The Pirated Onmyoji of the Detective World

However, Miyano Akemi, who was standing next to Aragaki Yu at this moment, had no mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

She gripped Aragaki Yu's sleeve, nervously looking around, and asked him in a slightly trembling voice, "Are we really going to that cave?"

Looking at the silent surroundings, Akemi Miyano worried that the ghosts of the navy might suddenly appear from all directions.

"The culprit who attacked Mr. Mori was not the lighthouse keeper, Mr. Hinata, who sneaked out of the back door, which is the Aoki you mentioned, but the travel agency employee, Uehara Yasuo, who knew him." Aragaki Yu explained slowly to Miyano Akemi as he followed the tengu who was leading the way. "And whoever did it must be related to that ghost ship. Mikami Suzuka also said that the lighthouse keeper, Aoki, often went near that cave. There must be some connection between them."

After returning to the inn with Kogoro Mouri and the others, the tengu and the snow woman that Aragaki Yu had sent out returned to his side one after another.

To Aragaki Yu's dismay, the snow woman who had been following Uehara Yasuo lost track of him because she was distracted by the ice cream in the villagers' hands. In the end, she had no choice but to sheepishly return to Aragaki Yu's side ahead of time.

Fortunately, following Aoki's little tengu, I discovered quite a few interesting things.

Little Tengu discovers that Aoki not only frequently uses the telescope above the lighthouse to observe the direction of the coastline, but also secretly runs to the mysterious cave by the sea while most of the villagers go to the auditorium to listen to Kogoro Mouri's speech.

Although the little tengu didn't follow Aoki into the cave because he was afraid of the eerie, mournful cries coming from inside, he still gained something by finding the location of the mysterious cave.

Therefore, while everyone's attention was focused on the injured Kogoro Mouri, Yuu Aragaki decided to follow the tengu to explore the cave.

“Actually, Ms. Yami, if you’re so scared, you don’t need to come with me.” Aragaki Yu looked at Miyano Akemi, who was tense beside him, hesitated for a moment, and then advised her.

"No, I, I'm not afraid!" Miyano Akemi said bravely. "If there really are ghosts, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you run out alone, Aragaki-kun."

Upon hearing this, Aragaki Yu couldn't help but chuckle softly: "Miss Yami, have you forgotten that I am an Onmyoji? How could I be afraid of something like this!"

Akemi Miyano snorted, her face showing disbelief: "Hmph, how could there be such a profession as an Onmyoji! Little brother Aragaki, you don't need to lie to me, this kind of thing must be a charlatan! We should believe in science!"

Aragaki Yu couldn't help but smile. He didn't quite understand why someone who claimed to believe in science and not in things like Onmyoji would be so afraid of ghosts and monsters.

Not only Akemi Miyano, but also Ran and the others.

Miyano Akemi didn't want to talk about ghosts and monsters anymore, so she came up with another reason, though her face was slightly flushed: "Besides, Aragaki-kun, I know you must have come out because of your mission! It's easy for people to become suspicious if you come out alone. If the two of us come out, at least we'll have a reason to explain, right?"

Aragaki Yu nodded, realizing that what Shirano Akemi said made sense.

"Yes, that's true. You'd better stick close to me and be careful, Miss Yami."

Chapter 111 Gold

About twenty minutes later, Aragaki Yu and Miyano Akemi arrived at the legendary cave.

"It's so dark!" Miyano Akemi hid behind Aragaki Yu, cautiously peeking out into the deep, dark cave.

Yuu Aragaki turned his head and whispered in Akemi Miyano's ear, "Not only is it black, but it's also said to be filled with the souls of fallen Marines!"

Miyano Akemi:!!!

Little Tengu:? ? ?

"Ah!" Aragaki Yu, who had just finished joking with Miyano Akemi, suddenly let out a scream.

Although Miyano Akemi's face was a little pale, she still pinched Aragaki Yu's waist hard and complained, "Aragaki, you little brother! How dare you scare me!"

On the contrary, the little tengu, after hearing what Aragaki Yu said, silently crawled into the pocket of Aragaki Yu's shirt.

