Survival Manual of the Science Fiction World

“He seems to be a treasure hunter.” Ai Haibara had somehow acquired a damp notebook in her hand. She struggled to decipher the handwriting in the notebook. “It contains a lot of information about the locations of treasures scattered throughout Japan, as well as maps.”

Chu Ming immediately became interested. He leaned over and took a look, silently memorizing the locations written on them. Okay, now the organization has requisitioned all these locations. I'll send people to dig them up later.

“Having found a trustworthy companion, we will definitely be able to defeat that despicable thief this time—” Ai Haibara paused suddenly as she read, clearly thinking of something about the description of the word “thief.”

Chu Ming glanced at Conan, who suddenly became highly motivated upon hearing about a thief, and deliberately teased him: "Alright, since Conan insists, let's go back. After all, it's getting late."

Conan plopped down on the grass, hugging the stone box with both hands and feet, pretending not to hear Chu Ming's teasing, and coughed twice: "It's okay, since they're so eager to crack the code, let's watch here a little longer. I think I've got a clue."

Chu Ming squatted down beside him and pointed to the last name: "This person sounds familiar. I think I've heard it somewhere before."

"Mitsu Kichiemon was a renowned mechanical engineer and puppet maker during the late Edo period. His skills were superb, and the mechanical puppets he designed were incredibly lifelike. He even created a puppet that could automatically serve tea cups simply by winding up a clockwork mechanism. It was very popular among feudal lords and merchants at the time, and he was known as the 'Mechanical Kichiemon.'" Mitsuhiko rarely encountered a question that matched his expertise, especially one that Chu Ming didn't even know about, so he launched into a long and detailed explanation.

"Isn't this just a rudimentary version of the wooden ox and flowing horse?" Chu Ming didn't think this person was that amazing, just like they did. What's so special about giving away a teacup? Legend has it that Zhuge Liang's wooden ox and flowing horse could transport military rations on their own.

"Wooden ox and flowing horse? What are those?"

Aside from Conan, the others were very curious about the wooden ox and flowing horse that Chu Ming had mentioned. While Conan was pondering the code, Chu Ming simply sat cross-legged on the ground and told the children the legendary story of Zhuge Liang, leaving them completely bewildered.

"So there was such an amazing person in ancient China!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed with some emotion. "I really want to go and see him."

Yuan Tai suddenly remembered something Chu Ming had said a long time ago: "Yeah, Brother Chu Ming also said before that watermelons in China are especially cheap, big and delicious. I really want to go to China!"

Chu Ming patted Conan's head, who was deep in thought, and felt a little sad. He had also wanted to go, but the thought of taking them there would be like inviting Conan into his room made him decide against it...

Chapter 602 Smell

Besides Zhuge Liang, Chu Ming also explained the Mohist mechanical arts to them. Although he didn't know how much of the rumor was true or false, it was enough to fool the kids.

Amid the children's exclamations, Conan stood up, brushed off the small bugs stuck to his body, and although he understood the first half of the story, he still had no clue about the second half.

Chu Ming glanced at the focus on Kid inside the old house, then poked Conan on the back: "Why don't we go in and take a look? Your nemesis might be there~"

He had indeed not seen Kidd for a long time.

"How is he a nemesis? He's just a shameless thief who uses a mask to hide his true colors and plays dirty tricks. As a detective, isn't it normal for me to want to take off his mask and see his true face?" Conan jumped up, clearly feeling that he had never considered Kid a nemesis.

Chu Ming leaned closer to look at his face: "No way, you're still not over the jealousy you had last time?"

The last time he was on the airship, he told Conan that Kid had impersonated him, held hands with Ran, and even put his arm around her waist. Goodness, he won't remember that today, will he?

Conan's face darkened, he snorted and turned his head away, clearly acquiescing.

The children looked at each other in bewilderment: "You mean the thief you're talking about isn't Kaito Kid?!"

Ayumi's eyes lit up: "Really? It really is that Kaito Kid, the Phantom Thief Gentleman!"

Seeing Conan's slight pout, Ai Haibara chuckled and said, "I've heard Dr. Agasa say that in your clashes, it seems like you always come out on the losing end."

