Conan: Science Cartoonist Kudo Yuji

“I think our thinking is tied to the series of deaths at Kaifang Academy. Although judging from the sequence of events, the first victim in the case is Professor Uchitake’s daughter, she is actually not the first victim in the series of cases.”

Upon hearing that Uchitake-sensei's new job was selling used cars, Conan's attention returned to "cars," and he immediately recalled the first car accident case.

"You mean the car accident case where Sasaki Kiyose faked her death?" Hattori Heiji naturally hadn't forgotten that case, which severely damaged his and the Osaka Provisional Government's credibility.

“That body isn’t fake.” Conan squeezed in front of Heiji Hattori without any hesitation. Because of the height difference, he chose to sit directly on Hattori’s lap and boldly took the mouse to start searching the files on the car crash into the sea case.

"How not?"

"Because it involves public transportation, I asked the Minister of Transport to write it, but he hasn't submitted it yet."

Hattori Heiji looked at Kudo Yuji: "Otaki found the file in Kazami's office, but the contents are not useful at all."

"Surely we can find the vehicle identification number (VIN) of that car,"

"Of course." Hattori made a phone call, and a moment later looked at Conan and Yuuji: "Let's go. To find out the car's information, we need to use the Minister of Transportation's computer."

The two of them knew exactly what Conan was thinking. He was simply speculating whether the car involved in the drowning case had any connection to the car company where Uchitake-sensei worked. If they found anything, the case would have a new breakthrough.

"You wretched woman! Didn't we agree that everyone would keep quiet and cover up what happened between Ono and the others?!"

As I passed by the Department of Criminal Investigation, an angry shout came from inside, followed by an older man reprimanding the student.

How could you say such a thing about my daughter!

It seemed like there was a huge argument going on inside.

“You must have made a mistake. Our child is usually very well-behaved. How could he bully classmates at school and drive someone to the brink of despair?” a middle-aged woman said to the police officers with dissatisfaction.

“Ms. Uchitake, please speak up for the children! Even if these kids have done something wrong, as their homeroom teacher, you should take on more responsibility. Don’t you have any faults at all?”

"I am not their teacher right now."

The calm woman was dressed in work clothes. The students who were looked at by her all lowered their heads and remained silent, with only the parents acting as mouthpieces.

"You have absolutely no professional ethics! Why don't you take responsibility for the children's small mistakes?!"

These are all prominent figures in Osaka's political scene, yet they are all pressuring this poor woman who has lost her daughter and her job.

"Enough, the chief is here." The criminal investigation chief shouted, stopping the arguing parents.

"It seems you've gained quite a bit." Heiji Hattori glanced at the silent Uchitake, then used his eyes to deter several parents who wanted to get close to him.

What did the child say?

"She told us everything about how the three of them in the class had been bullying Ono, and she even gave us a list of names."

"What about her?"

“The child is not inside, and no one else has testified against her.”

Hattori's gaze softened. He walked up to the girl, casually took her file and notes, and flipped through them a couple of times.

“You’re fine, don’t worry. I know the chairman of Teitan High School in Tokyo, and he will recommend you to study there.”

"Thank you."

With his arms crossed, Kudo Yuji paid no attention to Hattori's promise. His attention was focused on the students and parents with their faces contorted in disbelief. He pulled out his phone and shouted at Hattori, enjoying the spectacle.

"Minister Hattori, Prime Minister Kudo just gave instructions that this is no longer an ordinary case of school bullying, and those bullies must be dealt with severely."

"Did the Prime Minister say how to handle this?"

“Shoot them…” Kudo Yuji grinned, looking at the terrified students with a wicked grin. “That’s going too far. They said they would send them to the juvenile education center in Tottori as usual.”

Parents unaware of the inside story breathed a sigh of relief, while several parents in high-ranking positions in the public security bureau, whose children hadn't gone too far, tensed up, and Hattori Heiji seemed lost in thought.

From the day the anti-bullying bill was passed, all students sent to the education base would study and live their student lives there normally, and then one day after they became adults, the prime minister would send them to the battlefield with an official document, regardless of gender.

"Didn't Osaka refuse to accept the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's guidance bill? Or is the Minister of the Ministry of Public Security planning to send these children to the education base as the first batch of students from Osaka..." Several parents from the Public Security Bureau whispered among themselves.

"If that's the case, I can accept it... but you have to make it clear when you're going to send our child back!" One parent reverted to his aggressive demeanor and angrily confronted Kudo Yuji.

“We need to figure this out.” Kudo Yuji said with a smile in his eyes.

[Tsk, I'll let your son be the first one later...] (End of Chapter)