Conan, I'm an actor

"Let's forget about it." Xincheng stretched. "I wonder who was locked in that dark room for so many days, and we can't even find out who ambushed them."

"Bullshit! That guy ambushed us! Ambushed us! You understand?!" Karen said, somewhat exasperated. "Don't let me catch that guy!"

"Has that guy made a move yet?" Shinjo stroked his chin. "It's almost the anniversary of Kenji Hagiwara's death, he probably can't hold back anymore."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, that guy hasn't made a move yet." Karen asked curiously, "By the way, if he doesn't intend to make a move, what will you do?"

"I don't know. Maybe they'll break all four of his limbs and dump him at the entrance of the Metropolitan Police Department," Shinjo said, stroking his chin. "But it's also troublesome that he hasn't done anything."

"That's quite a crude solution."

Osaka

"What did you say? Noyasu is dead? And the other one is missing too?" Hattori Heiji grabbed Inspector Otaki's shoulder and said, "When did this happen? Weren't we supposed to send people to protect them?"

"We found a letter in their clothes detailing the relationship between Sakata and Instructor Inaba. They no longer trust the police," Inspector Otaki shook his head. "They'd rather believe their accomplice, Numabuchi Kiichiro, than the police. Perhaps they think the first two victims were killed by the police, so..."

Hattori plopped down in the chair, as if all his strength had been drained away in that instant.

These two men were key to capturing Numabuchi Kiichiro; now that they're dead, the chance to capture Numabuchi Kiichiro is gone...

"Where did Noyasu die?" Hattori had a headache.

"Tokyo?"

"What did you say? Wasn't he in Osaka before? How did he end up in Tokyo? Was he killed in Tokyo?" Hattori Heiji's voice rose several decibels. "He ran from Osaka to Tokyo, such a long distance, and you...?"

“Mainly because news of Kiichiro Numabuchi being in Tokyo has already spread, we subconsciously assumed he wouldn’t go to Tokyo.” Inspector Ohtaki sighed, then asked somewhat nervously, “Heiji, where are you going?”

“Of course, we’ll go to Tokyo.” Hattori Heiji picked up his helmet. “If we’re lucky, we might even be able to catch him.”

“Tokyo isn’t Osaka. How about I go with you?” Officer Otaki said, frowning.

Heiji Hattori is a famous high school detective, but that's not the reason the police tolerate his deep involvement in investigations. The reason he has such privileges in the Osaka police force is because his father is Heizo Hattori.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and the Osaka branch are parallel agencies, and the mutual dislike between Tokyo and Osaka has become a tradition. Hattori Heiji's overstepping of boundaries is already a taboo, and if he continues to act recklessly as before, he could very well get into trouble. If he goes with them, the guys in Tokyo will probably be more tolerant of Heiji.

Chapter 151 The Autopsy That Had No Results

Hattori didn't think too much about it; he just felt that having Inspector Ohtaki by his side would make things much easier, so he didn't refuse. With Inspector Ohtaki around, he wouldn't need to ride a motorcycle.

Before going to Tokyo, he also brought back some local specialties for some of his friends there.

An office on the top floor of the Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters

"Is it a copycat?" Hattori Heizo asked, one eye open, holding a photograph in his hand—a photograph of Noyasu Kazuto's death, sent by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

What concerned him was that the angle at which the knife pierced the victim was different from the previous two times, and the blood splatter marks on the side were also quite large, with the victim's clothes covered in blood.

While the previous two victims also had bloodstains on their clothes, there wasn't much, and it wasn't splattered. The killer had waited a while after strangling them before stabbing them in the chest; this time, the stab likely occurred immediately after they died, no more than half an hour later.

“Numabuchi Kiichiro’s dominant hand is right-handed, so the person who did the attack must be left-handed,” Toyama Ginjiro said with a frown. “Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility that Numabuchi Kiichiro’s right hand was injured. Sakata Yusuke has run out of bullets, so if his dominant hand is injured, he might indeed kill with his left hand.”

Were there any signs of a struggle at the scene?

"The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has confirmed that the location of the death is not the primary crime scene; the body has been moved. The actual primary crime scene is still under investigation." Ginjiro Toyama seemed to have thought of something, but was unsure whether he should say it, creating an awkward moment.

"Say what you want to say. It's about that kid Heiji, isn't it?" Hattori Heizo seemed to have seen through his partner's thoughts.

"This criminal is too dangerous. Is it a bit risky for Heiji to chase after him...?"

As an uncle, Ginjiro Toyama knew very well how strong Heiji's reasoning ability was. In his mind, he had already regarded Heiji as the successor of the Osaka police force, which was why he tacitly allowed Heiji to command his subordinates.

Heiji Hattori has chased dangerous criminals before, even those more formidable than Kiichiro Numabuchi. But this time is different. Having left Osaka, the Osaka police cannot provide Heiji with sufficient protection, and if he were to encounter the culprit head-on, his life might be in danger.

