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

Chapter 714 Don't Tell Anyone (1st Update)
The dazzling crystal chandelier illuminated the entire Beverly Hills ballroom as if it were daytime, and the melodious sound of violins flowed through the air. Celebrities and socialites in splendid attire raised their champagne glasses and chatted and laughed amidst the shimmering lights.

Vermouth, dressed in a burgundy backless gown, leaned against the carved railing, like a rose blooming in the night.

"Speaking of which, do you know how James Watson and Lily Chen's relationship started?" Vermouth gently swirled the champagne in her glass, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

She deliberately chose the most fascinating yet harmless gossip from the entertainment industry to share with Ran and Sonoko, anecdotes that only insiders would know.

Sonoko's eyes widened immediately, and she eagerly asked, "Didn't you just meet him at last year's film festival?"

“Actually,” Vermouth leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice, “they had already developed feelings for each other while filming ‘Sunset’.”

"Remember that kissing scene in the rain? Even after the director yelled 'cut,' they continued to embrace in the rain for a full five minutes."

Xiaolan couldn't help but gasp softly, a faint blush rising on her face: "How romantic!"

“What’s even more ingenious,” Vermouth’s eyes gleamed with slyness, “was the deliberate decision to wait until after the movie’s release to go public with their relationship, a move that tripled the film’s box office!!”

"Their agents say privately that this is the most successful marketing case in recent years."

Sonoko excitedly grabbed Ran's arm: "I knew their eyes were weird at the premiere! James even straightened Lily's dress back then, it's so sweet to think about it now!"

Vermouth took an elegant sip of champagne and continued to share another interesting tidbit: "And then there's Mark Johnson, known for his tough-guy image, whose secret hobbies you would never guess."

She paused deliberately, looking at the two girls' expectant eyes, before slowly revealing the answer: "He's actually a passionate pastry chef. He always brings a full set of baking tools with him when he joins a production. I heard that even the most renowned pastry chefs in Paris rave about his macarons."

"Oh my god!" Sonoko exaggeratedly clutched her chest. "This contrast is just too adorable!"

Just as they were chatting and laughing, the night sky in the distance was suddenly torn apart by a blinding orange-red light.

The light was so intense, it was dazzling!
"Wow! Is that a fireworks display?" Xiaolan pointed excitedly into the distance, her eyes reflecting the dazzling lights. "Is there some special event going on at this time?"

Sonoko excitedly stood on tiptoe, trying to see more clearly: "These fireworks are huge! You can see them from this far away, the commotion at the scene must be even bigger!! Look at those golden sparks, don't they look like a sky full of stars?"

Vermouth's smile froze instantly.

She keenly noticed the abnormality of those "fireworks"—the flames rose too fast, and the shape of the explosions was completely inconsistent with the characteristics of fireworks!
"Indeed...very special fireworks." Vermouth managed a forced, polite smile, but alarm bells were ringing in her mind.

She quickly estimated the location and distance in her mind, her expression gradually becoming serious.

That direction leads to South Los Angeles!
An uneasy thought surfaced in her mind—could this have been done by Conan and Shiraishi E?

Just then, a white male waiter gave her a wink from a short distance away.

Vermouth immediately composed herself and gracefully apologized to Ran and Sonoko: "Excuse me, I'll have to go say hello to an old friend."

She walked gracefully through the crowd, her champagne-colored skirt brushing gently against the smooth marble floor.

The waiter followed nervously behind her, and the two of them went to a secluded corner of the terrace.

This place is just a wall away from the noisy party, yet it feels like two different worlds.

"M-Sir," the waiter's voice trembled, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, even the tray in his hands wobbled slightly, "the plan has encountered an unexpected problem."

Vermouth calmly scanned her surroundings, and only after confirming that no one was eavesdropping did she use her cold gaze to signal the other person to continue.

She noticed that the collar of the male waiter's uniform was soaked with sweat, indicating that he had run all the way there.

"Calm down," her voice remained steady, yet carried a strangely reassuring calmness: "Explain yourself clearly."

The male waiter took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down: "The people we went to intercept... were killed by that boy. Five cars, twenty peripheral members... all gone without a trace."

Vermouth gently swirled the champagne glass, the golden liquid rippling within.

While the result was unexpected, it wasn't entirely surprising considering the boy's strength.

She had long known that Shiraishi E was no ordinary person.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have set her sights on him.

"And then?" she asked calmly, as if inquiring about tomorrow's weather.

"And then," the waiter's voice began to tremble again, "they somehow...blew up the human trafficking gang's stronghold! Those flames just now were from the explosion!"

