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

Amuro Tooru's gaze fell on Conan's tense little face, his tone deep and steady: "The head of the Ooka family didn't find out much, only that the research and development base of 'ES Dark Amber' was hidden in the Karasuma Group headquarters, but the surrounding area was full of organization members disguised as workers."

Kudo Yuki, holding the oiled paper of the wagashi, continued, "Governor Kuroda also tried to send infiltrators, but those who went in either lost contact or could only send back vague messages like 'frequent equipment adjustments.' Rum guarded the base like an iron barrel; even the trucks transporting raw materials had to undergo three identity verifications."

The mouse muttered to itself, "Last time, Kazami Yuya said that a parts delivery truck was stopped and inspected by people wearing black gloves as soon as it approached headquarters. They even took samples of the mud from the tire crevices. That's so strict!"

Upon hearing this, Amuro tapped his knuckles lightly on the table: "We actually tampered with those parts; we hid miniature locators inside, but they were discovered as soon as they reached the first checkpoint. Rum's vigilance towards 'foreign items' is now more than twice as high as before."

Conan's eyes behind his glasses shone brightly: "Could we find a breakthrough by focusing on 'people'? For example, turning researchers in the base against us? Or keeping an eye on suppliers who have dealings with headquarters?"

“I’ve tried, but it’s very difficult.” Kudo Yuki shook her head, her fingertips tracing the encrypted file on her phone screen. “Rum installed tracking chips on everyone in the base, and even their families’ residences are being watched by people from the organization. As for the suppliers, they are all subsidiaries of the Karasuma Group, and the people in charge are subordinates of the organization’s core members.”

Conan's brows furrowed even more as he gripped his phone, his face full of resentment: "Isn't there any other way? We can't just stand by and watch the 'ES Dark Amber' project continue."

Amuro Tooru folded the empty wagashi paper into a neat square: "There is a way, but it requires taking a risk."

Conan leaned forward, forgetting even to chew the wagashi in his mouth: "Adventure? Mr. Amuro, do you have a plan?"

Amuro Tooru's cell phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

The screen lit up, and a string of unmarked encrypted numbers instantly wiped the smile from his eyes.

Amuro Tooru didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned his phone screen towards Kudo Yuki. Their eyes met on the "Rum" exclusive encrypted logo, and the air froze instantly.

Swipe open the screen; the text message is brief yet carries a command:

Tonight at 21 PM, in the Beikacho underground parking lot, meet with Vermouth to conduct the deal with Representative Saeki. Avoid the 'fine wine,' and don't let that person notice. —RAM

Amuro Tooru's fingers tightened subtly, the screen light reflecting in his eyes, deepening his melancholy. He looked up but deliberately tilted the screen towards Kudo Yuki: "It's Rum's order, to have Vermouth and me meet Saeki tonight."

“Avoiding the ‘fine wine’?” Kudo Yuki instantly grasped the key point. “He specifically emphasized not letting the old man know, which means that this transaction has hidden ulterior motives, and it is very likely that it is Rum’s own little trick.”

The little mouse's ears perked up instantly, and with half a mouthful of wagashi still in its mouth, it mumbled indistinctly, "The underground parking lot! There are blind spots in the surveillance cameras there, what if there's an ambush?"

Amuro put his phone back in his pocket and analyzed, "The possibility of an ambush is unlikely. Rum needs Representative Saeki's connection to stabilize political relations. But he specifically asked Vermouth to come with me so that she could keep an eye on me and prevent me from hiding evidence."

Conan put down his milk glass, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming sharply: "Then we can set up surveillance in the parking lot beforehand! For example, install miniature cameras, or have Inspector Kazami and his men lie in ambush nearby, and arrest them when they make the transaction!"

“No.” Amuro Tooru shook his head. “Rum is extremely vigilant against ‘foreign signals.’ The signal jamming system in the parking lot was specially tuned by the organization. The cameras will be detected as soon as they are installed.”

He looked at Kudo Yuki: "Tonight I have to follow Rum's instructions and see what he's trying to transfer through the deal. As for Vermouth... maybe we can get some details about the 'ES Dark Amber' debugging out of her."

Kudo Yuki lightly touched the mouse's fur with her fingertips, then looked up and said, "I'll go with you."

"No!" Amuro Tooru and Conan spoke at the same time, the former's tone more serious, "Rum made it clear that we should avoid 'fine wine,' and your exposure now will only arouse his suspicion. Besides, the parking lot environment is too dangerous, I can't let you take the risk."

The mouse peeked its little head out from Kudo Yuki's arms: "Yuki, don't go! I can secretly hide in Amuro Tooru's pocket and keep an eye on Vermouth for you! I'll give you the system screen; you can see the live feed at Poirot Cafe."

