No one understands the laws of Collider better than me.

In other words, it is possible that Ms. Mita guided Hoshino and Wakatsuki in order to avenge her lover. Therefore, the postcard was not sent by Wakatsuki to Hoshino, but most likely sent by Ms. Mita to both of them!

Kitahara Masaki sent Takagi to search Wakatsuki's house, while he and Conan rushed to the high school where Mita was. However, when they arrived at the high school, Kitahara Masaki discovered someone hiding in the physics research club classroom using a drone.

"Conan! The Physics Research Club!"

With his Conan-esque acumen, Conan also saw a man standing in the physics research club classroom. That man was none other than Hoshino, whom the police had been unable to find. He seemed to be holding something in his hand, and his trembling body indicated that he was experiencing great emotional turmoil.

"Look at me!"

Conan's shot, which drew a silver line through the air, hit Hoshino's hand directly, and the medicine in his hand fell to the ground. Then, Kitahara Masaki arrived and handcuffed him, and then Kitahara Masaki gave him a hard slap.

"Are you trying to commit suicide? At the scene of Nagumo's death? This self-righteous method of atonement would disgust even Nagumo in heaven. Why should I be disturbed by you after all these years since I've been dead?"

Listening to Kitahara Masaki's barrage of nasty remarks, Conan suddenly realized that those so-called famous TV personalities were no match for Kitahara Masaki at all; only Kitahara Masaki could utter such vicious words. Two minutes later, Hoshino was also brought to her breaking point by Kitahara Masaki's tirade, bursting into tears.

"Conan, you tell me, I'm getting a little tired of talking. Let's see if you can deduce Hoshino's method."

"Oh, I think it's like this: Hoshino first called Wakatsuki to the building's emergency exit, then called him to come down. The ends of the second and third steps of the stairs at the scene were dissolved. The forensic team just texted you saying they've detected hydrochloric acid at both ends. Mr. Hoshino wanted Mr. Wakatsuki to stay on those two sections of stairs for a while, and to achieve this, he left an envelope containing money on the stairs..."

At this point, Conan suddenly realized something was wrong. It was clear that Akino's method involved breaking the stairs, causing Wakatsuki to fall to her death, but the stairs at the scene were not broken!

That means someone pushed Ruoyue down!

"Kitahara-nii, could it be that the real culprit is—"

"Yes, Mita is the real culprit. We were all 'deceived' by this Mr. Hoshino!"

At that moment, Takagi also called, telling Kitahara Masaki that he had found the same postcard in Wakatsuki's house, which also read, "You're the one who mixed up hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid!" It also included the location and time of the 17th anniversary of the death.

Kitahara Masaki sighed. Should he avenge his dead lover?

This is truly laughable. Seeing Hoshino kneeling on the ground, still feeling that he was the one who killed Nagumo and Wakatsuki, was so pitiful that Kitahara Masaki stopped attacking him.

Chapter 253 How did we end up with another bus hijacking?

Because Mita did not conceal his whereabouts, the police quickly found him at his home. By the time the police took him to the high school's physics lab, he realized that the police knew everything he had done.

"Mr. Mita, you should just confess."

Mita was also very accommodating, after all, he was seeking revenge for his dead student, and now that the police had found some clues, he might as well confess quickly.

"Six months ago, Nagumo's mother said she wanted me to see her belongings, and that's when I saw the notebook with the experimental records. I learned that Hoshino and Wakatsuki were in charge of arranging the reagents back then, so I sent that postcard to both of them, which allowed me to see them at the party. After the party, I heard Hoshino questioning whether Wakatsuki had sent him the postcard, and I never expected that Wakatsuki would use this to blackmail Hoshino."

As a teacher, Mita was furious at Wakatsuki's actions at the time, but in order to find out the truth, he continued to follow Wakatsuki. Even when he discovered that Hoshino wanted to kill him, he did not stop him. In his opinion, Wakatsuki, this wicked guy, was probably the one who killed Nagumo.

When Hoshino set a trap for the third time to kill him, Mita couldn't help but rush out and ask him about what happened back then from the safety stairs.

However, Wakatsuki did not answer Mita's question directly. As a scoundrel, he easily guessed the relationship between Mita and Nagumo. While insulting Mita as a disqualified teacher who laid a hand on a student, he took out the money from the envelope.

"He actually said that Nanyun's death was her destined fate, without mentioning the fact that he himself might be the one who killed Nanyun. This person defiled Nanyun's death, and even if he is arrested and sent to prison, he will never repent. After all, he is a scumbag who uses his classmate's death to blackmail others. So when he picked up the envelope and turned his back to me, I pushed him down the stairs."

After telling everything, Mita seemed relieved and gently stroked the table where the explosion had left its mark.

