I'm in Conan, I'm not a gangster

Chapter 378 Rum: I Can Fail Countless Times (2 Updates)
5:57 AM, Yokohama Chinatown.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the stone slabs of Chinatown were still damp with the night dew.

Judy, wearing high heels, stood under the lantern at the street corner, gently playing with her blonde hair by her ear, her gaze occasionally glancing towards the intersection.

Shuichi asked to meet me alone... What could it be about? Could it be that he's figured things out?

Thinking of this, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and she pondered what expression she should use when facing Shuichi Akai later.

Should I remain as capable and calm as usual, or perhaps... relax a little?
However, the next second, her smile froze on her face.

"Hey, Judy, good morning!"

Carmel yawned as he slowly walked across the street, his tall figure standing out conspicuously in the morning mist.

He rubbed his eyes, looking like he hadn't woken up yet, completely unaware of Judy's suddenly darkening expression.

Why is this guy here too?!
Judy took a deep breath, resisting the urge to roll her eyes, and forced a smile: "...Good morning."

Carmel scratched his head, looking puzzled. "So, what's the matter with Shuichi calling us over so early?"

Just as Judy was about to offer a perfunctory reply, Shuichi Akai appeared on the street corner.

He wore his ever-present black jacket, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his silver-gray eyes appearing exceptionally sharp in the morning light.

"Good morning," he said briefly.

Shuichi Akai had actually arrived earlier, but upon seeing Jodie, he didn't go out, as the two of them were somewhat awkward together.

He knew Judy would definitely try to get them back together... He really didn't want to hurt her, so he simply hid away.

He only showed himself when Carmel appeared.

Carmel immediately complained, "Shuichi, what's going on? Why so early?"

Shuichi Akai glanced at him indifferently: "I found a nice breakfast place here and would like you to try it."

The air solidified instantly.

Carmel: "...Just for that reason?"

Shuichi Akai: "Yes, that's right."

Carmel: "..."

He scratched his head, looking exasperated. "You should have said so earlier! If it was just for breakfast, I wouldn't have come!"

Shuichi Akai remained calm: "I didn't force you to come."

Carmel choked, and after a long while muttered, "It seems so... Sigh, I should have asked more. Getting up so early just to have breakfast... I'd rather sleep a little longer."

Judy immediately seized the opportunity and said with a sweet smile, "In that case, you should go back to sleep! Shuichi and I will go eat, so it won't disturb your nap."

Carmel paused for a moment, then shook his head: "No, we're already here, wouldn't it be a waste to get up so early if we didn't eat?"

"You idiot!!"... Judy's smile froze on her face, her mind screaming: "Can't you tell I'm telling you to get rid of me?! Is being a third wheel fun?!"
Just as she was considering whether to text Carmel to tell him to leave—

"boom--!!!"

A low, muffled explosion suddenly came from a distance, but because of the distance, the sound was not loud.

Immediately afterwards, a blinding flash of light appeared on the horizon, and thick smoke billowed up, forming a small mushroom cloud.

The three of them turned their heads at the same time.

Carmel's eyes widened, all sleepiness gone, and he opened his mouth wide, asking, "What... happened over there?"

Judy stared in the direction of the explosion, her expression changing drastically as she said, "That location... is a sewage treatment plant!"

Shuichi Akai's expression instantly turned cold, and the cigarette he held between his fingers silently broke in two.

He knew this was the work of that ruthless bandit... and he never even considered trying to stop that madman!
Of course, most importantly, he was powerless to stop it.

"We can't have breakfast now." Shuichi Akai turned around and strode towards his car parked by the roadside, saying in a deep voice, "We have to get there right away."

The other two walked quickly.

Inside the car, Judy quickly dialed James's number, but—

"The number you dialed is currently switched off..."

Her heart sank.

Shuichi Akai, sitting in the passenger seat, took out his phone and contacted the embassy: "Locate James's phone."

A moment later, an embassy staff member replied, "Sorry, we cannot locate the signal... The last known location of the signal was at the sewage treatment plant, but it has now disappeared." The atmosphere inside the car instantly plummeted to freezing point, falling into a long silence.

