Conan: Above all force, there is truth!

He wouldn't have come to this Bourbon if he wasn't genuinely short-handed.

Because compared to them, this guy is clearly closer to Vermouth.

Being so close to that secretist, this wave itself might also have some secrets.

Therefore, Gin has always avoided using Bourbon on important missions, and he even suspects that Bourbon is an undercover agent who has infiltrated the organization.

“Okay, I understand. Time and place?” Amuro Tooru chuckled.

"..."

That night

At the same moment, both Ryūno and Conan received a text message on their phones.

The letter was from Ms. Judy.

"According to intelligence, Vermouth has most likely already entered the country."

Upon receiving the message, Conan's expression changed drastically.

……

A few days later

Rice flower forest.

With the relocation of Fusa Company now largely complete, Dr. Agasa has more free time.

Therefore, at the request of the Junior Detective League, he readily agreed and brought the children to Mika Forest to catch bugs.

At Ayumi's strong invitation, Ai Haibara also came along and joined the boy bug-catching team.

Mitsuhiko and the others held nets in one hand and insect boxes in the other, looking around.

Just then, a joyful voice reached everyone's ears.

"Haha, another stag beetle found!"

Upon hearing the sound, everyone looked up at Conan in the tree.

Unlike the "mature" Professor Agasa and Ai Haibara, Mitsuhiko and the other two showed expressions of envy when they saw the stag beetle in Conan's hand.

Genta exclaimed excitedly, "The book is right! Stag beetles really are all on trees! Okay, I want to climb a tree too!"

"Genta, you can't get up there..." Ayumi looked at Genta with concern.

“Yes, I advise you to give up the idea of ​​climbing the tree.” Mitsuhiko glanced at Genta’s ’round’ body and frowned.

At this moment, Ai Haibara chimed in, "They're right. The only ones who could climb that high are probably Edogawa and the monkey."

After saying that, Ai Haibara glanced at the incredibly excited Conan, smiled, and shook her head.

Yesterday after school, when Ayumi and the others invited them to catch bugs together, Conan clearly had a "resistant" expression on his face.

But now it seems that he was the one who was most engrossed in the game.

Chapter 327 Professional Group

After hearing Ai Haibara's "advice," Genta stopped and gave up his idea of ​​climbing the tree.

Conan, perched in the tree, looked anxiously at Ai Haibara, who was smiling below, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his face.

Damn it! That Haibara guy...

When she gets home tonight, she'll definitely tell that guy Takeda about it, right?!

If that guy knew I was so into "kids' games," he'd definitely use that as an excuse to laugh at me!

Just as Conan was about to calm down his excitement to avoid being ridiculed by Ryūno.

Mitsuhiko, who was on the ground, seemed to have discovered something and shouted, "Ah! There are two over there!"

After saying that, Mitsuhiko ran to a large tree not far away and excitedly pointed to the two rhinoceros beetles on the tree trunk.

Seeing this, Ayumi and the others also ran over.

“It really is! There are two of them, one male and one female!” Ayumi exclaimed with a smile.

At that moment, Mitsuhiko reached out and grabbed one of the rhinoceros beetles, frowning as he said, "Strange, this female rhinoceros beetle has tape stuck to its back, and there's something written on the tape..."

"Huh? Where?"

Mitsuhiko held the unicorn and showed everyone the stickers on its back.

Professor Agasa glanced down at the 'V'-shaped tape on the rhinoceros beetle's back and chuckled, "It says 'open' on it. It's probably tape from a convenience store bento box. I've been busy lately, so Fusae and I have been eating bento boxes for several days now~"

Seeing the overflowing happiness on Professor Agasa's face, Ai Haibara smiled faintly as well.

Although I haven't seen Professor Agasa much lately, I can see this expression on his face every time we meet, ever since he got together with that Aunt Fusae.

"Doctor, what are you laughing at?" Genta asked, puzzled.

Genta's words brought Professor Agasa back to reality.

He scratched his head sheepishly and chuckled twice, then looked down at Mitsuhiko: "Alright, give me this rhinoceros beetle first, I'll peel off the sticker on its back~"

……

same moment

A man in a white suit was driving a red Alfa Romeo on the highway.

Just as he stepped on the brake pedal to slow down before the curve ahead, he discovered that the brake pedal had failed.

Seeing this, the man gripped the steering wheel with one hand and frantically pulled the handbrake with the other.

