Detective Conan: The Ultimate Growth Space

Zhiyong didn't pay attention to what the two women were saying.

Zhiyong shook his head and said, "No, I heard that there is a celebration on the island today, so I wanted to come and participate."

Kogoro Mouri asked in confusion, "What festival?"

Zhiyong replied, "Today is the island's annual dugong festival."

Toyama Kazuha also asked, "What is a dugong?"

Zhi Yong replied, "That is, what is commonly known as a mermaid."

Hattori Heiji also said, "Dugongs are marine herbivorous animals, and since ancient times, dugong meat has been regarded as an elixir of immortality."

Xiaolan asked in confusion, "What is the Dugong Festival? Does it mean eating dugong meat?"

Zhi Yong coughed lightly before saying, "It is said that every year at the Dugong Festival, the Longevity Granny will personally draw three number plates, and the person whose number plate is drawn will receive a Dugong arrow."

Xiaolan asked in confusion, "Dugong's Arrow? What's it for?"

Zhiyong explained, "It is said to be a talisman for longevity. Of course, some people also believe that obtaining the Dugong Arrow will bring good luck for the coming year."

Hattori Heiji shook his head and said, "This is probably just a way for the island to make money. It's not that magical."

Zhiyong smiled and said, "It's true that you could say it's a way to make money, but it's also not quite right."

Kazuha asked in confusion, "Why do you say that?"

Zhiyong explained, "It is true that she is making money, after all, she has brought a lot of tourists to the island. But it's not quite right, because the Longevity Granny didn't really profit from it. Her main purpose was simply to bring more tourists to the island."

Xiao Lan nodded and said, "So it was for the sake of the island's residents. People like that are truly admirable."

Zhiyong smiled and said, "Indeed, it is said that the old woman is already one or two hundred years old. At this age, she can no longer enjoy life, and money is no longer of much use to her."

Kazuha exclaimed in surprise, "Is the old woman really one or two hundred years old?"

Zhiyong shrugged and said, "Who knows?"

Of course, he knew it in his heart.

That long-lived woman certainly wasn't one or two hundred years old.

Zhiyong now remembers that he is right.

The real longevity woman has long since died.

That person now is just an imposter.

The purpose is to increase the island's fame and attract more people to the island.

I just wanted to think about that real long-lived old woman.

They will be at least a hundred years old when they die.

This is why she was known for her longevity and why her name was later used in other people's lives.

"Looking at the mountain makes one run until the horse dies."

The island had already been visible from the sea.

But the ship was still at sea, and after sailing for a while, it finally arrived at American Island, the island inhabited by mermaids.

This time, Zhiyong and his group of six people were considered to be participating in a team activity.

To confirm the address of the door-to-door shaman.

Kogoro Mouri and his group first arrived at the island's management office.

The population on such a small island is not very large.

This might not even be enough to have the population of a single village in China.

Therefore, generally speaking, anyone who lives on the island can be included.

You can find all the information here.

……

Chapter 371 A Girl Who Makes One's Heart Sorrow (2/2)

Kogoro Mouri stepped forward and said to a staff member, "Excuse me, I'd like to ask where I can find Ms. Saori Kadokawa?"

The staff member named Kobayashi smiled and said, "If you're looking for Saori, you'll be disappointed. She's currently missing, so I can't help you."

Kogoro Mouri exclaimed in surprise, "What? You're saying that Saori Kadokawa is missing?"

Kobayashi nodded and said, "Yes, she hasn't been to work for three days."

Hattori Heiji said in a low voice, "If we count back three days from now, that's exactly when I'll receive the letter."

Conan added, "So, she might have been in danger back then?"

Kobayashi said, "According to her neighbors, she may have taken a boat to the city for sightseeing."

"Mr. Kobayashi, it's time to go."

Two middle-aged women called out from not far away.

"Okay, I'll be right there." After saying that, Kobayashi turned around and said, "Sorry, I still have to go and prepare for the celebration."

Kogoro Mouri asked, "Is it the Dugong Festival?"

Kobayashi smiled and nodded, "Yes, today is the day of our island's annual dugong festival, so I have to go help with the decorations. If you want to know more about Saori, you can go to the local products shop where Saori works on the corner and ask the owner there."

