Conan, I'm an actor

“My brother’s idol is Natsume Soseki. He really likes this painting, so he took it to the exhibition.” Nakata Shunya scratched his cheek and said somewhat shamefully, “However, this painting was based on a photograph, and the people who visited the exhibition seemed to have a lot of complaints about that. But there was one strange woman who praised the painting.”

"A strange woman?" Conan felt like he had found a clue.

Just then, Haibara's phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, her expression fell, she apologized to everyone, and then went to the balcony to answer the call.

"Hey? Didn't you have something to do?" Haibara said with a hint of helplessness. "If I remember correctly, Vodka wanted to have a meeting with you tonight."

"Indeed, but I still want to ask you, did anything interesting happen on your first day of school?" Shinjo's voice on the other end of the phone carried a hint of barely suppressed schadenfreude.

"Ah, there's been an incident." Haibara glanced at the Junior Detective League who were discussing. "Did you arrange all of this? You held onto my ID and even made me miss the start of school, just to get me involved in this incident?"

"It wasn't really my arrangement. Nakata was just unlucky. If he had drawn someone else, he wouldn't have been targeted. It just so happened to be Natsume Soseki," Shinjo said with a smile. "I won't give you any more hints. If I did, you would have been unable to resist helping that kid. Don't rush to deny it. That's just your personality—sharp tongue, soft heart."

"So, everything is under your control?"

"It's not that everything is under control, but I can tell you that Yusuke Sakata and Masaaki Okakura are nearby. If those children are in danger, the two of them will step in to save them, but that's all."

"One last question: why did you go to such lengths to link me to the Junior Detective League?"

"Isn't it something a doctor should do to get to know the patient and their family beforehand? Shouldn't the doctor-patient relationship be less complicated?"

"Heh." Ai Haibara hung up the phone immediately.

The moment she hung up the phone, she looked at Conan inside the room, and at that moment, Conan was looking at her.

Chapter 263 Counterfeiters Arrested

Back in the Detective Boys series, Haibara remained silent. Shinjo, who claimed he wouldn't offer any help, still provided some useful information, such as a portrait of Natsume Soseki.

Conan glanced at the Junior Detective League members who were discussing something, and quietly moved to Ai Haibara's side. "That phone call just now, was it Uncle Shinjo who called?"

"I thought you'd prepare a more subtle opening line," Haibara said coldly. "Just as you guessed, it was him who called."

"Did he provide any useful information?" Conan's eyes lit up.

Having cooperated with Shinjo so many times, he had come to the conclusion that getting information from Shinjo was more reliable, faster, and more efficient than getting information from the Metropolitan Police Department.

"He just asked me when I was coming home. Besides, he didn't do this. I was just unlucky to run into this." Haibara looked at Conan with a complicated expression. How could this famous high school detective be so unworthy of his reputation?

"Even he doesn't know? Things seem to be getting complicated." Conan looked at the bicycle in the yard. "Anyway, let's go out and look for any possible clues. He didn't bring his ID or wallet, and the bicycle is in the yard. Your brother was probably kidnapped nearby."

The juvenile detectives quickly began asking questions in various shops. Luckily, they were children; if they were adults, they would have been chased away long ago.

"Do you really expect to find clues by asking questions like this?" Haibara asked.

"We can only try our luck," Conan said, holding his phone. "If all else fails, we'll have to ask the Metropolitan Police Department officers for help."

How do I check?

"Have everyone check the banknotes they've recently received, especially the 1000 yen notes, to see if there are any counterfeit ones," Conan said, holding his phone. "Hopefully, those guys are stupid enough."

“Indeed, it’s really stupid to ask a high school student to design counterfeit money,” Haibara said. “The technology required to make counterfeit money is very high. They would be eliminated at the first hurdle. Even if they did manage to make some, they would be defective products that are not worth scrutinizing.”

“This kind of counterfeit money can’t fool machines, not even vending machines.” Conan took a deep breath. “So it can only be used in places with manual checkouts, such as newsstands, kiosks, and convenience stores.”

"You seem to know a lot about all of this?"

“I’ve chatted with some friends at the Metropolitan Police Department a few times before. I’m just a detective, an amateur. It’s better to find a professional for this kind of thing.” Conan glanced at a red Mazda RX-7 on the street in the distance, a smile playing on his lips. “The professional is here, isn’t he?”

