Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

The deep red wine swirled in the glass, much like Vermouth's complex emotions at that moment.

Holding a wine glass, she strolled to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down at Los Angeles in the afternoon.

From this height, the city appears as an intricate model, with vehicles and pedestrians on the streets appearing small and unreal.

Her gaze drifted towards the direction of Brian's house in the distance, her expression complex.

"You little rascal, you've really gotten yourself into big trouble..."

Vermouth murmured to herself, taking a sip of red wine.

The wine was smooth and mellow, but it could not calm the turmoil in her heart.

She began to carefully weigh the situation at hand.

The organization clearly views Lin Xiuyi as a serious threat, and the assassination order will be carried out once he returns to Japan.

As a core member of the organization, she should carry out the Boss's orders without hesitation.

However, due to the previous landslide, the relationship between the two had long been in turmoil.

Vermouth sighed and began to ponder how to save that little bastard Lin Xiuyi's life without the organization discovering anything amiss.

……

After the press conference, Brian's living room finally returned to calm, but a sense of tension still lingered in the air.

Lin Xiuyi stood by the window, watching the last news van drive away from the street, but she felt no relief whatsoever.

Eri Kisaki gently walked to his side: "Shuichi, what are you thinking about?"

“I’m wondering if this decision was right,” Lin Xiuyi said in a low voice. “I’ve put the two elderly people in the eye of the storm. Although they may be safe in the short term, in the long run…”

“You’ve given them a chance to get justice for their children,” Eri Kisaki said firmly. “That’s much better than letting them live in ignorance and fear.”

Lin Xiuyi turned to look at her and smiled slightly: "You always know what to say to comfort me."

"This is not a consolation, it's the truth."

Eri Kisaki's face flushed slightly, but her gaze remained firm.
“As a future legal professional, I believe in the power of truth and justice. Everything you are doing today is putting this belief into practice.”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Mr. Brian glanced through the peephole and his expression immediately turned serious: "It's the FBI."

Upon opening the door, two familiar figures stood outside – the FBI agents who had visited the previous morning.

The man in the lead was a bit older, around thirty years old, with obvious signs of fatigue on his face and very dark circles under his eyes, clearly from not getting enough rest after working for several days.

He was dressed in a black suit and looked serious: "We meet again, Mr. Brian. You've gotten us into a lot of trouble."

Mr. Brian forced a smile and stepped aside to let the two men into the room: "Please come in, officers."

The older detective strode into the living room, followed closely by a younger detective who closed the door behind him.

"Why didn't you give me that diary when I visited yesterday?"

The older detective's gaze was fixed on Mr. Brian, his tone filled with obvious dissatisfaction and skepticism. "We came all the way from Washington to investigate your son's case, but you chose the media instead of law enforcement."

Mr. Brian awkwardly wiped the sweat from his brow: "I'm sorry, Mr. Stella, this..."

"That diary was found by chance this morning," Lin Xiuyi explained.

Stellar's sharp gaze immediately turned to Lin Xiuyi, scrutinizing him from head to toe: "Was it really an accident?"

His voice was full of doubt.
“We have investigated your file, Mr. Lin. Although you are still a high school student, you are already an investigation consultant for the First Investigation Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. In just six months, you have helped those incompetent police officers in Japan solve a lot of cases.”

Hearing this, Eri Kisaki frowned in displeasure, but Lin Xiuyi stopped her with a look.

Sterling pressed on, her voice growing increasingly menacing: "Can you guarantee this was truly an accident, and not something you did intentionally?"

"An experienced teenage detective 'accidentally' discovered crucial evidence the day after the FBI's visit?"

The Brians exchanged a surprised glance. Although they had long known from Lin Xiuyi's behavior that he was not an ordinary child, they had not expected him to be so capable at such a young age.

Is the incompetence of the Japanese police already known to the whole world?

Lin Xiuyi found it amusing, but maintained a calm demeanor, meeting the other person's gaze without flinching.

“That is indeed a coincidence, sir. In fact, I knew there was something amiss with Noah’s death, it was Mr. Brian who told me last night about the reason for your visit.”

Agent Sterling stared at Lin Xiuyi for a while, her experienced eyes seemingly assessing the truthfulness of his words.

The atmosphere in the living room was so tense you could almost hear a pin drop.

Ultimately, Sterling seemed to accept the explanation and relaxed her stance slightly, but her tone remained stern.

"In any case, once you find the diary, you should hand it over to us first!"

Sterling's voice rose slightly.
"You think it's a good thing to make such a big fuss now? You might have alerted the real criminals, giving them time to prepare or even escape!"

Mr. Brian then firmly stood in front of Lin Xiuyi: "It was Nicole and I who decided to tell those reporters about the diary. Please don't make things difficult for this child."

“We just…we just really wanted to get justice for Noah and Lily.”

The older detective sighed, his stern expression softening slightly: "Mr. Brian, I also have a daughter, and I understand your pain and anger. But law enforcement requires procedures and a chain of evidence, and media involvement often undermines the integrity of the investigation."

He turned to look at Lin Xiuyi and kindly advised her.

"Young man, your courage is commendable, but next time you encounter this situation, it's best to communicate with law enforcement first."

Lin Xiuyi nodded obediently to show her understanding, but in her heart she was thinking, "If it weren't for me, you two would probably have been dealt with by Sharon by now..."

The young detective spoke up then, his voice gentler than Sterling's: "Actually, media attention isn't all bad. At least now the case has national attention, and the department will definitely invest more resources in the investigation."

He glanced at his older partner.

"Under pressure, some witnesses who were originally unwilling to cooperate may change their minds."

Sterling snorted, clearly not entirely agreeing with the viewpoint, but she did not refute it.

He turned to the Brians: “We need the original diary as evidence. At the same time, I hope you will accept protective custody from the FBI. Now that things are public, those who have been exposed might become desperate.” (End of Chapter)