Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

The group sat around a round table at an open-air restaurant by the sea, which was laden with various kinds of fish and shrimp that had just been caught.

"It was truly spectacular!" Sonoko exclaimed, gesturing with a fork in her hand as she described the scene she had witnessed.

"When that humpback whale breached the surface, I felt the entire ocean vibrate! I've decided, this trip is absolutely perfect!"

"Yes." Ran smiled and wiped the sauce from the corner of Ayumi's mouth.

"Hehe." Sonoko chuckled and said, "By the way! Let's all go to my family's hotel for dinner."

Sonoko blinked: "The resort hotel is right on the coast with a fantastic view! The hotel is incredibly popular, and I specifically asked someone to reserve the best ocean-view suites."

"Wow! The Suzuki family's hotel!" Mitsuhiko and Genta's eyes lit up, as if they could already see the luxurious lobby.

“Of course,” Sonoko said proudly, “not only does it have top-notch hot springs, but it also has a chef’s special cuisine that will surely satisfy you!”

Dr. Agasa nodded with a smile: "That would be too much of a waste, Sonoko."

"It's alright, it's alright, the most important thing is that everyone is happy!" Sonoko waved her hand heartily.

Just then, Ai, who had been quietly cutting her steak, suddenly put down her knife and fork.

She picked up a napkin and elegantly touched the corner of her mouth, looking at Zheng Yi across from her who was drinking juice with a half-smile.

Zhengyi also glanced at Xiao Ai.

Why are you looking at me like that for no reason?
"Speaking of which..." Ai said with a hint of mischief, "Doesn't Brother Zheng Yi have a hotel around here?"

"Huh? Really?" Zheng Yi was puzzled.

Did Ai take the wrong medicine today? She even called him "brother".

"Why not?" Ai tilted her head, looking completely innocent.

“I heard my sister mention that, in order to show off his business acumen, Zheng Yi spent a huge sum of money to build a super luxurious private resort hotel on the most remote but also most scenic cliff of Hachijō Island.”

"what?"

Zheng Yi blinked.

Yes, I forgot.

He shook his head, not thinking much of it.

How could he possibly remember such a trivial matter?

Sonoko stared wide-eyed at Masakazu: "Eh? Masakazu-nii, you opened a hotel too?"

"Maybe, I'm not sure," Zheng Yi said.

"After all, there are too many businesses involved, and I don't know them all."

Even things he himself was supposed to do, he couldn't remember.

"Could it be because business is so slow that you're embarrassed to mention it?" Ai said.

"I heard that the hotel is so isolated that hardly anyone goes there. Apart from the hotel staff, not even a fly would want to go there."

Zheng Yi frowned.

Is that right?

"How do you know business there isn't good? Does your sister always talk to you about this?"

Xiao Ai shook her head and said, "No, I'm the one who wants to ask someone at your company."

Hongye, who was drinking juice, suddenly stopped.

Okay, so everyone's starting to care about Zheng Yi Company's situation?
"It doesn't matter, it's just a hotel," Zheng Yi said nonchalantly.

If we lose money, we lose money.

Hongye gently put down the bone china cup in her hand.

"Oh dear, you've never failed in business before, are you giving up so easily this time?" Hongye asked.

Zhengyi glanced at Hongye.

I felt she was being rather strange.

"So what if we fail? What's the big deal?" Zheng Yi asked.

Hongye's gaze shifted between Yuanzi and Zhengyi, and she let out a soft hum.

"I never imagined that Miss Sonoko's family and Young Master Masakazu would be rivals."

Sonoko paused, her fork hovering in mid-air: "Eh? Rival? Me and Masakazu?"

Hongye said, "Hachijō Island isn't very big, yet it has two luxury hotels. Two tigers can't share one mountain, unless..."

She paused, then looked at Zheng Yi meaningfully, “...unless one of the tigers completely devours the other.”

Zheng Yi's lips twitched. Damn it, are you going to start slandering my business ethics?
Before he could retort, Hongye spoke first, continuing in a statement of fact:

"As far as I know, Young Master Zhengyi's style of doing things in the business world is quite ruthless."

"His favorite business strategy is to first eliminate the competition, then acquire it at a very low price, and finally monopolize it and take over the entire market."

"Nonsense," Zheng Yi said, displeased.

Hongye's way of addressing herself was also strange; she even called herself "Young Master," but the things she said were unpleasant to hear.

"What?!" Sonoko gasped, looking at Masakazu in horror.

