Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 178 The Unlucky Killer

Flowing water has no shape, and drifting wind leaves no trace.

The timeline in the Conan world is unpredictable.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

After returning to Tokyo from Hokkaido, Gao Mo rarely went out, and his mental state seemed off.

That day, Gao Mo, who was deeply studying cooking, was dragged out shopping by Xiao Ai.

"That's really strange, how did it suddenly become so calm?"

Riding his scooter slowly through the streets, Gao Mo subconsciously observed every passerby, only to be overtaken by one car after another.

The sirens of police cars still echo daily in Beika Town, but the number of murders has decreased significantly.

Not only him, but the probability of the mustachioed neighbor getting involved in the incident has also decreased significantly, and he no longer inexplicably gets involved in more cases like before.

It seems like Death has started his vacation again.

"Isn't peace good?"

Ai is wearing a helmet and sitting in the back.

"It's a good opportunity to give your brain cells a rest. If you overuse your brain, you might end up bald like the professor."

"It's quite difficult to become like a PhD."

Gao Mo felt nothing and continued driving at a constant speed.

He had, after all, entered the realm of the extraordinary; with the body of an immortal and the talent that only grew stronger with age, he was getting stronger every moment…

Unless he's like Saitama from One-Punch Man, he really can't figure out how he could have gone bald.

He doesn't care about overusing his brain; anyway, he's been studying and studying all this time at home, and he's practically worn out the books he's using for projectors.

Assassin's Combination skill leveled up to 4 without any actual combat experience, becoming the 8th level 4 ability after Magic.

Cooking and gourmet skills have been upgraded to level 2, but medicine is still stuck at level 2 with no progress.

[Extraordinary Ability: Eagle Vision, Seeing Through the World]

[Professional Talents: Quick to get into character, enduring strength with age, expert in disguise, leader of children, photographic memory, logical reasoning, flashes of inspiration, human voice changer, special effects makeup, mental fortitude, magic hand, magic eye, imitation, magic mechanisms]

[Book Abilities: Reasoning Lv4, Makeup Lv4, Shooting Lv4, Voice Changing Lv4, Acting Lv4, Treasure Appraisal Lv4, Magic Lv4, Assassin (General) Lv4, Medicine Lv2, Gourmet Lv2, Cooking Lv2]

剑术lv0（lv4），空手道lv0（lv2），柔道lv0（lv2）】

[Storage Pool: 30 Stars]

[Occupations: Detective lv5, Actor lv4, Magician lv2, Librarian lv1]

……

The 4-star book, "Pu Siqinglan's Assassin's Guide," disappeared from the panel shortly after I obtained it and mastered it completely.

"Recently, the police have discovered the whereabouts of the notorious killer Silver Fox, who is suspected of operating in Beika Town..."

News reports were being broadcast on televisions in shops along the street.

Gao Mo stopped his scooter and noticed that the shopping street had started another lucky draw.

Unlike previous pinball events, this time it's a lucky bag lottery.

"We were lucky; we arrived at just the right time."

"Good luck?" Ai raised an eyebrow.

Having finally managed to get out of the house, Gao Mo was itching to get his hands dirty again.

He doesn't have many hobbies, and the shopping street lottery is one of the few.

Even if I only win a consolation prize, I'll still be happy; it'll be a way to get rid of bad luck.

Shopping street sidewalk.

A motorcyclist in a leather jacket watched the crowds coming and going in the shopping street, his sharp eyes beneath his helmet radiating a chilling aura, like a wolf searching for its prey.

The driver quickly spotted an old man queuing to pay with Gao Mo at the store counter.

He twirled the throwing knife in his hand, only to find that Gao Mo was always blocking the old man's way, and he couldn't find an angle to strike.

"The damn thing."

The driver frowned.

As a seasoned bounty hunter, he rarely makes a second move; he almost always hits the mark with a single strike and then immediately escapes.

He stared intently at the store, finally waiting for the old man to come out, only to be blocked by Gao Mo.

I tried changing positions but still couldn't find the right angle to shoot.

Damn!

"Ok?"

Gao Mo sensed the killing intent.

A cold malice far stronger than that of ordinary citizens.

A professional assassin?
As an assassin with a combined level 4, he is more sensitive to killing intent, and even if the driver is well hidden, he can still identify him from the crowd at a glance.

Hiding their heads and tails, and occupying convenient evacuation routes, it's hard not to notice them.

"What's wrong?" Ai asked, looking up in confusion.

"It's nothing, let's line up for the lottery first."

Gao Mo pretended not to see the driver, but only observed him briefly through the reflection in the mirror. He quickly found the driver's target - the old man in front of him.

This could also drag him into it...

Gao Mo smiled.

I'm back; that familiar feeling.

It's really strange not being affected by malicious attacks for a month.

We still need to go out more.

but……

Is it appropriate for someone to start as a professional assassin?

Gao Mo glanced at the old man in front of him who seemed completely unaware of the danger, wondering how such an ordinary citizen could be targeted by a professional assassin.

