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

She lay on the ground, feeling an unexpected familiarity with the opponent's counterattack, as if she had been hit like that by someone not long ago.

Maya Tachibana looked up at the man in black and realized that he had taken off his mask at some point.

The moonlight shone on the man in black's face, revealing his delicate features.

"Toru Tohno?!"

......

Tohru Tohno reached out and tugged at the police handcuffs on Tachibana Maya's hands. He found that the handcuffs in this world were surprisingly complex. Without the key, even he would have to put in a lot of effort to unlock them.

He simply pulled out the plasma gun, raised his hand, and fired a shot at the handcuffs. The chain connecting the handcuffs melted and broke immediately upon contact with the plasma ball.

"Hey, you should have told me before you fired. What if it ricochets?" Tachibana Maya was startled.

She pried open the broken handcuffs and discovered that, contrary to her expectations, the handcuffs were not broken by the bullet's immense kinetic energy, but rather melted by something.

And wasn't the sound of Tohno Toru firing his gun different from that of a regular gun?

Maya Tachibana stood up again, and only when the cool evening breeze brushed against her cheek did she truly feel that she had survived.

When Tohru Tohno took off his mask earlier, he had already explained to her that he was not a member of the Black Organization.

After the initial panic, Tachibana Maya recalled the beginning of the situation and realized that it was indeed as Tohru Tohno had said: he had never said anything about silencing anyone; it was just him talking to himself.

Feeling a little embarrassed, Tachibana Maya secretly glanced at Tohru Tohru's face, feeling that it was really wrong of her to reveal the Black Organization's affairs and involve a handsome... no, a young detective.

Wait, why does the young detective have a gun? And why is he here to save her?

Maya Tachibana discovered the key point.

"Could it be... that he fell in love with me at first sight, which is why he borrowed that strange gun and rushed over to save me?"

Maya Tachibana felt increasingly guilty, wondering how she could have dragged her savior into this mess.

There's no other way; it seems the only way to atone for my sins is by offering myself in marriage.

She opened her arms, ready to give Tohno a loving hug.

Then a large hand pressed directly onto my face.

......

Seeing Tachibana Maya's inexplicable reaction, Tohru Tono was already used to it.

He discovered that people in this world are very good at filling in the blanks with their imaginations. Conan and Sonoko were like that before, their eyes would look at him with a sudden realization one moment and a gloomy expression the next, leaving him completely baffled.

At first, out of curiosity, he subtly inquired about what they were thinking.

But each time, all I got was either a meaningful smile or a flustered "Nothing."

Asking won't help.

Later, he came to terms with it and realized that no matter what these people were thinking, he should just do what he was supposed to do.

who cares.

......

To stop Tachibana Maya from doing anything rash by pressing her face against his, Tohno Toru pulled the wire that Tachibana Maya was using as a weapon from her pocket with his bare hands.

“Hey…” Tachibana Maya saw him pull out the wire and was about to remind him that the thing was electrified, but she was shocked to find that the weapon, which should have automatically triggered the defense mechanism after recognizing a stranger’s fingerprint, was like a well-behaved child in Tohru Tono’s hands.

“This thing,” Toru Tohno flicked the wire, then pointed at Maya Tachibana, “I’m selling it to you.”

He ignored Tachibana Maya's shocked expression and extended his hand to her directly: "Ms. Tachibana Maya, let's get to know each other again."

"My name is Toru Tono, and I am an inventor with a wide range of business interests."

"I might be able to help with your brother's matter."

Chapter 19 Join me, girl!

"So you knew all along that I was coming to kill Kogoro Mouri today?" Maya Tachibana asked, somewhat incredulous.

"I guess so." Toru Tohno nodded. He had known about it for decades, if you count the time.

"It's amazing that you can pretend you don't know anything."

"As an inventor, acting is the most basic quality."

Tachibana Maya glanced sideways.

Is there any connection between these two things?

"So have you thought it through? I can help you rescue your brother." Tohru Tohno continued to ask, "Although I am not a member of the Black Organization, based on what I know about them, once you raise this billion yen and hand it over to them, the organization will immediately arrange for someone to kill you to silence you."

These are lessons learned through the blood and tears of your descendants.

"Do you know the organization well?" Tachibana Maya looked at Tohru Tohno and felt that he didn't seem like someone who could gain in-depth access to information about the organization.

“I know at least a little more than the peripheral members of your organization,” Toru Tono said bluntly.

“...They really show no mercy.” Tachibana Maya sighed. Just as Tohru Tohru said, as an outer member, she only met the codenamed members of the organization a few times a year, and her understanding of the organization was almost zero except for some things she had seen and heard.

