An infinite journey starting from paradise

"The three gems: the Queen's Tear, the Night Star, and the Green Dragon's Eye, and most importantly..."

Lai Shenglei turned around and looked at an oil painting hanging on the wall.

"This painting is 'Variations of Light.'"

The picture shows a girl bathing in the sea at sunset. The splashing waves and the light of the setting sun blurred the girl's face, but one can still vaguely see that the girl in the painting has some similarities with Lai Shenglei's eyebrows and eyes, except that she lacks the beauty mole on Lai Shenglei's chin.

"The girl in the painting looks very similar to Miss Laisheng." Lin Shangren said.

The figure in the painting certainly resembles Laisheng Lei, after all, she is the biological mother of the three Laisheng sisters—this painting was painted by Michael Heinz when he was deeply in love with his wife. After his disappearance, it passed through the hands of Haiyuan Shen and then to Lin Shangren.

"That's true, so Mr. Lin, can you give up on this painting and sell it to me?" Lai Shenglei ruffled his hair, revealing a smile that was enough to make an inexperienced young man die for him.

But Lin Shangren remained unmoved: "I'm sorry, but I refuse. I won't resell any of the artworks in the Ruimu Museum."

"So, what about sending it?"

Looking at the charming Lai Sheng Lei, Lin Shangren couldn't help but think: "You seem to be getting a little too far."

Before Lin Shangren could say anything, Lai Shenglei suddenly smiled and said, "It was just a joke. It seems that the business deal can't be done, but Mr. Lin should not mind making friends with me?"

"Of course, we're just ordinary friends."

"?"

"You seem to have taken it for granted." Lai Shenglei thought to herself.

Just as she was marveling at Lin Shangren's linguistic eloquence, Lin Shangren's cell phone suddenly rang.

The caller is Hehuan.

"excuse me."

"Please."

Lin Shangren walked aside and answered the phone: "Hehuan, what happened?"

"It's nothing serious. A new screenwriter named Chikako Ikeda offered to write a story. Also, Nagato Michizo, chairman of the Nagato Group, which has a partnership with Group B's toy production department, sent us an invitation to a dinner at his villa. Also, that guy Odagiri Toshiya wants to take a long vacation next week. He says he's going to Aomori Prefecture to help his cousin find a bride.

That's all there is to it. So, what is Shangren going to do?"

"When is the dinner?" Lin Shangren asked.

"Tomorrow night," He Huan replied. "By the way, I just used your crystal compass and found that Suzuki Sonoko seems to have invited Mao Lilan to a party at the Suzuki family's mountain villa two days later."

"That means the 'Famous Family Tragic Deaths' case will be tomorrow, and the 'Bandage Monster Case' will be the day after tomorrow," said Lin Shangren. "Let's solve these two pending murders first, and then go to Aomori Prefecture."

Chapter 296 I Need More Cattle and Horses

"It's pitch black before my eyes, and I feel a distinct foreign body on my cheek. My limbs don't feel numb from being tied up for so long, and I don't feel hungry either... I was only unconscious for less than four hours?"

In the secret room on the third floor of Kuchiki Hall, Kuroba Chikage, who had just regained consciousness, was analyzing the current situation.

"My wrists are tied and my thumbs are cuffed. Can't I break free?"

Just as Kuroba Chikage was contemplating a countermeasure, the black cloth covering her face was suddenly ripped away. The blinding light made it almost impossible for her to open her eyes. Once her eyes adjusted to the brighter environment, Kuroba Chikage finally saw clearly what was before her: her kidnapper, Lin Shangren, stood not far from her. Next to him stood a white-haired woman, also dressed in black. And lying at their feet was her husband, Kuroba Touichi.

At this time, Heiyu Daoyi was unconscious, with hideous wounds all over his face, and broken glass fragments could be vaguely seen in the wounds.

Lin Shangren checked on Hei Yu Daoyi and asked, "Is he so badly injured? Did he fight back desperately?"

"No, he simply hid a lot of mirrors under his suit, hoping to create an optical illusion and appear invisible. He was struck head-on by a Piercing Alder Sign, and his face was slashed like this by the mirror shards," Dong Shi explained. "Even a world-famous thief is still a mortal. Even if he has practiced his magic to the limit, he would be defenseless if struck without warning."

He's really good, though. His breath-holding skills almost fooled me. But he can't fake his heartbeat, so I cast another Alder Sign and a hypnotic Axis Sign on him. "Should we wake him up now?"

"Let's treat him first. Thanks to him, I got a fun new toy. By the way, I should still have the blood capsules I left for Dongshi, right?" Lin Shangren asked.

