Conan: I've been linked to the tech tree system.

"I see."

“But I don’t think she was just on the phone,” Conan suddenly interjected.

"I think she must have been on the phone while cycling at that time."

"Look for yourselves, she's sweating a lot, her shirt is soaked. After a person dies, their metabolism stops, and they won't sweat even if the room temperature rises. The fact that her sweat hasn't dried yet means she did something that would cause her to sweat a lot before she was murdered."

“I checked her shoe cabinet and there were no running shoes. The only thing that could make the victim sweat was the bicycle next to her.”

Without Ran by his side, Conan launched into a long analysis, becoming quite arrogant.

"Wow, you're pretty impressive." Sato walked over and looked at him. "I haven't even asked your name yet."

"My name is Conan Edogawa, and I'm a detective." Conan put his hands behind his head.

"detective?"

"He's the little boy who's staying at the Mori detective's house."

"Oh, I see. Little brother, how about becoming a detective later? If you're assigned to the First Investigation Division, everyone will take good care of you."

Miwako Sato smiled gently.

Toru Tohno squeezed Conan's arm. "Being a detective requires a lot of physical strength, so you can't neglect your training, okay?"

Conan broke free immediately.

Don't think he didn't realize that Tohno Toru was mocking him, Shinichi Kudo, for his lack of fighting skills!

He's the captain of the soccer club, after all. Although he doesn't have Ran's skills, most prisoners aren't as physically fit as him!

Although it seems that simply having good physical fitness isn't very useful...

Should I really consider learning self-defense techniques? Holmes is skilled in boxing, and I've heard that the head of the department is an expert in kendo...

"By the way, Tono-san, have you discovered anything?"

Sato turned around and asked Tohno.

"Not yet." Tohru Tono shook his head.

Conan looked at him with disdain. This kind of person just wouldn't share the information he observed. In his opinion, it wasn't a discovery until the culprit was found, right?

"Officer Sato, let's go ask around the neighborhood if anyone witnessed this." The forensic team went out.

"Also, this room needs to be thoroughly searched; the perpetrators' motive is very likely to be to steal valuables," Sato emphasized.

"No, the criminals couldn't have been motivated solely by theft."

A person walked in from outside the door.

"Who are you?" Sato Miwako looked at the person who came in with a strange expression.

The man was wearing a dark gray suit, and his long hair was neatly tied back. He looked very young and handsome.

He knew everyone in the Metropolitan Police Department's First Investigation Division, but he had never seen anyone with such a unique aura.

"Nice to meet you. I am Shinji Kamijou from the General Affairs Division of the National Police Agency. I have been asked by Inspector Megure to temporarily assist you in handling this case. You can call me Inspector Kamijou."

"Police...Inspector." Sato and Takagi were both startled.

The person in front of me doesn't look to be more than 25 years old, does he? Such a young superintendent seems to be the only one who could be a graduate of the legendary Middle East University's "Gold Watch Group"?

"Has something major happened?"

Sato bowed solemnly, then asked.

"I just happened to be passing by." Shinji Kamijou was rather sparing with his words.

"Oh..." Sato had never experienced anything like this before, and was a little stunned for a moment.

"You can handle the case as usual. I'll take over temporarily, but I don't have actual command authority."

“Oh…” Sato nodded. “By the way, why did you say earlier that the criminals couldn’t have simply been stealing valuables?”

“The detectives over there must know this very well.” Shinji Kamijou suddenly turned his head and looked at Toru Tono.

"Huh? Me?" Tohno Toru didn't know why he suddenly became interested in himself.

"Tono?" Sato looked at him strangely.

Do these two know each other?

Chapter 118 Idealized Criminal Methods

"...Because if it were a thief who was purely trying to steal valuables, he would only take the opportunity to run away if the owner saw his face and screamed. There would also be signs of a struggle at the scene."

"But look, although the books were scattered all over the ground at the scene of the victim's death, there were no signs of struggle on his body. He was killed with a single blow."

"Moreover, the victim was on the phone with the police at the time. If it were just a burglary, she would have informed the police first. Her scream must have meant she saw something that could threaten her life in an instant."

Tohru Tono briefly explained the situation at the scene.

He solved so many cases, mostly relying on inventions and "predictive abilities," but he did make some progress; at least his reasoning was just like that of a proper detective.

"I see." Sato Miwako said thoughtfully.

Looking at the police inspector from the National Police Agency who was clapping and walking up to him, and who introduced himself as Shinji Kamijou, Toru Tono was full of doubts.

Where did this person come from?

There was absolutely no recollection of him, and he seemed quite interested in himself.

