Daily Spy Life in the Detective Conan World

Chapter 258 The Value of the Castle

However, he still felt a little guilty. Torn by this dilemma, he decided to set up a double puzzle. If his children and descendants were destined to solve the double puzzle, they would naturally obtain the Egg of Memories.

If fate has no connection, then let the egg of memories remain buried in the basement of the old forest, waiting for some elusive person to come and take it away.

"It doesn't seem like the old man of the Mamiya family is being very ethical by doing this," Conan remarked.

His benefactor helped him build such a large business, but in the end, he actually set his sights on his benefactor's treasure.

"Merchants value profit over parting; the marketplace is like a battlefield, and merchants naturally lose their conscience after a long time in the business world."

Conan glanced at Natsukawa strangely, feeling that Natsukawa seemed to know a lot. Could he really be a rich second-generation?

"The case is almost closed. It's time to call the police and have Inspector Megure come and clean it up." Natsukawa nodded in satisfaction. With this letter, the ownership of the Egg of Memories was basically secured.

"Uncle Xia Chuan, what you just said..."

Conan wasn't interested in the Egg of Memories, but after hearing the story, he remembered the conversation between Natsukawa and Kazuo, and that's what he was more concerned about.

He, the innocent little detective, knew nothing about Scowling, assassins, or the underworld, but judging from Tian Yansheng's expression, Scowling must be a very famous assassin.

"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Xia Chuan asked with a strange expression, glancing at Bond with the camera hanging around his neck. "Isn't this all to create an opportunity for Bond? You have no idea how scared I was when a gun was pointed at me."

If it weren't for you being there, I would have abandoned the Egg of Memories and run away long ago.

Luckily, Bond cleverly attacked from behind, otherwise we would both be dead here.

"is it?"

Conan didn't believe it; he had seen Natsukawa's fighting prowess before.

His ten years of experience as a detective, starting from kindergarten, told him that Natsukawa was not afraid at all.

Honestly, back then, whether it was given to Tian Yansheng or to him, the feeling of Xia Chuan saying that he was Shi Kaobing was so real.

If Xia Chuan weren't Shi Kaobing, his acting skills would be truly remarkable.

"And what's the deal with that Scrooge? Where did Uncle Xia Chuan get information about this assassin?"

"I heard about this by chance when I was abroad. Apparently, he was a pretty skilled assassin."

It was probably in New York at the time. I saw the news in the newspaper, and later, when I had dinner with a friend who was in the police force, he mentioned the name. He was a very skilled killer who liked to aim his gun at the right eye when he killed.

Conan didn't reply. This sentence might fool Uncle Mori and Inspector Megure, but it wouldn't fool the famous detective, the washing machine.

However, he knew he wouldn't get an answer by asking, so he simply stopped asking.

Anyway, now that the spy is planted in Xia Chuan's house, he'll find out Xia Chuan's true identity and what kind of monster he is one day.

The two emerged from the secret passage on the second floor and returned to their room. They passed through the hall and saw that the painting of the old master of the Jian Gong family was crooked, revealing the secret passage behind it.

"."×2
The two looked at each other in bewilderment. Needless to say, the painting must have been opened by the group of reckless teenagers.

Seriously, even Ai Haibara couldn't stop them?
Natsukawa remembered that he had given the web-shooting gun to Ai Haibara and told her that if necessary, she could web Anya and the three little ones to prevent them from running away.

"Uncle Mamiya, can I have eel rice now?"

"Genta, didn't you eat enough for dinner? We need to find the key first."

Before the two of them could go up, a sound came from the secret passage, and then several children came down one after another.

One of the people who surprised Natsukawa was none other than Mitsuru Mamiya.

This guy actually ended up with the "Teenage Reckless Youths" group; I have no idea how that happened.

"Father, Father."

Anya got down, lost her balance and fell backward, and was then lifted up by a hand.

She was about to thank him when she turned around and saw Xia Chuan with an unfriendly expression. Xia Chuan's face was expressionless, as calm as still water.

"Um, um, it was Yuan Tai who ran away. I was afraid he would get lost, so I followed him out to check on him. It was definitely not his idea to come out on his own."

Anya's explanation was so weak that even she herself didn't believe it.

"I'll take care of you when I go home."