"I won't let anyone else use something this precious without your permission."

Since Dongshi accidentally obtained the power of a demon hunter by taking Lin Shangren's blood, she values ​​Lin Shangren's body fluids much more than other girls.

"There's no need to be so serious. It's just a little blood. If you want, you can use it to treat someone you think deserves treatment."

Lin Shangren took out the short knife Feng Ling Yue Ying from the shadows, cut open his palm, and dripped a few drops of blood onto Hei Yu Dao Yi's wound. The bloody wound healed instantly, and Hei Yu Dao Yi gradually regained consciousness.

"Alright." Lin Shangren looked at the stunned Kuroba Chikage, "You two, it's time to have a frank conversation. Since your actions have disturbed my lover, Miss Kujo Reiko, and caused certain financial losses to my art gallery, I have decided to hire you and your wife to work and pay off my debts."

"Please wait a moment," Hei Yu Qianying said with all her might, "Before we begin to discuss your self-righteous compensation demands in detail, shouldn't I introduce your true identity, Mr. Lin Shangren? Who are you? What exactly do you want to do?"

"My identities? Savior, magician, alchemist, murderer, police officer, forensic doctor, businessman, detective... too many to count."

As he spoke, Lin Shangren's appearance began to change, and animal features derived from the witch's power began to appear on his body: horns, spider eyes, eagle wings, snake scales, bear claws... appeared and disappeared.

"Although this may seem unconvincing, I consider myself a good person...at least a human being. Don't worry, I have nothing to do with the organization you resent and somewhat fear, and I bear no ill will towards you. I simply wish to exploit your surplus value."

"you……"

Hei Yu Qianying really wanted to ask, "What the hell are you?!" but fear made her swallow the words.

Lin Shangren continued, "I know you're searching for Pandora, the relics of those ancient guardians, and the hidden truth. I'm investigating these as well. However, in my opinion, Pandora and the secrets hidden in history are not as valuable as you two and the abilities you possess."

Mrs. Kuroba wouldn't mind wearing a tights and leather suit for the action scenes, right? Serious martial arts action scenes, I mean. Mr. Kuroba wouldn't mind taking on some of the makeup artist and special effects props man duties either. Oh... and dubbing, too."

Lin Shangren injected spiritual energy into the floating stone ring, lifted up Heiyu Daoyi who was secretly removing the handcuffs, and placed him next to Heiyu Qianying.

"Nice escape magic trick," Lin Shangren said calmly, "I understand Mr. Hei Yu's desire to take your wife away from here. However, I still suggest that you listen to my proposal before making a decision.

Or perhaps, let’s talk about sentencing standards for theft of large amounts of property, disturbing public order, obstructing justice, and assaulting police officers?”

……

A few minutes later, on the sixth floor of the Seven Star Entertainment Co., Ltd. building, in Lin Shangren's bedroom.

"I thought you would make some more outrageous demands, something even more outrageous. Like committing the crime in front of your husband. If Dong Shi killed someone last night, then that would be committing the crime in front of your husband's grave."

Fululu landed on Lin Shangren's shoulder, chattering non-stop, "A charming thief, wearing a tights and bandages, and can evolve into a widow at any time."

"Shut up, you."

Lin Shangren raised his hand and pushed Fululu onto the bed.

"What are you doing! Huh..." Fululu flew to Hehuan's side angrily.

"Shangren wouldn't do such a mean thing." He Huan patted Fululu's head, walked to Lin Shangren's side, and took his arm. "Hey, Shangren, have you decided what to wear to tomorrow's dinner?"

"The Nagato family dinner..." Hayashi Naoro recalled the details of the "Famous Family Tragic Murders" case. He was deeply impressed by the appearance of the "Second Generation Bandage Monster" and Hattori Heiji and his son in it, and also because the tragedy behind the case was so heartbreaking.

It's not that the method of committing the crime is particularly sophisticated, but the relationships between the characters behind it are too... "stomach-ache". Simply put, it's a tragic remake of "The June Bride Murder Case".

In the original world line, in order to find his first love forty years ago, the chairman of the Nagato Group, Nagato Michizo, invited Maori Kogoro to his home at the recommendation of Hattori Heizo and Hattori Heiji, father and son.

During the visit, Mori and his party met Nagato Michisan's twin daughters Nobuko and Yasue, Yasue's husband Guangming, Nagato Michisan's secretary Hinata Yuki, and Nagato Michisan's son Nagato Hideomi, who was disfigured in a fire in his early years and had his face bandaged all the time.

