He's in Detective Conan, and he's the mastermind behind everything.

Because that's what he couldn't understand.

What exactly is the mastermind behind this? Surely his sarcastic remark wasn't just a momentary lapse of judgment!

Without further evidence, this problem remains unresolved, so we must temporarily set it aside and investigate other avenues first.

Shinichi Kudo changed the subject: "Aunt Eri, could you please go to the Metropolitan Police Department now? We want to conduct a comparative profile of you and Ms. Towako from various angles to confirm the specific reasons why Uncle Mori was used that night."

There was silence on the other end of the phone, except for a faint cracking sound of bones.

Shinichi Kudo thought for a moment: "I'm sorry to have kept you so late, Aunt Eri, but because the situation has escalated, I'm worried that if we delay any longer, other things might happen, so..."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Inspector Megure interrupted, "Attorney Kisaki, please don't misunderstand. We didn't intend to compare you to Touko; we were simply investigating the truth of the case. As for what Brother Mori said... well..."

Inspector Megure scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly, "I also think he went too far, but he sounded quite sincere, not like he was making excuses for himself, you..."

"Ha~"

Eri Kisaki sneered, "So he mistook that woman for me, right? So in his heart, I shouldn't be a lawyer, but a hostess at a nightclub."

"That's definitely not how it is!"

Megure quickly explained, "Brother Mori was just drunk at the time, completely drunk. He was probably thinking about you, Attorney Kisaki, and then he accidentally saw things wrong."

"Isn't this just a simple coincidence? Let's close the case quickly, what do you need me to do there?"

Eri's voice was icy, making Inspector Megure break out in a cold sweat, but he couldn't find the words to say. After all, any woman with a respectable profession would probably not be happy to be compared to a nightclub madam.

There's a saying that there's no such thing as a superior or inferior profession, but reality is...

Maybe so.

Inspector Megure looked to Shinichi Kudo for help. Shinichi Kudo thought for two seconds, took out his phone, and dialed Kogoro Mouri's number.

Don't ask why Kogoro Mouri still has a cell phone while he's in custody; it's just a little bit of capriciousness due to "connections."

Shinichi Kudo explained the situation to him, turned on speakerphone, and five seconds later...

"Eri, I'm sorry..."

His voice sounded somewhat aged and trembled slightly.

On the other side, beside the flower bed in the courtyard of Beika Central Hospital, Xiaolan, sitting on a bench, sighed softly and turned down the volume of her headset a little.

Mom and Dad, will you make up tonight?

Chapter 37 In the Name of Love, the Original Sin of Pride!

An ear was hidden in the flower basket beside Eri's hospital bed.

It wasn't a bugging device, but another mobile phone, since the former, Ying Sheng, was a bit difficult to explain.

Two new cell phones and a flower basket were handed to Xiaolan at the entrance of Beihua Central Hospital by a young female employee wearing a delivery uniform, a mask, and a baseball cap.

Xiaolan turned on her headset to thank Yingsheng and jokingly asked: Are these two phones meant for her to smash when she gets angry again?

Yingsheng told her that before that, the phone could have another use.

Of course, that's assuming she's willing.

After thinking for a long time, Xiaolan finally made up her mind.

She wanted to know the truth!

As Ran took the initiative to call Inspector Megure and left the ward, she desperately hoped her mother would call her back and tell her that she didn't need to leave, that they were family, and that no matter what happened, they would face it together.

but no.

With a slight sense of disappointment, Xiaolan walked down the stairs and took out her headset at the first corner of the stairwell.

Finally, she overheard her mother's entire conversation with the police, hearing about the possible mastermind, her father's remorse, and her mother's forgiveness...

It can't be said that I completely forgave him, but I was just soft-hearted and decided to go to the Metropolitan Police Department to cooperate with the investigation.

beep beep-

The phone call in the ward ended, and there was no sound coming from the earpiece for a long time.

"Water Moon Lord".

"Ok?"

"Thank you."

Even though she could only hear the voice through the earpiece, and even though they were friends she had only recently become acquainted with, at this moment, it gave her a unique comfort.

"It's nothing. What do you plan to do now?"

"I do not know."

Xiao Lan looked at the delicate white flowers in the flower bed. The night breeze made them tremble violently, as if they were about to break at any moment, and sighed softly.

"There might be some reason why they didn't tell me, since I really had no clue."

"You're wrong. If they involve you in the investigation, they might discover an unexpected breakthrough."

"Don't try to comfort people like that, it's so fake."

