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

Kuroba Touichi sneered inwardly: [This woman actually wants to throw mud at me.]

Without a word, he swayed and seemingly dodged in a disheveled manner, but in reality, he kicked the knee of the member closest to him.

Taking advantage of the moment when the other person bent over in pain, he lunged forward, and with a nimble flick of his fingers, the gun was instantly in his hand.

Instead of pressing the gun to the secretary's temple like a typical bandit, Kuroba Toichi gently lifted her chin with the gun, forcing her to raise her head.

"Don't even move."

Kuroba Toichi's composed demeanor intimidated everyone present, preventing them from making any rash moves. His thumb lightly rubbed the trigger, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"If you don't want this beautiful secretary to become a 'sieve' because of your impulsiveness."

The female secretary stared wide-eyed in horror, feeling the metallic touch on her chin, her body stiffening and unable to move.

Kuroba Toichi casually reached into his pocket, and a smoke bomb rolled silently to the ground.

"boom!"

White smoke instantly spread, obscuring everyone's view.

"Cough cough! What is that?!"

"Catch him! Don't let him get away!"

In the chaos, a soft "crack" was heard, as if something had broken.

When the smoke cleared, everyone discovered that the female secretary's hands were bound behind her back with ropes that had appeared out of nowhere, while Kuroba Toichi stood by the window, playing with a black USB drive.

He raised his hand and tore off the "Kageyama" mask from his face, revealing a face that was still exceptionally handsome even in dim light.

"The crows of the night will only quietly depart before dawn."

A confident smile curved his lips, and his eyes gleamed with the unique light of a magician.

"Give my regards to Vermouth. Tell her that finding the 'fine wine' requires more than just research."

He leaped into the air, like a crow, and disappeared into the night outside the window.

The wind outside the window carried the chill of late autumn into the room, plunging the archives into a brief silence.

The female secretary struggled desperately, trying to untie the ropes binding her behind her back, her face drained of color.

The black-clad members around her exchanged bewildered glances, and finally had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward to untie her.

After escaping, the female secretary abruptly shook off the hand of the person next to her and roared angrily, "You couldn't even stop one intruder! Go after them!"

“But, Miss Secretary,” one member hesitated, “the other party is extremely skilled, and… that smoke bomb just now…”

"Shut up!" The female secretary's eyes swept over everyone with a sinister glint, finally landing on the terminal on the table with its black screen, and the folder about "Project ES Dark Amber" that had been left in the corner. "Pass down the word: seal off all exits! Also, immediately report the situation here to Lord Vermouth!"

In the hot spring courtyard, moonlight fell on everyone, but few were in the mood to appreciate the scenery before them.

Kudo Yuki's legs buckled, and she fell to the side.

Amuro Tooru almost instinctively reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, then picked her up in his arms the next second.

"Little Snow!"

Several gasps rang out simultaneously, but were silenced by a reassuring look from Amuro Tooru. He didn't offer any further explanation, only saying in a low voice, "She has a bit of low blood sugar, I'll take her back to her room to rest."

He then turned and carried the person towards their private hot spring room.

Date Wataru was the first to react, raising his hand to stop Sato Miwako and Ogino Ayami who wanted to follow, and gently shook his head: "Let them go, Amuro will take good care of her."

Sato Miwako did not stop. She subconsciously took two steps forward, her eyes following the back of the person carrying her, her brows furrowed. It wasn't until Matsuda Jinpei reached out and took her hand that she seemed to be pulled back to reality and stopped.

“But she looked really pale just now…” Sato Miwako turned to her boyfriend beside her and said worriedly, “And the way she looked didn’t seem like it was just low blood sugar.”

Matsuda Jinpei squeezed her fingertips to reassure her. He looked up at the closed sliding door, a knowing smile playing on his lips: "Don't worry, Miwako. That guy looked even more nervous than you just now. If anything really happened to Yuki, he'd be the first to object."

Kenji Hagiwara leaned against a wooden pillar in the corridor, his hands in his pockets, his smile deepening: "Oh, so you're already starting to act like husband and wife? But Jinpei is right, Miwako, don't worry about it."

He lowered his voice, teasing in a way only his companions could understand: "Besides, it's rare for the young couple to come out and relax, so let's not be third wheels. Look at how protective Amuro is of his food, he practically wants to hide people away."

