Stay away from Conan.

Gao Yuan's turning motion aggravated the wound on his left shoulder. The katana scraped against his flesh and bone, bringing a sharp, stinging pain that made his already pale face lose even more color. At the same time, his eyes were frighteningly sharp, piercing straight at Camus and Louis behind him.

Faced with Gao Yuan's explanation, Camus leaned against a rock, his hands, with his thumbs severed, hanging at his sides, the bloodstains already turning black.

And seemingly because this fellow had taken the initiative to speak to them, the old man raised his eyes, a cold smile creeping across his ashen face:
"Listen to you? Why should I? Because you're about to die too, so you have no choice but to ask us for help?"

That being said, Camus also glanced at the swarm of drones still locked in combat with the two helicopters in the air and beginning to consciously block the view of the mountains and forests below, a deep sense of apprehension flashing in his eyes—

Having witnessed the power of these things, his understanding of weapons had been completely changed. And those very things had just threatened his life, therefore…

Who knows what this person is trying to do?
The organization's boss? Even if I knew who he was and found him, would it be necessary for my current situation?

On the contrary, what we can see so far is that what this person is about to do is absolutely beyond reason and may very well cause an even bigger commotion in the end.

As for Hanada Emi, she stood a little further away, her gaze shifting between the knife on Gao Yuan's shoulder, Camus's hand, and the sinking twilight villa in the distance, her lips pressed tightly together.

She didn't speak, but her tense body and flickering eyes betrayed the intense turmoil within her—

After all, what she saw today was far more shocking than what she experienced at the pharmaceutical factory that day. These things had far exceeded her expectations. What would happen if things continued like this...?

"Based on what we're seeing now, your boss behind the scenes is already planning to kill everyone."

Gao Yuan took a breath and quickly swiped across the phone screen with his uninjured right hand, displaying a portion of the information he had just deciphered and processed.

"Did you see that? The 'master' you're loyal to just gave orders that not only kill me, but also everyone here, to be silenced, leaving no one alive."

Gao Yuan said this, emphasizing the last few words, his gaze sweeping over Camus and Hanada Emi, before adding meaningfully to Camus:
“Especially… ‘Golden Flower Financial’ and the illegal drug trafficking route to Moon Shadow Island will be exposed sooner or later. You’ve already been on the list of people the organization is considering abandoning.”

Upon hearing Gao Yuan mention "Golden Flower Finance" and Moonshadow Island, Camus's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, seemingly surprised that the person in front of him already knew about such matters.

As for Hanada Emi, she suddenly looked up at Gao Yuan, then at Camus, her face gradually draining of color—

After all, it seemed that she really had no other choice; she ultimately wanted to live.

"He doesn't even intend to let Rum and Gin go, why would he care about the two of you?"

Gao Yuan spoke casually:

"Camus, not to mention that your hands are crippled and your 'sword' against the organization is broken, and thinking back to the conflict between you and Rum back then, do you think Rum would let you go?"
"As for Louis, you were already detached from the core, and now you've been dragged into this, witnessing far too many things you shouldn't have seen..."

"Do you think that important figure, who is used to hiding in the shadows and even wants to keep the secret of immortality tightly under wraps, would be willing to let you leave this mountain forest alive?"

Gao Yuan's words were like cold needles, piercing the last shred of hope in their hearts.

Camus's cold smile vanished completely, replaced by a deep, sinister, and knowing look—he knew the organization's ways all too well.

Hanada Emi unconsciously clenched her fist, her knuckles turning white.

“Although I intercepted the order to ‘silence’ you, the ground troops over there have already set off. Before they receive a clear order to kill me, their goal should be to control me. However, if they can also eliminate the two ‘unstable factors’ you two, it will be a piece of cake for them.”

Gao Yuan continued to increase the pressure, while listening intently. He could faintly hear hurried and cautious footsteps and the rustling of vegetation being moved from below the forest, getting closer and closer.

"If you want to live, come with me. I have a way out of here, and I also have what you really want—"

"An answer about yourselves, about Cointreau, about the organization's dirtiest secrets, and... a chance to get out of all this."