After Officers Takagi and Sato got out of the car, they didn't find Kudo. However, after seeing Conan, they roughly understood what was going on. The busy man probably had some tricky case to deal with, so he left everything here to this kid.

"Conan, what incident have you encountered this time?" Sato asked in a friendly tone.

However, Takagi beside her had an extremely solemn expression, holding his notebook as if it were something of utmost importance. Every time she encountered Conan, Shinjo, or Mori, nothing good ever came of it, and it was always a major case.

"It's about counterfeit money." Conan got straight to the point and explained the situation.

After consulting with their superiors, Takagi and Sato quickly launched an investigation into the matter.

Those stupid thieves didn't even bother to run far when they used counterfeit money; they were caught red-handed right there in the convenience store. That guy was pretty tough though; he didn't betray his accomplices after being caught red-handed.

When Inspector Megure arrived at the scene, he didn't bother with any pleasantries. He immediately pulled up the surveillance video from the roadside and, following the clues, quickly located the hideout.

Conan was still somewhat disappointed when he saw the suspect.

"What are you disappointed about? You feel it's a pity that this woman in black isn't a member of the organization, right?" Haibara asked, standing beside Conan.

"This……"

“The guys in the organization would never be so petty. Even if they were to counterfeit money, it would be in the tens of thousands of yen. And they wouldn’t use drawings, they would use industrial master plates.” Haibara said, looking at the machines around her. “You can tell just by looking at them.”

"Who exactly are you?" Conan's expression turned somewhat grim.

He had previously thought that Haibara was a victim of APTX-4869, just like her, but now he realized something was wrong; this woman knew a lot about the organization.

If she were merely a victim, it would be impossible for her to know so much about the organization, unless she was originally an insider. Of course, it's also possible that Shinjo told her, but that's unlikely; they're all victims, and Shinjo has no reason to treat them differently.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm on the same side as you now." Haibara stretched. "How effective were those blue capsules? You didn't come for a check-up after you took them last time, so I don't know how effective they were, let alone how they improved things."

"Did you develop that antidote?" Conan's face instantly lit up with joy. "Has the real antidote been developed yet? How's the research progressing?"

"Do you really want to go back to normal?" Haibara suddenly asked. "Have you thought about what will happen after you go back to normal?"

Haibara's words immediately silenced Conan. Yes, even if he turned back into Shinichi Kudo, so what? As long as the organization existed, they would have to live in the shadows.

"Hey Conan, do you need me to take you home? You've really done a great job this time," Inspector Megure said with a smile.

"By the way, Inspector Megure, who was that woman just now? You seemed to know her quite well," Conan asked, looking up.

"Her? She's a counterfeit money criminal, a repeat offender," Inspector Megure said with some helplessness. "This is the fourth time she's been arrested for making counterfeit money. The first two times she was caught before she could even get out because the quality of the counterfeit money she made was too poor. Last time, she was caught selling the counterfeit money near her hideout."

"Wasn't this time also about selling stolen goods near the hideout?"

“Last time they sold the stolen goods at the convenience store downstairs, but this time it's within a 3-kilometer radius, which is a big improvement.” Inspector Megure nodded. “Moreover, this woman played a little trick; the police station is right downstairs, a classic case of being in the dark right under your nose.”

Conan's lips twitched; he no longer knew how to evaluate the culprit.

"No need to see me off. My guardian is coming to pick me up, and will take this Conan classmate back with them," Haibara said, looking up.

Inspector Megure looked at Conan, seemingly asking for his opinion. Conan nodded, indicating that Inspector Megure didn't need to worry.

Chapter 264 Conflict in the Port Area

After getting into the car, Conan was somewhat disappointed. The person in the driver's seat was not Shinjo, but a man he didn't recognize.

"Where's Uncle Shinjo?" Conan asked, somewhat puzzled. "Why didn't he come to pick you up?"

“This…” Masaaki Okakura hesitated for a moment, glancing at Ai Haibara in the rearview mirror.

"Tonight, Vodka invited Bourbon and Cognac to a meeting. It seems the organization is planning something big soon," Haibara said.

"What?" Conan immediately perked up. "Where?"

"Are you in such a hurry to go and die?" Haibara rolled her eyes. "Have you been staying at Professor Agasa's house lately? I'll have him take you home."

"Hey!" Conan wanted to say something more.

"If you keep talking nonsense, I'll send you straight to the Mouri Detective Agency."

Conan looked a little embarrassed, and although he wanted to say something, he ultimately didn't dare to speak.

