Conan: I've been linked to the tech tree system.

Meanwhile, in the [Bio-Enhancement] module, in addition to Shiho Miyano's image, Kimie Shimabukuro's image has also appeared in the researchers' seats.

Although giving one of the three spots to Kimie Shimabukuro, a suspected researcher of unknown competence, was a huge loss, there was nothing that could be done.

After all, Toru Tono had met many inventors who were famous in the world before, but the problem was that none of them could be included in the system.

Tohno Toru probably has some special qualities that would make him stand out to the system, right?

[New researchers have been added, and relevant research materials have been sent to the host's mobile phone.]

Sure enough, after Shimabukuro Kimie's avatar appeared, the system seemed to provide new research data.

While Shimabukuro Kimie was recovering her strength, Tohno Toru took out his phone and saw a ghost email.

Just like the reward given for saving Shiho Miyano before, the system suddenly provided a large amount of research data. However, unlike the progress that came with APTX-4869 before, the research progress of this drug data was 0.

[Biomutant - Mermaid's Kiss (incomplete): A gene-editing/biological fusion agent. Its core components consist of recombinant enzymes, mermaid scale extract, moon jellyfish cell fluid, coral symbiotic flora, and moonlight essence. It can reconstruct the lower limb skeleton into a fish tail shape, granting underwater breathing ability, and significantly strengthening muscle fiber structure; the blood contains a high concentration of heme copper, adapting to the low-oxygen environment of the deep sea.]

In addition to the data, the system also provides the above description of the effect.

By the way, the APTX-4869 also has a similar model.

[APTX-4869 (Incomplete): A cellular reverse transcription poison/incomplete aging agent. Its core components consist of apoptosis-inducing enzymes, telomerase reverse transcription activators, Pandora's virus vectors, memory neuron blocking peptides, and black swan factors. Under normal action, it can rapidly kill and annihilate the target cell; under abnormal action, it can induce juvenile regeneration.]

This so-called incomplete version means that after the system provides the data, it can be manufactured immediately without further research, but it has significant flaws.

It's like a basic version of APTX-4869; unless you're one of the chosen ones, it's basically equivalent to a deadly poison, and it can't compare to the Silver Bullet at all.

The newly given "Mermaid Kiss" is even more so. Tohno Toru isn't the Pirate King. He keeps talking about finding One Piece. What's the use of having the ability to move freely underwater?

And we don't even know if it will turn back. If it doesn't, then everything will be ruined.

However, it is clear that APTX-4869 has great potential for improvement, not to mention [Biomutant - Mermaid's Kiss].

Judging from the name, this mermaid transformation is just one series, and it's estimated that the final research may even include the ability to transform into other creatures.

Who knows, maybe in the future we'll become Godzilla and wipe out the brewery or the FBI with a single atomic breath?

These are all hard to say.

Overall, Tohru Tono was quite satisfied.

After all, vacant seats don't create value, so filling the researchers' seats as soon as possible is the right thing to do.

This way, you can feel a greater sense of accomplishment from farming.

So, deep down I'm still Chinese?

Thinking this, Tohru Tono put away his phone and noticed that Kimie Shimabukuro was already able to stand up.

"Let's go."

he said.

"Wait a minute." Shimabukuro Kimie frowned. "You still haven't told me who you are, and what your purpose is in saving me?"

“Me?” Toru Tohno pondered for a moment. “I’m just an inventor who does it out of interest.”

This is how he answered.

"what?"

Kimie Shimabukuro was completely baffled.

-----------------

Tohru Tono returned to Kimie Shimabukuro's house and saw no one except for Shiho Miyano, who hadn't moved an inch.

I guess they couldn't stay idle after calling the police, so they went to the scene to check the situation, right?

"What did you go to do?" Shiho Miyano asked curiously when Toru Tono returned.

Logically speaking, Tohru Tono, as a detective, shouldn't have returned so early.

"Hmm... I guess you could call it a good deed, but I guess." Tohno felt that he had at least saved a pretty and kind young lady.

Although she's a young woman who killed three scumbags, I wonder if she can really be considered kind.

"You'll do good deeds?" Shiho Miyano scoffed.

"Ha, petty mindset." Tohru Tohru retorted as usual, then paused, "You might be getting another good friend to work with."

"Oh?" Shiho Miyano paused for a moment, then said sarcastically, "Your villa is quite the show-off, isn't it?"

"......?" Tohno Toru had no idea what she was being sarcastic about.

Chapter 171 My Heart Is Heavy

As dusk settled over Mermaid Island, the night sky was stained with ink, and the salty sea breeze, carrying a strange, burnt smell, swept across the entire island.