He threw out his final bait, a combination of threat and temptation—

For Camus, it was the truth and a possible alternative "power" or "knowledge" different from the organization's system; for Louis, it was a clue to revenge and the possibility of breaking free from his shackles.

For Gao Yuan, all of this was a promise that did not need to be fulfilled.

Time was of the essence, and the sounds from down the mountain became clearer. Under these circumstances, Camus gave Gao Yuan a deep look, his gaze incredibly complex, containing hatred, scrutiny, and a hint of mad recognition as if they had met their match.

Finally, the thoughtful old man nodded and gestured with his chin to his immobile hands:

"I can't help you like this." "Just follow along, there's no chance of a confrontation."

Gao Yuan stopped talking and turned to look at Hanada Emi.

At this point, Hanada Emi bit her lower lip, her gaze shifting again between Camus and Gao Yuan. Finally, she seemed to have made up her mind, quickly walked to Gao Yuan's side, and whispered:
"Where to go?"

"This way."

Despite the growing discomfort in his body, Gao Yuan took the lead and walked towards a dense thicket of bushes behind the cliff.

Just a hair's breadth away; we must confirm the location completely within this short timeframe, and then...

My own life and death in this dream are no longer relevant.

Thus, Gao Yuan's steps appeared unsteady, but each step was taken on relatively stable rocks or hard soil that he had observed beforehand. The two people behind him noticed that Gao Yuan was obviously starting to act strangely, but in the end they didn't say anything and just followed.

And so, the three of them quickly disappeared into the bushes.

Beyond the bushes, there was not a dead end, but a steep, downward path partially obscured by vines and branches.

The path is narrow and slippery, leading directly to a recessed platform in the lower part of the cliff, covered by a dense canopy of trees.

At the edge of the platform, a dark-colored pickup truck with mud-stained paint and an unremarkable appearance was parked.

"boarding."

Gao Yuan instructed the two men to say this, while he himself jumped into the back of the truck—

The knife in his left shoulder prevented him from working properly inside the car, which seemed to be the only option.

Seeing this, Hanada Megumi, oblivious to her own limitations, knew that the task of driving fell to her. She went to the driver's seat, tried the door handle, and found it unlocked with the key in the ignition. She then got into the driver's seat, while Camus followed closely behind into the back seat.

"Drive, follow my instructions."

At this point, Gao Yuan began to make his subsequent plans—

Operating his phone, Gao Yuan instructed three drones to temporarily leave the battle and come to his side to clear a path and observe.

Such commotion was obviously observed by the armed personnel who had been tracking them. Almost the instant the vehicles started, several armed personnel dressed in black combat uniforms and well-equipped emerged warily from the edge of the woods below where Gao Yuan and the others had been standing on the cliff, their guns pointed in all directions.

They saw the messy marks and bloodstains on the cliff edge, and also the directions intentionally or unintentionally obscured and guided by the drones in the air. The leader gave a hand signal, and the team, wary of a possible sudden attack by the drones, immediately began to carefully pursue Gao Yuan and his group in a fan shape.

Unfortunately, they were a step too late. Gao Yuan and his group had already started the vehicle and were speeding through the mountains and forests...

……

Gunma Prefecture, a sparsely populated foothill area—

An inconspicuous small white van slowly pulled up in a quiet parking lot by the roadside.

In the driver's seat, Professor Agasa, wearing glasses, glanced at the location on his phone with a puzzled look, then leaned out to look around, his expression one of utter bewilderment.

There's no village or shop in sight, only rolling mountains and this lonely old road.

"What a strange request... They said they were waiting for the location to be confirmed, but now we've arrived at the confirmed final delivery location..."

Dr. Agasa muttered to himself, recalling the mysterious collaborator who had paid an astonishing fee and provided the core algorithm for the incredible drone modification.

The other party is highly skilled, yet acts in a mysterious and unpredictable manner. This time, their request carries an unusual sense of urgency.

Especially now, there's not a soul in sight at this final handover location.
Is this really the place? (End of Chapter)