because of Vermouth—after all, Vermouth and Rum were not exactly aligned.

She operated more like a third party within the organization, granted special status by the boss that allowed her to bounce between factions.

"By the way," Vodka added, "there's still nothing unusual about Odagiri Toshiro, whom you asked me to monitor. Even his online activity checks out."

"Thanks for the report."

Hayashi Yoshiki wasn't surprised.

The task force's investigation into the accidental murder cases had hit a wall.

There were no clues.

All the task force could do was follow up quickly after every incident, yet each investigation yielded no connection to the real killer.

They were accumulating more and more data, but it was all bloated and pointless.

The only meaningful conclusion they'd drawn so far was that the murderer was definitely using the internet to gather information—and faster than the police.

Even content that was deleted within seconds of being posted couldn't stop him.

"Wait a little longer…"

Odagiri Toshiro is a man who detests evil.

Based on Hayashi Yoshiki's observations, a man like him—with zero tolerance for criminals—might end up doing something drastic.

Maybe... just maybe... there's still one more chance.

That evening.

A group of elementary school students followed Professor Agasa to a cake shop.

Haibara Ai looked at Conan, who wore a sullen expression.

"Still thinking about the school festival?"

Conan said nothing.

Ever since that day, he had been restless.

A mysterious figure had impersonated Kudo Shinichi—and then disappeared without a trace.

Conan was no fool. He didn't believe the impostor had shown up just to help him clear up Ran's suspicions.

He feared the person was testing something… and likely a member of that organization.

Haibara Ai, observing his troubled expression, chose not to offer comfort.

In fact, she had asked Cointreau about that incident.

His answer?

"Don't worry about it."

It might even have been orchestrated by him. After all, she still remembered that time someone disguised as her showed up on the Haido rooftop.

As they approached the cake shop, they ran into Sato Miwako, along with Ninzaburo Shiratori and Takagi Wataru.

"Officer Sato? Why are you here with the kids?"

"Just happened to bump into them," Sato smiled.

"They helped out last time, so I thought I'd treat them to cake."

"That's nice of you..."

"What about you guys?" she asked.

"We received some strange intel," Takagi replied with a smile.

"Someone called HQ saying there's a bomb in this restaurant."

"A bomb?"

"Yeah. The last two were on this exact date—seven and three years ago. So we came to check it out."

"Seven and three years ago…?"

Conan murmured the keywords, his brain suddenly sparking with unease.

But before he could speak—

BOOM!!!

A thunderous explosion rocked the air.

The group turned in horror to see Shiratori's car—engulfed in flames, belching black smoke.

"OFFICER SHIRATORI!!!"

 

Chapter 262 - 262 : Maybe it’s an opportunity

"I'm a major league hitter."

"The overtime is about to begin."

"The competition will officially start at noon tomorrow and end at 3 p.m."

"It would be a waste of effort even if you find someone to stop me."

"I will eventually win."

"If you want to stop this game, just come to me until you policemen come walking on the blood-stained bases."

"I will be waiting for you at the steel plate in the end."

As Shiratori Ninzaburo was seriously injured in the explosion and sent to the hospital, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department also received a fax with incomprehensible sentences, causing an uproar in the police department.

Hayashi Yoshiki received the invitation.

He is a detective with a registered file in the Metropolitan Police Department. The police generally do not actively invite detectives to intervene in cases like this... The crime scene doesn't matter, but when it comes to incidents that happen within the police force, they have their own stance and face to consider.

However, now that Hayashi Yoshiki has the identity of a consultant for the special task force, the situation has changed.

"You want to play an extra game? That's really too much!"

In the office, after reading the fax carefully, Matsumoto Kiyonaga slammed the desk.

Odagiri Toshiro crossed his arms and said sullenly, "This time I must make an end to this guy."

"From what you two are saying, this isn't the first time the police have dealt with someone handing out flyers, right?"

Hayashi Yoshiki also had a flyer in his hand, and he asked the two people in front of him.

"Good."

Odagiri nodded. "That's the explosives criminal who is now targeting our police. He committed two crimes seven years ago and three years ago today."

"Seven years ago and three years ago?"

"Right..."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga looked at the young man who had been his daughter's student and took the initiative to explain:

"There was a bombing seven years ago. There were actually two perpetrators."

"As for the bomb locations, they were two apartment buildings in the city. They demanded a ransom of one billion yen at the time. If any resident left, the bomb would detonate immediately."

"Although one bomb was defused, the other posed trouble. The police agreed to their request, and the criminals stopped the timer."

"But 30 minutes later, one of them watched the news and misunderstood something, calling in a rage to say the timer was still ticking. That mistake gave us an opportunity."

"We tracked his call and found him at a phone booth, but he died in a car accident during the escape."

"That death inspired his partner to restart the timer... and one of our best officers died: Kenji Hagiwara."

Hayashi Yoshiki remembered that name well—Hagiwara, a close friend of Toru Amuro and Jinpei Matsuda.

Then Matsumoto recounted the second case, from three years ago—

A bomb in a Ferris wheel. Another officer, Jinpei Matsuda, gave his life to uncover the location of a second, hidden bomb—only revealed three seconds before detonation.

"If it's the same bomber... it's likely he'll try to force another sacrifice."

"Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent this fax... daring the police to decode the message."

Hayashi Yoshiki raised the A4 paper.

Suddenly, the expressions of the two senior officials darkened.

An open conspiracy.

Even if they understood it, they couldn't just ignore it.

"Even so, at least we have to find where the bomb is buried."

"I agree with that."

"I'll need your help this time, Advisor."

"...It's nothing. We can't let this vicious criminal go unpunished, no matter what."

Hayashi Yoshiki's voice was low, his tone firm.

"That's right."

Odagiri nodded with resolve.

He never once doubted Hayashi Yoshiki's sense of justice.

Whether on the Loop Line, the Twin Towers, or Osaka...

He had always stood up, always acted.

And never sought credit.

But in that moment, Hayashi Yoshiki realized—

This might be an opportunity...

The bomber had taken the lives of two of the police force's brightest.

He had forced impossible decisions on the Tokyo police, taking 12 million people hostage.

He would do it again.

But what if... he was used as bait?

Would Minister Odagiri still stay within the lines of law and procedure...?

"The criminal also sent a similar fax three years ago, right? What was the code at that time? Please also tell me where his two bombs were buried."

Hayashi Yoshiki raised the current fax again.

"I'll bring you the files right away!" Matsumoto Kiyonaga left the room in haste.

"Do you have a lead?" Odagiri asked.

"Some speculations. But I need to confirm it first."

"Thank you for helping us!"

Technically, this wasn't Odagiri's case—it was under Matsumoto's jurisdiction.

But he couldn't sit out.

Not this time.

Once Matsumoto returned with the documents, Hayashi Yoshiki skimmed the code and declared:

"It is possible that it's at Minami-Itō Station."

A quick and confident conclusion.

But in reality, this was a decoy.

The bomber wanted the police to search Minamibeito. He planted a fake bomb there to buy time.

The real one... was at Tokyo Tower's elevator.

And that gave Hayashi Yoshiki the window he needed...

To begin his arrangements.

 

 

Chapter 263 - 263: It may not be Cointreau's own directing and acting

"Is it just necessary to keep an eye on Tokyo Tower and the area around Teitan High School?

"Good."

"No problem. The bombs are planted."

"Clear."

Vodka hung up the phone and looked at his big brother Gin beside him:

"Brother, what on earth does Cointreau want to do?"

"Don't worry about him."

Gin was not a very curious person, and he would rather see with his own eyes and think with his brain.

It's a pity Vodka doesn't have much brains other than driving and computer skills.

The two of them were currently staying in a building near Teitan High School, leisurely watching the images on the screen.

——Cointreau had sent them a text message in the middle of the night yesterday, asking them to plant bombs in certain places and also to keep an eye on any suspicious vehicles heading from Tokyo Tower to Teitan High School at noon.

