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

As Masumi Sera was pushing his motorcycle towards the parking lot, a male voice came from behind him: "Isn't this Artesia? I miss it so much."

The speaker was Ogasawara Ryouya. He squatted down to examine the car carefully, and said with the tone of a veteran: "I had one when I was young, but you have to be careful. If the tire tread is less than 0.8mm, it will easily slip and cause accidents in the rain."

"I was just thinking about changing the tire." Sera replied with a smile, his hands still on the handlebars.

The sudden ringing of a cell phone interrupted the conversation.

Ogasawara Ryoya stood up and took out his phone. He glanced at the screen and muttered, "Is it that new guy?"

He put his hand to his ear, and his tone brightened instantly: "Oh, you got the goose head? That's great! Don't let it become dried tofu this time! Bye."

As soon as the call ended, a woman with a shoulder bag slung over came over, her brows knitted in impatience. "Hey, stop slacking off and go to your room. I'm sweating and need a shower first."

Nomura put one hand on his waist and asked doubtfully, "Aren't we waiting for two important guests? Don't we have to go to the room to wait?"

"Then you go first and turn on the air conditioner." Ogasawara Ryoya took out a note from his inner pocket and handed it over.

Nomura snatched it away, turned around and walked back into the hotel, muttering under his breath: "Really."

"Remember the room number is 204! It's written on the door card holder!" Ogasawara Ryoya put his hands in his pockets and shouted at her back.

Ran Mouri and Sonoko Suzuki looked at Nomura Rina's back and whispered to each other.

"That woman just now...is the sexy idol Nomura Rinari, right?"

"Well, I don't think I've seen her on screen much lately."

Kudo Yuki stood by and didn't say anything, just treating it as an insignificant episode.

Before Sera could continue pushing the cart, Ogasawara Ryo also looked at Kudo Yuki and said warmly, "Miss, are you staying at this hotel too?"

"I don't live here." Kudo Yuki glanced at him and said nothing more.

Having hit a snag, Ogasawara Ryo turned to look at Sera, his eyes uncertain. "That guy on the motorcycle, he looked familiar to me just now... Have we met before?"

"Huh?" Sera Masumi frowned, looking confused.

This approach made Suzuki Sonoko and Mori Ran frown instantly. They stood in front of Sera Masumi, one on the left and one on the right, blocking Ogasawara Ryoya's sight.

"If you want to chat up, stay away!"

"We're just here for high tea at the hotel, don't start any conversation."

"No, no, I really think I've seen him before..." Ogasawara Ryo quickly waved his hands, afraid of being mistaken for a harasser. He fished out a business card from his pocket and handed it over. "If you remember, I'd like to treat you to dinner so we can chat, but unfortunately I'm busy with Tanuk today!"

"Tanuk?" Sera Masumi took the business card and repeated it in confusion.

"If you think of me, remember to call me." Ogasawara Ryo also stood up straight, put one hand in his trouser pocket, and waved with the other hand, "Then I'll go first. I hope you enjoy your meal!"

After saying that, he turned and walked into the hotel.

Sera Masumi held the card in her hand, her eyes scanning the words "Ogasawara Ryoya," her brow furrowing even deeper. Her fingertips traced the embossed pattern on the edge of the card, trying to search her memory for the name, but it was all a blur.

She was sure that she had never dealt with a journalist, let alone heard of him "having seen" her.

Conan looked up: "Sister Sera, do you know that news reporter?"

He swung his short legs, his eyes behind the glasses shining like stars, and it was obvious that he had already understood the previous conversation clearly.

"Oh, it's Conan after all! How did you know he was a reporter?" Sera Masumi shook the business card in his hand. On the lower right corner of the business card was clearly printed "Reporter of San Publishing House - Ogasawara Ryouya".

This made Mao Lilan and Suzuki Sonoko even more confused.

"No way! He looks like an ordinary uncle!" Suzuki Sonoko came over and stared at the business card, pointing her finger at the word "Reporter", her face full of disbelief.

Mao Lilan also nodded and added softly, "And he just said 'Tanuk is busy', which sounds more like he's going to meet some friends. How could it be a reporter?"

Conan looked up and revealed the secret, his voice just low enough for a few people to hear: "Hey, didn't that person just say 'We've got the goose head' and 'Don't make it into dried tofu'?

"Goose head" is what journalists call exclusive photos with a face in front of them, and "dried tofu" refers to short reports with less than ten lines. These are the jargons often used by social news reporters. This is what Sister Xue told me before."

