Conan Rick's Investigator

"This is nothing short of a miracle!"

“An unprecedented miracle!”

Ryohei Matsumoto walked to the front of the screen and gently stroked the dog-headed man image on it, as if it really existed.

The dog-headed man was gnawing on a human head. As if prompted by someone, he raised his head, his gray eyes facing the canvas.

Compared to Matsumoto Ryohei's excitement, Kuroba Kaito's body was trembling slightly, and his face was full of disbelief.

Even if he racked his brains, he could not imagine that beneath the painting depicting his father's heroic figure, there was such a horrifying scene.

Kuroba Kaito: Will-15

Like Kuroba Kaito, Terai Kōnosuke stared at the painting in disbelief, unable to imagine what was going on in Toichi-sensei's mindset when he agreed to be the painter's model.

Terai Huangnosuke: Will -10

The only relatively calm person in the room was Qin Zhibo. Apart from being a little surprised when he saw the image of the dog-headed man just now, he was fine otherwise.

After all, Qin Zhibo had seen this thing with his own eyes, so no matter how realistic the image in the painting was, it was just that.

Qin Zhibo: Will -5

Just then, the door of the room was pushed open and Koizumi Hongzi came back after visiting the Hell Exhibition Hall.

She looked around the room and subconsciously looked at the computer screen where everyone's attention was focused.

"Eh?"

"Isn't this a ghoul?"

Koizumi Hongzi said so.

Chapter 621 Kuroba Kaito: My disguise skills are better than his!

Qin Zhibo and Kuroba Kaito were both stunned for a moment and turned to look at Koizumi Hongzi.

"What? Do you know this kind of...creature?" Qin Zhibo asked.

Koizumi Hongzi walked closer, looked at the screen, and nodded.

“This is a creature called a ghoul, which often appears in cemeteries and underground tunnels.

They possess intelligence no less than that of humans, which allows them to communicate with humans, and in the ghoul's lair, there is a passage to the dream world.

Since the days of witch hunting, witches have made pacts with ghouls to attack humans who persecute them.

But since humans entered the advanced era, ghouls have almost become extinct..."

Extinct?

Qin Zhibo narrowed his eyes slightly, expressing his doubts about this statement.

But it sounds like Koizumi Akako really does know something about ghouls, because she was right about the dream passage.

Qin Zhibo once spent a night in the cemetery and saw the passage that only appeared when the fog was rising.

Chikako Ikeda's feet are still left at the entrance of the passage.

"Ghoul... Why are you drawing this?"

Besides being surprised, Kuroba Kaito found it a little hard to accept.

He couldn't accept that the great magician he respected most was in the same painting with ghostly creatures, and so well-matched with them.

No one could guess the reason, not even Terai Kōnosuke, who had served Kuroba Toichi for many years.

At this moment, Matsumoto Ryohei suddenly turned around and said to Kuroba Kaito with a serious expression: "Sell this painting to me."

Kuroba Kaito was surprised by Matsumoto Ryohei's proposal, but Matsumoto Ryohei approached Kuroba Kaito with extremely aggressive steps.

"The artistic value of this painting is beyond your imagination..."

There was a hint of madness in Matsumoto Ryohei's eyes, which made Kuroba Kaito unconsciously take half a step back.

Qin Zhibo was not surprised by this. Matsumoto Ryohei himself had read the book "The Rituals of the Corpse-Eating Ghosts" and he probably knew the story of the ghouls.

Nothing could drive a cannibalistic and artistic art curator so crazy unless it were a painting of a ghoul.

What's more, the painting is so skillfully done that even a layman can see it.

“Sell it to me…”

"It's a true wonder of art, and I'll pay for it!"

Matsumoto Ryohei kept talking, but after calming down, Kuroba Kaito immediately expressed his thoughts.

"terribly sorry!"

"This is my father's legacy, I won't sell it..."

After hearing what Kuroba Kaito said, Matsumoto Ryohei's eyelids twitched slightly, and his body, which had been leaning forward, returned to normal.

Matsumoto Ryohei fell into silence for a long time until Qin Zhibo walked over and patted Matsumoto Ryohei on the shoulder.

"This is such a pity..." Matsumoto Ryohei walked back to the computer calmly and started operating it with his fingers.

"Then please allow me to scan a photo of this painting."

……

After leaving the Medieval Art Museum, Kuroba Kaito felt much more relaxed than when he first learned the truth about the painting.

Terai Huang Zhisuke packed "The Phantom Thief Under the Moon" into the car, ready to take it back and figure out how to deal with it.

After learning the horrifying truth about the painting, Kuroba Kaito didn't want to throw it away, but he also didn't want to hang it above his bed, having the ghouls under the thief's portrait stare at him every day.

I'm not that bad-natured.

"Phantom Thief and Ghoul..."

“It’s an incredible combination.”