To be fair, there was no reason for Gin and Vodka to help Hayashi Yoshiki every time.

It was just that Gin was too optimistic about Cointreau.

The shootout incident in Osaka had already proved Cointreau's value, so naturally Gin would not refuse such a small request.

Gin assigned some peripheral members to handle the bomb planting, and the rest was simple for Vodka.

With so many surveillance cameras around both locations, all it took was a tracking program and a few lines of code.

"The police have been searching Minami-Itō Station since last night and seem to have found a lot of fake bombs to fool them."

Looking at the informants' reports on his phone, Gin sneered coldly.

A police operation of this scale couldn't go unnoticed.

Because of Cointreau's message, Gin had also gotten his hands on the fax circulating inside the MPD. He glanced at the cryptic code, and immediately thought of Tokyo Tower.

"The blood-stained base... the red Tokyo Tower."

"I see."

"You figured out the answer long ago? What are you trying to do?"

The current time: 11:03 a.m.

If Tokyo Tower was really where the bomb was hidden, that meant Cointreau had known all along… yet he didn't tell the police directly.

That contradicted the personality he showed the world.

And the fact that he asked Gin and Vodka to help with this...

Could the bomber be connected to Cointreau?

Gin still remembered the bomb that Teiji Moriya planted on the Loop Line a few months ago.

That incident skyrocketed Cointreau's reputation. This... could be another stage play of his own making.

BOOM!

Through the surveillance feed, Gin and Vodka saw a fireball burst from the observation deck of Tokyo Tower. Smoke followed.

At that moment, a white Mercedes-Benz rushed to the base of the tower.

"What's going on?! That sound—"

"Tokyo Tower! There was an explosion on the observation deck!!"

"What!?"

"Mr. Amuro, please inform the police—the bomber hid the bomb at Tokyo Tower!"

A panicked voice on the phone shouted at Amuro Toru.

He had just been calling Hayashi Yoshiki to report when he was hit with the news—the bomber who killed his two classmates had returned.

Amuro Toru could never forget that tragedy.

And now, Hayashi Yoshiki had gone to Tokyo Tower?

No—this is a trap!!

He tried to call him, but the line was busy. In a rush, he turned on the TV.

A live broadcast came on: Tokyo Tower, billowing smoke.

A female reporter stood in front of the camera, reporting:

"Originally, we came here to film a segment on mascot Toto, but unexpectedly—an explosion has occurred. The elevator has stopped working..."

"Oh no! A little girl is trapped inside the elevator!"

As chaos erupted on screen, a young man was seen running into the tower.

Amuro Toru saw it clearly—Hayashi Yoshiki.

Without another thought, he ran from the office, calling Kazami on the way, got into his car and floored the accelerator.

Meanwhile, inside Tokyo Tower, Hayashi Yoshiki was already checking the elevator trapped mid-air.

The child was scared, huddled up inside.

"Come here," he said gently, "It's okay. I'm here."

"...Big Brother."

She looked at his face—so calm, so warm—and slowly nodded.

Clutching her teddy bear, she crawled into his arms.

Hayashi Yoshiki handed her to the panicked mother beside him.

11:19 a.m.

Ignoring the calls from Amuro, he entered the elevator.

A man's personality leaves an impression in others' minds—and the longer it's reinforced, the more unquestionable it becomes.

Hayashi Yoshiki, balanced between red and black, knew this.

As long as he didn't get caught, nothing he did now would seem suspicious.

He only needed to maintain his golden image.

So—he stepped into the mouth of danger without hesitation.

 

Chapter 264 - 264: Anxious Toru Amuro, Rescued Bomber

"So you're stuck in the elevator now!?"

From the other end of the phone.

After receiving a positive response, his face turned pale and he reacted violently, shouting,

"Why would you do this?! Don't you know how dangerous this is!?"

"It is precisely because I know this that I choose to do this."

"What!?"

"I already know about the police officer who died three years ago. The Ferris wheel was damaged by a bomb, just like the Tokyo Tower is now."

Inside the stopped elevator, Hayashi Yoshiki had already opened the ceiling hatch.

His voice was much quieter than usual.

"You know what this means, Inspector Megure."

"..."

"So I've told Minister Odagiri—we must not let such a vicious criminal go unpunished. Well, I have found the bomb—"

Megure Juzo's phone was on speaker, so Odagiri Toshiro, standing nearby, also heard those words.

The usually calm head of the Criminal Department gritted his teeth.

He knew what Hayashi Yoshiki meant.

Was he afraid that the bomb squad might face the same trap and be forced into sacrificing themselves again—so he chose to do it himself?

"How stupid...!"

He strode over, snatched the phone, and roared:

"What kind of joke is this!? This is police business! How could it be your turn—you're not even a public official!"

"Will we face the same situation again in three years?"

Hayashi Yoshiki's calm voice silenced Odagiri Toshiro.

Just as he was about to argue back, Hayashi added:

"There's still half an hour before the explosion, and there's a very obvious eavesdropping device installed nearby… Can you transfer the call to the explosives disposal team?"

…

Faced with the urgency, Odagiri's rationality overruled his emotions.

After a moment, he forced out through gritted teeth:

"No matter what, don't let anything happen..."

Odagiri Toshiro knew that beneath Hayashi's calm and gentle appearance was a righteous soul—

But he never thought he would take it this far…

Hayashi Yoshiki climbed out of the elevator easily and examined the bomb.

Though he knew it wouldn't explode immediately, he still found something curious.

A liquid mixture bomb...

Two liquids, harmless alone, but devastating when mixed—a bomb identical in structure to the one used by "Plamya" in The Bride of Halloween.

That killer was strong enough to fight Amuro Toru one-handed…

Still, Hayashi Yoshiki handled nearly the entire bomb disposal process smoothly.

But just as the last wire was in reach—

"Let's stop here for now."

"What!? There are only three wires left—"

"'This officer is really brave. I really must praise your courage. There will be a fireworks show after the game. Three seconds before the explosion, I'll send a prompt. I wish you success.'"

"As expected, those words just appeared on the LCD screen..."

"Hold on, let me take another call, okay?"

Hayashi Yoshiki hung up.

Outside Tokyo Tower, the police broke into a cold sweat.

His life was in danger—and he just hung up!?

A crowd had gathered at the tower's base.

"There are only four minutes left before the explosion!"

The TV reporter shouted nervously.

"But Mr. Hayashi hasn't cut the wire! What happened!?!"

"...Four minutes left... Is this enough, Cointreau?"

Vodka muttered, nervously watching.

Gin smoked, calm.

"Focus on what you're supposed to do."

"OK…"

Suddenly, Vodka spotted a suspicious person—he sent the alert to Hayashi Yoshiki.

Meanwhile, Amuro Toru, who had just arrived on scene, was desperately searching for suspicious figures, texting and calling Hayashi repeatedly.

No answer.

Damn you, Hayashi! Answer the damn phone!

He kept calling, blood boiling with panic.

Then—

"Hello, Mr. Amuro?"

Sitting outside the elevator, Hayashi Yoshiki snipped the final three wires and leisurely picked up the call.

"YOSHIKI!! Cut the bomb!!"

"…"

"Do you think you're a cop!? Are you trying to die just to find the next bomb!?"

"Don't get so worked up, Mr. Amuro."

"SHUT UP!"

"Sorry I didn't answer sooner."

"CUT THE BOMB!"

"I'm actually quite happy I have an assistant like you. Oh—and if you could pass a few words to Aunt Eri and Ran—"

"STOP BABBLING YOU IDIOT!"

"I've always been grateful to Auntie Eri. And even though Ran complains I give in too easily, I can tell she cares. Oh—and tell Uncle Mouri to smoke less. And pachinko? Just for fun. Don't let Ran worry too much. And Conan—"

Toru Amuro's face twisted with fury.

