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

The eyeliner pulled out a short knife from his waist and stabbed.

Subaru Okiya dodged to the side, grabbed his opponent's wrist with his other hand, and twisted it hard, causing the short sword to fall to the ground with a clang.

"What did Karasuma send you here for?" Okiya Subaru's voice was cold and devoid of warmth. He pressed his knee against the other man's chest, pinning him against the roof's tarpaulin.

Eyeliner gritted her teeth and refused to speak, reaching for the emergency signal button on her collar.

Subaru Okiya ripped off the other person's communicator and then precisely chopped the other person's neck with his fingertip, instantly knocking them unconscious.

He quickly searched the man and pulled a miniature memory card from his pocket. It most likely contained instructions from Karasuma Renya to his informants and a defense map of the Haneda mansion.

The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance; police cars were patrolling the area towards the port.

Subaru Okiya hoisted the unconscious informant onto his shoulder, leaped off the roof, and stuffed him into the trunk of an inconspicuous gray sedan parked by the roadside.

He returned to the roof, picked up the sniper rifle and dagger, threw them into the river under the bridge, and then crushed the bloodstains on the ground with tiles to completely erase the traces.

Back in the driver's seat, Subaru Okiya inserted the memory card into the car's computer and quickly browsed its contents.

Just as he expected, Karasuma Renya's purpose in sending his spies was to kidnap Akai Mary after Gin and Rum had both been severely injured, and take her back to headquarters for live experiments. He also included:

If necessary, they may be silenced.

"Truly cunning." Subaru Okiya encrypted the memory card and sent it to Tsutomu Akai, adding the comment:

Karasuma Renya's informants have been brought under control, security at the Haneda residence has been tightened, and Gin and Rum are about to arrive.

He started his car and, instead of following Gin or Rum, turned onto another road leading to the suburbs.

The informant in the trunk is an important clue. Subaru Okiya needs to find a safe place to interrogate him, and perhaps he can extract more core information about the Karasuma Renya Laboratory and the "ES Dark Amber" project from him.

The windshield wipers were still swinging.

Subaru Okiya watched the city lights recede into the rearview mirror, a resolute glint in his eyes: [In this game of chess, Renya Karasuma thought he was the mastermind behind everything, unaware that his pieces were already fighting their own battles.]

He must protect his family and expose the deepest darkness within the organization; in this war, he has no way out.

At 7:58 p.m., Kudo Yuki gently pushed open the door to the room next to room 2115 in the hotel.

Only the wall lamp was on in the room. Amuro Tooru was leaning against the window, adjusting a miniature listening device, while Conan was lying on the table, repeatedly tracing the route of the Haneda mansion on a simple map with his fingertips.

"Is there any problem with the stand-in?" Kudo Yuki casually leaned on the back of her chair, her gaze sweeping over the live feed of room 2115 on the screen.

The stand-in was packing her suitcase according to plan, her movements exactly the same as Mary Akai's.

Amuro Tooru looked up, a smile in his eyes: "We received news from Kazami that there are no abnormalities at the main entrance and parking lot, and MI6 personnel are already in position in the fire escape."

He handed over the tuned monitoring headphones. "The equipment has a stable signal and can clearly hear the sounds within five meters of room 2115."

Conan looked up, his little face full of vigilance: "Sis, Rum suddenly changed his plans and abandoned the hotel probing. Could it be that he's noticed something?"

“It’s not awareness, it’s greed.” Kudo Yuki put on her headphones. “What he wanted was never a test, but the secret of APTX4869 on Akai Mary. Abandoning the hotel means he has confirmed Aunt Mary’s whereabouts, and she is most likely on her way to the Haneda mansion.”

Mouse sat on the table, staring at the screen: "Rum actually tried to steal Aunt Mary Akai! Should we notify Yasuharu Haneda now to strengthen our defenses?"

Amuro Tooru's lips curved slightly: "Okiya Subaru has already sent a message that MI6 will handle it, and... Gin is also heading there. If we intervene now, it will only disrupt their internal power struggle."

The mouse perked up: "Gin's here too? Vodka's still in the lab, won't Gin be able to take care of Akai Mary?"

Kudo Yuki responded telepathically: "No way. Gin hates it when people embezzle the organization's profits. If Rum tries to bypass the organization and take Aunt Mary away, Gin will be the first to sabotage him."

She looked at Amuro Tooru, "You made Vermouth Tooru's fake news work?"

Amuro Tooru nodded: "Vermouth said that Gin has already warned Rum and even forged a recording of Rum's intention to replace Karasuma Renya as the controller and sent it to that person. Now Karasuma Renya is even more suspicious of Rum and has secretly dispatched his personal guard to the Haneda residence, hoping to reap the benefits."