Yuuya Aragaki couldn't understand why all the shikigami he summoned were so timid. Yuki-onna was like that, Yoto-hime was like that, and even the little tengu he had just summoned was the same.

Could it be that being afraid of ghosts is contagious?

Yuu Aragaki patted Akemi Miyano's hand, which was still gripping his waist, and said, "Alright, let's go in. If we don't hurry, Ran and the others will start to get suspicious!"

"Hmm..." Although Miyano Akemi was still a little scared, she steeled herself and followed Aragaki Yu, who was slowly groping his way into the cave.

The cave was deep and dark. Yuu Aragaki and Akemi Miyano turned on the flashlights they had prepared beforehand, but the dim beams could only faintly illuminate the path beneath their feet.

The air was thick with a dampness that made it hard to breathe.

The sound of water dripping from the wall sent a chill down one's spine.

After walking for an unknown distance, a bright light suddenly appeared in front of them. Yuu Aragaki and Akemi Miyano quickened their pace and walked towards the source of the light.

Upon approaching, Yuu Aragaki discovered that this was the place where the Navy memorial tablets were enshrined. In addition to the tablets, a suit of general's armor identical to the ones they had seen in the Navy Museum was neatly placed next to the tablets.

From a distance, it looks just like a warrior in armor sitting there.

Looking at the memorial tablet placed on the table, Akemi Miyano said softly, "It seems that this is where the villagers worship the spirits of the fallen naval soldiers."

“Yes, and it looks like someone was here not long ago.” Aragaki Yu pointed to the few candles around him that had burned out.

Seeing this, Akemi Miyano guessed, "Who could it be? It couldn't be that man named Aoki, could it?"

"They might be the ghosts of naval casualties!"

As soon as Aragaki Yu finished speaking, a mournful howl, like the roar of the dead, suddenly came from the memorial tablet.

"Ghost!"

Startled, Miyano Akemi grabbed Aragaki Yu's arm and buried her face in his back.

Looking at Miyano Akemi, who was trembling and clinging to him, Aragaki Yu had to admit that it was a very erotic thing, but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to properly explore this place if he did this.

Therefore, Yuu Aragaki quickly reassured her, "Alright, Ms. Ayami, don't be afraid. I was just joking. This isn't the wailing of any ghost; it's just the resonance caused by the sea breeze blowing through the cave!"

"Who, who's scared! I was just worried you were scared, that's why I hugged you!" Miyano Akemi, realizing she had overreacted, hurriedly let go of Aragaki Yu's arm and blushed as she explained.

"Yes, yes, Miss Masami." Under Miyano Akemi's embarrassed and indignant gaze, Aragaki Yu smiled and gave a perfunctory reply.

He then walked to the table placed next to the memorial tablet, and after some thought, he grabbed the edge of the table and started pushing it.

"Aragaki, what are you doing?!" Upon seeing Aragaki Yu's disrespectful actions, Miyano Akemi couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

“Since there’s wind blowing from here, it means there must be something behind it!” Aragaki Yu explained.

Sure enough, as the memorial tablet was slowly pushed open, another cave appeared in front of the two of them.

After exchanging a silent glance, the two of them entered the cave at the same time. Upon entering the cave, they were greeted by a downward staircase, which they slowly descended.

Stab it!

Suddenly, Akemi Miyano's foot slipped, and she felt the stone bricks on the steps beneath her loosen, causing her to tumble down the stairs with a crash.

Luckily, Aragaki Yu reacted quickly and grabbed Miyano Akemi, who was about to fall down the stone bricks: "Be careful!"

"Ugh!" Startled, Miyano Akemi couldn't help but pat her chest and complain, "What kind of steps are these?!"

A moment later, the two had reached the bottom of the cave.

"Wow! This place actually connects to the sea!" Miyano Akemi looked out from the gap at the bottom of the cave and saw only a vast expanse of blue sea, so she couldn't help but exclaim.

Moonlight spilled onto the silent sea, shimmering like countless pearls gently swaying in the water.

The silvery moonlight intertwines with the blue sea, creating a mysterious and secluded atmosphere. The waves gently lap against the shore, making a soft gurgling sound that calms the mind and allows one to think deeply. The sea breeze caresses the face, bringing a touch of coolness.

