Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

The most eye-catching thing was the yellow police tape at the entrance of the exhibition hall, and several uniformed police officers.

They had serious expressions and prevented anyone from getting close.

"Have you heard? The Phantom Thief Lady has her eye on that Chinese Terracotta Warrior!"

"Really? How can you steal something that big?"

"The notice has been sent out, and the police have arrived. How could it be fake?"

"That's incredibly audacious! This is going to be interesting!"

Hearing the clamor of voices, Lin Xiuyi frowned.

He gestured for Chikage Tomizawa and Shizuka Ikenami to wait a moment, then took a deep breath and squeezed into the crowd.

He was tall and agile, and soon approached the vicinity of the cordon.

He found a middle-aged police officer who looked kind and was trying to disperse the crowd.

"Officer, excuse me. Is the exhibition hall temporarily closed due to the notice from the Phantom Thief Lady? When will it likely reopen?"

The police officer glanced at Lin Xiuyi, noticing his ordinary attire and student-like appearance, and answered in a businesslike manner.
"That's right. As instructed by higher authorities, the exhibition hall is temporarily closed for security checks. The reopening date is yet to be determined. Please stay tuned for official announcements."

"Everyone, disperse. Don't crowd around here. There's nothing to see."

Lin Xiuyi didn't give up. He took half a step forward, lowered his voice, and tried to use his "connections."
“Officer, I am a friend of Ms. Shizuka Ikenami, and Chief Takeshi Ikenami is my senior. I am somewhat interested in this case. I wonder if it would be possible to make an exception and let me take a look at the scene? Perhaps I can offer some different perspectives.”

He specifically mentioned Takeshi Ikenami, hoping to draw the other party's attention.

However, the officer's reaction was completely unexpected.

The police officer's face hardened, and his eyes even showed a hint of impatience and subtle rejection.

He sized Lin Xiuyi up and down a few times, then said in a stiff tone, "The case of the notice of the exhibition hall is handled by our Third Investigation Division! Don't think that just because you're a student, you can enter the scene without permission from the head of the Third Investigation Division, or even if you're a colleague from another division!"

"These are the rules! Please understand and cooperate, and do not obstruct us from performing our duties!"

These words were spoken with absolute certainty, leaving no room for negotiation.

Clearly, the Third Investigation Division considers this matter their own territory and strongly resists the involvement of other departments or even outsiders.

Lin Xiuyi met with a tough challenge and had no choice but to retreat. He returned to Tomizawa Chikage and Ikenami Shizuka's side and shook his head: "No, the Third Division is very wary and won't let us in. They said this is their case and outsiders are not allowed to interfere."

Upon hearing this, Tomizawa Chikage's anxiety intensified, but he was at a loss for what to do.

She can't just jump out now and say, "I am Lady Thief, I'm going in to see who's impersonating me," can she?

That's practically walking into a trap.

Ikeba Shizuka stood aside and watched all of this.

Seeing Lin Xiuyi run into a wall, the awkwardness she felt because of her previous attitude seemed to be replaced by a more complex emotion.

Seeing the undisguised urgency and worry on Lin Xiuyi and Tomizawa Chikage's faces, and considering the seriousness of the matter, they realized that this was a serious matter.

After hesitating for a moment, Ikeba Shizuka suddenly bit her lower lip. While Hayashi Hideichi and Tomizawa Chikage were still whispering and not paying attention to her, she quietly turned around, squeezed out of the crowd, and found an old-fashioned public telephone booth not far away.

Insert coins, dial. The call connected quickly. "Hello, Uncle Gangsi, it's me," Ikeba Shizuka said in a low voice.

"Jinghua? Why are you calling at this hour? What happened?" A calm yet slightly surprised voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Uncle, I'm at the festival exhibition hall right now," Shizuka Ikenami said quickly. "I wanted to go in and see the scene of the Phantom Thief Lady's Announcement, but I was stopped by the officers from the Third Investigation Division. They were very firm. Uncle, could you... think of a way?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Ikenami Takeshi's voice, filled with even greater surprise: "A notice from the exhibition hall? Isn't that the work of the Third Investigation Division? Shizuka, when did you start caring about theft cases?"

He knew his niece well; she had never been interested in criminal cases, especially petty theft cases.

He seemed to realize what he had just said, and his voice carried a hint of understanding and amusement.

"Oh, I see. You're not concerned about the case, you're asking for my help because of that kid Lin Xiuyi, right?"

"What, that kid's interested in theft cases again?"

"Uncle Gangsi!"

Chibo Jinghua's face flushed slightly after her secret was exposed, and her tone unconsciously took on a hint of coquettishness.
"I...I didn't do it specifically for him! I just...it's just because that Phantom Thief Lady is too arrogant. She sent out a notice in advance, completely disregarding the people of Osaka!"

"Shouldn't the police and citizens of Osaka unite and cooperate to solve the case as soon as possible and safeguard Osaka's reputation at a time like this?"

She tried to make her reasons sound plausible, attempting to cover up her own selfish motives.

When Ikenami Takeshi listened to his niece's words on the other end of the phone, which were clearly emotional yet forced to remain rational, he almost burst out laughing.

"Things aren't as simple as you think. Each department has its own responsibilities and authority. Although the Third Investigation Division is my subordinate, sometimes I can't forcefully interfere in the cases they're in charge of..."

As he spoke, his tone suddenly shifted, carrying a hint of helplessness and resignation.

"Never mind. That kid Lin Xiuyi did help a lot in the Mito family case, so I owe him a favor. Just wait for my news."

"Yes! I'm glad you're willing to help!" Hearing her uncle agree, Ikeba Shizuka was overjoyed, and her tone became much lighter. "Thank you, Uncle!"

"Alright, stop with that."

Although Takeshi Ikenami said that, he was secretly pleased, but he immediately reminded him in a serious tone,

"But Jinghua, there's something I need to remind you. Aren't you a little too concerned about that kid?"

"I noticed there were quite a few pretty girls around him... none of them were easy to deal with."

"That kid doesn't seem like the type to stay put. If you really have feelings for him, you'll probably have a lot of trouble later on, having to be on guard against him being snatched away by other women every day..."

"Uncle Gangsi!"

Chibo Jinghua's face flushed red instantly, both ashamed and annoyed. She quickly interrupted her uncle.
"What nonsense are you talking about! I don't have any romantic feelings for him! I just... I just think he's smart, capable, and his personality is... pretty good too. I wish he could be my younger brother!"

"Heh, isn't that how all relationships between older women and younger men start..." Takeshi Ikebab muttered to himself on the other end of the phone, with a hint of a seasoned veteran's teasing.

"uncle!!"

This time, Ikeba Shizuka was truly enraged. Forgetting all politeness, she slammed down the phone in a fit of shame and anger! (End of Chapter)