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

Conan's previous explanation was that his parents were away from home for most of the year.

Fujimine Yukiko glanced at Conan and explained, "No, I plan to have him stay at my house. As you know, she went back to Japan and won't be going abroad for a while."

"I see."

Kogoro Mouri and Ran had no objections to this, as they had both heard Conan say that he was related to the Kudo family.

Ran suddenly remembered, "Oh right, Ms. Fumiyo, you still have a lot of the boarding fee you gave Conan last time!"

Conan's boarding fees are managed by Ran; if they were given to Kogoro Mouri, they would probably be gone in no time.

“You should keep that money here.” Fujimine Yukiko patted Conan’s head and said, “Conan admires Mr. Mori’s reasoning and really wants to be by his side to learn from him when he solves cases.”

Conan nodded in agreement. His initial reason for joining the Mouri Detective Agency was to use Kogoro Mouri's detective status to get involved in various cases and perhaps even encounter those men in black.

Although there were two people in front of him who were connected to the black-clad organization, he hadn't gotten along well with Kitagawa Taki, and Kitagawa Taki was unwilling to say anything more.

As for Ai Haibara, she's an iceberg; she doesn't even bother with him.

Even if he has to move out now, he can't just give up like that.

Kogoro Mouri understood the meaning of these words, but he couldn't quite believe that Conan admired him.

Under Kogoro Mouri's watchful eye, Conan snapped out of his thoughts and could only manage an awkward smile.

"Dad." Ran looked at Kogoro Mouri. She had no objection; it had been the same before anyway.

"No problem, Ms. Fumiyo, you can rest assured to entrust the person to us."

As long as the money is there, Kogoro Mouri will naturally have no objections.

"That's great! Thank you all so much for everything!" Fujimine Yukiko slapped Conan on the back and said, "You brat, hurry up and thank your older sister and uncle!"

Conan thanked her, saying, "Thank you, Ran-neechan, and Uncle Mori too."

Xiao Lan smiled and said, "You're welcome."

Then, he said to Yukiko Fujimine, "Conan is still very obedient."

Kogoro Mouri secretly pursed his lips; this kid wasn't exactly obedient.

Fujimine Yukiko's smile was somewhat unnatural; she had witnessed Conan's performance firsthand.

"Ahem." Kogoro Mouri asked, "Ms. Fumiyo, when is Conan moving in?"

Yukiko Fujimine replied, "Let's do it today."

Finally, she added, "It just so happens to be Saturday, so everyone's free."

Ran nodded and said, "Then I'll go help Conan pack his things."

“Together.” Yukiko Fujimine said, standing up. Seeing that Conan wasn’t moving, she ruffled his hair in annoyance. “Aren’t you going to do anything yourself?”

Conan then realized that he had been thinking about something.

"This child..."

Yukiko Fujimine nodded to Kogoro Mouri before following Conan upstairs.

……

In Kogoro Mouri's room.

Yukiko Fujimine watched as Ran busied herself tidying up and organizing Conan's things, but she couldn't really help out.

She felt quite emotional. She genuinely liked Xiaolan; she was beautiful, had a good personality, and was capable. She would definitely be a good wife in the future.

Shinichi, that brat, wasn't so lucky. Despite being childhood sweethearts, Kitagawa Taki stole them away.

Thinking of Kitagawa Taki, Fujimine Yukiko couldn't help but curse inwardly. That scoundrel was already with Ran, yet he still had improper thoughts about her.

Luckily, she didn't cross the line last time, otherwise she would have been accused of competing with a younger person for a husband...

bah bah bah!

Yukiko Fujimine shook her head, mentally reassuring herself, "It can't be like this, it can't be..."

Ran's voice pulled Fujimine Yukiko out of her complicated thoughts, "Conan, you can come back and play whenever you have time!"

"Mmm." Conan nodded vigorously, and suddenly, his nose felt a little sore.

For the first time, he felt a pang of regret. If he hadn't followed the man in black in the tropical park, would things have turned out differently?

Chapter 261 The Kamaitachi Carrying a Scythe

The next day.

Heavy snow began to fall from the sky.

This is the weather in the world of Detective Conan: yesterday it was summer, and today it's winter.

Kitagawa Taki was called downstairs by Haibara, who said that a client had arrived.

"Mr. Kitagawa?" Kuroba Chikage asked uncertainly.

Kaito Kuroba didn't tell her that Taki Kitagawa was so young and handsome.

Kitagawa Taki nodded. "Yes, that's me."

