Conan: Above all force, there is truth!

“It’s the same no matter how many times it’s done. Just like what Takeda said earlier, the criminal’s method of killing is not that complicated.”

"Then how do you explain the spool of fishing line I found in the Japanese-style room?"

"It must have been a trap set by the criminals, probably to frame this old man."

"I just found several sets of fishing lines like this; they're everywhere in this house."

After saying that, Shinichi Kudo took out several bundles of fishing line from his pocket.

Seeing the fishing line in Shinichi Kudo's hand, Heiji Hattori became visibly anxious: "But this old man himself admitted that he committed the crime!"

Upon hearing this, Shinichi Kudo looked at the old man and frowned, saying, "This is because the old man deliberately jumped into the trap set by the murderer. He is clearly taking the blame, although I don't know why he did it."

Hearing this, Hattori Heiji wavered, putting one hand in his pocket: "Could it be... that the deceased committed suicide?"

"Do not."

After refuting Hattori Heiji's words, Kudo Shinichi closed his eyes and recalled, "Have you forgotten? When the victim was found, the stereo in the room was playing loudly, and there was a tall pile of books on his desk."

"The opera was to cover up any possible screams, and the stack of books was to prevent the victim from showing any signs of pain when stabbed."

After hearing these words, Hattori Heiji glanced at the stereo and the books on the desk, then instantly turned back and burst into laughter:

"Hahaha, what are you talking about! Who are you trying to fool by going to all this trouble?"

Shinichi Kudo smiled and said, "Of course, it's to keep you in the dark."

Hattori Heiji:"???"

"Of course, it wasn't just targeting you. The killer's goal was to cover up the actions of everyone who entered the house with her."

These words immediately changed Hattori Heiji's expression. He immediately turned to look at the client who had brought them to this mansion—Ms. Tsujimura Kimie.

At the same moment, Shinichi Kudo raised his arm, turned his upper body, and pointed at Kimie Tsujimura: "That's right, the murderer is you! Mrs. Tsujimura!"

Upon hearing their conversation, everyone immediately turned their attention to Mrs. Tsujimura.

At this moment, Kogoro Mouri also realized: "So, when we got here, the victim was still alive?"

"That's right. Mrs. Tsujimura simply put the victim to sleep with some kind of drug. Then, while she pretended to wake the victim, she inserted the poisoned needle."

"..."

Shinichi Kudo explained Mrs. Tsujimura's methods of murder to everyone.

At this point, Inspector Megure raised a question: "But if sleeping pills are found on the body, wouldn't this method..."

"No, we won't find out. We've always believed the deceased died before we entered the house."

"The killer specifically hired the detective to manipulate us, to make us believe that the killer wouldn't commit the murder in front of us..."

Before Shinichi Kudo could answer, Heiji Hattori, who was standing nearby, spoke up to answer Inspector Megure's question.

Then, he turned to Shinichi Kudo: "Kudo, if that's really the case, you need to provide evidence. At the time, Mrs. Tsujimura did not make any move to take out the poison needle."

"Yes, that's right. Madam Tsujimura did indeed use a clever trick to retrieve the poisoned needle. That was the key she used to open the door!"

“Since the key on Mrs. Tsujimura’s body is the same as the key on the deceased’s body, then her key should also be able to open it.”

At this point, Shinichi Kudo looked at Kimie Tsujimura and said calmly, "Alright, Mrs. Tsujimura. Could you show everyone the key you're holding?"

Seeing that Mrs. Tsujimura did not react, Inspector Megure personally stepped forward and took the key.

When he opened the key ring, he discovered a tiny slot inside.

After catching a glimpse, Shinichi Kudo continued to explain, "That should be the groove where the poison needles were placed. The lady immediately exposed the poison needles inside after entering the room."

"And this trench is the best evidence!"

Having fully grasped the perpetrator's methods, Inspector Megure then asked, "What was her motive? Why did she kill her husband?"

Just as Shinichi Kudo was about to explain, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart and immediately bent down to cover his chest.

"Damn it...why do I feel this way again! Am I...going to turn back into the same person again!?"

No! I absolutely cannot change back in front of everyone!

Thinking of this, he gasped for breath and laboriously turned his head toward where Ryūno was. He clasped his hands together and pleaded, "Takeda, I'm not feeling well. You know why, right? Could you please explain it to everyone?"

Shinichi Kudo knew from a young age that although Ryūno rarely did deductions, his reasoning ability was by no means bad.

Judging from his previous rebuttal to Hattori Heiji, he seems to have known the truth of the case all along.

If it were him…

Chapter 70 Where is Conan? Where is Conan?

Upon hearing Shinichi Kudo's request, Tatsuno, finding it troublesome, was about to subconsciously answer, "I don't know."

But when he saw Shinichi Kudo's pale face, he realized that the guy was about to transform again.

Now is certainly not the right time to reveal his true identity to the public.

He nodded to Shinichi Kudo, then turned and walked over to Inspector Megure: "Since Shinichi isn't feeling well, let him go and rest. I'll answer this question for him."

Shinichi Kudo breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Ryūno had agreed to his request.

He smiled at Longye and then immediately leaned against the wall and walked out of the study.

Under the curious gazes of everyone, especially Hattori Heiji, Tatsuno walked to the bookshelf next to him, picked up a framed photo, and showed the photo in the frame to everyone.

"If I'm not mistaken, Mrs. Tsujimura's motive for murder should be in this photograph."

