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

When the fire three years ago was mentioned, Naoko Kuroe's expression remained unchanged, as if she were recounting something unrelated to her.

Shimabukuro Kimie, who had taken in everything, clenched her fists secretly.

Heiji Hattori, however, was starting to lose his composure. The people here kept bringing up the mermaid skeleton, as if it were real.

As a materialist, he naturally didn't believe in such nonsense.

He couldn't help but interject, "I say, is that really a mermaid's bone?"

Kimie Shimabukuro said, "That's what the islanders think, but the police who came from the mainland to investigate said it was the skeleton of a middle-aged woman."

Hattori Heiji nodded. That settles it.

Naoko Kuroe became agitated: "That policeman is talking complete nonsense! The skeleton is missing all the bones below the waist!"

Hattori Heiji was startled: "What did you say?"

Fukuyama Rokuro explained, "Back then, a broken roof beam happened to fall below the waist of that skeleton. After people moved the beam, they found that there was no leg bone where it should have been."

Naoko Kuroe said, "That's right. After being publicized by the media, the longevity woman became famous."

Conan, who had been observing from the sidelines, suddenly asked, "Where exactly is the mermaid's grave?"

Kimie Shimabukuro shook her head. "Because of the grave robbery that happened before, my great-grandmother entrusted someone to move the grave. I've only heard about it."

Kitagawa Taki interrupted the topic of the mermaid grave: "No matter what, let's get the body down there first and wait for the police to conduct an autopsy."

Fukuyama Rokuro picked up the body and said, "If it wasn't an accident but murder, then Sumi, who came to a place like this at a time like this, must also be suspicious."

"How disheartening!" Naoko Kuroe said sarcastically, arms crossed. "Is this how you treat your fiancée?"

Fukuyama Rokuro snorted coldly and said, "That was just a marriage arranged by my parents, and my parents have been gone for a long time, so it doesn't count at all."

After saying that, he picked up Ebina Sumi and walked down the waterfall.

Seeing this, Naoko Kuroe looked at Kimie Shimabukuro and teased, "Kimi, it seems someone's infatuation with you hasn't diminished at all!"

"Naoko!"

Shimabukuro Kimie looked somewhat embarrassed and angry.

In truth, she sighed silently to herself. How could she not know what Fukuyama Rokuro was thinking?

She had absolutely no feelings for him and only considered him a friend.

This is also one of the reasons why she did not ask Fukuyama Rokuro for help.

Heiji Hattori and Conan exchanged glances. The relationships between these people seemed somewhat complicated, which raised the possibility that murder might have been caused by emotional entanglements.

Instead of going down with them, the two of them began searching the scene.

……

Under the waterfall.

Upon hearing the news, Ebihara's father rushed to the scene and wept bitterly while holding his daughter's body.

Shimabukuro Kimie stood to the side with the others, her heart unmoved.

She felt no pity whatsoever for these three people.

They not only cruelly murdered her mother, but also showed no remorse whatsoever.

Before Shimabukuro Kimie killed Kadokawa Saori and Ebihara Tomi, she told them the truth.

But what about the two of them?

There wasn't a single trace of self-blame or regret shown; all that was shown was disappointment!

Disappointment that the longevity goddess was actually a fake.

Therefore, Kimie Shimabukuro was able to observe detachedly, without the slightest fluctuation in her emotions.

Heiji Hattori and Conan came down from the mountain, but they were unable to find any useful clues at the scene.

Kitagawa Taki smiled inwardly. Of course, they wouldn't notice anything, because he had made it himself.

According to Shimabukuro Kimie's original plan, she was going to use the lifebuoy, which would leave the lifebuoy as a clue.

At this moment, Fukuyama Rokuro, who had gone to report the incident, returned: "The Fukui Prefectural Police said that the sea is too rough and they can't come tonight."

Hattori Heiji stroked his chin, looking somewhat worried. Right now, they couldn't even determine whether it was an accident or homicide.

There were no external injuries on the body, only ligature marks on the neck.

If it was murder, the killer would have had to knock the person unconscious first, otherwise it would be difficult to hang the person on the fixed rope.

