Ke Xue: The thief Cao is actually myself

Chapter 703 Fatal Blow! A Huge Rumble of Filial Piety! (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
The masked man slowly shook his head, his eyes still wary, and said with certainty, "It's unlikely. The location of this chewing gum is too suspicious, and we checked the door lock very carefully before, and we didn't find this thing at all. Without a doubt, someone must have tampered with the door lock when we weren't paying attention."

Fumiyo Edogawa frowned, looking puzzled: "Then why can't we find him? Can he just disappear into thin air or become invisible?"

The masked man paused for a moment, his eyes gleaming as if his mind was racing, considering all sorts of possibilities: "Perhaps he has found another hidden hiding place, or perhaps this so-called chewing gum is just a diversionary tactic? The purpose is to distract us, to lower our guard, and then he can seize the opportunity to act. Therefore, we absolutely cannot let our guard down."

The man in sunglasses raised an eyebrow, glanced casually at the cabinet beside him, and then said in a seemingly relaxed tone, "Forget it, since we can't find it, I think we should eat something first. We've been busy for so long, our stomachs are rumbling. If we don't eat something soon, we won't have the energy to do anything else."

If we were to expose that little brat right now, the whole prank would be far less fun.

Rather than that, he preferred that the rest of them could leisurely enjoy their meal outside, while the little brat could only cower in the cupboard like a frightened little animal, watching them feast with longing and fear.

This scene is much more interesting than the plot in the original work.

Moreover, this whole food cart was specially "prepared" by some little brat. If it were just wasted, wouldn't it be a waste to disappoint the other party's "special intentions"?
"Besides, even if someone is hiding in the shadows, we need to be well-fed to have the energy to search for them! Maybe after we've eaten and drunk our fill, our minds will be clearer, and it will be easier to find their trail then."

The masked man pondered for a moment, then nodded slowly, agreeing with the sunglasses man's assessment. "Alright," he said. "Let's eat first, and once we've had our fill of rest, we can focus our search on finding them!"

So, the group temporarily relaxed their tense vigilance, sat around the food cart, and began to enjoy their meal.

For a moment, the room was filled with the sounds of clinking cutlery and chewing food...

Conan hid in the closet in the next room and could see everything clearly through the gap in the closet.

He was secretly burning with anxiety. His original plan was to cleverly take advantage of the masked man and his companions' possible negligence to obtain crucial clues. However, although they were having a meal, they were not completely relaxed and remained vigilant, which undoubtedly increased the difficulty of his operation exponentially.

But Conan was not discouraged. He knew that in such a complicated and tricky situation, it was even more important to remain calm and wait patiently for the best opportunity to arrive.

Thinking this, he peered intently through the narrow gap at the room's layout, trying to find a subtle flaw in this seemingly ordinary and flawless scene—a crucial opportunity that could allow him to break through his current predicament.

Suddenly, Conan's sharp eyes noticed a black folder on a table not far away, with a strange symbol printed on the cover.

The logo has a unique shape and strange lines, and it seems to have a close connection with the mysterious Black Organization.

Conan's heart tightened suddenly. His intuition told him that this folder might contain important clues to unravel the Black Organization's conspiracy.

However, at that moment, the masked man and his accomplices were having a delicious meal nearby, and the surrounding environment was extremely unfavorable. It would be virtually impossible to get the folder quietly.

But Conan showed no sign of backing down. His brain raced as he considered how to obtain the key item without being discovered. At the same time, he carefully observed the masked man and his companions, watching for any distractions.

He soon made a new discovery: as the meal continued, the group seemed to gradually relax their vigilance, focusing more on the food in front of them and paying less attention to their surroundings.

This may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but the risks remain incredibly high. The slightest misstep could expose one's true nature and plunge one into an abyss of no return.

Unless, of course, he could devise an even more ingenious plan, a way to completely lower the masked man's guard and create an excellent opportunity for himself...

While pondering a suitable solution, Conan carefully took out his phone from his pocket and gently sent a message to the little boy, telling him to continue waiting patiently in the room and not to make any rash moves.

He was genuinely worried that the little boy might act rashly out of excessive concern for his safety, thus putting himself in danger.

After receiving the message, the little boy replied with an "okay" and then continued to stay in the room, his eyes fixed on the peephole, listening for any sounds outside.

Time passed silently, second by second. Apart from the sound of chewing, the room was eerily quiet, like the calm before a storm, exuding an unsettling atmosphere.

Conan waited patiently in the closet, appearing calm on the surface, but his mind was racing as he nervously considered his next plan.

He knew that the masked man and his men were cunning and suspicious, and would not easily let their guard down. To obtain crucial clues, he had to devise a foolproof strategy.

Finding a suitable solution in a short time is no easy task.

Just as he was fretting, he suddenly heard the masked man and others who were enjoying their meal seemingly arguing.

He immediately leaned closer to the gap in the wardrobe, pricked up his ears, and listened carefully.

"This wine tastes strange," the masked man said, his voice tinged with doubt and dissatisfaction, as if he had noticed something amiss.

"Perhaps you're overthinking it. It's normal to have some distorted perceptions under such high tension," Fumiyo Edogawa replied, her tone slightly dismissive, as if she thought the masked man was making a fuss over nothing.

“No, there’s definitely something wrong with this wine. I’ve been drinking for so many years, I can tell the difference.” The masked man insisted, his voice filled with an undeniable certainty, clearly confident in his judgment.

Fumiyo Edogawa frowned slightly, a hint of impatience flashing across her face, and said, "Then what do you think is wrong with this wine? Could someone have poisoned it? We've been in this room the whole time, and we haven't seen any outsiders approach the food cart. How could someone have tampered with it? Don't scare yourself."