“Who’s with him, young couple…” Sato Miwako instinctively retorted, but before she could finish speaking, she felt a warm touch on her palm. She turned her head to look at Matsuda Jinpei and found him looking at her with a half-smile.

"What, are you jealous?" Matsuda Jinpei leaned close to her ear. "Or do you want me to carry you back like this too?"

"Matsuda!" Sato Miwako's cheeks instantly turned bright red. She glared at him, embarrassed and annoyed, and pinched his palm hard. "What nonsense are you talking about! I'm just worried about Yuki!"

Although she verbally refuted it, she had to admit in her heart that the look in Amuro Tooru's eyes when he held Kudo Yukishi earlier, a mixture of worry, cherishment, and a hint of obsession, was exactly the same as the look she occasionally saw in Matsuda Jinpei's eyes.

Ogino Ayami crossed her arms, sighed softly, and looked at the closed sliding door: "Xiaoyu always takes everything on herself."

She had spent a considerable amount of time with Kudo Yuki, so she could naturally tell that Kudo Yuki's "low blood sugar" just now was mostly an excuse.

The fleeting weariness and tension in her eyes was not simply physical discomfort, but more like a brief loss of control under long-term high pressure.

Natalie listened to the conversation, still holding the towel and hot tea she hadn't had a chance to hand out earlier. She looked at Date Hang, her eyes questioning.

Date Wataru patted her shoulder gently, signaling her to calm down. He looked up at Hagiwara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei, his tone returning to its usual composure: "Don't stand here anymore, let's go inside. Don't let others laugh at us."

The group then turned their attention away and entered the adjacent lounge one after another.

The atmosphere in the room became somewhat awkward for a moment.

Sato Miwako sat on the tatami mat, and Matsuda Jinpei naturally sat beside her, casually pouring her a cup of hot tea and handing it to her.

Sato Miwako took the tea but didn't drink it. Instead, she rested her chin on her hands and stared blankly out the window.

"What are you thinking about?" Matsuda Jinpei leaned against the wall, his long legs crossed, his gaze fixed on her slightly worried profile.

“I always feel,” Sato Miwako turned her head, her eyes filled with confusion, “that there are many things between Koyuki and Amuro that we don’t know. That feeling… is very heavy.”

She looked at Matsuda Jinpei and said earnestly, "It's like... like the loneliness we felt when facing those bombers, having to bear everything. I saw the same thing in Amuro's eyes when Koyuki collapsed just now."

Upon hearing this, Matsuda Jinpei paused slightly with his fingertips.

He recalled the occasional air of world-weariness that Amuro Tooru had displayed during previous operations, a quality beyond his years. After a moment of silence, he reached out and ruffled Sato's hair: "Everyone has their own secrets. Since they choose not to tell us, let's not ask."

He stood up, stretched, and his tone returned to its usual casualness: "As long as they're still on our side, that's enough. As for the rest..."

Matsuda Jinpei gazed at the bright moon outside the window, his eyes deep: "It will surface someday. Now, why not enjoy this rare vacation? Hmm? Girlfriend?"

He emphasized the last two words.

Sato Miwako was taken aback by his address, then her cheeks flushed slightly, she softly hummed in agreement, and took a sip of her tea.

Ayami Ogino picked up the teacup on the table, breaking the brief moment of warmth: "Speaking of which, don't you guys think that Yuki seems particularly tired lately?"

Her words were immediately echoed by Miwako Sato: "Yeah! I think so too! Last time at the coffee shop, she fell asleep on the table and didn't even hear the customers coming in. Amuro had to help her out. And..."

She looked at Matsuda Jinpei, "Didn't you see her when you picked me up from get off work last time? She was holding some documents in her hand."

Kenji Hagiwara raised an eyebrow, leaned against the wall, and tapped the wall lightly with his fingers, lost in thought: "Hasn't she been helping the police investigate cases lately? It seems like Chief Inspector Kuroda is taking it quite seriously; she's probably very busy."

Matsuda Jinpei took out a cigarette from his pocket, but put it back as soon as he saw Sato Miwako and Ogino Aya. He just frowned and said in a somewhat displeased tone, "Investigating a case is one thing, but you can't joke around with your own body, can you? That guy usually seems pretty shrewd, but he doesn't know what's important at times like this."