Just as Maori Kogoro was asking Nagato Michizan about his first love, the Nagato family's housekeeper suddenly received a call from the son-in-law's room, and then everyone heard Nagato Michizan's screams. The group went to the balcony to investigate and saw a bandaged man with a knife in his mouth, leisurely fleeing the crime scene.

Maori Kogoro and his companions immediately went downstairs to investigate, only to hear Nagato Mitsukoshi's screams once again. When they rushed into his room downstairs, they found him dead on the window grating, his body stabbed through. Maori Kogoro initially thought that Nagato Hideomi, who had disappeared with a bandage on his head, was the murderer, but in the evening, he discovered his body in the fountain in the villa garden, along with a suicide note filled with remorse, suggesting he had committed suicide.

The deceased's two screams, the murderer who disappeared out of thin air, the suspect who committed suicide at an unknown time... The case is bizarre and complicated, and the only one who can truly see through the truth is the one who looks like a child on the outside, but is actually...ah, something has gone wrong.

In short, the mystery of the case is not complicated. The truth is that Nagato Hideomi had committed suicide the day before, leaving behind a suicide note. Hinata Yuki, who first discovered this, planned to collaborate with Nagato Mitsuaki. Using the deceased Nagato Hideomi's identity, they would kill Nagato Mitsuaki and install Nagato Mitsuaki as chairman. The two would impersonate Nagato Hideomi at different times, creating the illusion that he was still alive. When the time was right, Nagato Mitsuaki would feign an attack on the second floor to attract everyone's attention. Then, using a rope, they would climb to the third floor and, together with Hinata Yuki, who remained there, kill Nagato Mitsuaki and pin the blame on the deceased Nagato Hideomi.

The two had a good plan, however, during the implementation phase, when Nagato Mitsuaki climbed to the third floor, they suddenly turned against him and pushed him off the third-floor balcony, turning him from a "son-in-law" into a "fallen son-in-law".

As for the reason why Hinata Yuki did this, it was for revenge.

Twenty years ago, sixteen-year-old Nagato Hideomi and his wife, Guangming, were a pair of idle, wealthy, second-generation delinquents. One day, while smoking on the street, their discarded cigarette butts sparked a fire that ignited a hotel. Fearing retribution, Guangming fled the scene, while Nagato Hideomi, eager to atone for his mistake, rushed into the blaze, ultimately saving a six-year-old girl while sustaining severe burns to his own face.

This little girl is Hinata Yuki. She lost her parents in a fire, only to meet an older brother who risked his own life to save her. Perhaps driven by guilt, Nagato Hideomi cared for the orphaned Hinata Yuki, encouraging her to persevere. Unaware of the truth, Hinata Yuki gradually fell in love with this older brother, ten years her senior.

Twenty years passed, and Hinata Yuki grew into a graceful beauty, becoming a secretary for the Nagato Group. Despite Hideomi's disfigurement, she insisted on marrying him. Nagato Hideomi accepted her proposal, for by then, they were both hopelessly in love with each other.

However, Nagato Hideomi was overwhelmed by guilt and could no longer enjoy a life built on lies and deception. Hinata Yuki's proposal was the final straw that broke the camel's back. Filled with a strong sense of guilt, Nagato Hideomi wrote a suicide note, confessing his arson, and then committed suicide.

After learning the truth, Hinata Yuki fell into deep self-contradiction, and eventually the idea of ​​revenge for her parents prevailed. So Hinata Yuki designed the above plan to avenge Nagato Mitsuaki, the other murderer who killed her parents.

In the end, Hinata Sachi got her revenge, but she also lost hope of living. After all, the older brother who had become as close to her as family over the past twenty years was no longer with her.

"Falling in love with the murderer of your family is difficult. The tragedy of twenty years ago cannot be undone, but the tragedy between them has not happened yet."

At this point, Conan has yet to meet Hattori Heiji. While this world's timeline often seems erratic, it's relatively normal when it comes to cases. This means Nagato Hideomi hasn't committed suicide yet, and the tragedy between him and Hinata Yuki hasn't reached a point of no return.

"There is still hope."

Lin Shangren recalled the ending of the original work.

In fact, this case is very important to both Conan and Heiji - they discussed whether the detective should use reasoning to force the criminal into a desperate situation, and Conan also shared the lessons he learned on Tsukikage Island with Heiji.

"At least in this world, Masami is still alive and well. She's become a forensic doctor, made a lot of friends, and I heard she's recently started dating the daughter of Detective Kodenmi. That's great... Oh, by the way! I almost forgot about it."