The images of his dead classmates—burned bodies—flashed in his mind.

And now... Hayashi Yoshiki's calm voice echoed with the same tone.

Gentler. Kinder. More selfless than either of them.

A man who would risk everything for strangers, who'd take on missing persons cases just to help women in need.

A man who could die under his watch—just like them?

NO!

"I'm heading to Tokyo Tower right now! If you don't cut that wire, I'll die with you!!"

Silence.

Then,

"Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Amuro."

"I'M NOT! You have more than your own life to consider! If I die, your messages won't reach anyone! If you want them to hear it—then live and say it yourself!"

Long pause.

Then, in a deadpan tone:

"Mr. Amuro, are you gay and have a crush on me?"

Veins popped on Amuro's forehead.

He glared up at the tower—less than one minute left.

There was no way Hayashi was still inside. But even so...

10... 9... 8... 7... 6...

The countdown ticked toward noon.

The red tower stood still.

No explosion.

Police sighed in collective relief.

Odagiri Toshiro and Megure Juzo exchanged exhausted glances—Hayashi Yoshiki had survived.

Suddenly, their phones buzzed.

Hayashi Yoshiki:

"The bomb is at Teitan High School. The bomber may still be nearby."

"Act immediately! Send rescue to the tower!"

"Yes!"

Megure Juzo immediately took his men away from the scene. Odagiri Toshiro stayed and waited until Hayashi Yoshiki was brought down by rescue workers twenty minutes later.

The superintendent stared at the young man who was approaching with a stern face.

"Isn't this something worth celebrating? Why are you making such a scary expression, Minister Odagiri?"

"Do you think we would celebrate letting a citizen like you do this? If you really died up there, it would be a humiliation that our Metropolitan Police Department will never be able to erase."

Odagiri Toshiro's tense face did not relax at all. He stared at Hayashi Yoshiki with hawk-like eyes. After a long while, he could not say anything. Finally, he chose to salute him.

Hayashi Yoshiki smiled. He glanced at the time on his left wrist, then looked at Amuro Toru who was running over, and said with a smile: "So the news that you were also on it was a lie, Mr. Amuro."

"What on earth are you thinking about? What do you think you are doing?!"

"...Isn't it rude for an assistant to talk to the boss like this?"

"I have finished my work report and it is time to get off work!"

"Ah..."

Time Rewind

Location Change

Not far from Teitan High School, the bomber was using a telescope to openly observe the school in front of him.

Only five seconds left...

Although there was a slight mistake with the bomb at Tokyo Tower—it didn't attract the police but instead attracted detectives, and in the end the fuse was cut and it didn't explode—it didn't matter.

As long as the bomb in the school was detonated, the police would pay the price.

The bomber kept staring at his watch, but even after the time was up, the school in front of him remained calm.

He was stunned.

Just when he thought there might be something wrong with the set time and was about to take out his cell phone to detonate it remotely, the phone next to him rang.

"I'm so sorry, but the phone number you called is now in our hands."

He looked around, a little panicked, and found that a group of plainclothes policemen were standing next to him.

Megure Juzo was holding a keypad phone in his hand—it was the same phone that the bomber had installed on the bomb to receive remote control commands.

"Thanks to Brother Hayashi, our demolition team has already sneaked into the school to dismantle the bomb you installed in the warehouse."

Megure Juzo looked at him seriously,

"Your game of teasing the police ends here, next--"

Upon hearing this, the bomber suddenly pointed the binoculars in his hand at Megure Juzo. When the police were about to rush over to catch him, he saw the opportunity and jumped off the overpass. He landed steadily on top of an SUV that happened to be passing by, and immediately grabbed the rack on the roof of the vehicle in an attempt to escape the police's sight.

"Don't try to escape!"

Miwako Sato immediately seized the opportunity and jumped off the overpass, landing just above a bus.

Now, Gin and Vodka, who were staying in a nearby building, were leaning against the window watching this scene.

"Heh."

Vodka laughed, took out the remote control, and pressed it.

Boom!!!!!!!!!!

Suddenly, there was an explosion on the street.

The bombs planted by the organization in a car parked on the roadside, in the mailbox, and in a flower bed beside the street early that morning made passers-by scream.

The bus driver under Miwako Sato was also frightened by the noise, and he immediately turned the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes.

Miwako Sato was thrown out of the bus, but she rolled over neatly to relieve the force and only suffered some minor injuries.

"Damn it! They buried a bomb in the street!?"

"Hurry and check if there are any wounded!"

"Chase him! We must not let that guy get away!"

The plainclothes policemen on the overpass were shocked and angry when they saw this. They quickly ran down the overpass to clean up the situation and called for support.

The explosives criminal, who was lying on the off-road vehicle and driving away quickly, was also extremely shocked at this time.

What's going on?

Didn't I plant a bomb here?

...And what about this car? It encountered something as scary as a bomb explosion, but it just kept driving forward without caring at all?

At this time, a sturdy man dressed in black in the driver's seat of the SUV made a phone call: "Hey, brother! That coward really jumped onto the roof of our car. Should we take him to the destination now?"

"Well, take him away. As long as we can get him out of the police's sight, that's fine."

"Okay!"

After Tequila hung up the phone, he didn't care about the feelings of the explosives criminal on the roof of the car at all, and stepped on the accelerator to speed up the vehicle.

 

 

Chapter 265 - 265: Let "Kira" kill the criminal?

Three days had passed since the Tokyo Tower bombing, and the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department remained shrouded in a cloud of unspeakable depression.

The bomber had escaped!

They had been one step away from arresting him—and yet he vanished right before their eyes.

It wouldn't have been so bad if he were merely an ordinary criminal.

But he wasn't.

He was a piece of scum who despised the police, held innocent civilians hostage, and didn't care how many he hurt.

"Sir, we received another fax!"

"What!?"

"All police stations in our jurisdiction received the same fax at the same time. Officers everywhere are in uproar."

Megure Juzo burst into Matsumoto Kiyonaga's office, face grim, and handed him the fax.

Kiyonaga's face twisted as he read:

"This is the real overtime."

"Incompetent policemen, I've already told you—it's a waste of effort to stop me."

"I will eventually win."

"So!"

"There is still a week until the next opening. By then, I won't give you any more chances."

Matsumoto's knuckles turned white from gripping the paper too tightly.

"This bastard...!"

"He's planning another bombing. This time, I doubt we'll get any hints."

"Minister!?"

Odagiri Toshiro walked in, and Matsumoto stood up instinctively.

His face was dark as night, and both Megure and Matsumoto fell silent.

Especially Megure—he'd been in command when the bomber escaped. That shame was not easy to bear.

"We've posted a wanted notice based on his image, but he's too well-hidden," Matsumoto muttered.

"We've deployed most of the force to patrol and comb the city—checking suspicious vehicles and persons—but still nothing."

"No matter how deep he's hiding, we must find him. If he succeeds again—"

"I understand! I promise, we won't let it happen again!"

They saluted.

But Odagiri's frown remained deeply etched.

Reality is cruel.

Given how cunning the bomber was, Odagiri had to face a horrifying possibility—

What if the police failed again?

After Megure and Matsumoto left, Odagiri called Hayashi Yoshiki.

"Hello, Minister Odagiri?"

"Advisor, the escaped bomber sent us another fax."

Odagiri's tone was blunt.

"He threatened another bombing in a week. I don't think he'll give us any clues this time."

"..."

"And considering the bomber's vengeful personality... I'm worried he might try to retaliate against you."

"That's certainly possible."

Odagiri wanted to assign police protection.

Hayashi asked for time to think it over.

The call ended quickly.

Odagiri couldn't help but feel... guilt.

—Hayashi Yoshiki had risked his life to defuse a bomb, had correctly predicted the bomber's plan...