"Brother Zheng Yi is going to kill me?"

Ai calmly said from the side, "Don't worry, Sonoko, it won't happen. At most, Masakazu will just kill the manager of your hotel."

"Hey! Ai! Why are you joining in the commotion too!" Masakazu said, displeased. "Do you think I'm that kind of person?"

Hongye covered her mouth and chuckled: "Oh dear, isn't this just what you always call the cruel aesthetics of capitalism?"

"Look, the Suzuki family's hotel business is booming, while your hotel is practically deserted. Knowing your personality, you definitely can't stand it."

Ai lowered her voice: "No wonder you insisted on coming with Momiji. Did you come to Hachijojima this time with some kind of 'killing off your rival' idea?"

Hongye and Xiao Ai took turns teasing Zhengyi, portraying him as a bad guy.

"Didn't Hongye insist on dragging us here?" Zhengyi asked.

"Is there?"

Ai winked at Kouye, who whispered, "No, right?"

Sonoko's face turned pale.

Even she, a young lady who doesn't get involved in anything, had heard about Zheng Yi's business tactics.

Because Zheng Yi is just too brutal.

It seems that Zheng Yi has been cultivating his character lately and hasn't killed anyone in a long time. I wonder if he will break his vow this time.

Sonoko looked at Masakazu cautiously, her eyes filled with a hint of pleading.

“Brother Zhengyi, you…you wouldn’t target my family’s hotel, would you? My dad just acquired it; it cost a lot of money.”

If possible, please don't disrupt my family's business, okay?

She also felt very unlucky.

How did a small island like Hachijou get into a competition with Shoichi?
Looking at Sonoko's pitiful appearance, Masakazu felt a throbbing pain in his temples.

He took a deep breath, trying to make himself look like a righteous entrepreneur.

"Yuanzi, listen to me." Zheng Yi said earnestly.
“I assure you, I absolutely, absolutely never intended to destroy the Suzuki family’s hotel. I came here with absolutely no intention of killing anyone.”

"Really?" Sonoko asked, half believing it.

Masakazu said with a righteous expression, "Sonoko and I are friends! How can friends persecute each other? It's too hurtful to our relationship!"

He glared at Hongye and Xiao Ai.

Why are you persecuting me?
Sonoko patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief: "You scared me to death... I thought you were going to hurt me."

"Of course not," Zheng Yi said. "Besides, it's just a small hotel; it's not worth me personally getting involved."

Sonoko: ...

So, have you really done anything to harm your competitors?
Is it really not worth your personal effort to work at just a small hotel?
After Zheng Yi said that, Sonoko felt a little more at ease.

Ran patted her head: "Sonoko, you too, didn't you realize that Momiji and Ai were joking? Don't believe the rumors outside."

"Really?" Sonoko asked with a strange expression.

Are Momiji and Ai really joking?
Is it really just a rumor circulating outside?
"Okay, okay." Sonoko smiled again.

"After dinner, we'll go to the hotel. I'll show you our top-notch hot springs!" Masakazu pursed his lips, sensing that Sonoko still didn't trust him.

How could he kill someone when Conan wasn't around?
Are we going to kill each other with real swords and guns?
That won't do. What if we leave behind evidence?
"Oh, right," Ran said, "Conan will go straight to Sonoko's hotel later."

Zheng Yi frowned.

Xiaolan, please don't hurt me.

I said I wouldn't kill anyone, so don't let Sonoko misunderstand me.

……

As night falls, the coastline of Hachijojima Island is illuminated by neon lights, creating a dazzling spectacle.

This resort hotel, owned by the Suzuki Group, is indeed exceptionally grand.

The hotel manager, a middle-aged man named Kajimura, dressed in a tuxedo, stood at the door with a broad smile on his face, his back bent at a ninety-degree angle.

"Welcome! A warm welcome to Miss Suzuki!"

A row of respectful waiters stood behind him.

“I have reserved the 'Imperial Ocean View Suite' on the top floor for you and your friends! It is one of the rooms with the best views in the entire hotel.”

Sonoko proudly raised her chin: "Hmm, well done, Manager Kajimura."

"No, no, not at all." Kajimura's gaze swept over Masakazu and the others, finally settling on Masakazu. "And this gentleman is..."

"Oh, this is Masakazu," Sonoko casually introduced.

Zheng Yi?

Could it be that business tyrant?
Kajimura broke out in a cold sweat.

