Simultaneous traversal: All Abyss difficulty.

Chapter 717 The Library Murder Case of Conan Nanfang

The night, like a piece of velvet soaked in ink, heavily enveloped Beika Town.

The library building stands beside a quiet street, its windows pitch black except for the occasional glimpse of the dim yellow light from the streetlights—this ancient building is a temple of knowledge by day, but a breeding ground for secrets by night.

The young detectives huddled in the shadows behind the library's back door, their hearts pounding like drums.

"I say, Genta, are you really sure that the curator, Hideharu Tsugawa, is up to something bad?" Genta Kojima's voice was rough and loud, particularly jarring in the night.

His chubby body was huddled behind a billboard, his breath still carrying the smell of his dinner ramen.

"Of course it's true!" Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya lowered his voice, his glasses reflecting a cold light in the moonlight. "Director Tsugawa is acting suspiciously. Conan said that anything suspicious is a clue!"

Ayumi Yoshida, hiding at the back, clutched Conan's clothes with her small hands, her voice trembling, "But...we shouldn't have barged in like this! What if we're discovered?"

Before she could finish speaking, Conan Edogawa calmly shook his head.

His youthful face, however, revealed the composure of a seasoned detective. "Don't worry, Ayumi, we'll only investigate for a short while, gather some evidence, and then leave. The curator is on night shift today, and he'll be the only one in the museum. We'll climb in through the maintenance passage; there's no way he'll find us."

Under the cover of the bookshelves, they crept forward, their goal being the curator's office on the second floor.

"Be careful not to touch anything!" Mitsuhiko warned anxiously.

Ayumi followed at the back, her steps as light as a cat's, but she would shiver involuntarily every time the wind blew through the window.

Genta walked ahead nonchalantly—he had long forgotten Conan's warning and was only concerned with looking around curiously.

When they arrived at the door of a reading room, Conan stopped and gestured for everyone to be quiet: "It's quiet here. The librarian's office is right next door. Let's look for clues inside."

But Genta, that reckless guy, is always so unreliable.

He crept into the room, and as he turned around, he accidentally tripped over the power switch in the corner.

With a "click," the blinding light suddenly illuminated the entire room!
In an instant, the darkness was torn open, exposing them completely.

"Genta, you idiot!" Mitsuhiko screamed, his voice echoing in the empty library.

That's too late!

Hurried footsteps came from the next office.

Director Hideji Tsugawa appeared at the end of the corridor, his figure appearing particularly sinister under the lights—he was a tall, thin man with glasses that gleamed coldly, and eyes like those of an enraged viper.

His eyes widened as he stared intently into the lit room, his brow furrowed with murderous intent. "Who's there?"

He growled, his voice as cold as frost, "A thief? How dare you."

The boys scattered and fled, rushing into the nearby toilets in a panic.

Ayumi stumbled and bumped into the door. Everyone was crammed into the small space, breathing heavily.

Conan whispered, "Don't make a sound! Wait until he's out of sight."

Ayumi was too scared, and Conan overestimated the psychological defenses of children.

When Tsugawa's footsteps stopped outside the door, she could no longer hold back and let out a soft sob—a small sob that sounded like thunder in the silence.

"Found you." Tsugawa's voice slipped in through the crack in the door, tinged with a cruel laugh.

The door was slowly pushed open, and he held up a sharp box cutter in one hand, which gleamed coldly in the dim light.

He approached step by step, cornering the four of them.

"You little thieves, you won't be leaving here alive today." His smile was twisted.

Despair is like being doused with cold water.

Genta and Mitsuhiko were so frightened that their faces turned pale, while Ayumi covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

Tsugawa raised his sword and slashed at Ayumi, who was closest to him.
At that very moment, a whooshing sound rang out.

A kunai shot into the toilet like a meteor, piercing Tsugawa's back with pinpoint accuracy!

He stood frozen in place, the murderous intent in his eyes turning into astonishment, before collapsing to the ground with a thud.

The boys were stunned.

