Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 243 The Disappearance of Takagi

evening.

Shinagawa Ward.

Shiratori and Takagi were called to the checkpoint for backup, supposedly because they had found a suspect who matched the characteristics of an arsonist.

Gao Mo and Sato were arranged to meet with the witnesses.

Upon spotting several children in the distance, Gao Mo's heart skipped a beat, and sure enough, he soon heard Bu Mei gesturing to the patrol officers.

"His eyes slanted upwards like a fox's, he had a grinning laugh, and a very dirty beard..."

"It looks terrifying! Like a man-eating monster!"

Aside from the three children, Conan leaned to one side, lost in thought. He noticed that Gao Mo and Sato had only slightly raised their eyelids, showing a hint of curiosity about Gao Mo's disguise as a detective, but he didn't think much of it.

Ayumi, however, asked another question: "Officer Sato, is this your new boyfriend?"

"Poor Officer Takagi, he got dumped so easily."

"Yes, it's been going on for a while."

"What are you talking about?" Sato's smile froze as he hurriedly explained to the children who were discussing amongst themselves, "This uncle is my colleague, and I'm not dating Takagi. Don't think about anything else."

Are all kids like this nowadays?

"Isn't that right?" Ayumi looked at Gao Mo with disappointment, her newly ignited gossip spirit dimming again.

"Of course not!" Sato affirmed strongly, then bent down and asked, "Did you see the arsonist?"

“It was Ayumi,” Mitsuhiko said with pride. “Before the fire, Ayumi happened to encounter a strange man walking out of the alley, talking about opening ceremonies and celebrations.”

"So, is it this person?"

Sato pulled up the photos on his phone.

The suspect was apprehended at the Shinagawa Station checkpoint.

“It seems so,” Ayumi said uncertainly, “but it doesn’t quite look like it, this one doesn’t have a beard…”

"Is it or isn't it?" Sato was both amused and exasperated.

That's the downside of children testifying: they have poor memories and are prone to making things up on their own, even filling in the blanks with their own imaginations.

"Uncle." Conan suddenly approached Gao Mo, who was deep in thought.

"What's wrong, little brother?" Gao Mo closed his police handbook and responded with a smile.

"You don't seem very concerned about the arson case?" Conan's gaze followed the police handbook. "Is there another case?"

“You’re overthinking it,” Gao Mo ruffled Conan’s hair. “I’m new to the First Investigation Division, and I still need to learn from Officer Sato and the others.”

"Is that so?" Conan calmly observed Gao Mo for a while, then quickly turned to Sato on the other side.

Gao Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.

This guy has always had a keen sense of things.

Didn't expect that, did you?

He was able to obtain police credentials directly, with verifiable records—though they couldn't withstand close scrutiny.

“Matsuda,” Sato called out, “let’s go to a nearby restaurant first.”

"I want eel rice!" Genta's eyes lit up.

"I want a kids' meal!"

"I want the Kamen Rider meal!"

"Please," Sato said with a wry smile, dealing with the children, "let's just grab something to eat at a restaurant."

“There’s a dessert shop nearby,” Gao Mo pointed to the street across the street, “Shall we go there?”

Dessert shop.

Gao Mo didn't follow Sato in dealing with the child; he continued studying the "Shushiro Incident" materials in his hands.

Sato should have the most comprehensive information about the case from 18 years ago.

However, the clues are indeed very limited if they can be dragged out beyond the statute of limitations.

The killer's plan was extremely meticulous, and he knew the police well enough. The huge sum of money he stole has not yet come to light, making him an extremely cautious criminal.

Huh?
Gao Mo paused slightly in thought.

The statute of limitations has expired for three years, so why didn't the robbers touch the money?
It can't be because they're afraid of retaliation.

Review of data circulating in Gao Mo's brain.

Aside from the clues left by Masayoshi Sato, the core of the case is undoubtedly that less than 10-second surveillance video.

The surveillance footage shows a guard being struck with a shotgun by robbers and later dying from his injuries.

There are likely two possibilities for Sato Masayoshi to identify the robber: either he gleaned something from the video, or he discovered the stolen money or accidentally found someone who had been caught.

The immediate priority should be to start with Sato Masayoshi's network of connections.

Unfortunately, the data was still insufficient, so he could only analyze the worshippers he had encountered during the day.

The fact that they still remember each other after so many years shows that their relationship is extraordinary. If there were robbers among them, it's not impossible that they would have been discovered.

But would the robbers really still worship Sato Masayoshi?
Witnesses claimed that the robbers pushed Sato Masayoshi, causing him to be hit and killed, but the men during the day showed no remorse whatsoever.

Gao Mo closed his eyes.

There was one thing he didn't quite understand: Sato Masayoshi didn't die immediately after being hit by the car; he was taken to the hospital with his family by his side, but no crucial clues were left behind until the very end.

