Conan: Chief of Rice Flower's Science Points

Chapter 383 Young Detective Team

"Kotomi, Ai said she's going home by herself? And with the 'Detective Boys'?" Munakata asked Kotomi again, sounding a little anxious.

"Yes, Kotomi was obedient and didn't go... but she couldn't persuade Ai to stay either." Kotomi said, sounding a little embarrassed.

Although Kotomi is already a third-year student, she is more introverted and timid than Ai... no, it should be said that she is more introverted and timid than "most first-year girls"—she is no match for Ai!

"It's alright, Kotomi did a very good job," Munakata said kindly.

Munakata had met Ai twice before...

Munakata always felt that Shiraishi's younger sister was a bit too precocious, and sometimes even felt that an adult "lived" in the body of this little girl!
How could Kotomi possibly persuade her otherwise?

For some special reasons, Munakata was overly cautious about Kotomi's safety, which made the third-year student Kotomi less independent than her peers.

Zongfang knew this, but there was nothing he could do about it—after all, this “excessive caution” was not out of pampering or being overly suspicious, but rather a necessary precaution!
……

When Munakata came to pick up Kotomi and Ai today, he found that Ai was not there. According to Kotomi, she was with the "Detective Boys"...

Well, neither Munakata nor Kotomi felt there was anything wrong with "why the first-year Detective Boys are so famous at the beginning of the new school year"... They should have just started school!
Zongfang called Ai, but no one answered, so he had no choice but to search along the road from the school to Yingmihua Apartment.

Although Munakata didn't think anything bad would happen to Ai, the warden had asked him to take his sister home after all...

On the way, Zong Fang saw two patrol officers talking to each other, so he went up to them and asked, "You two, have you seen a group of children walking together? Two of them are girls, one of whom has short, reddish brown hair."

"You are... Ah, Section Chief Zongfang!" The patrolman quickly saluted.

Although Munakata had only been in office for a few days and the patrol officers were not under the jurisdiction of the Criminal Investigation Department, he had seen the new head of the Criminal Investigation Department several times during the morning meetings.

"The kids you're talking about... ah, four boys, right? They just said that counterfeiters kidnapped a painter or something in that building over there, hahaha... hiccup." The patrolman had initially told it as a joke, but then he saw Chief Munakata's serious expression.

"What's going on!" Zong Fang immediately demanded.

"Ah...yes! Yes...that's how it is..." The patrolman hurriedly explained, startled.

Just now, the "complete five-member Junior Detective Team" came to them with a little boy to report a crime.

"Didn't that little girl tell you that she's the director's sister?" Zong Fang immediately pressed.

"Huh? No, no..." The patrolman panicked even more.

He had no idea the director had a sister!
and……

Why is the chief's sister so small? Wait... could it be that the chubby one is the chief's sister, and the other girl with the princess cut is actually a boy?

"Which building are they talking about?" Zongfang asked immediately.

"It's the newspaper office from before the handover..." the patrolman quickly said.

"Calling for backup... Kotomi, wait here for me." Zongfang said, leaving his daughter in the care of the patrol officers before heading towards the newspaper office.

"Sakutaro!" Kotomi called out to him quickly—although she was nominally his adopted daughter, Kotomi always addressed Munakata Sakutaro by his given name.

"Section Chief Zongfang..." Upon seeing this, the patrol officer quickly followed.

“Leave one of you to take good care of my daughter!” Zongfang said.

“Then… I’ll go with you,” another patrol officer quickly said.

Zongfang said, glancing at his gun holster before nodding.

Criminal investigators don't usually carry guns, let alone now that it's off-duty time.

However, patrol officers in uniform definitely carry guns—they must carry guns when in uniform!
Just as the two were making their way upstairs in the dark, the patrolman said with some concern, "Chief Zong, Chief Zong, my marksmanship... well... it's completely useless."

He doesn't try to be tough!

Zong Fang asked him to hand over the pistol, but because the safety rope was still attached, the patrolman could only follow closely behind.

Just as the two arrived at the office door on the second floor...

boom--

Chirp chirp—

A gunshot rang out, followed by the sound of shattering glass!
Upon seeing this, Zong Fang quickly stepped forward and kicked the door.

but……

To Munakata's surprise, the room inside wasn't a crime scene, nor was it a place where thugs were harming children; rather...