"Hey, Kudo, what do you think?"

Hattori Heiji crouched down and asked in a low voice.

Conan said in a deep voice, "Didn't Miss Kotomi draw the Dugong Arrow? But her number plate ended up in someone else's hands."

Since we can't find any clues, let's start by investigating the suspicious points.

Hattori Heiji's eyes lit up, and he pondered, "Let's eliminate Kazuha and Kitagawa first. The only ones who just got the Dugong Arrow are Kuroe Naoko and that middle-aged man."

As he spoke, he looked at the drunk man who was still drinking alone not far away.

"Miss Naoko, who is that man?"

Naoko Kuroe glanced at the drunk man and said with a hint of disgust, "He is Saori's drunken father, Benzo Kadowaki."

Hattori Heiji nodded and then said, "By the way, Ms. Naoko, did you draw your own number?"

But this seemed to touch a nerve with Naoko Kuroe, who said unhappily, "What do you mean?"

"I didn't mean anything by it." Hattori Heiji quickly waved his hand and said, "It's just that I saw Ms. Kotobuki also draw a number, but she didn't show up at the Dugong Arrow award ceremony."

Naoko Kuroe snorted coldly and said, "Then you should go find Saori's drunken father!"

After saying that, she turned and left.

Hattori Heiji scratched his head. He didn't seem to have said anything too extreme, did he?

However, that doesn't matter anymore, since we've already obtained the information we wanted.

At this moment, Kimie Shimabukuro walked up to the group and said, "We agreed before that I would take you to Saori's house. Do you still want to go now?"

“Okay!” Hattori Heiji readily agreed.

"No!" That's Conan.

Heiji Hattori gave Conan a strange look.

Conan laughed and said, "Judging from that uncle's appearance, we wouldn't be able to get any information even if we went."

Kadowaki Benzo was so drunk that his face was flushed and he could barely walk.

"Sister Junhui, may we go see Granny Changshou?"

Chapter 427 The Thoughtful Kitagawa Taki

On the way back to the shrine.

Ai Haibara deliberately walked very slowly, lagging behind the rest of the group.

"Now I know why you came here."

Ai Haibara crossed her arms, a mocking expression on her face.

"Oh?"

Ai Haibara said calmly, "Kimi-chan from Shimabukuro."

She glanced at the composed Kitagawa Taki and said, "If I'm not mistaken, she's the murderer, isn't she?"

Kitagawa Taki asked with great interest, "Why?"

"That so-called mermaid tomb must belong to her relatives, right?"

Compared to Heiji Hattori and Conan, Ai Haibara knew more information; she was fully aware that the mermaid skeleton was actually human bones.

"Clap~"

Kitagawa Taki joked, "Ai, you could become a detective."

Then, he recounted what had happened to Kimie Shimabukuro.

When Ai Haibara heard that the person who perished in the fire was Kimie Shimabukuro's mother, she gasped for breath, thinking of her own mother.

After hearing this, Ai Haibara couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Kimie Shimabukuro.

What trapped Kimie Shimabukuro was the "Longevity Granny" and this small island.

……

shrine.

Several people sat around the table.

Kimie Shimabukuro went to call her great-grandmother.

"This house is quite old; you'd never guess they made a fortune with the Dugong Arrow!" Hattori Heiji looked around, surveying the room.

Kazuha Toyama said, "Heiji, don't talk nonsense if you don't know. Those number plates only cost five yen."

Five yen?!

Hattori Heiji scratched his head awkwardly; he had thought such a big gimmick would cost a lot of money.

"dong dong dong~"

A rhythmic knocking sound came from outside the room.

Then, the wooden door was pulled open.

Everyone looked over, and Conan and the others were startled.

It was an incredibly old face, covered in wrinkles.

"I heard you have something to discuss with me?" Granny Changshou spoke, her voice hoarse.

Ai Haibara narrowed her eyes; Kimie Shimabukuro's disguise was already quite good.

Conan asked, "Grandma, how are the lottery numbers for the Dugong's Arrow determined?"