Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 244 Bomb Disposal Level 4, School Festival
"Ugh——!"

The familiar sound of police sirens reached Gao Mu'er.

The dim space was somehow stained red by the firelight, and pungent smoke poured in through the cracks in the wooden planks.

"Cough cough!"

Takagi struggled to get up despite his headache, only to find that his right hand was handcuffed to the window.

I remember now, he seemed to have been attacked while he was on the phone with Sato.

Turning around, I saw that my cell phone, handgun, and other personal belongings were placed on the other side of the room, completely out of my reach.

He tried to shout for help, but his vision blurred and his voice became hoarse.

The wound on the back of my head is still throbbing with pain.

That heavy blow nearly killed him; his scalp, where blood had congealed, was itchy and painful, and his head was spinning terribly.

"Where is this?"

Takagi was a little flustered.

It looked like there was a fire outside, but he was trapped in this godforsaken place and couldn't move.

I could vaguely hear people moving around outside, as if they were preparing to put out a fire.

Aren't you going to check if anyone is inside?
By the time the fire was extinguished, he was completely dead.

The most dangerous thing was the thick smoke; he was already having difficulty breathing.

Perhaps it's a kind of mercy that most people don't die in fires?
Being burned alive is just too horrifying...

What am I thinking?

Takagi shook his head violently, his biggest regret in his despair being that he hadn't confessed his feelings to Sato yet.

"Goodbye, Officer Sato. If there's a next life, I'll definitely have the courage to confess my feelings..."

"No need to wait for the next life, it can be done today."

Wearing a fire blanket, Gao Mo violently smashed open the warehouse door and immediately saw Gao Mu barely alive in the thick smoke.

This guy has been thinking about Sato since the first day he was reborn. Even when he was dying, he was still thinking about Sato. He's quite a character.

"Let's go, Officer Sato sent me to rescue you."

Gao Mo stepped forward and easily unlocked the handcuffs, helped Gao Mu up, and also retrieved the pistol and other miscellaneous items from the corner.

Fortunately, the fire had only just begun to spread, and the two escaped the fire scene with the help of police officers outside.

The arsonist, who had already been arrested, was completely stunned, never expecting that there would still be people in the old warehouse he had set on fire.

After a brief moment of confusion, the arsonist's face twisted as he glared menacingly at Gao Mo, who stood out starkly from the crowd around the fire.

It was as if a beam of light shone on Gao Mo, so bright it was repulsive.

There are always people like this in life, who seem to be mocking your failed life just by standing there.

"Don't get too cocky," the arsonist gritted his teeth. "This is just the beginning. We are following the instructions of Death to bring new life to this world. You, who disrupted Death's ritual, are destined for a bad end. Just wait!"

The arsonist sneered, revealing his blackened teeth.

"Us? We have accomplices?"

Police officers at the scene roughly took away the arsonist, like a pack of hungry wolves eyeing a meal.

Gao Mo turned his head slightly and watched as the fanatical arsonist was shoved into the police car.

Recently, there has indeed been a significant increase in extremists online, especially in communities that discuss death.

There are even people who have become fans of Death God, and they're just short of establishing a Death God cult.

No matter the world, there are always some people who like to place their hopes in illusory beliefs, so it's not surprising that cults exist.
This land is rife with evil. Is death something that was always there, or something that humans created later...? The latter seems more likely.

"Matsuda Police Department supplement?"

Takagi took a few big gulps of mineral water, and her throat finally felt much better. She looked at Gao Mo with a slightly embarrassed expression.

He was a veteran of the First Investigation Division, yet he still lost face in front of the newcomers.

"I'm sorry, Officer Sato said he'd agree to anything if we could find the truth about that case, so... I was so worried you'd beat me to it, and I wanted to quickly earn some credit with Sato, and then this happened..."

"fine."

Gao Mo snapped out of his daze.

"Officer Sato is not my type, and I'm not investigating because of her promise."

"Really?" Takagi stood there dumbfounded.

Because he had been secretly competing with Shiratori, he had already assumed that everyone liked Sato.

"Let's go," Gao Mo said, after examining Takagi and finding that his injuries were quite serious. "Officer Sato should have some results by now. I'll take you to the hospital for treatment first."

"So Officer Sato found the robber from 18 years ago?" Takagi asked, still concerned.

"Yes, Chiba just contacted us and said that they have found the stolen money at the other party's house."

Gao Mo called an ambulance, and together with the medical staff, they carried Gao Mu upstairs.

"Back then, what Sato's father kept shouting was not 'Sorrowful Lover,' but rather to make the robber turn himself in. Being hit by the car was actually pushing away the robber who wanted to commit suicide. It was just that the witnesses misunderstood, and the story got distorted over time."

"So that's it..."

Takagi was completely relieved and obediently lay down.

"Anyway, Officer Sato has finally gotten one thing off his mind. Yumi said there's another one, but we don't know what it is. It seems to be related to the bomber."

