Conan: When Shinjiu and Maolilan swap bodies

She had encountered numerous crises from the organization, but this shadow, for the first time, did not appear in the form of gunfire, but rather silently infiltrated and replaced a corner of her daily life.

It wasn't until one day that I suddenly realized the place was completely empty.

A chill crept up her spine; despite being in the sunlight, she felt icy cold and her steps were as heavy as a thousand pounds.

She instinctively reached for her phone and dialed the number pinned to the top of her contacts, instinctively seeking someone to lean on.

She longed for a hand to pull her out of this intense self-blame and guilt.

The phone beeped, and she gripped the phone tighter.

……

The air in the basement of the remote villa was murky, filled with old dust, damp concrete, and a faint, lingering smell of blood.

The only light source was a low-wattage incandescent bulb overhead, casting a dim, yellowish glow.

In the center of the empty room, a sturdy wooden chair was fixed to the ground, and Rum was strapped to it with restraints.

He was only wearing a thin nightgown, his body was frozen stiff, his eyes were bloodshot in the dim light, and the dark circles under his eyes revealed his fatigue and constant pressure.

His demeanor at this moment lacked any of the authority expected of the organization's second-in-command; he resembled an old beast, wounded yet still baring its teeth, trying to maintain the dignity of its territory.

Qingze sat on an ordinary wooden chair opposite him, with a laptop on his lap and a data cable connected to his phone next to him.

On the screen was the complex permissions interface of Rum's specially made phone, with a password input box stubbornly flashing.

Rum's voice was hoarse, dry from lack of sleep and pain, but the sarcasm remained:

"How does it feel to save people using my identity? Don't you feel like a hero?"

He was trying to provoke the other person, or rather, trying to glean information from any reaction.

Last night, he was knocked unconscious by Koniak, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself here.

All his communication devices were confiscated, and the person in front of him, holding his cell phone, used his communication channel to connect to Gin's operation.

His intentions are self-evident.

Chapter 453 I can cooperate with you

Qingze completely ignored him, not even raising his head, his gaze still fixed on the password box.

Rum was extremely annoyed by this dismissive attitude.

He said with a mocking expression, "You've really gone mad for a woman."

Qingze remained silent.

Rum continued to attack, trying to stir the emotions of the person in front of him and make him reveal his true feelings.

"What, you want to sit in my seat? Do you think the gentleman will allow it?"

Qingze finally raised his eyes and looked at Rum's face.

"A seat?" he asked softly, a slight curve appearing at the corners of his mouth, but without any real smile. "Do you think I care about that?"

He snapped the laptop screen shut with a click and leaned forward slowly.

The dim yellow light overhead was blocked by his broad shoulders, casting large shadows that made the expression in his eyes even more profound and unfathomable.

“Cooperate a little and tell me the password,” his voice was calm, even gentle, yet it instantly increased the pressure in the air. “I might make things a little easier for you here, otherwise…”

He didn't finish speaking, nor did he need to. The unspoken words spread a chill in the stagnant air that was more unsettling than a clear threat.

“Ha,” Rum forced a cold laugh, “You think you can replace me just because you got my phone? My disappearance…”

"Missing?" Qingze interrupted him, his tone carrying a perfectly timed, chilling hint of doubt. "You're missing? Where did you disappear to? Weren't you still making sushi at the sushi shop?"

Rum's heart sank, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Only a very few people knew that he was impersonating a sushi restaurant owner. Originally done for safety, it had now become the perfect cover for his silent disappearance.

"rest assured."

Qingze's voice rang out again, not loud, but clear and distinct, striking at Rum's tense nerves.

“I will take your place. Anyway, you’ve always been mysterious. Few people have seen your face, heard your voice, or even know where you’re hiding.”

An invisible, icy hand gripped Rum's heart tightly.

He realized that he was trapped here and might never see the light of day again.

Koniak spared his life only because of the information in his mind that had not yet been extracted.

He had to survive, even if it meant living in humiliation, and then wait—wait for an opportunity to deliver a message that might never come…

He suppressed the surging despair, striving to maintain a facade of composure, even managing to squeeze out that mocking tone once more:

"Even so, do you think you can secretly replace me?"

"How much do you know about the organization's power? The undercover agents I've handled, the spies I've planted, the intricate relationships... can you handle them all?"

"I can cooperate with you, but on some conditions..."

Just then, my phone vibrated in the basement.

It's the phone that Qingze uses every day.

All of Rum's carefully prepared words and calculations were abruptly interrupted by this sudden sound.

Qingze paused slightly, then reached into his pocket and took out his phone.

The light from the screen was particularly striking in the dim space, clearly reflecting the name "Lan".

In an instant, Rum clearly felt the icy oppressive feeling that had enveloped him recede like a tide.

Qingze's expression didn't change much, but his brows seemed to soften slightly.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead looked up at Rum again.

