Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 251 Ye Caisan's Criminal Planning Guide

"Da da!"

Hattori Heiji moved swiftly between the upper and lower decks like the wind, mentally reviewing all the information he possessed.

Even though Kindaichi wasn't there, he still felt a strange sense of urgency, as if someone was competing with him to solve cases faster.

Could it be that guy with the mustache?

"Hmph, I'll test the true quality of Sleeping Kogoro."

Sweat beaded on Hattori Heiji's face as he shone a flashlight into every blind spot at the stern of the ship.

Since leaving Osaka, he has encountered several setbacks, each time being used as a tool by criminals to detectives.

"Don't underestimate me, I'm Hattori from Kansai... Strange, if my deduction is correct, that guy should be hiding somewhere after his plan failed, could it be the bow of the ship?"

Hattori glanced at Gao Mo, who was inspecting something at the stern, then turned and ran to the bow.

Gao Mo found burn marks outside the railing, with a cigarette filter left in an inconspicuous spot. He heard footsteps overhead and saw Hattori running away.

Meanwhile, Conan, who had just come out of the machine room, was also trying to find a place to hide when he unexpectedly discovered a rope tied to the side railing.

"what is that?"

You can see something hanging from the stern of the ship from a distance.

Conan wanted to take a closer look, but the crew member stopped him: "That was specially requested by Officer Matsuda, who said the answer would be known before dawn."

"Officer Matsuda?"

Conan frowned slightly.

He understood the detective less and less, always feeling that the other man knew something but remained silent.

Is this detective protecting a criminal? That seems unlikely.

Did Officer Matsuda specify what it was?

"It looks like a dangerous item..."

"boom!"

The man with the mustache punched Conan in the head and lifted him up from behind.

"Running around everywhere again! There are murderers on board, aren't you afraid of dying?"

"Conan," Ran took Conan from her father and hesitated as she returned to her cabin, "Please don't leave alone again, okay? What if something happens?"

"Uh……"

Conan was secretly anxious, but when he met Ran's slightly sad gaze, his mood inexplicably calmed down.

Gao Mo passed by and felt like he'd been fed a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).

but……

He was even thinking of helping the murderer cover it up, but the other party was just too unlucky. Not only did he invite Hattori over, but he also happened to run into the Mori family.

Although Hattori and Conan seem to have both mistaken the culprit, can the culprit's trick really fool the two famous detectives in such a small place?
……

"Hoohoo!"

Board.

The chubby man in the suit, Sadao Kujirai, had an uncertain expression as he watched Hattori Heiji go to the bow deck to check, and was about to find the rope ladder tied to the railing.

Why did you come all the way here?

Why not just investigate the stern properly?
With a calm expression, Sadao Kujirai, holding the baseball bat in a reverse grip, quietly approached Heiji Hattori.

"That's it."

Gao Mo walked out from the side passageway, the light from his flashlight illuminating the imposing figure of Kujirai Sadao.

"Mr. Kujirai, killing innocent people is pointless, isn't it?"

"What?" Kujirai Sadao was blinded by the light and it took him a while to see Gao Mo's figure. "Officer Matsuda? What are you talking about? What murder of an innocent person?"

"Mr. Kujirai?" Hattori, still not understanding the situation, was shocked when he saw the baseball bat in Kujirai Sadao's hand. "What are you doing...?"

“It’s a misunderstanding,” Sadao Kujirai waved his hands and laughed. “I was just a little worried, so I came to check. After all, I don’t know where that guy is hiding.”

Gao Mo remained calm.

He had originally planned to intervene after this guy killed the second robber, but unfortunately that didn't happen.

We must not let Hattori or anyone else fall victim to this guy's evil deeds.

"Stop pretending. Ye Caisan died 20 years ago. The old man on the ship was just you in disguise. I asked the crew, and the old man said he forgot something and got off the ship. We never saw him get back on the ship, but then he reappeared on the ship later—it was just a little trick of yours."

"What do you mean?" Hattori Heiji asked, confused. "Mr. Kujirai is that Ye Caisan? Why?"

"Don't you understand? This person has been directing and acting all along."

Gao Mo ignored Jingjing Dingxiong's feigned ignorance.

"The reason I chose you, a detective from Kansai, is because he lives in Osaka. I just picked a detective who was famous but not particularly skilled."

"Whatever?" Hattori was taken aback.

“He needs a detective to complete his plan, but not to uncover the truth,” Gao Mo’s gaze swept toward the deck railing behind Hattori Heiji. “But you, in your recklessness, have found the key person he’s hiding. If you’ve seen him, the whole plan will be ruined.”

Hattori Heiji reacted, leaning out of the deck and seeing the rope ladder hanging below and Kanie Korehisa tied with ropes. His pupils widened completely, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

It turns out he had just narrowly escaped death.

"But he has an alibi; he was with us at the time..."

"Mr. Kameda was murdered after dinner, and Kanie was kidnapped at midnight. Didn't he leave under the pretext of going to the toilet at that time?"

Gao Mo uncovers the truth amidst the whispers of the wind.