Xia Chuan ruffled his daughter's pink hair, a sense of helplessness washing over him.

He told himself that raising children is like this; if the little monster is too obedient, it will lose its innocence and naivety.

"Mr. Mamiya, what are you doing with a child?"

Mamiya was in high spirits and didn't care that Natsukawa's voice was a little cold. He chuckled and said, "I'm a light sleeper. I heard a little noise from somewhere and thought I'd come out to check. I didn't expect to find this secret passage. When I went up, I found all these kids there."

Unexpectedly!

The treasure our Mamiya family has been searching for for years has actually been found by a few children! I've long seen that these kids are clever, brave, and quick-witted, but I never expected them to give me such a wonderful surprise tonight.

"Surprise?" Xia Chuan frowned. Did this guy miss the scenery?
Oh right, he took the key out, so people can't open the window and therefore can't see anything, right?

He glanced at him with pity, shook his head, and said no more. Let him be happy for a while longer; there will be a time for him to cry later.

As for the Egg of Memories in their hands, the Mamiya family should forget about it.

"Oh, right, something happened downstairs. Conan and I have called the police, and they'll be here soon."

"Is there really a secret passage?"

Mamiya Mitsuru was filled with surprise and doubt. He had been in the castle for four years, practically turning the ground upside down to look for it, but he hadn't found anything. Yet these people had been here for less than half a day and had actually found the secret passage and his father-in-law's treasure.

Xia Chuan nodded, then fixed his gaze on the secret passage behind the oil painting. Conan had just taken the key from his hand and was now inside.

Mitsuru Mamiya didn't follow. Since he couldn't open it without the key anyway, he was more curious about what was in the basement and what had happened that required calling the police.

By the way, calling the police won't affect his inheritance of the Mamiya family's treasure, will it?
However, it's too late to stop it now, so it seems that killing Mamiya Shiro will have to be postponed.

“Grandma Mamiya Shiro has actually been dead for four years. The current Mamiya Shiro is an imposter named Nishikawa Kuni. I don’t know if you know her,” Natsukawa asked.

I first heard the name Nishikawa Kuni from Tayan Katsuo; Mamiya Mitsuru should know her.

"what?"

Mamiya was momentarily stunned by the surprise, his mind filled with both astonishment and overwhelming joy.

Good heavens, without lifting a finger, with the main competitor dead, all that's left is Nobleman Mamiya. Even without taking action against him, he can still get at least half of the fortune.

Xia Chuan explained the situation in detail to the other party.

Since Mamiya Mitsuru didn't take any action against Haibara and the others, there was no harm in telling him about it. With that letter, the ownership of the Egg of Memories had nothing to do with Mamiya Mitsuru and Mamiya Noble, so he wasn't worried at all.

Moreover, with Conan around, this matter definitely can't be kept secret any longer. When Inspector Megure arrives and Conan discovers that he has hidden the Egg of Memories, he will surely secretly inform on him.

“The Egg of Memories.” Mamiya Mitsuru looked on with envy, then remembered that Natsukawa had just mentioned the key, and immediately turned around and went into the secret passage, wanting to see with Conan what the so-called treasure was.

If the basement contains such treasures, the top floor space must be just as impressive.

As for the Egg of Memories, he also saw the letter, and Xia Chuan also talked to him about some legal knowledge. He already knew that the Egg of Memories had nothing to do with him.

Although slightly disappointed, the thought that the window in the top-floor space could still glow suggested that the treasure behind it must be even more precious than the Egg of Memories!

As dawn approached, the fiery red sun appeared on the horizon.

The police car arrived late, and Inspector Megure looked tired.

"Brother Natsukawa, did you really catch an assassin?" Inspector Megure asked.

Xia Chuan nodded, then glanced at Tian Yansheng, who had already woken up, and said, "I just asked, and his assassin code name is Drunken Peanut. He came to this castle twelve years ago."

Inspector Megure nodded upon hearing this and glanced back at Wataru Takagi.

Takagi Wataru nodded and left, presumably to check if the code name had any criminal record.

The two entered the hall, where the first thing they saw was the crooked oil painting.

"Huh, what's wrong with him?"

Inspector Megure noticed Mamiya Mitsuru slumped against the wall beneath the painting with a curious expression. Mamiya's face was blank, his eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was a mess from scratching. He was now itching to take down his father-in-law's painting, throw it on the ground, and use his size 43 leather shoes to wash his father-in-law's face.