Haibara smiled at Conan's discomfiture and said nothing more. She looked out the window with a worried expression. The meeting Shinjo was attending tonight was no ordinary gathering of friends and family; it was more like a trap.

At the same time, the port area

The white RX-7 and the black CT-6 arrived at the parking lot outside the port area at almost the same time. Amuro Tooru looked at Shinjo getting out of the car and wanted to say hello, but Shinjo didn't pay any attention to him at all. He directly took out a bunch of weapons from his trunk and began to arm himself.

"You took out so many contraband items in front of me, a police officer. Did you even consider how I felt?" Amuro Tooru asked through gritted teeth.

Shinjo glanced at him, then took out an SKS, several magazines, and a bullet belt, and shoved them into his hand. "Alright, now you're an accomplice."

Amuro Tooru looked at the guns in his hand with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, but still carried them with him.

After he finished equipping himself, just as he was about to speak, Xincheng handed him several grenades, flashbangs, smoke grenades, as well as a bulletproof vest and helmet.

“I’m telling you, we’re going to a meeting, not to fight a war,” Amuro Tooru said with a hint of helplessness. “Besides, what good does it do Gin to provoke him like this?”

“We’ve already crossed the line, what’s there to be afraid of?” Shinjo rolled his eyes. “I think you’re just having an occupational hazard. It would be problematic if you didn’t carry a weapon. Carrying it openly will actually prevent the other side from getting suspicious. Here, carry this on your back.”

Looking at the backpack that Shinjo handed him, Amuro Tooru really wanted to curse. It contained rocket launcher ammunition, a total of 8 rounds. Was this guy afraid that the other side would deploy tanks?

"Don't look at me like that. This time, the organization might actually reveal some of its assets," Xincheng said with a smile. "If we can take advantage of this opportunity to eliminate them, that would be best."

"What did you say?" Amuro Tooru asked, somewhat confused.

"Let's go, don't keep Vodka waiting, that guy isn't very patient."

In the port area

Vodka stood in a corner, anxiously asking his men if the two guys had arrived yet. He was getting impatient because he hadn't received any news.

"What's the rush? Let's wait a bit longer." Gin, standing to the side, remained calm. "It's not time yet. By the way, have you told them the information I asked you to share?"

“I’ve already said it. If they really are undercover agents, they should already know the mission we’re assigning them.” Vodka’s face twisted into a sinister grin. “If they dare to turn against us…”

Before he could finish speaking, a faint sound, like a firecracker, came from the container in the distance.

"Gunshot." Gin's expression changed drastically, and then his phone rang.

Gin suppressed his anger and answered the phone, "When will you arrive?"

“They’re just outside the port area, but there are quite a few armed men outside. We’re going to clear them out before we go in to find you.” Shinjo’s flippant voice rang out. “If we go in now, it won’t be good if we get surrounded.”

“Those are our people,” Gin said with a dark expression.

"How do I know if they're your people, FBI agents, or Japanese public security officers?" Shinjo yawned. "Then tell them to withdraw all your people, and we'll check again."

Vodka felt his fists harden when he heard Cognac's words, because he knew the strength of Cognac and Bourbon. The men lying in ambush around them were all his handpicked elites, and he would be heartbroken if even one of them died.

Gin waved his hand, signaling Vodka to withdraw his men. After everyone had left the ambush position, half an hour later, Shinjo and Amuro Tooru appeared in front of them.

Upon seeing the two men's appearance, Vodka and Gin both gasped. Did these two think they had armored forces on their side?

However, having seen their share of big events, they both took a deep breath and tried to control their expressions, but what Xincheng said next instantly shattered their composure.

"See these guys? It's no use talking to them nicely. They're like dogs. They only learn to put away their teeth and claws and talk nicely when they get beaten and feel the pain," Shinjo said to Amuro Tooru beside him.

Amuro Tooru looked at Gin and Vodka across from him with some embarrassment. He wanted to say that this matter had nothing to do with him, but looking at Vodka and Gin's expressions, he knew that even if he distanced himself from Shinjo now, it would be useless. He was already completely bound to Shinjo.

Just then, a gloomy-faced young man walked over, his clothes splattered with blood. He whispered a few words in Vodka's ear, then glared fiercely at Shinji.

"Gin, tell your men to keep an eye on themselves," Shinjo said with a smile. "I'm not very skilled at eyeball removal surgery, but I'm quite adept at sending them a bullet."

Gin said coldly, "Vodka, take them away from here."