And the police had still failed to capture the criminal.

Back in the task force's conference room, fewer officers remained.

Most had been reassigned to track the bomber.

After all, the accidental murderer hadn't left any trail for a long time.

"That damn bomber!"

"Still no trace of him?"

"He even sent a fax to taunt us after escaping!"

"...If only the accidental murderer would kill him."

"Hey, watch what you're saying."

"But isn't it true? The explosive they found at Teitan High School... it could've destroyed half the campus. Do you know how many children were there!?"

"Still, the accidental murderer has no history of going after wanted criminals... right?"

"...I don't know."

"Ah—Minister!"

As soon as they saw Odagiri step in, the officers froze in place.

Toshiro Odagiri was a man who despised evil.

To hear his men whispering about hoping another criminal kills a criminal...

Surely, he would reprimand them—

And yet:

"Is the work done?"

That was all he said, face cold and unreadable.

The officers didn't breathe a word and turned silently to their assignments.

Expecting the accidental murderer to kill the bomber...?

How dare they even think that.

But Odagiri... understood them.

As someone who had seen true evil—it was only human to want it destroyed.

Still, he was a police officer.

And he would never say it out loud.

Meanwhile, Hayashi Yoshiki stood in front of a steel cell, staring at the captured bomber.

"Tell me, did you make the bomb yourself?"

"...Yes."

There was no fear in the bomber's eyes.

"I was the only one who handled the mercury column."

"What about the liquid bomb components?"

"I bought the raw materials on the black market."

"Black market?"

Hayashi narrowed his eyes.

The liquid bomb's structure was identical to the ones used by Plamya in The Bride of Halloween.

In that film, Plamya had tried to level Shibuya.

And in the film's climax, she even used this same type of bomber—springing him from jail to use as a decoy, only to kill him herself.

Hayashi had suspected there might be a connection.

But the black market? That trail might be a dead end.

No matter. He'd squeeze out every last drop of value from this man.

Then, his phone buzzed.

A message.

From Vermouth.

"I'm so ashamed that you dared to take such a big risk. I thought our last romantic date place would really become a thing of the past."

She was referring to the recent headlines.

After all, the live broadcast from Tokyo Tower had been seen throughout Beika City.

Even if the police tried to suppress the news afterward—it was too late.

 

 

Chapter 266 - 266: The Actions of the Accidental Murderer, Hayashi Yoshiki's "Test"

On the street in the early morning, a small truck was driving quickly.

The driver in the seat, wearing a hat pulled low, drove steadily and low-key throughout the journey. But even at such a late hour, the police in Beika Town were still working overtime, patrolling.

Soon, the man encountered a police officer stopping the road ahead for inspection.

When the officer blew the whistle and gestured to stop, the driver gritted his teeth and slammed on the accelerator.

¡Boom!

The engine's roar startled the police officer, who instinctively dodged to the side.

By the time he and his companions registered what happened, they saw only the red taillights of the truck rapidly disappearing. He was suddenly startled and immediately reported the situation.

The heart of the man driving the pickup truck pounded. He was a little panicked now, especially when he soon heard the blare of police sirens coming from nearby streets, making him even more terrified.

"Damn it!!"

His face beneath his hat looked somewhat bewildered.

The man was, in fact, a little confused about the current situation.

He vaguely remembered jumping off an overpass and seemingly escaping the police, but his subsequent memories suddenly became unclear.

He didn't know how much time had passed after that.

It was like he'd just woken from a nap and suddenly found himself driving this car, with no idea where he was going... But the news about the Tokyo Tower bombing case and the wanted notice for the bomber, reported on the car radio, terrified him.

"I have to find a place to hide first!"

He was thinking anxiously, but soon he noticed a police car with flashing red and blue lights to the left at the upcoming intersection.

He hurriedly turned the steering wheel to the right.

However, as he turned, he saw another police car driving directly towards him. He gritted his teeth and stepped on the accelerator, trying to force his way through. Yet, the police car coming from the opposite direction seemed to read his thoughts and drove straight over, blocking his path with its body.

"Oh, shit!!!"

Seeing that he couldn't shake them, he simply and decisively rammed the truck into a wall. When the truck hit the wall and screeched to a halt, the man decisively unbuckled his seatbelt, threw open the door, got out, and sprinted away.

"Stop!!"

"Don't run!"

The man hurriedly ran into an alley, and the police who caught up quickly jumped out of their cars and gave chase.

The poorly connected streetlights in the alley flickered on and off.

The panicked man gasped heavily, and the sound of his running footsteps startled a wild cat perched on a wall, causing it to suddenly stand up and dart to the side, accidentally knocking over a wine bottle that had been placed there for some reason.

The wine bottle fell with a clang and landed right in front of the man's feet.

When he accidentally stepped on it and slipped, the streetlamp next to him suddenly "popped," and the bulb's glass shattered and fell with a small spark, which directly ignited the liquor on his trouser legs.

A ball of fire suddenly rose from the bottom of his trousers.

"Stop!!!"

The police behind him continued their pursuit, but the man dared not stop, running for his life without even bothering about the flames on his trousers. It wasn't until he ran out of the alley and onto the street, passing by a car that had been forced to stop nearby due to a damaged, leaking fuel tank—the almost extinguished flame suddenly ignited again the moment it touched the gasoline on the ground.

The police who finally caught up could only watch as the man writhed in the flames, screaming in pain. And there seemed to be no fire extinguisher around.

Hayashi Yoshiki's "Test"

Hayashi Yoshiki received a message from Odagiri Toshiro early the next morning.

"The bomber is dead."

As he said this, Hayashi Yoshiki entered the task force's meeting room. Relevant information and available surveillance footage had been retrieved.

"Based on the DNA information and facial features left behind, we confirmed his identity."

"According to the police officers who were chasing him at the time, the other party's trouser legs caught fire due to a series of coincidences while he was running in the alley."

"In this accident, we also investigated the situation of the car parked in the alley."

"According to the owner's own statement and the surveillance footage we retrieved from the surrounding streets, we confirmed that the vehicle did accidentally break its fuel tank while driving, so it had to temporarily stop on the side of the road."

"When the flames were extinguished, the suspect had already suffered severe burns. The chasing police officers contacted the hospital immediately. When the ambulance arrived and was about to take him to the hospital for treatment, he was involved in a car accident on the way, causing him to suffer serious injuries and eventually die."

When the summary information was reported, the conference room fell into silence for a long time. This happens every time...

It's an accident that cannot be explained by common sense and is not caused by human beings.

A group of police officers from the task force looked at each other; some were relieved, while others felt numb.

They were glad about the death of a heartless criminal, but also felt helpless about the methods used by the murderer who committed accidental murders one after another.

How could we possibly catch a guy like this...?

Even the advisors were silent at this point. Finally, Hayashi Yoshiki spoke:

"Leaving no room for doubt. This is the quality of the murderer we are pursuing."

Hayashi Yoshiki said this and smiled with relief

"But no matter what, I am very happy that the bomber died. Everyone here may not be able to say it out loud due to their status, but I will say it. At least we don't have to worry about when a horrific explosion will occur in Tokyo."

"...The consultant is right."

"At least in this case, there is a positive effect."

There were scattered responses in the conference room. Everyone was reluctant to say too much due to their status, but the atmosphere was visibly brighter.

Odagiri Toshiro crossed his arms and looked at the smiling young man next to him. He said nothing, but just looked at the police officers below and said, "Anyone else?"

"..." Silence.

"That's all for today's search report. The meeting is adjourned."

Many people left the meeting room directly. Hayashi Yoshiki and Odagiri Toshiro both went directly to the latter's office.

"Counselor, what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"I was the one who put the explosives criminal's information online."

Hayashi Yoshiki looked at Odagiri Toshiro and spoke suddenly.

What—?!

Odagiri Toshiro looked at him in astonishment.

