Conan: Chief of Rice Flower's Science Points

Chapter 476 The Second Confrontation with Vermouth

Vermouth wasn't interested in Shiraishi's scheme to sow discord, but thinking about Gin's madness, she decided to destroy the system first—most importantly, she couldn't tell Gin about this!
Gin, that madman, is like the immune system; the body can't function without him, but he also frequently triggers allergies...

Conan was extremely nervous, mentally cursing Shiraishi to the core—why did you provoke him? Are you afraid I'll die?

at this time……

"Conan, look down." Shiraishi's voice suddenly came from the phone.

Before Conan could react, Vermouth instinctively lowered her head, and Vermouth did the same instinctively.

boom--

With a loud crash, the cellar door flew open.

The lower edge flew past Conan's scalp, almost tearing off Ai's wig.

At the same time, a gigantic, headless figure blocked the doorway...

As the other person bent down to enter, Vermouth finally saw Shiraishi's familiar face.

Immediately, Vermouth realized she had been tricked—this guy wasn't even there; he had arrived "silently" and was just waiting to ambush her!

"You guy..."

Vermouth's pupils contracted, and she felt a chill run down her spine, as if she were facing something terrifying—Shiroishi immediately intimidated her!

However, Vermouth only hesitated for a moment before raising her gun and firing three shots at Shiraishi as he stepped over Conan's head and charged toward her.

What made Vermouth's pupils dilate even more was that Shiraishi didn't dodge or flinch, but just kept charging straight at her...

Vermouth certainly didn't dare to treat Shiraishi as an ordinary person, after all, they had briefly fought each other before.

Knowing Shiraishi Kuroi as she did so, she wouldn't be surprised if he charged at her while dodging bullets; at least that would have given him a chance to dodge. However…

Why don't they even try to dodge?

A bulletproof vest? He doesn't look like he's wearing one... and there's no such model of bulletproof vest at all!
Is this scientific?

Before Vermouth could even question the "science," she immediately raised her personal computer as cover in the face of the menacing Shiraishi charging towards her...

The physical properties of this thing are, of course, no more than the size of a piece of paper in front of Shiraishi, but...

Just as Shiraishi's thunderous whip kick was about to hit the laptop, it was suddenly pulled back.

Vermouth couldn't actually predict how Shiraishi would attack; she just guessed that he would definitely attack her. At that moment, she felt a gust of wind coming from her right... Fortunately, it was just a gust of wind!

When Vermouth felt the strong wind, she even thought she was going to die—the whip kick, which hadn't even come over yet, had already distorted her disguised face.

When the strong wind suddenly stopped, Vermouth instinctively hugged the notebook to her chest and pressed her pistol against it.

"Don't come any closer!" Vermouth's voice had lost its usual composure, and was even a little hoarse. She continued to pant after she finished speaking.

The rise and fall of her chest was almost giving her away...

"What are you doing? Using the computer as a 'hostage'?" Shiraishi asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Belmode:......

“At least… you did stop. It seems you want this computer more than you want me arrested.” Vermouth calmed down a little, but you could tell from her breathing that she was still “afraid.”

The effect wasn't this significant when we were chasing each other outdoors before.

After all, although Vermouth felt some pressure at the time, she still believed in her heart that she could escape.

They were currently in the underground wine cellar, and the only door was behind Shiraishi!

At this point, raising the relatively low basement level, combined with Shiraishi's height, creates a strong sense of oppression, and the effect of [Intimidation] increases dramatically.

“Oh, right…” Shiraishi then picked up Conan, whose wig was now disheveled, and said, “I also have hostages. How about we exchange them?”

Conan, Vermouth: ...

Vermouth didn't say anything, but simply pressed the gun against the computer screen harder.

"You don't want Gin to find out about your relationship with Shinichi Kudo, do you?" Shiraishi changed his threatening approach.

Conan stared intently at Shiraishi. If he weren't still unwilling to admit his identity, Conan would definitely ask him—what is my relationship with this guy?
“If you dawdle any longer, and Gin finds out that Pisco has been arrested, his authority will be revoked,” Vermouth said sternly.