"How is that possible? He clearly didn't manage to steal the jewel!"

"Is it possible that he never really wanted those gems? After all, every time Kid steals gems, they're always returned." Chu Ming casually patted Conan's head and joined in the laughter.

Conan stared at the mansion and strode forward: "Weren't we supposed to be exploring? Let's go inside!"

-

At this moment, Kidd stood by the window, looking at a group of people on the lawn below, his expression complicated.

He never expected to run into Conan and his friends here, but what he didn't expect even more was—

The scent he had casually applied to that demon puppet could still be smelled around that group of people!

He had this idea after hearing what Lucifer said last time. He just wanted to find out if the Demon King's puppets would stay in the human world when the Demon King did not summon them. That way, if he were to be made into a puppet in the future, he would at least know whether he would have any freedom.

It was just a test, so after quietly rubbing the special spices onto the puppet, he didn't have much hope.

This spice doesn't have any special flavor, but Kidd was trained from a young age to accurately distinguish this unique taste that others simply can't detect.

But to his utter surprise, he could faintly smell this scent on Conan. Although it was very faint, it was definitely there.

He had just released the small flying insects to check the scent, and the insects did indeed land on Conan for a moment. Clearly, Conan and that puppet had some contact!

But how did Conan come into contact with the puppet?

Did that demon king also covet his soul?

But last time, the Demon King clearly didn't show any regard for Conan, did he?

Kidd scratched his head, feeling that he had too much information in his head to process it all. He had already disguised himself as an unkempt old woman, and his messy hair was now even more disheveled.

"I really want to know who Conan has been in contact with—" Taking advantage of the fact that he was the only one left on the ground floor, he silently shouted into the void.

Suddenly, he heard a creaking sound of a mechanism turning, and immediately leaned against a pillar, closed his eyes, and lowered his head.

With a series of sharp, piercing screams from the children and a loud thud, the children slumped limply onto the ground, resting on Conan's soccer ball.

A moment later, Chu Ming jumped down from above, carrying Ai Haibara. Genta had triggered the mechanism too quickly; he only had time to grab Ai Haibara back. The remaining children were saved by Conan's soccer ball.

When they turned on the flashlight and saw that they were surrounded by skeletons, the children trembled and huddled together at Chu Ming's legs, like chicks huddling around their mother hen, looking like they were sticking together for warmth.

Shine the flashlight on Kidd, who was leaning against the wall. Chu Ming's lips twitched. The disheveled old woman in front of him, with sunken cheekbones and an extremely ugly appearance, was Kidd in disguise.

Ayumi leaned closer, looking somewhat distressed: "Even the old lady—"

Kidd suddenly opened his eyes, startling Ayumi, who was standing close to him. She let out a scream, then stumbled back several steps, grabbing Chu Ming's leg with a thud: "He...he's back from the dead!!!"

Chu Ming looked at the suddenly increased points and his gaze toward Kidd was exceptionally kind.

What a kind person! They even helped him earn some points.

No wonder it's a little pigeon that everyone loves.

"It's not a zombie apocalypse. This old man wasn't dead to begin with; I was just sitting here resting." Kid clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, glancing in Conan's direction, and couldn't resist trying to get information out of him, "Kid, you look a bit gloomy; that's not a good sign—"

Chu Ming was a little confused. He blinked. What? When did Kidd switch careers to fraud?

[Another day of forcing myself to write two chapters~ I'm stuck again, it's so frustrating QAQ]

Chapter 603 My Ancestor Was an Onmyoji

Conan hadn't expected the old woman's first words to him to be this. He tilted his head, pretending not to hear, and asked, "Grandma, are you here looking for treasure too?"

The two treasure hunters that Chu Ming and the others had encountered earlier in the mansion changed their expressions upon hearing this.

“I’m not here to play around, I’m here on serious business.” Kidd stood up, intending to scare the others away. He had arrived early, having already found the diamond a few days ago and deciphered the code. However, as he removed the diamond to see if it was the Pandora he was looking for, he heard the sound of a mechanism turning as soon as he took the stone off. If he hadn’t put it down quickly, it would probably have been swept to the bottom of the valley by the water.

