Detective Conan: The System Takes Me to Zero's World

Otomo Takashi's tone became serious: "The mountain structure around here is special. It is easy for avalanches to converge on the north and west sides."

"Whenever a large avalanche is likely to occur, I will use this device to control the risk - just aim at the speaker placed in the target position and activate it, and the loud noise it makes can trigger a small-scale man-made avalanche."

"Using this collision method can effectively control the scale of the avalanche and avoid greater danger. Do you see the face?"

"I understand about the avalanche." Maori Kogoro stroked his chin and raised his eyebrows, his tone full of his usual confidence, "Then did you see the face of the criminal who attacked you?"

Officer Yamato shook his head and said in a rough voice with a solemn tone: "That guy was wearing a hood, so I couldn't see his face at all."

Officer Yui frowned upon hearing this, remembering what Maru Madoka had said before, "wearing a helmet", which suddenly overlapped with Officer Yamato's description, and a look of worry appeared on her face.

Inside the observatory's observation car, Mitsuhiko was gesturing at the hooded man's figure: "The zipper of his jacket was pulled up to the top, even covering his chin."

Yuan Tai interrupted: "And he runs super fast! Like a skier!"

Conan suddenly turned around: "You said he was wearing a helmet?"

"It's a full-face motorcycle helmet!" Mitsuhiko confirmed, "The kind that covers the ears and the back of the neck."

"Does he have a gun?" Conan asked, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Haibara Ai staring at the trajectory of snow particles on the observation screen, seeming to be thinking about something.

"I brought it!" Yuan Tai opened his arms in an exaggerated arc, "It's this big, longer than a fishing rod!"

Ai Huihara suddenly asked Conan to lower his head, and she leaned out half of her body to look at the two little ones: "The length is close to that of a standard rifle, but from the outline you described, the center of gravity is further back than a regular rifle."

Mao Lilan's fingers pressing on the car window tightened slightly: "Although the gun was indeed covered with a shield, I was clearly aiming at the gun when I kicked it, but I kicked nothing."

Conan sat up straight with surprise written all over his face, his mouth slightly open, unable to speak for a moment.

At the same time, the stove in the Bupa BBQ hut was burning brightly, the orange-red flames licking the stove wall, illuminating the faces of the people around. The air was filled with a faint smell of charcoal, mixed with the steam from the hot tea, but it couldn't suppress the solemnity of the words.

Otomo Takashi turned and walked out of the room, closing the door.

Takagi Wataru leaned forward, his notebook spread out on his knees. "So the criminal was wearing a helmet and firing with a hooded gun?"

"That's right." Officer Yamato took a sip of hot tea, his Adam's apple rolling. "The bullet grazed the roof of the car and embedded itself into the leather of the back seat. Judging from the angle of the trajectory, it was heading for the passenger seat."

Zhu Fu Gaoming's eyes were as calm as a lake: "Combining the traces at the scene and the motive, the murderer has a clear target, and I'm afraid he came for Gan Zhu."

"It's very likely." Yamato Gansuke frowned and pressed his temple with his fingertips. "The criminal thought I had seen the crucial scene at the time, and he might have been holding a grudge against me until now."

Ogino Ayami took the hand warmer handed over by Sato Miwako and said softly, "That person thought you witnessed the key scene, so he always regarded you as a thorn in his side."

Officer Yui took over the conversation: "But Officer Yamato has lost that memory."

Maori Kogoro leaned back in his chair. "That is to say, the criminal doesn't know that you have lost your memory and still regards you as a threat who holds secrets."

"Or, he wants to kill you before you recover your memory." Sato Miwako crossed her arms, her eyes sharp.

Kudo Yuki, who had been silent the whole time, put down the teacup, turned the warm cup handle with her fingertips, and said leisurely: "I think that the desire for revenge played a big role in that person's original intention of attacking three times."

"Oh?" Zhu Fugaoming raised his eyebrows slightly, motioning her to continue.

"When I used a whip to knock the gun out of his hand in the forest of Mt. Miho, although I couldn't see his face clearly through the helmet, the violent anger that exploded at that moment almost overflowed from the gap in the mask. Rather than wanting to complete the assassination, it was more like he was eager to pounce on me and bite me."

Ogino Ayami frowned upon hearing this: "So, the criminal is not only targeting Officer Yamato, but is also hostile to you?"

Kudo Yuki picked up the cup and took a sip of hot black tea, a faint smile on her lips: "Maybe he feels embarrassed to have his good deeds ruined by a woman."

Shushu, who was hiding in Officer Yamato's hood, finally woke up and poked his head out: "Xiaoxue, Officer Yamato is really lucky."