Hayashi Yoshiki's expression was extremely serious, even a little solemn: "But I only uploaded it for less than two seconds and deleted it immediately."

"...What's going on?"

"Minister Odagiri, do you remember? No matter how we block new information on the Internet, even if we delete the posts immediately, we can't stop the murderer who took advantage of accidental killings from obtaining intelligence."

"..."

"There are two possibilities. One is that there is a traitor in the task force, and the other is that the murderer's actions on the Internet are much faster than we can imagine."

Hayashi Yoshiki looked at him solemnly.

"That's what I want to test. Anyway, if the perverted bomber is not caught, it will only cause greater danger. Rather than regretting it when more serious consequences occur, I would rather take on this sin... This can also bring us closer to the murderer."

 

 

Chapter 267 - 267: News about Artificial Intelligence and Condemnation of Hayashi Yoshiki

That which is fundamentally based on lies and misleading will ultimately lead to the wrong result.

Once this wrong result is embellished with just the right logic and story, it will become the truth in the eyes of others.

——The Death Note is a secret that Hayashi Yoshiki cannot reveal no matter what.

In order to cover up the secret of the accidental murders, he had already chosen a plausible lie to shroud it.

And now, it seemed that this lie would soon take form.

The computer screen beside him was playing a foreign news broadcast:

[Genius boy Hiroki Sawada was already a student at MIT at the age of 10.]

[The DNA tracking system that can trace human ancestry through skin and blood data, previously reported by our station, has now been confirmed to be developed by him alone.]

[According to Thomas Sindora, chairman of Sindora IT, Hiroki Sawada is currently developing a self-growing artificial intelligence with full support, growing at a rate of approximately five human years per one calendar year.]

[Industry insiders claim this will be the greatest invention in human history.]

Hayashi Yoshiki had been following the news about the Sindora Company closely.

Two months ago, Hiroki Sawada's name was completely hidden. Now, however, Sindora didn't even intend to conceal the fact that they were developing artificial intelligence.

This is faster than I expected...

It was time to prepare for action.

Closing the black notebook, Hayashi Yoshiki revealed a rare look of anticipation.

——Noah's Ark.

What a fitting name.

"Noah's Ark" originates from the Old Testament. According to legend, God sent down a flood to cleanse the corrupt world. Only Noah and his family, whom God deemed virtuous, were permitted to escape the disaster aboard the ark.

In other words: for Noah's Ark, all those who act immorally will be abandoned.

Hayashi Yoshiki continued calculating the timeline.

Could the Sindora Company be connected to the Winery...?

After all, the U.S. is one of the Winery's main territories. A genius like Hiroki Sawada should have been impossible for them to ignore.

Moreover, the simulation training device recently introduced by the organization was remarkably similar to the "Cocoon" that Sindora was about to launch.

"Hello, Mr. Amuro?"

"A guest...? Isn't it a commission?"

"Alright, I'll be right there."

While still contemplating his next steps, Hayashi Yoshiki received a sudden call from Amuro Toru, who said there was a visitor at the office.

Twenty minutes later—

Hayashi Yoshiki arrived at the Kindaichi Detective Agency. Even before stepping inside, he could already hear Amuro's voice:

"Yes! Please teach him a lesson!"

"He's an adult and still so reckless. Does he think he's a police officer!?"

"Whatever happens in this world, young people like him don't need to sacrifice themselves for it!"

Opening the door, Hayashi Yoshiki found Amuro Toru red-faced and indignant. Sitting across from him was Kogoro Mouri, arms folded, nodding in approval.

Beside them sat Ran and Conan, who looked up and smiled as Yoshiki walked in.

"Uncle Mouri? Ran? Conan...? Why are you all here?"

"Good morning, Yoshiki."

Ran smiled sweetly. "Dad was planning to sell the sports car he won at the Twin Towers. When he found out your office was nearby, he decided to stop by."

"I see..."

"Hey, Ah-Shu."

Having been briefed by Amuro, Mouri folded his hands and assumed a lecturing tone. "I've heard everything. Come and sit down. I need to speak to you."

"That's... not necessary."

Hayashi Yoshiki forced a small smile. "Mr. Amuro has been lecturing me all week."

"That's different!"

Mouri's expression turned stern.

——Of course, he had seen the news about Tokyo Tower. But the public report was shallow. All they knew was that Hayashi Yoshiki had entered the tower and defused a bomb. Nothing about the true danger he faced.

It wasn't until Amuro revealed the full story that the gravity of the situation hit them.

If Hayashi Yoshiki hadn't deciphered the last clue... if he hadn't cut the right wire in time...

He would have died.

"But I'd already deduced the real bomb was in the school. I just didn't know which school. I was always going to cut the wire after seeing the clue."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes. I had no intention of sacrificing myself. I'm not that foolish."

Ran and Conan looked skeptical.

Amuro Toru walked over with a pot of tea, still wearing a sour expression.

"If that's true, then why not let the bomb squad handle it? Why risk your life?"

"…..."

Hayashi Yoshiki froze.

"Would you like me to play the recording of our phone call that day?"

"You recorded it!?"

Hayashi looked stunned.

Of course Amuro recorded it. Whether out of habit or fear he'd never hear his voice again, the recording was preserved.

"He asked me to convey his last words. And now he says he wasn't going to die. Contradictory, isn't it?"

Mouri's eyes sharpened.

"Mr. Amuro, play the recording."

"Right away."

"Mr. Amuro! I'll dock your pay!"

"Go ahead."

Amuro's tone was unwavering.

Ran and Conan leaned in as the recording played:

"I'm sorry I was the last one to get through to you..."

"CUT THE BOMB!!"

"I'm actually very happy to have an assistant like you. If possible, could you convey something to Aunt Eri and Ran..."

As the voice played on, Mouri's stern mask dropped.

Ran's hands clenched into fists.

Conan's lips thinned.

"Tell Uncle Mouri to smoke less. Pachinko and horse racing are just for fun... Don't let Ran worry..."

The soft, calm tone, edged with warmth and sadness, echoed in the room.

Mouri stood up.

"You stupid brat!!!"

He reached out and ruffled Hayashi Yoshiki's hair forcefully.

"What were you thinking!? Where was all your cleverness then?! Doing this on your own and keeping us in the dark?! Eri would've cried for days if she heard this!"

Ran wiped her tears.

"I'm so glad you're okay... But Yoshiki, you're such a good person... and I've never done anything for you... yet you—"

"Look, now you've made Ran cry."

Mouri huffed.

"So it's Mr. Amuro's fault…"

"Seems like the boss hasn't learned anything."

Amuro's voice was flat.

"…Fine."

Hayashi Yoshiki sighed and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright. I'm sorry. Truly."

Ran, her eyes still red, laughed softly.

I really need to do something for Brother Yoshiki...

The feeling welled up in her chest.

"So... has the bomber been caught?" Conan asked cautiously.

"He died. In an accident."

!!

Conan's eyes narrowed.

Amuro's expression grew grim.

Only Mouri clapped. "Good! God's justice!"

"He even sent a fax threatening to bomb again. At least now... Tokyo is safe."

Yoshiki didn't elaborate.

Even Odagiri, upon learning Hayashi had leaked the info online to bait the killer, could only pat his shoulder and say:

"I'll keep your secret."

"Speaking of which," Mouri said, "your new book is selling like crazy."

"Yeah... The publisher can't keep up with orders."

Hayashi looked overwhelmed. The upcoming book signing made him nervous—it might interfere with his ability to write on the Death Note.

"Sonoko and I will go to the event to support you!" Ran smiled.

"Us too!" Conan chimed in. "Ayumi and the others are coming!"

"You'll have to wait in line..."

"That's different!" Ran and Conan said in unison.

Why are they all the same as Conan?

Hayashi Yoshiki didn't understand what the difference was, but it was always a good thing to have someone supporting him.