The scary thing is that the handbrake also seems to have failed.

As the man watched in horror, the speedometer sped up faster and faster.

The next moment, the car crashed straight into the crash barrier in front of the tollbooth.

After rolling several times, the car finally came to a stop against a pillar in the middle of the road.

A man in a white suit fell out of the car and lay on the ground covered in blood.

After a brief moment of panic, the two staff members at the toll booth immediately ran to the car to check on the man's condition.

"Sir! Are you alright?! Sir?! Call an ambulance quickly!"

Just as the two were about to call an ambulance, the man on the ground suddenly spoke up: "Qi...Qixi...Jing..."

After saying those words, the man lost consciousness.

"Sir, hang in there! Sir? The ambulance is on its way!!!"

At that moment, the two staff members did not notice that a mahjong tile with the character "seven of bamboo" on it had fallen to the side of the man.

……

Early next morning

Kogoro Mouri and Tatsuno received a call from Inspector Megure, inviting them to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Kogoro Mouri looked at Tatsuno and Ran, puzzled, and asked, "A serial murder case... Why did you suddenly call us here?"

Not only was Kogoro Mouri puzzled, but even Ran was somewhat confused.

Calling him Kogoro Mouri is one thing, after all, he used to be a "police officer" and is now a household name as a famous detective.

Inspector Megure often calls on him, asking him for help in solving cases.

But this time, Inspector Megure actually summoned Tatsuno to the Metropolitan Police Department as well, which seems to be the first time.

After walking a few more steps, Kogoro Mouri remembered something, leaned down and whispered in Conan's ear, "Listen carefully! I made an exception and brought you here! Be a good boy and wait outside. This is the Metropolitan Police Department! Don't run around!"

"Okay~" Conan nodded obediently, then secretly slipped the bugging device into Kogoro Mouri's pocket.

……

Soon after, Ryūno and his group arrived at the office of the First Investigation Division.

Officers Takagi and Sato opened the door just then.

Upon seeing Longye and the others, the two immediately greeted them and then said apologetically, "Sorry for calling you over so early in the morning, you must be tired!"

"It's nothing~" Longye and the others replied.

After a brief exchange, Officer Takagi extended his hand and said, "Come on, I'll take you to the conference room."

"Huh? Isn't the meeting room over here?" Kogoro Mouri glanced at the end of the corridor and asked, puzzled.

“Let’s go to the main conference room. Actually… this isn’t an ordinary serial murder case, but a large-scale series of killings.” Inspector Sato frowned. “This case has alarmed the higher-ups. Now, officers from all the locations where the crimes occurred are here.”

As Officer Takagi led Tatsuno and the others toward the large conference room, he explained, "A few days ago, we found a mahjong tile in a car accident near the tollbooth in Odawara City."

“Similar mahjong tiles have been found at crime scenes in other places before.”

"In Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Nagano and other places... so far, there have been five similar cases."

Upon hearing this, both Kogoro Mouri and Conan frowned and fell into deep thought.

A minute later, Longye and his group entered the large conference room.

The conference room was now filled with police officers from various regions.

Upon seeing Kogoro Mouri and Tatsuno, many police officers smiled.

The "brothers" from Kanagawa and Shizuoka—Inspectors Shigeo Yokomizo and Sango Yokomizo—immediately stepped forward to greet them.

Just then, Yokomizo Shigego looked at Ryuno and asked in confusion, "By the way, why is this kid here too?"

Upon hearing this, Officer Sato explained, "This time, it was Manager Matsumoto who invited them to the meeting as a special advisor."

"Hmph, to actually need to ask a detective and a high school student for help, how shameful." Yokomizo Shigego shook his head with his eyes closed.

Just as Kogoro Mouri was about to retort, three familiar figures walked over.

“I feel the same way,” one of the people with a cane chuckled.

Upon seeing the person's appearance, Kogoro Mouri was taken aback: "Y-you're not Officer Yamato from Nagano Prefecture..."

Before Officer Yamato could answer, a familiar woman stepped out from behind him: "Long time no see, Mr. Mori, Mr. Takeda~"

Upon seeing the woman, Kogoro Mouri's eyes widened, but he remained silent.

Ryūno greeted her with a smile, "It's been a long time, Ms. Yui. It seems you've made up your mind. Ran and the others will be so happy when they find out!"