Detective Conan: I, with my magical powers, am going to destroy the world!

The tourists on this island now are almost all hardcore superstitious people who came because of the mermaid legend.

They are the primary audience for those sensationalist stories.

He has always been fond of feudal superstition and loves to follow sorcerers and shamans.

Whether it's the longevity granny or the Onmyoji, these are all stories they like to hear.

Therefore, on this American island, among these superstitious tourists from other places, the reputation of the Onmyoji is naturally far more widespread than elsewhere.

Fans crowded around Chi Chufeng with enthusiasm on their faces.

"Is the Onmyoji here to challenge the Mermaid?"

huh?

A battle of wits?

Chi Chufeng was speechless.

We're peace lovers, why would we need to fight?

"You've misunderstood. I've come to visit the Longevity Granny."

Chi Chufeng parted the crowd and walked into the shrine.

Conan and Heiji Hattori happened to arrive at the shrine and saw Akatsuki Kaze, and both of them curled their lips in disapproval.

"This guy is so cool."

"Yes, you're always the center of attention wherever you go."

A beautiful woman with dark brown hair, dressed in a shrine maiden's robes, came out to greet them at the front of the main hall.

"I am Shimabukuro Kimie, the shrine maiden of this shrine. My great-grandmother is unwell, so she sent me out to greet the Onmyoji."

As Shimabukuro Kimie spoke, she looked at Akatsuka Kaze with curiosity.

For some reason, this man has a strange attraction to me.

"It's nothing. I was just asked to come to the island because I heard there's an immortal old woman here, so I came to take a look," Chi Chufeng said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Kimie Shimabukuro said with a hint of helplessness:

"Really, who said my great-grandmother is immortal? She just lived a little longer than the average person, and yet so many rumors have spread about her!"

"Uh, really?"

Hattori Heiji leaned closer, scratching his head, and said:

"But we heard from Ms. Naoko Kuroe, who works at the local products store, that Ms. Kimie Shimabukuro's great-grandmother is immortal because she ate mermaid flesh."

"Also, the reason why Ms. Kazuya Saori disappeared was because she lost some kind of dugong arrow and was afraid of the mermaid's revenge, so she fled the island."

"Huh? My great-grandmother ate mermaid flesh?"

Shimabukuro Kimie paused for a moment, glanced at Akatsuka Kaze out of the corner of her eye, and then covered her mouth and laughed.

"How could that be! Naoko is talking nonsense. Mermaids don't exist in this world at all! As for the Dugong Arrow, it was originally just a cursed arrow used to exorcise demons and ward off evil spirits."

"And then there's Saori. I've heard her talk about losing the Dugong Arrow and worrying about being retaliated against by the mermaids."

"That was four days ago. I asked her to come with me to the dentist in the local area, and she told me that at the hospital. But the whole 'mermaid revenge' thing is just nonsense!"

Suddenly, a woman's voice came from the side: "Junhui, you are so stupid! The reason you said that is because you don't believe in your great-grandmother's power at all."

Upon hearing this, Shimabukuro Kimie was taken aback, turned her head to look to the side, and exclaimed in surprise, "Kotobuki?"

Kotobuki smiled gently, and Hattori Heiji asked curiously, "Miss, what exactly is the power you mentioned that Miss Shimabukuro's great-grandmother possessed?"

"Of course it's her psychic energy attached to the Dugong Arrow!"

Shoumei answered seriously.

“I remember Junhui’s great-grandmother once said that the Dugong Arrow was originally an insurance for exorcising demons and warding off evil spirits, but once it was let go or lost, the demons would build a nest on the owner.”

"If it were a man, he would be buried in the earth and become a heartless demon; if it were a woman, she would enter the water and become a mermaid who cannot speak."

"Huh, is that so?" Conan looked incredulous.

His eyes darted around, and he asked Chi Chufeng, "Brother Chi Chu, do you believe in the existence of mermaids?"

All eyes turned to them.

Chi Chufeng thought for a moment and said, "If I remember correctly, there were mermaids more than a thousand years ago. They were aquatic creatures with human-like heads, fish-like teeth, and scales covering their entire bodies."

