Ke Xue: The thief Cao is actually myself

Chapter 727 Conan, This is Your New Dad! (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
"A department store?"

Bai Ye slowly put down the phone, which was still warm from the call. The notification sound of the call ending seemed to still echo in his ears. Then he narrowed his eyes slightly, and a sharp and thoughtful light, like that of a hawk, flashed in his eyes.

Conan, that brat, has disappeared? And he didn't just disappear alone; he took the entire Detective Boys with him without a trace.

This situation was truly unexpected.

However, why does the location of this department store sound so familiar? It's as if I've heard of it somewhere before.
He frowned slightly, trying to search through the vast ocean of his memories.

In a daze, he recalled that in the early stages of the "Detective Conan" storyline, there was indeed a day when the Junior Detective League, full of anticipation, watched a spectacular performance by Kamen Rider at a department store. Careless, Genta accidentally left his prized autographed Kamen Rider photo in the mall. Left with no other option, the children had to return to the department store.

But who could have predicted that they would be locked inside the mall, where a jewelry robbery was in full swing?

After a series of thrilling and suspenseful puzzle-solving and escape attempts, the Junior Detective League, with Conan's extraordinary intelligence and courage, successfully uncovered the identity of the robber leader and subdued all the robbers in one fell swoop.

Could this disappearance be inextricably linked to that incident?
Hmm, thinking about it carefully, both are department stores, and both cases involve children not returning home after nightfall, with no response despite multiple attempts to contact them. There is a strong possibility that these two cases are closely related.

As for whether this is true or not, we will know once he arrives at the scene and conducts a thorough inspection.

Thinking this through, Bai Ye hesitated for a moment, then moved to the bedside with steady steps.

A pile of clothes lay scattered haphazardly on the bed, as if a fierce battle had just taken place.

He rummaged through the clothes and found his own, ready to head to the department store immediately to find out what kind of trouble the little boy and his friends had encountered.

However, whether it was because his movements while dressing were too large and made too much noise, or because, as people often say, there was a strange and mysterious telepathic connection between mother and child, at that moment, Kudo Yukiko, who had been fast asleep in bed, slowly opened her sleepy eyes.

"Bai Ye? What's wrong? Are you going out?"

Yukiko Kudo was still sleepy, her eyes filled with deep doubt. Her hazy gaze seemed to still be immersed in a sweet dream, carrying a hint of languor and daze.

She remembered that it should be the dead of night, a time of complete stillness and silence. In such a tranquil night, shouldn't one be holding their loved one tightly, immersing themselves in the beautiful time of falling asleep, and enjoying the peaceful and warm atmosphere?
It's so late, why is this guy actually planning to go out? Is he in some kind of extremely urgent matter, or is he finally going to let her go so she can get some rest?

Thinking of this, Yukiko Kudo felt as if a bottle of mixed emotions had been overturned, with various complex and indistinguishable feelings intertwined like a surging tide, which was truly difficult to describe in words.

On the one hand, she was secretly delighted that she could finally get rid of Bai Ye's "entanglement".

After all, she was extremely exhausted and couldn't take it anymore. Right now, every inch of her skin was yearning for relaxation and rest.
On the other hand, a faint sense of reluctance and unwillingness arose in my heart.

The reluctance to part with it stemmed from the fact that she had never experienced such an extreme moment in her rich life.

The feeling was like the parched, cracked earth finally receiving a nourishing rain, as if the soul had been nourished like never before.

This unforgettable experience, like a brand, was deeply etched into her heart, making it unforgettable.

The resentment stemmed from the fact that only a day and a night had passed, and yet a certain man was about to leave?
Is my charm so low that it's not enough to make some stinky man linger for even a moment longer?
This thought made her doubt her own charm, and a subtle self-examination quietly spread in her heart.

After becoming clearly aware of these complex and contradictory emotions within herself, Yukiko Kudo couldn't help but feel ashamed and guilty.

Bai Ye let her go, which should have been a fortunate thing. How could she feel reluctant to let go?

Such thoughts made her feel truly ashamed.

She bit her lower lip slightly, trying to calm the turmoil in her heart, but the wisps of emotion still surged within her.

At this moment, she felt a sense of loss about the unknown separation, and also annoyed by her conflicted state of mind.

Seeing the fleeting look of reluctance on Yukiko Kudo's pretty face, Byakuya's expression immediately became somewhat strange.

Could it be that this certain Baroness of the Night has developed a strange dependence on this brief period of time, perhaps having tasted its sweetness?
Surely not? Is Bai really that charming?

Or perhaps a world-renowned mystery novelist is lacking in some aspects and has never given her such a satisfying feeling, which is why she is so reluctant to leave him?
Bai Ye coughed lightly, trying to hide the barely perceptible smugness in his heart, then waved his phone in his hand, trying to make his tone sound normal and calm: "Xiao Ran just called and said that Conan and the other kids still haven't come home, and they haven't been able to contact them through various channels. They might have met with some misfortune, so she wants me to help look for them."

Upon hearing this, Yukiko Kudo instantly sobered up a bit. The blush that had appeared on her face due to shyness and reluctance was completely replaced by worry, and her eyes were filled with anxiety and unease: "What did you say? Conan and the others are missing?"

As she spoke, she suddenly sat up, but gasped as her body protested.

Bai Ye's large hand steadied her back just in time, his warm and strong palm preventing her from falling back due to the sudden movement: "When did this happen?"

Logically speaking, she shouldn't have reacted so strongly to her son's disappearance.

After all, his son had accumulated a wealth of experience over the years and had seen countless trials and tribulations.

