Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 236 Sonoko's 13th Operation

Perhaps influenced by the murder of the legislator, police sirens sounded more frequently on the streets that day than usual.

Music bar.

Gin's hat brim was low, casting a shadow over his eyes. He sat with a cigarette in his mouth for a long time without saying a word, and his expression was not visible.

The wound on his left cheek had already been treated and covered with a large bandage, making the usually cold-blooded Gin look somewhat comical. However, Vodka next to him dared not laugh at all and could only force himself to turn his head away.

Just now, an outsider of the organization almost got sentenced to death for taking a second look.

"This singer's voice is always so beautiful, no matter when."

Vermouth, dressed as a waiter, handed him two cocktails.

"No wonder you guys always like to meet here."

Gin glanced up slightly, his long, wavy hair cascading down his chest, and looked at Vermouth's goddess-like face. His voice was indifferent: "If a big star like you is seen with us, aren't you worried?"

"Hehe, the other audience members seem to be engrossed in her singing too, how could they possibly notice me?"

Vermouth casually tossed her long hair, her gaze sweeping over Gin's left cheek.

"But you are quite a surprise. This is the first time I've seen you injured in so many years. Is the FBI really that powerful?"

"Shuichi Akai is indeed formidable, but he wasn't the one who hurt me this time."

Gin lit another cigarette, his tone flat yet carrying a chilling undertone.

"If you can, please help me find out who he is..."

“I don’t want to deal with those FBI agents,” Vermouth said with a playful smile. “Besides Shuichi Akai, there are other FBI agents who elicit this reaction from you. That’s really scary.”

“I’ve always been like this,” Gin frowned, continuing to pull his hat brim down. “But you, coming to Japan all of a sudden, it’s not for that old man Pisco, is it? The boss would never let you do something like that.”

“Yes,” Vodka chimed in, “Is there anything in Japan that attracts you? There doesn’t seem to be any mission that requires you to make a special trip there.”

"Well... it's a secret. Keeping it a secret is what makes a woman beautiful."

Vermouth gently swirled her glass, barely glancing at the vodka, but instead leaned closer to the gin.

"How's tonight? It's been a while since I've made a martini."

"It's disgusting."

Gin, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, got up from his seat and walked straight out of the karaoke bar.

He has no interest in this woman now.

"I'm going to get some air."

"What's this 'mixed martini'?" Vodka asked, completely bewildered.

Why can't I understand what you're saying?

"Oh dear, didn't you know? Gin and vermouth mixed together make a martini."

Vermouth watched Gin's retreating figure silently.

"Alright, I need to get started now. Goodbye."

"A mix of gin and vermouth?" Vodka muttered, ignoring Vermouth. "How does it taste? I'll have a martini!"

"call!"

Unlike the warmth inside the karaoke bar, the melting snow on the street made it feel cold even with a scarf wrapped around my neck, with cold air constantly seeping into my clothes.

Gin took a deep breath of cold air, and his mind became much clearer.

Just then, several couples passed by outside. The couple in front, bickering, were a young couple from Osaka, while the group behind them was rather odd.

Two high school girls, a young man, and a primary school student?

"Ran, is the sweater that this bespectacled kid is wearing the same one as Dr. Araide's?" Sonoko noticed Conan's new sweater.

"I borrowed a sweater from Dr. Araide to knit it," Ran said with a smile. "Because I wasn't very good at knitting, it took me a long time, and I even asked my mom to teach me. I also made one for Conan while I was at it."

"Is this a sweater you're knitting for your boyfriend?" Sonoko teased. "Can you teach me too?"

Conan, blushing, followed Ran. Suddenly, his expression changed, and his body stiffened as if struck by lightning.

"Don't turn around." Gao Mo ruffled Conan's hair.

He noticed Gin the moment he appeared; even with his Psychic Sphere active, he could sense danger.

He really didn't expect to run into Gin on the road.

If Conan reacts too strongly, it will definitely attract attention.

"That's why I said we shouldn't keep everything a secret," Gao Mo said, as he and Conan were left alone at the back after they were out of Gin's sight. "Have you thought about how this would put Ran at great risk?"

From her perspective, Shinichi Kudo being alive isn't something that can't be discussed. If an organization member happened to be near her, what do you think would happen?

Conan silently turned and looked back at the karaoke bar.

"If you really like Xiaolan, you should trust her. Why do you think that knowing the truth will cause trouble?" Gao Mo still felt it was better to be honest.

It was unnecessary to drag things out until a bunch of people found out the truth while Ran remained completely in the dark.

Would Ran kill Conan if she knew the truth?
"I will talk to her at the appropriate time."

Conan sighed and made a decision, then asked in confusion.