"This is not a consolation. In short, excluding you is a huge mistake in every respect. If there really is a mastermind behind all this, he will be very happy."

Ran gently shook her head: "Instead of saying these things, you might as well say that Shinichi and the police don't have many clues yet, so that I don't seem so stupid."

"It's just that we don't have enough clues; it has nothing to do with intelligence."

"Oh, and what about Mizuki-kun?"

“I am not good at reasoning, and I do not know the whole story; I do not know Mr. Mori, nor do I know his personality and logic; I have never met Miss Towako and Attorney Kisaki, and I do not know their differences in appearance, so it is even more impossible for me to complete the puzzle.”

After thinking for a moment, Xiaolan recounted to Yingsheng what Shihezi had told her about that night.

"now what?"

“There are indeed suspicious points, but nothing can be verified from this one-sided perspective. Moreover, the police have multiple perspectives from Mr. Mori and other witnesses, making it easier for them to investigate if there are any problems.”

"The key question is why Dad made a mistake, right?"

"Of course, that's assuming he's not lying. And even so, I'm more inclined to believe it was an accident, for the same reason Inspector Megure said: a severely intoxicated person's eyesight is unreliable."

"Especially since Miss Toko was wearing glasses at the time, maybe that's why Dad made a mistake?"

"I think that's very likely, but we still have to wait for the police investigation. By the way, aren't you going back to your ward? Your mother should be preparing to leave soon."

Xiao Lan sighed softly, got up, and walked towards the ward.

"The result is exactly the same as before. Sigh, you were right last time, I really am just a pretty face now."

"I already said it's because we don't have enough clues. Don't wallow in self-pity. If you really want to get involved, just go to the Metropolitan Police Department and confront them later."

"Forget it. If we do that, you can't guess their reaction."

"Be a little tougher. If you have any complaints, you should express them. It's really hard to keep suppressing them."

"It's okay, I'm used to it."

"Too white, that sounds really sad. But please forgive my bluntness, attitudes aren't formed in a day, and you bear some responsibility for how they treat you now."

"Yes Yes Yes."

Ran said helplessly, "It seems that Suigetsu-kun has a lot of opinions about Yamato Nadeshiko. But I'm not that gentle, am I? I don't want them to think that I'm a delicate flower in a greenhouse, unable to withstand any wind or rain."

"Then let's say half of it is. The other problems stem from them. Hmm... this is out of concern for you."

"That's exactly why I have no choice."

"Oh dear, have you realized the existence of these shackles?"

"I didn't say that."

Xiaolan didn't say it out loud, but when she saw her mother again in the hospital corridor and the first thing she heard was, "Xiaolan, be careful on your way home alone," did she have any other thoughts in her mind?

She herself couldn't explain it.

"She comes when called and goes when dismissed. Oh my, having a daughter like her is so convenient. She does all the housework and cooking, and she's top-notch in her studies and sports. We never have to worry about her. On the contrary..."

"Shut up, you."

As the elevator doors closed behind her, Xiaolan was lost in thought when a sarcastic remark came through her earphones, which she immediately and irritably interrupted.

"I'm not a child anymore, of course my parents' important business is more important."

"So here's the question: isn't cherishing your family and cherishing yourself a serious matter?"

"..."

Xiaolan didn't want to think about this problem. She silently returned to her previous ward, where the flower basket was still on the bedside table, untouched. She walked over and took out the same model of phone as the one in her left hand, turning on the screen to check the time.

Saturday, 12:58 AM.

Goodnight, Mizuki-kun.

"Good night."

The matter at Mihana Central Hospital has come to a temporary end, and after a brief period of nighttime commotion, silence has returned.

Meanwhile, in the ward of Ginza Hospital where the deceased was found, a flurry of activity was underway as a group of people searched frantically, trying to find any clues.

But in the end, nothing was gained.

Given that Gao Yuanyi committed suicide tonight, he must have received some information, so why is there no trace of him here?

Shinichi Kudo glanced at the cell phone that had already been put into the evidence bag, his eyes darting around.

"After returning, seek help from the Department of Scientific Investigation."

If the mastermind contacted Gao Yuanyi by phone and then deleted the records afterward, then he has made a big mistake!

Megure nodded, leaving two officers to clean up the mess, and took Shinichi Kudo back to the Metropolitan Police Department. Ten minutes later, the two went to the detention room, where a middle-aged man with a mustache was pacing back and forth anxiously.

"Inspector Megure, has Eri arrived yet?"

Upon seeing the person who had arrived, he quickly went over to them.