Ke Xue: The thief Cao is actually myself

Chapter 702 Yukiko: You're sleeping under the bed tonight! (Seeking monthly votes!)

"..."

Hearing the little boy's words, Conan secretly rolled his eyes in his mind.

The next move is like dancing on a tightrope; one must be extremely careful. The slightest mistake could not only put oneself in danger but also allow the Black Organization's plot to succeed.

In this situation, how could he dare to let the little boy, a real child, participate?

After all, his own situation was special; his true identity was high school detective Shinichi Kudo. Even though his body had been shrunk, his intelligence, experience, and detective abilities far surpassed those of ordinary children. However, the little boy named Masao in front of him was just a simple and innocent child, naive and inexperienced, with no concept of the Black Organization's cruelty and cunning.

The members of the Black Organization are all ruthless and cunning. Any small oversight could bring unpredictable danger to Masao, or even endanger his life.

How reckless and careless must he have been to dare to take such a helpless child along to fight against the treacherous and ruthless Black Organization?

However, he certainly couldn't say such things, otherwise, it would not only dampen the little boy's enthusiasm, but also easily make him cry, thus bringing unnecessary trouble and variables to his plans.

Conan quickly put on a gentle and reassuring smile, trying to make his tone sound relaxed yet firm: "Masao, it's really great that you have the idea to help, but..."
You have an even more important task… I need you to stay in the room and support me. If I encounter any danger or need assistance, please use the phone in this room to contact the front desk and have them call the police immediately. This is a very important task, and only you can accomplish it. Can you do it?

Upon hearing this, the little boy suddenly felt a great and sacred responsibility on his shoulders, and a firm and bright light ignited in his eyes. He nodded vigorously, puffed out his chest, and said in a strong and resolute tone, "Conan, don't worry, I promise I can do it!"

Conan patted the little boy's head with satisfaction, then took a deep breath, checked the "trap" and other tools in his hand again, and carefully opened the door, slipping out of the room silently like a black panther...

……

"Dong dong dong..."

A crisp, rhythmic knock echoed through the quiet corridor, like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating ripples. Edogawa Fumiyo, who had been speaking quietly with the man in sunglasses and others, was interrupted by the knock. Her brow furrowed slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. With light yet hesitant steps, she slowly approached the door and gently opened it.

A male waiter was standing outside the door, pushing a food cart. His neat and crisp uniform seemed to exude a professional and standardized aura, which complemented the standard professional smile on his face.

She looked puzzled and asked softly, "What is it?"

The waiter's smile grew even brighter, and he replied politely and gently, "Hello, I'm here to bring you your wine and dishes. Everything you ordered has been carefully prepared."

"Wine and food?" Fumiyo Edogawa looked surprised, her eyes full of confusion. "We didn't order any of those things!"

Upon hearing this, the waiter was slightly taken aback, a look of confusion on his face. He quickly and patiently explained, "Eh? But we did receive a call. The call clearly stated that these should be delivered to this room. We absolutely cannot be mistaken."

Fumiyo Edogawa's brows furrowed deeply, a strange feeling creeping into her heart: "How odd! What's going on? Could something have gone wrong?"

"Just take it!" the masked man shouted impatiently from inside the house, his voice clearly irritated. "Anyway, I'm hungry, tell him to bring it inside!"

Fumiyo Edogawa remained hesitant, her face showing a hint of doubt as she tried to explain, "But... this matter is strange, what if..."

"What are you babbling about..."

Perhaps it was the pent-up emotions from being under tension for so long that erupted, or perhaps it was his long-standing dissatisfaction with Fumiyo Edogawa's consistent way of doing things, but the masked man suddenly turned his head, his expression instantly becoming ferocious and terrifying, like a demon appearing in the world, and shouted loudly, "Hurry up and send it inside!"

"Yes……"

Fumiyo Edogawa and the male waiter were both startled by the sudden roar and quickly replied meekly, "Understood!"

Fumiyo Edogawa stepped aside to make room for the waiter and said, "Take it in!"

The waiter nodded hurriedly and said, "Okay, I'll take it in right away!" As he spoke, he pushed the cart slowly into the room, the wheels rolling on the floor, making a soft "gurgling" sound that was particularly clear in the quiet room.

The male waiter had just stepped into the room, and before he could even stand up straight and arrange the food on the trolley, he suddenly froze as if he had been frozen in place.

He was shocked to discover that, in addition to the masked man, there was another young man in black clothes wearing sunglasses in the room. The sunglasses almost completely covered his face, making it impossible to see his expression.

There was also a tall, muscular man wearing an olive green suit, sunglasses, and a mask. He had a hat pulled down so low that it almost completely covered most of his face, making it difficult to see his features and giving him a mysterious and dangerous air.

The waiter first cautiously glanced at the two strangely dressed men, a hint of fear unconsciously showing in his eyes. Then he turned his gaze to the black-clad man wearing a strange smiling mask. The smile on the mask seemed like a malicious mockery to him at this moment. He couldn't help but swallow hard, his throat making a dry sound.

A strong sense of unease surged into his heart like a tide.

Why are all the people in this room dressed so strangely? Could I have accidentally wandered into the territory of some criminals?
Thinking this, he was just about to observe discreetly for a while longer to confirm his suspicions. However, whether the masked man keenly sensed his intentions or was simply inherently short-tempered, without a word, the masked man lunged forward, grabbed him tightly like a vise, and forcefully shoved him out the door. The force was so great that the waiter almost lost his balance. "...What are you dawdling for!"

