Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Looking at Eri Kisaki's calm yet expectant eyes, and glancing at Yukiko beside him who looked curious and Midori Orikasa who was lowering her head but secretly pricking up her ears, Lin Xiuyi nodded slightly without much thought.

"Well, let's go."

He agreed naturally, and in his heart he truly felt it was the right thing to do.

Liuli and the others are childhood sweethearts who grew up together. They've been inseparable since kindergarten, climbing trees together, skipping classes together, and getting scolded by adults together. Their bond is so deep that it goes without saying.

Now that she has moved to a new home and a new environment, her friends should visit her to see if she is doing well and if she is adapting to her new life.

Furthermore, Lin Xiuyi was also curious about the situation of Ruri's neighbor, Mrs. Arai.

After briefly discussing the time and place for their meeting the next day, the group went home.

Lin Xiuyi also turned around and walked up the narrow stairs back to his home on the second floor of the izakaya.

He opened the door and was greeted by a cold, empty silence.

At this time of day, even if Lingzi is already asleep, she will be curled up in the blankets with her little brows slightly furrowed, as if she is having an interesting dream.

The room would retain the scent of milk that she liked, as well as the faint, clean smell of the girl herself.

But today, Lingzi was taken home by her parents. The whole house was empty, the lights were cold and white, the sofa was neat and tidy, and there was no sign of human presence.

Lin Xiuyi felt inexplicably lonely.

He quickly washed up, changed into loose pajamas, lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and prepared to sleep.

After a long day of running around, from the case at the coffee shop during the day to the busy work at the izakaya at night, and then to the series of speculations about Mrs. Arai's disappearance, he was already exhausted.

Strangely, even though my body was extremely exhausted, my mind was unusually clear, and I wasn't sleepy at all.

After tossing and turning for more than ten minutes, Lin Xiuyi finally gave up on the idea of ​​forcing herself to fall asleep. Frustrated, she scratched her hair and sat up in bed.

Since I can't sleep anyway, I might as well find something to do to pass the time.

He walked barefoot onto the cool floor and slowly walked into the living room, picked up the remote control on the coffee table, and pressed the power button.

With a soft click, the TV screen lit up, the picture flickering. He aimlessly pressed the channel changer, switching from variety shows to dramas, and then from dramas to late-night news.

I just wanted to browse around casually and hypnotize myself.

But when the nighttime news appeared on the screen, when the anchor's calm voice reached his ears, and when a line of eye-catching white subtitles appeared at the bottom of the screen, Lin Xiuyi's finger, which was pressing the remote control, suddenly stopped.

He froze on the spot.

An entertainment news story is playing on the television screen.

The woman in the picture is breathtakingly beautiful.

Her long, golden hair cascaded down, making her skin appear even whiter than snow. Her features were exquisite, as if they were God's most meticulous masterpiece. Her eyes were deep and unfathomable, like a cold pool. Even though it was just a still photo, it exuded a sense of oppression and mystery that made people afraid to look directly at her.

She stood at the airport arrival gate, dressed in a well-tailored black dress, facing countless reporters' cameras. Her face was devoid of any smile; she was indifferent and noble, like a dark queen who had stepped out of a fairy tale.

Below the photo, a line of text is clearly written: "Famous Hollywood star Sharon Vineyard visits Japan again."

Sharon? She's in Japan again?
Lin Xiuyi's heart skipped a beat, and she tightened her grip on the remote control.

He recalled Sharon's warning when they last parted.

Because he is involved in the incident involving the diary containing information about the Black Organization, he is likely to be attacked and silenced by the Black Organization.

Sharon's expression was very serious, and her tone was earnest; she didn't seem to be joking. However, in the days since returning to Japan, he hasn't felt any signs of being followed or monitored, nor has he encountered any danger specifically targeting him.

Everything was so calm that he almost forgot about it.

But Sharon's warning clearly cannot be ignored.

Lin Xiuyi stared at the familiar face on the television, her mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

Was the previous calm because the Black Organization was temporarily preoccupied with him, or was Sharon's trip to Japan, as she had previously stated, to carry out an order to silence him?

Lin Xiuyi didn't feel much fear about the latter possibility.

He wasn't afraid that Sharon might actually want to kill him.

Because he knew better than anyone that if Sharon really wanted to kill him, he would have died several times over back in America.

With her strength and methods, eliminating him quietly would be a piece of cake; there would be no need to wait until now, let alone make a special trip to Japan.

She always left a sliver of curiosity about him.

Lin Xiuyi didn't know what that sliver of room for maneuver was, nor did he want to delve into it.

All he knew was that Sharon's appearance was definitely not a trivial matter.

Her arrival means that the peaceful days may be coming to an end.

This means that danger is quietly approaching.

That night, Lin Xiuyi couldn't sleep at all.

The disappearance of Mrs. Arai, Sharon's sudden arrival, the shadow of the Black Organization, and the group of unsuspecting friends around him... Countless thoughts intertwined and swirled in his mind, making him restless. He could barely manage to doze off for a while as dawn approached.

The next morning, Lin Xiuyi tidied herself up quickly and went out to the agreed street corner.

The fatigue from lack of sleep swept over my whole body, my head felt dizzy, and my eyelids felt as heavy as if they were made of lead.

He rubbed his throbbing temples, trying to pull himself together, not wanting anyone to notice his unusual behavior.

They arrived at the agreed street corner together with Kogoro Mouri. Not long after, Eri Kisaki, Yukiko, and Midori Orikasa also arrived one after another.

Upon meeting, Yukiko's gaze immediately fell on Hayashi Shuichi's face. Her eyes widened slightly, and her tone was full of surprise and concern.

"Shuichi, why do you have such big dark circles under your eyes? Your complexion is also terrible. Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Her clear, crisp voice immediately drew everyone's attention.

Kogoro Mouri immediately flashed a lewd smile that said, "I understand, I understand," and leaned closer, nudging Lin Xiuyi's arm with his elbow in an ambiguous tone.

"Hehe, I know, you must have been secretly watching something good all night while Lingzi wasn't home, and stayed up until dawn, right?"

Before he could finish speaking, Eri Kisaki's face darkened, and without a word, she raised her foot and kicked Kogoro Mouri hard in the shin.

"boom!"

"what!"

Kogoro Mouri jumped up in pain, clutching his leg and wincing, tears welling in his eyes. (End of Chapter)