Conan frowned: "Karasuma Renya's people are here too? Doesn't that mean Aunt Mary is attacked from both sides?"

“With Subaru Okiya there,” Yuki Kudo said confidently. “Since he can crack Gin and Rum’s communication frequency, he must be able to detect Renya Karasuma’s spies.”

Suddenly, the mouse jumped up, pointing its little paw at the screen: "Wow! There's movement in the fire escape on the 21st floor! It's footsteps!"

Amuro turned up the monitoring volume, and the deliberately slowed footsteps approached room 2115 through his headphones.

“It’s not Cohen’s voice; Cohen’s footsteps are heavier,” Amuro Tooru judged. “It must be Rum’s informant at the hotel, trying to confirm one last time whether the person in the room is really Akai Mary.”

Kudo Yuki's eyes flashed with coldness: "Let him investigate. Once he confirms that the 'target' is at the hotel, Rum will be even less likely to suspect a trap at the Haneda mansion."

She took out her phone and quickly sent a message to Ying Chuanluo:

How's the parking lot in Beikacho? Has Representative Saeki's secretary arrived yet?

The phone screen lit up, and Yingchuanluo replied instantly:

Representative Saeki's secretary arrived at the parking lot half an hour ago and was sitting in a black van waiting for orders. I had my subordinates disguise themselves as a designated driver and stay nearby so they could listen to what was happening inside the car in real time.

Kudo Yuki added:

When the transaction takes place at 9:00 AM, have your men retreat to the perimeter to avoid detection. Toru and Vermouth will personally handle the meeting, focusing on photographing the parts box and transaction documents inside the vehicle.

receive.

News of Yingchuan Luo has arrived.

The footsteps in the monitoring headphones suddenly stopped at the door of room 2115, followed by the soft sound of fingernails scratching the crack in the door.

The other party was testing whether the door was locked from the inside.

Amuro Tooru raised his hand to signal the two to be quiet, and gently slid his fingertip across the listening device to turn the volume up to the maximum.

A deep, labored breathing sound came through the earphones; clearly, the person was peering through the peephole.

"The Stand's movements are perfect." Conan stared at the screen and said softly, "The pace of packing is exactly the same as Aunt Mary's, even the pauses are exactly the same."

Kudo Yuki's lips curled slightly, and she telepathically transmitted the message to Rat: "Rum's informant is indeed cautious, but the more cautious he is, the easier it is to fall into a trap. Once he confirms that 'Akai Mary' is still in the hotel, the show at the Haneda mansion will be much easier to put on."

Amuro lowered his voice in cooperation: "The informant has left the fire escape, and the footsteps are heading towards the elevator. He will pass on the message that 'the target is at the hotel' to Rum, and Rum will now be even more convinced that the Haneda residence is a safe evacuation point."

The mouse squatted next to the screen, its chubby little paws patting the table: "Wouldn't Rum be walking headfirst into MI6 and Subaru Okiya's trap?"

“Not only that.” Kudo Yuki took off her headphones, a sly glint in her eyes. “Wakasa Rumi is also near the Haneda residence. Once she gets the clues about Rum, she won’t miss this opportunity to take revenge herself.”

Conan looked up abruptly: "Wakasa-sensei went too? Won't she be in danger alone?"

Amuro Tooru explained, "Governor Kuroda has already sent her support. It's Date Wataru and his men who are disguised as nearby residents, so they won't be easily exposed. Moreover, Wakasa Rumi's own fighting skills are no less than those of professional agents, and Rum's men may not be her match."

Kudo Yuki glanced at the time; it was 8:15 PM. "We should get ready to go to the parking lot. Toru, have you made contact with Vermouth yet?"

“She’s already waiting in the abandoned warehouse on the west side of the parking lot. She’ll use the distillery’s proprietary communication code so it won’t arouse suspicion.”

Amuro Tooru stood up, straightened his collar, and casually put a miniature voice recorder into his suit pocket. "The 'sample' for the transaction is also ready. It's a semi-finished product of APTX4869 that the doctor imitated. It looks exactly the same."

Conan stood up, took out a pair of tracking glasses from his pocket, and put them on: "I'm going with Mr. Amuro. Rum specifically instructed that the transaction should avoid the fine wine, so I can secretly cooperate."

"They are good at tracking and locating targets, and using anesthetic needles to control unexpected situations. They can keep an eye on the transaction site for you, and send a coded signal immediately if there is any unexpected event."

He patted the soccer tassel in his pocket and added, "Besides, I know the core of the deal is to get clues about the lab. I won't cause any trouble. I'll just consider it as assisting Mr. Amuro. It's better than staying here and waiting for news."

Amuro Tooru looked into Conan's eyes and tapped the table lightly with his fingertips: "You can take him with you, but you must stay in the safe zone and are not allowed to act on your own."