"Was that the qin bar? Your face looks injured?"

"It's just a minor scratch."

Gao Mo sensed intense malice from Gin, like the eve of a volcanic eruption, but this time it was directed at his assassin persona.

It's just a minor injury, yet the reaction is so strong.

Conan looked up at Gao Mo in a daze, thinking about Gao Mo's attendance at the memorial service and his involvement in the organization's assassination attempt.

Did a conflict occur?

Impossible. Given his low-key and laid-back personality, it was already incredibly bold of him to go to the memorial service.

Moreover, as a detective, I wouldn't get into a fight with them.

Detectives rely on intelligence, unlike the movie "City Detective" where they directly fight criminal organizations with guns.

"What are you talking about?" Hattori Heiji noticed what was happening behind him and stared at Conan suspiciously. "Kido-kun, why do you seem to be on such good terms with this kid? Could it be that you're a spy planted next door?"

Because of Gao Mo's appearance, Osaka Kuroki still hasn't discovered Conan's identity, but he feels that Conan is much more mature and intelligent than normal children.

"What undercover agent?"

Sonoko and Ran were chatting enthusiastically about knitting sweaters, and even Kazuha joined in, her little face flushed.

Kazuha, who is stubborn but soft-hearted, always likes to argue with Hattori, but in her heart she is thinking about knitting a sweater for Hattori by hand, and her ears follow Hattori along with her.

"Nothing, nothing," Hattori laughed off the girls' attention. "So, how much longer do we have to walk?"

"It'll be there soon."

"I originally wanted Xiaolan's dad to take us, but that uncle said it was too cold and he didn't want to go out, and since there were so many of us, we might as well take the bus..."

The surrounding scenery became increasingly familiar, as if pulling Conan back to the moment he shrunk.

At that time, he chased Gin and Vodka out of the tropical park, and was accidentally hit on the head by Gin from behind, and then fed that drug.

"Tropical Paradise?"

Hattori stood at the entrance of the amusement park, where people were coming and going.

"This seems to be the place where Shinichi Kudo solved the roller coaster incident, right? His last case before he disappeared..."

“I already said Shinichi isn’t missing,” Ran said helplessly. “He’s just stuck with a troublesome case.”

"What kind of case involves someone who doesn't even show their face?" Hattori raised an eyebrow. "Have you seen him again since then?"

"Of course there is..."

"Ran-neechan," Conan interrupted hurriedly, "I need to use the restroom, hurry up and go in!"

"That kid is always causing trouble."

Sonoko took out a map to find the location.

"The ice rink we're going to is over there in the square, don't get lost."

"It feels like it's been ages since I've been here," Xiaolan said nostalgically.

"It hasn't been long, has it?" Sonoko said enviously. "You always came to play with Shinichi before, but this time you finally came with me. Later, you can teach that kid how to ice skate, and I'll teach Kido-san... Sonoko's 13th Operation Plan is activated!" "..."

Xiaolan looked at her energetic best friend with a wry smile.

It's rare to see Sonoko so determined and persistent.

"You haven't given up yet?"

“Of course,” Sonoko said, clasping her hands and staring at Gao Mo in the queue ahead of her. “You have the patience to wait for your husband to come back, so what’s a little bit of this to me? Watch me, I’m incredibly strong now, I can handle this with ease!”

"is it?"

Xiao Lan had a slight sweat on her forehead.

My best friend always talks a big game, but she's actually a complete novice when it comes to love. She's all talk and no action, and she chickens out as soon as she's around Kido.

But it's all good, it's better than being constantly cheated on by scumbags like before.

"Teach me how to ice skate?" After changing into his skates inside the park, Gao Mo turned around and realized that only the park was left beside him.

The huge open-air ice rink was packed with people, and for a moment he couldn't find anyone else.

"Y-yes," Sonoko stammered nervously, "Didn't Kido-nii say he couldn't skate? I-I'm really good at it, although I wouldn't call myself a skating expert..."

"Step aside!"

Suddenly, a woman's scream came from behind Yuanzi. A young woman wearing a light-colored wool coat was skating in a panic, seemingly not knowing how to stop, and crashed into Gao Mo and the other person.

"Get out of the way!"

Sonoko was stunned and didn't react in time. Before she knew it, Gao Mo gently pulled her back, revealing Conan, who had come to her from behind with his hands in his pockets.

? !
Conan had no time to dodge and bumped right into the young woman.

"Conan!" Ran rushed to Conan's side in a few quick leaps. "Are you alright?"

"it hurts!"

Conan once again felt the sorrow of his small stature.

The impact nearly sent him flying, and his head was buzzing.

"What are you doing?" Sonoko snapped out of her daze, her anger flaring. "How can you skate like that?"

