Conan: When Shinjiu and Maolilan swap bodies

"then you……"

Qingze turned his head to meet her gaze, a strange smile playing on his lips.

"Of course, I'll see him."

After hanging up the phone, Yusaku Kudo stared at his phone screen for a few seconds before placing it on the coffee table.

"He agreed?" Conan's voice came from the side.

Yusaku Kudo shook his head, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"He said he would try to contact Koniak. Whether he comes or not is Koniak's business."

Conan frowned and sat down on the sofa. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting small patches of light on the coffee table.

Will he contact me?

"Probably, but I don't know if Koniak will reply."

Shuichi Akai turned around from the window.

"If Koniak is willing to meet, what do you intend to discuss?"

Yusaku Kudo was silent for a moment.

"Let's talk about cooperation."

Shuichi Akai's eyes flickered slightly.

"You believe him?"

“I don’t believe it.” Kudo Yusaku’s voice was calm. “But he has something we don’t—information about the organization’s internal workings, the distribution of personnel, and the locations of its strongholds. With Rum dead, the organization will immediately fall into chaos, and this is the perfect opportunity.”

“It’s also the most dangerous time,” Shuichi Akai added. “In times of chaos, no one knows what will happen next.”

Conan looked up.

"Any news from Haibara's side?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Dr. Agasa sighed and shook his head.

No. There's no news at all.

When they left, in order to make it realistic, they didn't leave any way to communicate, so it's impossible to contact Haibara now.

Conan's brow furrowed even more.

He knew that Haibara's return to the organization was a last resort, and he also knew that she was not in immediate danger—but knowing was one thing, worrying was another.

"She'll be fine for now. The organization's A drug research and development can't do without her. As long as she's alive, we have leverage."

Conan lowered his head and stared at the light spots on the coffee table.

Bargaining chips.

The word made him very uncomfortable.

But she does need leverage.

They all need it.

"How are the preparations going with the FBI?" Kudo Yusaku asked Akai Shuichi.

"I've already contacted James and we're mobilizing him."

"What about the Japanese police?" Sera Mary asked. "M16 has limited manpower in Japan, so I can only have M16 operate in the UK. If possible, it would be best to cooperate with them in Japan to ensure everything goes smoothly."

“I will try to mediate,” said Yusaku Kudo.

Although Rei Furuya's side isn't very friendly, it doesn't matter. He still has connections within the Metropolitan Police Department built up over so many years, and that's the main advantage.

Time, time is the most important thing right now.

Rum's death disrupted the organization's rhythm but also gave them a window of opportunity. But how long that window would last, no one knew.

A few birdsongs drifted in from outside the window, crisp and short.

Conan looked up at the gray sky outside the window.

Haibara, you must live.

We'll come pick you up.

......

During the winter break, the streets of Jianggutian were deserted.

The heating in Terai Kinosuke's billiards bar was on full blast, and the air was filled with the green smell of the billiard tables and a faint aroma of alcohol.

There were no customers at this time of morning; only deep jazz music flowed from the speakers in the corner, and the faint hissing sound of vinyl records spinning could be heard.

Kaito Kuroba was lying on the bar counter with an untouched glass of soda in front of him.

His chin rested on his arm, his eyes fixed on the slowly rising bubbles in the cup, motionless.

That face, which usually wore a sly smile, was now drooping, as if something important had been taken away from it, carrying a sense of death and despondency.

Terai was wiping glasses behind the bar, glancing at him every now and then, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back. In the end, she just sighed and put the cleaned glasses back on the shelf.

The young master has been like this for the past few days. He won't say what happened when asked. He seems to have suffered a major blow and lost his fighting spirit.

He called his wife, who had already left. She was silent for a while, then just sighed and said that he had to get through this on his own.

He looked completely bewildered, utterly confused about what had happened.

The door was pushed open, and a cold draft rushed in.

Koizumi Akako walked in, her long red hair gently swaying in the paused breeze by the door.

She took off her deep red coat, draped it over her arm, and scanned the empty billiard hall before finally settling on the figure leaning against the bar.

She walked over and sat down on the high stool next to him. Her movements were graceful, and she gently gathered the hem of her skirt.

"Someone's getting moldy here?"

Kaito Kuroba didn't move, but merely rolled his eyes in response.

