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

Chapter 749 I Want to Be the Pirate King!

Shiraishi closed her eyes and felt a slight dizziness, as if she were passing through a cool curtain of water.

When he "opened" his eyes again, he found himself in a magnificent circular plaza.

Beneath your feet is a smooth stone floor engraved with strange patterns, while above your head is a deep dome that simulates a starry sky, with soft light pouring down from somewhere and illuminating the entire space.

All around, figures appeared one after another, accompanied by streaks of white light, like data streams coalescing into form; they were all participants in this game.

A cacophony of voices began to echo through the empty space.

Shiraishi E's heart skipped a beat. She suppressed the urge to immediately search for Conan and instantly summoned the Bandit System interface in her mind.

To his surprise, the light blue, semi-transparent screen arrived as promised, floating in his field of vision, its functions intact.

He bought a piece of the most ordinary chewing gum, just to give it a try.

The next instant, I felt a real touch on my fingertips.

He looked down and saw a piece of chewing gum with a familiar packaging lying quietly in his palm.

"It worked!" Shiraishi E felt much more at ease, and an indescribable sense of confidence welled up in her heart.

The ruthless bandit system still works in this virtual reality game!

This means that he possesses the ability to transcend the rules of the game itself.

A knowing smile unconsciously crept onto his lips. He knew that the outcome of this game was already predetermined from this moment on.

"Shiraishi!" Conan's voice came from the side, his tone filled with undisguised amazement.

He jogged over, curiously looking around at the incredibly realistic environment, and exclaimed in amazement, "This is amazing! It doesn't feel like I'm in a game at all! Is this real virtual reality?"

Shiraishi E casually stuffed the chewing gum into her pocket, nodding repeatedly in agreement: "Yes, it's absolutely a groundbreaking invention. In the future, not only can we play games, but we can also attend tutoring classes from home in an immersive way, without even having to leave the house."

Conan's face immediately fell, and he said speechlessly, "I already told you to think positively..."

Just as the two were chatting, a clear boy's voice suddenly rang out throughout the circular plaza, drowning out all the noise: "Fellow participants meeting for the first time, the game is about to begin. I am the artificial intelligence—Noah's Ark, nice to meet you."

As soon as he finished speaking, five huge stone gates of different styles rose up around the circular plaza with a deep rumble.

"Now, promotional videos for each scene will be played above each road. Please choose your favorite game stage," Noah's Ark's voice continued to explain.

Above the first stone gate, a light curtain lit up, and waves surged as sailboats cut through the waves.

"First up is the first stage—pirates! You will transform into brave pirates, venturing into seven perilous seas, using your unwavering will and unparalleled courage to face various adventurous challenges!"

The second light screen displayed a sky full of yellow sand and the roar of racing cars.

"The second stage is the Paris-Dakar Rally! You will compete against world-renowned professional drivers in this brutal rally for the sole championship title!"

In the third light curtain, the ancient Roman Colosseum was bustling with noise, and gladiators were fighting bloody battles.

"The third stage: the Colosseum in ancient Rome! Here, you will need to find powerful weapons and armor to test your skills in the magnificent ancient Roman Empire, with the goal of defeating those incredibly brave and powerful warriors!"

The fourth light curtain guided everyone to explore the mysterious ruins.

"The fourth stage, Solomon's Treasure! You will play the role of a clever treasure hunter, venturing to hidden corners around the world to find the legendary, long-buried treasure of King Solomon!"

Finally, the fifth light curtain led everyone into a foggy, dark city filled with Gothic architecture and an atmosphere of suspense.

"Then, the fifth stage, London over a hundred years ago! Here, you will experience an immersive thriller. The time is 1888, the location is foggy London, and the goal is to catch the serial killer who remains unsolved in the real world to this day—Jack the Ripper! With everyone's help, bring him to justice!"

Five uniquely designed game stages instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the fifty participants.

Excited shouts erupted from the square:
"Pirates! Being a pirate is so cool!"

"I'm going to the arena to show off my muscles!"

"Treasure hunter! Treasure hunting is a man's romance!"

"..."

Even Conan, unusually excited, said to Shiraishi E with shining eyes, "Is there even a choice? I'm definitely going to London! Not only might I meet Sherlock Holmes, but I can also clash with Professor Moriarty! Just thinking about it gets my blood pumping!" Shiraishi E chuckled and poured cold water on his enthusiasm: "I advise you not to get too excited. Don't forget, your dad is one of the planners of this game."

