Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

In the afternoon, the winter sun barely pierced through the thick clouds.

The sound of a car engine broke the silence of the forest, and a black luxury sedan slowly came into view, eventually stopping in front of the villa.

The writers inside the villa had already heard that a distinguished guest was coming, and they all rushed to the door to greet him.

"Oh my god! It's Mr. Yusaku Kudo!"

"Mr. Kudo! Welcome to our establishment!" Takahashi was the first to greet him, extending his hand.

"I usually read your works for inspiration, but I never expected to meet you in person today."

“Yes, yes,” Dashan chimed in, rubbing his hands together, looking somewhat awkward.

“We have studied each of your works repeatedly and have benefited greatly from them.”

Yusaku Kudo smiled and shook hands with everyone; his smile was gentle and polite.

While responding to the crowd's enthusiasm, he discreetly observed the villa and everyone present.

"Hello everyone," said Yusaku Kudo.
"I had long heard that a group of talented creators gathered here, and seeing it today, I can confirm that it lives up to its reputation."

"Oh, Mr. Kudo, you're too kind!" Sakurai said, somewhat flattered.

Just then, Conan peeked out from behind Yusaku Kudo and politely waved to everyone: "Hello everyone, it's been a long time."

"Huh? Isn't this the kid who followed Detective Mouri last time?" Sakurai, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized Conan: "You came along too."

"Yes."

Conan smiled innocently, looking nothing like a killer.

“There are many excellent writers here, and I wanted to learn from them, so I begged Uncle Kudo to let me come along.”

When Kudo Yusaku heard his son's cute voice, his fingertips unconsciously rubbed together.

He pushed up his glasses, his expression becoming more serious.

He looked around and slowly said, "Everyone, I'm here on behalf of Zheng Yi."

He said in a roundabout way:
"He mentioned to me that a group of excellent writers who were struggling with creative blocks had gathered here."

"He hoped I could come over and do my best to provide some...writing assistance to everyone."

"help?"

Hashimoto repeated the word.

“Yes, help.” Kudo Yusaku nodded. “Mr. Shoichi said he hopes that everyone can write even more brilliant and moving works.”

"After all, the path of literature is endless, and exchange and discussion are often the best catalysts."

After these words were spoken, the room fell silent.

Which of these writers wasn't proud and arrogant?
Normally, neither of them would yield to the other.

Although Yusaku Kudo is more famous and his books sell better.

But these people may not necessarily be willing to be guided by him.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Kudo!" Takahashi said excitedly.

"To receive your guidance is an opportunity we've been dreaming of!"

"Yes, yes, we will definitely study hard and live up to Mr. Kudo and Mr. Shoichi's expectations!"

Everyone chimed in, but the enthusiasm on their faces had waned considerably, and their perfunctory attitude was visibly evident.

"Please stop talking outside, Mr. Kudo, come in!"

With a professional smile plastered on his face, Takahashi led Kudo Yusaku into the villa.

"excuse me."

Yusaku Kudo nodded slightly.

"You are all talented creators. Being invited here by Mr. Shoichi is itself a recognition of your abilities," Kudo Yusaku said slowly.

"However, when Mr. Zhengyi entrusted me to come here, he specifically instructed me on one thing."

Everyone looked at Yusaku Kudo.

Besides providing guidance, what else is there to do?
"He takes this creative process very seriously and won't tolerate the slightest carelessness." Yusaku Kudo adjusted his glasses.

"He asked me to also check whether everyone was putting enough effort into the writing process and whether they had deviated from the path he had set."

The living room fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

"Judges".

Yusaku Kudo was a judge sent by Shoichi.

However, Zheng Yi never revealed his destined path beforehand; it was all based on their guesses.

Takahashi's eyes flickered for a moment, then he showed a knowing look.

It's because I didn't say it before.

It's perfectly normal to send a "judge" over to provide guidance during the writing process and ensure that the story doesn't deviate from the intended theme.

“I see,” Takahashi broke the silence first.

"Mr. Zhengyi is really thoughtful. With a master like Mr. Kudo overseeing things, we can write works that better suit his wishes."

“Yes, yes,” Hashimoto echoed, a relaxed smile on his face.