"Oh? Then you should be the one more anxious, right? Then you won't have any hostages." Shiraishi said matter-of-factly.

"No, it's just a mere Raven Legion agent being arrested. Does Director Shiraishi really care that much?" Vermouth seemed to be saying that she was just a minor character, and it wasn't worth it to exchange herself for "access to internal organizational data"!

"You're too modest. Even Gin isn't as close to the Boss as you are, is he?" Shiraishi retorted.

Shiraishi certainly knew the principle that the more he said, the more mistakes he would make, but Vermouth was not so easily fooled. If he wanted her to really believe that "Shiraishi has unimaginable informants in the organization," Shiraishi could only say as many things as possible that couldn't be wrong.

“Let me go, and you can have Pisco’s computer. You can use it for a little while longer before Gin realizes what’s happening. Or… arrest me and see if your Metropolitan Police Department colleagues or Public Security guys can get any useful information out of me before I get away,” Vermouth said confidently, still panting.

"Escape? You're very confident?" Bai Shi said in a deep voice.

“If I were locked up in the Mikasa Police Station, I might not be so confident… But I don’t think I’d have that opportunity, and Chief Shiraishi probably wouldn’t have time to keep a close watch on me all the time, would he?” Vermouth said with appropriate “humility.”

Indeed, even if Vermouth were caught by Shiraishi, she wouldn't be locked up in the Beika Police Station; she would definitely be taken away by the Public Security Bureau or the head office.

Whether they can keep her in custody and how much they can extract from her is indeed unknown—judging from the fact that Xiao Zhongda was silenced, the police's capabilities are also quite limited!

This isn't even referring to "professional skills," but rather his ability to withstand pressure! When dealing with truly important and far-reaching figures, even a "zero-department" simply cannot survive.

Moreover, even if those people in the Public Security Bureau really have something, they may not share it with Bai Shi!

In comparison, Shiraishi really wanted Pisco's computer more...

However, at this moment, Shiraishi did not want Vermouth to see through his hand, so he shrugged and said, "It seems... you underestimate the police. They can get far more from you than from Pisco's computer... After all, that old senile man probably doesn't have high access, and he can't find half of the people searching."

While Shiraishi was manipulating Vermouth, he didn't forget to continue stirring things up, as if he had just directed Conan to search for a lot of people!
“That’s right. The public security officers of the Eastern Island Country may be a bit weak, but they have a very low moral standard. I have to say that this is also a kind of ability… Don’t worry, if I really can’t hold on, I will confess the parts related to ‘Sherry’ first. I think many people will be interested in her, after all, she is the one who created that kind of drug.”

As Vermouth spoke, she looked at Conan...

She has clearly discovered Conan's identity and has no intention of hiding it now.

“Really? Then I’ll tell Gin about the little boy I found at Dorobiga Park,” Shiraishi said decisively.

Belmode:......

Conan is speechless at how his identity is being poked and prodded by the villains and... the big villains, and even used for negotiations.

Vermouth's face darkened as she said, "Aren't you making some kind of misjudgment of my morality?"

Vermouth seems to be saying that if things really get critical, she won't care about Shinichi Kudo!

“Same to you,” Shiraishi said, shrugging.

Shiraishi didn't want Vermouth to think that he really cared that much about whether "Sherry's" identity was exposed, otherwise wouldn't he be creating a weakness for himself?
Besides... Vermouth hasn't confirmed that Shiraishi's sister is "Sherry" yet!
It can only be said that after seeing Conan, she began to have this suspicion...

Therefore, she couldn't possibly tell the "Black Organization" about this. At most, she might... just like she threatened Shiraishi, reveal Sherry's affairs when she was caught by the Public Security Bureau or other special departments!
Perhaps it was Shiraishi's intimidating presence that kept Vermouth in check, but in the end, Vermouth couldn't hold back any longer: "I'll try my best to help you cover up the fact that Sherry is still alive, and I'll give you Pisco's computer too..."

"Give it to me first," Shiraishi said, not giving her a chance to bargain, and directly reached out his hand.