The shopping street is bustling with people, and innocent bystanders could easily be affected.

Like him.

Not all assassins only kill their targets. The fact that the driver showed murderous intent towards him indicates that he has lost patience and will even take care of those around him.

"Y-you're here?" The event staff member made eye contact with Ai and swallowed hard.

A month later, the lottery maniac has reappeared.

This kid always wins the grand prize or first prize; his winnings are always snatched away before the event even starts.

It's one thing if it happens a few times, but doing it repeatedly...

"Ahem," the event staff member wiped his sweat and said with a dry laugh, "This isn't a lottery, it's just a lucky bag event."

"I know." Xiao Ai drooped her eyelids and took the lucky bag without even looking at it.

She had lost interest in lotteries; they brought no benefit other than attracting unnecessary attention.

As for the prizes...

Kido Detective Agency isn't short of those things now.

The funds in the account have been accumulating more and more. Apart from taking a portion to support the magic troupe a few days ago, Gao Mo has entrusted all the rest to her for management. Her usual expenses can also be reimbursed from the account—although she doesn't spend much money.

The research lab was also sponsored by the Kudo family, so there were very few extra expenses.

In her past life, she loved buying handbags, but now she feels it's all just a fleeting illusion.

If it weren't for Gao Mo, who was like family to her, she wouldn't even have the will to live and would have died long ago at the Princess of Izu Hotel.

"Movie pass?" Xiao Ai glanced casually at the prizes in the lucky bag and was about to return to Gao Mo's side when she suddenly sensed a terrifying aura.

Even for just a moment, the sky seemed to darken.

At the same time, the long-waiting riders took action, abandoning the long-distance knife throwing technique and riding their motorcycles through the streets. With a cold face, they extended one hand, the blade flashing with a cold light.

Xiao Ai's eyes narrowed sharply as she stared intently at the approaching driver, her blood seemingly freezing. She wanted to shout in alarm, but Gao Mo pulled her behind him.

The driver remained expressionless, looking at Gao Mo and the old man as if they were dead.

He has completed countless similar tasks, and occasionally he will kill an extra passerby for fun, just like now.

It's just killing someone, simpler than slaughtering a pig, and might even disrupt the police investigation.

"You only have yourself to blame for being unlucky."

The driver grinned at Xiao Ai behind Gao Mo and then suddenly drew his knife and attacked.

However, perhaps because he was too focused on his target, the rider failed to notice a puddle that appeared ahead, and the motorcycle, which he was controlling with one hand, unexpectedly lost its balance. "Boom!"

A faint rumble of thunder could be heard in the sky.

The rider's eyes widened as he slid along the ground with his motorcycle, his head and helmet slamming into the roadside steps. The dagger, which was supposed to slice through Gao Mo's neck and kill his target, instead pierced his own chest at an unbelievable angle.

How could this be?
The driver, his vision blurred and struggling to breathe, managed to make out the panicked crowd and spot Gao Mo, who remained calm amidst it all.

The indifferent gaze seemed to have anticipated this scene, and it even gave him a sense of being on the same side.

How did you do it?
"Kido?" Ai looked at the driver who was unwilling to die, and then suddenly looked up at Gao Mo as if she had just realized something.

I had the same feeling when the old monk from Shanni Temple died last time.

"Let's go back."

Gao Mo gently shook his head.

He only released his aura for a moment, and the unknown assassin immediately became the scapegoat.

This is enough to show how much Death wanted to get rid of him.

The faster the unknown assassin dies, the more dangerous his situation becomes.

Ai looked back at the surrounded drivers, opened her mouth but suppressed her doubts.

Regardless of what happened, she always trusted Gao Mo.

Even if Gao Mo's way of avoiding death's pursuit was to find a scapegoat, she could accept it—Gao Mo had a kind heart and wouldn't harm innocent people.

"The lucky bag contains movie tickets, which can be used to watch movies all day at the cinema, and can be redeemed for up to 10 people."

Ai put her helmet back on and got back on the little motorcycle.

"There's a movie coming out this weekend, how about we go see 'Einstein's Glory and Troubles'?"

"Which movie theater would show this kind of film?" Gao Mo almost lost his grip on the handle. "You can just buy the videotapes and watch it yourself from now on."

I thought you would like it.

Ai blinked.

"Didn't you spend a month repeatedly reading science magazines?"

"That's different..."

Gao Mo then realized that the magazines he had been using as the projection medium for the past month were all subscribed to by Xiao Ai.

All the papers were incomprehensible English, and he couldn't even be bothered to take notes.

There's so much to learn, and you'll definitely waste your energy on academic stuff—it's a bottomless pit.

"Ugh——!"

The police acted swiftly; shortly after Gao Mo left, Inspector Megure arrived at the scene with a team from nearby.

The recent appearances of the assassin Silver Fox have caused quite a stir, with several people already killed by his unique throwing knife technique. At this critical juncture, any death similar to this has garnered special attention.

"Have you found out the identity of the deceased?"