Kudo Yuki immediately warned through telepathy: "Shu Shu, the criminal has not been caught yet, you continue to follow Officer Yamato. If you encounter danger, send me the coordinates."

Shu Shu's chubby little paws were grabbing the edge of his hood, and his black eyes rolled around: "Understood! Make sure you keep a close eye on this 'hard-boned' officer!"

After saying that, it "whoosh" retracted, leaving only the tip of its furry tail swaying gently outside.

Otomo Takashi opened the door of the store and said, "Sorry, the police are here."

Hasebe Rikuo, wearing a black coat and followed by a group of police officers wearing flashing helmets, loudly corrected: "I am not a policeman, I am a prosecutor."

When Kudo Yuki heard this confident tone, the corners of her mouth twitched, and she thought: [This person from the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center uses an authoritative face to break all doubts.]

The night was like a piece of velvet soaked in ink, weighing heavily on the ridge of Mount Miho.

The searchlights held by the police officers drew pale tracks of light in the snow. The snow creaked underfoot, mixed with the whimpering of pine branches in the cold wind as they moved forward in the silent mountain night.

Hasebe Rikuo wore cold-proof gloves and held a loud speaker. His voice cut through the howling wind as he shouted, "After receiving the emergency signal, the police from Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures have set up three blockades at the foot of the mountain, and all accessible roads have been blocked."

He cast his eyes towards the team following behind him. The light of the searchlight happened to fall on a protruding rock in the distance. "That means the criminal must be on this mountain."

Miwako Sato pulled her scarf up to cover half of her face, and the snowflakes on her eyelashes trembled as she blinked.

She looked over the shoulders of the police officers and fell on the figure in a beige windbreaker at the end of the team. She frowned and said, "Come to think of it, why did Mr. Mao Li come with us? In this kind of weather, the mountain may be foggy at any time. He is an ordinary citizen..."

"Maybe Inspector Sametani's case is not closed yet." Ogino Ayami put her hands in her pockets, her toes making small pits in the snow, and said nonchalantly, "Have you forgotten? Finding out the truth about his friend's death was his wish."

Officer Gao Mu came closer with his neck shrunk, and the white breath he exhaled was instantly blown away by the wind: "And it's not just Mr. Maori, you see people from the local hunting club over there are also here to help."

Ogino Ayami said "Oh" and looked around the team, as if she was looking for someone. She patted Sato Miwako's arm and said, "By the way, we haven't seen Mr. Yingchuan since we went up the mountain at night. Could he have been sent by Xiaoxue to do something else?"

"Mr. Yingchuan..." Sato Miwako paused, the soles of her boots grinding out tiny pieces of ice on the frozen snow. "I saw him once before we left in the evening. He got into a black car. He must have gone to do something."

"Mr. Yingchuan..." Sato Miwako paused, her boots rolling over the frozen snow. "I saw him before I left last night. He got into a black car. He must be going to do some business."

The wooden door of Bupa BBQ hut was gently opened by Officer Yui, and warm air mixed with the aroma of roasted meat blew in the face.

The Young Detectives swarmed into the house like a flock of little sparrows, while Conan stood quietly beside Kudo Yuki, his eyes behind his lenses cast upon every corner of the store.

"Excuse me!" Ayumi's crisp voice rang out. She took off her scarf that was covered with snow particles, and her cheeks were warmed by the heater in the room, becoming rosy.

"It's so warm." Mitsuhiko rubbed his red, frozen hands, his eyes involuntarily drifting towards the old-fashioned heater in the corner.

Yuantai had already sat down on the tatami and sighed comfortably: "It's so comfortable, much warmer than outside."

It was still snowing outside the store, and Ochitoyo was apologizing to Otomo Takashi repeatedly: "I'm really sorry that so many customers suddenly came and ruined your barbecue business."

Otomo Takashi waved his hand, his voice hoarse as if from charcoal fire: "Don't be so reserved, I'll go back to the charcoal kiln and keep an eye on the fire."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the back of the house, and his dark figure quickly blended into the snowy twilight.

Yue Zhifeng raised his wrist to look at his watch. The fluorescent light on the dial was particularly clear in the snowy night: "Ah, the Orionid meteor shower is about to begin."

He quickly ran towards the observation car parked not far away. The telescope on the roof had already been aimed at the night sky, and soon the sound of a camera shutter was heard from the car.

Inside the house, Yuan Tai was picking at his teeth, fiddling with his fingers in his mouth for a long time, which attracted Ayumi to come over curiously: "Yuan Tai, you've been picking for a long time, what's stuck?"