Kitahara Masaki was visibly moved after hearing his confession, feeling a pang of sympathy for the teacher who was seeking revenge for his lover. However, this feeling vanished within two seconds, and he chose to uphold justice. He felt that once the teacher had avenged his great grievance and uncovered the truth, there was nothing left for him to cherish. Although Kitahara Masaki sympathized with him, he lacked the energy to persuade someone who had already contemplated suicide.

At the same time, although Hoshino Ryo did not kill anyone, the evidence of his planned murder is conclusive, so he will also be taken back.

After taking both of them to the Metropolitan Police Department's interrogation room, Conan realized that he hadn't made any deductions at all, yet the culprit had confessed. Like Kitahara Masaki, he sensed that Mita might be contemplating suicide, so he decided to have a serious talk with the man. In his mind, since the man had chosen the path of atonement, he shouldn't have committed suicide.

Kitahara Masaki, who had seen through Conan's thoughts, wanted to say something, but seeing the kid's determined eyes, he remained silent.

Kid, I hope one day you'll understand that some people and some things are irreplaceable, and you only realize how precious they were after you've lost them.

------------------

While Kitahara Masaki was dealing with the revenge plot for his lover, Vermouth was in the next city planning to attend an art exhibition. It wasn't because she had any interest in impressionist paintings, but because many wives of high-ranking police officials would be attending the exhibition, and as Kitahara Masaki's fiancée, she certainly had a reason to get close to them and to expand her intelligence network.

Just as she opened her phone to check the latest news about Kitahara Masaki, she realized with alarm that the bus route didn't seem to lead to the art museum. Thinking she should ask the driver first, she slowly stood up to inquire. Suddenly, a tall, burly man with a menacing face blocked her path, pulled out a small knife, and shouted at Vermouth:

"Sit back down!"

Before the other passengers could react, the burly man had herded all the passengers into the back seats, while also warning the driver not to do anything unnecessary.

Vermouth was confident she could subdue him, but after the previous bus hijacking, she knew that there were likely accomplices of the perpetrator on this bus as well.

But how did I end up being hijacked on a bus again... It seems like my luck has been much worse since I came to Japan. Could it be that the evil spirits in Japanese legends or the mystical laws that Masaki talks about actually exist?

Sighing, the robbers made everyone hand over their phones and drew the curtains. With Ai Haibara gone, Vermouth could only clutch her bag tightly, thinking that she would have to save herself in the future. After all, if she really encountered a crisis, she would have to use a gun. Vermouth had two guns. One of them was in a hidden compartment in her bag, and the other was strapped to her calf, naturally hidden by her trousers.

"Sir... are you trying to hijack this bus?"

"Yes, from now on, you are all my hostages!"

"Ah—I've been hijacked on a bus again!" Vermouth exclaimed, covering her face, once again feeling that her luck was truly terrible.

"However, I'd like to talk to you first. Tell me your names and professions."

The robber was quite polite; he first pointed to a young man among the hostages who wore glasses and had a timid expression.

"Uh, me? Um—my name is Tanriku Ippei, and I work at a convenience store."

Then the robber pointed to a woman with heavy makeup.

"Lumuli Luo works in administration at a small factory."

Next was a handsome young man.

"Masao Sakamoto is currently unemployed."

Next was a young-looking woman, who was the most frightened of all the hostages, trembling incessantly.

"My name is Bai Huimei, and I am a housewife."

The last person asked to introduce himself was a gloomy-looking man with dyed brown hair.

"Xiong Tianxiang, unemployed."

Surprisingly, the robber didn't ask Vermouth to introduce herself. Instead, he scratched his head as if in trouble and said:

"How come the famous police officer's girlfriend suddenly came to the next city? Sigh, you weren't even on the list to begin with. Oh well, there's no way I'll let you off the bus now."

"Can you tell me your purpose in hijacking this bus? You haven't made a single phone call since then, so it doesn't seem to be about ransom."

"Of course! We won't let the police know we've kidnapped you after we achieve our goal! So don't fantasize that some famous police officer will come to rescue you. As for my name, it's Inudou Otsuya!"

To Vermouth's surprise, some of the hostages reacted after the kidnappers announced their names.

Interesting... It seems that this bus hijacking, like the last one, has attracted some interesting people.

Chapter 254 How about we go to the shrine?

"Hey! You all take turns going to the toilet right now! Don't even think about running away, or I'll kill all the other hostages! It's all the fault of the person who tried to escape! Do you understand?"

Just as Inudou Otsuya made that threat, Vermouth realized that this burly man had someone behind him instructing him on how to speak, but it also made her want to test him out.

“I think even if someone escapes and others are killed, it’s not the fault of the person who escaped, but your fault. Whether it’s during the police investigation or in the media reports, you alone will bear the responsibility for the murder. Please don’t shirk your responsibility.”

This caused the burly man's forehead veins to bulge, and he retorted:

"Is this just an excuse you're making to run away?! You just want to run away, don't you?!"

"No, I won't run away. Masaki will definitely come to save me and then arrest you. So, after you do something irreversible, please turn yourself in."