"Officer, it seems like he's using a fake identity. This guy is suspicious."

Police officers at the scene speculated.

"Could it be that Silver Fox betrayed him? The knife that pierced his chest was definitely Silver Fox's, and it was a fatal blow, the method was quite ruthless... There shouldn't be anyone else but Silver Fox."

"This guy is Silver Fox!"

The old man, covered in sweat, stared in fear as the rider removed his helmet, his eyes filled with terror as he was targeted by the driver.

“I saw him make a move! Yes, it was him! I could never forget that face. He definitely wanted to kill me, and then something happened…”

"He's Silver Fox?" Inspector Megure felt like he was hearing a joke. "You mean Silver Fox committed suicide before he could kill you?"

"This... I don't know what happened either," the old man said, equally confused. "Maybe it was a mistake?"

"Silver Fox made a mistake?"

Megure touched his nose strangely.

It seems like this is the only explanation.

A professional killer who dies like that... is really unlucky.

……

Kido Detective Agency.

Gao Mo had no idea who the driver was, and he quickly forgot about it, taking out the ingredients he had bought from the store to prepare a meal.

With a lv2 cooking skill, one is already qualified to become a head chef in a regular restaurant. In addition, with a lv2 gourmet skill, one is much better than an ordinary chef.

Now, except for breakfast, Ai waits for Gao Mo to feed her at other times.

In a way, Gao Mo brought this trouble upon himself, but who told him to raise his Gourmet Level?

A gourmet is another way of saying a foodie.

Foodies with high standards will take matters into their own hands—unless they have absolutely no talent for cooking.

"It smells so good! We've come at just the right time; we're really hungry."

Heiji Hattori dragged his luggage into the entrance hall, acting as if he were back in his own home.

"Kido-kun, when did you hire a chef?"

"I am."

Gao Mo walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron and saw Osaka Black Chicken's suitcase and Kazuha greeting Professor Agasa outside. He couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his eye.

It seems like they're planning to stay for an extended period.

Do high school students these days not need to go to school?

He didn't dislike Osaka Black Chicken, but he had a headache because of Osaka Black Chicken, who was his childhood sweetheart.

Without a childhood sweetheart, he found her particularly annoying.

"Why did you all come here?" Gao Mo, wanting to avoid getting involved, returned to the kitchen. "Didn't I say I didn't have time to entertain you?"

"No need for Kido-san to entertain us, it's not like this is our first time in Tokyo."

Hattori Heiji followed him into the kitchen with a look of surprise.

"Besides, the main reason for this trip is to see Sakonji's solo magic show. That guy has been using the Shikotsuhara case to ride the wave of popularity lately, and he's basically absorbed all of the Illusionary Magic Troupe's popularity..."

As he spoke, Hattori Heiji stared at Gao Mo's chef-like back.

"When did you learn this skill, Kido-kun? I remember last time when it was just the two of us, we were forced to eat instant noodles all day."

"So I also learned to cook."

Gao Mo's hand trembled, and he accidentally added an extra spoonful of sugar.

"Would you like to give it a try?"

"No need, is it?" Hattori Heiji retreated dejectedly. "I have absolutely no interest in cooking... Kido-kun, do you usually add sugar like this?"

"Detectives need to replenish their sugar levels, so this dish is what I prepared for you."

"..."

Heiji Hattori suddenly lost the idea of ​​getting a free meal.

"The magic show is at the stadium this weekend. I heard tickets are hard to come by. If you want to go, Kido-kun, you can ask me for my ticket. I don't know what Sakonji was thinking, but he specially invited us."

"I'm going to see a movie this weekend."

Gao Mo didn't even turn his head.

He didn't want to watch Sakonji commit suicide.

"Going to the movies?" Hattori Heiji asked, surprised. "With whom? Going to the movies alone?"

He heard that the eldest daughter of the Suzuki family liked Gao Mo, but it seemed to be unrequited love.

Having known him for so long, he had never seen Gao Mo go on a date with anyone.

Shaking his head, Hattori Heiji didn't ask any more questions, but continued to talk about Sakonji: "I heard that Hokkaido has launched another investigation into the case from 5 years ago, but unfortunately they still couldn't find any evidence of Sakonji's murder. The other parties involved were also murdered, but the fact that he tampered with the ceiling couldn't be used as evidence."

"By the way, that Kirishima Junpei's real name was actually Takato Yoichi. He's currently being held in Asahikawa Detention Center. He seems to have really forgotten his hatred, only asking a few questions about Sakonji's magic show..."

“I feel something’s not right. That guy doesn’t seem like someone who would forgive Sakonji so easily. I have a feeling something’s going to happen.”

Hattori Heiji's expression turned serious, revealing a hint of distress and wariness.

"Takato Yoichi is definitely not that simple, but I can't figure out what he could do... Could he have accomplices?"

"Ready to eat."

Gao Mo didn't want to continue discussing this topic.

We can't exactly send him to rescue Sakonji, can we?
(End of this chapter)