Solving cases with Detective Conan's science? No, I'm a cultivator!

Inside the abandoned building.

Ai Haibara slowly woke up and vaguely saw a figure in front of her.

She tried hard to see the person in front of her clearly.

When she saw that stunningly beautiful face, Ai Haibara's pupils involuntarily contracted.

Vermouth quietly observed Ai Haibara, and no change in Ai's expression escaped her notice.

"Shirley, you actually recognize me?"

This time, Vermouth did not disguise herself but appeared in her original form.

Although Sherry held a high position within the organization, they shouldn't have known her true identity.

Ai Haibara ignored Vermouth. She didn't know how Vermouth knew she had shrunk, how she looked when she was small, and how she was able to find her.

She knew Vermouth's true identity because it was mentioned in a tape recording left by her mother.

Ai Haibara lowered her eyes, avoiding looking at Vermouth.

But then they saw several things lying on the ground—

Books, cell phones, talismans, guns.

Vermouth didn't ask any further questions, but instead squatted down and picked up the pistol.

"Browning M1906, where did you get this gun?"

This gun was her former sidearm, so she naturally recognized it.

She just didn't expect it to end up in Ai Haibara's hands. No wonder she couldn't find Ai Haibara anywhere; it turns out she was blind to what was right under her nose.

Ai Haibara remained silent, sensing that her chances of survival were slim, and determined not to utter a single word.

Vermouth sneered, grabbed Ai Haibara's chin, and forcibly lifted her head, making her look at her.

"Sherry, what's your relationship with Kitagawa Taki? Tell me, and maybe I'll spare your life. After all, we're business partners!"

Vermouth didn't hide anything and pointed it out directly.

Ai Haibara was startled; it turned out that Vermouth had thoroughly investigated her.

Her sister has probably already been exposed to Vermouth as well.

If Vermouth reports these things to the organization, then not only her sister, but even Kitagawa Taki will be in trouble.

Ai Haibara considered for a moment and asked, "Do you want to leave the organization?"

Vermouth was surprised that Ai Haibara would turn the tables on her and said with a smile, "You really are very disobedient!"

She originally had no good feelings towards the Miyano family, and after capturing the Miyano sisters, she intended to kill them as soon as possible.

But now an unexpected situation has arisen.

Vermouth lit a cigarette. "This is so boring. I'll just go ask Kitagawa Taki myself."

“As for you, if you can escape from here on your own or if he can find you.” Vermouth’s gaze shifted.

After saying that, Vermouth picked up the talisman and the phone, and put the gun, talisman, and phone away together.

Vermouth then left.

Ai Haibara was somewhat taken aback, not expecting Vermouth to let her go so easily.

Does this woman really want to leave the organization?

Unfortunately, even her mother's tapes didn't mention Vermouth's background or her relationship with the boss.

Otherwise, we might be able to understand Vermouth's behavioral logic.

However, Ai Haibara's most important task right now is how to escape from here.

Ai Haibara tried to break free, but Vermouth was holding her tightly, and she couldn't escape the ropes at all.

She looked around and found nothing that could help her escape.

Moreover, this is clearly an abandoned building somewhere. How is Kitagawa Taki supposed to find this place?

She has no choice but to save herself.

Then, Ai Haibara tried to move the chair she was sitting on.

If they could reach the cement pillar in the center of the house, they might be able to break the rope by grinding it down.

But she failed because her body had shrunk, her hands and feet were bound, and she didn't even have the strength to move the chair.

Is she just going to wait here to die?

……

By the time Kitagawa Taki arrived at the building, it was already 12:30.

Since he didn't know which floor Ai Haibara was on, Kitagawa Taki had to search floor by floor.

Finally, they found Ai Haibara lying unconscious on the ground on the third floor.

Kitagawa Taki breathed a sigh of relief after confirming with his divine sense that Ai Haibara was not seriously injured.

It turns out that after failing to move the chair, Ai Haibara simply knocked it over and tried to break the rope by grinding it against the cement floor.