He turned to look at Kudo Yuki, a smile in his eyes, "After all, if someone loses a younger brother, there won't be anyone to taste the strawberry cake at Poirot Cafe."

Kudo Yuki smiled and said, "With Toru here, nothing will happen to you. In case of emergency, just use the communicator to contact me."

Conan, standing on a small stool, adjusted the focus of his tracking glasses to the maximum, the lenses reflecting the scene in room 2115 on the screen: "Mr. Amuro, will Vermouth be recognized by Representative Saeki's secretary? After all, her position in the organization is too sensitive."

Amuro Tooru was inspecting the silenced pistol at his waist when he heard this. He looked up and chuckled, "She's using a new disguise this time. She even disguised her fingerprints. Saeki's secretary has only seen Vermouth's 'salon look' and wouldn't recognize her."

The little mouse perched on Conan's shoulder, its chubby paws dangling from his glasses: "Vermouth is the best actress! Last time she disguised herself as a waitress to deliver ingredients to Poirot's Cafe, and even Sonoko Suzuki didn't notice anything amiss!"

Amuro Tooru's ears twitched slightly, and he naturally heard what the mouse said. He tapped Conan's head with his fingertips: "Don't just worry about others. You stay in the ventilation duct on the second floor of the parking lot. It has the best view and is the safest place. Don't stick your head out."

Kudo Yuki slipped the communicator into Conan's pocket, her fingertips tracing the top of his head: "If anything happens, use telepathy first, don't act rashly. I've already sent a message to Ran Mouri, saying you're coming with me to investigate a case, and I'll have Toru take you back to the Mouri Detective Agency later."

Conan's cheeks flushed slightly as he patted the soccer Belt in his pocket: "I know, sis! I'll definitely stay put and give the signal as soon as I get the evidence of the transaction."

“Oh, right,” Kudo Yuki pulled a magician’s divination card from her bag. The card was a raven that shimmered with silver light. “This is a spare contact card left by Uncle Toichi. Give it to Vermouth. She’ll know it’s one of our own when she sees it, so we can avoid any misunderstandings during the transaction.”

Amuro Tooru took the divination cards and put them away, tracing the patterns on the cards with his fingertips: "Mr. Kuroba Toichi's technique is indeed exquisite. The material of these cards can shield signal detection and will not be scanned by the brewery's equipment."

The mouse hopped onto the table, its chubby little paws pointing at the phone screen: "Kagekawa Raku sent another message! He said Saeki's secretary keeps checking the time, seems really anxious, and even made a phone call, mentioning that 'what Lord Rum wants must be delivered on time'~"

Kudo Yuki's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "The more you rush, the easier it is to give yourself away. Toru, tell Vermouth to deliberately slow down the process during the transaction and force him to say more about the lab."

Amuro Tooru nodded in agreement and was about to take out his phone to contact Vermouth when Conan grabbed his sleeve: "Mr. Amuro, Gin and Rum are at such a bad point right now, he might come and cause trouble."

“It’s unlikely.” Kudo Yuki leaned against the door frame. “Gin’s attention is entirely focused on the Haneda mansion right now. He wants to use Rum’s arrest of Aunt Mary as an opportunity to solidify Rum’s guilt of embezzling the organization’s profits. There’s no need for him to waste his energy in the parking lot.”

"Besides, Vermouth had already hinted to him that the deal was just a regular sample of APTX4869, and Gin had no interest in such 'insignificant' things."

Amuro Tooru put away his phone and glanced at his watch: "It's about time, we should head out. We'll leave the hotel to MI6; they'll notify us immediately if there's any movement."

The mouse held Kudo Yuki's finger and shook it: "Yuki, do you want me to come with you? I can hide in the bag and eavesdrop for you!"

Kudo Yuki rubbed its head, a smile in her eyes: "No, the parking lot is crowded and noisy. It's safer for you to stay here. Keep an eye on the screen for me. If there's any more noise on the 21st floor, tell me through the microphone."

Amuro Tooru picked up the black briefcase by the door, which contained a half-finished replica of APTX4869: "Let's go, Conan. Don't keep Vermouth waiting too long."

Conan followed Amuro Tooru to the door, then suddenly turned to Kudo Yuki: "Sis, you have to be careful too. If there's any danger at the Haneda mansion... make sure you protect yourself first."

Kudo Yuki smiled and gave a reassuring gesture: "Don't worry, I have MI6 people looking after me, and Okiya Subaru is also near the Haneda residence. He won't let anything happen to Aunt Mary."

What she didn't say was that the human skin mask worn by Subaru Okiya embodied the ultimate mastery of disguise. Not to mention observing from a distance, even in close combat with Rum, the other party would absolutely not be able to see through this disguise.

To be continued...