Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 33: Divine Punishment

"Hey, Director Ochiai, isn't it time to give up?"

A pot-bellied man in a double-breasted loose suit entered the hall, surrounded by several people. With his hands behind his back, he surveyed the art gallery like a king.

"It's just like usual, not many tourists... I'm surprised you came up with some medieval knight resurrection trick."

The director's posture tensed slightly: "M-Manaaka Boss..."

"There are only 10 days left. Hurry up and pack up these broken things. Even if they are a bit broken, at least they are worth some money."

The man pointed around the art museum as if no one was around. Several tourists nearby left in a hurry, making the already deserted museum even more deserted.

"Designer, please bring out the blueprints. Everything here needs major changes!"

"Yes!"

"By the way," Boss Manaka forced everyone to look around, "Where's that Kubota? Don't even think about getting away with it. If he can't pay compensation, it'll all be on your heads!"

Gao Mo stood behind the group of people, and for a moment, it seemed as if the outline of Zhenzhong overlapped with the devil in the painting "Divine Punishment".

Death is approaching without one knowing it.

"New employee?" Boss Zhenzhong turned his head and noticed Gao Mo, his expression darkening again. "You're still hiring at this time. It seems you have some financial leeway... I'll have the accountant take a closer look."

"Boss Manaka, you're joking. Kurosaki is just here to help."

Director Ochiai lowered his brows and greeted Manaka while shouting to Gao Mo and Iijima.

"You two should continue with your work... Kurosaki, you should take the tourists to other places first."

……

Sky Exhibition Hall.

Xiao Huzi and Conan accompanied the excited Xiaolan to watch the show, while Gao Mo was a little absent-minded.

Manaka's life or death has nothing to do with him.

What concerned him was the old curator.

Should we stop the curator from becoming a murderer?

He helped Mameko Dougan a few days ago, but he almost got himself into trouble.

It's too dangerous for him to interfere in the case at will...

Hell Exhibition Hall.

Gao Mo took Xiaolan and a few others to revisit the old place. It still looked gloomy, but they no longer felt any danger.

With eagle vision, he looked again at the bronze statues standing in rows on both sides and thought they were just ordinary.

However, Xiaolan was a little frightened and hugged Conan tightly, whose face was red.

"This room is so dark..."

"That's why it's called the Hell Exhibition Hall. The rumor about the resurrection knight is said to have originated from here."

The man with a mustache walked in front with his hands in his pockets, glancing at Conan with displeasure.

The little kid's face was so red in Xiaolan's arms that he was almost steaming.

"It is said that the security guard heard a noise coming from here during his night patrol..."

"Stop it, Dad."

Xiaolan was curious and scared. Looking at the bronze statues and armored men standing on both sides, she felt like they were about to come alive.

"Mr. Kurosaki, is there anyone inside these armors?"

"It's just a dummy."

Gao Mo followed a few people to the huge painting "Divine Punishment".

Along the way, you can see that many artworks have been moved. The previous replica knight armor is nowhere to be seen, and the wall opposite "The Condemnation" is completely empty, which looks like it is making room for murder.

"What a huge painting!" Xiaolan and the others stopped in amazement.

"It feels different from the other paintings in the museum... The painting is called Divine Punishment. Does it have any special meaning?"

The man with a mustache bent down and got close to the label, carefully reading the text in the dim light.

"The knight of justice subdues the devil, how can it not match the divine punishment?" "The true meaning of divine punishment is for the knight who bathes in the blood of the devil," Gao Mo remembered the words of Director Ochiai, "The knight baptized by the evil blood also becomes a devil..."

Gao Mo paused for a moment, turned back to face "Divine Punishment", and suddenly understood what the director meant.

In the original drama, the director wanted to kill Manaka and frame Kubota, and even forced Kubota, who should have been fired, to stay...

However, now that Kubota, the scapegoat, is gone, only he and Iijima are left to frame.

Director Ochiai seems to have changed his mind and plans to kill Manaka directly, and suffer divine punishment like the knight in the painting - being arrested as a murderer.

That's why I sighed at that time about what was God's will.

"call!"

Gao Mowei closed his eyes.

The events since his resurrection quickly flashed through his mind.

Mortals have no possibility of fighting against the god of death, but the god of death he faces is more like a rule, and it seems that there is a way out.

Apart from new deaths, is there any other way to circumvent the rules of death?
Gao Mo recalled the details of his two interventions in death in a deep voice.

The first time, except for feeling the Grim Reaper when he was taking the elevator upstairs, he was not affected at all afterwards - this was also the reason why he dared to help Mamegaki Taeko the second time.

And the second time...

In fact, it did not really attract the attention of the God of Death, otherwise it would have been a fight to the death instead of just triggering a death omen.

Today, he encountered danger in the Hell Hall because he entered a new incident and a crime scene, which had little connection with the previous ones...

“Mortals cannot change the rules, but they can exploit them.”

Gao Mo looked at "Divine Punishment" and focused his thoughts.

At present, there seem to be two implicit rules:
1. Try not to intervene directly - in the Yoko Apartment case, it was Kogoro Mouri who actually broke the death plan.

Second, try to stay away from people who are bound to die and reduce interactions with them, especially when the rules of death come into play - he and Anzai were too close in the shrine case.

The rules seemed to be "contagious", and he had the Mark of Death, which made him easily attract the rules of death. So even though there was a "new death" like Anxi at that time, he was still affected by the rules.

……

Gao Mo paused, took out the museum staff pen from his pocket, and behind Xiaolan and the others, he tore off a piece of label paper from the wall and wrote a few words on the back.

It’s best to repay the favor of saving your life...

Although it was a bit risky, he really didn't want to see the old director become a murderer.

Even someone like him who doesn't understand art can probably understand the sadness of the "knight" in the painting.

For him now, he cannot save those who are doomed to die, but he can save these murderers who have gone astray.

Just treat it as an experiment.

Can mortals...use the god of death?

"clatter!"

At the same time Gao Mo put down the label paper and the employee pen, the curator's footsteps entered the Hell Exhibition Hall.

"Dear guests, I'm very sorry, but the Hell Hall is temporarily closed... Kurosaki, please take the guests to visit other halls."

"Ok."

Conan, who was held in Xiaolan's arms, turned his head and looked, wanting to find out what Gao Mo had written, but Xiaolan didn't let him go until they were outside the exhibition hall.

A sign prohibiting visitors from entering was posted at the entrance to the Hell Exhibition Hall corridor.

"Brother Kido, what were you doing just now?"

"Children shouldn't ask about adult matters."

Gao Mo glanced at the director's figure disappearing into the darkness.

You can see the location where he left the message as long as you get close.

The next thing is how to prevent Mr. Manaka from coming - it would be best if he just leaves the art museum.

Well, this chapter should be fine, right? I've already arranged this plot... If it doesn't fit, I can change it.
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(End of this chapter)