A burly man was seen lying unconscious at the doorway, while a thinner man was also unconscious on the ground, his face showing signs of a severe blow.
The only adult male still standing was being untied, as he was being bound...

The only adult woman was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, facing...

Ai's gun-holding posture is quite standard!

It was clearly Ai Haibara who just fired the shot...

Munakata:......

……

Upon seeing Munakata enter, Ai immediately feigned panic and threw away the gun, saying pitifully, "Waaah, so scary... Uncle Munakata, Conan kicked the gun over to me so I could fire it!"

Conan:? ? ?
It was as if she were just an ignorant little girl who happened to pull the trigger.

However, Zongfang didn't believe a word of it!

He saw how perfect Ai's posture was when he came in.

While it's true that with the recoil of a pistol, such a precise technique isn't necessary, but...

She is just a first-grade girl right now.

With those tiny arms of hers, if her posture is even slightly off, the recoil could break her bones, let alone hold down the muzzle of a gun!

"Um...it's okay, your brother will be here soon." Zongfang said, first comforting Ai—although he felt that the child didn't need comforting at all, at least she seemed very flustered!

Meanwhile, the young patrolman had also handcuffed the only female suspect who was still awake. Zong Fang frowned as he looked at her, then said, "You are... Silver Fox? I didn't expect you to get so bold, even daring to kidnap and use firearms!"

"Huh?" Conan was taken aback by what he heard.

He had initially thought these people were from the Black Organization, which explained his motivation...

However, judging from Inspector Munakata's words, he knew this woman, and it seemed she was a repeat offender, and in Munakata's memory, this was the most serious of her crimes...

In that case, she couldn't possibly be a member of the Dark Organization!

Just then, a dark shadow suddenly appeared outside the window, blocking the moonlight. The next moment...

Chirp chirp—

The dark figure defied all logic and smashed through the window, arriving at the newspaper office.

Conan: ...

Is this scientific? Can you draw a force analysis diagram?

Who else but Shiraishi could do that!
It was none other than Shiraishi. He jumped up from the first floor, using a trash can as leverage, and even kicked a window to shatter it, entering the room directly.

Silver Fox's companion, who was just starting to wake up, immediately closed her eyes again upon seeing this scene while lying on the ground. "Ai, are you alright?" Shiraishi said, patting her head.

Although she knew this small scene wouldn't scare her, Shiraishi still remembered the persona of "this is my sister".

"Huh? Are Chief Mikasa and Ai so close?" Genta said in surprise.

Although Shiraishi and Ai exchanged a few words alone at the shrine last Friday, they didn't address each other as "brother" or "sister," and they were unaware of this relationship!
Ai also has the surname Shiraishi, but...

No one would think they're siblings!

Professor Agasa did know, but he didn't specifically remind Conan, and he didn't even know that Ai was also at Teitan Elementary School.

“Hmm? Ai is my sister…the kind with a blood test. Don’t we look alike?” Shiraishi said, lifting Ai up with his forearm so that their faces, which are three times the size of each other, were side by side.

The three little ones: ...

"Huh? Full siblings?" Conan looked at Shiraishi and Ai in disbelief.

The selective expression of genes is just too amazing!

“Half-siblings.” Shiraishi emphasized—this was how Ai had previously “faked” her identity.

Upon hearing this, Conan understood a little, but then looked at Shiraishi strangely—so, your physique is inherited from your mother? Then your father… cough cough!
Seeing Conan's expressive face, Shiraishi emphasized, "Ai will grow up strong too!"

Ai: ...

Thank you so much!
Ai stared speechlessly at Shiraishi, and even more speechless was...

She saw that Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, Genta, and the others all had their eyes shining—as if they really believed that Ai would become "Chief Beika" in the future.

……

Just after Shiraishi finished talking with Kunikida, he received news that a counterfeit money kidnapping case had occurred in Beika Town, involving several elementary school students.

So Shiraishi rushed over...

However, it was too late—the criminals had already been dealt with.

"I'm sorry, Chief, I failed to pick up Ai-chan from school both times," Munakata said apologetically.