According to what Hayashi Yoshiki had originally expected, if he wanted to use Noah's Ark as an entry point, he had to rely on his identity as a mystery novelist.

 

 

Chapter 268 - 268: Cointreau is Sick, Cohen is Sick, Gin is Sick

"First-day sales of 480,000!"

"The New King of Mystery Fiction!"

"Famous Detective and Famous Mystery Novelist, 1+1 > 2!"

"A combination of magic and crime, an unprecedented artistic technique!"

"Highly recommended by the super popular idol Ms. Yoko Okino!"

"The most grand autograph session ever!"

...

Hayashi Yoshiki barely completed the signing event, at the cost of his hands being sore for several days. Futaba Publishing spared no expense on publicity and promotion.

Newspapers, radio stations, TV ads, offline promotions…

Wherever there was anything related to mystery fiction, you could see traces of Futaba Publishing's hard work.

The book released this time was "The Case Files of Young Kindaichi: The Magic Train Murder Case." In the original Kindaichi series, this story is definitely one of the most brilliant!

Even if we put aside the extremely exciting criminal methods in this story, the protagonist Kindaichi's enduring rival, the genius criminal planner who calls himself the "Puppet Master of Hell," Takato Yoichi, is truly amazing when he sheds his timid disguise and reveals his arrogant inner self after the truth is revealed.

Shinmei Kaori: "It was a real surprise! This is a perfect display of artistic crime, and it is full of the thrill of the battle between genius and devil. Thank you, Mr. Hayashi, for bringing us such a wonderful story!"

Yusaku Kudo: "The impossible crime that happened on the train, the body that disappeared as if by magic and suddenly reappeared in the distance—everything was like God's hand threading the needle. The truth is shocking!"

…

…

Along with the release of the book, many reviews from mystery novelists and critics were published in newspapers, and even some magicians joined in the fun.

In a bar…

Cohen sat in the corner of the dimly lit bar, his eyes devouring the words in the book, his whole body immersed in a fervent excitement. "Art… It's so artistic!!"

Chianti, who was nearby, felt her scalp tingle as she heard his unconscious murmurs. She rubbed the goosebumps on her arms in disgust.

"Abnormal!"

Even Vodka looked at Cohen speechlessly.

Can mental illness be contagious? he wondered.

He glanced at his boss, Gin.

"Brother, why don't you use a lamp? Isn't that bad for your eyes?"

"Shut up."

Gin, unconcerned by the dim bar, read the book in his hand quickly.

He had no interest in detective novels, but this was a creation by Hayashi Yoshiki (Cointreau), after all.

The story begins when Kindaichi's friend, Inspector Kenmochi, receives a warning letter about a crime. It states that death and terror will occur on a certain train in three days, and the letter is signed by the "Puppet Master of Hell."

So, to prevent a potential murder, Kindaichi and others board the train on that day.

On the train, a magic troupe known both at home and abroad as the "Fantasy Magicians" was performing. They would continue their grand show until they reached the final stop—an annual tradition for this magic team.

As the magicians began to perform one after another, the "Puppet Master of Hell" also took action.

He used lies and pranks to deceive the passengers into believing that a bomb would explode in thirty minutes, forcing the train to stop for inspection. However, what they found thirty minutes later was a very small rose-themed bomb, evidently a prank.

The passengers subsequently re-boarded the train, but Kindaichi and his companions discovered the corpse of the magician leader in a luxury carriage. The corpse was surrounded by a large number of balloons and thorny roses, presenting a poetic and weirdly gorgeous scene. However, when Kindaichi and his companions wanted to go forward to check, smoke suddenly rose from the midst of the corpse.

Fearing that a real bomb was about to explode, Kindaichi and his companions hurriedly exited the carriage and closed the door. What followed was the sound of a large number of balloons bursting.

Later, the body in the carriage had disappeared without a trace, leaving only broken balloons and a profusion of flowers.

The protagonists wondered if this was a magic prank played on them by the magician leader. But after arriving at the hotel at the terminal, they unexpectedly found the leader's body in a room, with limbs twisted, hanging in the air like a puppet.

…

Gin was not particularly interested in magic, and compared to the story in the Wax Man Castle (assuming this is a previous work by Hayashi or a known Kindaichi case), it was indeed a bit difficult for him to deduce the answer.

After reading to the end, even he had to admit that it was indeed a clever trick and magical enough.

The body of the leader that appeared in the carriage was actually only his head. His hands and even his body under his clothes were disguised by balloons. When the protagonists retreated in fear of the smoke in the carriage, the thorns of the roses and the small rose bombs detonated the balloons, and the head inside was taken away from the carriage by a sophisticated magic trick.

The murderer, disguised as a timid magic troupe manager, packed the whole body in a prepared package. When the train stopped, he exchanged it with another transport package he had sent before departure, so that the body was sent to the hotel.

Essentially, the murderer's clever use of the rose bomb at the beginning successfully deceived the protagonists and carefully connected the initial impossible crime, allowing it to advance from an ordinary grand illusion to a super grand illusion with greatly improved scope in time and space. In addition, the use of broken puppets as a premonition of the murder also concealed the purpose of dismemberment, which was a very good auxiliary trick.

"Hmph, famous detective…"

Under Vodka's gaze, Gin sneered inexplicably.

He spends all day thinking about how to kill people, and even now uses artistic techniques in his books… This is Hayashi (Cointreau)!

However, the character that Gin found most interesting in the book was the "Puppet Master of Hell," Takato Yoichi.

In the book, Kindaichi asked him why, with his intellect, he didn't just kill those people without alerting anyone, instead sending a threatening letter in advance and carrying out such a risky plan on a moving train.

"Because that's boring."

"Performing an artistic crime that was as wonderful as a completed magic trick, full of puzzles and weirdness, and instantly captivating the packed audience—yes, as a magician."

Shedding the disguise of being weak and gullible, Takato Yoichi's cheerful and arrogant personality was particularly eye-catching.

He took pleasure in deceiving others and equated murder and revenge with artistic creation. He was undoubtedly a happy criminal.

There can't be any mistake!

This is the true face of Hayashi (Cointreau)!

Appearing to be kind and gentle, but secretly, he was constantly creating art that involved so-called accidental murders, and he felt happy about it—had he actually projected himself into the book he created?

The end of the story is that Takato Haruichi was handcuffed and sent to prison.

But Gin was sure that this character's story would not end here.

"Interesting…"

Turning to the last few pages, one finds a very interesting "murder method."

The reason why Takato Yoichi attacked several members of the "Fantasy Magicians" was to avenge his mother, Reiko Chikamiya—Reiko Chikamiya was the original founder of the "Fantasy Magicians." She created many magic tricks in her life and recorded them in her notebook. The members of the team coveted her notebook, forced her, and eventually killed her.

But in fact, Reiko Chikamiya had already anticipated that the members of the team had ill intentions, so she left a trap in the final escape magic.

In that magic trick, the performer needs to be tied up, hands and feet, and crawl into a container, which will then be ignited by fire.

The magician themselves has to untie the restraints inside the container and then use their hand to gently stroke a phosphorous material with a very low ignition point hidden in the container to ignite it.

However, the spotlights on the stage would cause the phosphorus to ignite prematurely, and the performer could not escape at all.

In other words, the original victim, Reiko, enacted her revenge many years later through her creation.

After a long silence, Gin put the book back on the bar.

At this moment, Chianti finally couldn't stand it anymore and screamed:

"You bastard, have you had enough? This is disgusting!!"

"Art… this is art!" Cohen also couldn't help but slam the table and praise loudly.

The victim in Hayashi's book—the leader of the magic team whose disappeared body was described at great length—was apparently named Cohen.

The final result was that this character was dismembered and hung from the ceiling like a puppet. Reading the text of that scene, Cohen's (the real one) heart pounded with excitement.