“Sometimes when we’re writing, we can easily get stuck on a single point. With Mr. Kudo’s guidance, we can avoid taking detours.”

Those two sycophants!

He was just stammering and deliberately not explaining things clearly, making things more difficult for them, and you guys still praised him for it.

He lacked any scholarly integrity.

Hashimoto was figuring out how to use Kudo Yusaku's "guidance" to enhance his own work.

He might even take this opportunity to establish some kind of connection with Yusaku Kudo.

She didn't think she was competitive among these people; that billion yen was too far out of reach for her.

Her purpose in coming here was to enhance her resume.

Competing alongside these well-known writers is a way of subtly elevating one's own status.

Gaining the friendship of those great writers was an unexpected bonus.

Everyone suddenly became much more polite to Yusaku Kudo.

The afternoon sun shone through the gaps in the heavy curtains.

Kudo Yusaku sat behind the large mahogany desk in the living room, with several manuscripts recently delivered by authors piled up in front of him.

He flipped through the pages slowly, but with great method.

After reading each article, he would look up and give the author a gentle smile.

"Ms. Sakurai, your psychological descriptions are very delicate. The suffocating feeling of struggling in despair is almost overflowing from the page."

Yusaku adjusted his glasses and said sincerely, "Especially the depiction of the victim's stream of consciousness before his death."

Sakurai's previously tense shoulders instantly relaxed.

"Ms. Hashimoto has a great grasp of pacing." Yusaku quickly turned to the next book.

"The transition is clean and concise, without any unnecessary words. However, the motivation here seems a bit far-fetched. If it could be foreshadowed more subtly, the effect would be better."

Hashimoto nodded repeatedly, but felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.

Is it that I don't want to find a reasonable motive?

The information was provided by Zheng Yi, and it's just so unreasonable.

However, it cannot be written entirely based on true events; some appropriate artistic creation is necessary.

Yusaku said to Daiyama, "The method used in this secret room is very innovative."

A smile appeared on Da Shan's face.

That was his original plot, adding another sin to Zheng Yi's character.

As night falls, the villa is brightly lit.

Dinner took place in an eerily harmonious atmosphere.

The rivalry between these writers has already begun, and there is already some discord in their words.

"Ms. Sakurai, could you please not smoke while eating?" Hashimoto said, displeased.

"I'm a long-time smoker, I can't quit," Sakurai said nonchalantly.

She gave Hashimoto a disdainful look.

"Don't forget, without my recommendation, you wouldn't even be qualified to be here, let alone try to lecture me."

Hashimoto clenched his fist.

Takahashi ate his meal silently, curiously observing the two women. He assumed Sakurai and Hashimoto had a good relationship.

After all, it was Sakurai who recommended Hashimoto to come here, but now it seems that's not the case.

The three editors and writers of "Detective Magure" – Takahashi, Oyama, and Ishimoto – seem to have a much more harmonious relationship.

Ishimoto liked to act like a senior and boss Daiyama around.

But Dashan was very self-aware as a junior and didn't feel anything was wrong.

Takahashi is unambitious and doesn't care much about anything, nor does he meddle in other people's affairs.

Yusaku Kudo remained indifferent, while Conan secretly observed his surroundings.

Conflict has already arisen among the characters, and Conan senses that something is about to happen.

Sakurai and Hashimoto were still arguing about smoking.

"Fine, I'll go outside to smoke, okay?" Sakurai said impatiently, getting up to go outside.

Hashimoto snorted and left the table.

Takahashi smiled and said to Kudo Yusaku, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, but this has almost become a regular feature of our villa."

Conan blinked his big eyes and asked, "Do they often argue like this?"

“They argue almost every day,” Takahashi said.

After dinner, Yusaku Kudo and Conan went to the guest room prepared for them by the butler.

Closing the door shut out the noise from outside.

Yusaku's professional smile vanished, and he walked to the window, drawing the curtains tightly shut.

The enclosed environment also made it suitable for the father and son to have some private conversations.

Conan scratched his messy black hair in frustration, suddenly feeling very depressed.

He looked at his father and said, "Brother Zhengyi said that the development of the antidote seems to have hit a bottleneck. I don't know how much longer this body can be maintained."

“Don’t rush.” Yusaku interrupted him: “Shoichi called me earlier and said he seems to be working on Plan B.”