Lin Shangren suddenly remembered that after capturing Kaito Kidd, he still had a promise to fulfill.

Chapter 297: Detective Conan

Early morning at the Maori Detective Agency.

It was six o'clock sharp, and Kogoro Mouri, after a night of drinking, had just fallen asleep on the sofa in front of the TV. The morning news was playing: High temperature warning, citizens are advised to prepare for sun protection.

Aside from Kogoro Mouri's snoring and the noise from the TV station, there was no other sound in the Mouri Detective Agency. Conan had gone to Dr. Agasa's house yesterday and stayed overnight. And Ran, who usually got up early to prepare breakfast, had actually fallen asleep for the first time today.

"Mother…"

Xiaolan, curled up in the quilt, uttered a faint mutter.

"This is so strange..."

In the dream, Xiaolan was kneeling in a hot spring pool, with Kisaki Eri hugging her from behind, a pair of soft breasts pressing against her neck. She had something in her mouth, sucking it awkwardly.

"Relax, don't resist." Her mother's gentle voice sounded in her ears. "Try to swallow. The more you resist, the more uncomfortable your throat will be."

"Woo... Gurgle..."

"If you can't, don't force yourself."

"Who is this voice?"

In the dream, Xiaolan tried hard to see the situation clearly. Her consciousness gradually became clear, and she seemed to be able to clearly feel the movement of her throat and the feeling of a foreign object constantly pushing into her throat.

"It suddenly got bigger, something is about to come out... Ugh... Gululu..."

"ah!"

Xiaolan suddenly felt her feet go empty. She was so frightened that she sat up suddenly from the bed.

"Am I dreaming?" Xiaolan wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Hmm...in the dream...what was that?"

Confused, Xiaolan prepared to change out of her pajamas and get up to wash up. She didn't know why she felt a little unwell. It wasn't that she felt any specific discomfort, but it was a little worse than yesterday.

"Have the effects of the hot spring worn off? I don't feel any noticeable blockage in my shoulders and thighs, but I feel like my mind isn't as clear as it was yesterday..."

Xiaolan shook her head, perhaps because of the depression caused by her parents' divorce.

Thinking of this, she lifted the warm quilt. Only then did she feel that her underwear seemed to be a little wet.

"!"

Xiaolan blushed and quickly covered herself with the quilt.

"What's wrong with me?"

……

Three hours later, in the office of the Violent Crime Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, Saeko Nogami was organizing Hannyaka Kaede's confession.

"The silly daughter of a wealthy family went to Tokyo to pursue her dreams, but ended up going astray. Such a trivial matter wouldn't interest Lin Shangren, right? So, what Lin Shangren cares about isn't Prajna Feng as a person, but something else?"

Saeko Nogami sketched a logical map in her notes, and took out a document about Rokkaku Village from the file bag beside her. This was a file she specially retrieved from the Household Registration Archives Department, which recorded the basic information of Rokkaku Village.

"Rokkaku Village, also known as Cross Village, belongs to Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture and has a history of nearly 500 years. The villagers make their living mainly from agricultural production... Is it called Rokkaku Village because of the layout of the village?"

Nogami Saeko looked at the bird's-eye view of Rokkaku Village. The village was laid out in the shape of a hexagram, with several main roads dividing a vast central hexagonal area and triangular areas in the six directions. Within the hexagram, rows of square houses and paddy fields lined the village. Beyond the bungalows, each of the seven hexagram sections boasted a luxurious high-rise.

"The church in the center, and the Clock House, Ivy House, Armor House, Weathercock House, Tower House, and Stained Glass House located at the six corners... It's said to be a traditional Japanese village, but the iconic buildings are all modern products. And there's this hexagram-like layout, is there such a thing in feng shui?" Nogami Saeko pondered.

"Furthermore, a village with such unique characteristics has not developed tourism. It can support six wealthy families who can build Western-style mansions just by growing agricultural products? This is indeed suspicious."

"Sister Saeko."

Just as Nogami Saeko was thinking, a female voice full of energy brought her thoughts back to reality.

"Reika? What's wrong?"

The person who came was Nogami Saeko's younger sister, Inspector Nogami Reika, who also worked in the Violent Crimes Unit.

"My future brother-in-law finally agreed to come to work at the Metropolitan Police Department. Do you want to go see him, sister?" Nogami Rika said with a wicked smile.

"What bad things are you saying again, girl? What future brother-in-law!"

"That's Inspector Lin. I heard that you two have already developed a relationship where he calls you Saeko and you call him brother. We've only just met for the first time. Could it be that the romantic atmosphere of the wedding has disturbed your sister's mind?"