The six people left the management office.

Following Xiaolin's directions, we arrived at a local products store.

Xiaolan exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, Kazuha, you have mermaid amulets and mermaid belts here!"

He Ye also said, "Xiao Lan, look, there are dugong pies over here."

Xiaolan nodded and said, "Yes, this island is really closely related to mermaids."

Yes, yes.

Kogoro Mouri asked suspiciously, "You're saying that Saori's disappearance is related to the Dugong's Arrow?"

The local products shop owner nodded and said, "Yes, Saori lost the Dugong Arrow she received at last year's festival, so she has been very afraid for the past week, fearing that the mermaid will come to take revenge."

Kogoro Mouri shrugged and said, "There are no mermaids in this world!"

"No, there are mermaids in this world."

A voice came out.

Several people turned around and saw that it was a beautiful woman.

The owner of the local products shop saw the person who came in and said, "It's you, Naoko."

Naoko nodded and said, "There are already cases of people becoming immortal after eating mermaid flesh, and the longevity woman's hair, which grows with her mental power, can be used to make dugong arrows that can achieve the dream of immortality."

As she spoke, she smiled and said, "It's perfectly normal for Saori to be afraid of the mermaid's revenge after losing such an important arrow, and to flee this island."

Watching Naoko leave.

Kogoro Mouri asked in confusion, "Who is she?"

The shop owner replied, "Her name is Naoko Kuroe. She's Saori's childhood friend. If you want to know more about Saori, go to the shrine. Kimie Shimabukuro, the great-granddaughter of the old woman, will also be there. Kimie and Saori are also childhood friends."

Kogoro Mouri smiled and said, "Is that so? Thank you so much for providing us with useful information."

The six people left the local products store.

We arrived at the shrine following the directions.

There aren't many tourist attractions on the island.

The shrine is the most important one.

therefore.

Inside the shrine.

There were quite a few tourists strolling around and visiting.

Zhi Yong and his six companions.

I found Kimie Shimabukuro in front of the shrine.

Grandma Changshou is quite old and has difficulty moving around, so her granddaughter, Kimie Shimabukuro, often takes her place to do things that don't require Grandma's presence.

Kazuha asked doubtfully, "Miss Junhui, was your great-grandmother really over two hundred years old?"

Shimabukuro Kimie waved her hand and said, "No way, my great-grandmother is only 130 years old. We can find out by checking her household registration."

Then, she sighed and said helplessly, "She just lived a little longer than the average person, and that caused such a commotion."

Xiaolan replied, "Of course! Who wouldn't be envious?"

Kazuha chimed in, "Yes, yes."

Heiji asked, "So, where is your great-grandmother now?"

Kimie Shimabukuro replied, "Right now, inside the shrine, she is offering her sincere blessings for the dugong arrow that will be sent out at tonight's celebration."

Kogoro Mouri asked doubtfully, "Um... I wanted to ask, did your great-grandmother really eat mermaid flesh?"

"Ah!" Shimabukuro Kimie was first stunned, then covered her mouth and burst into loud laughter.

After a while.

She then added, "There are no mermaids in this world; they're just made up."

Kogoro Mouri asked, "But, isn't that dugong's arrow...?"

Kimie Shimabukuro explained, “Actually, in the past, the Dugong Arrow simply represented a cursed arrow that could exorcise demons and ward off evil. However, the people on the island later thought that the cursed arrow had a bad connotation. At that time, people's knowledge was relatively low, and dugong meat was previously considered to be an elixir of immortality. Therefore, the people on the island thought that the dugong had an extraordinary meaning, so they renamed it the Dugong Arrow. This is what my late mother told me.”

Xiao Lan said with pity, "So, your mother has already passed away?"

Kimie Shimabukuro nodded and said, "Yes, five years ago, my parents drowned at sea. Before that, my grandparents also disappeared while on a boat trip."

Kazuha asked in surprise, "Your family all died at sea. There must be a reason for that, right?"

Shimabukuro Kimie shook her head and smiled, saying, "There's no reason for this. Saori and I also took a boat to the city before, but nothing happened."

"You and Saori traveled by boat?"