The gaze remained calm, but the penetrating scrutiny from before was gone.

"The rest..." Qingze stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow that completely enveloped Rum in his chair, "We'll talk about it when we get back."

Before he finished speaking, he raised his hand, his movement so fast that only a blur remained.

Rum didn't even see how he moved. He only felt a sharp pain on the side of his neck, and all his churning thoughts, unspoken negotiations, deep-seated fear and resentment, along with his consciousness, were swallowed up by the sudden darkness.

Qingze glanced at the unconscious Rum for a second, confirming that he had only temporarily lost consciousness.

The deathly silence of the basement returned, with only the cell phone still vibrating persistently in his palm, the name on the screen flashing a faint but undeniable light.

He pressed the answer button and held the phone to his ear.

"orchid."

The voice, transmitted through the radio waves, no longer carried the chill and oppression of the previous moment, but was naturally covered with a layer of peaceful gentleness.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then Ran Mouri's voice came through, muffled, like cotton wool soaked by rain, completely devoid of its usual lightness: "Aze..."

Qingze raised an eyebrow, and with his phone between his fingers, he put away his laptop and Rum's special phone.

He turned around and closed the door.

The key was inserted into the lock, turned, and made a soft click, locking the dim light in the room and the unconscious prisoner behind him.

He stepped onto the stairs leading to the ground, one step, two steps... The light gradually increased, and the cool air seeping in through the cracks in the door diluted the stale air underground.

He then spoke into the microphone and asked, "What's wrong?"

Pushing open the last door, the sudden influx of bright daylight made him instinctively squint.

He stood on the veranda of the villa, the morning sun shining down without any obstruction, almost too bright.

He took a half step back, disappearing back into the shadow cast by the pillars.

On the phone, Ran Mouri began to recount in a low voice, from the shop assistants' casual conversation she overheard that morning to that belated realization.

Her voice grew softer and slower, finally stopping at the edge of a dangerous cliff.

"Aze, are the Nakayama couple from the sushi restaurant already...?"

The conversation abruptly ended.

The word "death" weighed heavily, hanging on the line, sinking into the cold silence of the receiver.

Tears slid down her cheeks.

She failed in her "responsibility" to know the truth; her neglect led to the passing of two familiar faces.

She should have done better... instead of waiting until it was too late to change things before realizing her mistake.

The suppressed and muffled breathing coming from Qingze's receiver made him stand under the eaves, gazing at the cloud-covered sky, as if he could see that sorrowful face through the clouds.

"You feel guilty because of them, you blame yourself."

His voice was calm, not a question, but a statement.

He had foreseen this moment after learning that Rum was planning a switcheroo.

She was saddened by the death of a complete stranger, so how much more so by the death of a neighbor she had known for many years?

It wasn't just sadness, but also self-blame and guilt.

She would feel guilty for doing nothing, guilty for not being able to save them.

The impact of his memories on her has faded considerably over time.

"Lan, you have too strong a sense of morality. There's nothing wrong with being kind, but excessive kindness will only hurt yourself."

"I know……"

Ran Mouri responded in a low voice, muffled and nasal. She walked forward mechanically with her head down, biting her lower lip tightly, as if that would stop the sobs churning in her throat.

"I understand everything you're saying. I'm just... feeling really upset."

That dull ache, a mixture of helplessness and self-blame, lingered in my heart, weighing heavily on every breath.

Chapter 453 Growth requires trials and tribulations; as for where those trials and tribulations come from, don't worry about that.

Qingze sighed softly, a sigh that was very gentle yet unusually complex.

He loved the pristine light in her soul, yet at times, he almost hated its existence.

Why be so kind?

Wouldn't it be better to be a little indifferent?

What business is it of yours whether other people live or die?

Only selfish people live well.

Evil thoughts arise uncontrollably.

Let her blame herself, let her feel guilty.

Too much guilt will dull your heart.

Just like him.

But in the end, he spoke only very softly, his voice seeming not to come from his throat, but from some distant and tender old dream:

"They're alright, Bai Yu saved them."

He spoke softly, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold pillars.

These words were spoken to her, yet they also seemed like an echo that traveled through time, landing on the shoulders of that boy who once huddled alone in the darkness, with no one to reach out to him, and could only let guilt and self-loathing gnaw at him.

If only someone had told him that back then...

Ran Mouri suddenly stopped in her tracks, almost thinking she had misheard: "...What?"

“The Zhongshan couple are alright,” Qingze repeated, each word clear and certain. “Baiyu saved them.”

The immense shock left Ran Mouri speechless for a moment. She abruptly raised her head, her vision blurry: "Re...really?"

"Ah."

After realizing what Rum was planning to do, he asked Bai Yu to keep an eye on things.

Rum only ordered his men to carry out the attack.

However, it still took Bai Yu a lot of effort to save them and make them believe that the person was dead.