When they arrived at the sewage treatment plant, it was already cordoned off with yellow police tape.

Shuichi Akai flashed his FBI badge, and soon a young police officer wearing glasses strode over.

"I am Yuya Kazami from the Public Security Bureau." He pushed up his glasses and said in a deep voice, "Please follow me, all three of you."

The moment Judy stepped into the ruins, her breath caught in her throat—the entire sewage treatment plant had been reduced to scorched earth, with twisted steel bars, concrete fragments scattered everywhere, and the air thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder.

"Where's James?" she couldn't help but ask, her voice trembling slightly.

Kazami Yuya shook his head: "When we arrived, there was no one left alive."

Shuichi Akai looked at the ruins with a grave expression and said, "Are there any other clues?"

“Workers nearby said that the area was shelled around six o’clock in the morning,” Kazami Yuya said, flipping through his notebook. “They were awakened by the explosions and fled for fear of being caught in the crossfire.”

silence.

All three fell silent, their hearts heavy with sorrow.

........................

6:00 a.m., a suburban manor.

Morning light streamed into the bedroom through the gaps in the heavy curtains, and Rum opened his eyes precisely on time. He threw back the velvet covers, stepped onto the soft carpet, and slowly made his way to the bathroom.

The cold water washed over his wrinkled face, droplets dripping down his chin. The one-eyed man in the mirror had a sharp, eagle-like gaze.

After changing into his sportswear, he pushed open the door. At the end of the corridor, his assistant, dressed in a black suit, had been waiting for some time.

"How's the plan going?" Rum asked in a hoarse, low voice, continuing his descent downstairs. "Any good news?"

The assistant followed behind and reported, "We just received news that the sewage treatment plant has been completely destroyed."

Rum's lips curled into a slightly sneer, a smile that seemed to confirm his expectations.

Sure enough...

That ruthless bandit is a madman; he would never stoop to infiltration or assassination.

If you can crush it with firepower, you won't waste any more effort!

Looking at the opponent's previous moves, this style has always been consistent.

This time is no exception.

"Did the plan succeed?" Rum continued to ask, a hint of anticipation flashing in his one eye.

The assistant's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice unconsciously lowered: "It failed. Vermouth sent back intelligence... that guy didn't even step within a kilometer of the sewage treatment plant."

"..." This news left Rum speechless.

He knew that the other party wouldn't be foolish enough to barge into the sewage treatment plant; they would definitely choose to take action outside the plant.

So he deliberately planted a bomb outside the sewage treatment plant.

The plan is to blow that bastard up as soon as he gets close!
But to his utter surprise, this guy wouldn't even come close!
Should we choose to take action directly from a kilometer away?
A sense of absurdity washed over me!

Rum had met cautious people before, but this was the first time he'd ever encountered one this cautious!

"Heh..." Rum suddenly chuckled. He stepped out of the villa, took a deep breath of fresh air, and said with a smile, "Interesting!"

He never imagined that someone else would cherish life as much as he did!
No wonder they're so arrogant, yet they haven't been caught yet!
The assistant held his breath, not daring to look up. He had expected Rum to fly into a rage, but instead heard him laugh.

"Oh well." Rum wasn't bothered by the failed assassination attempt. As he started his morning run, he said, "So what if it failed?"

"He can make countless mistakes. But I... only need to succeed once!"

Seeing that Rum didn't seem to care, the assistant breathed a sigh of relief and then reported, "Also, Vermouth has brought back FBI Director James and novelist Yusaku Kudo."

"Oh? James didn't die? That old man is pretty lucky." Rum was very surprised. He thought the other man would die in the attack of that thug, but he didn't expect him to escape.

As for Kudo Yusaku... he has no power or influence, he's just a novelist, he's not on the same level as him, so I can't be bothered with him.

The assistant said as he jogged over, "They're both being held in custody right now... Vermouth is asking what to do?"

Without a second thought, Rum said, "Lock James up first, then I'll go see this old rival later."

The assistant nodded, indicating that he understood... As for Kudo Yusaku, who wasn't mentioned, he could be dealt with however he wanted.

(End of this chapter)