Detective Conan: Developing a younger version of Ran Eri, and the stunning Yukiko.

Xiaolan's face darkened. She said, "So, when the case summoned you, you came. But when I summoned you, you didn't react. Am I right?"

Shinichi Kudo was extremely embarrassed and quickly explained, "No, Ran, let me explain..."

Hattori Heiji interrupted Kudo Shinichi's explanation, questioning, "I'm asking you, Kudo Shinichi, where did I deduce wrong!"

No. .

045 Completely confused

Chapter 45

Shinichi Kudo ignored Ran and instead responded to Heiji Hattori: "Heiji Hattori, the method you described is simply impossible to implement in practice."

"That's not right!" Inspector Megure exclaimed, puzzled. "But... the experiment just now was definitely a success!"

"Heiji Hattori, take another look." Shinichi Kudo pointed to Inspector Megure's pocket, his tone flat.

"Shinichi Kudo, what exactly do you mean?!" Heiji Hattori asked, full of doubt, as he yanked open Inspector Megure's pocket.

With a soft "ding!" sound, Hattori Heiji couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"W-How is this possible?" Hattori Heiji stared dumbfounded at the keys lying on the ground. "I clearly... I already let the fishing line go through the double pockets!"

"That's because Inspector Megure was sitting down." Shinichi Kudo picked up the key and gently opened the hidden compartment in the middle of the key.

“When a person is sitting, wrinkles will form between their clothes, which will prevent the key from entering. Also, the deceased was fatter than Inspector Megure, so his pants would be tighter.”

So, before the key even reached the double pocket, the fishing line was pulled away! Shinichi played with the keychain in his hand and slowly walked to the bookshelf.

Hattori Heiji said dejectedly, "Kudo Shinichi, then tell me, who is the real culprit?"

Instead of directly pointing out the culprit, Shinichi Kudo began to explain his reasoning.

"The books piled up on the desk were merely to cover up the ferocious expression that the victim might have left before dying, while the opera being played was to cover up the screams that might have been made."

This is why the killer didn't use the classical music the victim usually listened to, but instead chose Italian opera, which has a more upbeat sound.

"Why would the murderer go to such lengths to cover his tracks?" Before he knew it, the provocation in Hattori's words had vanished.

"Well..." Shinichi Kudo turned his head to look at Heiji Hattori, and smiled slightly, "Heiji Hattori, it's you!"

“You mean…” Hattori Heiji broke out in a cold sweat.

"Of course, there were others who entered the house with us." Shinichi Kudo looked around, finally fixing his gaze on one person.

"If that's the case..." Hattori's body trembled, and his eyes widened suddenly.

"The only people who could get close to the victim are all of you here, and the person who could kill the victim at the closest distance is—Mrs. Tsujimura!" Shinichi Kudo pointed at Mrs. Tsujimura.

"It's actually—Mrs. Tsujimura!" Everyone looked at Mrs. Tsujimura in astonishment.

"I get it!" Kogoro Mouri finally realized. "The victim was still alive when we entered the room, right?"

“That’s right.” Shinichi Kudo nodded. “Actually, when we went in, the diplomats had just been drugged by the madam with a powerful sleeping pill.”

“But…” Inspector Megure looked at Shinichi Kudo with a puzzled expression, “Once the body is sent for examination, wouldn’t this method…”

"No!" A voice came from the side, startling everyone.

Heiji Hattori slowly stood up, the brim of his baseball cap obscuring his face.

"The killer's modus operandi would lead us to believe that the victim was already dead before we entered the room."

After the victim dies from being stabbed by a poisoned needle, the needle may also contain anesthetic components.

Moreover, the murderer deliberately brought in the detective to create the illusion that he wouldn't dare kill in front of the detective.

While the two high school detectives were putting on a show of deduction, Shiraishihara was also conducting a deduction, but in Katsuragi Kyoko's mental sanctuary.