"Why are you so sure the organization will kill us to silence us?" Tachibana Maya actually trusted Tohru Tohru to about 70-80%, but she was still a little unwilling to give up. "Maybe after I raise the 1 billion, the organization will really let my brother and me go?"

"...Do you know what the concept of a codename member is?" Tohno realized that this person was still not giving up, and it was time to tell her some cruel truths.

"what?"

“‘There is no distinction of rank among codename members in the organization,’ these are the exact words of a high-ranking member of the organization.” Toru Tono carefully chose his words. “Since your brother has climbed to the level of a codename member, his importance to the organization must exceed a mere ten billion yen.”

"Money has never been a concern for the organization."

"And judging from your age, your younger brother must be no more than twenty years old, right?"

While struggling to process the information, Tachibana Maya nodded subconsciously.

"He became a codename member of the organization while still a minor... Such a rapid promotion is either due to his parents' influence or because he possesses talent that would be valued by the higher-ups of the organization."

Do you think the organization would let such a talented person go so easily?

Tohru Tono's words shattered Maya Tachibana's last shred of illusion. She knelt on the ground as if all her strength had been suddenly drained away, her eyes slightly closed, and glistening tears gradually forming on her eyelashes.

"How could this happen... I just wanted to live in the sunlight with my brother." Tachibana Maya's voice choked with emotion, and tears began to stream down her face.

Tohru Tohno looked at her and scratched his hair in frustration.

He couldn't stand seeing women cry.

It neither solves the problem nor addresses the person who caused it; it only annoys people.

"Sigh." He sighed. "What's there to cry about? Didn't I say I had a way to help you?"

"...Really?" Tachibana Maya looked up, stubbornly opening her eyes to meet Tohru Tono's gaze, as if trying to see if he was lying.

...This is so difficult.

Tohru Tono sighed again.

He had originally intended to make some normal requests, but this situation has made him hesitant to bring them up for the time being.

"Give me a year. I will take your brother away from the organization."

"Really?"

"Really." Tohru Tohno felt that if they couldn't be rescued within a year, then there would be no future.

Upon hearing this, Tachibana Maya stopped crying and quickly stood up, extending her hand as if afraid he would change his mind: "Then let's pinky swear."

Tohru Tono casually reached out and pulled her hand.

It's like you're coaxing a child.

Maya sniffled a few times before gradually stopping her sobs. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

She looked up and met Tohru Tono's gaze again: "I know there's no such thing as a free lunch."

Tohru Tohno nodded in approval. Good, this woman does have some awareness.

“It’s simple. As you know, I’m currently selling some inventions on the underground black market, using a cash-on-delivery method… While most people are trustworthy, there are always some criminals who take advantage of their status as outlaws to renege on their payments.” Toru Tohno sighed with some worry. “And with the increase in orders, I could handle it myself before, but lately I’m starting to feel the strain…”

After listening for a while, Tachibana Maya felt she understood: "So you just want me to deliver goods and collect exorbitant interest rates for you?"

Tohru Tohru's eyes widened: "How dare you slander someone's innocence out of thin air?"

?

Maya Tachibana didn't understand.

"...What I mean is, I just want you to help me collect the debts that belong to me—what does this have to do with loan sharks?"

"You set your own pricing standards, you know them well." Tachibana Maya muttered. If it weren't for the fact that the murderer Yuda paid her a lot, she wouldn't have chosen to buy Tohru Tono's invention.

It's easy to use, but it's really too expensive.

Perhaps only those desperate criminals could afford it.

"Hey, let me tell you..." Upon hearing someone say that his invention was expensive, Tohno Toru immediately became unhappy and started counting on his fingers, ready to have a good argument with Tachibana Maya.

The cost plus labor is free!

"Pfft," Tachibana Maya couldn't help but laugh out loud when she saw Tohru Tono's expression.

Then, noticing Tohru Toru looking at him expressionlessly, he quickly straightened his face and said, "From now on, I'm your employee, boss?"

"Um......"

Tohno responded and suddenly felt good.

The boss, well, that sounds like someone who makes a lot of money.

That's a nice name.

......

[Mission Completed: The Beautiful Girl with Amnesia. Reward: 500 Detective Points]

After exchanging contact information and reminding Tachibana Maya not to take on any more assassin missions, Tohno Toru soon received a system notification that the mission was completed.

Working for yourself is indeed a form of salvation.

He told Tachibana Maya to go home and wait for orders, while he secretly crouched down and brought up the system panel.

"If I remember correctly, I should have saved up enough points to upgrade."