Conan: When Shinjiu and Maolilan swap bodies

He instinctively looked at that person—

Qingze had his back to them.

The firelight cast a shadow behind him, the orange glow outlining his silhouette with a dark edge. He stood there, pulling a silver lighter from his pocket.

With a flick of the finger, the lighter danced on the fingertip, its metallic luster flashing in the night, its silver light flowing between the fingers.

With a "click," a flame shot up, illuminating half of his face—a face devoid of any expression.

He lowered his head and lit a cigarette that he had been holding in his mouth for some time.

He exhaled lightly, and smoke spilled from his lips, only to be dispersed by the night breeze.

Behind them, the explosions continued, and flames soared into the sky.

He didn't turn around, but simply twirled the lighter, took a step, and slowly walked into the night.

The smoke swirled behind him, but was quickly blown away by the wind.

Chapter 609 I Have No Regrets

The lighting in the enclosed room is always soft.

The faint beeping of various medical instruments and the slowly undulating ripples on the screen were the only proof that the person was still alive.

The air was thick with the smell of medicine and disinfectant, as if it had been solidified for decades.

On the large screen in front of us, the conference room image that was originally displayed has turned into a static screen.

Kuroba Toichi pushed open the door and entered.

The sound of leather shoes stepping on the cold stone slabs was very soft, yet it was exceptionally clear in this deathly silent space.

He looked towards the center of the hospital bed.

The man who once controlled everything now lies like a dried-up specimen under the white sheets.

Skin clung to bone, eye sockets sunken, cheekbones protruding high—time had drained his flesh and blood, leaving only this skeleton and those eyes.

Those eyes were cloudy, yet still sharp.

Karasuma Renya turned her head to look at him.

He didn't speak, he just watched.

That gaze slowly swept over Kuroba Touichi, as if it could penetrate his skin and flesh to see what was hidden beneath.

Kuroba Touichi stood by the bed, his eyes lowered, his posture still respectful.

"gentlemen."

Karasuma Renya stared at him.

"There was an explosion at Base One. Tell me, what happened?" he asked, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping against glass, devoid of any emotion.

Kuroba Toichi remained silent.

Karasuma Renya stared at him and continued speaking.

"Porter, Graba, Tokai... all of them are dead. And Gin and Koniak left beforehand. Tell me, what happened?"

Kuroba Touichi met that gaze and raised his head.

Something seemed to be burning in those cloudy eyes—not anger, but something deeper and colder.

“The gentleman already has the answer in his heart,” he said.

Karasuma Renya stared at him for a long time.

Whiskey, who was standing nearby, frowned slightly and placed his hand on the katana at his waist.

“You knew all along,” Karasuma Renya said, and this time, a hint of something finally emerged in his hoarse voice. “You knew all along that Koniak was suspicious.”

Kuroba Toichi did not deny it.

"Yes."

The word fell into the air like a stone thrown into stagnant water.

Whiskey's hand was already gripping the knife handle.

Karasuma Renya didn't move. He just stared at Kuroba Toichi, something churning in his cloudy eyes.

"why?"

Kuroba Toichi was silent for a second.

"Because I also want to know what level that child is capable of."

Karasuma Renya's Adam's apple bobbed, and the muscles on his face twitched, as if he were laughing, angry, feeling absurd, or mocking him for not telling the truth at a time like this.

"You betrayed me."

It's not a question, it's a statement.

Kuroba Toichi did not answer.

But he stood there, neither bowing his head nor offering any explanation, showing none of the reaction one would expect from someone being accused.

Karasuma Renya suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, and it looked particularly eerie on the withered face.

“Good,” he said. “Very good.”

He stared at Kuroba Toichi, something in his gaze changing. It wasn't anger, nor disappointment, but something more complex—like admiration, yet also like regret.

Do you know why I chose you as my contemporary guide?

Black Feather Thief looked at him.

“Because you’re like me when I was young.” Karasuma Renya’s voice was even hoarseer, yet it carried an indescribable meaning. “Smart, ruthless, and patient. Knowing when to strike and when to wait.”

He paused.

"Also, I know when it's time to betray."

Whiskey gripped the knife handle tightly, but didn't move. He was waiting.

Kuroba Tou smiled, his smile gentle and refined.

"You flatter me, sir."

Karasuma Renya stared at him, something slowly fading from his cloudy eyes.

“Porter. Graba. Tokay. Suntory. Nicholas. Mescal…” Karasuma Renya read out the names one by one, each one slowly. “Are they all dead?”

"Yes."

Karasuma Renya remained silent.

He looked at the ceiling, at the pulsating ripples of the instruments, at the room where he had lain for far too long.

long time.

So long that Whiskey, who was sitting next to him, thought he had fallen asleep.

“Seventy years,” he suddenly said, his voice as soft as falling dust. “It took me seventy years to build all this.”

Kuroba Toichi remained silent.

“Rum has been with me for forty years. Champagne has been with him for thirty years. Porter has been in Europe for twenty years. Graba has been in North America for fifteen years.”

Karasuma Renya's voice grew softer and softer, as if she were talking to herself, "All gone overnight..."

He turned his head and looked at Kuroba Touichi.

Something was gleaming in those cloudy eyes.

Do you know what I'm thinking right now?

Black Feather Thief looked at him.

“I’m thinking,” Karasuma Renya said, “that I’ve really lived too long.”

These words carried an indescribable weight in the air.

Whiskey's hand twitched slightly.

Kuroba Toichi remained standing there, his face expressionless.

“Sir,” he began.

Karasuma Renya looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

“You taught me,” Kuroba Toichi’s voice was calm, “that some things are destined from the very beginning.”

Karasuma Renya stared at him.

Then he laughed again.

This time, there was an indescribable meaning in that smile—was it relief, or something else?

"well."

He raised his withered hand and waved it toward the whiskey.

Whiskey paused for a moment.

"Go back."

Whiskey frowned but didn't move.

"Step back." Karasuma Renya repeated, his voice hoarse but leaving no room for argument.

Whiskey slowly loosened his grip on the knife hilt and took a step back. But he didn't leave the room; he simply retreated to a corner, his gaze still fixed on Kuroba Toichi.

Karasuma Renya looked at Kuroba Toichi.

There was no emotion in those cloudy eyes at that moment.

There was only an indescribable calmness—like someone who had reached the end of their journey and could finally let go of everything.

"The Thief One." He didn't call out the code name "Brandy," but rather the name.

Kuroba Touichi lowered his eyes.

"gentlemen."

“Does Kaito, that kid,” Karasuma Renya suddenly said, “look like you?”

Kuroba Toichi's finger twitched slightly.

"It's similar, but it's not."

"That's good." Karasuma Renya nodded. "Don't let him follow in your footsteps."

Kuroba Toichi remained silent.

Karasuma Renya stared at the ceiling, watching the pulsating waveforms of the instruments. The ventilator was still running, making a soft sound as it delivered oxygen into his parched lungs.

“In my life,” he began, his voice growing softer, “I’ve done too many wrong things.”

He paused.

"But I don't regret it."

He turned his head and looked at Kuroba Touichi.

"You won't regret it."

Kuroba Touichi met that gaze.

“I know,” he said.

Karasuma Renya smiled.

The smile was brief and faint, flashing across his withered face like a final sense of relief.

"bring it on."

Kuroba looked at him for two seconds.

Then he pulled out his gun.

Whiskey instantly drew his sword, and in a flash, he was already upon them—but Kuroba Toichi was even faster.