He hasn't left these past few days because he knows several treasure hunters are also coming, and he wants to stay and keep an eye on things.

As a result, they not only caught the treasure hunter, but also a Conan who seemed to have been in contact with the puppet.

He even discovered that not only Conan, but also Chu Ming had a faint scent on him, indicating that the puppet had been in contact with both of them, with the puppet having been in contact with Conan for a longer period.

What a pity, why is it Conan...?

He was somewhat disappointed; trying to get information out of this detective was simply too difficult...

Chu Ming didn't know why Kid was paying extra attention to Conan this time. His eyes were almost always on Conan. From upstairs to downstairs, Chu Ming suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity with this series of mechanisms, as if he had seen them somewhere before.

Although the house is full of traps, as long as we are careful, there shouldn't be any life-threatening danger. Plus, with Kaito Kid there to protect them, Conan and the others won't encounter any danger.

He strolled leisurely behind the main group, carefully observing the mechanisms and wondering when he had seen them before.

—He remembered!

It's Karasuma Annex!

His golden castle!

The mechanisms in the annex and those here are remarkably similar, perhaps even designed by the same person!

Karasuma Villa was left to Karasuma Renya by his mother. Karasuma Renya was over 140 years old, and more than 100 years ago was during the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. It is very likely that the mechanisms in the villa were the work of Misui Kichiemon...

So, there might be some hidden mechanisms inside the villa. Ever since the BOSS gave him the villa, he hasn't stayed there except for the last time he went with Conan.

I need to find some time to go and take a look.

Thinking of this, he looked up, only to find no one in front of him. As he staggered along, Conan and the others seemed to have discovered something, and a group of them suddenly ran away.

Chu Ming waved the flashlight in his hand, resignedly opened the focus list, and checked where Kid and Conan had gone.

Just as he opened the system, a group of people emerged dejectedly from a cave on the right.

"What, didn't you find it?" Chu Ming couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at the children with their heads hanging low.

“Yeah, Conan said he had no clue either—” Mitsuhiko said with a disappointed look, “I thought I could find the legendary Nioh Stone.”

The other two treasure hunters, skeptical, felt there must be some places they hadn't yet discovered, and stopped following the children. Only the old woman, disguised as Kid, continued to follow slowly: "Sigh, this old lady will stick with you. Seriously, little brother, have you been to some place you shouldn't have recently? Or met someone you shouldn't have? I can sense an ominous aura about you..."

Kid was trying to coax Conan with his cryptic talk, but he personally didn't think it was really coaxing. They had already encountered the Demon King's puppet, wasn't that an ominous sign?

Ayumi looked at Conan with concern and some nervousness, then turned to Kid: "Really, grandma? Do you have a way to solve this?"

Mitsuhiko was clearly skeptical. He pulled Ayumi aside and said warily, "These are all lies to children. We should believe in science. There's no such thing as an ominous aura; it's all fake."

Kidd's lips twitched. He hoped it was fake too. Didn't he want to believe in science? More than anyone, he did. But the problem was, he had seen a demon! A demon even wanted to turn him into a puppet after he came of age!

Chu Ming didn't know what Kid was trying to do by suddenly telling Conan all this, but he still thoughtfully offered Kid a way out, to see what he was really up to: "Grandma, what exactly do you want to say? Just say it directly, don't beat around the bush."

Kidd sighed and began to make up a lie: "What I said is all true. Although I am a treasure hunter, due to my family background, an elder in my family was a kotoshi (shrine maiden), and my ancestors also had Onmyoji (yin-yang masters), so I have some knowledge of spiritual communication. This little brother has a fierce aura between his brows. Have you met any unusual people these past few days? Or perhaps someone with a strong killing intent?"

He turned his head to look at Chu Ming, and said in a serious tone, "You also have a bit of this murderous aura on you. You two probably met this person together, but you spent more time with this little brother."

Conan remained noncommittal: "There's no one unusual, and I haven't met anyone recently—"

He paused, looking at Kidd with suspicion. Kidd's description reminded him of that organization. He wasn't stupid; he could clearly tell that the old woman in front of him was trying to elicit information.

So this person is also part of the organization?