But this was undoubtedly much slower, and she was still unable to completely break the rope even when she was exhausted.

Kitagawa Taki cut the ropes binding Ai Haibara, picked her up, and also picked up the books from the ground.

Regardless of the situation, Kitagawa Taki decided to go back first.

Before they even got on the bus, Ai Haibara woke up.

Seeing the familiar face, Ai Haibara murmured, "Am I dreaming?"

No, you're not dreaming.

As he spoke, Kitagawa Taki pinched Haibara Ai's cheek.

This time, Ai Haibara, unusually, didn't argue with Taki Kitagawa. Instead, she closed her eyes again and murmured, "That's great..."

She really didn't want to die. Now she had finally escaped the organization and was living with her sister, which was exactly the life she had always dreamed of.

Kitagawa Taki was stunned; it was rare for Haibara Ai to show such a vulnerable side.

"Ai, you should rest first! We'll talk about this when we get home." Kitagawa Taki placed Ai Haibara on the back seat.

Ai Haibara gave a soft "hmm".

Unbeknownst to them, Vermouth had not left; she was watching them from a distance using binoculars.

……

Kitagawa Exorcism Office.

It took Miyano Akemi a long time to calm her excited emotions.

"Ai, could you be someone from the organization?"

Ai Haibara glanced at Taki Kitagawa and said, "It's Vermouth."

Kitagawa Taki exclaimed in surprise, "It's her? How does she recognize you?"

Ai Haibara shook her head. "I don't know."

Kitagawa Taki asked, "So, all those things you had on you were taken by her?"

Ai Haibara replied, "Yeah, a gun, a cell phone, and talismans."

When the pistol was mentioned, Kitagawa Taki's expression turned strange. That gun belonged to Vermouth, but he didn't know if Vermouth had recognized it.

Then, Ai Haibara gave a brief account of what had happened.

"She'll let me go most likely because of you; perhaps she really wants to leave the organization."

Ai Haibara wanted to ask Kitagawa Taki about the pistol, but after thinking about it, she decided not to.

Akemi Miyano pondered, "So, Vermouth won't report your matter to the organization?!"

Kitagawa Taki said, "Since she released Ai, she won't report it."

Ai Haibara looked at Taki Kitagawa and said, "Oh, right, she said she would look for you."

"Find me?"

Kitagawa Taki narrowed his eyes. "Then I'll just wait for her to contact me."

Chapter 178: Three out of four people have problems.

Before Kitagawa Taki could even wait for Vermouth to contact him, a major event occurred in Tokyo.

The National Tokyo Institute of Microbiology, located in Nishitama City, was attacked by a group of seven armed men.

A very dangerous bacterium was taken away.

A criminal group claiming to be associated with red Siamese cats has released a statement online acknowledging the attack on the National Institute of Microbiology in Tokyo and announcing its next operation within seven days.

Reports about this matter are flying everywhere online, on television, and in newspapers, causing widespread panic.

According to experts, this bacterium is mainly transmitted through droplets. Once infected, itching will occur in certain parts of the body, followed by a persistent fever over the next few days, eventually leading to systemic failure and death.

Its mortality rate is as high as 80%.

Watching the news report on TV, Akemi Miyano was somewhat worried, "How could something like this happen in Tokyo?"

Kitagawa Taki said, "It's best if we avoid going to crowded places lately."

If this red Siamese cat were to launch a bio-terrorist attack, that would be a really big deal.

……

The person who got most upset by this news was Jirokichi Suzuki.

The Suzuki Residence.

Jirokichi Suzuki looked at the news about the red Siamese cat on the front page of the newspaper and trembled with anger.

"Those damned red cat thieves actually managed to bury the front page of the news about the world's first airship, which I single-handedly oversaw the completion of!"

Jirokichi Suzuki just issued a challenge to Kaito Kid yesterday, and the location is on the airship. Kaito Kid has already accepted the challenge.