What a bully!
The treasure trove turned out to be a scenic spot! What a beautiful sight!
What a wicked pleasure! He's been here for four years trying to solve this mystery, having to watch Miyako's face every day, and yet the result is so sloppy! Damn!

“He probably can’t accept the blow.” Xia Chuan shook his head. “His father-in-law left behind a treasure. After finding it, he discovered that the treasure was actually a scenic spot. I guess the scenery was too beautiful for him to process right away.”

"is it?"

Inspector Megure sensed a greater sense of disappointment in the other person's expression.

Led by Natsukawa, Inspector Megure went up to the rooftops and down to the secret rooms, finally uncovering the entire case.

The 200-pound Inspector Megure was so tired he was wiping away cold sweat, but he still managed a smile.

"Brother Natsukawa, looks like you'll have to treat us another day!" Inspector Megure teased. If this Memory Egg really is unclaimed, then the first person to discover it will become its owner, and that person is Natsukawa.

As for Conan, since he is a minor, he is protected by the Juvenile Law and is not involved in the distribution of lost items.

"No problem, no problem at all. If it really works out, I will definitely give the First Investigation Division a generous reward."

Inspector Megure nodded and had the Memory Egg taken away. "However, it needs to be identified and investigated before that. It should take very little time, so you don't need to worry about that."

Xia Chuan waved his hand: "Of course, I trust Inspector Megure a lot. I hope that Inspector Megure will promote this a lot and spread the word so that we can find a buyer along the way."

While the two were having a friendly conversation, Mitsuru Mamiya pushed past the police officers and ran up to them.

“Natsukawa, this Egg of Memories is an inheritance left by my father-in-law. How can it be considered ownerless? It is the property of our Mamiya family!”

Compared to when he first came out of the secret passage, Mamiya Mitsuru's mood had undergone a complete change.

The scenery is beautiful, that's true, but how much is it worth?

The Egg of Memories sounds incredibly valuable; it should be worth at least several billion, right?

Without comparison, there is no harm; he was jealous.

“Mr. Mamiya, you are mistaken. You have seen the letter left by the old master Mamiya yourself. It is very clear in black and white that this Egg of Memories does not belong to him. He is only the custodian.”

When the custodian dies and the owner cannot be found, the first person to discover the Memory Egg will inherit it. This is clearly stated in the law, and we are acting in accordance with the law. Please do not make things difficult for Mr. Xia Chuan. Moreover, the identification of the Memory Egg has not yet been completed, and we still need to find the original owner.

In short, everything is still uncertain, so please keep a calm mindset regardless.

Inspector Megure spoke eloquently, but his bias was still quite obvious.

There was no other way. Xia Chuan said that if this thing was sold, 20% of the proceeds would be donated to the Third Division of the First Investigation Department.

Who can stand this?
Whether used as funding or as bonuses, the amount is not small.

Moreover, Xia Chuan found it openly and honestly, not by stealing or anything like that, and there's an envelope from Grandpa Mamiya as proof.

"I don't care, sir, say something!!"

Mamiya Mitsuru turned to look at Mamiya Noble.

Mamiya Noble was still half asleep and didn't even notice when the police arrived. He was forcibly pulled up by Mamiya Mitsuru and was completely bewildered.

"Um, why were Grandma and Tian Yansheng arrested? And what are all these police officers doing here? Has the castle been robbed?"

Inspector Megure rolled his eyes, then waved for Wataru Takagi to take the other man aside to explain. He then warned Mitsuru Mamiya with a serious expression, "Mr. Mamiya, please control your emotions. And did you not see clearly what your father-in-law wrote on the back of the window?"

"I would like to dedicate this castle and this view to the first person who finds this place."

Actually, a simple handwriting analysis can confirm whether this message is from your father-in-law. If so, it can be used as a will and has legal effect.

The first person to find it will get the castle, and the first person to find the scenery... I don't need to say more, right?

Mamiya Mitsuru glanced at Natsukawa, feeling somewhat aggrieved.

"Hehe, Mr. Mamiya, I won't take the Egg of Memories for nothing. I won't fight you for the ownership of this castle. Just pretend I never went up there, and consider it as you found it yourselves."