"It is said that at that time, there was a man named Takahashi living in Kohama, Wakasa. He caught a mermaid, but everyone was disgusted and dared not eat it. Only his curious daughter ate the mermaid flesh."

"Later, Takahashi's daughter lived for a full eight hundred years, and finally passed away peacefully by a mountain spring. She was known to later generations as the Eight Hundred Bhikkhuni."

Chapter 394 The Soul Clinging to the Witch's Leg

Hearing Akatsukaze's words, Shimabukuro Kimie couldn't help but shudder. Her face was pale as she said, "This is all just legend. How could such a thing possibly happen?"

Her panicked expression made Chi Chufeng take a second look.

Chi Chufeng continued, "However, by the Edo period, the image of mermaids had changed to have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish. They were evolving in appearance towards a human form."

"I estimate that even if mermaids really exist now, they might look exactly like humans."

“Just like humans!” A light suddenly flashed in Sumi’s eyes.

Shimabukuro Kimie's face turned pale. He turned to look at the main hall, bowed, and said:

"I apologize, everyone, but I need to prepare for tonight's celebration, so I'll have to take my leave now. If you are free tonight, you are welcome to join the Dugong Celebration."

Just as Shimabukuro Kimie was about to leave, she seemed to remember something and took out two plaques.

"Oh, by the way, I have two more number plates. They originally belonged to an elderly couple, but they suddenly had something to do this morning and left the number plates behind. Would you like to try your luck too?"

"Maybe I'll draw the Dugong Arrow, and from then on, I'll stay young forever and live forever!"

Chi Chufeng glanced at it but didn't take it.

It seems like there's something wrong with Kimie Shimabukuro; it's best to just observe from the sidelines.

He turned his head and said, "It's useless to me. Conan, Hattori, you two take it. This is the key to immortality."

"We? Immortal?"

Heiji Hattori and Conan took the number plates with bewildered expressions.

Seeing this, Kimie Shimabukuro seemed somewhat disappointed.

She forced a smile and said, "Also, if you want to know anything else about Saori, you can ask Sumi. Sumi's surname is Ebihara, and like me, she's Saori's childhood friend."

"Shoumei, would you please take care of these people?"

"Sorry, I'm not interested."

Toshimi Ebihara glanced at the number plates in Conan and the other person's hands, snorted softly, waved her hand, and turned to leave.

"Oh dear, Sumi. I'm sorry, I have to leave now. I'll come back to entertain you all after the festival."

Shimabukuro Kimie said goodbye and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Hattori Heiji frowned and said:

"Conan, you must have thought of the rumors about the Dugong's Arrow. If someone is deliberately using this legend, Ms. Saori might already be in trouble."

"Unfortunately, we have far too few clues, and everything is just speculation at the moment!"

Conan suddenly glanced at Akatsuki and asked, "By the way, Akatsuki-san, didn't you also receive a request from Saori-san? Why aren't you in a hurry to find her?"

Looking at Shimabukuro Kimie's retreating figure, Akatsuka Kaze said calmly, "There's nothing to look for. Her fate was already sealed."

In the eye of space, a dark soul was clinging to Shimabukuro Kimie's calf.

That must be Ms. Saori, who commissioned him.

However, it is indeed a bit strange.

Normally, a soul would rest on the head of a murderer, so why would she rest it on her lap?

Chi Chufeng slowly narrowed his eyes.

He did not rush to collect the soul.

This witch is no ordinary person; let's not alarm her yet and observe her first.

By 7 p.m., it was completely dark.

Inside the American shrine, the area where the celebration was held was brightly lit, and the surrounding area was filled with people who had come to participate in the celebration.

These people included island residents and tourists, all gathered together at this moment, waiting for the celebration to begin.

Conan and Heiji Hattori stood together at the front of the crowd, chatting and waiting.

Conan turned around and asked, "Where's Akaso-san? He should be here for such an interesting festival, right?"

"Hmm, who knows?" Hattori Heiji touched his still slightly swollen forehead and pouted. "Maybe he was bored, so he didn't come."

Inside the shrine, as the door in front of the altar opened, the crowd watching the festival became increasingly noisy.

Conan and Heiji Hattori looked at the room with curiosity.

"Hattori, what's the next part of the ceremony? Shouldn't the old woman make her appearance?" Conan asked.