"He might have secretly included his own ideas in there. For example, Holmes looks exactly like him, Dr. Watson looks exactly like Professor Agasa, and even that beautiful Irene Adler might have used your mother Yukiko Kudo's face mold."

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Conan's head, instantly extinguishing his excitement and anticipation.

He imagined the scene, his expression froze, and he said speechlessly, "He...he wouldn't be that kind of perverse, would he?"

Shaking his head to shake off the terrifying image, Conan turned to Shiraishi E and asked, "Let's ignore him for now. What about you? Which one do you choose? Do you want to come to London with me?"

Shiraishi E shook her head decisively, pointed her thumb at the Pirate Gate, and said with great pride, "No way! Solving cases is nothing compared to the freedom of sailing far away! Listen, I'm going to be the Pirate King!"

Seeing this, Conan could only shrug regretfully.

However, at that moment, the voice of the artificial intelligence Noah's Ark rang out again, its tone becoming serious and cold: "However, there is one thing I must explain to you. This is not a simple entertainment game. This is a game that concerns your lives."

"If all participants are eliminated, then none of you will be able to return to the real world."

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the square and instantly silencing the noise. Everyone held their breath.

"However, as long as even one person can pass the level, it counts as a victory for all of you, and all the eliminated children will be able to wake up. These are the rules I set, understand?"

Conan's heart tightened, and he immediately asked, "What if we're all out?"

Noah's Ark's reply was utterly cold: "Then, I will release special electromagnetic waves to completely destroy the brains of all of you. In other words, this is a battle where the future of Japan is at stake!"

"Whoa—!" The players were completely stunned. They never expected that what was supposed to be a gaming experience would turn into a life-or-death gamble!

"What...what a joke! I'm quitting! I'm not playing anymore!" Some players with weaker mental fortitude immediately shouted in panic.

"Don't panic! This might just be part of the game's design, deliberately scaring us to increase immersion!" Some people tried to remain calm and reassure others and themselves.

"That's right! It's just about clearing the level, right? Leave it to me, I'm a professional gamer!" A few players who were extremely confident in themselves stepped forward, trying to reassure the team.

Conan's face turned extremely grim. He leaned closer to Shiraishi E and asked in a low voice, "Do you think... this is true?"

Shiraishi E simply patted his head lightly, her tone still carrying that reassuring confidence: "Who cares if it's true or false. It doesn't matter, I'll clear the game. Mere Caribbean pirates, watch me take them all down!"

Seeing Shiraishi E's certainty, Conan's unease dissipated considerably.

At this moment, many players had already made their choices, their figures disappearing into the light curtains of the stone gates they had selected.

Without further delay, Shiraishi E strode toward the pirate's stage entrance, waving goodbye to Conan.

However, an unexpected situation occurred.

Just as Shiraishi E was about to step through the door that represented pirate adventures, an invisible barrier suddenly appeared, gently yet firmly stopping him.

"Huh?" Shiraishi E was taken aback, and tried to push forward, but still couldn't get through: "What's going on? Why can't I get in?"

Noah's Ark's voice rang in his ears at just the right moment: "Unfortunately, the stage is full."

"There's a limit to the number of people?" Shiraishi E was surprised.

Noah's Ark's answer carried a formulaic sense of entitlement: "Fifty contestants, five stages, with an average of ten people per stage. Isn't this a simple math problem?"

Shiraishi E was speechless for a moment: "...You should have said so earlier! If you had, would I have been rambling on to Conan for so long?"

Seeing this, especially when the lights on the other four stages dimmed one after another, indicating that the venue was full, and only the London stage was still flashing with lights waiting to be entered, Conan couldn't help but burst into laughter:

"What a pity, Shiraishi! It seems your dream of becoming the Pirate King will have to be put on hold for now... Come on, it's fate that you'll come with me to London to solve a case!"

Shiraishi E turned around irritably, lightly tapped Conan's forehead with her finger, and complained, "It's all your fault! If you hadn't pulled me back to talk, I would have rushed in already!"

Conan grinned, not flinching, and nodded repeatedly: "It's my fault, it's my fault, okay? Let's go, Great Detective Assistant!"

Thus, by a twist of fate, the two of them stepped one after the other through the gate that was shrouded in thick fog and mystery, leading to London in 1888.

(End of this chapter)