He'd handled countless cases, not just ordinary kidnappings, but also intricate and mind-bending serial murders. Having weathered so many storms, a mere disappearance was nothing to him, and she shouldn't have been so panicked.

But the key issue is that her son is no longer the spirited, intelligent, and courageous high school detective Shinichi Kudo who is making his mark in the detective world; instead, he has become a child who is only six or seven years old.

The shrinking of their bodies means that when facing danger, they lose their original advantages in height, physical strength, and some skills and resources that only adults can use freely.

Moreover, for some reason, upon hearing this news, she felt a vague sense of foreboding.

This premonition, like a heavy dark cloud, weighed heavily on her heart, making her feel incredibly oppressed and fearful, as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her heart, making it hard for her to breathe.

It was this ominous premonition that made her extremely anxious, completely disregarding her physical exhaustion and discomfort.

At that moment, she had only one thought in her mind: to find her son as soon as possible and ensure his safety.

Bai Ye looked at Kudo Yukiko with a serious expression and said, "According to Ran, Conan didn't come back after school this afternoon. When we called Professor Agasa, he said he hadn't been there, and the school also said he left a long time ago. We contacted Ayumi and Mitsuhiko's families, but we found that we couldn't reach those kids either; they hadn't come home either."

At this point, Bai Ye paused slightly, as if carefully choosing his words, and continued, "Ran has already reported it to the police, but there hasn't been any substantial progress yet. They also have other important cases to handle, so it might take some time before they can deal with Conan and the other kids' disappearance..."

Yukiko Kudo's breath hitched, and a flood of worry surged through her heart like a burst dam: "Something must have happened to that child!"

She knows her child too well. Although Conan is obsessed with solving cases, as if it were an indispensable part of his life, he would never leave a group of children outside for so long without going home.

The current situation is clearly highly abnormal.

In other words, her child was very likely in danger.

Thinking of this, Yukiko Kudo's heart suddenly raced, as if it were about to burst out of her chest. Her maternal instincts made her instantly forget all her exhaustion. She tried desperately to stand up, but found that her legs were as weak as cotton, utterly powerless.

She had just managed to sit up when she collapsed back down, a sharp, aching pain spreading rapidly from her lower back throughout her body, like countless needles piercing her flesh, each sharp pain a reminder of her weakness.

"No, I have to go save him!" Yukiko Kudo bit her lower lip, her beautiful lips turning pale from the force of her bite. Her eyes shimmered with anxious and unwilling tears, tears that burned with deep worry and endless love for her son.

She tried to get out of bed again, but her legs buckled the moment her feet touched the ground, and she almost collapsed to her knees. Her weakness made her movements extremely difficult, and every action seemed to exhaust all her strength.

Bai Ye reacted quickly, catching Kudo Yukiko as she nearly fell, his tone tinged with helplessness: "How are you going to go like this?"

"Let me go!" Yukiko Kudo struggled, her voice trembling with tears, filled with helplessness and anxiety. "That's my son! I have to save him!"

"Don't force yourself..." Bai Ye didn't let go, but instead gently carried her back to the bed, his movements gentle yet irresistible. "You can't even stand up right now, let alone walk, so how can you go to him?"

Yukiko Kudo bit her lower lip, knowing that Byakuya was absolutely right. After a day and a night of indulgence, her body had indeed reached its limit. With every movement, excruciating pain surged like a tidal wave, as if every joint in her body was protesting in its own painful way.

But the thought that her son might be in danger and face unknown peril at any moment to tore her heart apart as if by a sharp knife, a pain she could not bear.

In her mind, she could almost picture her son's pitiful figure, all alone and helpless in the darkness. This scene made her anxious and wished she could grow wings and fly to her son's side immediately.

"Please..." She gripped Bai Ye's arm tightly, as if her hands were grasping at the last straw. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her voice was more fragile than ever before, almost pleading, "Bai Ye... help me find him."

As for why he didn't ask Yusaku Kudo for help?
The reason is actually very simple.

As an internationally renowned author, Yusaku Kudo rarely returns to Japan, and even if it's just to solidify his network of relationships and further expand his creative career, he inevitably has to participate in many social activities.

In fact, this is why she hasn't left Japan yet.

After all, she returned to Japan with Yusaku Kudo this time. She couldn't just abandon him and leave Japan alone to return to America, could she?
If we were to do that, it would not only be unreasonable and unethical, but it would also likely arouse suspicion from Yusaku Kudo, a world-class mystery novelist.

Kudo Yusaku is meticulous, and if she were to have any doubts, the consequences would be unimaginable, so she absolutely cannot and will not take that risk.

Gazing at Yukiko Kudo's tear-streaked, anxious face, Byakuya felt a pang of pity. He gently wiped away her tears, then suddenly gave a meaningful smile: "I can help you. After all, Conan, in a sense, is like my son. How can I, as a father, stand idly by and do nothing when my own son is in trouble?"

Yukiko Kudo's pretty face flushed slightly, and she said reproachfully, "What nonsense are you talking about? Conan isn't your son..."

If Conan really became the other party's son, then according to this logic, wouldn't she become the other party's wife?
The thought flashed through her mind, instantly making her feel shy. Her blush deepened, like a delicate peach blossom quietly blooming in spring, beautiful and alluring.

"Conan is your son, and you are now my woman. So, if Conan isn't my son, whose is he?"

Bai Ye's lips curled slightly, a hint of slyness and teasing flashing in his eyes. "However, although Conan is technically my son, he's not my biological child. I can't just help him for nothing, right? So..."

(End of this chapter)