Kudo Yuki paused for a moment, then said, "Let's leave it at that for now, but... we'll see. Conan, come with me to the hotel where Masumi is staying later."

Conan paused, his fingers still holding the milk glass. He didn't understand why Kudo Yuki suddenly brought up going to the hotel, but nodded in agreement: "To Sera? Are you going to check on Sera's mother's condition with her?"

Kudo Yuki's eyes held a deeper meaning. She didn't directly answer Conan's question, but instead folded the empty wagashi paper into a square: "Not only do we need to confirm Aunt Mary's situation, but we also need to find a new place for the mother and daughter to live."

Her fingertips traced circles on the tablecloth, her tone gentle: "Aunt Mary's current condition isn't suitable for staying in a crowded hotel. Moving to a more secluded apartment would also help her avoid those reporters watching the conference."

Kudo Yuki didn't mention the organization's possible informants, only mentioning reasons that Conan could immediately understand.

Amuro Tooru carefully placed the empty milk cup into the tray, his fingertips brushing over the remaining milk stains on the rim of the cup, and added, "I've already had Kazami contact Akai Tsutomu. The residence of the Haneda Yasuharu family head is the most suitable for permanent residence. Firstly, Sera and her daughter have a long-standing relationship with the Haneda family, and secondly, Akai Tsutomu can use this place to reunite with his family. It's discreet enough that it won't be easily spotted by the organization's spies."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the mouse tugging at Kudo Yuki's sleeve with its chubby little paws, as if checking if there was a corner in its new place where it could hide snacks. A smile flashed across his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

Conan's grip on his phone loosened slightly, but his eyes behind his glasses still held a hint of wariness: "But Sera definitely doesn't want to change locations easily..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by another piece of wagashi (Japanese sweet) handed to him by Kudo Yuki.

“I’ll explain to Masumi,” Kudo Yuki said, taking a bite of wagashi, the sweet cherry blossom filling spreading on her tongue. “Besides, Aunt Mary’s current situation makes it inevitable that the organization will target her and trace her back to that hotel. If we move to an apartment with a private garden, she can come out for some fresh air occasionally.”

Enomoto Azusa came over carrying taiyaki: "Boss, Mr. Amuro and Conan, your dishes are all ready, please enjoy."

The taiyaki on the tray was still steaming, its golden crust glistening with oil. The sweet aroma of red bean paste mixed with the rich scent of cream wafted over, instantly capturing the mouse's attention.

The little mouse peeked its head out from Kudo Yuki's arms, its chubby paws secretly scratching at the edge of the tablecloth, its little nose twitching incessantly. Amuro Tooru overheard all its little thoughts: "The cream filling must be runny! I have to take a bite of the tip first, otherwise it will get on Yuki's sleeve!"

A faint smile appeared in Amuro Tooru's eyes. He reached out and took the tray, deliberately pushing the cream-filled one next to Kudo Yuki's hand: "The freshly baked cream filling is hot, so eat slowly."

Long Tengxue couldn't help but smile, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Amuro Tooru wiping a bit of cream off her lips with a tissue.

He then picked up the red bean paste one and handed it to Conan, saying, "This one has just the right amount of sweetness, it's perfect for you."

Amuro Tooru had already figured out the two's preferences, and even secretly considered the little expectations that the mouse was hiding in its heart.

His fingertips touched the outer skin of the taiyaki, and the warm touch made Kudo Yuki lower his head and take a small bite. The creamy texture instantly melted on his tongue, just as Yuki had expected.

Conan held the red bean paste-filled taiyaki, and couldn't help but frown after taking a bite.

It wasn't that the food was bad, but the atmosphere between the two people in front of them was just too obvious. Even Enomoto Azusa, standing next to them, joked with a smile, "The boss and Mr. Amuro have been inseparable lately."

Kudo Yuki's ears burned slightly. Just as she was about to explain, Amuro Tooru interrupted her, saying, "After all, I work at the shop, so it's only right that I help Yuki with some chores."

His words seemed reasonable, but he quietly pushed a glass of cold water towards Kudo Yuki's side, clearly knowing that she found the cream filling too rich.

The mouse whimpered in her arms, its thoughts overheard by Amuro Tooru: "This is the third one today to hint that the two are living together!"

Amuro Tooru turned to look at Conan, and the topic returned to the evening's plans: "When you and Yuki go to Rai's place later, remember to bring this with you."

He pulled a miniature communicator out of his pocket. "It has a location tracking function. If there's an emergency, you can contact me by pressing the red button on the side."

Conan took the communicator and gripped it tightly in his hand. His eyes behind his glasses instantly turned serious: "Mr. Amuro, are you really sure it's okay for you to go to the parking lot tonight? Even though Vermouth is cooperating with Yuki, she is, after all, a member of the organization..."