Ayumi screamed, "Ah—blood!" Mitsuhiko and Genta also screamed uncontrollably, their screams piercing the deathly silence of the library.

Conan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"Who did this?" he shouted, and immediately rushed out the door.

The corridor was empty and deserted, leaving only a small puddle of water on the floor and a blurry footprint that was quickly disappearing into the darkness.

Conan bent down for a closer look. The footprint was of medium size with clear edges, clearly a wet shoe print that had just been left.

But at the end of the corridor, there were only open windows and the howling night wind; there was no one in sight.

When the police arrived, the scene was chaotic.

Kogoro Mouri was hypnotized by Conan, and then, with Conan's voice changer as a reminder, the police discovered the body of the victim, who had been murdered by the library director, hidden in the elevator.
But now a new mystery has arisen.

Who killed the librarian?
Inspector Megure comforted the crying boys, but Conan remained silent.

The morning sunlight streamed into the Mori Detective Agency, while the city outside the window remained as busy as an anthill.

Kogoro Mouri, pipe in mouth, was yelling into the phone, "What? A serial murder case? Ha, of course, such a big case should be handed over to me, the great detective Mouri!"

He slammed his fist on the table and stood up, spitting as he spoke.

After hanging up the phone, he turned to Conan and Ran, who were pretending to read comics on the sofa: "A request from the police station! For three consecutive nights, a mysterious killer has appeared in the city, and the victims are all bad guys with criminal records—former drug dealers, extortionists, and that Tsugawa Museum Director! The killer targets bad people, like an urban 'vigilante'."

Conan may appear innocent on the surface, but he's actually quite tense inside.

He pushed up his glasses: the scene of Tsugawa being killed flashed through his mind.

The kunai, the wet footprints, and Uncle Mori's description all indicate that the killer murdered "evil people who did bad things." Isn't this a serial killer acting on behalf of God?

But such cold and precise "justice" is more like a distorted game.

Conan's intuition told him that things weren't that simple.
In the evening, a joint banquet between the police and the public was held at a luxury hotel.

The lights were dazzling, and the crowd was bustling—the police department organized this gathering to thank the community for their help in solving the case.

Conan followed Ran, his gaze sweeping across the venue.

Suddenly, a figure in pure white came into view!
A young man in his early twenties, wearing a white T-shirt and dark sweatpants, leaned against a corner, holding a juice in his hand, looking out of place with everything around him.

“Oh, that’s Uchiha U.” Ran noticed Conan’s gaze. “Inspector Megure always praises him. His family’s restaurant is near the police station, and the police rely on Chinese takeout to satisfy their cravings when they work overtime. Now they’re all old acquaintances.”

"He is Chinese, and is said to be a front desk worker at a Chinese restaurant. He is low-key but efficient."

Conan nodded, not paying much attention.

But the gears of fate always mesh unexpectedly.

A clumsy waitress carrying a tray of red wine slipped and bumped into Uchiha Yu with a "crash"!

Bright red liquid splattered out, splashing onto his trouser legs and shoes.

"I'm so sorry!" the waiter apologized hastily.

Uchiha Yu frowned, took a step back, and the carpet beneath his feet was soaked with red wine, leaving a clear shoe print.

Conan's gaze froze instantly!
Those footprints! The wet outline, the size and shape, were exactly the same as the wet footprints from that night in the library!
His heart tightened, as if struck by lightning!

The reflection from his glasses concealed the shock in his eyes: It couldn't be just a coincidence! The death of Director Tsugawa, the serial murder case, and now this man named Uchiha U. All the clues were linked together like a chain.

Who is he? A restaurant worker, or a hidden killer?
The banquet music was loud, but Conan felt that the only sound around him was his heartbeat.

He approached discreetly, observing the man's actions as he wiped his shoes!

It's him! That's right!

It's definitely him!
Just as Conan was making his calculations, Uchiha Yu turned around and glared at him.

Upon seeing this, Conan was startled, like a frightened wildcat, and his fur stood on end!
Does he... does he know me?

(End of this chapter)