Chapter 96: Conan, You Wouldn't Want That, Would You?
The next day.
The police confirmed the presence of Dark Web machine code on Shimizu Masato's computer, and the chat logs and transaction records were successfully recovered through technical reconstruction.
Shimizu Masato was formally arrested on charges of hiring an assassin to murder Kuroiwa Tatsuji, Kawashima Hideo, and Nishimoto Ken.
The hired killer couldn't be found. Tsukikage Island received new visitors every day. From the time the contract was posted until Kuroiwa Tatsuji's death, at least two to three hundred people had visited the island.
The Metropolitan Police Department couldn't possibly investigate such a large number, especially since tourists in this era didn't need to register. The department didn't even have information on these tourists—the data simply didn't exist.
Asai Narumi was arrested alongside Shimizu Masato.
The charges were tampering with a crime scene, attempted murder, and suspected involvement in Kameyama Isamu's death.
Additionally, he was suspected of being an accomplice due to his relationship with Shimizu Masato.
As for the Kameyama Isamu case—
Because it happened so long ago, the body had already been cremated and the ashes placed in an urn. They couldn't exactly investigate the ashes, could they?
There was no way to pursue it now, so that charge would likely be dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Whether he was truly Shimizu Masato's accomplice still required investigation.
However, he'd confessed to both the crime scene tampering and attempted murder, and there was video evidence, so both charges would stick.
Ran said somewhat sadly, "I wonder how long Dr. Asai will be imprisoned."
"Tampering with a crime scene carries a maximum sentence of one month, and attempted murder will likely get him six months. The Kameyama case happened too long ago—it's probably impossible to investigate now. Cases like that usually end with insufficient evidence rulings.
As for the accomplice charge, it's best if it's not true, otherwise he's looking at least ten years."
As an instructor at the Metropolitan Police Department, Yor was well-versed in the relevant laws.
According to her summary, he'd be locked up for at least seven months—and that was a conservative estimate.
"That long?" Ran said, feeling somewhat sympathetic.
"It's fortunate he didn't succeed in killing anyone, otherwise his life would be over~" Mouri Kogoro gulped down his beer and slammed the bottle on the table!
"Damn it! How dare he deceive my pure feelings? He's a man!"
Just as Natsukawa had predicted, Uncle Mouri was thoroughly disgusted.
Now, besides drinking, he couldn't stomach anything else.
"Sunrise and beer—so refreshing~"
Mouri Kogoro leaned back in his beach chair, wearing sunglasses and sipping his beer contentedly.
Conan, on the other hand, was slumped in his beach chair wearing an eye mask.
Honestly, he hadn't wanted to come. He hadn't slept for two full days and one night, and his body was severely exhausted. He'd finally managed to lie down and rest last night, only to be dragged out of bed by Ran at five o'clock this morning.
What had he done to deserve this karma?
He couldn't sleep on the beach at all, especially with Anya sitting right next to him.
So noisy.
"Conan, look! Papa and Yor-san's silhouettes in the morning sun—did you see them?"
Conan removed his eye mask, revealing dead fish eyes with prominent dark circles. "See what? Can't you tell I'm exhausted?"
"You'd better perk up and answer me honestly, otherwise..."
Anya smiled with crescent-moon eyes, then casually pulled a camera from her small bag. "You wouldn't want Uncle Mouri to see this video, would you?"
Conan's eyes widened, his heart racing.
Anya's tone was extremely suspicious, her expression exactly like that of a smug blackmailer.
Had he given himself away these past few days?
Could Anya have filmed him using Uncle Mouri as a ventriloquist dummy?
Or filmed him sneaking over the walls of the Kuroiwa and Kawashima residences?
Impossible!
Nothing like that had ever happened before—there was no way he'd been discovered this time.
"What video? Let me see it."
Conan pretended to be nonchalant, reaching out to snatch Anya's camera.
However, Anya wasn't an ordinary first-grader. She immediately noticed Conan's attempt and swiftly shoved the camera back into her bag.
"If you're going to blackmail me, at least let me see what it is, right?" When force didn't work, Conan decided to try negotiation.
Anya considered for a moment, then thought Conan had a point. She turned on the camera, found the video file, and held it about a meter away from Conan.
This clearly showed she didn't trust Conan's character at all.
Conan squinted at the screen. It wasn't very large, but he could still make out the content.
Soon, his dark circles disappeared—because his entire face had turned dark.
"Look, it's footage of you hitting Uncle Mouri with that ashtray. Pretty explosive, right? I don't think you'd want Uncle Mouri to see it, would you?"
Anya said, raising her camera. "Uncle Mouri~"
"Huh?" A tipsy Mouri Kogoro looked over, holding his beer.
Conan immediately broke out in a cold sweat and quickly covered Anya's mouth. "It's nothing, Uncle Mouri! Anya just said you look really cool when you drink beer!"
"Oh? You've got good taste, kid! Hahaha!"
Finally—she'd found leverage on Conan!
Anya was already planning in her mind to make Conan acknowledge her as the leader of the Detective Boys when they returned to Tokyo.
Once Conan acknowledged it, the other three kids would definitely obediently recognize her authority too.
But for now...
"What do you want?"
"In a moment, go over to Papa and Yor-san and say something." Anya whispered furtively in Conan's ear.
"That's it?" Conan gave the two people admiring the sunrise a strange look.
This request wasn't difficult—a little embarrassing perhaps, but quite simple for him as a child.
"No problem!" Conan breathed a sigh of relief. Children would be children—their requests were indeed easy to fulfill.
At that moment—
Natsukawa and Yor were watching the sunrise side by side. Natsukawa reached toward Yor's back several times, but each time he hesitated for a long while before giving up.
If I put my arm around Yor-san now, wouldn't she think I'm being too forward?
Our relationship probably hasn't reached the point where casual physical contact is appropriate.
She's only been on a few dates with me—is this really okay?
Natsukawa hesitated for quite some time.
He'd dated countless women during undercover missions, but when he genuinely wanted to pursue someone, it felt completely different.
Very unnatural.
"Oh, right." Natsukawa suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Yor.
But that one glance left him momentarily stunned.
The woman beside him was tall and slender, her white knit dress making her look exceptionally elegant. Her eyes were clear, reflecting the shimmering morning light, creating a serene and beautiful sight.
She stood quietly by the sea, watching the sunrise slowly ascend from the horizon. In that instant, she seemed bathed in sunlight, radiating a warm, gentle aura.
At this moment of dawn, her presence made the entire coastline seem more captivating.
"What is it?" Yor turned, somewhat puzzled.
The morning light illuminated her cheeks, making them look exceptionally rosy and alluring.
Natsukawa was mesmerized, not reacting for a moment until Yor asked a second time, at which point he finally snapped out of his daze.
"What are you staring at?" Yor's ears turned red—Natsukawa's gaze had been far too intense.
"Ah, no, nothing." Natsukawa quickly covered his embarrassment by throwing out the question he'd been about to ask.
"Yor-san, besides your brother Yuri, do you have any other siblings?"
Realizing the question was somewhat inappropriate, he quickly added, "Close friends, perhaps? Around your age and height. Uh, and who are also very skilled in combat."
Yor tilted her head innocently, her hair falling over her fair shoulders.
"Friends like that? Why would Natsukawa-san suddenly ask about that?"
(End of Chapter 96)
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