The unscrupulous detective in Conan

Chapter 1427 What a strange hobby...

Soon, the helicopter landed at an airport near the city of Tsuwano, the destination of this trip.

Tsuwano is not a big place; there are practically no buildings or airports for helicopter landings.

We can only try to get as close as possible.

After I got off the plane, Iori Mujou waited for me at the airport entrance in a minibus.

Fujino looked at the bus and felt a wave of embarrassment.

No, although there's nothing inherently wrong with these people driving buses...

But why do I have this inexplicable feeling of abstraction?
No wonder I didn't see Butler when I arrived; he must have come ahead of time...

His lips twitched involuntarily: "So, Iori-san, why did you drive this thing all the way here?"

“It happened so suddenly, and there aren’t any suitable ones available nearby,” Iori Muga replied. “If you want something spacious and comfortable, this kind of bus is the only option.”

"Even though it's just a transfer to the train station, comfort still needs to be considered."

"Alright, young master Fujino, I've already prepared the train tickets to Tsuwano. If we're any later, we'll miss our train."

"Oh..." Fujino responded, and didn't say anything more.

Judging from Iori Muga's dark circles, he must have rushed here overnight to prepare for the trip. It must have been tough for him to get all this done in such a hurry; he probably didn't sleep a wink all night.

All I can say is that Butler Knight silently bore the brunt of it all...

…………

Taking a bus to the nearby train station, although a transfer was still required, clearly saved a lot of time.

After all, to get there from Tokyo by Shinkansen, you can only get off at Shin-Yamaguchi Station and then take a train north.

What used to take five or six hours can now be reduced to just four hours by helicopter.

Although I still have to take the train, it's much better than before.

That’s where helicopters have their advantage.

It's really expensive, but it's also really convenient. Where there's a place where helicopters can land, you can airdrop almost anywhere in the country.

Even if there isn't one, you can still land on a flat area.

Of course, the prerequisite is to have good flight routes and logistics, but for Hongye, the problem is not a problem at all.

Well, in this respect, even Suzuki sometimes falls short compared to Ooka.

At least they're not rich enough to ignore air traffic control over Tokyo and take off directly, landing anywhere in Japan.

To put it simply, wealth can buy many things, and power can be used for free.

"Waste, waste, waste!"

The old-fashioned black steam train emitted a series of whistles.

The little ones stood on the platform, looking at the train in front of them, overjoyed:
"It's so hot! I can feel the heat even without touching it!"

"It smells really good..."

Fujino listened to the little ones' sighs and couldn't help but complain, "These are all exhaust fumes produced after burning coal. It's almost like committing suicide by inhaling coal. If you smell too much of it, you'll become an idiot."

"Nani?!"

Upon hearing this, the little ones immediately covered their mouths and noses, pretending not to breathe.

Ai Haibara naturally understood that Fujino was toying with the little ones.

I chuckled to myself.

She said, as if her father had just teased the child and her mother had come to the rescue, "It's just a couple of puffs, there's no problem, it won't make you stupid."

"Very good……"

The little ones breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiao Lan, who was standing next to her, laughed and said, "Speaking of which, you guys probably haven't seen a steam train like this before, have you?"

"Well, I've seen it in books and TV series."

"It's completely different from the Shinkansen and the trains I usually take."

"I think I saw it inside a cocoon before..."

The kids, being from Tokyo, had never seen an old-fashioned train like this before.

After all, these remaining steam locomotives are basically retro sightseeing vehicles, powered by steam, the kind that burns coal, and they would make a mess and spew steam when running. They are products that have long been eliminated by the times.

Tokyo is mostly served by trams and subways. Apart from sightseeing trains, most regular trains now run on diesel or heavy oil, while high-speed trains are mostly electrified.

Aside from boosting tourism, this thing doesn't really have any other use. It's a waste to just leave it to rot in a warehouse, so we might as well bring it out and give it a second life.

Of course, this only applies to economically underdeveloped areas. After all, doing this in economically developed areas would be completely pointless, as the old gulls would only cause traffic jams.

Kobayakawa, who had followed the group all the way, held the train ticket and couldn't help but exclaim, "I really didn't expect that you guys could still get tickets for the SL line at this time..."