There's also a hotel on Hachijojima Island that belongs to the Justice Group; that's no secret.

Is Zheng Yi here now?
Masakazu nodded enthusiastically at him: "Manager Kajimura, your hotel business is indeed doing very well. I see the line of cars waiting to check in stretches all the way to the dock."

"Not at all, it's all thanks to Miss Kajimura," Kajimura said cautiously.

Why did he praise me?
Could it be that he has feelings for me?

Kajimura was deeply worried.

The Justice Group's hotel tried to recruit him last time, but he didn't go. Could he be facing retaliation?

I've heard that Zheng Yi isn't very petty.

"Alright, Manager Kajimura."

Sonoko said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, Masakazu and I are good friends, he won't lay a hand on you."

"Haha, I didn't have that idea," Kajimura said with a dry laugh.

But with Yuanzi's words, he felt much more at ease.

If being backed by a large conglomerate is unreliable, then being backed by Zheng Yi's friends should mean he won't die, right?

"Please come upstairs, everyone. I have already had champagne and fruit platters prepared."

Zheng Yi glanced at him casually. Am I that scary?
The manager seemed very afraid of me.

After everyone went upstairs, they played for a while and then went to rest.

After all, everyone was quite tired after a day of playing.

Late at night, when everyone was sound asleep, a piercing scream shattered the hotel's tranquility.

"Ahhhh!! Someone's dead!!"

The screams came from the executive lounge on the top floor.

He was woken up instantly and turned over in annoyance.

This is so annoying! Why does it have to be a murder in the middle of the night?

Even if someone commits murder in the middle of the night, why does it have to be that the body is seen in the middle of the night? Can't it be left until the next day to be discovered?

Zheng Yi was very unhappy.

Disturbing people's sleep is going too far.

He covered his head with the pillow and continued sleeping.

It's none of my business, so I'm not going out.

I hope the hotel manager is alright.

Before he could leave, someone immediately put on their coat and launched themselves out.

Conan arrived at the hotel a while after Shoichi and the others had arrived.

Hearing screams, he immediately got up and rushed over.

But when they arrived, they found Manager Kajimura lying in a pool of blood, a decorative letter opener stuck in his chest.

His eyes were wide open, as if he couldn't believe what had happened even in his dying moments.

"Manager Kajimura?" Sonoko, who had rushed over, turned pale with fright and covered her mouth. "How... how could this happen?"

The police had not yet arrived, and the scene was chaotic.

Zheng Yi stood on the periphery of the crowd, listlessly sweeping over the corpses on the ground.

He didn't want to come out, but Hongye pulled him out anyway.

He was sleeping soundly when Hongye barged into his room saying she was scared. After he was woken up by the noise, Hongye forcibly dragged him out.

Hongye won't let him sleep; she's a bad woman.

Just then, a small hand tugged at his clothes.

Masakazu looked down and saw Ai standing beside him.

"What's wrong?" Zheng Yi asked softly.

Ai didn't look at him, but stared at Kajimura on the ground, and said quietly, "As expected, you've started eliminating your rivals again."

Her voice was quite loud, and other people around could hear it as well.

Zheng Yi's lips twitched slightly.

Ai Haibara falsely accused herself of being a bad woman... well, a bad girl.

"Ai, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."

Ai yawned.

"A horrific murder occurred at a hotel owned by the Suzuki Group, and guests, still shaken, are checking out one after another..."

Ai has already figured out how to write the news article.

She turned her head, looked at Zheng Yi, and a half-smile curved her lips:

"This will definitely cause the hotel's business to plummet. And your hotel, which is just next door, is the only alternative that can accommodate these high-end clients, right?"

Zheng Yi: "..."

This logic is damnably rigorous.

What she said makes a lot of sense; I really did have a motive to kill.

Zheng Yi looked at the others and noticed that they all looked at him with a hint of fear, as if they truly believed Ai's words.

Even Sonoko's gaze towards Masakazu changed; she now believed Masakazu was not a good person.

Since Ai has said so, I have no choice but to believe you. Who understands you better than Ai?

"And," Ai continued, "...moreover..."

“I asked other people before and learned about your hotel. I wanted to poach this manager, but he didn’t agree.”

"He is a person who values ​​sincerity. This manager did not accept your sincerity, so you can only show even greater sincerity."

A greater show of sincerity, of course, is to kill.

Ai poked Seiichi's thigh again.

Am I right?

I even mentioned that you like to move people with sincerity.

See how well I know you? (End of Chapter)