"You must be Tono, the recently famous inventor and detective? Nice to meet you."

Shinji Kamijou leaned forward and greeted him.

"Ah, nice to meet you." Tohno Toru returned the greeting.

So it turns out they've got their eye on the person who invented it again? But the big boss hasn't actually produced any particularly noteworthy cutting-edge technology. At most, it's only good enough to attract the attention of those arrogant police leaders. It's impossible for them to "lower themselves" and make personal contact.

Could it be that......

"I have high hopes for your invention and I hope to have more opportunities to collaborate in the future."

Shinji Kamijou walked over and patted him on the shoulder, looking at him with an expression that said, "Young man, I have high hopes for you."

"Thank you," I replied, indicating that I had been polite.

After that, Shinji Kamijou suddenly lost interest in him and looked at Sato again.

"I've reviewed the case files of bank robberies. Is it possible that the victims had close contact with the robbers' appearances, leading to their being silenced?"

"It's not impossible..."

“No, this case couldn’t have been committed by an outsider.” Toru Tohno abruptly interrupted their conversation and walked behind the victim. “There’s no door behind here, how could someone be so easily ambushed and killed?”

"Hmm...it's also possible that he saw the killer trying to escape, which is why he was stabbed in the back and died?" Officer Sato tried to offer a different opinion.

"Mr. Masuo, does your wife have a habit of exercising?" Toru Tono turned to Masuo.

"...Yes, she exercises every day at 2 PM; it's a must-do for her."

"It's very regular."

Masuo avoided eye contact, his gaze darting away.

"In that case, she must have been on this bicycle when she answered the phone and when she was murdered. Her body was also lying close to this side, with no signs of escape or struggle... If that's the case, why did the bookshelf tip over?"

“Moreover…” Tohno Toru walked over and pointed to the hilt of the sharp knife that was stuck horizontally into the back of the deceased, “A normal person would hold a knife vertically, which makes it easier to exert force. If it is a sneak attack, it should be held vertically even more so, so as to ensure a fatal blow and prevent accidents.”

"But the handle of the knife on site was horizontal, which does not conform to the normal person's power exertion habits at all."

"this......"

"You mean, the murderer killed the victim using a device?" Shinji Kamijou nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes."

Tohru Tohno gave him an approving look, thinking, "This kid is teachable."

"Then, you are the prime suspect, Mr. Masuo." Shinji Kamijou's gaze was extremely oppressive as it swept over Masuo, sending chills down his spine.

"Wh...what, how could I...?"

"Huh? Why?" Takagi still didn't understand.

"Because only people who live under the same roof can understand their loved one's habits so well, making it easier to design such a mechanism." This time, it was Conan, unable to suppress his deductive spirit, who responded.

Shinji Kamijou looked at him thoughtfully.

“It’s not just me, her close friends might also know about this…” Masuo waved his hand, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Is that so?" Tohru Tono said noncommittally.

"Besides, it's irresponsible of you to make such inferences without any evidence."

"Evidence? Isn't it right near the bicycle wheel?"

"Hmm?" Sato walked over and indeed found the kite string wrapped around it.

"This is... a kite string?"

Pulling out the end of the tangled, messy thread, there was even a small loop tied to it.

"this......"

“Ah, speaking of which, I just remembered.” Masuo suddenly came over and explained with gestures, “About half a year ago, some of my friends’ kids came to stay at my house. I remember they were playing games around here. I think they might have been playing a prank.”

"This thread looks like it was only recently wrapped on, doesn't it?"

The kite string is too new, like it was just bought at a convenience store today.

"I see. The bookshelf and the bicycle axle were pulled by a string, and the knife was hidden on the bookshelf. When the victim pedaled the bicycle, he would unconsciously tighten the kite string, causing the bookshelf to pull the knife down, which is why the murder weapon was inserted horizontally into the victim's back." Shinji Kamijou completely understood.

"But in that case, the kite string should have been tangled in the murder weapon." Masuo's face was pale, but he still stubbornly defended himself.

"Use tape to secure it, and hang the kite string on something like thumbtacks. When the bookshelf falls over, the string will automatically wrap around the bicycle axle due to inertia."

Shinji Kamijou walked over and lifted the bookshelf off the floor; sure enough, there were traces of tape on it.

Looking down, a thumbtack lay on the ground.

“It really was a thumbtack.” He picked up the thumbtack. “Alright, now the method of the crime has been deduced. Do you have anything else to say, Mr. Masuo?”

"I..." Masuo seemed to want to defend himself, but Shinji Kamijou's gaze was too sharp, making him afraid to speak for a moment.