"They didn't do it on purpose."

The young woman was dressed fashionably, with medium-length curly hair, looking like a delicate little princess.

Chihiro Itami, 27 years old, daughter of an entrepreneur.

"Kangzhi, come help me up!"

A handsome man in a suit with thick eyebrows darted closer: "Honestly, you're not even good at running, and you're so fast..."

"You should really tone it down a bit, shouldn't you?" A beautiful woman in a long black coat frowned in disgust. "You're almost 30, and you're still acting like a little girl to attract attention. There's a limit to how spoiled a young lady can be!"

Sano Izumi, 28 years old, working professional.

"That's too much!" Chihiro Itami said angrily. "Why do you always say that to me? Do you dislike me?"

"You're the one who went too far! Apologize to them right now!" Sano Izumi was furious at the young lady in front of her. "What if the child gets hurt..."

"I am fine."

Conan took a breath.

Fortunately, he was quite resilient; although his body shrank, he was no longer a fragile child.

but……

Conan looked resentfully at Gao Mo, who had just stepped aside.

Why is he always the one who gets hurt?
"I'm sorry, Chihiro is like that," the handsome man in the suit apologized to Ran and Conan with a wry smile. "Are you two really alright?"

Misawa Koji, 29 years old, bank employee.

"Huh?" Chihiro Itami, who had been helped up, suddenly noticed Gao Mo's familiar face and exclaimed in surprise, "Aren't you...that Kido Gao Mo? The big star!"

“You’ve mistaken me for someone else,” Gao Mo said, avoiding the gazes of the tourists who had been drawn to him. “I’m not a celebrity.”

"Stop lying," Itami Chihiro leaned closer and stared intently at Komo, "You're Kido Komo, I used to be your fan, I would never mistake you... You're even more handsome than before, why did you retire from the entertainment industry?"

It's better if you don't become my fan.

Gao Mo thought to himself, "This is what I'm complaining about."

The fans he encountered, apart from Xiaolan, all seemed to be quite eccentric.

This woman who's trying to act cute doesn't seem much better either.

"Are you here to ice skate too? Let's go together! There's a fireworks show at 7 pm tonight..."

Chihiro Itami reached for Gao Mo's arm like she had caught prey, but Sonoko blocked her advances.

"I still need to teach Kido-san how to ice skate, so I won't be with you guys."

"And who are you?" Itami Chihiro turned to Sonoko with displeasure, her high school student's cute and innocent appearance making Sonoko feel a pang of jealousy.

Hmph, what a nuisance brat.

"Chihiro, don't cause them any trouble!"

A short-haired, melancholic-looking handsome man wearing a windbreaker appeared behind Chihiro Itami, appearing to be taciturn and reserved.

"You're not young anymore, don't always act like you used to."

Oda Kuniyoshi, 29 years old, firefighter.

"What? I'm only 27 years old. You're making it sound like I'm old."

Chihiro Itami muttered something, but didn't bother Gao Mo anymore. She stuck out her tongue and turned her head away.

"Of all the people, you're the most annoying, Oda. You're always so gloomy and your words are unpleasant. The key thing is that you're different from us. You're the only exception."

"What exception?"

"Oh well, I won't tell you!"

The group left noisily, leaving Xiaolan and the others looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Are these people friends?" Sonoko asked uncertainly.

"Probably, maybe a classmate or something," Ran said, holding Conan's hand.

Gao Mo narrowed his eyes slightly.

He no longer needs to specifically look for scapegoats. Unless he is directly exposed to death, he doesn't need to worry about the aura of death, nor will he bring death to the outside world.

However, there was a strong sense of death about these people.

Rules of death are being conceived, and it's unknown who will be killed.

After a pause, Gao Mo did not choose to chase after them.

Sometimes he also has a headache.

If someone is about to be killed, should you stop them or not?

He generally doesn't have any thoughts about people who aren't close to him, because if they're destined to die, there's no point in saving them, and if they're not destined to die, there's no need for him to save them.

If mainstream detectives, especially Conan, knew what he was thinking, I wonder how they would view him, and his image would probably collapse... So it's better to just ignore it.

The same applies to handling the aftermath.

"Ugh, it's getting dark so quickly," Sonoko said, glancing at the sky. "Kido-nii, let's hurry up and learn to ice skate."

"I can just do it myself."

Gao Mo didn't feel that ice skating was that difficult.

In just a short while, the notes projector had even recorded ice skating level 0, an amateur level.

It's just ice skating, no need for professional level.

Without performing any high-difficulty moves, his current physical condition is good enough for ordinary ice skating.

Weaknesses should be considered in relation to who they are compared to.

(End of this chapter)