Detective Conan: The Ultimate Growth Space

She stood up, walked outside, and then asked, "So, how's your investigation going?"

Xiaolan replied, "That wasn't a paranormal event at all. The event was like this."

He then recounted Zhiyong's reasoning.

Kazumi Tsukamoto nodded and said, "I see. So it was all done on purpose. Such a prank is despicable."

Ran added, "Just now, we saw that Hosaka-senpai's desk and chair had been placed on the playground by someone we don't know."

Tsukamoto Kazumi said in surprise, "Ran, you said that Hosaka-senpai's desk and chair were put on the playground."

Sonoko added, "Yes, there's a piece of paper on the desk with the words, 'I haven't taken my revenge yet,' written on it."

Kazumi Tsukamoto said angrily, "I'm so angry! Who came up with this prank? It's outrageous! If I find out who did it, I'll catch them and give them a good beating."

Zhiyong smiled and said, "Don't be angry, Math Sister. I think we'll be able to catch him today. It's just that the desk and chair appearing on the playground is a bit strange to us."

Kazumi Tsukamoto replied, "It must have been someone who moved there. What's so strange about that?"

Zhiyong shook his head and said, "It's like this. When we saw the tables and chairs, the rain had just stopped. We looked down from the entrance of the art room on the second floor and saw the tables and chairs, but strangely, the paper on the table was not wet from the rain."

Tsukamoto Kazumi asked doubtfully, "It must have been placed there after the rain, what's so strange about that?"

Zhiyong replied, "It is right here. If it were after the rain, the tables and chairs would have been placed there, but there are no footprints on the ground."

If it were just now...

Sonoko and Ran might shout that it's a ghost.

But just now...

Zhiyong has explained all three paranormal events clearly, making them understand that the so-called paranormal events were all caused by someone.

Therefore, now that Zhiyong has brought up the issue of the tables and chairs, they no longer insist that it's because of ghosts.

After listening to what Zhiyong had to say.

Kazumi Tsukamoto said in confusion, "That's strange. If the table was placed on the playground before it rained, the paper on the table would definitely get wet. But the paper didn't get wet, which means it was placed there after the rain. However, because of the rain, the ground is muddy. If it was placed there after the rain, there would definitely be footprints."

Zhi Yong nodded and said, "Yes, that's exactly why we're a little puzzled. Although we know what the possible method might be, we have too few clues and don't know the reason yet."

Kazumi Tsukamoto replied, "If we're talking about clues, perhaps the principal knows something. After you left, when I went to the restroom, I saw him standing on the playground downstairs from the third-floor window, just like usual."

Xiao Lan replied, "Then let's go ask the principal."

After speaking to Tsukamoto Kazumi, the group went downstairs.

Shinichiro said, "The principal must be worrying about what trees to plant on the playground."

Xiao Lan smiled and said, "Yes, he often stands on the playground and keeps saying that planting this kind of plant is not good, and planting that kind of plant is not suitable either."

We arrived at the principal's office.

Xiaolan recounted what had happened.

The principal asked in disbelief, "You saw me standing on the playground while it was raining? That's impossible. We were having a staff meeting when it was raining just now."

Sonoko asked, "What's going on? Kazumi-senpai wouldn't lie to us, it would be too easy to be exposed."

Zhiyong replied, "I think I roughly understand the reason now. I'll go and verify it."

After saying goodbye to the principal, he headed towards the playground, to where the desks and chairs had been placed.

He arrived at the destination.

After examining the marks on the ground, he understood everything completely.

……

Chapter 517 Invitation to a Night of Suspense

at this time.

Xiao Lan and the others also came over.

Zhiyong smiled and said, "Now we completely understand why the paper on this desk didn't get wet in the rain, and why there are no footprints on the ground."

Sonoko asked in surprise, "You really know? Why is that? Is it the ghost of Hosaka-senpai?"

Zhiyong shook his head and said, "There are no ghosts causing this; it's just human doing."

Xiaolan asked in confusion, "Man-made? How could that be done?"

Zhiyong smiled and said, "To put it simply, it's actually very simple. When it rains, people use umbrellas or wear raincoats to avoid getting wet. If you want to keep the paper on the table from getting wet, why not just put an umbrella over the table?"

Sonoko asked in confusion, "Hold an umbrella over the table?"

Zhiyong nodded and said, "The principal just said that he wasn't on the playground. However, Math Girl wouldn't tell a lie that's so easy to expose. So, there's only one possibility: when it was raining, there was indeed someone holding the same umbrella as the principal. It's just that Math Girl was on the third floor, and because of the view, she could only see the umbrella from upstairs, but couldn't see what was under it."

Shinichiro nodded and said, "That explanation makes sense, but how do you know that someone held an umbrella over the table, and how he took the umbrella away?"

