Conan: Chief of Rice Flower's Science Points

Chapter 577 The Vanished Data

"Master Kisaragi doesn't seem very happy?" Shiraishi asked Sawaguchi, somewhat concerned.

Originally, Shiraishi didn't expect Sawaguchi, as her secretary, to expose her boss's secrets; she was just testing the waters...

However, although Sawaguchi remained somewhat embarrassed and kept quiet, the architect Kazama Hidehiko spoke up: "Haha, actually it's nothing much, it's just that President Tokiwa has been buying up Kisaragi's paintings everywhere recently and then selling them at high prices... which has made Kisaragi not very happy."

"Actually, if it were me, I would be happy. Isn't this just driving up the price of the artwork?" Kazama said, shaking his head in confusion.

Indeed, Kazama is a "pragmatic" architect...

Shiraishi nodded slightly at this point—if that was the only reason, it didn't seem like it would warrant killing someone.

After all, it wasn't like they stole his painting; it was just the act of moving his dog.

In this situation, the children didn't pay attention to the adults' quarrel, but were instead attracted by the view outside the south-facing viewing window—Mount Fuji.

"You can really see Mount Fuji..."

"What a nice view……"

At 300 meters high, the twin towers offer a direct view of Mount Fuji, which lies between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, from their upper floors…

After all, although it is still in the Tohoku administrative district, the straight-line distance to Mount Fuji is only seventy or eighty kilometers.

Meanwhile, from the viewing glass on the south side, you can see the rooftop of Building B just by looking down.

Kazama clearly didn't have his teacher's obsessive-compulsive disorder. The A and B towers of the Twin Towers were not symmetrical. The B tower only had 68 floors, which was shorter than the A tower.

"Huh? That's Building B, right? The rooftop looks really strange," Genta said, puzzled.

Hearing what the children were saying, Sawaguchi explained, "The top floor of Building B is the hotel's swimming pool, and the rooftop canopy can be opened!"

That's right, the top floor of Building B is a large swimming pool with an open roof. The hotel floors below it offer many rooms with views of Mount Fuji, and with their luxurious amenities, the price is naturally quite high.

……

At this moment, Hara Yoshiaki, still a child at heart, distributed chocolates to the children and invited them to his house the next morning to try out the new game he had developed...

Shiraishi noticed that Ayumi and Genta seemed very excited, while Mitsuhiko seemed preoccupied and quietly told Ran that he wanted to talk to "Ran-neechan" alone later.

How dare he ask Xiaolan to meet him alone?

If he weren't a member of the Junior Detective Club, Shiraishi would have added him to the list of potential victims...

Next, Ayumi also approached Ran privately, hoping to have a private talk with her later.

"Huh? Okay..." Although Xiaolan was puzzled as to when she had become the manager of the Junior Detective Club, she still agreed.

……

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be tomorrow night. President Tokiwa invited everyone here today, and of course, dinner will be provided. We'll also be getting a sneak peek at the hotel restaurant in Building B.

In the luxurious restaurant, Shiraishi and the others were divided into several tables...

Shiraishi was really hungry!

This is also one of the genuine "toxic side effects" that APTX4869 brought to Shiraishi...

Shiraishi's original ability to "eat more and store more" still exists, but its effectiveness seems to have diminished considerably.

Simply put...

They've become able to eat more!
After all, genetically speaking, Shiraishi has now finished his stable growth period and is gradually entering the pre-adolescent stage. Although he doesn't eat as much as during puberty, his appetite has started to increase significantly...

Especially considering that Shiraishi is genetically a pitiful, petite, and weak eight-year-old boy who is only 1.9 meters tall, he really can eat...

He can eat even more than Shiraishi, who is 2.26 meters tall and has stopped growing!

The direct result was that Shiraishi's appetite increased.

So, how do we balance the body's intake and expenditure to maintain our physical condition...?

Bai Shi didn't know either; it remains to be explored.

But since I can eat it, I'll eat more.

Previously, Shiraishi ate enough for ten people, which was quite full... even quite stuffed, enough to store up. But now, Shiraishi can easily eat enough for ten people, barely feeling hungry—that's how powerful an eight-year-old Lv10 is.

Meanwhile, Shiraishi was also secretly listening to Mitsuhiko and Ran's conversation in front of the two seats next to them...

"Ran-neechan! Please tell me, how can I transition from childhood friends to lovers like you and Shinichi-nii?" Mitsuhiko earnestly asked Ran for advice.

