Conan: Rice Flower Spring

Chapter 394, Section 388: The "Good" and "Evil" Detectives

"Your friend?" Masahiko Michiwaki asked curiously.

"That's right. Although my friend isn't a famous detective yet, she has a famous detective father and a famous detective childhood sweetheart."

If you need a detective's help with anything, she's the one to go for!

Even if Sonoko Suzuki is blinded by "love," she wouldn't completely lose her mind.

When someone becomes interested in detectives, but doesn't idolize them.

That means this person has most likely encountered a problem that requires a detective to solve.

It's obvious that Masahiko Michiwaki isn't the kind of person who's a die-hard fan of any detective, so the remaining possibilities are obvious.

"It's not that I have any requests to ask the detective; in fact, I'm graduating next year."

I'm actually just considering whether or not to work at a detective agency.

A sea breeze blew in, carrying the smoke from Michiwaki Masahiko towards Suzuki Sonoko.

Sonoko Suzuki clearly didn't like the smell of tobacco, but she didn't say anything and instead sat down in a sheltered spot.

"I see. Then we'll have to wait for Ran to come back before we can answer your questions, Masahiko."

Sonoko Suzuki felt a little regretful. Actually, she really wanted Ran to see Masahiko Michiwaki. Not for any other reason than to let her best friend see him. Even disregarding the Suzuki family's background, there were still men who liked her type.

"By the way, I haven't asked yet, Sonoko, did your friend receive any requests here?"

Michiwaki Masahiko casually inquired about Suzuki Sonoko's situation, since they were friends who came to the beach together, it was strange that they ended up doing their own thing once they arrived.

"No, Xiaolan didn't leave because she received a request. It was because of the rumors on this beach."

"Masahiko, haven't you heard of him? It's that Izu beach serial murder case that's still unsolved!"

"The Izu Beach serial murder case?" When Sonoko Suzuki brought up this topic, Masahiko Michiwaki's expression stiffened slightly, and his reaction became even more pronounced when he heard what Sonoko Suzuki said next.

"I don't know what's the point of investigating this case that has no beginning or end. It wasn't asked by the police, nor was it commissioned by the victim's family."
Speaking of which, I do have a few photos I'd like to show Xiaolan!

Ultimately, being a detective is a profession that relies on skill. Calling it part of the service industry is sometimes quite apt.

The client provides the money, the detective provides the work, and in the end, everyone achieves a result that satisfies each other – that's a win-win situation.

This very profession was turned into a way for Shinichi Kudo and a group of high school detectives to satisfy their intense and twisted curiosity.

A career driven by curiosity to become a detective is clearly unhealthy.

That's how Shinichi Kudo was back then. Sonoko Suzuki had subtly advised him against it, but after realizing he didn't take it seriously, she didn't bring it up again.

Although they were childhood friends, Sonoko Suzuki and Shinichi Kudo's relationship wasn't really that close.

This is probably the most fundamental difference in ideology between a powerful family heir and a naive champion of justice.

If it weren't for Ran Mouri mediating between the two, Sonoko Suzuki and Shinichi Kudo would probably have parted ways long ago.

These two have disliked each other for quite some time now.

Sonoko Suzuki doesn't discriminate against the detective profession, but if her best friend Ran Mouri wants to become a detective and also has the talent for it...

Sonoko Suzuki would hope that her best friend would follow the orthodox path of a detective and become a "traditional" detective step by step.

Instead of becoming a "wicked cultivator" like Shinichi Kudo, the distinction between "good" and "evil" in the detective industry lies not in their stance, but in how they become famous.

Traditional detectives typically join large detective agencies when they first enter the profession, such as Beika Detective Agency or Beika Detective Agency.

The advantage of joining a large firm is that you don't have to worry about starving because you don't have any clients. Of course, the commission you receive at the beginning of your tenure will not be the full amount.

It's probably only about 30%.

However, joining a large detective agency has another advantage: because of the agency's size, you can become famous very quickly once your abilities reach a certain standard.

If you have enough ability, it won't be long before you make a name for yourself in your small circle, and then it's like a snowball rolling downhill.

Eventually, he left the large firm and started his own private firm.

Once you find a unique selling point and solve a few high-profile cases, you've made a detective.

For a typical detective to complete this process, it would take at least five, seven, or eight years, and that's for a talented detective who rises to prominence quickly.

However, there are always some people in this world who can achieve the same goal through different means, and even achieve it quickly. These methods, which are different from the orthodox and methodical ones, are called heretical cultivation.

Shinichi Kudo is a representative of heretical practitioners.

A true detective usually "builds many good relationships" during his growth. Having good interpersonal skills is essential to becoming a good detective, and this is not just a saying.

Generally speaking, it's rare for someone to die wherever they go. Such a person, no matter what profession they pursue, will be considered a jinx and a harbinger of misfortune.

However, in the detective profession, to become famous, one must solve cases, and that's where the importance of good interpersonal relationships comes into play.

Whether it's a relationship with the police or a relationship with the media, as long as you can get the news immediately when something happens, that's a good relationship.

However, this information did not specify that it could only be sold to one person or that only one person could sell it, so at this point, the confident detectives would begin to compete.

The crime scene is right there; first come, first served.

As a detective, accumulating a certain number of cases, especially influential ones, is no easy task.

Moreover, for ordinary detectives, "taking on" a case does not necessarily mean they can solve it.

So over the years, while the number of famous detectives hasn't been scarce, it hasn't been particularly large either.

It's that difficult for a legitimate detective to get ahead.

But Shinichi Kudo is different; a traditional detective pursues murder cases. But for Shinichi Kudo, murder cases are always with him.

It's not fair to call him a jinx or a plague god. But it's an undeniable fact that this guy always seems to appear at the perfect moment at the scene of a crime.

Other traditional detectives would receive news of a murder and rush to the scene immediately.

Whether or not one can participate in the investigation of a murder case upon arrival at the scene depends on the attitude of the detective in charge from the Metropolitan Police Department.

After observing the detective's expression, you still have to rely on your own abilities; otherwise, running fast is useless if you can't solve the case.

But in the case of Shinichi Kudo, the murder happened right next to him. As one of the people involved in the case, Shinichi Kudo didn't need the police's permission to start the investigation.

What detective could be faster than Shinichi Kudo? What else could he be but a heretic?
By the same token, Kogoro Mouri is also a representative figure in the field of evil detectives.

This old fellow's nickname "Grim Reaper" has already spread throughout the Metropolitan Police Department.

(End of this chapter)