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

The helicopter took off and flew away quickly.

Although I don't know why Inspector Megure didn't invite him along, but instead dragged along Kogoro Mouri, who is afraid of heights.

Kitagawa Taki was happy to have some free time, watching the helicopter gradually disappear into the distance.

Could Conan even fly a helicopter?

That's right, while Kogoro and Conan were struggling, Conan quietly slipped onto the helicopter.

"Officer Shiratori, I'll go to Dongdu Airport with you."

Shiratori Ninzaburo nodded.

……

As expected, the three of them did not receive a helicopter. Instead, they received news that the helicopter had crashed at Teitan Elementary School.

It was described as a crash, but it actually made a hard landing.

With Conan's help, the group landed safely, but the helicopter was badly damaged.

The killer did not tamper with the helicopter, but added a mydriatic to Tsuji Hiroki's eye drops, causing him to be unable to open his eyes in the sunlight.

If it weren't for Conan, a graduate of a technical high school in Hawaii, the helicopter would definitely have crashed.

Yui Uehara sensed something unusual; the culprit clearly intended to kill Hiroki Tsuji this time.

Unlike the previous times!

She shared her speculation: "Inspector, I think the killer is likely misleading us. He hid the person he really wanted to kill among the thirteen people, and he didn't kill the others."

Kitagawa Taki raised an eyebrow. Uehara Yui was right. If the murderer wanted to take revenge on Mouri Kogoro, then he wouldn't have held back against Kisaki Eri.

The murderer is very likely not Murakami Jo!

Of the four attacks so far, only Hiroki Tsuji's attack was fatal; the other three only suffered minor injuries.

Inspector Megure pondered for a moment and said, "What you said makes sense, but we don't know who he really wants to kill. We can only find all the targets first."

Shiratori Ninzaburo's eyes lit up: "In that case, perhaps we can start by examining the interpersonal relationships of the people he truly wants to kill."

"But are we just supposed to watch people get hurt and even lose their lives?" Kogoro Mouri was extremely unwilling.

The one under the most pressure is Kogoro Mouri, because all these people are more or less related to him.

Conan interjected, "Uncle Mori, you still need to think about the culprit's next target."

He also agreed with Uehara Yui's guess, but the enemy was in the dark while they were in the light, so they had no choice but to defend passively.

Inspector Megure pondered for a moment and then made the arrangements: "Here's what we'll do: Uehara, you go and investigate whether Tsuji Hiroki has had any conflicts with anyone, and Shiratori, you go and investigate the eye drops incident to see if you can find any clues about the culprit!"

The two accepted the order and left.

Then, he looked at Kogoro Mouri and asked, "Brother Mouri, do you have any clues about Nine?"

Kogoro Mouri shook his head with a serious expression.

He couldn't think of anyone's name that was related to the number nine for the time being.

“The number eight reminds me of someone,” said Kogoro Mouri. “It’s Mr. Kohei Sawaki, who works as a bartender. The character ‘Kou’ in his name contains the number eight.”

Inspector Megure said, "Alright, let's meet Mr. Sawaki first."

……

In Sawaki Kohei's home.

The group explained their purpose to him.

"So, Murakami Takeshi will be targeting me next?"

Sawaki Heiko looked rather thin, with deep-set eyes, high cheekbones, and very little flesh on his face.

“No,” Kogoro Mouri explained, “There’s also the number nine, but I haven’t thought of who it is yet.”

Sawaki Kohei nodded and said, "But speaking of which, Mr. Mori, you seem quite calm."

Kogoro Mouri scratched his head and laughed, "I'm number five no matter what, so it'll be a long time before it's my turn."

Inspector Megure's lips twitched. Kogoro Mouri had seemed resentful just moments before, but now he was acting so carefree.

"Speaking of the number nine, I do know someone who does. I wonder if you, Mr. Mori, know them?"

As he spoke, Sawaki Kohei took out a card.

"Xu Shengyi is the entrepreneur who owns more than a dozen restaurants in the city."

Kogoro Mouri said, "I've met Katsuyoshi Asahi once. I heard he's going to open a crystal restaurant at Tokyo Bay Marine Park, right?"

Ze Muping nodded: "That's right, he agreed to let me take charge of a restaurant, and we arranged to meet at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon."

At this moment, Kitagawa Taki interjected, "Doesn't Asahi Katsuyoshi's name contain the number nine?"

Kogoro Mouri pondered for a moment and said, "But I've only met Katsuyoshi Asahi once, and that was because of a request to find a cat."

