vncnus Page 31
Page 31
"Unfortunately, I'm not here, so I'll just leave you sitting here by yourself."
Inui Shoichi's voice sounded quite relaxed, even giving the impression of a conversation with an "old friend".
Lin Che pressed one hand on the table. "Nakamura Tetsuya is already dead under Scobin's gun. With my guidance, Scobin will come looking for you soon."
Osaka.
Inui Shoichi, who was sitting in a high-end hotel enjoying wine and admiring the moon, was actually already somewhat drunk.
He poured himself a drink and chuckled softly.
"Ah, I know, the police called me this afternoon."
"It is said that Nakamura's body was found at the dock, and he is suspected to have died in a conflict with members of the Mud God Association."
"There were no survivors at the scene, so this is the only speculation the police can make."
As he spoke, Qian Jiangyi suddenly chuckled:
"Nakamura thought he had done things flawlessly and could fool me, but in reality I was just waiting for the right opportunity."
He switched to holding the microphone between his shoulder and ear, freeing his hands to cut and light a cigar for himself.
"Phew—Mr. Lin, what are your plans next?"
The moonlight in Tokyo was much the same as in Osaka; the drifting clouds resembled a veil over the bright moon, making the moonlight appear especially bright against the black background.
Lin Che sat half-sitting on the table where the telephone was placed, his mind racing.
The next plan is naturally to settle accounts with Scrooge and Inui.
But Inui's words and attitude just now are worth pondering.
First and foremost, it's clear that the police were extremely efficient this time, having already investigated Nakamura Tetsuya's identity and located him before Lin Che returned to the city.
This was completely contrary to Lin Che's expectations. After all, Nakamura Tetsuya's death was so gruesome and the scene was so chaotic that it was impossible to investigate so quickly.
If the police were always this efficient, Lin Che wouldn't be here now; he would most likely be lying in wait.
The empty villa is now almost another gesture of goodwill from Qian Jiangyi—if he wanted, Lin Che's identity would definitely be known by the police, and Lin Che might even be surrounded by the police now.
But the police weren't there, and the five-star wanted notice remained black.
Secondly, Inui did not respond to "I guided Scrooby to find you".
Doesn't he care?
Or is it that Scowbin had already locked onto him without me having to guide him?
Lin Che felt that the latter speculation was more plausible.
This explains why Inui continued to show goodwill towards him.
Inui Shoichi, who has a long-standing and irreconcilable feud with Skobbin, needs to continue to work for him to deal with Skobbin.
As Lin Che was about to speak, nearing the end of his contemplation, Qian Jiangyi spoke up at the opportune moment:
“Mr. Lin, the task I entrusted to you, which you personally agreed to, is to protect the vase from Scobin’s threats and to find a way to completely eliminate the other party and prevent future troubles.”
"From this standpoint, you are naturally hostile to Scobin, and a life-or-death conflict is inevitable."
"Although I concealed the information about the Scobin attack from you this time, it does not conflict with the mission."
His tone carried a hint of a smile.
"Furthermore, if you did not agree to help Nakamura Tetsuya lie to me, then you would naturally be prepared to 'encounter Scobin' when you go to the docks."
"Being caught off guard by Scobin must have been partly due to your ulterior motives, Mr. Lin."
Okay, okay, is that how you talk?
Lin Che said disdainfully:
"Don't try to change the subject. Since you already knew that Nakamura Toru was also involved, it means that you planned everything from the beginning, and I was also part of your scheme."
"All you're saying is that you think I'm quite capable for escaping the siege of Scobin and the Muddy Ginseng Society unscathed, and you want me to continue working for you."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before the voice finally revealed its usual coldness.
"People with brains and the ability to fight are rare, so there's no room for discussion, right?"
Lin Che shook his head. "No, there's still room for discussion."
"Oh?"
"You know, I'm a street thug. As long as the money is right, anything is negotiable. Anyway, I haven't suffered any real harm, and I get the money from both sides."
"Thirty million is already a premium; we can't offer you a higher price."
"On the condition that you really intend to give me this 30 million."
"...Okay, thirty million it is. You come to Osaka to protect me tomorrow morning."
"There shouldn't be any more problems this time, right?"
"Of course not, unless you're in cahoots with Scobin, but I don't think that guy would bother hiring extra people to deal with me, nor would he offer you such a high price."
The phone hangs up.
Lin Che took a deep breath.
Ha, still want to talk?
I'm talking about you, you're a super lollipop.
First, keep this old guy calm, then wait for the right opportunity to kill him. Then, shift the blame to Skobbin, and then kill Skobbin too.
"But I underestimated him from the very beginning."
Having successfully secured another collaboration with Inui, Lin Che drove his GTR out of the garage without any problems.
There's still no news from Conan, so I can't stay at the house for the time being, and it's already late. It doesn't seem appropriate to bother Professor Agasa's house.