"Don't worry." Amuro tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. "Vermouth and I have a tacit understanding. She won't really help Rum. Besides, Yuki has already spoken to Wakasa Rumi. She will meet him near the parking lot tonight. If Rum really sets up an ambush, at least we'll have an extra layer of protection."

Kudo Yuki's concern, however, was: [Rum's deliberate emphasis on avoiding 'fine wine' suggests he has a backup plan. Will Zero be in danger if he goes?]

Therefore, he had already added double insurance to the communicator. As long as he pressed the emergency button, the support from Administrator Kuroda would be dispatched immediately.

Kudo Yuki, biting into a taiyaki, looked up at Enomoto Azusa and said, "Enomoto, let's close the shop early tonight. Toru and I have some things to take care of."

Enomoto Azusa smiled and nodded: "Okay, boss, I'll put up the 'Closed Today' sign in a bit. By the way, yesterday Inspector Nakamori came to ask you about the jewelry theft case you helped him solve. All the perpetrators have confessed, and he'd like you to pick up a thank-you letter from the Metropolitan Police Department when you have time."

"Okay, I'll go when I have time," Kudo Yuki replied.

After finishing the last bite of his taiyaki, Conan wiped his mouth and said, "Sister Yuki, when are we going to Shira's place? I'm afraid she'll argue with me again if we're late."

"We'll be leaving soon." Kudo Yuki stood up, and just as she was about to pull the mouse closer to her, she heard it mutter softly, "We'll be passing that dessert shop on the way to the hotel! Yuki, could you buy me a strawberry daifuku? Amuro Tooru said that last time I ate some and got cream on his clothes, but actually he accidentally touched it himself!"

Amuro Tooru couldn't help but laugh out loud, reaching out to rub the mouse's little head: "Okay, we'll buy some desserts when we pass by, but this time you can't get them on your clothes again."

He looked at Kudo Yuki, his eyes full of tenderness, "You guys go ahead first. I'll check the support route with Kazami tonight, and I'll be there shortly."

Kudo Yuki nodded and took Conan's hand, leading him towards the door.

Enomoto Azusa called out from behind, "Boss, you forgot your scarf!"

Kudo Yuki turned around and took the scarf, only to see Amuro Tooru whispering something to Enomoto Azusa. Judging from his lip movements, he seemed to be saying, "Keep an eye on the shop for me. If any strangers come and ask, just say the boss and I went out on an errand."

Nestled in Kudo Yuki's arms, watching Amuro Tooru's retreating figure, the mouse suddenly felt a sense of peace: [With Yuki, Amuro Tooru, and Conan, even facing Rum's deal tonight doesn't seem so scary anymore.]

Kudo Yuki's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the scarf, her mind already racing: [Tonight, I not only need to find out Rum's secrets, but also seize the opportunity to extract the details of "ES Dark Amber's" tuning process. The more clues I gather, the closer I get to destroying the distillery.]

Conan walked beside him and looked up to ask, "Sister Xue, you said you'd have Kaito Kid infiltrate the Karasuma Group headquarters. How's his disguise technique coming along?"

“He messaged me last time, saying he could already mimic the voice and demeanor of a mid-level manager at the Karasuma Group,” Kudo Yuki said casually. “However, he’s only responsible for infiltrating, not participating in operations. After all, his identity is too special, and if he’s exposed, it will disrupt our plans.”

What she didn't say was that Kidd had secretly sent her a diagram of the ventilation ducts at the Karasuma Group headquarters last week, saying it was "drawn on a whim," but actually he was afraid she might need it later.

The three people and the mouse walked out of Poirot Cafe.

Kudo Yuki subconsciously tightened her scarf around her neck, while the mouse in her arms muttered softly, "The scent of strawberry daifuku I smelled in the store just now has all dissipated with this cold wind!"

Amuro Tooru's voice suddenly came from behind, with a hint of amusement: "I had Enomoto pack the strawberry daifuku, it's in your bag."

He quickly caught up, took the bag from Kudo Yuki's hand, and his fingertips inadvertently brushed against the back of her hand. "I'll take you to the hotel entrance and then meet up with Kazami."

Conan looked up at their touching hands, his ears burning again. He quickly pulled out his phone, pretending to read the news, but then noticed a message from Ai Haibara popping up on the screen:

The brewery's delivery truck stopped in Beikacho 3-chome. I asked the professor to check the route, and it overlapped with the itinerary of Representative Saeki's secretary.

Conan quickly scrolled the message up, afraid that Kudo Yuki and Amuro Tooru would see it. He secretly glanced up and saw the two of them discussing their support route for the night, then breathed a sigh of relief and typed a reply quickly:

How long will the transport truck be parked? Did you see clearly what was loaded on the truck?

To be continued...