It's clearly the Mamiya family's old castle, yet it was "gifted" by Natsukawa. I really don't know what to say.

Even the old man himself probably never imagined that the secret of this ancient castle would ultimately be revealed by outsiders.

Mamiya Mitsuru was still somewhat conflicted. Although the castle was large, it wasn't really worth much!
"It's already an immense fortune that Natsukawa returned the ownership of the castle to you. Don't be ungrateful!" Inspector Megure warned the other party.

Xia Chuan stood to the side, stroking his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

After a while, he said, "Actually, if the Mamiya family is willing, I can pay for this castle and let the two of you liquidate the real estate."

This castle is located in a remote area with inconvenient transportation; it takes an hour to see any signs of human habitation before you even get a glimpse of human habitation. Normally, I doubt anyone would want to buy it. Is that why you want the Egg of Memories?

"this."

Mamiya Mitsuru's expression was evasive, as if Natsukawa had guessed his thoughts.

"So, after much deliberation, I made a decision that went against my ancestors' wishes—to buy the castle!"

Natsukawa spoke righteously and sternly, but Conan knew that Natsukawa was never one to back down; the wounds on Mamiya Shiro and Kazuma Yukio were the best proof of that.

But what's the point of buying this remote castle? Conan couldn't figure it out.

"Really? How much are you prepared to offer?"

Natsukawa held up two fingers: "Two billion yen!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

Conan was surprised that Natsukawa was so rich, and Inspector Megure was also astonished. He never expected that Natsukawa, who usually kept a low profile, could suddenly come up with 2 billion yen to buy a castle.

Anya glanced smugly at the three little ones, as if to say: Look, this is my family fortune. After Father dies, all this property will be mine.

Ai Haibara stroked her chin, thinking that she could make some more expensive requests next time.

Dr. Agasa licked his lips, planning to go back and develop some new inventions to give Natsukawa a presentation, hoping that the latter would invest another billion or two in his research project.

"So many!" Mamiya's eyes widened.

The cost of this castle, converted to the construction price of that era, would actually be more than two billion, but unfortunately, its location is too poor, which greatly reduces its value. It's already terrifying that it can sell for two billion.

It's not that no one has been interested in this place before, but the highest bid from those wealthy people was only one billion, while Xia Chuan's bid was double that.

That's fucking rich!

"Sell! I'll sell it to you!" After Takagi explained the details, Mamiya Takato heard Natsukawa's offer from afar. Overwhelmed by the grief of her grandmother's death, she ran over, grabbed Natsukawa's hand, and tried to sign the contract, as if afraid that Natsukawa would run away.

Both sides were very satisfied, because Xia Chuan spent two billion, bringing the Blue Castle incident to a close, and the remaining two members of the Mamiya family were very pleased with the price.

Urged on by the two members of the Mamiya family, the contract was signed within three days, and the money was transferred to their respective accounts as agreed.

From then on, the castle had no connection with the Mamiya family and the surname Xia was changed.

In fact, Xia Chuan didn't act rashly; this ancient castle wasn't entirely useless.

Although it cost two billion, it was still a small amount compared to the wealth that the Egg of Memories could bring him.

The castle has a very retro style, with intricate secret passages and dark rooms inside. Xia Chuan plans to transform it into an adventure house.

The concept of escape rooms didn't exist in this era. With just a little modification to this castle, it could become a perfect escape room map.

We'll then collaborate with wealthy conglomerates like the Suzuki or Houmoto groups to develop this place into a team-building tourism destination. I believe we can quickly recoup that 2 billion yen investment.

Alternatively, it could be transformed into a hotel or guesthouse, providing a quiet environment for cultural creators, who can also climb to the top floor to enjoy the mountain scenery.

This is the kind of thing that creators in Japan like, so the market shouldn't be bad. The key point is that these people are all rich!

Even digging a few small pools, heating some water, and setting up a hot spring guesthouse would be a good idea.

In short, the castle has great hidden value, but the Mamiya family couldn't figure out how to monetize it; otherwise, they would have made a fortune long ago.

Anyway, Xia Chuan definitely won't lose money by investing 2 billion, and there's not much need for decoration, as the decoration style here already has a great atmosphere.

(There will be another chapter at 6 PM. Please vote for me at the end of the month.)
(End of this chapter)