"Brother, the psychiatrist who examined Hayashi (Cointreau) before… should we ask him to check on Cohen?" Vodka could see Cohen's flushed face from a distance. He couldn't help but scratch his cheek with his fingers and asked hesitantly.

Gin lit a cigarette.

Cohen was a rare diligent guy in the organization. He was taciturn and always carried out his tasks without a word.

After a while, Gin said, "You go and arrange it."

"OK." Vodka nodded immediately.

"Not bad! I think it's more interesting than any of your previous works! The magic-themed crime is very interesting. I think the character of Takato Yoichi won't be gone for good, right? So next time, if you plan to write this kind of plot again, I can be your free consultant," Kuroba Kaito said on the phone.

"Well, the next story I want to write is about a high school boy who follows in his father's footsteps and becomes a magic thief. How about you become my consultant then, Kuroba Kaito?" Hayashi Yoshiki replied.

"I'm telling you, can't you just talk to me properly…"

Hayashi Yoshiki smiled at Kaito's resentful tone and stopped teasing him. Instead, he suddenly said seriously that he would definitely ask him for advice when the time came.

This suddenly left Kuroba Kaito disarmed.

He was often teased by Hayashi Yoshiki, but now, seeing that he was so serious and sincere, Kaito was actually a little moved.

He was so moved that he felt a little carried away, but before he could say anything more, Hayashi Yoshiki hung up the phone.

The release of the new work did cause a huge response.

Many people congratulated Hayashi and expressed their thoughts after reading it, such as Conan, Hakuba Saguru, Hattori Heiji… even Gin posted a message.

Gin: "It's well written, but don't be too confident. You actually wrote yourself into the book."

Reading this message, Hayashi Yoshiki just felt confused.

Is even Gin sick these days?

In addition to Gin:

Cohen: "Too artistic!!!!!!!!!"

Chianti: "Cointreau, can you please stop writing about Cohen? This idiot has become a little crazy lately. It's creepy! He can't even shoot accurately when practicing with a gun lately!"

Chianti: "Damn it!"

Chianti: "Fuck!"

Such foul language, Hayashi Yoshiki thought, choosing not to respond.

Yoko Okino: "Yoshiki-kun is so awesome! I recently asked everyone in the circle to help promote him, and it turned out that many people are fans of Yoshiki-kun!"

Shimizu Reiko: [Image.jpg]

Shimizu Reiko: [Image.jpg]

…

The photos sent showed her, completely naked but with nothing explicit exposed, using a signed copy of Hayashi Yoshiki's book to cover her breasts or buttocks.

Hayashi Yoshiki responded tentatively.

What interested him more now was the information from Kudo Yusaku.

Kudo Yusaku: "I am really impressed by Yoshiki-kun's new work this time. The various details and ingenuity made me unable to resist reading it several times… In fact, when everyone was discussing things at work yesterday, I couldn't help but hold it in my hands and read it, and it ended up attracting everyone's attention."

Kudo Yusaku: "Yoshiki-kun, do you know the IT company called Schindler?"

Hayashi Yoshiki: "Schindler?"

Kudo Yusaku: "You can check it out first. If you are interested, I have good news for you."

Hayashi Yoshiki replied, "OK." He waited for about ten minutes before Kudo Yusaku sent another message.

Kudo Yusaku: "The artificial intelligence mentioned in the news is real, and it will be available on the market soon."

Kudo Yusaku: "To be honest, Schindler Corporation is using the power of artificial intelligence to develop a groundbreaking game, and I am currently in charge of writing the script for one of the sections."

Kudo Yusaku: "Everyone at the meeting noticed your new work, and the chairman of Schindler seemed to be interested in it, so I recommended you to him."

Kudo Yusaku: "After all, Japan is a market they value very much. Your fame and ability will be very helpful."

Kudo Yusaku: "How about it, are you interested? It would be interesting to add your name to the producer column of a groundbreaking game, right?"

Here it comes, Hayashi Yoshiki thought, a smile playing on his lips.

Although it felt like the influence of a Death Note in terms of how things were unfolding, Hayashi Yoshiki also had to accept Kudo Yusaku's kindness.

In the original plot of Detective Conan, Yusaku Kudo was indeed involved in writing the game script for "Cocoon," and Dr. Agasa also got involved in the game's development.

Hayashi Yoshiki quickly gave a positive answer.

Hayashi Yoshiki: "Thank you very much for this opportunity, Yusaku-san."

Kudo Yusaku: "Haha, after all, this is also a reflection of your personal ability, Yoshiki-kun. And I have to thank you for taking care of Shinichi."

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and after confirming that there were no problems, they ended the conversation.

Hayashi Yoshiki could now start looking for flights to the United States.

 

 

Chapter 269 - 269: I always feel that cases are very likely to occur around Conan

Massachusetts, USA

Hayashi Yoshiki arrived in the afternoon and met Kudo Yusaku that evening.

"Long time no see, Yoshiki-kun."

"Long time no see, Mr. Yusaku."

"It always feels a lot more distant when we meet in person than when we chat via text. You probably haven't eaten yet. Why don't we have a meal together and chat?"

"That's great. To be honest, I don't have much appetite on the plane."

"You and I are the same in that respect."

Kudo Yusaku smiled and took Hayashi Yoshiki to a nearby restaurant.

It was a pretty average steakhouse.

After ordering some simple food, the two started chatting.

About novels, about Kudo Shinichi, about Beika Town... In short, the conversation was quite casual.

"It's really not easy... Actually, I've been hearing news about Shinichi from Professor Agasa. I always feel that the crime rate in Beika Town has suddenly increased?"

"Yes, we often see various cases appearing in the newspapers every other day."

Hayashi Yoshiki put down the drink in his hand, smiled gently and said:

"I don't know if it's an illusion, but I always feel that Conan is prone to cases."

"Hahaha, maybe he really is suited to be a detective!"

"Like he said, detectives are naturally attracted to cases... What about you, Yoshiki-kun?"

"I have indeed come across quite a few cases, but my focus lately has been on novels."

"It will be very hard before the release."

Kudo Yusaku, who is also a novelist, laughed and then changed the subject:

"Speaking of this, let me first talk to you about the game script we are going to make."

"OK."

Ever since the time when the couple tried to trick their son but were sent to the police station by Hayashi Yoshiki, who happened to be passing by, the couple had always had a good impression of him.

Especially after seeing the works published by Hayashi Yoshiki and accidentally hearing some rumors about him, Kudo Yusaku admired him even more.

"The script is set in London in 1888. So, do you have a rough idea of what it's about?"

"London in 1888... the year Jack the Ripper appeared?"

"Yes, it's Jack the Ripper, and then add Sherlock Holmes, who is a common element in detective novels... Very interesting, isn't it?"

"It's going to be really interesting."

"Because it is a script for game development, we have to take the player group into consideration. So we have to ensure that the puzzles are not too difficult while also ensuring that the plot is complete and excellent."

"Does Mr. Yusaku have any idea now?"

"Well... let's say the game is about the player teaming up with Sherlock Holmes to bring Jack the Ripper to justice through investigation and pursuit."

"That's the very traditional route, I see... Are there any requirements for the length of the plot?"

"It's hard to say." Kudo Yusaku smiled. "But if Yoshiki-kun has any ideas, you can just bring them up."

"... Speaking of Sherlock Holmes, we have to mention his nemesis Moriarty. I wonder, if the player has Sherlock Holmes, what will happen if Jack the Ripper has Moriarty?"

"I see. Just like the character Takato Yoichi who just made his debut in your new work—the confrontation between these two parallel rivals is indeed more interesting..."

The two chatted a lot in the restaurant.

For Hayashi Yoshiki, although the most important thing at the moment is Noah's Ark, which is about to be completed, he will not reveal any flaws—at least he must do his job well in the open.

After dinner, Kudo Yusaku received a phone call.