"I see!" Examining the gap in the cave, Shinjuku deduced the cause and effect of the matter from the traces there. "No wonder the Ryujin-go appeared in the nearby waters again recently. It seems that three years ago, the Ryujin-go sailed into this cave due to a storm, and then ran aground here because of the cave collapse. That is why only the bottom of the Ryujin-go is rusted."

Upon hearing this, Akemi Miyano nodded and continued, following Yu Aragaki's words: "So, because of the typhoon a few days ago, this breach was breached again, and the Ryujin was swept out of this cave once more."

“That’s right! So this place is where the Dragon God has been sleeping all these years, and that guy named Aoki also knows about this. The reason he’s been watching this place from the lighthouse is because he’s afraid someone will discover it. In that case, the guy who killed those university professors back then should also be Aoki!” Aragaki Yu analyzed.

"So, that means the gold is in this place too!" Miyano Akemi seemed quite excited.

Yuu Aragaki nodded approvingly: "Yes."

Akemi Miyano curiously turned her head to look around, only to find that the area was completely empty, with no trace of gold in sight.

She asked with some doubt, "But where exactly is that gold hidden? Could it be that Aoki took it away? Or is it buried somewhere in this cave?"

“No, if Aoki had already taken the gold, he definitely wouldn’t have stayed here. The reason he’s stayed here for so long is because he’s still hiding from the news of what happened back then. So the gold must still be here.” Aragaki Yu shook his head, denying Miyano Akemi’s guess.

But where exactly is it?

Just then, Yuu Aragaki suddenly noticed that the stone brick that Miyano Akemi had slipped and fallen from was actually reflecting light under the moonlight.

He couldn't help but walk up, pick up a stone, and gently wipe off the moss. Finally, he couldn't help but laugh: "So that's how it is. This guy put all that gold into these stone bricks and made them into the shape of steps. In the dark cave, naturally no one would notice!"

Looking at the stone brick in Aragaki Yu's hand, Miyano Akemi's eyes widened slightly, and an expression of disbelief appeared on her face.

"This, this is actually real!"

Chapter 112 Fierce Battle! The Dead!

Twenty minutes later, Yuu Aragaki and Akemi Miyano lowered the stone bricks, which were wrapped in a net and had a locator attached, into the seabed near the cave opening.

"So, this is why we came here?" Miyano Akemi looked at Aragaki Yu curiously, who was brushing off the dust that had gotten on his clothes while carrying the stone bricks.

"Huh? What else?" Aragaki Yu looked at Miyano Akemi with a puzzled expression. "Didn't Gin tell you what we were here for?"

“No, he said all I need to do is drive,” Miyano Akemi explained, shaking her head. “He just told me to follow your instructions.”

Then, Miyano Akemi silently added in her mind, "Of course, I'm also responsible for monitoring your intelligence."

"Alright, that means our job is done. We can leave the rest to Gin and the others," Aragaki Yu said with a smile, staring at the spot where the stone bricks had sunk.

"So, boss, your Onmyoji identity is all fake?" Miyano Akemi rolled her eyes at Aragaki Yu, quite speechless.

Aragaki Yu looked at Miyano Akemi with a half-smile, and without caring whether she believed him or not, casually explained, "No, of course it's true. I really did come to deal with the ghost ship. This batch of gold was just an unexpected gain during the job."

"Hmph..." Miyano Akemi didn't believe Aragaki Yu's nonsense. Looking at the missing stone steps at the entrance of the cave, she said with some concern, "These stone steps mixed with gold have disappeared. They're bound to attract attention. Won't they arouse suspicion? You know, Kogoro Mouri is here too."

Yuu Aragaki looked around the cave, considered for a moment, and then said to Akemi Miyano, "You should go out from the exit by the sea first. The steps that led down have completely collapsed, and it's impossible to go back the way we came. I'll find a way to erase all traces of us here before we leave."

"Don't you need my help?" Miyano Akemi looked at Aragaki Yu with confusion, completely unaware of what Aragaki Yu was going to do.

Yuu Aragaki shook his head and said to Akemi Miyano, "You can go outside and keep watch for me!"