This time, he didn't send out the Heart Thieves' cards, but went directly into Kyoko Katsuragi's Heart Palace. He never intended to steal her heart in the first place.

"who are you?"

Katsuragi Sachiko, in her own mental sanctuary, looked in horror at Shiraishihara who had suddenly barged in.

"I am Shiraishihara."

"You're a high school detective too?"

"No, I am a phantom thief, the phantom thief of hearts."

"The Phantom Thief of Hearts?"

Katsuragi Sachiko was completely bewildered. What made it even more incomprehensible to her was that she had just been in the study, and now she was in this pitch-black place. "Where is this? Why are we the only two people here?"

"This is your sanctuary for the soul."

The dark space gradually brightened, but it was a dim light, filled with Katsuragi Sachiko's hatred.

No. .

046 Furious

Chapter 46.

"why?"

"If you ask why, I can only say that I have some questions I'd like to ask you privately!"

"what is the problem?"

"According to the information provided by Mrs. Tsujimura, Ms. Katsuragi Sachiko, you are a student at Tokyo Medical College, right?"

"Yes, you are right."

"The diplomat died immediately after being pricked by the poisoned needle, which shows that the poison he was given was extremely potent."

Even a very small amount can kill an adult, and the toxin has a paralyzing effect.

Among all people, only you, a top student from Tokyo Medical School, could possibly obtain such a special toxin.

Am I right? "

The poisons usually used by criminals to commit crimes are mostly cyanide, and it is extremely rare to see such a special poison used by diplomats.

Selecting and obtaining poisons requires professionals; it's simply not something the average person can do.

Sachiko Katsuragi remained silent for a moment, but finally admitted it.

She knew in her heart that denying it was useless; once the police traced the source of the poison in the victim, she would have no way to deny it.

“You’re right, I used tetrodotoxin, which I secretly took from the school lab.”

"To think of using tetrodotoxin, you're truly a professional. It's such a pity..."

Shiraishi Hara felt that Katsuragi Sachiko was indeed outstanding; she was beautiful, a top student at Tokyo Medical College, and almost perfect in every way.

"What's a pity?"

"If Miss Katsuragi hadn't been blinded by hatred, I think she would have become a doctor who saves lives in the future."

"Shiraishihara, you're trying to persuade me to turn myself in, aren't you? I understand, I will turn myself in."

"I would rather you resolve the hatred in your heart than turn yourself in."

Examine your own heart; it is already filled with hatred, and the demon within is about to be born.

"demon?"

Katsuragi Sachiko seemed to suddenly wake up, realizing that she really did feel like she was possessed by a demon.

"If the demons in your heart are not removed, you will only sink deeper and deeper. Revenge alone cannot resolve hatred."

If revenge could resolve all hatred, there would be no saying, "When will the cycle of revenge end?"

“You’re right. All I wanted was revenge against Tsujimura Isao, who took my mother away. Now that I’ve calmed down, the only explanation for my absurd actions is that I was possessed by a demon.”

With a wry smile, Katsuragi Sachiko laid everything bare, saying, "As the Phantom Thief of Hearts, please help me."

"I can't help you, but I believe you can help yourself."

Considering that the demon within Katsuragi Sachiko has not yet fully manifested, and that the behavior of those whose evil hearts have been stolen has become bizarre, Shiraishihara believes it is more appropriate to let Katsuragi Sachiko redeem herself.

Shiraishi returns to reality from Katsuragi Sachiko's spiritual sanctuary.

At this point, Mrs. Tsujimura, who is also Sachiko Katsuragi's mother, had already confessed to the crime; she wanted to take the blame for her own daughter.

"That's right, I am the murderer."

“Mother, you have not done anything wrong, you don’t need to take the blame for me.”

Sachiko Katsura denied Mrs. Tsujimura's confession.

This statement caused another astonishing reversal in the situation, marking the second such reversal.

This time, not only was Hattori Heiji severely embarrassed, but even Kudo Shinichi was not spared.