Inspector Megure said, "Perhaps the culprit doesn't think that way. In any case, let's go with Mr. Sawaki to meet Mr. Asahi Katsuyoshi."

Then, he looked at Sawaki Kohei: "Is that alright, Mr. Sawaki?"

Ze Muping replied, "I'm fine."

……

That night.

Kitagawa Taki received a message from Busujima Kiriko saying that she had found Murakami Takeru at a pachinko parlor.

He immediately sent Hojo Hitomi over, and when Murakami Jo left, they tied him up.

Abandoned warehouse.

Murakami Takeshi was tied to a chair.

Hojo Hitomi woke him up by pouring a bucket of water on him.

Upon seeing the two strangers in front of him and realizing his predicament, Murakami Takeshi immediately panicked and struggled, asking, "Who are you people?"

Kitagawa Taki asked, "What have you been doing these past few days?"

Murakami hurriedly said, "I didn't do anything!"

Seeing this, Hojo Hitomi, without saying a word, smashed Murakami Takeshi's hand with a hammer.

Murakami Takeo let out a bloodcurdling scream, like a pig being slaughtered.

This was the first time Kitagawa Taki had interrogated someone with Hojo Hitomi. This woman was indeed a professional killer; she was ruthless. With that hammer blow, Murakami Takeshi's hand bones would definitely be shattered.

After Murakami Jo calmed down a bit, Kitagawa Taki said, "I'll ask you one more time, what have you been doing these past few days?"

"I... I'm looking for a job... but I haven't found one yet... so I often hang out in pachinko parlors..."

Murakami Takeshi was knocked into a daze by a hammer blow.

Chapter 407 Shinichi Kudo? Who's that? I don't recognize him.

The murderer was indeed not Murakami Jo.

Seeing that Kitagawa Taki remained silent, Murakami Takeshi hurriedly said, "Really! I'm not lying to you!!"

"Deal with him like you did with Kyosuke Kazato," Kitagawa Taki said to Hojo Hitomi.

Hitomi Hojo nodded and opened the toolbox she carried with her.

Murakami Takeshi didn't know what Kitagawa Taki was referring to, but he wasn't stupid. When he saw those terrifying instruments, he momentarily forgot his pain and begged for mercy.

But Hojo Hitomi ignored them completely, and screams echoed through the empty, abandoned warehouse...

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The next day.

Shiratori Ninzaburo discovered that when Tsuji Hiroki left home yesterday morning, his window had been smashed with a stone. He had left his eye drops in his car and went to check on the situation.

At the time, he and his family thought it was just a child's prank and didn't pay any attention to it, so Shiratori Ninzaburo didn't find anything else of value.

Kogoro Mouri said, "So, that's when the eye drops were switched."

Inspector Megure nodded, then looked at Yui Uehara: "Uehara, what about you?"

Yui Uehara took out her police handbook, looked at the records inside, and said:

"According to Tsuji Hiroki himself and his relatives, he did not have any enemies. His friends also said that although Tsuji Hiroki usually liked to joke around with others, it was not to the point of making any deadly enemies."

Inspector Megure pondered, "It seems that the path of Hiroki Tsuji is not viable. I also contacted Katsuyoshi Asahi yesterday, but his attitude was very troublesome. He said that he has bodyguards and there is nothing to worry about."

Today, we're going to visit Mr. Sawaki together, hoping to get his attention.

……

It was a little after 2 p.m.

Everyone arrived at the Crystal Restaurant's parking lot together.

The Crystal Restaurant is built in the sea, like an offshore island, and is connected to the mainland by a cable car.

Just as Kogoro Mouri was marveling at how luxurious and magnificent the Crystal Restaurant was, a bright red sports car sped straight toward the group without any intention of stopping.

Everyone quickly moved aside.

The sports car performed a drift into the parking space and came to a smooth stop.

Then a woman with long, wavy hair got out of the car.

"How do you drive? Don't you know it's dangerous?" Kogoro Mouri roared, pointing at the woman.

The woman, however, ignored her, asking indifferently, "Is there something you need?"

Before Kogoro Mouri could say anything more, three more cars drove into the parking lot.

A bearded man got out of the jeep and greeted the woman: "Miss Nana, you've come too."

Kitagawa Taki glanced sideways. This woman's name is Nana?

The name "Nana" sounds the same as the number "seven" in Japanese. Coupled with this woman's arrogance, it's obvious she's destined to die young.

Miss Nana smiled and said, "Mr. Asahi also invited Mr. Yongming!"