After speaking briefly, he looked at Hayashi Yoshiki and said with a smile:

"It is Mr. Thomas Schindler."

"I originally wanted to let you rest for a night and then meet him tomorrow, but I didn't expect him to be so proactive."

"He has sent a car."

Hayashi Yoshiki had no objection.

Soon, a luxury car stopped in front of them and took them to the headquarters building of Schindler Company.

Not long after, Hayashi Yoshiki met Thomas Schindler on the top floor of the building.

He was a tall white man with very obvious British ancestry.

He had a huge hooked nose and a face that looked more ferocious than majestic.

"Welcome, Mr. Hayashi."

He shook hands with Hayashi Yoshiki.

"Thanks to Mr. Yusaku's recommendation, I was able to invite you here to help with our game development. To be honest, Japan is one of the markets we value very much this time. I have also seen the hot sales of your new work in the Japanese market. It's really amazing."

"With your cooperation with Mr. Yusaku, I think we will be able to write a story that will conquer the entire Japanese market."

Cocoon is the most important step for Schindler Corporation besides artificial intelligence.

As long as it can be successfully released, it will surely sweep all the current games on the market into the garbage bin. Based on such expectations, it is not surprising that Thomas Schindler, the chairman of the IT company, attaches so much importance to the game's quality.

"I am also very honored to be able to participate in the development of this game, Mr. Sindora."

"Haha, although it is still a semi-finished product, Mr. Hayashi, please come and experience 'Cocoon' with us to see what kind of epoch-making product it is."

Thomas Schindler called the staff and took them to a bright room.

There were more than a dozen egg-shaped game cabins in the room. Hayashi Yoshiki sat in one to experience it under the smiling gaze of Kudo Yusaku.

The staff carried out some operations:

"Boarding completed"

"Brainwave transmission device, setup completed."

"Canopy closed"

"Main hardware starts connecting"

"Enter the area code and connect the connector"

After a series of prompt sounds, what soon appeared before Hayashi Yoshiki was an old town shrouded in smog.

London in the 19th century.

Hayashi Yoshiki looked down at his hands, tried to shake them, then turned them over and over again.

Very real.

Almost indistinguishable from the real world.

He looked at the scene in front of him again—there was no flaw. Compared with the reality projection device used in training at the winery, everything seemed more vivid.

After experiencing it for more than ten minutes, Hayashi Yoshiki came out of the game cabin.

"How does it feel?" Kudo Yusaku asked with a smile.

"Incredible... If there is such a device that can be used to carry the game stage and present the script perfectly, no one will be able to refuse it."

Hayashi Yoshiki's handsome face was filled with amazement. He then looked at Thomas Schindler, who was smiling proudly in front of him, and said:

"It's like a miracle—the biggest miracle, Mr. Schindler."

"…..."

Hearing this, Thomas Schindler's eyes seemed to be dazed for a moment.

He was a beat late before he reacted and shook hands with Hayashi Yoshiki.

The latter wore a ring on his hand as usual.

 

 

Chapter 270 - 270 : The Winery's Eyes

The one who can control Noah's Ark is Hiroki Sawada.

In the original work, after completing Noah's Ark, he jumped off a tall building, and Noah's Ark set sail into the Internet via the connected broadband line.

Noah's Ark has been hiding in the Internet ever since.

They waited until Schindler Company used Hiroki Sawada's legacy to complete Cocoon, and when it was released in Japan, they hacked the back end and took over the entire server.

After fulfilling Hiroki Sawada's last wish and after Thomas Schindler was punished for his murderous behavior, Noah's Ark chose to end itself.

"If computers like me continue to exist, they will only be used by adults to do bad things. Artificial intelligence should not appear in this world at this time."

This was the conclusion of an AI that inherited Hiroki Sawada's will and emotions.

Thomas Schindler never had the authority to control Noah's Ark.

So, if Hayashi Yoshiki wanted to use Noah's Ark to obtain the information he needed, only two options remained:

One, go directly through Hiroki Sawada.

Two, make Thomas Schindler gain permission to access it.

If Hiroki Sawada were asked directly, he might discover that Hayashi Yoshiki was a member of the Winery and had taken many lives through unspeakable means... but Hayashi could also simply use the Death Note to control him.

It was the simplest and most direct method.

No risk of exposure.

But killing a lonely ten-year-old whose only wish was "to play with friends"...?

Hayashi Yoshiki hesitated.

Maybe he could use hypnosis instead.

The second option was more... secure:

Let Thomas Schindler — already controlled by the Death Note — act as the proxy.

Just like with Pisco at the Haido Hotel, Hayashi could pre-write Thomas's actions in the notebook, and combine that with Spider's hypnosis technique to gain total control.

In fact, had Schindler been less cruel, Hiroki may have never attempted suicide.

In the original work, Thomas was terrified the world would learn that his DNA ancestry traced back to Jack the Ripper.

To preserve his reputation, he imprisoned Hiroki and planned to kill him after AI development was complete.

That reasoning is so absurd it gives me a headache.

Maybe it was the Japanese obsession with bloodline theory.

Regardless—

Hiroki Sawada must survive after completing Noah's Ark.

And above all... everything must be done in secret.

Hayashi Yoshiki remained in the U.S. for almost a week.

The game script discussion went smoothly, and the rest of his objectives were essentially achieved.

"Although I feel there are still many areas that need polishing," said Kudo Yusaku, "this script is already very good. I can't wait to see it brought to life on a world stage."

"Yoshiki-kun, are you flying back to Japan around 8?"

"We still really need you here, but it's okay. We can discuss things by video later."

"Oh—and Yukiko said she's sorry she only treated you to one meal. When you're back in Japan, we must make proper arrangements!"

Hayashi Yoshiki smiled, suitcase in hand.

"That's fine. I have a feeling you two will be visiting Japan again soon anyway."

"Haha... see you then, Yoshiki-kun."

After bidding farewell, he boarded the luxury car arranged by Syndora to take him to the airport. He quietly thanked the driver and closed his eyes.

Then—

His phone rang.

"Hello?"

"It's me."

Gin's cold voice.

"You're flying back to Japan today?"

"...You're well-informed."

"Don't get me wrong. Just a coincidence."

Gin didn't elaborate.

"There's a task waiting for you when you return. I'll send the details to your email."

"Understood."

Hayashi hung up.

Gin knew when he was flying out—and that was no surprise.

The Winery had been watching Schindler for a long time.

Very closely.

Thomas Schindler had said an anonymous company had supported his startup in its earliest days—and that support led him to industry dominance.

That company was the Winery.

The "Cocoon" system was nearly identical to the Winery's own training simulation system.

And the moment Noah's Ark was complete, the Winery would move.

At the end of The Phantom of Baker Street, when Noah's Ark self-destructed, it claimed:

"Adults will use me for evil."

That "evil" undoubtedly referred to the Winery.

Thankfully, Hayashi Yoshiki had already become suspicious.

He had remained cautious.

He never revealed any flaws.

In a development room at Schindler 's HQ...

Hiroki Sawada put down his work and walked to the terrace.

He looked out over the city skyline.

Hayashi Yoshiki had left.

He was... a gentle and unbelievable person.

He'd negotiated with Schindler and had given Hiroki a break from his grueling development schedule.

Since discovering the company's secrets, Hiroki had been under strict control—working nonstop except to eat or sleep.

But now, thanks to Hayashi Yoshiki, he had time to breathe.

They even agreed to play together after the game's release.

Hiroki had been instantly drawn to him.

He never had a friend before...

A child who never tasted warmth would cling to it deeply.

Hayashi had even told him the plot outline he co-wrote with Kudo Yusaku.

Although Hiroki didn't understand much about Sherlock Holmes or mysteries, he became fascinated the moment he heard the name:

Jack the Ripper.

"I have to finish Noah's Ark soon..."

He whispered quietly.

"Very soon."