Conan: I'm Really Not Tokyo Ghost Story

"What, are you planning to complain to Rye?"

"I……"

Rena Mizunashi almost choked on her breath, but considering the lack of information about this new executive, she couldn't act rashly and could only "avoid confrontation" by changing the subject: "Let's get down to business. Where is he?"

Sano stopped teasing Mizunashi Rena and looked at Ito Taka.

Ito Taka immediately snapped his fingers, and then his two puppets dragged the traitorous cadre, who was still breathing and conscious but looked like a corpse, out of the shadows behind him.

"...What did you do to him?"

After confirming the identity of the traitorous executive and observing his condition, Mizunashi Rena couldn't help but look at Sano and the other two and ask.

"Who knows?"

Sano shrugged and replied, "Anyway, we didn't even touch him. He just suddenly became like this, like he's gone mad."

Ito Taka, standing next to him, had a strange look in his eyes.

...Indeed, they didn't even touch it.

But the fact that a single glance could terrify an official, causing him to give up all resistance and struggle, seems even more frightening.

...to reason with each other.

Sano was indeed confident that he could forcefully break the will of this traitorous executive, but... he didn't even activate his red-eye effect. He achieved his goal by simply relying on those few seconds of normal time, making the other party surrender.

It really surprised Sano... He didn't expect a senior officer to be so incompetent.

Could it be that he's been on the run day and night, constantly on edge, and not getting enough rest?

So it's all very weak?

Rena Mizunashi naturally didn't believe Sano's answer.

However, as an undercover agent, Rena Mizunashi was always good at managing her curiosity and did not press the issue further. Instead, she looked at Tooru Amuro.

"Then let's take him back immediately."

"Ah."

Amuro Tooru responded, then turned around and, together with Mizunashi Rena, tied the person up and carried them to the car behind... Actually, the two of them didn't need to come.

Especially the latter.

Amuro Tooru happened to be in Izu, but Mizunashi Rena came all the way from Tokyo.

Even though Sano and the other two were also going back to Tokyo, they could have easily taken them back along the way, but Rum arranged for Amuro Tooru and Mizunashi Rena to come instead... This was thanks to his previous rebellious actions as a seasoned veteran.

Although the traitorous cadre's kidney deficiency ultimately saved his life.

But Sano still rebelled in the end.

It's just that the rebellion didn't lead to a "bad outcome".

"Alright, Master... Scotland, it's time to grab a late-night snack now that the mission's over."

As soon as Ito Taka finished speaking, Amuro Tooru, who had finished moving the people and was thinking of turning back to say hello before leaving, froze on the spot. Then he turned around abruptly and met the gaze of Sano, who was glancing at him with his head slightly turned to the side.

"..."

"What's wrong, Bourbon? You seem to care a lot about my code name."

Sano asked, feigning ignorance.

Rum informed Amuro that he was coming to take over, but only gave him Ito Taka's cell phone number and a code name called "Koren," so before that...

Amuro Tooru was completely unaware that Sano's codename was Scotland.

...His instinctive reaction made Amuro Tooru realize that he had given himself away.

"I heard that my code name has a previous owner. Does that mean you know him?"

Sano spoke again, which made Amuro Tooru even more certain.

This guy definitely already knows something... Well, the intelligence about Scotch whisky being infiltrated by the Japanese Public Security Bureau isn't particularly secretive. If someone is willing to investigate, they could find out this and connect it to themselves.

There's nothing strange about it.

Amuro Tooru calmed himself down and realized that there was no point in denying it.

"Well, I guess so. He used to team up with me a lot."

"Really? That's a real shame."

"There's nothing to regret. If I had to say something... it's that I failed to spot his weakness during the team-up period, allowing someone else to get there first."

Chapter 574, Amuro Tooru: Who's a good person like this?

Sano looked at Toru Amuro.

pity?

It's probably a real shame.

If Amuro Tooru had discovered the flaw earlier...

If someone hadn't gotten there first, that guy might not have died.

These words were spoken to "others," but also to Amuro Tooru himself.

Is this considered a genuine expression of emotion?

It's truly rare. Is it because even though the situation isn't clear, they still believe their position isn't that of an enemy, which is why they act so "generously"?

Sano suddenly raised his hand and patted Amuro Tooru on the shoulder.

"Want to go grab some late-night snacks... the kind where Rum will reimburse you so you don't have to spend any money?"