He's shameless for freeloading meals and taking advantage of others, but disturbing the peace late at night for no reason is truly despicable.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Che simply stepped on the gas and drove out of the city.
Let's go straight to Osaka.
Almost at the same time.
Tired from flying, Kaito Kuroba casually found a place to land and stopped—the balcony of a high-rise building.
He had a panoramic view of Tokyo's prosperity, and he also saw the incompetent police force.
Police cars darting aimlessly through the streets like headless flies, and helicopters flying in the sky unable to find their targets—it's all so ridiculous.
"A grand magic show always needs some warm-up beforehand."
"The bells of the end of the century are about to ring."
"You'll come, won't you...?"
"Cousin."
The plot anchor point of Chapter 36 has been found.
"Ah sneeze——!"
Conan woke up from his dream with a start, rubbing his nose and snotty nose.
He glanced at his phone; there was a reply from across the ocean.
[Shinichi, you should make these decisions yourself. You're unlikely to heed our advice anyway.]
"What kind of answer is this..." Conan was speechless after reading it. "And why does it make me sound like a delinquent who deliberately goes against his parents to show off his special status?"
However, the vacant house in the family now has a place to be used.
"There shouldn't be any problems if Mr. Lin stays here, right?"
Conan hesitated again.
He was genuinely afraid that one day he would want to go home and visit his family, only to find a large group of yakuza members sitting inside.
But then again, Lin Che has always given off a clean and refreshing vibe, so his lifestyle must be quite good.
As for social circles... we'll see how it goes. If things don't work out, we can just kick people out.
Although the other party had leverage over him, he couldn't compromise indefinitely.
This is a big no-no.
When faced with threats, you must have your own bottom line. If all else fails, just fight back. Otherwise, the other party is bound to act recklessly, and human nature cannot withstand indulgence.
Conan finished editing the message while he was thinking. After checking it again, he sent it to Lin Che's phone, then lay back down and fell asleep again.
......
The next day.
Conan returned to the Mouri Detective Agency with a heavy heart.
It wasn't just because Lin Che hadn't replied yet, but also because he had heard from Ayumi that Kaito Kid had appeared last night.
Recalling the time in the snowy mountain villa a few days ago, Phantom Thief Kid stared at him meaningfully and said: When the bells of the end of the century ring, we will meet again.
With the end of the century fast approaching, and Kaito Kid appearing at just the right time, it's hard not to be concerned about his actions and intentions.
The famous detective and the phantom thief are destined to be determined in a series of "battles".
Conan hopes to finally take down the opponent and send him to prison this time.
"Ah, Conan, you're back! Didn't you play soccer with Ayumi and the others today?"
Ran Mouri will be home a few minutes later than Conan.
Her bright smile always made Conan feel at ease.
Conan smiled and shook his head. "He only kicked for a little while. Where's Uncle?"
Ran Mouri tapped her chin with her index finger and looked up. "I bet he went to the Metropolitan Police Department. Sonoko told me today that her family received a notice from Kaito Kid."
As she spoke, she began to complain, "Honestly, you recommended Dad to be a consultant without even telling me first. If you ask me, you should have just invited him directly."
Ran Mouri skipped over and squatted down in front of Conan, her eyes sparkling as if they were about to light up. "Right?"
Conan chuckled twice, "Ha...haha...what can a little kid like me do? Uncle is more reliable."
But then he turned serious and asked, "Sister Xiaolan, do you know the specific contents of the notice?"
"I don't know," Ran Mouri recalled roughly. "It was something about a lion and a girl. Sonoko can't remember the details at all. I guess she was just making things up."
"Her mind is probably already on Kaito Kid's face."
That's absolutely right.
Conan could only shake his head inwardly, remembering Sonoko Suzuki's infatuation with girls.
At this moment, Ran Mouri suddenly said playfully, "But don't worry, since Dad is an advisor and will have a holiday later, Sonoko will definitely invite us to go together."
Conan smiled shyly, realizing his thoughts had been read.
He also sensed something... strange about Ran Mouri.
So what has Lin Che been up to? Why hasn't he replied yet?
Osaka.
Lin Che regained the feeling he had when he first transmigrated.
He felt inexplicably uncomfortable and weak all over.
However, this feeling quickly subsided after he regained consciousness.
I drove over late at night, then called Qian Jiangyi to wake me up and arrange accommodation. I finally fell asleep around 8 or 9 o'clock.
The old man is cunning; he didn't arrange for the two of them to stay together, clearly indicating that he's already on high alert.
It didn't matter anyway, since Lin Che didn't intend to kill the other person as soon as they met.
When it comes to murder, it's best to use someone else's hand; only as a last resort should you consider doing it yourself.
Moreover, Lin Che has not yet found a "plot anchor point," and Qian Jiangyi is an important bait to lure out Scrooge.
"The efficiency is alright."