Cough, cough, cough, cough...!
Inside a white car speeding toward the outskirts of Tokyo, the sound of a stifled cough came through.
Conan, sitting in the back seat wearing a mask, began coughing.
"Are you okay, Conan?"
Ran, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn't help but turn her head back.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine."
Hattori Heiji, sitting beside Conan, wore a playful expression.
"As long as he takes the special medicine I just gave this kid, he'll get better in no time."
"That special medicine you mentioned—could it be that Chinese liquor called Baigan you brought the first time you came to my agency?"
Kogoro Mouri gave the Osaka guy a blank stare.
Hattori Heiji laughed heartily:
"No, no! Compared to that alcohol, this medicine works way better."
"Baigan… that name brings back some nostalgia."
Hayashi Yoshiki, driving in the front seat, smiled.
"Yoshiki, do you drink that?"
Kogoro was a bit surprised.
"I've tried it, but I'm not really into it."
"No way."
Ran immediately looked at him, her warm eyes carrying a hint of coaxing:
"Yoshiki, you mustn't follow Dad and start smoking and drinking."
"Haha, don't worry... I've always only tasted a little bit."
"Why are you bringing that up about me?"
Kogoro pouted, then cheerfully made a toast gesture:
"By the way, I don't think I've ever had a drink with you, Yoshiki. How about I take you to my usual izakaya sometime?"
"Dad!"
Ran turned away in frustration.
Normally, Conan would have noticed this odd reaction, but wearing a mask and feeling drowsy from the cold, he didn't think much of it. Hattori Heiji didn't understand either and didn't find it strange.
"Sometimes I have a few drinks with Uncle, but usually I drink more cocktails... Anyway, Okuho Village should be just ahead."
Hayashi Yoshiki's words revived the spirits of everyone, who were a bit tired from the ride.
Especially Hattori Heiji, who suddenly felt motivated.
—The letter he received was basically the same as Hayashi Yoshiki's.
The client's letter said that the deduction made by Shinichi Kudo one year ago, solving a murder case, had errors, and they wanted to discuss it face-to-face.
Clearly unable to find the missing Shinichi Kudo, the letter was sent to him, a Kansai high school detective, and to Hayashi Yoshiki, hoping the two could help find Shinichi's whereabouts.
Knowing well that his good friend couldn't appear, Hattori Heiji had volunteered to come, planning to correct Shinichi's deduction from a year ago and also prove that he himself was more capable.
"Me? I refused the commission."
Hayashi Yoshiki said this.
Ran blinked—Yoshiki rejected the commission but somehow still got involved.
Was it because he also cared about Shinichi's situation?
Soon, the car stopped in front of the Okuho Village office.
The group entered the village office to inquire, but found that the person who sent the commission letter, Makoto Okuda, had already been missing for half a year.
"Yes, we applied for a search about six months ago, and since Makoto always admired city life, everyone here in the village thought maybe he left home to try his luck in Tokyo."
The village staff smiled and asked,
"May I ask why you are looking for Makoto Okuda?"
"Well, last week we received a letter from him. He said that Shinichi Kudo's deduction on a murder case here from a year ago was wrong, and he wanted to talk face-to-face."
"Who? Shinichi Kudo?"
The previously friendly staff's face suddenly darkened when they heard the name.
Not only him, but the villagers nearby whispered among themselves, casting unfriendly glances toward the group.
Before anyone could understand the situation,
"Liar!"
A boy about ten years old ran up, pointing at Hayashi Yoshiki and the others, shouting:
"You're all accomplices of that liar!"
"Liar?"
Ran showed a puzzled expression.
But before they could ask what was going on, the receptionist slammed the book shut and said with a scowl:
"Anyway, if you want to ask about the case, go to the village police station. We have nothing to say to you here."
Even without understanding the details, everyone realized Shinichi Kudo's reputation in this village was very poor.
After politely thanking them, Hayashi Yoshiki pulled the group out of the village office.
Mouri Kogoro, who had just been treated coldly, looked very displeased:
"What the heck did that kid do for the whole village to hate him so much?"
"Probably related to the faulty deduction mentioned in the letter."
At that moment, Hayashi Yoshiki's phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the caller's name, answered, and stepped aside.
"Hey, it's me."
"Are you free now? I have something important to tell you."
The voice on the other end was the young voice of Haibara Ai.
"Yeah, I'm alone now. What's up?"
"I'll get straight to the point. I put a test sample of the temporary antidote to APTX4869 inside a cold medicine bottle, and unaware, Dr. Agasa gave it to Edogawa as normal cold medicine. Is he still with you?"
"He was with us fifteen minutes ago, but now he has suddenly disappeared."
As Hayashi Yoshiki's voice reached her, Haibara's heartbeat slowed.
"Could it be the medicine is already taking effect, and he's starting to revert? This is bad, Cointreau... I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you this time—"
"Cover for him, right? I know. Don't worry."
Hayashi Yoshiki's voice was as calm as ever.
"Sorry for the trouble."
"Don't say such nonsense."
Meanwhile, as Hayashi Yoshiki walked away to talk on the phone, Ran looked around and suddenly noticed Conan was no longer nearby:
"By the way, where's Conan?"
"That brat said he wanted to rest at the hotel first. I guess his cold got worse."
"If that's the case, how can we just let him rest alone at the hotel?"
Ran's face immediately tightened upon hearing this.
"I'll go check on him."
Just as she was about to leave, Hayashi Yoshiki hung up the call with Haibara Ai.
After Ran told him about it, he nodded, indicating he would go with her to look for Conan.