Shiraishi:……

Shiraishi couldn't help but sigh inwardly: These elementary school kids these days... they know so much! When I was eight, I was still fighting with thugs...

"Eh? We're not..." Xiaolan immediately denied, blushing.

However, Mitsuhiko had already started to reveal his own secrets: "And... I've also been paying attention to Ai recently... I like two people at the same time, am I a terrible guy?"

Xiaolan: ...

Shiraishi almost choked on his own words.

"Hmm? Kuro, what's wrong?" Ayako looked at Shiraishi with a puzzled expression.

Upon hearing this, Shiraishi looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, quietly "shared" the gossip with Ayako and Ai at the same table.

If it were a "man" saying this, Shiraishi would seem a bit gossipy, as he was both eavesdropping and sharing. However, since Mitsuhiko is just a little kid, Shiraishi's words are merely a way to amuse himself.

"Pfft... Ai is very popular." Ayako laughed as well.

Ai suddenly had a dead fish look on her face—why do I have to be "in the spotlight" along with little kids?
Ayako suddenly asked, her eyes darting around, "Kuro, what do you think of Mitsuhiko's innocent remarks?"

Since it was just for fun anyway, Shiraishi remembered another scumbag's famous quote, so he deliberately said, "Maybe... he's not the only man in the world who has feelings for two women... Hahaha... Uh, don't you know this joke?"

When Shiraishi saw Ayako looking at him strangely, he suddenly realized that she definitely didn't know the reference!

“Oh, so it was a reference…” Ayako said with a smile as she looked at Shiraishi.

……

On the other side, Ran also comforted Mitsuhiko, saying, "Liking someone is a good thing. I think you should cherish how you feel right now..."

Upon hearing this, Mitsuhiko breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Hmm! So... it's okay that I also have a bit of a crush on Kotomi, right?"

Xiaolan: ...

"Do you like practicing karate? I can teach you!" Xiaolan said with a dry laugh.

Unfortunately, Mitsuhiko didn't like karate.

After a while, Mitsuhiko left Ran's table, but Ayumi came over again—for some reason, Ran's table had become a conversation room?
"Ayumi, what's wrong? Do you have any worries?" Ran asked, sounding a little overwhelmed.

"Also?" Ayumi was taken aback upon hearing this.

"Ahem, it's nothing." Ran was worried that Ayumi might have the same problem, but then she thought it was unlikely...right?

“Actually… I really like Conan!” Ayumi insisted.

"Is there...is there anything else?" Xiaolan asked nervously.

"Huh? What? Is there anything else?" Ayumi was completely confused, not expecting Ran to react this way. "I mean... is something bothering you?" Ran changed the subject.

"Of course! Conan... I think Conan has someone he likes," Ayumi said somewhat shyly.

"Huh? Is it Ai? Or Kotomi?" Ran guessed, referring to the girls Conan usually hangs out with, who are the other two members of the Detective Boys.

“No… Conan… likes Ran!” Ayumi said firmly.

Xiaolan: ? ? ?
"How...how is this possible?" Xiaolan was also shocked—what's wrong with elementary school students these days?
"Ran already has Shinichi, so... could you please explain this to Conan? Otherwise... Conan is so pitiful!" Ayumi said firmly, but her tone was timid.

"Why would you think that?" Xiaolan asked helplessly.

“A woman’s intuition!” Ayumi said confidently.

……

During that meal, Bai Shi heard quite a few amusing things.

They even heard that there was indeed an exchange of benefits between Iwamatsu Oki and Mio Tokiwa.

However, Bai Shi didn't say much about this kind of political-business transaction, since he couldn't possibly manage such matters.

As for how Ran would react, Shiraishi didn't pay much attention, only telling Conan—"If you don't tone it down, everyone will think you're up to no good..."

No one died until Shiraishi and Ayako left the Twin Towers, escorted by President Tokiwa, which pleased Shiraishi greatly.

only……

The next morning, Shiraishi received a call from Inspector Megure.

"What? That Oki Iwatsu is dead?" Shiraishi frowned upon hearing this, then asked, "Was it in the hotel in the Twin Towers?"

“That’s right… How did you know?” Megure asked in surprise.

Megure had only asked Shiraishi out of curiosity because he heard that the victim had seen him the day before.