Mao Lilan rubbed Conan's hair, smiled and nodded: "Stay with us and don't run around."

Suzuki Sonoko leaned over, tapping her chin with her finger and muttering, "So, is 'Tanuk' some kind of jargon? I heard a street thug say something similar last time. It seemed to be related to defaulting on a debt."

Conan looked at Kudo Yuki beside him. Seeing that she didn't say anything, he shook his head and said, "I haven't heard of this. But when Ogasawara Ryoya called just now, he mentioned 'goose head' and 'dried tofu'. Maybe they are code words in their circle. We have to look at them together."

Kudo Yuki raised an eyebrow and analyzed, "'Tanuk' can be translated as 'tanuki,' which refers to a raccoon dog, a fox-like animal. In some underground transactions, 'raccoon dog' is also used to refer to a middleman who takes the money and disappears. It's a bit like what Sonoko said about 'defaulting on a debt,' but it's more like 'taking the benefits and running away.'"

"So, they're talking about people who disappeared before paying... or something like that?" Suzuki Sonoko's eyes lit up, finally catching up with the train of thought, but then she immediately frowned. "But as a journalist, does he want to deal with people like that?"

Sera Masumi finally pushed his motorcycle into the designated parking space in the parking lot. He locked it and returned just in time to hear this. He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, a playful smile playing on his lips. "That's quite interesting. A journalist spouting jargon and saying 'looks familiar' to a stranger like me. Either he has a terrible memory, or he's simply not telling the truth."

There was a rustling sound coming from Kudo Yuki's pocket.

Shushu was climbing up her trouser legs, putting his little head close to her ear, gesturing with his paws and shouting, "Xiaoxue! Come into the store quickly! I smell the delicious food!"

Kudo Yuki felt the Shushu's chubby little paws rubbing against her palm with her fingertips, a smile flashed across her eyes, and she followed Shushu's words and walked towards the hotel entrance: "Got it, let's go have high tea now."

Sera Masumi chased after him, clutching his business card, his brows still furrowed. "I've always felt there was something fishy about that reporter. He said he'd met me, but I have no recollection of the name 'Ogasawara Ryouya'."

Conan followed, shaking his head, his glasses reflecting tiny glints of light. "Perhaps his 'meeting' wasn't real, and his real purpose was to chat with you and get some information. After all, he even uttered a term like 'Tanuk', which is used in underground transactions."

Mao Lilan held Conan's hand and worriedly said, "Should we be more careful? What if he is a bad guy..."

Suzuki Sonoko puffed out her chest and fished out her phone from her bag. "What are you afraid of? I'll tell my dad's security team right now and have them keep an eye on this reporter!"

The chandeliers in the hotel lobby reflected warm golden light. As soon as I approached, I could smell the aroma of butter floating in the air, mixed with the sweetness of caramel pudding and the wheat aroma of scones, which instantly dispelled most of my previous doubts.

A few people walked towards the booth by the window. The tablecloth was a clean off-white color, with silver cutlery already laid on it. There was a fresh lisianthus in a glass jar next to it.

"Wow, this scone looks so delicious!" Conan's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward with his little hands on the edge of the table, his nose almost touching the plate, which was still stained with the cream he had just rubbed on it.

He turned to look at Mao Lilan and said softly, "Sister Xiaolan, can I have a small piece first? Just a small bite!"

As he spoke, he stretched out his little finger and made a "little bit" gesture. The eyes behind his glasses were bright as if there was light, and he looked like a greedy child. There was no trace of the cleverness he had shown when he analyzed the "journalist jargon" just now.

Suzuki Sonoko stared at the words "High Tea" on the menu, her fingertips running back and forth across the cool paper. She couldn't help but mutter, "I don't understand what the difference is between this and afternoon tea? Isn't it just scones and little cakes? And they even gave it a fancy name. Doesn't that add a plate of caviar to the menu make it twice as valuable?"

She stole a glance at the silver spoon stuck in the exquisitely presented plate on the next table, then looked down at the same cutlery in front of her, adding stubbornly, "I'm going to eat it all anyway, so who cares what it's called!"

"Sonoko, what are you mumbling to yourself?" Mao Lilan gently put a piece of sugar cube into the black tea, and the porcelain spoon made a crisp sound when it hit the wall of the cup.

"This shop's high tea is their signature dish. They say the accompanying jam is handmade. Would you like to try the strawberry flavor?"