Amuro Tooru snapped out of his daze, and his lips twitched.

...In just one short action and one sentence, there are far too many things to criticize.

For a moment, Amuro Tooru was at a loss for words when it came to vomiting.

The main thing is that this situation feels really strange.

From any perspective—being comforted, Amuro Tooru felt a little awkward, but it was understandable, but in this, well, posture.

It looked as if Amuro Tooru, a subordinate, was being comforted by a superior... even though they were in a superior-subordinate relationship not long ago.

This is seriously weird!

Also, could you please not be so blunt about the fact that you're using the organization's operating funds for free?

Using the organization's money to do favors for oneself... well, it's actually quite good.

But it's so open and aboveboard.

It wouldn't be fair to say they were reckless, but they certainly could be considered shameless.

"...By the way, does anyone want to come along?"

Sano then extended an invitation to Rena Mizunashi: "Or are you in a hurry to go back to Tokyo to go on a date with Kuromei... In that case, we won't bother you."

Suddenly being mentioned, Rena Mizunashi didn't even have time to say "It's none of my business" before being teased again, her lips twitching so much they almost went numb.

"...Don't think about it anymore, we need to get back to Tokyo as soon as possible."

Amuro Tooru somewhat helplessly helped Rena Mizunashi out of the predicament, while also rejecting Sano's offer of comfort, saying, "Although it could... well, it would certainly be very enjoyable, we have to be careful not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. From receiving the mission to arriving in Tokyo, there's only been a short time. If we go back late, we'll definitely be noticed. If they investigate further and find out we're here, well, then it will be difficult for us to do this again in the future."

As he spoke, Amuro Tooru patted Sano on the shoulder.

"You're still too young. Don't be so presumptuous. A steady, long-term approach is the best way to go."

...To be honest, although he's not that shameless, when it comes to experience in getting free operating funds from an organization, Amuro Tooru is absolutely confident in that.

He acted with dignity, as if it were his right, and with a clear conscience, placing himself in the position of a senior and acting arrogantly. In doing so, he finally returned the pat on the shoulder from before, and they were even.

However, Sano tilted his head in confusion.

"But Tokyo is quite a distance from here. Even if it's an hour or two different, no one will notice, right? If all else fails, we can use excuses like traffic jams or a minor car problem. And even if someone does notice... only the four of us will know about this. Would anyone really betray us?"

...This guy, I was just trying to find a way to politely decline, can't he see that or what, why is he analyzing it so seriously?

Amuro Tooru blinked, slightly speechless and dazed.

"How come there are only the four of us left?"

Amuro Tooru pointed directly at the car behind him with his thumb and said, "Don't forget that the guy inside will most likely have to go through Rum's interview. If he gets interested and asks a few more questions, or if he tries to cause us some trouble at the end... you know what will happen even if I don't tell you."

"Oh dear, what about that guy? I'd completely forgotten about him."

Sano, who had forgotten about the traitorous cadre, stroked his chin and pondered for a while before suggesting, "Then why don't we just take him out?"

Toru Amuro: "..."

Ito Taka: "..."

Rena Mizunashi: "..."

Is this guy serious?

Didn't you say you were a good person? What kind of good person is like this?!

Even Ito Taka and Mizunashi Rena, who were unaware of the "insider information," were greatly shocked by Sano's words, let alone Amuro Tooru, who knew the inside story. What kind of feelings did he have at this moment... Even if this traitorous executive was not an undercover agent who bowed to the darkness for the sake of justice, he still defected from the organization, which could be considered as having some influence...

A sudden awakening, turning back from the wrong path, the taste of reforming one's ways?

Such a role, especially when the threat has been eliminated.

The priority should be to "rescue" the person first, and then consider how to "turn them into a fugitive." If that fails, then proceed with the official business.

So, all because of a free meal, he said he was going to kill someone?

Then, subconsciously, he turned around and looked at the traitorous cadre who was tied up in the car.

The moment Sano uttered those words, the traitorous executive shuddered, instinctively craned his neck, and gave a look that was hard to describe.

Looking back.

...to reason with each other.

The traitorous cadre knew that he definitely wouldn't survive. Whether it was because of the inevitable "not using those you suspect" after this incident, or from the perspective of "making an example of someone to warn others" and establishing rules, Rum would never let him live. It was just a matter of a few days sooner or later.

It's just a matter of how they died.