Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 269 The Promise! Go for it, Sonoko!

"Swish!"

In the evening, the sky over Izu suddenly became overcast, and a light rain began to fall, soon turning the ground into a muddy mess.

Fortunately, Gao Mo had brought an umbrella, so he didn't get soaked.

Looking at the rather old tile-roofed hotel in the rain, Gao Mo's gaze was like a bright fire in the darkness.

With Conan as his inside man, Masahiko Michiwaki's actions are entirely under his control.

This kind of person isn't a formidable opponent, or even an opponent at all.

What truly concerned him was Sonoko's fate of death, which he could not change no matter what.

If this attempt to stop it doesn't work, he'll have to try the star count in the storage pool.

Because he has been accumulating stars through various sources, especially as Matsuda Shinichi's identity became a legendary detective, his star reserves have been increasing. He can afford to use 100 stars to save the people around him, but he doesn't want to waste stars if it's not necessary.

"Boom!"

A flash of lightning illuminated the hotel amidst the dark clouds.

Gao Mo checked his phone messages again.

Conan has successfully persuaded Sonoko and the others to stay at the hotel for dinner, along with Masahiko Michiwaki.

If nothing unexpected happens, Masahiko Michiwaki will likely find an opportunity to steal the camera film from their room.

The projected text was fully formed after arriving at the Wawu Hotel—[Destroy the negative].

He planned to set a trap for the other party based on this point.

Disguising himself as a gardener as bait would have been a good choice, but he was in too much of a hurry this time and didn't prepare the corresponding disguise tools.

He could only pretend to be a perverted underwear thief, steal the camera, and give Masahiko Michiwaki a private lesson.

"Wow!"

Putting away his umbrella, Gao Mo, wearing a mask, entered the Wawu Hotel. He walked past the bustling restaurant without stopping, heading straight for the stairs next to the guest rooms.

The rooms in the garden are on the second floor.

"you again?"

A cold, sharp voice rang out from behind.

Kyogoku Makoto rolled up his sleeves, his face expressionless, but one could vaguely sense his suppressed anger.

[Protecting the Garden] — Makoto Kyogoku

"You're not a resident here, are you? I warned you not to try anything with them! Please leave..."

"call!"

Kyogoku Makoto's voice was deep and muffled as he reached out to grab Gao Mo, only to find nothing.

He made another unexpected move, but still failed to hit Gao Mo.

Looking at Gao Mo, whose movements were barely perceptible, Makoto Kyogoku's expression changed with confusion.

A master?!
"Hoohoo!"

Kyogoku Makoto instinctively used a karate attack, which Gao Mo easily dodged. The previously ordinary Kyogoku Makoto then unleashed an astonishing aura, and his gaze toward Gao Mo was completely different, as if flames were burning within him.

Saiyan?
Gao Mo was momentarily dazed, but his body spontaneously retreated to avoid Kyogoku Makoto's sweeping kick.

Even without entering the Transparent World, his mental network is still enough to allow him to avoid danger.

The man in front of me, Makoto Kyogoku, is undoubtedly a dangerous individual.

The force of the attack alone made his face sting; if he were hit...

"Wow!"

Gao Mo dared not be careless and quickly entered the transparent world to fully control his body.

Karate Level 5!

The whole world seemed to slow down instantly, and Kyogoku Makoto's blood vessels and muscles were clearly presented in Gao Mo's vision along with the light. Every move was incredibly clear, even directly reflecting the next move.

This is what truly shatters one's worldview.

To be honest, this was his first time fighting with this technique, and he was even fighting against a master like Makoto Kyogoku.

"call!"

A bead of sweat trickled down Kyogoku Makoto's forehead; his breathing became briefly disordered after his series of attacks failed.

In the narrow passageway, Gao Mo was nowhere to be found.

This usually indicates that he was completely crushed in the battle, something he had always been so powerful against his other opponents.

Japan actually has such a master?

It's clear that he's extremely familiar with karate.

If the other side launches an attack...

Makoto Kyogoku stopped his attack and stared intently at Gao Mo, whose breathing was steady.

He knew that continuing was pointless; if he couldn't win, he simply couldn't win.