After a brief silence, Vermouth handed the computer to Shiraishi, then walked past him seemingly without any suspicion, heading towards the cellar entrance.

Upon seeing this, Conan immediately tried to turn the knob on the shoe, but Shiraishi held his shoulder down.

"Hey!" Conan called out urgently—I don't care about your relationship... Since he's an important figure in the Black Organization, let's take him down first!

“Today is not a good time,” Shiraishi said matter-of-factly.

"It seems I can no longer meet with Director Shiraishi in private. What a pity." Vermouth said a few words, but she didn't even dare to turn her head.

However, Vermouth was right about what Shiraishi meant...

Why isn't today a good time?

Because Pisco was arrested today, and too many people know that Pisco has accomplices in the hotel, even if Vermouth is arrested, she will definitely be handed over to "the higher-ups".

Therefore, when is the right time?
Nobody knew when Shiraishi captured the organization's members!
If no one else knew, Shiraishi could handle Vermouth himself...

Although "setting up a private court" is a very serious illegal act, ... Bai Shi can only say that "when faced with two evils, choose the lesser" and "those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trivial matters," and he is also "willing to bear all the consequences!"
After all, if they were handed over to "the higher-ups," firstly, Shiraishi didn't trust their abilities, or even their integrity; secondly, even if they obtained some intelligence, they might not share it with Shiraishi; and thirdly, if it was someone like Pisco who was arrested, that would be fine, but if it was Vermouth, and she exposed "Sherry's" affairs in front of people like the Public Security Bureau, it would be very disadvantageous for Shiraishi.

Even if Shiraishi isn't afraid of being targeted by someone for "privately harboring members of the Black Organization," the situation will eventually spiral out of his control!

It wouldn't matter if Conan's identity were slightly exposed; Shiraishi could easily bear the consequences. But... Ai couldn't.

Vermouth understood what Shiraishi meant: the so-called "not being able to meet in private" was actually "not giving Shiraishi the opportunity to arrest her in private."

Conan is, after all, a "child." Even if he doesn't look that young, Shiraishi still considers him a child, and at this point, he doesn't fully understand these sordid matters...

Seeing Vermouth leave, he was a little anxious and even wanted to secretly follow her, but Shiraishi grabbed the back of his collar with one of his fingers.

“You can’t leave. If you leave, she’ll detonate the bomb at the door… Although I don’t think I’ll die, I don’t want to go through the trouble of digging it out,” Shiraishi said matter-of-factly.

Vermouth wasn't bluffing; there really was a bomb at the door...

If Conan were there, Vermouth wouldn't have detonated it, but if it were just Shiraishi... Vermouth would love to blow him up!
While talking, Shiraishi didn't stop working. As soon as he took the computer, he started operating it immediately.

but……

It wasn't that I was searching for anyone's information, but rather downloading a seemingly ordinary drug-related document.

This document was written by Ai Haibara when she was still in the organization...

Although her sister's incident hadn't happened yet, the human experimentation had already begun, which made Ai vaguely sense that she would eventually break with the organization.

Therefore, she had already prepared a fake document...

What appears to be just an insignificant confidential product document can actually be "translated" to reveal a large amount of APTX4869 data!
After all, given the classified status of APTX4869, not only Pisco, but no one in the organization could access it online.

However, the document in this disguise isn't very secure, and Pisco can view it...

Shiraishi's target was also this document!

For this reason, Shiraishi brought a MO card—Ai had specifically reminded him that computers within the organization must be copied using a MO card.

This can be considered a hardware-based anti-theft measure...

Others would hardly guess that such high-tech technology would be used to copy data using MO magneto-optical discs with a maximum space of a few hundred megabytes!

As for "using various wine names to test the waters," that comes later.

Not only is the data from APTX4869 far more important than finding a few organization members, but with Ai's guidance, the data from APTX4869 is right here and readily available. Also, searching for those wine names is purely a matter of luck!
There are already many alcohol names, and Pisco's access level is probably only limited to searching for lower-level official members within the Eastern Island region. If he's unlucky, he might not find one even in ten searches. Gin could realize this at any time and revoke Pisco's access level, so time is precious...

(End of this chapter)