Vermouth paused slightly in her champagne glass: "How did he do that?"

“I don’t know if all of our men were wiped out, except for one female escort disguised as Xiaolan who is still alive…” The male waiter wiped away his cold sweat, his eyes still filled with lingering fear: “But she hasn’t sent any messages back… I’m afraid she doesn’t dare to make any rash moves.”

Just then, an even more intense burst of fire rose from the direction of South Los Angeles.

The explosion was significantly larger, and a small mushroom cloud could even be clearly seen slowly rising into the night sky.

The shockwave from the explosion even caused the crystal chandeliers at the party to sway slightly, causing a minor commotion.

Vermouth gazed silently at the distant firelight, realizing that the plan, which had been under her control, had completely gone off track. "Sir, what should we do next?" the male waiter asked anxiously.

"It's alright. Anyway, our plan is to take down the human trafficking gang." Vermouth calmly took a sip of champagne and said, "Things are developing in the direction we want!"

"Go and investigate this matter thoroughly, from beginning to end, from the moment he left here until the explosion just happened!"

She wanted to know what the other person had done!
"Understood, sir." The waiter nodded and hurriedly turned to leave.

______________
Beverly Hills was still brightly lit at night, and the laughter and joy from the party drifted on the wind.

A black Chevrolet slowly drove into the parking lot, its tires making a slight sound as they rolled over the gravel.

Shiraishi E parked the car in a secluded corner, conveniently hidden by a clump of lush olive trees, far from the hustle and bustle of the main venue.

He turned off the engine, and the car fell silent.

In the rearview mirror, "Xiao Lan" had already opened her eyes and was looking around somewhat blankly.

"How are you feeling?" Shiraishi E turned around and asked with concern.

Xiao Lan subconsciously touched her neck, as if the stinging sensation from the injection still lingered there.

"I'm mostly fine now," she replied softly, her voice carrying a deliberate attempt to conceal her weakness.

She hesitated for a moment, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt, her voice becoming even softer: "Emi, Conan, thank you for saving me."

The thank you sounded exceptionally sincere, but then her tone became urgent, "However, could you please not tell anyone else about this?"

She looked up, her eyes pleading: "I don't want anyone else to worry. Especially Sonoko, and Mom."

Shiraishi E nodded and replied briefly, "Okay."

Conan, sitting in the passenger seat, quickly replied, "No problem!"

He pushed up his glasses, secretly rejoicing.

If Yukiko knew what happened tonight—that they single-handedly took down five gang strongholds—she would definitely be furious and want to slap herself.

Thinking of this, Conan couldn't help but shudder.

Xiao Lan visibly relaxed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "That's great. Let's just pretend this never happened." She tried to force a relaxed smile, but it seemed somewhat forced.

Shiraishi E nodded again: "OK."

In his eyes, tonight's actions were not a big deal, at most a slightly intense nighttime walk.

He opened the car door, and the night wind immediately rushed into the car, carrying the music and laughter of a party in the distance.

The three of them got out of the car one after the other and walked toward the party venue in tacit agreement.

Shiraishi and Conan headed straight for the food court, where the aroma of grilled meat filled the air, a stark contrast to the gunpowder smell from South Los Angeles just moments before.

"I need to eat some ribs to calm my nerves!" Conan gestured to the chef to get him some.

Shiraishi E picked up a plate, picked up some meat for herself, and said, "I'm tired from exercising, so I'll eat something to fill my stomach."

Meanwhile, "Xiao Lan" walked towards the restroom.

"I'm going to touch up my makeup." She smiled at the two of them, her steps elegant and composed, showing no signs of having just been kidnapped.

However, the smile on her face vanished instantly as soon as she entered the restroom.

After confirming that the cubicle was empty, she quickly locked the door.

Her hands trembled slightly as she touched her cheeks, her fingertips groping behind her ears.

With a soft tearing sound, an exquisite human skin mask was slowly peeled off.

She quickly took off her clothes and took out a black bodycon dress that she had prepared beforehand from the storage cabinet under the sink.

In just three minutes, the gentle and lovely "Xiao Lan" had disappeared, replaced by a cold and aloof stranger.

She stared at herself in the mirror, took a deep breath, and then took out her phone and pressed the speed dial button.

The moment the call connected, her voice involuntarily lowered: "Sir, it's me. I'm in the bathroom on the first floor."

The waiting time was extremely long.

She leaned against the sink, her mind replaying the events of the night: the boy's terrifying skill in storming the stronghold single-handedly, and his proficiency in using heavy weapons.
This isn't some high school boy; even terrorists couldn't achieve this result!

(End of this chapter)