"I remembered!"

Xiao Lan suddenly exclaimed and stood up in the restaurant.

"It's Makoto Kyogoku! I've seen him at karate tournaments before. He's the captain of Beika High School's karate team, and he's won the national karate championships for the past few years! It's such a surprise, he looks like a completely different person with those glasses on!"

"National champion?" Sonoko exclaimed in surprise.

Because she often went to the competition venue to cheer for Xiaolan, she knew very well what a national champion meant, especially a defending champion.

This Makoto Kyogoku is even more terrifying than Ran's idol, Satoshi Maeda; he's practically a demon king.

"Really? Is that waiter that powerful? He looks rather gloomy."

“He’s completely different on the field,” Xiaolan said as she searched for Makoto Kyogoku in the bustling restaurant. “And it’s not just in the high school division; I heard he can’t find any rivals in the country and is about to go abroad for training.”

"So, who's better, him or Maeda Satoshi?" Sonoko asked curiously.

"Well... how would I know? Mr. Maeda is already working and hasn't continued his training. Kyogoku Makoto must be more skilled, right?"

Xiao Lan was furious.

Yuanzi really knows how to bring up the most sensitive topics.

"That's strange, he was just in the restaurant, where did he go?"

"Something might be up," Michiwaki Masahiko said apologetically. "You guys eat first, I'm going to the restroom, I'll be right back."

……

In the hotel corridor, since it was dinner time, most of the guests were eating, and no one noticed that Gao Mo and Kyogoku Makoto were fighting.

"Who exactly are you?" Makoto Kyogoku asked, frowning. "I don't think someone like you would be a stalker or a thief!"

"My target is that man."

Gao Mo glanced at the messages on his phone.

Masahiko Michiwaki had already made an excuse to leave the restaurant.

"Please don't interfere."

Without arguing with Makoto Kyogoku any further, Gao Mo continued upstairs and slipped into Sonoko's room.

Sonoko's camera was in her luggage, but she couldn't find the film.

But it's not a big problem.

According to Conan, the garden didn't take any photos when they passed through the woods last night.

"Who?!"

Another dark figure entered the guest room. It was Masahiko Michiwaki, who had made an excuse to leave alone. He was startled when he saw a stranger rummaging through Sonoko and the others' luggage in the dark.

Instinctively, she wanted to retreat, but then she saw Gao Mo holding something and about to jump out of the window from the second-floor eaves.

Damn!

Michiwaki Masahiko's eyes twitched. In the flash of lightning outside, he saw the camera in Gao Mo's hand, and he was both shocked and angry.

Why would someone steal a camera?
Does anyone want to get hold of something against him?

Without thinking twice, Masahiko Michiwaki hurriedly drew his dagger.

He couldn't afford to gamble.

[Destroy the film], [Kill and frame the thief] — Masahiko Michiwaki.

"Boom!"

Another rumble of thunder came through the rain.

Gao Mo arrogantly swung the camera in his hand, which provoked Michiwaki Masahiko to the point that his eyes turned red.

"court death!"

After committing a series of murders, Masahiko Michiwaki had already distinguished himself from ordinary people, seeing others as lambs to the slaughter. In a fit of rage, he didn't hesitate to pounce on them with a knife.

If something really happens, just say you were defending yourself against a criminal.

"boom!"

The arm gripping the dagger was suddenly seized, and the sharp pain in his chest and abdomen made Masahiko Michiwaki's eyes clear instantly.

Before he could even contemplate life, he was sent flying backward and crashed hard into the wooden paper door, revealing the entrance door with a loud bang.

"How dare you hide the murder weapon on your person!"

Gao Mo had originally been thinking about how to fish for evidence, but it turned out to be surprisingly simple.

He liked this kind of confident killer.

"You're a police officer?" Masahiko Michiwaki woke up with a start, somewhat incredulous.

Whose police look for evidence like a thief?
"It's a misunderstanding. I just heard a noise and came in to check. I thought it was a thief," Michiwaki Masahiko said with a stiff smile. "What weapon? I..."

"Stop playing dumb, there's still blood on the hilt of the knife that hasn't been cleaned up." Gao Mo waved the camera in his hand.