Zhiyong pointed to a spot not far from where the table was placed and said, "Just tie a rope to the umbrella. After the rain stops, you can simply pull the umbrella back. Look at that spot on the ground, there's a very obvious scratch. That's the mark left on the edge of the umbrella's frame when you pull it with the rope."

Xiao Lan also asked, "Isn't he afraid of being discovered?"

Zhiyong replied, "This is very difficult because on the first floor, the trees block the view, so you can't see what's happening on the playground at all. On the second and third floors, because of the view problem, you can only see the top of the umbrella, but not what's under the umbrella. So even if someone sees you, they will think that someone is standing on the playground."

Shinichi nodded and said, "I see. Kazumi thought it was the principal because the other person was using the same umbrella as the principal, which is why she misunderstood."

Zhiyong nodded and said, "Yes."

Xiaolan asked, "Then who made all of these?"

Zhiyong replied, "I already mentioned his name at the beginning; it's the Shigu Guofan we just met."

Sonoko exclaimed in surprise, "It's him?"

Zhiyong nodded and said, "Yes, he must have been in the warehouse, facing Hosaka-senpai's desk, when he started crying sadly. But people misunderstood, and the word 'the warehouse of sighs' spread throughout the school."

Xiao Lan asked, "But why didn't he explain it to everyone? And then he went on to complete the last two supernatural events."

Zhiyong replied, "I think he believes that there was something wrong with Hosaka-senpai's death, that he was murdered. So, after the 'Warehouse of Sighs' was created, he added two more. Today, he even put Hosaka-senpai's desk on the playground to cause even greater panic."

Sonoko said fiercely, "If Chiyu hadn't deduced the truth, I would have really thought it was Hosaka-senpai's ghost haunting me, and I would have even considered temporarily dropping out of school."

Xiaolan also said, "I'm also feeling uneasy, but I didn't expect the truth to be like this. Let's go tell Mathie-senpai the results."

Zhiyong smiled and said, "Then you can go ahead. I have something to do, so I'll leave first. By the way, since Shiko Kunishige used an umbrella to cover his desk, his umbrella must have been very wet. You can point this out. Monobe Masao from the art room should know the real cause of Hosaka-senpai's death. Bring him along too. I think that can clear up some misunderstandings."

After saying this, he left.

As for what happened next, he couldn't be bothered to care anymore.

Anyway, this is just a prank at most, nothing serious.

The main reason he left so early was that he didn't want to compete with Tsukamoto Kazumi.

With his current strength, Tsukamoto Kazumi is no match for him at all. To compete with Tsukamoto Kazumi would be like playing with a child.

Although Tsukamoto Kazumi is a beautiful woman and the type that Tomoyuki likes, he is too lazy to bother her.

If it's just going out for a meal or a movie, Zhiyong might be somewhat interested.

Just as Zhiyong had guessed.

He had already reasoned everything out, so the matter was easily resolved.

Although the other party tried to argue at first, Conan was there, so their lies were quickly exposed.

A few days later.

It was Friday afternoon.

Zhiyong found a bus and arrived at Teitan High School. The classmates who were going on the trip together were already waiting at the school gate.

This time, Zhiyong specially invited two chefs and brought the ingredients in a separate vehicle.

He hadn't had a proper rest either, and planned to take this opportunity to relax with everyone.

Since it was just a classmate reunion, Ran didn't bring Conan, nor did she bring Mori.

The absence of these two grim reapers made this camping trip with the students quite enjoyable.

After all, no criminal incidents resulting in injury or death would occur during the process.

Returning from camping made Zhiyong feel much better.

On that very day, he received an invitation.

The message stated that his application to participate in the Suspense Night event had been approved, and he was invited to attend the Suspense Night event three days later.

This puzzled him greatly, as he had not registered.

However, what puzzled him was that Ai's name was also on the invitation.

"You said you were signing up for the Suspense Night event, did I sign you up?"

"Did you register? Why?"

"I think it's very interesting, but I'm still a child and it's not convenient for me to go alone, so I had to ask you to come along."

After hearing what Ai said, Tomoyuki was speechless.

"Is there anything special about this night of suspense? Otherwise, why would you be interested in attending?"

"It's nothing much. I just saw in the introduction that if you win the final competition, you'll get a castle. Apparently, a company moved the castle from Germany. It was originally intended to be developed into a park themed around medieval Germany, but the development company ran into problems, and the project fell through. This time, it's being offered as a reward."

Zhiyong asked doubtfully, "Do you want to live in a castle? If you want to make one, why don't we just build one ourselves? Why go through all that trouble?"

Ai said calmly, "Don't you think a castle obtained this way would be more interesting?"

……

Chapter 518 Wax Figure Castle

Zhiyong was speechless at Ai's statement.

However, since she had already signed up, and Ai wanted to participate as well.

Zhiyong did not refuse.

He wasn't particularly interested in that castle.

If Ai has a good time, then the trip will have been worthwhile.