The masked man's tone was extremely harsh, "If you have nothing else to do, get out of here! Don't get in the way!"

Watching the waiter flee in a disheveled state, the masked man snorted coldly. He was about to close the door when, just as his hand touched the lock, he suddenly stopped, narrowed his eyes, and stared intently at the lock with the sharpness of an eagle. He muttered under his breath, "This is... chewing gum?"

The sound, though low, seemed to carry an invisible sense of oppression, striking the silent air like a heavy hammer.

"What's wrong?" Edogawa Fumiyo keenly noticed the masked man's unusual behavior and asked with a hint of tension and doubt. The masked man did not answer immediately, but slowly stood up, his eyes warily scanning the surroundings. His gaze was like a searchlight, scrutinizing the entire room inch by inch, as if trying to see through every corner of the room.

His eyes were filled with vigilance and suspicion, like a wild beast sensing danger. He slowly said, "Someone has tampered with the lock. This chewing gum is the evidence. It seems we need to be careful; this place may already be under surveillance."

"Moreover, the other party seems to be very familiar with our patterns of action. Knowing that we are here, they still dared to make a move. They must be no ordinary people."

Upon hearing this, Fumiyo Edogawa was slightly taken aback, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes. She quickly stepped forward, her steps hurried and flustered.

Upon hearing this, the other two men in the room instantly tensed up, their muscles taut like steel, their eyes revealing vigilance and preparedness, as if facing a formidable enemy. They leaned forward slightly, as if ready to launch an attack or evade danger at any moment.

Upon carefully examining the door lock and discovering that there was indeed chewing gum stuck to it, Fumiyo Edogawa felt a strong sense of foreboding.

"The presence of this chewing gum here is no accident. Is someone secretly monitoring us and trying to tamper with the locks? What are they trying to do? Are they trying to steal information, or do they have some other ulterior motive?"

She couldn't help but reach out and gently touch the chewing gum, finding it still slightly warm, clearly having been stuck on recently, which intensified her unease.

"Could it have been that brat who did it?"

The man in sunglasses stroked his chin and boldly guessed, "He slipped away right under our noses before, and he's probably been hiding nearby, looking for a chance to get revenge. That kid's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve, we can't let our guard down. And there might be other people behind him, we need to be careful."

At this point, he exchanged a glance with Fumiyo Edogawa, who was standing next to him. Then, he immediately tiptoed to the window like a ghost, carefully pulled back a corner of the curtain, and cautiously observed the outside world through the gap.

In terms of acting, he may not be as good as former actress Yukiko Kudo, but since he has taken on this role, he will do his best to play the part well and try to give some little kid a "surprise".

Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.

Upon hearing this, the tall, burly man nodded heavily, then swiftly drew a pistol from his waist with practiced ease, as if he had rehearsed it countless times. He gripped it tightly, finger on the trigger, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

Seeing their countermeasures, the masked man snorted coldly, a ruthless glint in his eyes, "No matter who it is, anyone who dares to ruin our plans will not have a good end."

As he spoke, his eyes sharpened, and he drew his gun without hesitation, pointing the dark muzzle at the food truck.

"So, kid, do you want us to invite you out, or will you come out on your own?"

The masked man's voice was cold and threatening, like a winter's storm that sent chills down one's spine.

At that moment, Conan, hiding in the shadows not far away, saw everything.

He had meticulously planned to use chewing gum and other props to set a clever trap, and after the masked man and the others left the room, he would quietly sneak into the house to search for key clues about the Black Organization's transaction.

Unexpectedly, the masked man was so alert that he spotted the chewing gum so quickly, and now he pulled out a gun without hesitation, aiming it at the food cart, intending to force him out.

This sudden turn of events made Conan inwardly groan, but he did not panic.

This is not only because his years of detective experience have cultivated his composure under pressure, but also because the more dangerous the situation, the calmer and clearer his thinking becomes.

Furthermore, when designing the infiltration plan, he had already anticipated various scenarios that might lead to discovery.

After all, both the masked man and the man in sunglasses are treacherous and cunning.

In addition, having survived in the dark, they possess an extraordinary sensitivity and vigilance towards danger, and their observational skills are exceptionally keen.

Perhaps, such actions as secretly hiding in the food cart and sneaking into the room would be difficult for ordinary people to detect, but for these two veterans who have been tempered in the dark world for a long time, it is not necessarily the case.

That's why, after successfully entering room 301 where the masked man and his group were using the food cart, he immediately took advantage of the masked man and his group's attention being drawn to the male waiter and carefully and secretly moved to another location, so that he would have a way out if the food cart was discovered.

After all, in this battle against the Black Organization, every detail is crucial; the slightest mistake could lead to total defeat.

It seems that his meticulous preparations have not been in vain.

As long as he hasn't revealed his location, he still has a chance to continue searching for clues and complete his mission...

"Could it be that the brat hid in the food cart and sneaked in?"

Seeing the masked man's actions, Fumiyo Edogawa was taken aback at first, then as if she had thought of something, she walked quickly to the food cart without hesitation and suddenly lifted the cloth under the food cart.

However, to her surprise, there were no children under the food cart as they had expected. There were only empty spaces, which looked particularly desolate in the dim light, as if they were silently telling a story.

"There's nobody here!"

"Could we be being paranoid?" Fumiyo Edogawa looked up, a hint of hope in her eyes, and said, "Maybe it's just that one of the waiters accidentally left some chewing gum stuck here."

(End of this chapter)