The masked man snorted and slammed his glass down on the table. "I'm not scaring myself. The taste and smell of this wine are different from usual; there's definitely something fishy going on."

Listening to their conversation, Conan had a sudden thought. He realized that he might be able to use their conflict to create chaos and then take the opportunity to search for clues.

He opened the wardrobe door gently, his movements incredibly slow, each motion seemingly deliberate, as if afraid of making the slightest sound and attracting the other person's attention.

Then, he quietly took a coin out of his pocket, flicked it lightly with his finger, and the coin flew like a light bird toward a nearby vase.

With a loud bang, the vase shattered, spilling water all over the floor. The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet room, like a thunderclap, instantly breaking the peace... The masked man and his companions were engrossed in their meal, enjoying themselves immensely, when they were suddenly startled by the noise. They immediately stopped what they were doing, looking around warily, trying to find the source of the sound.

"What's that sound?" the masked man asked in a low voice, his eyes revealing a hint of ferocity and vigilance.

"Did you drop something?"

"It seems to be coming from over there," said Fumiyo Edogawa, pointing towards the vase.

"Be careful, there might be someone there."

Without a word, the masked man immediately stood up and walked towards the vase, signaling the others to follow.

Conan seized the opportunity and slipped out of the closet quietly, crouching low, and moved at an extremely fast speed toward the table where the black folders were placed.

He quickly reached the table, and in his excitement, his heart began to pound violently as soon as his hand touched the black folder, as if it were about to burst out of his chest.

However, just as he was about to pick up the folder and turn to leave, he suddenly heard Fumiyo Edogawa shout, "The curtains over there seem to have moved!"

Conan had a bad feeling; he knew he had to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible.

But just then, the masked man and the man in sunglasses walked toward the curtains.

Conan had a sudden inspiration. He picked up the folder and quickly ran towards the door in another direction.

He knew that once they discovered him, he would be in an extremely dangerous situation.

"Stop!" The masked man seemed to sense the movement behind him, turned around abruptly, and shouted loudly.

At the same time, he fired a shot in Conan's direction without hesitation.

The bullet, like a black lightning bolt, whistled past Conan's clothes. The sharp sound startled him so much that he broke out in a cold sweat, and his back was soaked with sweat.

Without pausing, Conan dashed towards the door with all his might. However, before he had gone far, he suddenly felt a shadow loom over him, followed by the sensation of crashing into a solid mountain. He staggered backward and fell heavily to the ground.

"It hurts!"

Caught off guard, Conan tripped and fell, rubbing his sore bottom as he looked up in surprise, trying to see what he had bumped into. The next moment, his pupils contracted sharply, for he was shocked to find the man in sunglasses standing not far away, staring at him with icy eyes.

Clearly, what he had just bumped into wasn't a mountain, but a man in sunglasses blocking his way...

"Found you, little mouse!" The man in sunglasses' voice was full of smugness and coldness, as if he were announcing the victory of a hunt.

Conan and the man in sunglasses locked eyes, and Conan's heart clenched as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand. A chilling smile slowly spread across the man's lips, a smile as cold as winter frost, radiating an icy chill. He walked slowly towards Conan, each step feeling heavy and oppressive, as if stepping on Conan's heartbeat.

Conan knew he couldn't just sit and wait to die; otherwise, if he fell into the hands of the masked man and his gang, he would face cruel torture and unknown dangers.

He quickly got up from the ground, turned around and ran desperately to the side, trying to escape the pursuit of the man in sunglasses.

However, before he could run very far, he was blocked by the masked man.

"Kid, you can't escape! Hand over the stuff obediently, and maybe I'll spare your life."

The masked man's voice echoed in the room, carrying an undeniable ruthlessness.

Conan was startled, but he didn't panic. He quickly and calmly surveyed his surroundings and noticed several teacups on a nearby table. A thought struck him; with lightning speed, he grabbed a few teacups and threw them forcefully at the man in sunglasses.

The man in sunglasses never expected Conan to suddenly launch a counterattack. Unable to dodge in time, he was struck squarely in the groin by one of the teacups. He immediately let out a painful scream, and the gun in his hand clattered to the ground.

Conan seized the opportunity to turn around and continue his desperate escape, while the man in sunglasses clutched his groin tightly with both hands, his body contorted in pain, his face filled with anger and resentment, and shouted loudly, "Stop right there!"

Conan ran desperately ahead, his brain racing like a high-speed engine, trying to figure out his next escape plan. He knew that time was of the essence, and every second was a matter of life and death.

Suddenly, he caught sight of what appeared to be a pile of miscellaneous items not far ahead, and a spark of hope ignited in his heart.

He thought that perhaps he could use these objects to create obstacles and slow down the pursuit of the masked man and the man in sunglasses.

Unfortunately, although his idea was clever, he overlooked the fact that he was only a six or seven-year-old child and overestimated his speed. Therefore, before he could reach the location of the clutter, a large hand like an iron clamp reached out from behind him, grabbed his collar, and lifted him up.

"Kid, where do you think you're going?"

The man in sunglasses spoke in a chilling voice, as if it came from an ice cellar, filled with endless coldness and anger.

Conan inwardly groaned. He struggled desperately, kicking his legs wildly in the air, trying to break free from the iron-like restraints of the man in sunglasses.

In his panic, he saw the masked man striding menacingly toward him, his eyes burning with a fierce and furious fire, as if he wanted to devour him...

(End of this chapter)