Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 106 Hattori Heiji: Death Dealer

"Boom boom boom!"

Mermaid Island.

shrine.

The evening ceremony was held as scheduled, and the booming sound of drums echoed throughout the island.

The death of Saori Kadowaki cast a lot of shadows on the island, but at the same time the mermaid legend seemed more real and mysterious. Instead of being deserted, the festival scene attracted more attention.

The atmosphere of prayer reached its peak.

Adults, children... the fence was crowded with people. With the passionate beating of drums, people were nervous, excited, thrilled and a little scared... The mixed emotions turned into shouts.

The Fukui Prefecture police who came to handle the case were unable to leave the island due to the increasing wind and waves at sea, and were temporarily responsible for security work outside the shrine.

"It's really lively. Only one person died, but no one seems to take it seriously." The middle-aged policeman in charge looked at the islanders who were concentrating on the ceremony with emotion.

Perhaps because he had been dealing with murders for a long time, he had no interest in such mysterious legends.

He was the one who handled the charred corpse case three years ago.

The corpse of an ordinary middle-aged woman was forcibly transformed into a mermaid.

"Because everyone thought it was an accident, and the father and daughter from that family were not very popular on the island."

Hattori brought Kazuha, who never left his side, to the festival.

"Officer, have you found any clues?"

"What clues can there be? It's just an accident," the middle-aged policeman muttered subconsciously, turning back cautiously, "Who are you?"

"I'm the detective hired by the deceased. We were supposed to meet on the island today."

Hattori Heiji opened an email on his phone.

"Because at first, I didn't intend to pay attention to what she said about being cursed by mermaids, but soon she called again, crying and saying that she would be killed by mermaids..."

Hattori Heiji glanced at his childhood friend who was hugging him tightly.

Seriously, who had to run over here before?

Are you scared now?

"A mermaid curse?" The middle-aged policeman frowned as he read the email. "Did she specify what it was?"

"No," Hattori Heiji said, looking towards the festival scene, "but I asked someone, and I heard it's because he lost the dugong arrow he won last year, and he's been worried about revenge from the mermaids lately."

The middle-aged police officer's forehead twitched. He returned the phone to Hattori Heiji with a look of impatience on his face: "Don't report this kind of thing."

What detectives? They're just two high school kids who like to join in the fun.

He even believed in things like the mermaid curse.

"Don't try to be a detective. This was just an accident. There's no mermaid revenge or curse!"

Hattori Heiji was sent away like a child, but he didn't care.

He just wanted to get information from the police.

"It seems we have to treat it as an accident."

The scene did look like an accident, but why did he feel something was wrong?
Hattori Heiji was confused and thinking, but the full and tight feeling on his arm brought him back to his senses and he couldn't concentrate at all.

A barely perceptible red appeared on his dark face.

"How long are you going to hold me? It was you who insisted on coming, and now it's you who's saying you want to leave... Besides, you can't leave now."

"Because something is wrong."

He Ye, who was always full of energy, unexpectedly had tears in his eyes. He had never been so scared before.

"I always feel like you, Heiji... Anyway, from now on, you are not allowed to leave my side."

"You're so annoying, let go, this is so weird."

"No! What's so strange about that?"

The quarrel between the young couple was heard at the front along with the sound of the festival drums.

Gao Mo turned his gaze away from the ceremony and looked back at Hattori Heiji who was being held tightly by Heye Li.

Hattori Heiji - [Something's wrong with this island] and [What's going on with Kadowaki Saori?].

Toyama Kazuha - [May Heiji be safe and sound].

This Osaka black chicken is really lucky.

A childhood sweetheart's romance, pure and sweet, only a virgin could come up with it, right? 73 Lao Zei must have been a virgin when he conceived it.

In his past life, most of his memories were of childhood sweethearts who were unable to resist the fate of being together with their first love. Just like Xiao Hu's old classmates, how many of them could remain the same?

Time will change people beyond recognition...

Of course, if he could also develop a childhood sweetheart relationship, he wouldn't mind experiencing it.

Unfortunately not.

Whether it was in the past life or now...

"what?"

Hattori Heiji keenly noticed Gao Mo in the crowd.

Unlike other people who attended the festival, Gao Mo did not fit in at all with the festival atmosphere and seemed out of place compared to the people around him.

I can't see his face because of the fox mask, but he still feels inexplicably familiar.

just like……

"Heiji," Kazuha observed in amazement by the firelight, "that man is as dark as you!"

"..."

"Both of you."

Gao Mo did not avoid Hattori and the other man. In fact, compared to Shimabukuro Kimie, he was more concerned about these two uninvited guests who were tainted with the aura of death.

"I'm not interested in drawing lots. Do you want these two numbers?" Gao Mo took out the two number plates left by Shimabukuro June.

It is said that an elderly couple was in a hurry to leave Mermaid Island one morning and returned to the shrine.

"Maybe you can get one. 5000 yen each."

"5000? Why don't you just go and rob it?"

Hattori Heiji was very upset.

It turned out to be a death dealer.

"Don't think I don't know, it's only 5 yen per shrine, you idiot..."

"There are only two left now, and you and your girlfriend each get one," Gao Mo said, as if to leave. "Do you want one? If not, I'll give it to someone else. The drawing will start soon."

"want!"

hateful!

Hattori Heiji gritted his teeth and looked at Kazuha, who was hugging her tighter with an expectant look on her face.

Women are really strange.

He took out his wallet and paid for the number plate unhappily. The depressed feeling of being ripped off made Hattori feel like a huge stone was blocking his heart.

"Hey, Kazuha, aren't you afraid of being cursed by the mermaid like Kadowaki Saori?"

"Why should you be afraid?" He Ye held the number plate tightly. "I heard from the people on the island that drawing lots is a blessing ceremony that started a long time ago, equivalent to seeking a talisman. Miss Saori was cursed by the mermaid because she lost her talisman...

"If we can get the amulet, we won't be afraid!"

"Idiot, how can it be so easy to win the lottery? Only three people are drawn every year," Hattori Heiji said dismissively. "Besides, if there really is a curse, what good would it do to draw an arrow?"

"But everyone says that dugong arrows have magical powers..."

"The longevity lady is out!"

There was a sudden shout from the front of the crowd.

As the two clergymen in white robes opened the paper door, the old lady in formal attire with her white hair hanging down to the ground and her back to the crowd turned around.

Not only is she good at disguise, Shimabukuro Kimie is also extremely good at acting. Her every move does not make it possible to tell that she is a young woman in her prime.

"Is this the longevity woman?" Hattori Heiji was attracted by the longevity woman holding a long torch. "She's just an old woman with heavy makeup..."

"boom!"

The blazing torches caught everyone's attention.

The mysterious drum sounded again, and the paper door ignited into flames as the longevity lady moved, burning out three Chinese characters for the number plates one after another.

One of them happened to be one of the two wooden numbers.

There is no such thing as a lottery?
It's basically chosen in advance.

Gao Mo, wearing a fox mask, stared at the figure of the longevity lady as she slowly retreated.

Shimabukuro Kimie——[Fulfill her mother's last wish].

(End of this chapter)