"He deliberately threw the note into the toilet trash can, and then went to the stern to shout to attract the crew's attention. His purpose was to find witnesses and pretend that someone was trying to frame him, but in fact no one had asked to meet him."

He had already met the person he really wanted to see at the bow of the ship.

"You mean he knocked out Mr. Kanie, took off his coat and watch and hung them here, then changed Mr. Kameda's clothes, who was hiding at the stern, and disguised himself as Mr. Kanie?"

Heiji Hattori was quick-witted, yet still puzzled.

"But what about the noise from the second deck and the sudden explosion of the escape ladder crates? He was definitely with us at that time!"

"It's just some simple tricks using cigarettes to set timers," Gao Mo stopped playing the riddle game. "He used paper traps to get to the stern; he did quite a lot. There are burn marks on the outside of the railing; he probably stuck cigarettes and firecrackers on them. Most people wouldn't notice them unless they were paying close attention."

The escape ladder crates were handled in a similar way; the cigarette butts used to ignite them were supposed to fall into the sea, but he didn't expect that the cigarette butt used to stick firecrackers would be blown by the wind to a corner of the deck, with a small piece of tape still attached.

"Wait a minute, officer!" Sadao Kujirai finally couldn't help but interject, "These things you're talking about aren't things only I could do, so why are you so sure I'm the murderer? Someone must be framing me!"

"Isn't the best evidence on you?"

Gao Mo patted Jingjing Dingxiong on the shoulder.

"The reason you didn't kill Mr. Kanie immediately was to frame him for the crime. I think you arranged his suicide, right? Of course, before that, there was probably a self-inflicted injury, pretending that you were attacked by Kanie—the gun that was the murder weapon was on you, wasn't it?"

Kujirai Sadao's aggrieved expression hardened, gradually turning into horror and disbelief: "You, how could you..."

"You think your plan is hard to guess? I knew what you were up to the moment I saw the charred corpse at the stern."

Gao Mo walked to the bow of the boat and reached out to pull up the rope ladder and the unconscious Xie Jiang Shijiu.

Hattori, standing nearby, broke out in a cold sweat: "He has a gun?"

Please, we have guns!

"My 20-year-long plan was seen through by a junior detective. Do I really lack the talent for committing crimes?"

Kujirai Sadao chuckled softly, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Gao Mo, who was inspecting the condition of the crab river, and reached into his pocket to take out a pistol.

"I'm so unwilling. I thought I could surpass Ye Caisan, surpass that damn Shadow Planner... But you guys are stupid enough to force me to silence you."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Gao Mo turned to face the fat man, raised his right hand, and the bullets fell down with a whoosh.

"what?"

Sadao Kujira instinctively pulled the trigger, but only made a clicking sound.

"when will you……"

"Now you can't deny it anymore, can you?"

Gao Mo tore off the tape sealing Xie Jiang's mouth, but the rope binding him remained in place. Pulling open his inner shirt revealed several bullet marks.

This person appears to be a mercenary in the gang, and is also a dangerous individual, yet he was easily defeated by his own comrades.

"Who was the one who killed Ye Cai San back then?" Gao Mo turned back to Jing Jing Dingxiong.

"It's Xiejiang. Because of the bank employee's death, Ye Caisan wanted to turn himself in, so..."

Kujirai Sadao lowered his head and replied, then suddenly realized what had happened and was stunned by the shock.

"So that's how it is. You could have seen through me a long time ago... You wanted to use me to kill them? Who exactly are you?"

"Don't talk nonsense. I'm just a junior detective. How could I think that much?"

Gao Mo took out handcuffs from his pocket and handcuffed the distraught fat man, then turned to Hattori Heiji, who was lost in thought.

"Call everyone else to the restaurant... Seriously, are all detectives as reckless as you? Detective work isn't child's play; people could die if you're not careful."

"you……"

Hattori Heiji hesitated for a moment before looking at Gao Mo.

"Mr. Kindaichi?"

"What are you talking about?" Gao Mo urged. "Hurry up, this time it's not just this guy who wants to kill, let's not cause any more trouble."

"Yes!"

Hattori was startled and ran back to the cabin, leaving only Gao Mo and the two robbers on the bow deck.

The robbery from 20 years ago is now history, but a new case is just beginning. Sadao Kujirai will pay the price for his arrogance, and the only one who can get away with it is Kazuhisa Kanie.

"Cough cough!"

Xie Jiang opened his eyes with a shiver, seemingly having already woken up. He glanced mockingly at the fat man in the suit who looked like a defeated dog, and then grinned at Gao Mo with a gloomy smile.

"Thanks, officer. If it weren't for you, I might really be dead at this bastard's hands... How about we make a deal? The money from 20 years ago is still hidden in the vault. Besides my key and Kameda's seal, I also need this guy's signature."

Crab River has been trying to break free of the ropes for a long time.

"How about we withdraw that money first? Anyway, the statute of limitations has expired, so I can give you half. You can't earn that much in a lifetime as a policeman."

Gao Mo glanced quietly at Kanie Shiki, who looked like a victor in the dim light.

This guy is getting ahead of himself.

How can the fate of death be so easily changed?
But what kind of death will the crab river die after waiting for so long?

