Conan: Rice Flower Spring

Chapter 326, 320. Did Kidd really get shot in the back?

Ryoma Hayashi had made up his mind before even speaking with Shiro Suzuki. Who else besides the Suzuki family could tell the difference between the real and fake Egg of Memories?
Someone will definitely recognize him, but he is definitely not a member of the police force.

In other words, Inspector Nakamori most likely doesn't know whether the thing he's protecting is real or fake.

As long as Shiro Suzuki tells him it's genuine, he will naturally treat it as real and protect it.

Given his relationship with Suzuki Shiro, borrowing the [Egg of Memories] wouldn't have been difficult; Ryoma Hayashi just hadn't expected the plan to proceed so smoothly.

"Alright, Renzaburo and I won't bother you anymore. Good luck, Kuroba." Ryoma saw that Kuroba Kaito was focused, so he didn't disturb him any further.

After leaving the room, Ryoma and Shiratori went to the villa's living room. Shiratori turned on the TV, tuned it to the news channel, and chatted with Ryoma.

"Speaking of which, Snake was quite cautious this time. Most of my men were deployed at the Suzuki Museum."

But apart from Kuroba's fans, no other suspicious persons were found around the art museum.

The reason we call them "other suspicious persons" is mainly because those fanatical fans of the Phantom Thief are hardly normal people.

"I guess Snake probably won't show up in this incident." Lin Longma never thought Snake would appear in Kuroba Kaito's operation from the beginning.

Snake is a manager at the zoo, and Lin Longma is at least a high-ranking member of the organization. They're both in the criminal underworld; they all know each other.

If Kaito Kuroba's goal this time is some rare gem, then Snake might be able to be lured out.

But this time, Kaito Kuroba's target is the Egg of Memories, something that has absolutely nothing to do with the Jewel.

Criminal groups may be vengeful, but only if there is profit to be made.

It was either for deterrence or for personal gain. Unfortunately, Snake got neither in this operation.

If we act rashly, we will only expose ourselves for no reason. It is only reasonable for us to hide like a coward now.

"But we still can't let our guard down." Lin Longma didn't completely rule it out. Mainly because he had seen all sorts of oddballs in Beika Town.

Unexpected situations kept arising, which instilled in Lin Longma a cautious personality.

"Once Kuroba is done with his work, ask him about his retreat route. Arrange for some people to stake out the nodes beforehand."

If Snake really does show up, we won't be caught off guard. In fact, if he does appear, it'll be a perfect opportunity to weaken him again.

“You’re right, Ryoma!” Ryoma’s words were exactly what Shiratori lacked in experience, and Shiratori immediately agreed after Ryoma finished speaking.

"I won't be going with you this time. Chairman Suzuki invited me to have drinks with him tonight."

The rest is up to you, Ren Saburo.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen with me here."
-
At 6 p.m., Ryoma Hayashi arrived at the restaurant that Shiro Suzuki had booked. Besides him and Shiro Suzuki, Kogoro Mouri also joined the dinner.

With Kogoro Mouri present, the drinking session was destined to be anything but dull.

This uncle is a natural at creating a lively atmosphere, and Lin Longma and Suzuki Shiro happen to be the most enthusiastic supporters.

In a pleasant and lively atmosphere, the three of them drank cup after cup of sake. A wooden box sat on the tatami mat not far away.

The wooden box contained the "Egg of Memories" that Ryoma had brought back for Shiro Suzuki that night.

When Ryoma returned that evening with two Eggs of Memory, Suzuki Shiro finally understood why he had taken the Eggs of Memory that afternoon.

Shiro Suzuki never expected that Ryoma Hayashi could produce such a high-quality replica in just one afternoon.

If you put the two eggs side by side and compare them carefully, you can still see some differences.

The genuine article is more exquisite, and some details of the replica cannot be accurately reproduced. But this is acceptable; at least when Suzuki Shiro handed the replica to Inspector Nakamori, the latter didn't even realize he had received a fake.

He even went so far as to offer some perfunctory praise.

Ryoma Hayashi and Shiro Suzuki simply smiled and remained silent. At the same time, Shiro Suzuki understood why Ryoma Hayashi was so confident that Kaito Kid couldn't steal the Egg of Memories.

If you set your goals in the wrong place from the beginning, no matter how successful you are in the end, it will be a mistaken success.

If it's a mistaken success, then isn't it a failure?

"Judging by the time, Phantom Thief Kid should have already made his move, right?" Lin Longma raised his wrist and found that it was exactly 7:20 pm, so he couldn't help but say with a smile.

"Haha, no matter how cunning Phantom Thief Kid is, he still couldn't escape Chairman Lin's scheme in the end."

This glass is for Chairman Lin! He's truly young and promising!

Suzuki Shiro, a man in his fifties or sixties, naturally has the right to say that Hayashi Ryoma is young and promising.

This was a genuine compliment from Shiro Suzuki, and this time even the Metropolitan Police Department officers were caught in Ryoma Hayashi's scheme.

Inspector Nakamori, unaware that he was protecting a fake, naturally went to great lengths to protect that false Egg of Memory.

Given how hard Inspector Mori was working, how could Kaito Kid possibly suspect that the egg was fake?

Shiro Suzuki probably could never have imagined a third possibility: that he had reached a three-way agreement with Ryoma Hayashi, a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department, and Kaito Kid.

On the table, Shiro Suzuki gloated over Kaito Kid's misfortune, while Kogoro Mouri gloated over Inspector Nakamori's misfortune.

Only Lin Longma was leisurely waiting for news of the "success" of the Phantom Thief Kid's operation.

"Such a simple task shouldn't go wrong, right?"
[Buzzing. Buzzing.]

Lin Longma's phone, which was on the low table, kept vibrating. He apologized to Suzuki Shiro and Mori, picked up his phone, and glanced at the screen.

The words "Shiratori Ninzaburo" on the screen surprised Ryoma Hayashi.

Shiratori knew that he was drinking and eating with Suzuki Shiro, and he would never bother him unless it was urgent.

So something happened?
"Excuse me, I need to take this call." Lin Longma gestured to the two of them, then got up and left the private room.

"Ren Sanlang, what's wrong?"

"Something's happened, Ryoma! Kuroba was shot on his way back after the successful operation!"

Is he alright?

"At the time, Kuroba was in the sky. The murderer shot him in the right eye with a pistol. Fortunately, it was a pistol. His monocle and the pigeon saved his life."

They've already escaped back.

"Have your men discovered who did this?"

"No, the other party was very professional. They fled immediately after their first attack failed, and this guy didn't even have time to take the spoils."

Given Kaito Kid's flamboyant manner, it's not surprising at all that he was shot by Ryoma Hayashi.

But at this delicate time, is there any connection between the person who took action and the zoo?

(End of this chapter)