Conan: The Romantic Daily Life of a Ghost Detective

Hiroki Kakutani chose a bed by the window to sleep in.

On the single bed near the door, there was a lot of photography equipment: cameras of various models, tripods, external flashes, and a lot of professional equipment that Wen Shui didn't recognize.

"Let's start by investigating these things. Ayako-nee, do you know how to operate these machines?" Wen Shui asked.

Ayako Suzuki nodded: "I occasionally helped Kakutani with filming when I was in college, so I know a bit about these machines."

The group then began investigating Hiroki Kakutani's room.

Ayako Suzuki was in charge of checking the photography equipment, while Onami investigated the items in the room's cabinets and suitcases.

Xiao Lan stood furtively at the door of the room, still disguised as a masked person, helping to keep watch.

Everyone is working desperately hard to solve the case.

Soon, Ayako Suzuki finished inspecting the filming equipment. Most of the materials inside were from the film magazine where Hiroki Kakutani worked, as well as many landscape photos taken near the villa and on the way up the mountain.

Everything seemed normal, befitting the role of a film magazine editor.

Ayako Suzuki couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Just then, Wen Shui's deep voice came from beside her ear: "Found it, it's here!"

Ayako Suzuki and Ran immediately looked at Wen Shui and found him lying on the floor with a video recorder's memory card in his hand.

"Where did you find it?" Xiaolan asked in a muffled voice, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

"The bottom of the wardrobe was taped to the bottom of the cabinet."

Wen Shui showed the two the tape stuck to the memory card, then casually ripped off the "mask" from Xiao Lan's face: "We're detectives, not thieves, there's no need for this."

"Oh fine."

Xiao Lan nodded obediently, but she still looked a little guilty.

Upon seeing the memory card, Ayako Suzuki seemed to lose all her strength and gave up all resistance.

Because this model of memory card is the same as the model of the hidden camera found in the kitchen.

She put the cassette tape she found in the warm water into the camera, went into the photo album, and then discovered that the memory card contained photos, not video recordings.

"Hey, isn't that me?" Xiaolan looked at the camera screen in surprise.

That's right, the first photo that appeared on the camera screen was of Xiaolan in front of the villa window. Judging from the shooting angle, the photographer must have taken it secretly from the woods.

Judging from the time displayed in the upper left corner of the screen, this photo was taken this afternoon.

Wen Shui and Suzuki Ayako exchanged a glance, a hint of worry flashing in each other's eyes.

Fortunately, the thing they were worried about didn't happen, although the next dozen or so photos were all solo shots of Ran and Ai Haibara.

However, there was no explicit content involving nudity.

“Although Kakutani-san said he would take photos for us as a memento, the angles of these photos look a bit strange,” Xiaolan couldn’t help but say.

Wen Shui nodded.

Although he didn't know much about photography, he could clearly tell that the composition of these photos was clearly geared towards male-oriented portrait photography.

However, because it was taken secretly, and Ran and Ai Haibara were both very cautious, the final result was poor, more like an artistic portrait.

Wen Shui continued flipping through the photo album.

The date jumped back a week, and the photo on the screen changed to a young girl he didn't recognize.

The style of the photos has completely transformed into that of adult photography.

These female models seemed to have volunteered for the photoshoot; they wore sailor uniforms, gymnastics outfits, swimsuits, yukatas, and even some daring styles involving only underwear, posing provocatively for the camera.

As a series of explicit photos flashed before her eyes, Xiaolan felt her cheeks flush and become hot.

She glanced at Wen Shui and found that Wen Shui's eyes were filled with only the focus of solving the case, without a trace of evil.

For some reason, Xiaolan felt a surge of joy.

Finally, when flipping through the album to a day a month ago, the style of the photos in the album had changed again.

Before me stood a boy with delicate features, kneeling on the ground in light clothing, his expression somewhat intriguing.

Wen Shui couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

Wen Shui and Shu, who have a perfectly normal sexual orientation, couldn't help but get goosebumps.

However, he could roughly guess why Hiroki Kakutani had placed a camera in the kitchen.

That guy actually used Amuro Tooru as model material; I really want to see Amuro Tooru's reaction when he finds out.

As for why they would secretly take photos of Ran and Ai Haibara, they probably wanted to sell those photos as merchandise, which can be seen from the fact that the second daughter of the Suzuki Group is not in the photos.

But that's not enough!

For this reason alone, the terms in his mind shouldn't have reacted so strongly.

What other details might we have missed?

Wen Shui forced herself to concentrate, her mind replaying the things she had seen since arriving at the villa like a slideshow.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

Wen Shui pressed the camera's control buttons repeatedly, quickly scrolling through the photos, finally stopping at a picture of a hot girl.

The girl in the photo has fair skin and a curvaceous figure. She is wearing a JK uniform and standing on a tatami mat.