Kuroba Kaito teased, a slightly forced smile on his face.

Qin Zhibo saw that he was finding it hard to accept for a moment and was just trying his best to maintain a poker face.

Judging from the exquisite picture-in-picture technique in the painting, the layout of the thieves and the ghouls should have been designed in a unified way, rather than simply covering one painting on top of another.

Therefore, the entire painting within a painting should have been created by the painter named Pickman.

What is the relationship between Kuroba Toichi and Pickman? And what is the relationship between him and the ghouls?

These are all things that Kuroba Kaito needs to find out after he returns.

In addition, if Hei Yu Daoyi is related to those ghostly creatures, would he still be alive?

After all, the ghoul looks like it's not easy to die. What if Kuroba Toichi is still alive?

These are all things that Kuroba Kaito urgently needs to investigate after he returns.

However, before going back, Kuroba Kaito had something to tell Qin Zhibo as a thank you for facilitating this "Art Appraisal Conference".

"The man named 'Niide Tomoaki' whom I met on the bus might be a disguised person."

Qin Zhibo was a little surprised to see the serious expression on Kuroba Kaito's face, which was very rare.

"Is Niide Tomoaki a disguised person?"

"Well... I just think there is a possibility." Kuroba Kaito's tone was not very certain.

"This person's disguise is incredibly skilled. Even I can only spot a flaw in him in certain situations and from certain angles... But maybe I'm mistaken."

Qin Zhibo narrowed his eyes and recalled the scene of his meeting with Aida Tomoaki on the bus. Anyway, there was no sign of him using any disguise.

"If this person is using the art of disguise, then what is his level?"

Qin Zhibo realized that his question was a bit vague and added, "Is his level higher than yours? Or lower?"

Kuroba Kaito pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed playfully and said, "Of course my disguise technique is better than his!"

"I doubt it..."

"Hey, hey! Have a little faith in me, okay?"

"well……"

Kuroba Kaito has a somewhat narcissistic personality, so when comparing Qin Zhibo's inner disguise skills, maybe Kuroba Kaito ≥ someone.

It would be nice if I could see other people's skill proficiency levels when I contact and investigate them.

Of course, if you can get in touch with "Shindō Chiming", all problems will naturally be solved.

……

"You are late..."

"Being late is a female privilege, isn't it?"

In the Observation Restaurant of the Beika Central Building, Toru Amuro, wearing a bartender uniform, pulled out a chair for his date like a gentleman.

The person that Toru Amuro was dating was an elegant lady with long wavy golden hair cascading down like a waterfall. Her flawless and cool goddess face was enough to make the hearts of all men in the world beat faster.

This is not the kind of magical charm that Koizumi Akako has, but the natural charm of being a woman.

"To make up for being late this time, haven't I booked the entire Overlook Restaurant so I can talk to you in my true form?"

"Bourbon..."

Looking at the beauty in front of him, Bourbon remained unmoved and just smiled slightly.

"Vermouth, if you have anything to say, please say it now."

"Wait a minute, the appetizers will be here. I don't think we can have a pleasant meal while discussing business..."

Chapter 622 Bourbon: Qin Zhibo is a double agent?

Bourbon and Vermouth.

This was the first time the two had met since Gin had caused the twin skyscrapers in Nishitama City to explode and Mount Fuji to erupt.

And this meeting is more necessary than before.

"Don't be so impatient..."

"Shouldn't you start your dinner with a compliment on a woman's outfit?"

Vermouth's cheek rested lightly on his palm, looking alluring and charming.

Today she is wearing a fiery red pomegranate skirt with dazzling decorative strips, which perfectly matches her curvy figure and shows the latter's perfection to the fullest.

Even when she walked on the Oscars red carpet, her outfit was no more than this.

However, Bourbon remained calm and responded with a sneer.

"If you expect me to fall at your feet, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

"I'm not Calvados. I don't have that rotten apple smell that Vermouth has..."

After hearing Bourbon's words, Vermouth smiled slightly and did not respond. Instead, she turned around and called the waiter who was waiting in the distance.

"Bourbon..."

"Vermouth..."

The two exchanged wine names and each asked for the other's code name for the wine.

The waiter left to get the drinks, and Bourbon continued, "For a big star like you, even if you booked the whole place, it would be hard to hide your whereabouts, right?"

"If word gets out that you and I had dinner together, it won't be a good thing for either of us."

Vermouth glanced at the waiter waiting in the distance and replied calmly, "The waiters here know how to keep silent, unlike you..."

There was something more to Vermouth's words, and Bourbon also heard the subtext.

"If it's because of the unpleasantness in our last conversation, I apologize for it..."

"But you know, although we each have different missions, they are all for 'that sir'."

Vermouth narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone a little subtle, "Really? In that case, then tell me in detail what happened last time..."