"No, it's all because these kids are too naughty... especially that brat from the Mori family!" Shiraishi said, already determined to send them to the police station and call their homes one by one to have their parents pick them up.

Upon hearing this, Zong Fang looked embarrassed...

Are they just too naughty?
Your sister isn't innocent either, is she?

And... why are you teaching your sister how to use a pistol?
In Zongfang's eyes, this must be from the White Stone Cult...

"Eh? Chief Mikasa... no..." Genta and the other two finally realized they were scared.

Conan's eyes also turned resentful, and he asked specifically, "Then why didn't Shiraishi-kun come along?"

“Huh? As her guardian, didn’t I just take her home?” Shiraishi said matter-of-factly.

Conan: ...

Conan now believed it too—that Ai really was Shiraishi's sister—which explained why her shooting posture was so perfect.

Although I don't understand why Shiraishi taught his sister to use a pistol, at least there's an explanation.

"By the way, Section Chief Munakata, Inspector Kunikida might have something to tell you later," Shiraishi reminded him.

Meanwhile, Kunikida, who came with Shiraishi, was with Kotomi.

Generally speaking, if the chief of police is in, the officers below him should follow suit, but...

White Stone charged too aggressively, and seeing their chief descend with divine might, the other officers slowed their advance.

……

Shiraishi left the scene, leaving the follow-up matters to Munakata.

Ai Haibara just fired a shot. Even if it was in self-defense, there should be a lot of paperwork to go through afterwards, but...

Even without mentioning that she is Shiraishi's sister, her age alone is enough for her to disregard all of that!
What's there to say about a first-grade girl who was frightened by a criminal and pulled the trigger of his gun?
As for Zongfang, although he repeatedly stated that he would not work overtime, but...

After all, he's already picked up his daughter, and he doesn't have a better excuse.

Afterwards, Shiraishi took Ai home, and on the way, he inevitably asked, "Why did you follow them around like that?"

"Just observing Shinichi Kudo," Ai said calmly.

"What was the result?" Shiraishi asked curiously.

"Arrogant fool," Ai Haibara said calmly.

Shiraishi:……

"This has nothing to do with your research, right? Surely APTX4869 doesn't only shrink megalomaniacs, does it?" Shiraishi said helplessly.

Shiraishi felt that Ai's research on "Conan" should focus on what she and Conan had in common—only in this way could she understand the different mechanisms of action of APTX4869.

"I just want to know whether his megalomania is innate or acquired, so I can determine whether APTX4869 has any impact on his personality," Ai explained.

Shiraishi:……

That's really a rude statement.

"When are you going to tell him your identity? There must be experiments that require his cooperation, right?" Shiraishi asked curiously.

"Wait for an opportunity... and teach him a lesson he won't forget!" Ai was actually a little worried that Shinichi Kudo would drag her down!

After all, if the claim that "people who drink APTX4869 will shrink" is exposed, then Ai's safety will also be at risk.

Ai is quite certain of Conan's decision to "hide his identity"—it's better than him showing off and putting himself in danger as well.

Therefore, Ai decided to scare him when she had the chance, so that he would never dare to doubt whether "hiding his identity was the right thing to do".

Shiraishi didn't object to Ai's somewhat cunning decision—after all, Shinichi Kudo was indeed quite bold.

Like this time...

Conan initially suspected that the counterfeit money dealers were members of the "Black Organization"!
In other words, even if he were to encounter someone from the real "Black Organization," there's a high probability he would directly confront them.

Shiraishi felt that everything he had said to him before was in vain—your memory hadn't regressed, but your level of caution towards the "Black Organization" had, right?
……

Tuesday, October 4th.

Originally, Shiraishi did not intend to alert Matsui to his death too early. In fact, the detectives at the Beika Police Station were still unaware that Matsui had previously met secretly with Judge Sakurai and Attorney Kobayashi...

However, the situation changed on the very next day!

Attorney Kobayashi was found dead in his swimming pool.

Like Matsui, his cause of death was sudden cardiac arrest.

Shiraishi didn't believe it was a coincidence. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that they all had skin ulcers on their chests, Shiraishi would have been worried that someone might have found the Death Note...

(End of this chapter)