"..."

Gao Mo's eye twitched slightly.

It's Sato; no one else could have been taken down by this guy.

An honest man winning the heart of a policewoman through unrequited love... that's a bit like a fairy tale.

The arson case that had caused a city-wide uproar has come to an end, and the sirens have finally stopped blaring.

[Settlement: Excellent, 10 stars]

[Included Profession: Detective, Level 1, New Talent: Bomb Disposal Expert]

[Bomb Disposal Lv3 - Lv4]

That's right, that's what he did.

New profession.

Gao Mo looked at the notes projected onto the warehouse wall.

The good news is that the police upgrade is different from before; there are no job requirements.

The bad news is that I need to solve cases as a police officer, which is a job that requires a lot of time and energy. It's time to balance the time spent in my disguise and my normal identity again.

It's impossible to separate myself from the "Shinichi Matsuda" persona in the short term.

Gao Mo called Sato and called out to Conan, who was mixed in with the crowd: "I'll take you home. Your classmates are all looking for you."

"Ah."

Conan didn't say anything.

I was hoping to be able to help, but I ended up being a complete bystander.

This rookie policeman is very different from the policemen he remembers.

The media's previous portrayal of him as the savior of the Japanese police was an exaggeration.

It might not be that the police were incompetent, but rather that the police he encountered were a bit lacking.

But why does it feel so familiar?

After secretly watching Gao Mo's profile for a while, Conan felt a wave of self-mockery.

He's still being too sensitive.

It probably felt familiar because it has dark skin, just like the Osaka Black Chicken.

……

The next day.

Metropolitan Police Department First Investigation Division.

The case, which had remained unsolved for 18 years, was finally cracked, and the arson case was also resolved. The General Headquarters held a commendation meeting, and there were reportedly additional bonuses.

As an insider, Gao Mo got to know the Metropolitan Police Department thoroughly.

It has to be said that just standing here makes one feel superior; the police officers from the General Headquarters naturally have an aura of prestige.

Despite Inspector Megure and his team's amiable demeanor, within the police system, detectives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department receive an additional rank when they are released elsewhere, and regional police stations are subject to the control of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Even outside of Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department detectives still wield considerable influence and enjoy numerous privileges (except in Osaka Prefecture).

"Sato, Matsuda, thank you for your hard work this time."

After the meeting, Inspector Megure called out to Takamori and Sato.

"I'll leave the weekend investigation to you two as well. I think you two are a good team, and you've solved so many problems in just one day."

"weekend?"

Gao Mo remembered that he had promised Sonoko that he would participate in the school festival.

"I have things to do this weekend, so let Takagi and Officer Sato work together."

He had already experienced how terrifying the criminal police were.

Not only do I have to clock in for work, but there are also endless tasks.

Hopefully the upgrade will be completed soon.

That said, aren't there any police positions with a high degree of freedom?

Perhaps we could find a case that requires a long investigation period and allows for a lot of free time.

“Hey Matsuda,” Sato joked, “you’re not looking down on me, are you?”

"No, no, I really have something to do," Gao Mo asked in a low voice, "Officer Sato, do you have any cases that require long-term fieldwork? I don't really like clocking in and out at work; my brain cells are more active when I have more free time."

"Field work?" Sato's expression was strange. "Yes, there are quite a few, all of them are old cold cases... But it's impossible for you to not go to work. Investigating cases is work in itself. Even if you go on field work, you still have to report and record. You can't treat it as a vacation."

“I know, I just don’t want to come to the main hall every day.”

"In that case... if you're really interested, there's a case involving Ye Caisan that's about to reach the statute of limitations. I can help you ask Inspector Megure about it."

"Thanks."

“I should be thanking you,” Sato said with a smile. “If it weren’t for you, my father’s case wouldn’t have been solved before the statute of limitations expired… I made a promise to the person who solved the case, Matsuda, what kind of reward do you want? I’ll try my best to satisfy you.”

“I don’t know anything about promises, so forget about the thank-you gift,” Gao Mo shook his head. “If you’re really interested, go to the hospital and see Gao Mu.”

The police officer's upgrade task is to solve cases. I wonder if I can reach level 5 within a month if I work hard.

Solving cases is incredibly easy for him now, and he rarely encounters complex cases; normal homicide cases should be sufficient for him.

but……

Gao Mo frowned slightly.

The number of cases solved wasn't mentioned in the projected notes. If it's based on the level of the cases, it would require cases at the national level... which might be a bit complicated.

While there are many routine cases, they are mostly local cases. The deaths of one or two people don't qualify as national-level cases unless they have a huge impact.

Based on previous experience, level 6 missions are world-class, so level 5 criminal investigation missions could very well be national-level.

……

Teitan High School's school festival is held this weekend.

