Ke Xue: Mastering Observation Haki at the start

“Edogawa won’t die so easily.” Ai Haibara looked at the cute little girl in front of her and smiled. “He will definitely have his own way of escaping.”

“Alright…” Ai Haibara paused for a moment, then said to Ayumi Yoshida, “Let’s go back now.”

"Hmm..." Ayumi Yoshida nodded, then secretly glanced at the calm Ai Haibara, "Why do you know so much about Conan?"

Ai Haibara: "......"

She couldn't find a reason to say it. Should she tell Ayumi that Conan is actually the high school detective Shinichi Kudo in his smaller form?

"Do you...?" Ayumi Yoshida asked timidly, "...like Conan?"

Ai Haibara paused for a moment, the tense atmosphere broken by Ayumi Yoshida's question.

"What if that's the case?" Ai Haibara said as she walked, looking at the delicate Ayumi in front of her, and couldn't help but sigh. Kids these days... are so precocious.

"No, no, you can't." Ayumi Yoshida was about to cry.

"Don't worry, I have absolutely no interest in that guy." Seeing the little girl on the verge of tears, Ai Haibara stopped teasing her...

"Haibara-san, you already have Kashin-nii," Ayumi Yoshida whispered. "I know you like Kashin-nii..."

Ai Haibara remained silent, offering no rebuttal. She took Ayumi Yoshida's hand and slowed her pace, walking slowly...

She noticed... a dark figure had just walked past behind her.

Click...click...

Although the footsteps were very light, they were still clearly audible in the extremely quiet environment.

“Haibara-san…” Ayumi Yoshida gripped Ai Haibara’s hand tightly, somewhat frightened.

The footsteps suddenly quickened.

"Run!" Ai Haibara whispered, pulling Ayumi Yoshida forward.

.....

"Where? Where?" Masahiro Mamiya, his face full of wrinkles, held an iron rod with an unknown liquid on it and looked around.

She knew it was definitely Mamiya Mitsuru who wanted to compete with her for the monthly treasure of this castle.

That's right, those children and the Mediterranean doctor were brought by him.

Even the little boy with glasses found the darkroom...

"No one can steal my treasure." Masaki Mamiya, her face contorted with madness, lifted her skirt and sprinted off in the opposite direction at an incredible speed.

.....

The footsteps behind paused for a moment, then resumed...

Ai Haibara was running ahead when, without paying attention, she twisted her ankle.

"You go up first." Ai Haibara urged Ayumi Yoshida as they looked at the half-person-high steps ahead.

"But..." Seeing Ai Haibara looking at her earnestly, she nodded, stifled her sobs, climbed up, and then reached out to grab Ai Haibara's hand...

As Ai Haibara was climbing up, a hand suddenly grabbed her calf...

In an instant, she was pulled into darkness...

"Haibara-san." Ayumi Yoshida didn't dare to speak loudly, and stood there crying.

Before Ai Haibara could struggle, a large, hot hand covered her mouth.

"Shhh.."

She was stunned for a moment, then suddenly felt a reassuring feeling emanating from the other person.

Ai Haibara looked up and saw a pair of indifferent, wine-red eyes staring into the darkness ahead.

Jia Chen leaned against the wall, using his Observation Haki to sense his surroundings.

Then... the walls flipped rapidly, pulling Gatsuki and Ai Haibara inside.

Seeing that everything was pitch black, Jia Chen reached out and knocked on the wall that had just been flipped over.

The flip-top door was already locked.

Chapter 48 Jia Chen: Did I hurt you? (Please vote with your monthly tickets, dear.)

Jia Chen gently placed Ai Haibara on the ground.

He took a match from his trench coat pocket, lit it, and turned on the oil lamp on the wall.

A warm firelight ignited.

“The door is locked now.” Jia Chen took out some liniment from his trench coat pocket and squatted down in front of Ai Haibara. “But there’s no one else there, so Ayumi is safe.”

Ai Haibara stared blankly at Gatsuki's face.

"Hmm...but it was pitch black all around, how did you know it was Ayumi?" Ai Haibara asked softly, her ears turning slightly red. "You were following us the whole time, and...you even overheard our conversation?"

"What conversation?" Jia Chen took off Ai Haibara's shoes and socks, poured some liniment into his hands, and rubbed it in.