The notebook cannot predict the future, since the one who executes death is the current Shinigami who has broken free from the notebook; he can only foresee the future that is related to himself.

Case Settlement

[Ye Caisan's Guide to Criminal Planning - 4 stars]

Huh?
The sea breeze at the bow of the ship was strong and cold, and Xiejiang, dressed in thin clothes, was quite cold from being frozen for a long time.

Gao Mo ignored the guy and was surprised by the feedback from the notebook projection.

I never expected to draw a professional book about someone who died 20 years ago, or even a crime guide.

Is this suitable for him?

He didn't have the same ideas as Gao Yuanyao; he never thought about committing any crimes.

Gao Mo stroked his chin.

It's not entirely useless.

If you understand the criminal's mindset, solving cases becomes much easier. Just like him now, because he has experienced so many cases, he knows almost everything about what criminals are thinking.

"Hiss," Kanie curled up, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes, "Officer, give me an answer, shall I? How about I take four and you take six? Don't be too greedy."

Out of sight, out of mind, Gao Mo turned and walked towards the restaurant.

It's not that he doesn't like money, but it depends on what kind of money it is.

Moreover, he was well aware of what Xie Jiang was thinking.

How could someone like that possibly be willing to share the money? They might already be planning to transfer funds abroad.

"Hey, this is a whopping 3 million yen!" Kanie Korehisa struggled and shouted again, "How about I give you 2 million?"

"Keep it for yourself."

Gao Mo focused on viewing the projected notes.

It seems like I'm still one case away from being promoted to Level 3 in criminal investigation.

Fortunately, this world is not short of cases; the only problem is that we need to use the disguise of a criminal police officer.

After becoming a boss, I really wasn't used to being treated like a beast of burden, especially since I'm a criminal police officer, a special profession.

“I still don’t understand,” Kujirai Sadao followed Gao Mo as if possessed, “How do you seem to know everything? Kameda has already been burned to a crisp, where did things go wrong that made you suspect me?”

"You wore that watch on the charred corpse's left hand, but Kanie herself wore it on her right hand. If Kanie was using it as a disguise, she wouldn't have made that mistake."

Gao Mo heard the footsteps of the people on the ship rushing towards him, and the next moment he saw Samezaki Shimaji leading the way and running into the restaurant in a menacing manner.

"Where is the murderer?"

"Do you know who the robber is?"

"Matsuda," Samezakijima Osamu excitedly grabbed Gao Mo, "What exactly happened?"

“Let this guy talk for himself.” Gao Mo glanced at Kujirai Sadao, who had fallen silent again.

"I just want to beat that shadow planner who mocked my plan as naive; I want to surpass him!"

Sadao Kujirai appeared somewhat hysterical as he faced the gazes of the crowd.

"I don't understand. I was just going to give out a few spots randomly, because it would be too strange if there were only three of us passengers on the ship... Why did a famous detective and a police officer all come over? I was only planning to invite a high school detective to use!"

Hattori Heiji's face darkened even more.

How many times?

Is his fame in Osaka fake? Why do people like to use him as a tool?

“Mr. Kujirai, our presence here is no coincidence,” Samezakijima Osamu said, shaking his head in relief, “Don’t you know what the name ‘Furukawa Dai’ means? We’re here because of that name.”

"what?"

"Furukawa Dai is a variant of Ye Caisan. Didn't you notice that when you used this name?"

“I don’t know,” said Shisuo Kujirai, even more frustrated. “That Ye Caisan guy, even in death he’s still digging holes for us…”

The curly-haired woman stood behind the crowd, and after listening to Jingjing Sadao confess his criminal plan, her gaze towards Gao Mo became very complicated.

She never expected that a junior detective would be more capable than a famous detective.

If I had confessed my identity earlier, could I have caught the three robbers before the statute of limitations expired?
It's too late to know the identities of the three now, especially Xie Jiang Shi Jiu, who has become the ultimate winner.

"There's no time!" the bespectacled man in the crowd exclaimed in surprise. "It's about to explode..."

"What explosion?"

"What's wrong, Mr. Ebina?"

“I don’t think we need to worry,” Gao Mo asked a crew member for a pot of hot tea. “If you’re talking about that suitcase bomb, it’s currently placed in a rubber dinghy far behind the ship.”

"Officer Matsuda?" Ebina's eyes were filled with tears. "I'm sorry, I just... For the past 20 years, I've been investigating in my own way. I desperately want to avenge America, even if there's only the slightest possibility..."

Samezaki Shimaji exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be that you are...?"

“That’s right, I’m Mimi’s boyfriend,” Ebina cried. “That day she said she would take me to meet you. If you had kept your promise that day, Mimi might have…”

"Woo!"

The long, drawn-out sobs echoed amidst the sound of waves and wind, and the curly-haired woman turned her head away as well.

Ultimately, the cause of the matter was her father.

"Perhaps this is fate."

With tears welling up in his eyes, Jiro Samezaki took a deep breath and nodded to Gao Mo after a long while before leaving the restaurant first.

"In any case, we'll talk about other things when we get to Ogasawara. The captain has already contacted them."

(End of this chapter)