Daily Spy Life in the Detective Conan World

Chapter 46 The Working Man's Vodka
Having a few drinks might get Vodka to talk more, and he might even reveal the location of the research institute where Sherry works.

"Hmm? Don't you dislike tequila?"

Vodka glanced at the tall tequila with a strange look, his questioning gaze lingering on it for only a second before turning back to look at the contents of the suitcase.

Inside was a list in a folded A4 sheet.

Once unfolded, it was covered with dense personal information, mostly from internationally renowned experts in software engineering.

Just as he just said, there are many talented people in this world, in every field, including research. The organization doesn't need to rely on Sherry to create value.

At worst, we can just flip the table and start another feast.

As long as the research data is available, anything is possible.

The reason I had previously indulged Sherry was simply because letting her lead the research would reduce the financial burden. After all, she definitely knew more about her parents than others did about the Miyano couple, and she would pick things up quickly.

“You drink tequila, I’ll drink vodka.” Xia Chuan handed the glass to the vodka drinker.

Vodka didn't bother him; he picked up his glass and took a sip of tequila.

"Vodka, is that the Porsche 356a downstairs that you drove over?"

“Yes.” Vodka carefully put the list into his inner jacket pocket. “Is there a problem? After I dropped my brother off at the research institute, I drove here to wait for you. The car is parked downstairs.”

“There are traffic police issuing tickets downstairs. Do you want to go down and take a look? I’m afraid if we’re too late, the tow truck will be here.”

Vodka:
"Then you didn't tell me earlier."

Vodka's expression changed drastically.

That's my brother's beloved car. If the traffic police tow it away, his good days are over.

Vodka's mind flashed back to the image of his older brother killing without blinking an eye, as if at that moment there was a dark gun barrel pressed against his forehead.

Sweat began to bead on his forehead.

Gin: Where's my car?

Vodka automatically imagined Gin's anger and immediately shuddered.

Swift as the wind, Vodka in his black suit was anything but elegant, swaying as he ran.

Watching the other person leave, Xia Chuan smiled and took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and walked into the same door that Vodka had just come out of.

There's not much in the meeting room, let's go take a look behind that door.

Behind this door is a typical monitoring room. On the wall directly opposite the entrance are three rows of televisions, each displaying surveillance footage.

Some of the surveillance footage is from the cocktail bar, some is from the downstairs cameras, and the surveillance footage from the eight elevators has also been transferred here.

At that moment, Vodka was anxiously stamping his feet in one of the elevators.

"Nothing at all?" Xia Chuan murmured, scanning everything with his eyes, but finding nothing.

It's pitifully simple here.

But this is clearly problematic. There are complex verification measures on the outside, but nothing inside, which doesn't make sense.

Suddenly, a painting on the left wall caught Xia Chuan's attention.

The painting has a dark feel to it, with withered vines, old trees, and black crows, the environment is extremely desolate, a full moon hangs high in the sky, and there is no life on the ground.

The desolate scene resembled a medieval night ravaged by the Black Death.

This is very much like a winery.

After all, the crest of Karasuma Renya's family is a raven, so this painting is quite in line with the brewery's core values.

Gently remove the painting; behind it is a built-in safe.

The safe wasn't very big, but the fact that the winery kept it here suggests that it contained some important information.

This is a combination safe; you can unlock it by entering an eight-digit password.

But Xia Chuan obviously didn't know the password and could only stare blankly.

He took out a UV light and shone it on the fingerprints, trying to deduce the password.

However, it was of no use.

This safe was clearly cleaned after each opening; the number keys were spotless, with no fingerprints or other residue.

Apart from the safe, there was nothing else in the room.

After all, it's just a base, so it's unlikely to have much stuff there.

Vodka returned ten minutes later.

Although he was sweating, he looked relieved.

Fortunately, the man's Porsche 356a wasn't towed away. He only paid a fine and moved the car to a parking spot, and the traffic police let him go. Judging from the serious look on the officer's face, it was a good thing he didn't say anything; otherwise, if the officer had smelled the tequila on his breath, it probably wouldn't have been just a ticket.

Xia Chuan had already returned to the conference room and was pretending to wait there, with his hands folded and legs crossed as he looked at Vodka as he entered.

"Tequila, thanks."

Still shaken, he thanked Tequila. If the other party hadn't spoken up, his car would have been towed away, and Gin would have killed him.

"It's nothing." Xia Chuan pondered for a moment, then asked, "By the way, what do you need me to do next?"

"Indeed there are."

Vodka walked straight to the monitoring room. "Come with me."

By the time Xia Chuan entered, Vodka had already come to the hanging painting and taken it down.

There was no attempt to conceal the fact that tequila was involved in this process. It's unclear whether this was due to trust or if tequila already knew about the safe.

Even if Tequila knew there was a safe, she probably didn't know the combination. Otherwise, she wouldn't have needed to use a painting to block the safe when she was entering the combination.

Soon, a document was brought out.

Xia Chuan suppressed his curiosity and resisted the urge to knock out Vodka and check the safe.

Compared to this safe, a long-term infiltration would yield far more intelligence.

Taking the document, Xia Chuan didn't rush to open it. Instead, he looked at the vodka and asked, "What's this?"

Vodka shrugged. "This is what my older brother asked me to give you. I don't know the specifics."

The document was placed in a kraft paper bag, which also had a wax stamp on it, bearing a crow logo.

The distillery is quite brand-conscious.

Xia Chuan hummed in agreement, not in a hurry to open the app, and then said, "This is my new contact information. I've already contacted Nakajima Hideaki with the previous number, so I won't be using it anymore."

He handed over a note.

Vodka neither agreed nor disagreed, taking the note and putting it in his pocket.

"What about Hideaki Nakajima's side?"

"Don't worry, he'll die. Not only him, but two other members of his company's development department will also die. That way, even if the police investigate, they won't be able to find us."

Vodka nodded. Tequila was definitely a qualified distillery employee when it came to ruthlessness. Just to divert the police investigation, they killed two more innocent people. This was very much in line with the organization's code of conduct.

"My bomb design not only has an activation mechanism, but also a timed trigger function. If it is not activated for more than four hours, it will still explode."

“But what if they weren’t next to the suitcase when the bomb exploded?” Vodka asked a very pointed question.

Indeed, if someone didn't open the suitcase and wasn't near it, wouldn't they have survived?

"So, I still need to go and stake out the location later. There are still two and a half hours left until the explosion at nine o'clock."

Xia Chuan glanced at the safe again out of the corner of his eye, then resolutely left.

There will be other opportunities.

Since I can come and go freely here, this safe will be opened sooner or later.

After Xia Chuan left, Vodka's expression calmed down.

He took out a handkerchief and disinfectant spray from his pocket.

Start removing fingerprints from the buttons.

This was Gin's instruction; every time it was opened, this process had to be followed.

A few minutes later, he sat in the conference room with a flip phone in his hand.

As an organization in the underworld, it's perfectly normal for them to have flip phones made by underworld scientists.

"Brother, Tequila has already given me the list."

Vodka's voice was extremely respectful, a stark contrast to his earlier conversation with Xia Chuan.

"Yes, bring it to the research institute." Then there was a long silence on the other end.

However, Vodka did not hang up the phone.

When he calls his older brother, it's his brother who can hang up on him, not the other way around. Besides, his brother might have something else to tell him.

For the humble working class, the leader is above all else.

Gin remained silent for a long time before finally asking, "Where's the money?"

(End of this chapter)