When Hattori Heiji and his group rushed through the dense forest, following the thick smoke towards the wooden warehouse storing festival supplies, the fire had already transformed into a raging inferno.

Flames licked at the decaying beams and pillars, crackling and popping, while flying sparks were scattered by the sea breeze into a scarlet meteor shower, illuminating an area of ​​a hundred meters as if it were a living hell.

Xiaolan, who followed behind, gripped her phone so tightly her knuckles turned white. "The fire department said they wouldn't arrive for at least twenty minutes..." Before she could finish speaking, a burning beam collapsed with a crash, and sparks drifted like will-o'-the-wisps towards the shrine's shimenawa (sacred rope).

The warehouse was engulfed in flames and burned all night.

Faced with the might of nature, even the detectives, the darlings of the Conan world, could only linger outside the warehouse, anxiously watching.

When the firefighters arrived, they managed to extinguish the fire with great difficulty. By daybreak, only the charred skeleton of the warehouse remained.

What happened three years ago is happening again.

"The main structure is completely carbonized, and we will have to wait at least three hours before we can begin the investigation," the arriving police explained to the anxious crowd.

The island is isolated from the outside world, and the fire department's water bags are full of mud and unusable.

Much later, the police entered the warehouse and found a body that had been burned beyond recognition.

"A charred corpse?"

Heiji, who hadn't slept well all night, repeated the forensic doctor's words in surprise.

"Yes, although the deceased's body was charred black, it was clear that he was wearing glasses and blue clothes, which has been confirmed."

"The initial assessment is that she is a young woman." The forensic doctor continued, lifting a corner of the body bag. "Although the teeth and bones need further testing, the clothing fragments match what Kazue Saori was wearing when she went missing." He held up the evidence bag, the semi-melted resin frame reflecting a halo in the morning light.

The forensic doctor's voice was low: "I think that must be Saori, who has been missing."

As a forensic pathologist who also grew up on the island, he naturally knew the young man, Kadokawa Saori.

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, Xiaolan and Heye huddled together in fear.

"So, what we saw last night..."

Kazuha's trembling voice broke the deathly silence.

Xiaolan suddenly remembered the figure she had bumped into late at night—it was Kazuya Saori, who was wearing glasses.

But there was no way she could have been in the dense forest at that time.

Is it a ghost?

No one could answer them.

"By the way, where's Tono?" Hattori Heiji looked around. "I didn't see him last night."

He was referring to the incident last night when they ran over and watched the warehouse catch fire.

“I saw him when I got back last night. He said he stayed to watch the house in case it was a trap set by the criminals,” Conan replied. “Right now, given his schedule, he probably hasn’t gotten up yet.”

Conan looked up at the sun high in the east and sighed.

I envy people who have flexible working hours.

Unlike him, who still has to get up early every day to go to elementary school and pretend to memorize the multiplication tables that he already knows by heart.

It's a tragedy.

"Oh, as expected of Tono, I didn't think of that." Hattori Heiji nodded thoughtfully.

Conan suddenly remembered something and tugged at the forensic doctor's trouser leg. "Hey, big brother, have you found that Junhui sister yet?"

"Ah." The dark-skinned forensic doctor glanced at him. "Miss Shimabukuro has also disappeared. We've asked around but haven't found any trace of her."

"what?!"

Several people were shocked.

Conan's glasses gleamed with an inappropriately cold light.

A possibility occurred to him.

“Hattori,” he said in a low voice, “Miss Kimie mentioned that she saw a dentist not long ago, didn’t she?”

“Yeah…” Hattori Heiji was taken aback, then looked at him with an incredulous expression. “Could it be… no way? What are you up to now?”

Stop pretending.

Conan turned around abruptly. "I think you must have figured it out too."

"I have a very bad feeling."

......

Time flew by, and amidst everyone's worries, after lunch, Toru Tono and Shiho Miyano arrived at the Shimabukuro residence where Kogoro Mouri and the others were staying.

During this time, Conan was extremely shocked to discover that, in addition to the disappearance of Kimie Shimabukuro, the police also found that the "mascot" of Mermaid Island, the "longevity woman" who was said to be 130 years old, had also disappeared after checking the Shimabukuro family's house.

This almost completely overturned his already somewhat coherent line of thought.

'How could this be?' Conan bit his finger, completely baffled.

According to his reasoning, the "Longevity Granny" should have stayed in her own room no matter what.

strangeness.

Now we can only wait for the autopsy results and see if there are any unexpected findings.

"Tono, have you discovered anything?"

Hattori Heiji walked over, his heart heavy.

Tohru Toru glanced at him. "If I'm not mistaken... we're about to find Miss Kimie who has gone missing."