Koizumi Akako didn't rush to speak. She nodded slightly to Terai, ordered a glass of mulled wine, then turned her head to quietly observe the person beside her.

Kaito Kuroba.

The person who was always carefree and always sleeping in class with his chin in his hand, yet still managed to get first place in exams; the person who wore a gorgeous dress and said flirtatious things, yet could disappear without a trace in the blink of an eye—at this moment, he was like a plant that had been hit by frost, withered and lifeless.

"Aoko told me you've been acting strange these past few days," Koizumi Akako said, her voice unhurried, carrying the aloof elegance unique to witches.

Kaito Kuroba's eyelashes fluttered.

"She said her voice sounded listless when she called you, she couldn't get you to come out, and she couldn't find you when she went to look for you. She was worried sick..."

Kaito Kuroba remained silent for a few seconds.

"nothing."

What could he say?

He said that his most admired father had become the kind of person he hated the most.

To say that one's pursuit has always been a joke?

His heart felt like a huge void, with cold winds rushing in, chilling his hands and feet to the bone.

Chapter 593 The Witch's Divination

Koizumi Akako did not ask further questions.

She simply held her glass, looking at him through the rising steam of the red wine. Her red eyes held a discerning distance, neither pressing nor averting.

"Your current appearance reminds me of a certain state."

Kaito Kuroba didn't respond.

“When magic goes out of control,” she continued, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper to herself, “the magic is still there, but it doesn’t know where to go. It runs rampant through the body, draining itself, and you can’t do anything.”

Kaito Kuroba's eyelashes trembled again.

Koizumi Akako looked at him and said, "That's exactly how you look."

Kaito Kuroba finally stirred. He turned his face to the side, resting his head on his arm as he looked at her.

"Koizumi-san."

"Ok?"

"Have you ever..." he paused, his voice trembling, "...had a time when you didn't know what to do?"

Koizumi Akako raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What do you mean?"

“It’s just…” Kaito Kuroba’s gaze shifted to the rising bubbles in the glass, “The thing you’ve been chasing suddenly disappears. Or it exists, but it’s not what you thought it was.”

He paused for a moment.

"Then you won't know what to do next."

Koizumi Akako did not answer immediately.

She picked up her glass and took another sip. The wine was warm, with the comforting aroma of spices.

“I haven’t,” she finally spoke, her tone still elegant and composed. “But I know that in times like these, doing something is better than doing nothing.”

Kaito Kuroba looked at her.

“Even if we’re going the wrong way,” Koizumi Akako put down her cup and turned to meet his gaze, “at least we’re moving. It’s better than sitting on the bar and getting moldy.”

Her tone was indifferent, offering neither comfort nor reassurance.

It's just stating a truth that a witch has learned over the years.

Kaito Kuroba stared at her for a few seconds.

Then he tugged at the corners of his mouth, finally revealing a slight smile—though the smile was so faint it was almost imperceptible.

"Are you here to give me a lesson?"

"I was just passing by." Koizumi Akako finished the last sip of red wine, put down her glass, picked up her coat, and stood up. "I was just checking to see if that flamboyant white thief had died after all this time of silence."

She put on her coat and straightened her collar.

"Now it seems, I am alive, but my heart is dead." She looked down at him.

Kaito Kuroba didn't say anything.

Koizumi Akako turned and walked towards the door.

She took a few steps, then stopped without looking back.

"Black Feather".

"Ok?"

“When you’re feeling lost,” her voice came from the doorway, still elegant, but with a hint of warmth, “you can come and ask me. After all, my divination is very accurate.”

The door was pushed open, a cold draft rushed in, and then it was closed again.

Kaito Kuroba stared at the door for a long time.

Terai walked over and placed a fresh glass of soda water in front of him.

Kaito Kuroba glanced down at the bottom of the glass; bubbles were rising.

He suddenly remembered what Koizumi Akako had said.

Doing something is better than doing nothing.

He reached out, picked up the cup, and took a sip.

He should take action, at least to figure out why his father went down that path.

......

The witch's castle was dark and silent, with only the moonlight filtering through the gauze curtains and casting a hazy, silvery-white glow on the ground.

As Koizumi Akako looked at the full moon outside the window, the image of Kuroba Kaito's empty eyes subconsciously surfaced in her mind.