Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Fireworks continued to bloom in the night sky, each wave more dazzling than the last.

Golden peonies layered across the night sky, pink cherry blossom-shaped fireworks drifted in the wind, and the most amazing were the fireworks in the shape of Osaka Castle, which outlined the castle tower against the dark sky, with even the animal heads on the eaves clearly visible, drawing cheers from the crowds on the hillside and along the riverbank.

Lingzi lay on Lin Xiuyi's back, her little head turning in the direction of the fireworks. Her excitedly waving hands gradually slowed down, leaving only occasional soft exclamations of praise.

Lin Xiuyi steadily supported the girl's knees, feeling the little girl's light weight in his palms.

As the evening breeze blew by, carrying the dampness of the Dianchuan River and the aroma of takoyaki from a distant stall, the homesickness stirred up by the fireworks gradually dissipated in this vibrant and lively atmosphere.

Eri Kisaki quietly took Hayashi Hideichi's other arm, her gaze fixed on the purple fireworks exploding in the night sky. Her usually serious lips couldn't help but curl into a faint smile.

"Glasses Girl, don't even think about taking advantage of me," Yukiko said, stepping forward quickly and leaning her head on Hayashi Hideichi's shoulder, not to be outdone.

She raised her camera, pointed it at the night sky, and pressed the shutter. Then, watching the fireworks illuminate the night, she sighed with emotion.

"I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time. This kind of lively atmosphere with crowds is the most comfortable. It's much more comfortable than being in a photo studio in Tokyo."

“Yes,” Midori Orikasa leaned against the wooden railing on the hillside, playing with the wind chimes she had just bought. The wind chimes made a crisp sound in the evening breeze. “Going out for a walk once in a while can really improve one’s mood.”

Tomizawa Chikage had somehow bought a few cans of chilled beer from a convenience store at the foot of the hill. She tossed one can to Ikenami Shizuka and handed another to the Ikenami family's driver. Then she caught a glimpse of Kogoro Mouri's outstretched hand.

She slapped it away and raised an eyebrow, scolding, "Kid, it's one thing to drink at home, but if the police catch you drinking outside, they'll take you back for a talking-to."

After saying that, she snapped open her can of beer, the amber liquid foaming with fine bubbles. She tilted her head back and took a big gulp, then deliberately shook the can at Kogoro Mouri.

"whispering sound!"

Kogoro Mouri reluctantly withdrew his hand, rubbing the back of his hand that had been slapped red, and muttered something in dissatisfaction.
"So what if he's a few years older than me? What's the big deal... Wait until I'm an adult next year, then I'll get my revenge..."

Ruri, standing next to him, covered her mouth and chuckled, then poked his waist, which earned her an even more annoyed look from Kogoro Mouri.

The fireworks in the night sky continued to bloom brilliantly, casting a warm glow on everyone's faces.

Lin Xiu looked up at the fireworks filling the sky and suddenly felt that perhaps this was the true meaning of the celebration.

It had nothing to do with investigation or secrets; it was simply about enjoying this brief and beautiful moment with the people around us.

Just then, another grand burst of fireworks soared into the sky, and dozens of cannons simultaneously launched into the air, exploding into countless dazzling points of light in the night sky, like the Milky Way cascading down to earth.

A thunderous cheer erupted from the riverbank below the hillside, and Lingzi joined in, her clear, childlike voice piercing through the noise and ringing out loudly in the night sky.

Ikeba Shizuka took a sip of beer, looking at the joyful family scene before her, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

"The annual fireworks festival is the most exciting time in Osaka. No matter how many worries you have, as long as you see the fireworks in the sky, they seem to disappear."

She turned to look at Lin Xiuyi, a smile in her eyes.

"You're right, aren't you, Mr. Lin?"

Just as Lin Xiuyi was about to nod in agreement, he suddenly heard a sharp, piercing scream coming from the riverbank below.

The scream pierced through the roar of the fireworks and carried clearly to the hillside.

"What's going on?" Lin Xiuyi frowned and looked in the direction the sound came from.

That was the Osaka Riverview Hotel, built on the riverbank, the best spot to watch the fireworks. Although it wasn't close, you could clearly see that the crowd near the hotel's main entrance, which had been relatively orderly, was now visibly agitated, like ripples spreading rapidly across water after a stone has been thrown in.

Immediately afterwards, more screams and cries, mixed with fear and panic, faintly came from that direction, sounding particularly jarring even against the noisy background of the fireworks' intermission.

"I'll go down and take a look!" Lin Xiuyi made a quick decision, carefully put Lingzi on the ground, and then ran down the slope with his long legs.

"Wait for me, Shuichi!" Seeing this, Kogoro Mouri also ran down after him.

Watching the two figures hurrying away, Ikebab Shizuka shook her head with amusement.
"Men's attention spans are really short. One second they're engrossed in the fireworks, and the next they're distracted by something else."

Eri Kisaki raised an eyebrow and gave Shizuka Ikenami a somewhat defiant look.
"Shuiichi has always been like this, with a strong sense of responsibility, and he will never stand idly by when something happens."

After saying that, she started walking and chased after him down the slope.

"Onii-chan, wait for me!" Although Reiko didn't understand what was going on, she saw that Hayashi Shuichi had run downstairs, so she quickly followed.

“Let’s go take a look!” Yukiko put away her camera, her relaxed expression replaced by curiosity and a hint of tension. “Hopefully it’s not a case involving a dead person.”

Chikage Tomizawa nodded and casually placed the half-empty beer can on a rock.

Midori and Ruri exchanged a glance and quickly followed.

Looking at the hillside, which had suddenly become mostly empty except for her and her driver, Ikeba Shizuka sighed helplessly.

"Let's go over and take a look, so they don't cause any trouble."

……

With their youth and agility, Lin Xiuyi and Mo Li Kogoro quickly made their way through the sparser crowd on the slope and down to the relatively flat edge of the riverbank. They then squeezed their way towards the area in front of the hotel, which was obviously the most crowded and noisy.

The closer you get, the louder the murmurs and discussions from the crowd become:

"Oh my god! It really fell!"

"It's a person! I can see it clearly!"

"From which floor did it fall? That's terrifying!"

"It seems like there's been no movement..."

"Call an ambulance! Call the police!"

"Someone has already called..."

Both of them felt a sinking feeling in their hearts.

With her height advantage, Lin Xiuyi could already see the deliberately left-out area in the center of the crowd, as well as a blurry, human-shaped outline on the ground.

"Make way! Excuse me!" Kogoro Mouri used his loud voice to his advantage, shouting as he tried to push his way forward.

Lin Xiuyi cleverly used the gaps, and the two finally managed to squeeze into the innermost circle of the crowd. (End of Chapter)