People are in Conan, but Ace Attorney

Chapter 998 Heart Lock Activation

—————June 19th, 10:15 PM—————

—————Tokyo area, detention center——————

It was quite late.

The police officers at the detention center yawned, pondering what to get for a late-night snack after their shift ended.

Then, they glanced at the car that had just stopped in front of the detention center and couldn't help but sigh.

Dude, is it really possible that someone is visiting the detention center at this hour?

The guards at the detention center were about to ask what was going on.

Then I saw the spiky hair of the person who got out of the passenger seat.

Immediately, the two guards at the gate were filled with respect.

Some people don't need to show any identification or proof; they can tell who it is just by looking at their hairstyle.

As usual, Xiang Yuanguang, wearing a blue overcoat, greeted the detention center officer next to him.

He was about to take the letter of authorization out of his briefcase to show it.

However, the police officers at the detention center let him go without even looking at him.

Seeing this, Kogoro Mouri, who was following behind Hikaru Muto, was somewhat surprised.

He knew that Xiang Yuanguang's reputation had been growing day by day, but he did not expect that Xiang Yuanguang's reputation had reached such an exaggerated level that even the police officers in the detention center would let him go as soon as they saw him.

Is he truly a legendary lawyer who is in no way inferior to Eri?

Xiang Yuanguang carried his briefcase and walked inside.

After the police officer who came over inquired about their purpose confirmed who Xiang Yuanguang wanted to visit, he first invited Xiang Yuanguang and Kogoro Mouri to the visiting room to wait.

This room wasn't unfamiliar to Kogoro Mouri.

Not to mention his experiences visiting detention centers several times after retiring from criminal investigation, even when he was still working as a detective in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Kogoro Mouri visited detention centers quite often.

Of course, they usually come to escort people away.

Visiting others is not something a criminal investigator should do, especially since he used to be a member of the armed forces when he was in the criminal investigation department. Even if there were such matters, he wouldn't be involved.

I had just pulled out a chair and sat down when the door on the other side of the viewing window was opened.

The bailiffs led the defendant in this case, Ryutaro Tsukigata, into the visiting room.

The elderly man, who looked quite old, sat opposite Hikaru Mukamoto and Kogoro Mouri.

He appears to have absolutely no ability to kill.

However, there are no absolutes.

Beika Town is full of extraordinary people. Back then, in the museum murder case, who would have thought that the elderly museum director Ochiai could walk as fast as he could while wearing heavy armor that would make it difficult for a normal person to move, and even pin a person to the wall with a single sword?
In this city, the worst thing you can do is judge people by their appearance.

When Tsukigata Ryutaro saw Kogoro Mouri sitting opposite him, he became somewhat excited and said,
"Detective Mori, you actually came back!"

"Thanks to you so much this time! I never thought it was true that you had a close relationship with the famous lawyer Xiang Yuan!"

Xiang Yuanguang:?

It sounds like a named defense.

But shouldn't such a defense request be made by calling Xiangyuan Law Firm directly?

Oh, he wasn't at Xiangyuan Law Firm all day yesterday. Oh well, never mind.

"In short, let's talk about the case first."

Xiang Yuanguang rubbed his forehead and asked directly,
"At the very beginning, I want to ask you a very simple question, and please answer me truthfully."

"Did you kill the deceased, Yuichi Hisaka?"

The heart lock has been activated at this moment.

If Tsukigata Ryutaro gives a wrong answer, the Heart Lock will be activated, and then Mugen Hikaru will simply abandon the request.

—If he's lying about this question, then there's really no point in defending himself. However, Tsukigata Ryutaro's answer was exactly what Mugen Hikaru expected.

"Of course not. Hisaka Yuichi is my disciple. How could I possibly kill him?"

The elderly Ryutaro Tsukigata said solemnly.

"If it weren't for the fact that my lighter was next to Yuichi Hisaka's body."

"I'm afraid the police won't arrest me as a criminal."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yuanguang gently tapped his forehead with his finger.

He already has a good understanding of the case.

Although the body cannot be seen, the autopsy report should be available before the court hearing tomorrow.

He has already spoken to Asai Narumi.

He believed that what Tsukigata Ryutaro said was indeed true.

If nothing related to Ryutaro Tsukigata was found at the scene, then even without an alibi, Ryutaro Tsukigata would not have been arrested by the police as the murderer.

After all, such outrageous arrests put a lot of pressure on the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Xiang Yuanguang asked in a low voice,
"I want to know about your connection to the deceased."

"Why did the deceased come to Tokyo? What is your connection to them? Did you have any conflicts of interest or verbal exchanges with the deceased? Do you have any suspects among your suspects?"

These questions were raised one by one.

These are indeed issues that need to be understood now.

Tsukigata Ryutaro naturally wouldn't refuse to answer Minamoto Hikaru's question, and he answered truthfully.
"The reason the deceased came to Tokyo was that he mentioned on the phone that he wanted to come and learn from me."

"However, I told him that I am not at home between noon and nine o'clock in the evening."

"However, he still called me at 8:05 p.m. and left a message saying that he boarded the train to Raimi-cho at 8:05 p.m.."

"As for whether there are any conflicts of interest or verbal disputes between us..."

"I don't think so. I consider myself to be very lenient with my disciples and have never blamed them."

When Tsukigata Ryutaro mentioned the answer to the last question.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"I have no suspicions about the murderer."

call out----

A heart lock is wrapped around Tsukigata Ryutaro's body.

Xiang Yuanguang frowned slightly.

He didn't understand why Tsukigata Ryutaro would lie about his answer to the last question.

It seems that Tsukigata Ryutaro does indeed have suspicions about the murderer of Kusaka Yuichi, but he is unwilling to say it, which means that this suspect is one of Tsukigata Ryutaro's important people.

Immediately, Xiang Yuanguang remembered what Kogoro Mouri had mentioned.

Another disciple of Tsukigata Ryutaro claimed that Tsukigata Ryutaro had an alibi, but that alibi was proven to be fabricated, which instead led to Tsukigata Ryutaro's arrest.

Perhaps the other disciple that Kogoro Mouri mentioned is the one that Ryutaro Tsukigata is trying to hide?

Xiang Yuanguang narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Uncle Mori, I have a question."

"What is the name of Mr. Tsukigata Ryutaro's other disciple?"

"Is his name Sarutoshi Katsumi?"

Upon hearing this, Tsukigata Ryutaro's expression immediately changed.

Kogoro Mouri nodded as if he didn't know anything.
"Yes, that's my name. Is there a reason?"

(End of this chapter)