"Are you still thinking about my dad's case?" Sato ordered a dessert for Gao Mo, shook his head with a smile, and said, "I've long since let it go. Even if we knew who the culprit was, there's nothing we could do about it now. You don't need to worry about it so much."

"I'm not worried."

Gao Mo crossed his fingers.

Did your father not say anything in the end?

“He told me about the justice of the police,” Sato recalled, “and upheld his justice until the very last moment.”

"That's strange. Why didn't he reveal the robber's specific identity?"

"So that's why you suspect my father's old friends?"

Sato waved his hand and laughed.

"Impossible. They would never kill my father, and they have no connection with 'Sorrowful Man'."

Gao Mo shook his head secretly.

He didn't think "Sorrowful Man" was the criminal's name; otherwise, the police investigation wouldn't have remained stagnant for so long.

It is highly likely that the eyewitness misheard, leading to distorted testimony—this often happens during information gathering. Eyewitnesses are not machines; from receiving information to expressing it, subjective judgment can easily interfere with the truth.

if it is like this……

What will Sato Masayoshi's last words be?

"What if your father actually hoped the robber would turn himself in? The so-called 'melancholy man' might just be a mishearing by passersby."

Gao Mo added that the mind is active and a large amount of information is flowing out.

However, a sudden phone call interrupted his thoughts.

"What?" Sato exclaimed in shock after answering the phone, "You know who the murderer was eighteen years ago?"

"It shouldn't be wrong!"

Takagi's voice was excited.

Unexpectedly, he also had a moment of inspiration, and his efforts finally paid off. He solved Sato's father's case before Shiratori and Shinto could.

“I know what your father’s message was about! That person was indeed one of the people we saw during the day. Although the statute of limitations has expired, it can still be considered a consolation to your father’s spirit in heaven. I think the culprit is most likely…”

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a muffled thud came from the other end of the phone, as if something had hit Takagi hard, and the phone fell to the ground with a thud.

"Takagi? Hello?! What happened?"

"Takagi?"

Sato ran out of the dessert shop with a heavy expression, his voice trembling as he shouted. This was what policemen feared most.

Unfortunately, no matter how I called out, there was no response, and finally the call was disconnected with a busy signal.

"Takagi..."

After a brief moment of anguish, Sato hurriedly called Shiratori.

"Yes, Takagi was attacked, just now when we were talking! Immediately inform headquarters of the last time and place he was seen!"

"Officer Sato."

Gao Mo called out to the absent-minded Sato from behind. "Weren't your father's four friends supposed to be having a get-together at an izakaya? Where is it?"

"It's a shop called Nanakura, right in front of Shinagawa Station."

Sato gripped his phone tightly, looking down to hide his expression.

"Matsuda, you take these children home. I need to go to Shinagawa Station..."

"I'll go. After all, it's because I suspected those four people that things turned out this way."

Gao Mo reached out to stop Sato, and made the final integration of the clues in his mind.

“Since Takagi was attacked, it means the culprit is indeed among the four. That makes things simple. Sato, check which of the four has been abroad for three years. I’m going to find Takagi.”

"What?" Sato didn't react.

"If the statute of limitations had expired, the other party would not have reacted this way. It's likely that they went abroad in the meantime, which extended the statute of limitations. The time spent abroad is not included in the statute of limitations."

Gao Mo flagged down a taxi.

"Don't worry, they've waited all these years, they won't kill you at the last minute. They're probably just keeping Takagi trapped there to buy some time. Takagi should be safe now."

After a pause, Gao Mo turned back to remind him, "There is a way to save some time. Your father should have recognized the robber through the surveillance video. The key is that the other party used a shotgun to kill the guard. That looks like a baseball player's batting motion. I don't know much about baseball, so you'll have to judge for yourself."

"Matsuda, you..."

Sato felt he couldn't see through this newcomer, but the situation was urgent, and it wasn't the time to ask too many questions.

"Alright then, be careful. The person who attacked Takagi could also be the arsonist."

Gao Mo waved and got into his car to leave.

How could an arsonist possibly jump out and ambush the police?
Not to mention the police officer was on the phone.

Judging from the criminal profile, this arsonist, who had a strong sense of ritual, would not have done such a thing.

……

"Ugh——!"

As night fell, a large number of police cars drove into Shinagawa Ward.

"The Metropolitan Police Department is calling on all precincts and investigators in Shinagawa Ward... to conduct a thorough search of the area near Shinagawa Station, as there is a possibility that officers have been assaulted..."

Gao Mo repeatedly relayed the message over the walkie-talkie, clearly sensing that the situation was escalating.

"Uncle Matsuda," Conan said, having somehow slipped into the taxi, "you were just talking about the Shushiro case, right? I heard Uncle Mori mention it; is the investigation starting again?"

“It’s just that Officer Sato wants to solve the mystery, not a formal investigation,” Gao Mo replied casually.

Conan sensed that Gao Mo didn't really want to talk to him, so he awkwardly changed the subject: "You seem pretty sure you can find Officer Takagi?"

