The group of three quickly arrived at the foot of the mountain by car. Some might curiously ask, "Weren't there four people?" I can only say, "Conan doesn't count as a person; he is a Death God Elementary School Student."
"Oh, Sonoko, why did your family build a villa in this deep, old forest!" Ran said helplessly, struggling to carry her luggage up the mountain.
"Uh, ha ha... maybe Ayako-jie likes peace and quiet..." Sonoko was also bewildered by Ran's question and didn't know how to answer. In fact, she herself felt it was too remote here.
Yuusheng was most curious about this question. Even when he was watching the anime, he found Sonoko's family's villa quite absurd.
It was bad enough that the villa was built in the desolate mountains, but it also had only one entrance and exit, which was a rickety suspension bridge.
If an accident were to happen, there would truly be no one to call upon.
Perhaps, this is the so-called "Conan Science"!
After half a day of walking up the mountain, the group finally arrived near the villa, carrying their heavy luggage.
At a glance, a solitary villa stood abruptly amidst the deep, old forest.
Steep cliffs surrounded it on all sides, and the only way to access the villa was an old wooden suspension bridge that creaked and groaned in the wind.
"We're here!" Sonoko excitedly turned to Ran and shouted, having spotted the villa from afar.
"Oh, Sonoko, it looks like there's someone there. I wonder if he's also heading to the villa." Ran's gaze fell upon a figure on the suspension bridge, clad in a black robe and hood, walking towards the villa.
Perhaps hearing the sound behind him, the person on the bridge slowly turned around, revealing a face covered in dense bandages and a pair of eyes that gleamed with ferocity.
"!!!"
"I wonder if he's also going to the villa..." Noticing this scene, Ran was utterly astonished and involuntarily repeated her earlier words.
"Ah! Nan!"
Hearing Ran's words, Sonoko followed her gaze and saw a figure who, after giving them a provocative smile, turned and fled.
Sonoko gasped, immediately grabbing Yuusheng's arm.
Ran was startled again by Sonoko's cry and also grabbed Yuusheng's arm with Sonoko.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Yuusheng felt the soft, fragrant warmth on his arms, gently patted their backs, and comforted them softly, while silently giving a thumbs-up to the Bandage Man in his heart.
Good brother! Based on your performance just now, I will definitely let you have your revenge today! However, considering you once harbored murderous intent towards Ran in the original story, and even acted on it three times! So, after you get your revenge, you can also be done for.
"Heh heh, Ran, what are you doing!" Conan looked at the three people hugging each other with a speechless expression, secretly complaining, "Did you forget there's a six-year-old child here?"
After a while, when they saw that the Bandage Man had disappeared without a trace, Sonoko and Ran slowly let go.
The big-hearted Sonoko was a bit scared at first, but after hugging Yuusheng, her fear was quickly replaced by inner satisfaction, and she even started to praise the Bandage Man in her heart.
Ran, on the other hand, seemed a little shy, lowering her head to adjust her clothes.
She was always most afraid of these mysterious beings, whether they were human or ghost... The three, followed by Conan, who was treated as air, quickly crossed the suspension bridge and arrived at the villa entrance.
"Sonoko, you're here!"
As soon as they arrived at the door, Sonoko's sister, Suzuki Ayako, came out to greet them warmly.
Sonoko's sister was a gentle woman with slightly curly hair, narrowed eyes, and a kind expression.
"Ayako-jie, let me introduce you, this is my best friend Ran, and my... um... good friend Yuusheng." Sonoko hesitated for a moment, giving Yuusheng a special title.
"Heh heh, that Sonoko!" Conan, watching Sonoko completely treat him as invisible, also had a face full of black lines.
No one knows a sister like a sister. Suzuki Ayako knew from Sonoko's stuttering introduction that Sonoko must like Yuusheng.
"Hello everyone, welcome to visit, I am Suzuki Ayako."
Suzuki Ayako greeted them with a smile, paying extra attention to Yuusheng.
Just as she was about to turn to let them in, she noticed a child following behind the three.
"Oh, and this little friend is?"
Seeing Suzuki Ayako finally notice him, Conan's eyes welled up with tears. Was it easy for him? What was wrong with this world? It seemed to have abandoned him.
"Oh, never mind him, Ayako-jie. He's a little brat staying with Ran-jie who insisted on coming along."
Suzuki Ayako nodded, "You all go put your luggage down first. Sonoko, you take them to pick a room."
"Heh heh, that busybody Sonoko!"
While the others went inside to put down their luggage, Conan, who was lagging behind, tugged on Suzuki Ayako's sleeve and asked, "Ayako-jie, was anyone wearing bandages among the people who came today?"
"I don't think so?" Suzuki Ayako thought for a moment and gave her answer.
Hearing that no one among the arrivals today was wearing bandages, Conan nodded thoughtfully... "Ran, Nan, come quickly, we're sleeping together tonight." Sonoko Ran downstairs to the second floor, turned around, and shouted to the two.
"Sonoko!"
"Hehe, sorry, I said it wrong. It's Ran and I sleeping in the same room."
Seeing Ran blush crimson, Sonoko realized she had misspoken and playfully stuck out her tongue at Yuusheng.
All the rooms on the second floor were tightly closed at this moment, and the two girls were momentarily confused, completely unsure which room to choose.
"Ran, which room should we pick?"
"I'm not sure... how about this one?" Ran said, reaching out to open a nearby door.
"Wait, Ran!" Yuusheng quickly spoke up to stop her, otherwise Ran would have "hit the jackpot" three times over.
Seeing Ran's puzzled look, Yuusheng quickly explained, "There's someone in that room."
"Eh, Nan, how did you know that?" Sonoko stared at Yuusheng with curiosity, as if trying to discern some clue from his face.
"You'd know if you looked closely at the floor," Yuusheng said with a slight smile, reminding them, "If you pay a little attention, you'll notice that there are some water stains on the floor in front of the doors of all the occupied rooms, perhaps because it just rained outside."
"Oh, wow, it really is like that!"
Hearing Yuusheng say this, the two girls both lowered their heads and began to examine the floor. Sure enough, they quickly found water marks in front of several doors, and immediately looked at Yuusheng with admiration.
"Heh heh, what's so admirable about such a simple observation?" Conan, who had just walked up from behind, heard their conversation and looked at the infatuated Sonoko with a poker face.
"Why is Ran also following along? She usually isn't like this about my deductions!"