"Are SL tickets really that hard to get?" Sonoko Suzuki asked, puzzled.

What's so difficult about it?

She, Miss Suzuki, was the first to object.

In response, Kobayakawa explained calmly, "SL is a very rare steam train. Tickets are only sold at limited times, and train enthusiasts all over the country always snap them up in advance."

"For tickets like this, you basically can't get them even if you book a day in advance."

"Is that so?" Ooka Momiji was quite curious about this, then turned to Iori Muga and asked, "Iori, how did you get this ticket?"

“It’s not too difficult.” Iori Muga said calmly, “I contacted West Japan Railway Company, which operates this line, and told them that you wanted to take this train, and they were very excited and gave me the ticket right away.”

"Oh, that's how it is."

Hongye nodded, seemingly unsurprised.

The people around them, however, gave him a blank stare.

So, you rich heiresses are really something else!
Fujino was a little speechless about this, but then he thought that since he was the beneficiary, it was no big deal.

All he wanted to say was: My Hongye is amazing.

Don't even think about how comfortable the interior of the steam sightseeing train is; it's made of hard wooden planks and old-fashioned foam, so it's not exactly uncomfortable, but it's not exactly cozy either.

Anyway, it's only one stop away from where I am.

Momiji sat with Fujino, Ai sat by the window, and Ran, Madoka, and Kobayakawa sat opposite them.

The train slowly started moving. Hongye looked out the window at the scenery leaving the train station, then turned to Kobayakawa and asked, "By the way, Miss Kobayakawa, are there any interesting places around here?"

"feature?"

Kobayakawa was stumped by the question.

You ask me what's special about my hometown?
Hmm, I don't know.

However, after thinking about it, she still gave a suggestion that was as fair as possible: "There is a Yuda Onsen Station on this railway line. To be honest, the hot springs in Yuda are quite nice."

Fujino: "..."

Japan seems to have an insatiable affinity for hot springs...

Hot springs are everywhere you go.

It's like scrubbing mud balls in a traditional Northeastern Chinese bathhouse.

"A hot spring?" Hongye pondered for a moment upon hearing this.

She seemed to be thinking about something, crossed her legs, turned her head, and reached out to shake Fujino's arm: "Hey, how about we go soak in a hot spring after the case is over?"

"Hot spring?" Fujino turned to look at her, a little puzzled.

To be honest, he felt that place was really not very interesting.

Moreover, it's a hotbed of storylines involving blond-haired and black men.

But as he watched, his thoughts started to wander.

It was only because Hongye was wearing a brown skirt today, the fabric clinging to her upturned thighs and creating an indescribable contrast.

After covering the thighs, the legs were wrapped in thick, gray-black cotton tights, with visible woven stripes if you looked closely.

Fujino couldn't help but recall the humiliation of trying to escape but failing, being pinned to the ground and brutally trampled by fair, bare feet.

He shuddered and coughed lightly, saying, "If you want to go, you can go after the case is over."

“That’s great…” A meaningful smile appeared on Hongye’s lips.

Hmph, just as I thought, this is exactly what he likes.

Not just black stockings, do you also like this kind of thick black stockings?

However, compared to sheer black stockings, I actually like this kind where you can't see anything at all.

Could it be that he likes all kinds of socks that cover the legs?

What a strange hobby...

Remembering that she forgot to wear it last time, Hongye decided that she would definitely make sure to satisfy him properly when she had the chance.

Fujino was unaware that he had fallen into Ms. Ooka Momiji's trap.

The train has arrived at the station.

The group was greeted by workers from the Kobayakawa family.

"Yes, worker."

Fujino felt that he had made the right bet; this young lady, Kobayakawa, was indeed a young lady, though whether she was truly a young lady was uncertain.

On the way, the crowd also saw a person giving a speech in the street.

What he's rambling on about: Only development is a viable path. To develop, to progress, to revitalize the local living environment, and to enable everyone to live a good life, only he can do it, and only he can lead everyone to a good life.

The speaker was named Hisamichi Takahashi, a real estate developer who was reportedly running for prefectural councilor. He was wearing a suit, had his hair slicked back with two tufts of hair hanging down, and a mustache.

Two bodyguards in suits stood next to him.

He looks like someone I know.