"I just didn't want Officer Sato to worry too much."

Gao Mo checked the time. There were still a few hours left until the end of the day, which meant that the prisoner needed to ensure that Gao Mu could not contact the outside world for several hours.

Since those people didn't have a car during the day and couldn't put Takagi in the trunk and take him away, they could only hide him somewhere nearby, somewhere that wouldn't be easily discovered by the police.

It's not easy.

There probably aren't many places near Shinagawa Station that meet those requirements.

but……

Gao Mo glanced at Conan out of the corner of his eye.

What the hell is going on with this guy?

He was certain that he hadn't given himself away; there was nothing about him that suggested "Kido Takamori," and he was even using a phone that belonged to a pseudonym.

Oh well, it's no big deal if my identity is discovered.

The most important thing is to complete Sato's mission. Playing the role doesn't have much impact on the rating, it's just a matter of one or two stars.

"Matsuda!"

Sato suddenly called urgently.

"We found out! Shuji Kano had closed down his restaurant before this and studied in Italy for three years! Tomorrow is his 50th birthday, and he deliberately extended the statute of limitations to today!"
"I'll take some men to find him right now, and you should find Takagi as soon as possible!"

"I try my best."

Gao Mo put away his phone.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Sato's wish should have been fulfilled.

Although it is a cold case that has been shelved for 18 years, the biggest difficulty is still in identifying the suspects. If those four people hadn't appeared today and Takagi hadn't been attacked, even he wouldn't have been able to fully confirm the robbers' identities.

Now all he needs to do is rescue Takagi.

Although the chances of Takagi getting into trouble are slim, we should still be careful. After all, there are quite a few oddballs among criminals, and who knows if he might have a mental breakdown?
In this world, anyone can die, including Conan, not to mention supporting characters like Takagi.

He didn't want Takagi's name to appear in his notebook.

We don't need this one star.

……

Shinagawa Station.

Gao Mo and Conan got off the bus one after the other.

Patrol cars were everywhere along the way, but they still couldn't find any trace of Takagi. They only confirmed the location where Takagi was attacked—near the convenience store outside the station. There were bloodstains on the ground, and the distance from the station matched the time Takagi left.

Gao Mo tried making a call, but only received a notification that the phone was switched off.

Sato has located the suspect. He returned to his restaurant after the police reported the arsonist's activities in Shinagawa Ward. However, he remained silent no matter what was asked and refused to reveal Takagi's location.

Now, Takagi's side has become the key.

If we can find evidence that the other side attacked and trapped Takagi, we might be able to break the deadlock.

“The fact that he would risk assaulting a police officer when the police had no evidence but only suspected him shows that the evidence is easy to find,” Gao Mo reassured Sato. “Look around, the stolen money might be hidden somewhere, and there shouldn’t be time to transfer it.”

"I understand!" Sato perked up again.

Although he was supposed to be mentoring a newcomer, he unknowingly ended up treating the newcomer as his main support.

The case that had been weighing on my mind for 18 years finally found a breakthrough because of the newcomer's suspicions.

He was able to dispel her confusion with just a few words, it was as if Matsuda Jinpei had been resurrected... He was far more capable than Matsuda Jinpei.

"Thank you, Matsuda."

"It should."

Gao Mo stood at the spot where Gao Mu was attacked, and the entire area's three-dimensional structure came into view.

Two afterimages appeared as if time were flowing backwards at the scene. Takagi emerged from the station, followed by the shadowy figure...

There are also optional paths for the shadowy figure after knocking Takagi unconscious, and how to move it discreetly.

"call!"

As we walked through the alley, a plume of black smoke suddenly rose from the neighboring block, and faint flames could be seen in the distance.

What's Shiratori up to? Didn't they say they'd already caught the arsonist?

"over there!"

Gao Mo quickly pinpointed the location and unexpectedly bumped into a scruffy-looking man in a coat with a slovenly beard.

The arsonist described by Ayumi is almost exactly the same.

He wasn't that scary; he just looked like an unemployed, good-for-nothing middle-aged man.

"Uncle Matsuda!"

Conan, being small, couldn't keep up with Gao Mo. When he reached the alleyway, he found Gao Mo confronting the arsonist.

"careful!"

"The tribute has arrived, hehe..."

The arsonist sneered as he drew his dagger, licking the back of the blade with his tongue, but the next moment he froze in mid-air as Gao Mo's pistol came into view.

Why didn't you say you had a gun earlier?
"Looks like it's you." Gao Mo noticed the flames burning behind the arsonist.

It was an old warehouse that was about to be demolished, and the smell of fuel was overwhelming.

"If you're so tough, don't use your gun!" The arsonist, his face stiff, still tried to struggle.

"I'm a police officer, why shouldn't I use a gun?" Gao Mo looked at the arsonist as if he were an idiot.

I have to say, it's definitely more exciting to handle a real gun.

Unfortunately, you can't just fire a gun indiscriminately.

(End of this chapter)