"I don't know the specifics, but he promised he wouldn't make Xiaolan wait any longer."

"Huh?" Conan was stunned, then his cheeks flushed slightly, and he stammered in explanation:

"We're just... just ordinary childhood friends."

"Yes, yes, just ordinary childhood friends." Yusaku's lips curled into a mischievous smile.

"Dad!" Conan's face turned even redder.

Conan changed the subject, saying, "But what's Zheng Yi's Plan B? What is it?"

"I don't know either." Yusaku Kudo shook his head.

"I'll ask Masakazu later," Conan said softly.

If developing an antidote isn't feasible, what other options are there? Is it magic?

Suddenly, a sharp, piercing crash shattered the tranquility of the night.

"boom--!!"

The sound was like a heavy object slamming into a wall.

Conan and Yusaku Kudo, who were chatting, were both startled when they heard the voice.

The two ran to the window at the same time, pulled back the curtains, and looked outside.

There were streetlights all around the villa, except for one streetlight on the west side which was off.

Immediately following was a piercing scream.

"what--!!"

"The cries came from that place where there were no streetlights."

Conan quickly jumped out of bed and rushed to the door.

Yuzuo followed closely behind, pushed open the door, and found the corridor in complete chaos.

Takahashi and the others walked out of the bedroom, puzzled.

"What happened?"

"What was that sound just now?"

Who's screaming?

In the chaos, Hashimoto stumbled up the stairs, his face ashen, his finger trembling as he pointed outside:

"Dead...dead...someone is dead!"

Everyone looked at each other.

Only Sakurai and Miki the butler were missing.

"What happened?" Miki came out with a flashlight.

Conan said in a deep voice, "Something happened to Miss Sakurai."

Yusaku Kudo and Conan pushed through the crowd and rushed to the window.

The streetlights were malfunctioning, so the situation below was unclear. All that could be vaguely seen was a dark figure lying there silently, motionless.

"Let's call the police first," Yusaku Kudo said.

"it is good."

Takahashi took out his phone and then skillfully made a call to Masakazu.

……

"Are you dead again?"

Inspector Megure of the Metropolitan Police Department was shocked after receiving the emergency call.

How come someone died again at Zheng Yi's villa?

"Was it Zheng Yi who killed him?" Sato asked.

Following the previous case.

Sato began investigating Shoichi, but it was difficult to find any trace of Shoichi's actions.

"I don't think so?" Takagi said weakly.

He looked at Sato and Inspector Megure and whispered:
"Mr. Zhengyi has no motive to take action, does he? Is he just unwilling to pay?"

“Who said there isn’t!” Sato said.

She investigated these writers and finally found some commonalities among them.

Sato said, "Takahashi, Oyama, and Ishimoto are the editors and writers of 'Detective Magure'."

"Among them, Takahashi and Ishimoto both wrote some real cases when they were writing the script, and they were cases related to Shoichi."

"Dashan went even further, even writing a short story where the murderer was secretly manipulating others, which was a clear reference to Zhengyi."

Inspector Megure and Takagi were both taken aback.

Are these three people really that brave?

Takagi said in a low voice, "Aren't these three alright? They haven't been harmed yet."

Zheng Yi had clearly forgiven them.

Or perhaps, Zheng Yi had no idea what they had done.

“Sakurai and the others did it too.”

Sato continued, "In Matsumura's new book, there is also a character who is subtly referenced as Shoichi. And Takeda directly plagiarized Matsumura's new book."

Inspector Megure: ...

Why does it feel like Takeda suffered some unexpected misfortune?

“Sakurai spoke ill of Shoichi during a public interview,” Sato continued.
"Hashimoto published an article about crime in a magazine, which led many people to implicate Shoichi."

All seven of them did it.

Actually, more than just those seven people did it; it's just that those six were the most famous.

Hashimoto was just a forced addition.

Inspector Megure rubbed his temples, feeling extremely irritated.

What's going on here?
Is this a literary inquisition?

If Sato's speculation is true, wouldn't Japanese writers be constrained and afraid to express themselves when creating their works, lest they touch upon the taboos of the Shoichi sect?
Is he trying to destroy the Japanese literary world?
"Never mind, let's dispatch the police first." (End of Chapter)