Unfortunately, there was no beer festival on site, nor was the classic 45-degree hand gesture.

Okay, let's mark this as suspicious first.

Being a club president is a high-risk profession in the world of Detective Conan.

Guys like this, who are both presidents and senators, are either villains or victims if they show their faces.

In short, marking it is never wrong.

One set is always accurate.

Led by Kobayakawa, the group arrived at the scenic spot she had mentioned earlier.

It's basically just a low wall and oddly shaped houses. They say it preserves the style of the samurai's residences from back then, but in reality, it's similar to modern imitation ancient buildings.

It's not that they're unrelated, but rather that they're completely unconnected.

The only slightly interesting thing about it is that a group of colorful carp, which we can call koi for now, swim in the drainage ditch outside the courtyard wall.

Seeing this, Ooka Momiji, the Kyoto heiress, the strictest mother in traditional Japanese culture, and a contemporary mixed-race noblewoman, had a twitch at the corner of her eye.

She had a strong urge to call Iori Muga and have someone blow up the place.

Fortunately, out of respect for Fujino, she managed to suppress the urge to lash out.

Making sarcastic remarks in the street would definitely be seen as very unladylike by Fujino.

Yes, I'm a young wife, but I want to be a Yamato Nadeshiko (ideal Japanese woman).

The group didn't glean anything from the coded message and left for the nearby Kobayakawa residence.

Otherwise, Fujino was a little afraid that Koyo would throw a tantrum on the spot.

The Kobayakawa family home is also in this style, but it is much more pleasing to the eye, so let's call it a modern-style Japanese courtyard.

Inside, there are several rooms connected by a corridor, which also has glass to block the wind. The purpose of installing the glass is probably to enjoy the courtyard view.

It must be said that the Kobayakawa family's yard is really nice, with a lawn, stone paths, various small pine trees, dwarf red leaves, and even a small artificial lake.

It looks like a classic Japanese garden.

Fujino immediately realized that the Kobayakawa family was definitely rich enough to make a fortune.

Greeting everyone was the lady of the Kobayakawa family, Kobayakawa's mother, Hideko Kobayakawa.

She was a woman dressed in a dark blue kimono, a casual style, with a face full of wrinkles, but her Yamato Nadeshiko (ideal Japanese woman) temperament suited the home quite well.

She looks older than her age, but compared to Yukiko Kudo and Eri Kisaki, she's not that much older.

The relationship between appearance and age in the world of science fiction.

This is even more outrageous than the timeline itself.

Hideko Kobayakawa had heard about the fact that her daughter had been threatened.

While entertaining the group, he pleaded with a worried expression, "Please, you must catch those guys who hurt my daughter!"

“Our house was burgled not long ago, and now this has happened again. If this continues, I really don’t know what those guys will dare to do!”

Fujino was already used to this kind of thing. When clients are frightened, they always need to find an outlet to calm their emotions and someone to lean on.

At times like these, the detective just needs to act as an emotional dumping ground and keep smiling.

The kids were quite pleased with this, and they all patted their chests and assured each other, "Leave it to our Junior Detective Club!"

"We will definitely not let those people hurt Kobayakawa-neechan!"

"Those guys, we'll catch them in no time!"

Conan: "..."

You little rascals really know how to steal credit, huh?

I was the one who saved Kobayakawa!
Fujino glanced at the group, not paying any attention to these matters. Instead, he began to probe for information: "Judging from the current situation, those people are definitely after your family's treasure."

"To find them, we need to ascertain the situation of your family's treasure and who else is eyeing it. Only then can we identify suspects."

Hideko Kobayakawa had nothing to hide from the young detective, so she explained.

It was roughly after the war that the Kobayakawa family, which had originally been quite powerful, entered a period of decline. They only managed to recover thanks to that treasure. However, according to her, the efforts of her father, Kobayakawa's grandfather, were even more indispensable.

Fujino nodded upon hearing this, immediately understanding what was going on.

Obviously, the treasure is most likely not something like gold or silver jewelry.

It will most likely be some encouraging words, or something in the form of a speech.

They succeeded mainly because of Grandpa Kobayakawa, who possessed a treasure.

That's most likely the case.

Well, so there's no need to look for treasure or anything like that.

(End of this chapter)