Her slender legs were encased in black over-the-knee stockings, her translucent lips were slightly upturned, and her flawless white teeth shone brightly in the sunlight.

"Ahem! Mr. Wen Shui, this is a crucial moment in solving the case, please bear with your bad habit for now," Xiao Lan said with slight dissatisfaction.

After saying that, she deliberately adjusted the black over-the-knee socks on her legs.

The meaning couldn't be clearer.

However, Wen Shui had no time to appreciate the beautiful scenery around him; the "Mori Elimination Method" in his mind was already constantly flashing.

Wen Shui reached out and covered the lower half of the girl's face in the photo.

Sure enough, that look in his eyes and that face shape...

It looks exactly like Ume Matsuzaka, the first victim of the Slit-Mouthed Woman attack that we just saw in Ai Haibara's room.

Click on the details of this photo.

I noticed that Hiroki Kakutani wrote down basic information about the model in the notes.

[Shinjuku Ward XX High School, 18 years old, Yoshinaga Midori, 161cm, 42kg, B82 / W58 / H86...]

Although the names are different, Wenshui is almost certain that the girl in the photo is Matsuzaka Ume, and Yoshinaga Midori is probably just an alias used by the model.

What he found most incredible was...

This photo was taken a week ago.

Chapter 43 Sato Miwako's Dog-like Boyfriend Kidnapping Plan

Meanwhile, in Beikacho, Tokyo.

Miwako Sato worked late into the night again. After a long day of work, she drove to the entrance of a ramen shop.

The store's main customers are people who work overtime or night shifts year-round.

Therefore, even though it was past 1 a.m., there were still quite a few cars parked in front of the store.

As soon as Miwako Sato locked her car, she saw a Metropolitan Police Department patrol car slowly approaching from a distance.

The patrol car came to a smooth stop in the roadside parking space, and Yumi Miyamoto and Naeko Miike, both wearing Metropolitan Police Department patrol uniforms, got out of the car.

Sato Miwako walked over and said with a smile, "Oh, Yumi, are you working the night shift too?"

Miike Naeko bowed slightly: "Hello, Sato-senpai, what a coincidence!"

Yumi Miyamoto's expression brightened: "That's great! Seeing that you're also working so late makes me feel a lot better."

"Damn it, isn't that a bit hurtful?" Miwako punched her best friend Miyamoto Yumi in dissatisfaction.

Yumi Miyamoto laughed nonchalantly and said, "What does it matter? Isn't this what best friends are for? Oh, I'm suddenly in a much better mood. How about this, it's my treat today. Naoko and Miwako, you can order whatever you like."

Miwako Sato looked up at the ramen shop sign.

Then she smiled slyly: "Oh? If you put it that way, I just saw a seafood buffet restaurant still open on the street..."

"Please spare me, Miwako."

Yumi Miyamoto hugged Detective Sato's arm and said, "I lost a lot of money playing mahjong last week, so my plan to buy the new Bubble Puppy has to be put on hold for now."

Miike Naoko covered her mouth and chuckled.

The group lifted the curtain and entered the ramen shop.

The inside and outside of the shop seemed like two completely different worlds. The seats were almost full, and the sounds of conversation and the ramen chefs slapping the noodles filled the air.

The waiter carried a bowl of ramen past them, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of pork bone broth.

The group found a corner to sit down. Sato Miwako and Miike Naeko ordered soy sauce ramen, while Miyamoto Yumi ordered seafood miso ramen.

The girls naturally had plenty to talk about, and they chatted idly while waiting.

"When will these hard working days end? I really want to play mahjong." Miyamoto Yumi fiddled with her chopsticks.

Miwako Sato sighed, "The Metropolitan Police Department has given orders that we'll probably have to wait until the Slit-Mouthed Woman is caught."

Miike Naeko interjected, "Yumi-nee, didn't you just say you lost a lot of money playing mahjong last week? Why do you still want to play mahjong?"

"But playing mahjong and the cute bubble puppy are both things that can bring happiness."

Yumi Miyamoto rested her chin on her hand and said with a look of longing.

Miwako and Miike Naeko exchanged a glance, their expressions showing helplessness.

"Speaking of which, how's the investigation into the Slit-Mouthed Woman case going?" Miyamoto Yumi changed the subject.

Miwako Sato picked up the glass of iced water brought by the waiter, took a sip, and slowly said:

"There's still no progress. Otherwise, I wouldn't be working so late every day. The yakuza problem in Shinjuku hasn't been solved yet. Takagi and the others are still keeping watch over the Kabukicho area."

Yumi Miyamoto asked curiously, "Didn't you say last time that that kid named Wen Shui might be the key to solving the case?"

"Don't mention that kid. I haven't been able to contact him for days," Miwako said with slight displeasure. "I heard he went on vacation to a villa in the mountains with the young lady of the Suzuki Group."