“With Otaki by his side, he won’t get into any trouble,” Hattori Heizo said, squinting. “Besides, he won’t let this go.”

As a father, he knew very well what kind of person his son was.

Whether out of guilt towards Sakata Yusuke or out of Heiji's righteous indignation, he would not stand idly by and watch the murderer continue to run rampant. Once the hunt begins, it will continue until one side is completely defeated.

"But……"

“You know Heiji’s personality. This murderer has really angered him.” Hattori Heizo said with his eyes half open. “A duel between samurai is not allowed to involve others. Sakata Yusuke’s death is a knot in his heart, and I don’t want this to haunt him for the rest of his life.”

“I understand.” Ginjiro Toyama nodded.

Since he couldn't openly help Heiji, he would find a way to help him secretly without him noticing. He sighed helplessly. His friend was really something else. He clearly doted on his son so much, yet he always pretended to be indifferent. Sometimes, he even seemed too cold to Heiji.

Watching Ginjiro Toyama leave, Heizo Hattori finally opened his eyes. "Yusuke Sakata, are you really dead?"

The video footage and the police gun do not prove that Yusuke Sakata is dead. He may still be alive and continuing his revenge.

That guy named Shinjo should have already warned Heiji, but I wonder if Heiji will realize it.

The one who died earlier was very likely a scapegoat. It's unlikely that the police camera footage was tampered with, but with makeup and disguise, the corpse could easily be made into the body of "Sakata Yusuke".

If it was just a provocation, that guy could have simply stabbed Sakata Yusuke's body in front of the camera, or even more simply, just dumped the body under the camera.

But now he has chosen to destroy the evidence, burning the body to charcoal, clearly intending to completely destroy the information on the body, such as fingerprints and teeth marks.

If Numabuchi Kiichiro is indeed Sakata Yusuke, then everything makes sense. As Inaba's son, he would certainly be a prime suspect. At this point, if he wants to continue his revenge, he must divert everyone's attention away from himself. No alibi is as reliable as a dead man; a dead man cannot commit a crime.

If the person who burned the body was Sakata Yusuke, then why did his dominant hand change? That doesn't make sense. Thinking of this, Hattori Heizo frowned.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and a man in a white coat walked in.

"Chief, it's a failure. The body is completely carbonized, making it impossible to extract DNA," the forensic doctor said with some difficulty.

Yusuke Sakata is a hero. He wouldn't have wanted to do the autopsy if the chief hadn't specifically asked him to. He's been the subject of gossip and criticism from his colleagues at the police station for the past two days.

If a conclusion can be reached, then this matter falls under the department head's responsibility, and he was merely carrying out the order. Now, he has taken Sakata Yusuke's body for examination, but no results have been obtained...

Just thinking about the accusations he would face made the forensic doctor want to apologize.

"Okay, I understand." Hattori Heizo waved his hand, signaling the forensic doctor to leave.

Inside a hotel in Tokyo

Yusuke Sakata, now dressed in black and sporting a different face, sat down next to Shinjo, looking somewhat uneasy. During his deal with Shinjo, he had been blinded by vengeful rage, and now, having calmed down, he regretted it.

However, it was too late to regret it at that point. He had already boarded the pirate ship of Xincheng, and it was impossible for him to get off.

Just then, a blond foreigner walked in from outside. He frowned as he looked at the two people in the private room. "You didn't tell me you were bringing other people."

“He will handle all communication with you from now on. Pisco and I need to go into hiding.” Shinjo pointed to Yusuke Sakata beside him. “He used to be a policeman, but he isn’t anymore, so there’s no need to be so nervous.”

Yusuke Sakata stared blankly at the dark muzzle of a gun in front of him, completely stunned. Only one thought occupied his mind—"Damn, when did Tokyo become so chaotic that even casual gangsters carry handguns?"

Upon hearing Newtown's words, Irish Liquor lowered his gun and then tossed an envelope from his pocket. "Inspect the goods. Cognac."

Shinjo gestured to Sakata Yusuke beside him to look at the contents of the envelope. Sakata Yusuke tremblingly took the envelope. The foreigner with the gun in front of him was putting a lot of pressure on him. He was really afraid that this man would shoot him.

However, his expression changed upon seeing the contents of the envelope. The photo showed Numabuchi Kiichiro and the other two men dead. How much time had passed? What surprised him most was that this man had managed to kill them despite the heavy protection of the Osaka police.

Chapter 152 Agent Sakata Yusuke

“His name is Ireland, and he’s a low-level executive in the organization.” Cognac raised his glass. “He’s smart and capable; you might consider him as someone you can strive to emulate.”

"An organization?" Sakata Yusuke was taken aback.

“Hmm, some criminal organization. Of course, you won’t be doing the dirty work; you’ll be my agent,” Shinjo said after a moment’s thought. “If you work hard, you might even get a code name.”

“You’re not the first to bring the police into the organization,” Ireland said seriously, looking at the cognac. “But if you value him, it’s best not to let him get a code name. Gin is a very suspicious man; he might suddenly kill him.”