He complained, but his eyes betrayed his deep concern. As a former police academy classmate, he didn't want to see Amuro Tooru break down because of the people around him.

Date Wataru glanced at him, but didn't expose him, calmly adding, "Manager Kuroda specifically instructed her to get some rest during this time. However..."

His gaze darkened slightly, as if he had thought of something, but in the end he just shook his head: "Never mind, since Amuro is by her side, there shouldn't be any major problems."

Date Wataru understood that Kudo Yuki carried a burden far beyond the identity of a "detective." Those dangerous, dark aspects were beyond their immediate reach.

Kuroda transferred them here under the guise of "secret assistance," but it was actually a form of protection—at least until they were truly capable of facing those challenges, to allow them to accumulate experience within a relatively safe environment.

Natalie sat to one side, thinking to herself: [Xiaoxue probably knows more than everyone else here.]

She vaguely sensed that Kudo Yuki and Amuro Tooru were connected to a dangerous organization.

But she said nothing.

Some things are better for everyone if the fewer people know them.

Meanwhile, in the hot spring room where Kudo Yuki and Amuro Tooru were staying, the sliding door was gently closed, shutting out the noise from outside, and the light in the room suddenly dimmed.

Amuro Tooru carried Kudo Yuki into the inner room and placed her on the soft mattress that made up the bed.

“Zero…” Kudo Yuki leaned against him, her voice weak.

"I'm here." Amuro Tooru sat down beside her, reached out and pulled her into his arms, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. He gently patted her back with his other hand, as if soothing a frightened kitten. "Don't talk yet, rest for a while."

He could feel the stiffness and slight trembling of the person in his arms.

The mouse slid nimbly from the pocket to the coffee table, its chubby paws on its hips, and looked up angrily: "Xiaoxue, you scared me! That shock almost crashed my computer! Did you secretly access my system again?!"

Kudo Yuki closed her eyes, forcing a bitter smile, and replied telepathically, "I can't help it... Uncle Toichi suddenly sent back a message, and the system automatically triggered the protection mechanism. I couldn't suppress it at all."

The little mouse became even more anxious, stomping its short legs on the ground: "Do you know that your mental energy is already overdrawn? If you keep acting recklessly like this, you won't even be able to stand up, let alone solve the case!"

Amuro Tooru frowned even more, looking down at the girl in his arms, a sharp pain piercing his heart. She had always tried so hard, trying to maintain her identity, trying to protect everyone. But he knew that she also got tired, and she also felt afraid.

"Xiaoxue." Amuro Tooru lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead. "You mustn't do that again."

Kudo Yuki opened her eyes, looking at the handsome face so close to hers, her eyes slightly warm. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest, greedily inhaling his pleasant scent. "But there are some things I have to do."

Amuro Tooru was silent for a moment, then tightened his arms around her, pulling her completely into his embrace as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones. He whispered, "I will always be by your side."

He wouldn't let her face the darkness alone.

will never.

Kudo Yuki leaned against him, listening to his strong heartbeat, and her tense nerves finally relaxed.

The phone screen on the bedside table lit up and vibrated.

The mouse, who had been angrily slapping the tatami mat with its chubby little paws, immediately stopped upon hearing the sound, its eyes lighting up: "It's a text message from Kuroba Toichi!"

It scratched the screen twice with its paws, and the text message content that had been unlocked was suddenly displayed.

Amuro Tooru lowered his head, his gaze matching Kudo Yuki's as it fell on the screen:

Halfway through the investigation, we discovered an amusing 'prank'. It seems we've all been tricked by that old man.

Now that I have the 'evidence,' I'll bring Kaito to your house tomorrow to 'apologize,' and also let that kid have a magic and deduction contest with his 'cousin.'

Remember to prepare plenty of cake; Kaito's been growing a lot lately and he's become quite picky about food. —KID

Seeing the signature on the screen, Kudo Yuki's lips curled up slightly: "Looks like Uncle Toichi succeeded."

Amuro Tooru swiped his finger across the screen to delete the text message, his eyes deep: "'Prank'? 'Old man'? It sounds like he's discovered something interesting."

To be continued...