While Kuroba Chikage was observing Kitagawa Taki, Kitagawa Taki was also sizing her up.

A very beautiful woman!

She wore a fitted black cashmere coat over a white turtleneck sweater, and her short purple hair gave her a sophisticated and capable look.

The light lipstick on her lips made her even more charming.

Turning his gaze away, Kitagawa Taki took the initiative to ask, "May I ask what kind of request you have?"

“That’s right.” Kuroba Chikage asked, “I wonder if Mr. Kitagawa has ever heard of the Kamaitachi from Nagano Prefecture?”

Kitagawa Taki shook his head; he did know about Kamaitachi.

Seeing this, Kuroba Chikage took out a photo from her bag and placed it in front of Kitagawa Taki.

The photo shows a blurry figure, seemingly carrying a sickle and running wildly on the water.

"This is a photo taken at a hot spring inn in Nagano Prefecture," Kuroba Chikage explained, then asked, "Mr. Kitagawa, what do you think this is?"

"Is this a Kamaitachi?" Kitagawa Taki's lips twitched. This thing looked like a person carrying a scythe. Aren't Kamaitachi's claws supposed to look like scythes?

"That's right, this is the legendary monster that appears on a whirlwind and can disembowel people in an instant—the Kamaitachi!"

Ai Haibara interjected, "This is clearly just someone carrying a scythe."

Hei Yuqianying pointed at the photo, "Little sister, look at its feet, aren't those water splashes? How can a person run on water?"

She continued, "The background of this photo is the hotel's open-air bath."

Kitagawa Taki asked, "Miss, would you like me to investigate this Kamaitachi?"

Kuroba Chikage replied, "Yes, actually I'm a reporter who wants to take pictures of the Kamaitachi. I heard that Mr. Kitagawa is an expert in this field, so I'd like to ask you to come with me there."

"Oh, reporter, by the way, I still don't know your name, miss."

Kuroba Chikage smiled and said, "Mr. Kitagawa, you can just call me Chikage."

Thousand Shadows?

This name doesn't sound like a real name.

Kitagawa Taki looked at Kuroba Chikage and said, "Ms. Chikage, my commission fee is not cheap, starting at two million yen."

Kuroba Chikage readily agreed, "I have no problem."

"Okay, when should we go?"

"How about this afternoon?"

"can."

The two quickly finalized the itinerary, and Kuroba Chikage left first.

Only after Kuroba Chikage's footsteps disappeared did Haibara Ai speak, "Don't you think this woman's name and identity are suspicious? Would a reporter spend two million yen on something so questionable?"

"I think so." Kitagawa Taki nodded.

"Then why did you agree to her request?" Ai Haibara frowned, and said disdainfully, "You didn't just agree because she's pretty, did you?"

"Cough cough." Kitagawa Taki choked, looking completely innocent. "Am I that kind of shallow person?"

Ai Haibara looked intently at Taki Kitagawa and nodded silently. "Without a doubt, you are."

Kitagawa Taki said seriously, "Whatever her purpose is, we'll find out once we go there."

Ai Haibara crossed her arms and said, "I want to go too."

Just then, Akemi Miyano's voice came from the doorway: "Where are you going?"

Kitagawa Taki explained, "I just received a request and I'm going to Nagano Prefecture this afternoon. Akemi, you can come along too!"

"I'm not going," Miyano Akemi said, winking at Kitagawa Taki.

Kitagawa Taki understood and said no more.

……

in the afternoon.

Kitagawa Taki drove Kuroba Chikage and Haibara Ai to Nagano Prefecture.

Seeing that Ai Haibara had also arrived, Chikage Kuroba was somewhat surprised and joked, "Little sister, aren't you afraid of monsters?"

Ai Haibara did not answer Chikage Kuroba's question, but instead said, "My name is Ai Haibara."

"Uh..." Why does Kuroba Chikage feel that this little girl named Haibara Ai is somewhat hostile towards her?

Kitagawa Taki smiled and said, "Ms. Chikage, don't worry about it. Ai is just a bit aloof."

Kuroba Chikage laughed and said, "It's okay, I think Ai is kind of cool!"

Ai Haibara, however, turned to look out the window. Of course, she wouldn't have a friendly attitude towards this beautiful woman of unknown origin.

Kuroba Chikage didn't mind and continued chatting with Kitagawa Taki. Along the way, she tried to get information out of Kitagawa Taki, but Kitagawa Taki skillfully deflected her attempts.

……