Gao Mo took leave and dropped his disguise to join Sonoko's drama team as a makeup consultant, because Sonoko discovered that he had amazing makeup skills.

"It seems like Kido-nii learned makeup from Mamegaki-san before," Ran said in surprise. "I just didn't expect him to be so good. He could be a professional makeup artist, right?"

"It's just a hobby."

Gao Mo flipped through the script and asked.

"Isn't this male lead a student at your school?"

"Because everyone is afraid of Ran, we had Dr. Araide temporarily take her place," Sonoko chuckled. "During the last rehearsal, Ran's reflexive attack almost scared the drama club members to death."

Xiaolan blushed and retorted, "It's not as exaggerated as you say, Yuanzi. I didn't kick anyone."

“You didn’t actually kick anyone, but after that, no one dared to play the male lead anymore,” Sonoko snorted. “Let me tell you, Ran, this isn’t a rehearsal anymore. Today, you should completely forget about your karate and just be a weak princess. Everyone’s watching you from the audience.”

"That's what I said..."

Xiaolan glanced furtively at the packed audience and couldn't help but feel nervous.

Why are there so many people?

“Of course, this play is very popular,” Sonoko said excitedly. “Ran, you don’t need to be nervous if you just treat the audience like radishes. Hurry up and change your clothes, there are only 15 minutes left.”

Although the script was readily available, as a director, she still experienced a rare sense of exhilaration. If it weren't for her poor acting skills, she would have liked to play a role as well.

Perhaps I can explore my directing talent further in the future.

"It's a pity that Kido-san has never had the time, otherwise I would do anything to act as a princess and prince with Kido-san, it would be so romantic."

"..."

Backstage dressing room.

Gao Mo casually dealt with the makeup issues of a few students when a bespectacled, refined-looking young man knocked on the door.

"Are you Detective Kido? I heard you came to help with makeup..."

"I wouldn't call myself a detective."

Gao Mo turned around and sized up the newcomer.

Dr. Araide Tomoaki, who once made Conan extremely jealous, seems to have an ambiguous relationship with Ran, whether it was intentionally orchestrated by Gosho Aoyama or not.

The person in front of me...

Through the mental network, a slightly decaying aura entered Gao Mo's perception.

At the same time, the figure appearing in the field of vision changed to a blonde beauty.

It was Vermouth impersonating Dr. Shinichi.

He managed to get close to Xiaolan so quickly.

He knew that this old woman had a special affection for Ran, regarding her as an angel, but in return, she also harbored extreme hatred for Ai's family.

It is suspected that she gained the ability to stay young by taking a drug developed by Ai's parents.

“Then I’ll call you Mr. Kido,” the fake Shinichi said with a rather shy smile. “I don’t need to wear makeup. Could you please perform for me later? I’m really not very good at this kind of thing. I heard you used to be an actor…”

What about the liar?
A world-class superstar said he is not good at acting.

Actually, they just don't want to attract too much attention or reveal their identity, right?

Stage performances can indeed disrupt disguises and costumes; even a low probability event carries a risk.

“If it’s just about showing your face, there’s really nothing to worry about,” Shinichi explained. “You can wear a helmet the whole time.”

"No, no!" Sonoko rushed back in a panic. "How can Kido-san play Ran's prince? Doctor, you should just continue acting. You can just not speak, and we'll do the voice-over backstage. You don't need any acting skills."

Shinichi smiled wryly and said, "If I could perform, I wouldn't need to come to see Mr. Kido at this time. To be honest, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to move at all if I stood up there now. I didn't know there would be so many audience members during the rehearsals."

"Is that so?"

After struggling for a moment, Sonoko blurted out.

"Then I'll act it!"

That's right, she'll be fine playing the prince.

"Anyway, I know all the lines, so there shouldn't be any problems with performing directly," Sonoko said, trying to justify herself.

It's just a school festival performance, what acting skills do you need?

She would accept it even if it made her a laughing stock.

"Are you sure there's no problem?" Gao Mo didn't mind helping with the acting; not showing his face wasn't a big issue.

Moreover, the audience members present were not many people, so the little bit of malice they might have had was negligible.

“Of course,” Sonoko convinced herself, puffing out her chest confidently, “it might be even more dramatic if I were to cross-dress.”

"Then come on."

While helping Sonoko prepare her prince outfit, Gao Mo glanced at the relieved fake Shinichi out of the corner of his eye.

He's just an international star; his acting is flawless.

He had never met a real doctor, but the fact that he didn't arouse suspicion from those around him was quite remarkable.

This woman was unwilling to perform, meaning she was replaced by Dr. Shinichi only after the rehearsal.
It's unclear whether the real Dr. Araide was assassinated or transferred by the FBI beforehand.

It should be the latter, right?

Sonoko said there's a new English teacher.

This indicates that Vermouth's actions were under FBI surveillance.

Well, it seems the red and black sides are about to engage in a protracted battle.

(End of this chapter)