"And guess why I took this? That's why you targeted those girls, right? Let me guess, isn't it just a photo of you committing a crime?"

You killed four people, and only now are witnesses appearing. I have to say you're incredibly lucky.

"You knew everything?"

Michiwaki Masahiko's face was covered in sweat, and his heart was completely ice-cold.

It turns out the police had noticed him all along; he thought he could get away with it by committing the crime in a different location.

"Crack!"

The front door was opened, and Sonoko rushed in. She was startled when she saw two dark figures inside.

"who are you?"

Ran cautiously opened the garden and took a defensive stance in the entrance hall. Only when the light from the corridor shone in did she finally see Masahiko Michiwaki's figure clearly.

"Mr. Michiwaki?"

"do not come!"

Suddenly, Michiwaki Masahiko shouted at Gao Mo with a fierce expression, got up, and pounced on Xiao Lan like a demon.

"Come closer and I'll kill you..."

"what?"

Ran was stunned for a moment, not knowing what had happened, and was unable to react for a moment in the face of the aggressive Michiwaki Masahiko.

"Stop him!" Gao Mo changed his voice to warn him.

Without any weapons, Masahiko Michiwaki posed virtually no threat to Ran, not to mention that he had already injured her.

But with Conan and Makoto Kyogoku further outside, escape is virtually impossible.

"what!"

Ran felt the voice was familiar for some reason. Before Michiwaki Masahiko could get close with his distorted face, she finally launched a counterattack, landing a heavy punch on his abdomen, followed by a high kick that struck Michiwaki Masahiko's chin.

While still in mid-air, Michiwaki Masahiko fainted and fell heavily onto the tatami mat like a dead fish.

Wow, that's ruthless.

Gao Mo's eyebrows twitched repeatedly.

They were much more ruthless than him.

It should be fine, right?
He stepped forward and checked Masahiko Michiwaki's breathing.

Fortunately, I still have energy.

"Kirouto-nii?!"

Sonoko hid behind Ran, seemingly startled by Masahiko Michiwaki's sudden change. She came to her senses and ran into the room with a look of delight in her eyes.

"It really is Kido-san! When did you arrive? Did you come here specifically to protect us? I knew it..."

Faced with the excited and unstoppable Sonoko, Gao Mo helplessly took off his mask: "I'm just a little worried because I heard there have been murders here. After all, people die wherever you go."

Conan: Who are you implying?
"What on earth happened?" Ran only realized what had happened after her counterattack. She patted her chest with lingering fear and looked at the defeated Michiwaki Masahiko with a puzzled expression. "Mr. Michiwaki, how could this happen? That was terrifying!"

Conan's lips twitched: Ran, you're the scary one.

"This guy is the serial killer the police are looking for. He deliberately approaches single women with dyed hair, then lures them to a secluded place and disembowels them."

Gao Mo instinctively reached for his handcuffs to arrest the criminal, but only after reaching into his pocket did he realize he wasn't a policeman.

Conan said with a mocking expression: "Pretending to be a policeman, are you playing dumb?"

"Hmm?" Gao Mo turned around and glanced at Conan, who was secretly complaining.

This kid seems quite unhappy about only being able to act as an inside man.

"So that means I'm his target." Sonoko looked at Michiwaki Masahiko in fear.

She felt that something was off about the other person, but she just assumed it was one of those scumbags who had targeted her before—because almost all the handsome guys who had their eyes on her were scumbags.

Unexpectedly, it was meant to kill her.

"Was I almost killed? That kind of death was too terrible!" Sonoko said, her eyes brimming with tears.

【The 18th operation completely defeated Kido-kun】—Suzuki Sonoko.

"..."

Gao Mo quietly watched Yuanzi cling to his arm like a drama queen.

I don't know if I'm genuinely scared or just pretending.

The future of death has not disappeared; on the contrary, the shadow of death gathering above Sonoko's head can be clearly seen.

Did he completely enrage Death because he thwarted him too many times?
Or is Sonoko's idea going to cause greater risks?
We can't let Sonoko continue fighting.

Gao Mo gently pushed open the garden door in the flash of lightning.

