Stay away from Conan.

As he walked out of the superintendent's office, there was hardly anyone in the Metropolitan Police Department building late at night, so Gin strode forward almost without any restraint. He only stopped after turning two corners and confirming that no one was following him.

Then, he reached down to his neck, his fingertips finding the edge of an extremely thin layer of silicone. He gently peeled it off, revealing his true face—

lofty!

Gao Yuan rolled up the disguise props and stuffed them into the inside pocket of his coat. Then he took off his black coat, folded and rolled it up. He then walked to the window and threw all the disguise props out the window, according to the location he had planned from the beginning.

This is the fastest way to get rid of these things. In this way, even if I encounter any police officers here, I don't have to worry about being questioned, as I am currently under Gao Yuan's identity.

After doing all this, Gao Yuan turned and went into the nearest restroom. After a while, dressed as a cleaner, Gao Yuan emerged. Using this identity, Gao Yuan no longer needed to worry about any accidents and left the Metropolitan Police Department building very smoothly. Finally, outside, he collected the things he had thrown out of the building as a cleaner and disappeared into the road outside the Metropolitan Police Department...

Once he was finally back on the building not far from the Metropolitan Police Department, a building from which he could see the department headquarters, Gao Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

That's right. The scene just now, the so-called Gin and Vermouth's message, everything was Gao Yuan's own plan. But now, looking back, it was all much more dangerous than he had anticipated.

Ireland truly lived up to his reputation as a core member of the organization; even with a gun pointed at the back of his head, he remained calm, probing, and retaliating. If he had uttered even a single wrong line or shown the slightest weakness in his tone, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

but……

Gao Yuan's lips curled up slightly, but he knew in his heart that the final result was even better than expected.

Initially, after making that call to Inspector Megure, Ireland was left with only one choice. Now, with him appearing as Gin and threatening her, especially after that...

"You're not the only informant within the police force..."

With this statement, Ireland will likely be more cautious about taking any action within the Metropolitan Police Department starting tonight.

Of course, the most important thing was the fabricated "message relayed by Vermouth"...

Ireland must understand what this means, so given their already wary attitude towards Conan's actions, they will be even more cautious. Therefore, Conan is probably safe tonight.

However, such considerations wouldn't completely extinguish Ireland's desire to take Conan away, especially since he realized Vermouth was also watching Conan—

And this was precisely his goal: to ensure that Ireland would no longer be able to trust any organization or person in order to take any action.

So, if I were in Ireland right now, all I could think about would still be that memory card—

After all, that was the organization's official mission, and also the most direct way for him to prove his worth.

Thus, the first step of placing a piece has been completed...

……

Metropolitan Police Department, rest room

As instructed by Inspector Megure, the remaining officers arranged a place for Kogoro Mouri and his companions to rest, allowing them to spend the night at the Metropolitan Police Department.

Therefore, after the police officers prepared a rest room and overnight supplies for Kogoro Mouri and his men, Kogoro Mouri immediately lay down on the sofa bed and fell fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Conan was lying on another sofa with his eyes closed.

But he didn't fall asleep.

At this moment, Conan's mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts that he couldn't untangle no matter what he did.

He knew very well that the organization member, Ireland, was likely in this building at that moment.

Since the other party has already dared to make a move directly inside the detective agency, would that person make a move against me here now?
If action is taken, when will it occur? How should I respond?

And that memory card...

If the police do indeed stake out those two locations and take the memory card, then I will have completely lost my bargaining power with the organization.

When that time comes, once their identities are exposed, they and everyone around them will face annihilation.

But... there's nothing I can do right now.

Trapped in the Metropolitan Police Department, with Ran and the others by his side, it's hard for him to ignore them and act alone.

especially……

Once he actually takes action, it is very likely that Ireland will completely confirm that he is Shinichi Kudo.

After all, there is still a glimmer of hope in the whole matter: Ireland is not entirely certain of its true identity, but rather the other party is trying to test it.

In that case, there might still be a chance to make the other person believe that they are not the same person as Shinichi Kudo...

This wasn't something she couldn't do after Ai gave her some more of that antidote, it's just...

Thinking of this, Conan felt complicated, his fingers clenching slightly under the blanket.

"Conan?"

Just then, a soft voice came from beside me.

Conan was slightly startled, opened his eyes, and found that Ran had sat down on the sofa next to him at some point, looking down at him.

"Xiao Lan..."

Subconsciously, as Shinichi Kudo, Conan wanted to call Ran directly. Perhaps for a moment, Conan wondered if he should reveal his identity to Ran, but quickly, out of rationality, he added:
"Sister Xiaolan? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I can't sleep."

Xiaolan lowered her head, her eyes gentle, as if hiding something, and said softly:
"What about you? Can't sleep either?"

Under the cover of night, looking at Ran's face so close to his own, Conan opened his mouth in a daze, wanting to say "Can you sleep?", but swallowed the words back.

What he saw in Xiaolan's eyes—

It was a very gentle, quiet concern, not the kind of perfunctory concern adults show to children, but more like...

"I... am thinking about tonight."

Conan's feelings were incredibly complicated, but he could only offer perfunctory replies:

Will that thief come back?

Seeing this, Ran was silent for a moment, then she reached out and gently ruffled Conan's hair.

"Will not."

The voice was soft, yet carried a reassuring certainty:

"This is the Metropolitan Police Department; it's very safe. And—"

Xiaolan paused, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said with unwavering determination:
"No matter what happens, I will protect you. Just like today."

As Conan looked at Ran's smiling face, a sudden pang of sadness welled up in his chest—

What happened tonight...

Xiaolan's actions were completely beyond her expectations.

Without a doubt, when facing "Gin," he was ruthless and merciless, showing no mercy in his attacks. Ran almost never came out on top against him, yet she remained utterly resolute...

But here she is now, saying to herself in such a calm tone, "I will protect you."

That idiot… (End of Chapter)