Inspector Megure took the photo frame from Tatsuno and examined it carefully: "Is this a photo of Mrs. Tsujimura when she was young?"

“That’s right, Inspector Megure. Take a closer look, doesn’t Mrs. Tsujimura in the photo look a lot like someone?”

At this moment, Ran, who was standing nearby, also came over. After seeing the photo clearly, she covered her mouth in surprise and said, "Ah! She looks just like Ms. Sachiko!"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Ms. Katsuragi Sachiko, and then gathered around Inspector Megure to look at the photo.

"Ran, do you remember what Mr. Takayoshi Tsujimura said when we were going up the stairs? He said Mrs. Tsujimura was just a second wife..."

"It seems that Mrs. Tsujimura married into the Tsujimura family later. If I'm not mistaken, the reason Miss Katsuragi Sachiko looks like..."

"—That's right. Of course we look alike... because I am Sachiko Katsuragi's mother!"

Lady Tsujimura Kimie, standing behind the group, realized that the matter could no longer be concealed and directly spoke up, taking over Ryuno's words.

Hearing her words, everyone was shocked and turned to look at Mrs. Tsujimura.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Mrs. Tsujimura recounted the events that had transpired.

"Sachiko is the child I had with my ex-husband."

"That's right, she's the biological daughter of Kenji Yamashiro, the diplomat who was forced to commit dereliction of duty by my current husband, Isao Tsujimura, and dragged down from society 20 years ago!"

Upon hearing the name, Inspector Megure was startled; he seemed to vaguely recognize the person: "Kenji Yamashiro?"

"That's right, the diplomat who died in prison 15 years ago."

"Tsujimura Isao's real goal was to bring down Yamashiro, who was also a diplomat at the time but was his enemy, so that he could get me, who was still Yamashiro's wife!"

“I was unaware of this at the time. After Yamashiro was arrested and imprisoned, I entrusted Sachiko to Yamashiro’s relatives for upbringing.”

"At that time, Tsujimura Isao found me. He said he broke up with his wife specifically for me."

"That's how I fell for his trick and started living with that devilish man."

"I learned about this when Guishan brought home a photo of his girlfriend, Sachiko. At first, I just thought she was just someone who looked like me."

"But Tsujimura Isao's attitude was unusually strange. He slammed his fist on the table and said angrily and terrifiedly, 'Absolutely not, I will not let that man's daughter be with my son!' Under my questioning, he told me in detail about how he framed Yamashiro back then."

At this point, Mrs. Tsujimura glanced at her father-in-law beside her: "My father-in-law also helped Tsujimura Isao in this matter back then..."

Upon hearing her words, Tsujimura Toshimitsu lowered his head and said regretfully, "I'm sorry, Kimie, I don't know what was wrong with me back then..."

At this moment, everyone understood everything. The reason why Tsujimura Toshimitsu stood up to take the blame for Ms. Tsujimura Kimie was because he wanted to make up for the mistakes he made back then.

After everything came to light, the police officers put handcuffs on Mrs. Tsujimura.

Before leaving, Mrs. Tsujimura glanced back at Sachiko Katsuragi, who was crying, and then instructed Takayoshi Tsujimura beside her: "Takayoshi, given my current status, I may not be qualified to say these things to you. But... I'm entrusting Sachiko to you."

After she finished speaking, she was taken away by the police.

Ran and the others also understood why Mrs. Tsujimura was always so fierce to Miss Katsuragi Sachiko in front of everyone—it was because she didn't want everyone to discover that the two of them were actually mother and daughter.

Ryuno sighed as he looked at Katsuragi Sachiko, who was crying in Tsujimura Takayoshi's arms.

After going through something like this, can these two really continue to be completely fine and stay together forever?

That said, genes and luck are truly terrifying things...

Tsujimura Isao, the father, took a liking to Ms. Kimie, and his son, Tsujimura Isao, surprisingly also took a liking to Ms. Kimie's daughter, Ms. Katsuragi Sachiko, in the vast sea of ​​people.

This is hardly a matter of fate.

This is clearly a curse from the bloodline!

……

Just as Ryūno was complaining, Hattori Heiji walked over and patted Ryūno on the shoulder: "I really didn't expect you to be so amazing!"

"When you said before that the perpetrator used a simpler method of murder, did you already know the truth of the matter?"

"Looks like besides Kudo, I also have to watch out for you. By the way, speaking of which, where's Shinichi Kudo?"

Hattori Heiji turned his head around, but did not find Kudo Shinichi, who had disappeared.

After searching everywhere without finding Shinichi Kudo, Heiji Hattori suddenly pondered, "Takeda, do you remember what Kudo said before?"

"He seemed to have said something like, 'When the victim was discovered.' It felt like he had witnessed the scene firsthand."

"But he wasn't here at all, and I didn't see that Uncle Mori contact him. So how did he know the details of the case... Hey, don't go! Let me finish!"

Just as Hattori Heiji was making his own guesses, Tatsuno had already left Hattori Heiji and turned to walk to Ran's side.

Seeing the complicated expression on Xiaolan's face, Longye knew that she must be feeling down because of the series of events that had just happened.

So he decided to try to distract Xiaolan.

"Xiao Lan, I agree."

"Huh? Promise what?"

"It's that one Sonoko mentioned before, the singer's after-party, I promised to go with you guys..."

After saying that, Longye sighed.