Stay away from Conan.

Upon waking from his coma, Ireland checked the time.

Less than twenty minutes had passed between when he jumped out of the Mouri Detective Agency and finally lost consciousness.

Ireland himself was very clear about what he had experienced. That kid was indeed something strange, possessing such a fast-acting anesthetic that even he, who had undergone special training, could not withstand for long.

If I hadn't reacted quickly enough to leave immediately, drop my disguise, and use the backup plan I had prepared to hide and escape, then this situation, which I was supposed to be the one to uncover, would have turned into a crisis that would have dragged me into a quagmire if I hadn't made the slightest mistake.

Ireland felt a slight sense of relief, but quickly regained its composure, a cold smile creeping onto its lips—

Although the result deviated slightly from expectations, the initial goal was indeed achieved.

Whether that brat calling out to Edogawa Conan is actually Shinichi Kudo himself is something that can't be verified through other evidence, but by impersonating Gin, I've successfully figured it out. The brat does indeed recognize Gin's face.

Therefore, considering the methods the other party displayed, there is no doubt that this kid is none other than Shinichi Kudo, who was supposed to die from the organization's drugs. This is also thanks to the detective who called out to Akechi Takato—

Ha, I bet that guy never expected that what the other party said casually would give me the opportunity to connect everything. Now that I have successfully grasped the fact that this happened, I finally have an ace up my sleeve to deal with Gin!

Thinking of this, Ireland was in a good mood. Although he hadn't succeeded in bringing the child back this time, since not much time had passed, even if they reacted quickly, they definitely wouldn't escape his grasp. After all...

Now, I can say I have the entire Metropolitan Police Department in my hands!

Just as Ireland was pondering what to do next, his cell phone rang. He picked it up and saw several missed calls from the time he was unconscious.

And now, a new call comes in at just the right time. The caller ID shows the same source as the previous calls, it's Gin calling.

Seeing this, Ireland frowned slightly, seemingly sensing something might have happened, but after thinking for a moment, he still answered the phone. Ireland then heard Gin's incredibly somber voice on the other end ask:
"I heard you got the mask from Vermouth to disguise yourself as me... is that right?"

—To disguise himself as Gin and test that brat, he would ultimately need Vermouth's help to accomplish this, so it was inevitable that this matter could not be kept secret.

However, to Ireland's surprise, Vermouth informed Gin of the situation so quickly, which inevitably displeased Ireland somewhat, but...

In the end, there was nothing to complain about.

Therefore, since things had come to this point, Ireland did not refute, but simply replied casually:
"Yeah, what's wrong... Gin?"

Ireland replied, seemingly not taking it seriously at all.

Gin, on the other end of the phone, was clearly dissatisfied with Ireland's attitude, and asked coldly:

"Isn't your mission to find the guy who took that thing by using the cops' connections? So what are you doing now? Is there anything you absolutely have to do with my face?"

In the end, Gin's tone was clearly threatening. It was obvious that in Gin's view, Ireland must have some reason for using his face, which required "himself" to do so, but for some purpose, he could not actually let Gin show his face.

Therefore, intuitively, although Gin didn't know Ireland's purpose, he was likely scheming against him.

Hearing Gin's tone, Ireland naturally knew that this matter would inevitably arouse Gin's suspicion, but...

It doesn't matter anymore. Now that it's confirmed that Conan Edogawa is Shinichi Kudo, who was supposed to be killed by Gin, the fact that he's still alive is the best evidence of Gin's mistake. So, all we need to do is bring that brat back...

Having considered this, Ireland had nothing to fear, and thus casually and coldly replied, "You want to know?"

"Hmph, whatever."

Coldly, Gin on the other end of the phone seemed unwilling to press the matter further, simply saying:
"Just don't forget the task you've been given."

—Anyway, there's no point in forcing Ireland to talk about it now. Since this guy has successfully infiltrated the cops, let's just leave him be until this mission is complete…

That is, until the mission is completed!

After saying that, Gin was about to hang up, but Ireland, seeing Gin's attitude, seemed to sneer and asked a follow-up question:
"By the way, you're the one who killed that high school detective with that drug, right?"

……

"Ireland impersonated Gin to attack Conan? And Conan temporarily forced the attacker to retreat?"

Back at the Akechi residence, when Ai heard Takato casually recount the current situation, she was initially stunned. She pondered whether his words held a hidden meaning, or if she had misunderstood them, making it impossible for her to connect the current situation with Takato's relaxed expression.

Perhaps the situation is too complex, leaving Ai Haibara, who cannot see the whole picture, completely bewildered.

Originally, Ai might have felt fear and panic upon hearing this, but surprisingly, even Ai herself did not expect that she could be so calm at this moment, and only asked this question.

In response, Gao Yuan explained:

"Yes, this is a message Vermouth just sent. Since Ireland can't confirm that Conan is Shinichi Kudo through other means, there are only a few possibilities left for him to do."

"At first, I thought he would try to kidnap someone close to Conan to force Conan to take action, but I didn't expect his actions to be so much simpler..."

As he said this, Gao Yuan lowered his head and thought for a moment, then his expression turned slightly helpless.

Upon hearing that the source of the information was Vermouth, Ai's expression became slightly serious. It was clear that the memory of her observing the restaurant earlier had not yet left her mind. However, it must be said that if it were Vermouth, she should not have put Conan in danger.

Therefore, Ai's gloomy expression vanished instantly, and she calmly sat down and asked:

"So what? What are you going to do next?"

Clearly, Ai knew that the current situation was still under Takato's control. However, what puzzled Ai was that Ireland knew Conan's identity, which was ultimately a hidden danger.

In response, Gao Yuan said helplessly:

"The matter isn't particularly difficult, it's just... Ireland has ultimately chosen a dead end..."

—Originally, for Gao Yuan, further utilizing Ireland might have been an option, albeit one that would have been difficult. But now it seems that path is blocked, Vermouth…

They certainly won't show any mercy! (End of Chapter)