Who knew that Shiraishi actually knew some of the hidden secrets?
“Yesterday at dinner, I overheard him talking to President Tokiwa at the next table about wanting to stay overnight in a hotel that wasn’t officially open yet… The building isn’t officially open yet, so there shouldn’t be many people with the means to commit a crime, right?” Shiraishi asked.

"Not many, but... since it's not open to the public, the surveillance cameras aren't on either," Inspector Megure said helplessly.

"I'll go over there too," Shiraishi offered.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was tonight, and Bai Shi didn't want anything to go wrong.

"That's great..." Megure said gratefully.

……

Meanwhile, in his apartment, Hara Yoshiaki was caught red-handed by Gin and Vodka...

"Mr. Hara, you used your personal computer to access the organization's encrypted information before, didn't you?" Gin looked coldly at the guy in front of him.

That's right, Hara Yoshiaki had been recruited by the Black Organization before, but they were still in the evaluation stage.

Not long ago, the organization discovered that this guy had secretly used a hacked version of the organization's firewall!

"I...I was just curious...and I didn't reveal anything," Yuan quickly explained.

That's not a lie; he was just itching to try it out—only a computer with a key could access it? Well, I'll have to give it a shot…

boom--

Vodka punched him in the stomach, sending him flying into the sofa.

"Heh, after you accessed the organization's database, you met with that guy Shiraishi Hei, and you still say you didn't leak any secrets? Tell me! What did you tell Shiraishi Hei!" Vodka demanded.

That's right, Gin and Vodka went to the Twin Towers yesterday, intending to catch him red-handed, but...

Seeing Shiraishi's QX56 downstairs, Vodka floored the gas pedal and the two drove off without stopping.

"No...no...really no..." Yuan Jiaming clutched his stomach, saying painfully, "Besides...I can't understand those encrypted messages either..."

"Can't understand? So you copied it down and gave it to him, didn't you?" Vodka grabbed his hair and lifted him up.

"There's nothing... I can't copy it..." He was on the verge of tears—if he had known this would happen, why did he have to be so impulsive? And of all things, he ended up seeing Shiraishi Kuro the very next day!

Just then, Gin pulled out a silenced pistol...

At this moment, Yuan seemed to realize something and quickly said, "Wait! I...I have another discovery...Yesterday...I collected Director Mika's genetic information! It seems a bit strange..."

"His genetic information?" Gin's expression shifted upon hearing this, then his face darkened as he said, "What's so strange about his genes!"

Gin said, "I know he's different from ordinary people without you saying it..."

"No...it's his genes that seem to be...wait until I show you..." Yuan said, immediately scrambling to operate the personal computer.

Vodka, at Gin's signal, did not stop him.

Then, Yuan performed a series of operations, retrieving the data on Shiraishi that he had secretly analyzed earlier, but...

Only 3D modeling of the appearance is needed, but when tracing back to genetic information from the origin...

The record you are looking for does not exist.

Original:???

"How could this be? How could..." Yuan was also stunned at this moment.

"Damn it! Are you kidding us?" Vodka immediately stepped forward.

But just then...

Click click click——

The computer's webcam suddenly started flashing, as if it were taking a picture...

Original:???

"not me……"

"Damn it!" Upon seeing this, Gin shoved the muffler into his mouth without saying a word!
boom--

Blood was splattered everywhere!
Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Big brother..." Vodka was about to make a move.

Gin then gestured for silence, fired another shot at the computer case, and then he and Vodka took cover...

……

An hour after receiving the phone call, Shiraishi arrived at the investigation headquarters of the Nishitama Police Station.

Moreover, when Shiraishi arrived, he found Megure looking very serious. Upon seeing Shiraishi, Megure quickly greeted him, "Brother Shiraishi, you've finally arrived... Look at this."

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Shiraishi asked, puzzled. Just now on the phone, Megure hadn't specifically asked him to come; it was Shiraishi who volunteered to cooperate. Why did he seem so anxious now?

As he spoke, Shiraishi took a photo from Megure's hand. Upon seeing the contents of the photo, Shiraishi's pupils immediately contracted!
The photo shows a monitor splattered with blood, displaying the message "The record you are looking for does not exist," with a photo of Shiraishi in the background...

To be precise, it was a 3D model of Shiraishi's face. Shiraishi knew from a moment's recollection that it must have been scanned by that "prediction device" at the Twin Towers yesterday!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Dongdong: Today is October 29th. 162 years ago today, the International Red Cross was founded. Please vote for me! Please vote for me! Please vote for me!
(End of this chapter)