"It's nothing." Ai Haibara's delicate face was slightly flushed by the flames. She then realized that her shoes and socks had been taken off, exposing her fair, jade-like feet to Jia Chen's view. "What...what are you doing?"

"Don't move." Jia Chen placed his hands on Ai Haibara's ankles and gently massaged them...

"Mmm~" Ai Haibara gently bit her rosy lips.

Those warm hands suddenly began rubbing her ankles; the abrupt change in temperature caught Ai Haibara off guard.

"Did I... hurt you?" Jia Chen slowed his movements, his brows furrowing slightly.

He wasn't using much strength at that moment.

Ai Haibara gently shook her head, avoiding eye contact with Kakeru, a charming blush spreading across her cheeks.

What Jia Chen said...if others heard it, it would definitely cause misunderstandings...

Thinking of this, Ai Haibara muttered "pervert" under her breath.

Jia Chen: "......"

He heard it. (The last part appears to be a string of characters and doesn't translate directly.)

However, my brain had just gone blank for a moment, but I've forced myself to calm down now, and I'm carefully running my hands over Ai Haibara's feet... tracing the smooth, jade-like calves...

"Actually... it's already been applied." Ai Haibara said softly, her icy blue eyes flickering as she suppressed the strange feeling in her heart.

“You need a massage,” Jia Chen explained earnestly as he massaged the area. “This will help the medicine penetrate better.”

"Hmm..." Ai Haibara secretly glanced at Gatsuki, her heart seemingly pounding like a mischievous little deer running wild in nature.

About three minutes...

"Almost done." Jia Chen moved his hand away and bent down to put socks and shoes on Ai Haibara. "But she can't walk yet."

“Hmm…” Ai Haibara nodded.

Jia Chen looked up at Ai Haibara.

At this moment, Ai Haibara was looking at him with flushed cheeks, her expression somewhat adorable and bewildered.

Jia Chen: "......"

My composure crumbled instantly... Ai is so cute like this.

He took out his phone, positioned it at the right angle, and took a picture.

"You...you're so mean." Ai Haibara didn't stop him, but gave Gatsu a cute, angry look.

“I’m a good person,” Jia Chen emphasized, reaching out to pick her up.

"Actually... you can help me walk." Ai Haibara leaned closer unconsciously as she smelled the reassuring scent emanating from Gatsuki, and whispered.

Jia Chen: "Then..."

"Well, it's actually fine this way." Ai Haibara's fair, smooth face flushed for a moment, and after hesitating for a while, she asked, "How come your technique is so skillful, and your movements are so smooth when you take off other people's shoes and socks? Have you done this to other girls before?"

After asking the question, Ai Haibara regretted it somewhat... Jia Chen knew her own identity; she was Sherry. How could she possibly ask such a childish question? But deep down, she longed for an answer.

It was as if a little devil was urging her to ask, while a little angel was advising her to maintain the aloofness of Sherry.

Then... upon seeing Jia Chen's calm expression...

The little devil in his heart instantly raised his fist and knocked the little angel unconscious.

"What do you think?" Jia Chen was a little puzzled by the state of the little girl Haibara in his arms. His light red eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the little girl Haibara lost in thought, and he added, "I used to massage my mother's feet, and then it was you."

Upon hearing this, Ai Haibara's mood instantly brightened, even becoming joyful...

But she was also a little sad... She knew that Jia Chen's parents might have passed away for some reason...

"Um...it's nothing." Ai Haibara suddenly became more talkative. "I just wanted to say that you shouldn't touch a girl's feet, it's very impolite."

Jia Chen's pale red eyes were fixed on the front... He could even clearly smell the scent on Ai Haibara's body, like a snow lotus, refreshing and pleasant.

Moreover, she has a gentle heart, even though she appears aloof and unapproachable.

But deep down, she is indeed gentle as water, and after realizing her own emotions, she always finds ways to comfort herself.

He seems to like Haibara Haibara, well... he likes this anime character even more now.

“That makes sense.” Jia Chen nodded, his arm around Ai Haibara still in place. “Where are Professor Agasa and the others?”

He's lost now too, but there's nothing he can do; the castle is too huge, and there are too many traps...