Conan: I'm Really Not Tokyo Ghost Story

What should we do? Should we go directly to their door and have a proper "communication"?

Sano glanced at his own front door.

...Never mind, let's wait for the right time to make a move.

after all.

Offering help in times of need is a completely different concept from adding flowers to brocade.

And so, the next day arrived.

The arrival of a message seemed to signal the end of an era.

Chapter 585, Sano: It's because I believe in you.

Sano would refer to the other white pig among the Black and White Impermanence as "Fatty Dead".

Not without reason.

I don't know if this guy went astray after retiring, or if he was always like this.

Anyway, now he looks like a middle-aged man who has gained weight.

Judging from the photo, his round belly is comparable to that of Professor Agasa and Inspector Megure, making him look nothing like a soldier... Of course, this guy is no longer a soldier now.

The focus now is on this.

The problem is that this guy suddenly disappeared.

Yesterday, Inspector Megure instructed the officers in charge of this guy to remind him to be vigilant, but as soon as it was light the next morning... sigh.

The person is dead.

Inspector Megure panicked at that moment.

Fortunately, this guy didn't seem to have met with misfortune, because he had informed his wife and children the night before that he would be back the next day... Without a doubt, he had already fallen into the killer's trap.

If nothing unexpected happens, the location will still be Tokyo.

Because the previous sniping locations were not too far apart.

The general area can be determined, but the specific location is uncertain.

There's no way to be sure... but Sano doesn't know what the police are thinking either.

Why not just seal off the entire area?

If the concern is that "alerting the enemy" might cause them to stop focusing on the details and even move their operations outside the area, making them even harder to control, then at least they could arrange for someone to hide in the area and wait for them to make their move.

In other words, it might be difficult to use this guy as a entrapment suspect.

But now that this guy has taken on the responsibility of being the bait himself, isn't that even better?

Sano rubbed his fingers together... He didn't actually need to know where the killer's last operation was, because the killer would personally lead him there.

But that didn't stop Sano from being curious.

It was getting later and later.

It's as if they're creating the perfect hunting environment for assassins.

So why is this guy so fixated on this?

Based on Sano's experience, these locations must have special significance.

Leaving aside that foreign journalist...

The second victim was killed while continuing to sell illicit properties on the Suzuki family's tower, and the third was killed in front of his own love nest... Both of these seem reasonable and there's nothing wrong with them.

However, the fourth one, Hunter, was killed at a temporary stop, and the fifth one, Black Impermanence, was killed on the train to Tokyo, which both seem rather strange.

The location itself certainly doesn't have any special significance, so it can only be viewed by "combining" the elements, which generally results in a "pattern".

Sano pulled out a map and looked at the four locations.

Before the fourth position appeared, the first three positions felt somewhat connected, but the fourth position was just too close to the third.

Could it be to "commemorate" Hunter?

Sano flipped through the map, changing his perspective from overhead to eye level...

Ok?

In an instant, Sano sensed something was wrong.

...Because it comes with its own map, and is more detailed and convenient, Sano rarely uses paper maps or online maps.

However, in this series of cases, Sano only looked at the map twice.

These are the paper map used when everyone discussed the case after the second victim appeared, and the online map that Amuro Tooru looked at on the train later.

Both of these maps are top-down, flat maps.

From this perspective, it's true that you can't find any problems, but if you change your perspective... Sano tries to rotate his 3D map.

Finally, it settled on one perspective.

...I see.

Sano curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

The fourth death occurred during the failed train sniping attempt.

Since the murderer failed to succeed, he naturally wouldn't leave anything behind like he had done before. But after learning that the Black Impermanence was dead...

This guy actually went back and secretly left behind the bullet casings and dice.

Sano wasn't quite sure what this guy was thinking, but that was the truth.

The die shows a five.

This is a strange point, yet not so strange.

Because it starts with a four on the first die and ends with a two, which is Hunter's.

All of these are normal countdowns.

Logically speaking, the fourth one should be one, right?

But the result was five. Of course, since there is another goal later, it is not quite right to start with one. Perhaps it can be considered as an announcement that things are not completely over yet... But since that is the case, wouldn't it be better to start with five and count down from five, no matter how you look at it?

All of these are particularly far-fetched.

It was pieced together from various sources and was quite chaotic.

This kind of puzzle-solving is something Sano is least good at.

Of course, Sano doesn't really have any particular strengths or weaknesses.

There's no way that cheating software can solve this problem.

If the person is right in front of you, you can get a reference answer from the side by looking at them with a fox-like eye, but in that case, you have to ask for the answer directly.

It seems even simpler.

In short, under such circumstances, it is almost impossible for Sano to figure out the answer on his own, and the answer he does come up with may not even be correct.

Regardless, setting aside the one not in Japan, and including Hunter, whose death seemed rather inexplicable, there are currently five confirmed locations. We're just one short, and the pattern that the five points can form... after recalling Gin's "reflection."

Sano pointed to the top of the Suzuki family's tall tower.

...Out of curiosity, Sano searched for the appearance of the silver star badge that Hunter should have received. It was a silver five-pointed star badge that connected five locations.

It happens to be a five-pointed star pattern.

...Although it still feels a bit far-fetched, it does correspond to the theme.

"Dudu-"

Just then, Conan called.

"Hey, Sano..."

"The location is the Suzuki family's tower."

For some reason, Sano didn't think his judgment was wrong at all, and threw it out directly, which surprised Conan on the other end of the phone.

"...Ah, just as I thought, it seems I was right."

Conan's voice held a hint of amusement... Since Sano only revealed the answer now, he must have just figured it out.

They were able to arrive at their answers around the same time as Sano.

Conan felt this was a very rare thing, so much so that even at this critical moment, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of satisfaction.

"Judging from the time the last target told his wife and daughter about returning, it will probably be over by eight o'clock at the latest. I'm heading in that direction, but I'm not sure if I'll make it in time... How long will it take you to get there?"

"what?"

Sano, feigning ignorance, asked, "How long?"

Conan was taken aback again: "...What, have you already...have you already arrived at the destination? Didn't you just solve this mystery?"

"No, I just found out."

"Hey?"

Conan was silent for a few seconds, then tentatively asked, somewhat incredulously.

"So, you're not planning to come?"

"if not."

"...Why don't you come over?"

Why go there?

"Why……"

Conan, who was riding a skateboard, choked for a while before finally managing to utter a sentence.

"Of course we're going to rescue them!"

"Who are you saving?"

Sano calmly replied, "First of all, this guy has nothing to do with me. Whether he lives or dies is none of my business. Besides, he's a piece of trash. And even if I were to save him... how can you be sure I can get there within ten minutes?"