"I don't know," Yuan Tai frowned and pulled it out, "I just feel like there's something stuck between my teeth, it feels weird."

Mitsuhiko asked, "Could it be the shredded barbecued pork we just ate?"

"It doesn't seem to be..." Yuan Tai finally pulled out his fingers, pinching a small piece of red thing with his fingertips, "What is this?"

Huihara Ai took a closer look and said calmly: "It looks like a piece of leather."

Mitsuhiko's eyes suddenly lit up: "Hey? Could this be from the prisoner's gloves?"

"That's right!" Yuan Tai clapped his hands fiercely, "When I bit that guy with gloves just now, I seemed to have bitten off a piece of something! How disgusting!"

As he said this, he was about to throw it away.

"Yuanta, don't throw it yet!" Conan hurriedly spoke out to stop him.

"Wait." Officer Yui stepped forward quickly, took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket, and carefully wrapped up the fragment. "Please let me keep this. It may be important evidence."

Conan pulled the corner of Kudo Yuki's clothes, looked up and said, "Sister Yuki, I'll find a plastic bag to put it in. It will be safer this way."

Kudo Yuki looked at the fragment wrapped in the handkerchief and murmured thoughtfully: "Officer Yui, why don't we go take a look together?"

The three of them walked out of the barbecue restaurant, and the cold wind blew snow foam in their faces. The charcoal kiln was in the open space behind the house. From a distance, they could see the orange-red flames from the red brick kiln, and the air was filled with the smell of burning charcoal. Otomo Takashi was squatting beside the kiln adding firewood. When he saw them coming, he stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Excuse me, can I borrow a plastic bag?" Officer Yui explained his purpose.

Otomo Takashi dug out a thick plastic bag from the tool shed and handed it over: "This is the only one we have. It should work."

"Thank you." Officer Yui carefully put the handkerchief wrapped in the fragments into the bag, sealed it and put it into the evidence bag.

Kudo Yuki looked towards the charcoal kiln. The heat waves were rolling in. She subconsciously fanned herself with her hands: "It's so hot."

"The charcoal kiln burns at a very high temperature," Otomo Takashi warned, "Don't get close."

He took off his leather jacket and casually put it on the pile of firewood beside him. When the jacket slipped off, Conan noticed that there was an obvious bruise on his left arm, and the shape was a bit unusual.

"Uncle, how did you get the bruise on your arm?"

Otomo Takashi raised his arm and smiled nonchalantly, "Maybe he accidentally bumped into it while splitting wood for charcoal burning. It's inevitable to have bumps and bruises in this line of work."

Officer Yui also leaned over to take a look and said with emotion: "Charcoal burning is indeed hard work."

Conan stared at the bruise and frowned, his glasses reflecting the firelight: [No, this is not a mark of impact. This kind of bruise is clearly caused by the butt of a break-barrel rifle or shotgun, and the other faint red mark seems to be caused by the recoil when firing...]

Kudo Yuki looked at her brother who was pursing his lips in thought, a smile flashed in her eyes, and she quietly left the hot range of the charcoal kiln.

Conan noticed her movements and followed her out quietly, hiding behind a pine tree and whispering instructions to the bug hidden in his collar.

"Mr. Kazami, can you hear me? Can you please ask the public security department to check the list of people who have shotguns or rifles, especially if there is anyone named Otomo Takashi? If there is, please focus on the investigation!"

In a black car not far away, Zhu Fu Jingguang was holding up his phone to the night sky. A few shooting stars streaked across the screen, and he counted them softly: "Another one..."

Yuya Kazami was sleeping soundly in the driver's seat with his coat over his head. He was suddenly awakened by Conan's voice. He rubbed his eyes and muttered, "This kid... only knows how to order people around."

When Kudo Yuki heard this complaint, she smiled and said to the eavesdropper:

Kudo Yuki's voice suddenly came from the bug, with a smile: "Mr. Kazami is really conscientious. But speaking of which, you came here this time to report the loopholes in the witness protection program to the Metropolitan Police Department after the case is over, so as to promote the improvement of relevant laws, right?"

Kazami almost choked in the car and sat up straight abruptly: "Ms. Kudo? You're here too?"

Zhu Fu Jingguang put down his phone, and his eyes behind the lens became gentler: "Has Xiaoxue noticed it too? Feng Jian has been sorting out information in this area recently."

"After all, this is a matter concerning the safety of witnesses," Kudo Yuki's voice came across the airwaves, with a hint of warmth, "The only two people involved with the murderer right now are Lin Duxin and Otomo Takashi."

To be continued...