Upon hearing that someone was going to kill him, Sakata Yusuke shuddered and looked to Shinjo for help.

Shinjo placed a safe he was carrying directly on the table. "This is your equipment. If you run out of bullets, just ask Mr. Ochiai for some. By the way, weapons are fine too, including anti-tank weapons. If anyone tries to shoot you, shoot them first before they do. I don't avenge a dead man."

Irish Wine's lips twitched. He had only given Shinjo a heads-up, but he hadn't expected that this guy would actually have his men shoot Gin. He was a madman.

“The remaining one, Sotaro Goji, is a bit of a problem,” Ireland said, frowning. “The master sent him an invitation, but he declined.”

"You refused? That's understandable. After all, so many accomplices are dead. If you hadn't noticed anything amiss, you'd be too slow-witted." Shinjo stroked his chin. "What are you planning to do?"

“I was thinking of sending him straight to heaven,” Ireland shrugged. “But the gentleman disagreed. He said it would cause too much of a commotion and be difficult to manage afterwards.”

“The old man is really getting more and more foolish. He’s afraid that if he makes too much of a fuss, Gin will have something to use against him and kill him.” Shinjo shook his head. “Do you have any backup plans?”

“Impersonate one of his men, then kill him,” Irish Wine said directly. “But that will take a long time.”

Shinjo glanced at Sakata Yusuke, who had remained silent, and said, "It doesn't matter. He's already lived for so many years, a few more months won't hurt. If you find it troublesome, I'll take care of it myself."

Irishman's expression froze for a moment, then he forced a smile and said, "I'll resolve this as soon as possible."

He wouldn't dare utter the word to order Cognac to make a move, no matter what. Cognac always makes a big show of things, and he's ruthless, even targeting friendly forces. The port incident still hasn't been resolved, and if Pisco is given more trouble, he might go crazy.

“That would be best.” Shinjo looked at Sakata Yusuke beside him. “Clean up these photos, then let’s go.”

Holding the photos, Yusuke Sakata was at a loss for what to do. His previous job had never involved dealing with stolen goods.

The Irish liquor seemed to sense his embarrassment and took the envelope from him, emptying the ice bucket to the side. The liquor, the envelope, and the flame collided inside the metal ice bucket, emitting a pale blue flame.

"Thank you." Sakata Yusuke thanked the Irish liquor and quickly followed Shinjo at the door.

Irish liquor is also starting to have a headache. It's not easy to deal with this cowardly guy, Sotaro Goji. However, he doesn't dare to drag it out for too long. If he really pushes Cognac to its limit, things will become even more complicated.

Shinjo and Sakata Yusuke quickly arrived at the parking lot downstairs. Looking at Sakata Yusuke, who looked like a punching bag, Shinjo felt a little angry.

"Hey, where's your bravado? Show it!" Shinjo stood by the car door. "This isn't a police station. You're going to be dealing with ruthless thugs from now on. If you can't intimidate them, you'll be in big trouble."

“I’ve never dealt with these guys before,” Sakata Yusuke said, shrinking back.

“Then learn.” Shinjo rolled his eyes. “Act, act, do you know how? When I first came out of the police academy, I was just as clueless as you. Here, take this.”

Sakata Yusuke looked at the mask Shinjo handed him, somewhat puzzled.

“The ordinary members are fine, but those codenamed officers are all elites. They have excellent observation skills and can judge your thoughts from subtle facial expressions. Until you learn how to control your facial expressions, wearing a mask might be the best choice.” Shinjo stretched. “Get in the car.”

after one day

“This time, the organization suffered heavy losses in its US operations.” Vermouth sat in the passenger seat. “It’s said that a hacker forged an order from the Treasury Department and sent emails to lower-level departments, instructing them to investigate the companies on the list.”

"The order was issued via email? There was no paper order, and no one relayed it?" Amuro Tooru's expression changed slightly.

“That day, the FBI and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department launched a joint operation, conducting a very high-profile investigation of these companies.” Vermouth’s expression was somewhat gloomy. “So they didn’t even do a review and just went ahead and did it. If anyone’s to blame, it’s Rum for being too high-profile and leaving too many things unresolved, which allowed others to catch them red-handed.”

"You suspect that Cognac was behind this?"

“Although there is no direct evidence, Cognac’s shadow is too strong in this matter. The Metropolitan Police Department investigated Jiang Xiaobai’s will because of the case of the attack on him, and thus obtained the list.” Vermouth looked at the scenery outside the car window. “Over there, the list was provided by a hacker, and Cognac happens to have a powerful hacker by his side.”

"What does Jiang Xiaobai's will have to do with Cognac?" Amuro Tooru was taken aback, but still spoke up to clear Shinjo's name, "Isn't this an accident? Jiang Xiaobai and Cognac were just friends, and he's been dead for over a year."

“That’s true.” Vermouth’s eye twitched. If she hadn’t known that Jiang Xiaobai was Cognac, she would have been fooled. After all, no one would suspect a dead man.