The other hostages, watching Vermouth relentlessly attack, were filled with shock and admiration. This woman truly lived up to her reputation as the police officer's girlfriend; she showed absolutely no fear in the face of criminals.

However, in the end, Inudou Otsuya still let Vermouth get off the bus. She had the positioning pendant that Kitahara Masaki had given her, so all she had to think about was how to send the information out.

Well, never mind, I was just saying that. If he gets caught leaving information, he might actually harm the innocent hostages.

After everyone had finished using the restroom, Inudou Otsuya told the driver to continue driving to the destination. However, as they were leaving the parking lot, a bicycle suddenly darted out. The driver swerved to avoid it, but the cyclist still fell to the ground.

"Damn it! What are you doing! Get out of here right now! That guy just tripped and fell, so do you want to die?! Just because I haven't laid a hand on him, you think I'm easy to talk to?!"

Watching Inudou Otoya's behavior, Vermouth thought the robber was just a simpleton. However, just as she was about to draw the hatred to her, the housewife Kashiwa Emi, sitting in the back seat, suddenly shouted:

"Please don't kill anyone!"

Suddenly stopped, Inudou Otoya, as if cooperating with an act, ceased his cursing at the driver and instead tapped the bus handrail with his dagger, asking like a thug looking for trouble:

"Why? Why can't I kill someone? Why can't I?"

"Isn't that just common sense?"

“I’m asking you—why take it for granted? Haven’t you ever had that thought, like, ‘I really hate that person, so why can’t they just die?’ Hey! Has any of you ever killed anyone?”

Vermouth immediately sensed something strange. The robber seemed to have triggered some special word, exhibiting an unusual obsession with killing. Although the robber was well-hidden, Vermouth, as one of the world's top actresses, realized that what he wanted to know was not 'Why can't you kill,' but rather the later emphasis on 'Has any of you killed anyone?'

Before she could finish her thought, Vermouth spoke:

"Have you ever been to a real battlefield? The smell of gunpowder, the smell of blood, the gray sky, and the constant gunfire. If you really want to kill, then you can go to that kind of place. The reason no one answers your question is because in an orderly society, most people don't think about questions like 'why can't we kill,' just like I don't question why a father can't be called a mother, and a mother can't be called a father, because these are common sense instilled from childhood. So, you, who think about 'why can't we kill,' are the odd ones out among us. In the end, you haven't reached the level of discussing philosophical and sociological issues with others."

After a barrage of verbal attacks, the robber finally couldn't resist taking two steps forward, intending to teach the police officer's girlfriend a lesson. However, Vermouth noticed that even after being talked to to this extent, the robber only extended his other hand, which was not holding a dagger, and did not intend to stab Vermouth.

However, since Vermouth was testing him, she wouldn't just obediently let herself be beaten. She used a grappling technique, twisting the robber's outstretched hand behind his back, and then wrenching his wrist to take his dagger away.

"And don't underestimate a policeman's wife!"

Seeing the situation reverse in an instant, the other hostages jumped up excitedly, only to have Masao Sakamoto pull out a pistol from his clothes, point it at Vermouth, and say:

"Excuse me, could you please let go of my brother? My name is Inudou Kouchi, and I just hope that you can all come with us to a certain place."

Just as expected, there were three people involved in the last hostage situation, so how many will there be this time?

Vermouth slowly released Inudou Otsuya, and Inudou Kouji lowered his gun, indicating that their intention was indeed to take the hostages to their location. Having ascertained their purpose, Vermouth returned to her seat. She realized that Inudou Kouji wasn't skilled with a gun, and she was wearing a bulletproof vest. Therefore, to avoid any further threats among the hostages, she remained silent for the rest of the journey.

Around 6 PM, the bus finally arrived at a place, a villa standing in what could be described as the suburbs. Even from the outside, it exuded an air of grandeur. Could this be—

"Welcome to the Inudou family. Please come in quietly."

Inside, the interior was also decorated in a Western style. The two robbers had even prepared food for the hostages. However, what caught Vermouth's eye more than a second was a painting, a portrait of a woman who was more than half-length. The woman in the painting was wearing a kimono and was beautiful. She also had a resemblance to the Inudou brothers in her eyebrows and eyes.

"Hehe, as expected of a police officer's girlfriend, you noticed it so quickly. The person in that painting is my sister, Inudou Anju, who was murdered three months ago. She was the first victim in the series of live burial murders."

what!

This surprised all the hostages.

“To find out the truth, I hired a detective, who found out that Anju boarded the bus and rode it to the last stop that day, and the passengers with her at that time were you! So I suspect that the serial killer is among you!”

So that's how it is. Vermouth finally understood what the Inudou brothers were up to: they wanted to find out who the murderer was themselves, but...

“Of course, Miss Evelyn, it was unexpected that you got on the car. I had my brother block the door, but you came up from the door where you got off.”

Well... Vermouth saw that there was no one at the exit door and was afraid she would miss the bus, so she—