"Huh?" Sonoko, whose tears were still mixed with joy, suddenly froze, looking at the somewhat distant Gao Mo, her face turning pale instantly, "Kido-nii..."

“Sonoko,” Gao Mo observed the phantom of the Grim Reaper with seriousness, “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you’re still single after you graduate high school, how about you come work at my firm?”

"what?"

Sonoko froze again, staring blankly as Gao Mo walked out of the room, until Ran called out to her with delight, bringing her back to her senses.

"That's great, Sonoko!" Ran exclaimed with a doting smile. "Kido-nii has confessed his feelings to you!"

"Confess? Confess?" Sonoko's pale face instantly turned red, and her ears rang as if a steam train was running.

"Kito-nii definitely wants to wait until you come of age." Ran was happy but then a little worried.

She thinks highly of her best friend and Kido-kun.

But to some extent, Kido's words seemed like a disguised rejection.

Knowing her best friend as she does, she's never been very patient, so it's already amazing that she managed to last until the 18th battle.

Can you afford to wait two years in high school?
The biggest problem is that waiting doesn't guarantee a result.

Too many things have changed in the past two years.

She, who had been waiting for Shinichi for so long, felt deeply moved.

"High school graduation?" Sonoko was quite optimistic, encouraging herself, "Kido-nii, wait for me!"

Hmph, single?

She's been single for so many years, can't she wait two more years?

It's not like it's been decades...

She can wait for decades!

Gao Mo, who was about to go downstairs for dinner, paused in his steps, turned around to look at Yuanzi who had confidently shouted, and stopped in his tracks.

Disappeared.

The aura of death that had been hanging over the garden vanished completely.

He didn't seem to care much about Sonoko's shouts.

2 years?
Who knows how long it will be? If Sonoko still likes him by then, it's fine to accept it.

Moreover, he only mentioned joining the agency, leaving a lot of room for maneuver.

However, if Sonoko can really do it, it means it's not just a whim of the young lady, and he doesn't seem to have any reason to refuse.

He didn't have high requirements for a partner, and Sonoko's innocent, lively, and pure nature was a perfect match.

Being a little slow but not stupid is the best.

By then, he should have enough strength to deal with Death, and the issue of immortality can be addressed in another way.

"Could you please call the police?" Gao Mo called out to Kyogoku Makoto, who was walking away silently. "And could you find me a place to sit? The fried noodles at noon were really good, the kind with two bottles of juice."

"Ok."

Makoto Kyogoku pushed up his glasses.

Is it a castle?
The karate master, whom I'd never heard of before, is actually Sonoko's crush.

"Ah Zhen," the kitchen owner asked his son, "has something happened?"

"That killer came to our house, but he has been subdued now."

After explaining for a moment, Makoto Kyogoku's expression turned serious.

"Dad, I'm afraid I can't continue helping out at home."

Originally, he went abroad because there were no rivals in China; now, he has to go abroad to cultivate himself.

Although they only sparred briefly, he, being a fellow expert, understood the difference in skill all too well.

If the other party really makes a move, they can definitely kill him instantly.

That not-so-powerful body seemed to conceal a monstrous beast; having possessed a talent for sensing danger since childhood, he even felt as if he were about to die for a moment.

Only through more battles and more rigorous training can there be hope of catching up and surpassing.

"Huh?" The boss turned around in surprise. "What's wrong?"

This is the first time in recent years that I've seen my son look so terrified.

“It’s nothing,” Makoto Kyogoku shook his head. “I’ll take care of the guest rooms. Let’s make some noodles first.”

"what?"

Gao Mo looked at the few people from the garden who followed him downstairs and was suddenly surprised.

[Kyogoku Makoto's Karate Guide] 4 stars

Surprisingly, a gold coin from Makoto Kyogoku was found. Although it wasn't a 5-star professional skill book with talent, Makoto Kyogoku's karate style itself is extremely valuable.

His current karate level 5 is the result of his extraordinary abilities in various aspects, with his mental network and transparent world making up a significant portion of his skill. His actual combat experience is far inferior to that of Makoto Kyogoku.

(End of this chapter)