Suzuki Sonoko put her inner complaints behind her and leaned over with sparkling eyes: "Really? Then I want two! By the way, Conan, you are not allowed to steal the scones from me. You just stole the cream!"

Conan was holding a cup of warm milk and sipping it. Upon hearing this, he immediately put on an aggrieved expression and shook Maolan's hand: "Sister Xiaolan, look at Sister Sonoko! I only tasted a little bit!"

Sera Masumi twirled the silver fork in a circle, the tip of the fork gently tapping the edge of the high table. A hint of inquiry lingered in her voice, "The low table is for afternoon tea, with scones and jam, and a leisurely chat. High tea, like dinner, is served at the high table, right? I heard it also comes with some salty snacks, which makes it even more filling."

As she spoke, she raised her chin towards the ham tower that the waiter had just brought, and a hint of understanding flashed in her eyes.

Mao Lilan gently placed the handkerchief on her knees, her fingertips stroking the edge of the fabric, and her tone was a little regretful: "Should we ask Dad to come too? If he knew there was such an exquisite high tea, he would definitely put down his mahjong and come immediately."

"It's okay," Conan swung his legs, his little hand already gripping the handle of the dinner knife. "He said he was going to play mahjong all night tonight, and he specifically told us not to bring him any leftovers, for fear of affecting his 'luck'."

Seeing a smile in Sister Lan's eyes, he stuck out his tongue and secretly shifted his gaze back to the steaming scones on the plate.

Kudo Yuki let Shushu out of her pocket and let it curl up on the handkerchief on her lap. Then she heard the little guy scratching at the fabric with his claws and whispering, "Xiaoxue, Xiaoxue! The edges of that ham tart look so crispy! Can you break off a small piece for me later?"

She gently pressed her fingertips on Shushu's back, suppressed her smile, and responded telepathically: "Wait until everyone starts eating together, don't rush."

Suzuki Sonoko crossed her arms and looked at the man wearing a hat and a mask opposite her: "Hmm? The man hiding in the hat..."

Mao Lilan turned her head and followed her gaze, her fingertips gently touching the wall of the warm coffee cup: "Ah, that's the person who just had an argument at the front desk."

"That was a really loud yell, wasn't it?" Sera Masumi put down the scone in her hand. "I was walking past the front desk when I vaguely heard him yell, 'I made a reservation, why isn't my name on it?' He was really excited."

Mao Lilan tightened her grip on the coffee cup slightly and agreed softly, "Yes, he didn't look too good at the time... What happened to that guy?"

"You didn't recognize him?" Suzuki Sonoko blinked, picked up the small piece of steak from the plate, took a bite, chewed and swallowed before saying with certainty, "I thought he looked familiar at that time. Could he be the actor Domoto Kousuke? The suspense drama he starred in is still airing recently."

"If that's the case..." Mao Lilan's eyes widened in realization. "When I think back on it now, the tone of that shout just now does resemble the tone of his lines in the drama."

"That's right! I said I didn't admit my mistake!" Suzuki Sonoko shook her head proudly and took another sip of juice.

Sera Masumi instantly became interested and leaned forward slightly. "Could it be that... one of the 'important people meeting in the room' that reporter Ogasawara Ryo mentioned earlier was this Domoto Kousuke? After all, the way he's been hiding it, it seems like he's deliberately trying to avoid being seen."

Suzuki Sonoko paused, her fork in hand, then said, understandingly, "Then the other person is most likely Councillor Kondo Hidemine! Isn't he a candidate for the next minister? He's been hounded by the media lately about his policies, and he's always been low-key in his travels."

Conan swung his short legs and raised his head to ask a soul-searching question: "Sister Sonoko, how did you know it was him?"

"Just now when I went to the bathroom, I passed him in the corridor!" Suzuki Sonoko put down her fork and gestured to explain, "Although he was wearing makeup, I remember the tone of his voice and the habit of touching his cuffs.

He was like this when he came to a party at my house before, too afraid to be recognized, which only made him stand out more. He also always spoke in roundabout ways and wouldn't dare go out without makeup; if he did, he'd be surrounded by the media.

Mao Lilan was a little surprised when she heard this and smiled awkwardly: "But he blocked most of his face. What if it's not him?"

"That's for sure!" Suzuki Sonoko slammed the table. "When we passed each other just now, he even nodded and said hello to me quietly!"

Conan looked at her confident expression and silently criticized herself: "As expected of Miss Sonoko, she remembers the little details about celebrities better than anyone else..."

To be continued...