"Sachiko Katsuragi, what are you talking about? Mrs. Tsujimura is the murderer!" Shinichi Kudo was anxious. The arrogant man refused to admit that his reasoning was wrong.

Shiraishi interrupted Shinichi Kudo: "Kudo-kun, don't you understand? Mrs. Tsujimura isn't the murderer."

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Shinichi Kudo was not only anxious, but also somewhat exasperated.

Mrs. Tsujimura was equally anxious. She already felt guilty towards her daughter and had come up with a way to take the blame, but her daughter confessed on her own.

“Shut up, all of you! I’m the murderer!” Kyoko Katsuragi emphasized again.

Shiraishi Hara chimed in, "That's just how it is. Do I need to explain?"

Everyone turned their attention to Shiraishihara, eagerly awaiting his deduction.

No. .

047 Perfunctory

Chapter 47

Shinichi Kudo was both shocked and furious, gritting his teeth as he said, "Shiraishihara, tell me, my reasoning is flawless, what could be wrong with it?"

"The diplomat died immediately after being pricked by the poisoned needle, which shows that the poison he was poisoned with was a rare and highly toxic substance."

Even a very small amount can be fatal to an adult, and this toxin has a paralyzing effect. As far as I know, this should be tetrodotoxin.

This toxin is a strictly controlled substance; tracing its source will make finding the culprit relatively easy.

Inspector Megure slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "Shiraishihara, you're right. The poison in the victim is so unusual that the prime suspect is Katsuragi Sachiko, a student at Tokyo Medical School. She had every opportunity to obtain tetrodotoxin from the laboratory."

Forensic officers conducted a more detailed investigation into the cause of death and determined that the deceased had been poisoned with tetrodotoxin.

The forensic officer reported: "That's right, the preliminary identification indicates that the toxin ingested by the diplomat is tetrodotoxin."

Shinichi Kudo was speechless after being humiliated. Heiji Hattori was equally incredulous, realizing that there were always people more capable than oneself, and that Shinichi Kudo had never expected to lose to Shiraishi.

At the same time, Ran looked at Shiraishihara with admiration in her eyes.

"It's amazing that Shiraishihara was able to beat Shinichi Kudo in reasoning."

Ran not only showed no sympathy for her childhood sweetheart who was defeated by Shiraishihara, but was secretly delighted.

It's not a bad thing if someone can curb his arrogance, since his childhood sweetheart is always so proud and self-important.

Shinichi Kudo was still unconvinced and preferred to lose to Heiji Hattori rather than to Shiraishihara.

"Shiraishihara, then tell me, what was Sachiko's motive for murder? Why did she kill her own father-in-law?"

"As for the motive for the murder," Shiraishihara pulled a framed photo from the table, "it should be in this photo, right?"

Hattori Heiji's eyes lit up, as if he understood: "Could it be..."

"That's right, Miss Sachiko is Mrs. Tsujimura's daughter!"

"real or fake?"

Inspector Megure stared intently at the photograph in Shiraishihara's hand, and was stunned to see Mrs. Tsujimura, who looked remarkably like Sachiko from decades ago, except for the difference in her hair color.

Takayoshi Tsujimura looked utterly devastated: "Sachiko, you call me Mother, Mother-in-law, not because she's your mother-in-law, but because she really is your mother."

"I'm sorry, little brother, I lied to you." Katsuragi Sachiko bowed to Tsujimura Takayoshi in apology.

Shiraishi sighed softly: "Katsuragi Sachiko knew the truth, yet she still approached him with the aim of revenge. Through Tsujimura Yoshiki, she got close to the diplomat to avenge the diplomat who killed her father and took her mother away!"

Mrs. Tsujimura covered her face and wept: "I thought Sachiko was only getting close to Takayoshi to get revenge on me, her incompetent mother, until she poisoned my current husband... So, I wanted to take the blame for my daughter, so I deliberately set up this trap and invited the famous detective Kogoro Mouri."