Conan: I'm Really Not Tokyo Ghost Story

The methods they use to disguise their public identity are so sophisticated that they are impossible to expose.

What if more unknown methods were used at a deeper level?

Curaçao didn't understand why Sano was so fixated on this safe and harmless identity, but her intuition told her that there was something deeper hidden behind him, something that was always elusive and impossible to figure out.

That's why Curaçao harbored the deepest suspicions.

...Whether it is true or not is not important, and knowing it wouldn't make any difference.

All Curaçao needs to do is make sure that Sano is aware of the situation, and that will be enough.

When I came to my senses, Sano had already disappeared.

Curaçao probably knew where they were going: the follow-up work at the distillery there.

But it's only just gotten on track.

……

The scene changes.

In an abandoned warehouse area near the sea, a dozen or so vehicles are scattered around.

Amuro Tooru stopped the car.

"...Stay in the car and don't move around."

"Yeah."

Sano gave an impatient reply, while Amuro Tooru got out of the car and walked towards the dozens of people gathered a few dozen meters away... His car windows had privacy film on them, so as long as no one opened the car door to look inside...

Bringing one more person along won't be noticed.

Upon approaching the group, Amuro Tooru secretly scanned the area.

Amuro Tooru probably recognized less than half of the faces, including all the members of the action team, including Gin, the team leader, plus Rena Mizunashi, Taka Ito, and even Black Fox, who were members of the intelligence team. Apart from Vermouth, the remaining twenty or thirty people were probably members of the intelligence team he had never met before... Of course, this does not mean that there are only so many executives in the company. Not to mention the executives abroad, there are probably some in the country who cannot come back in time for the meeting due to time and distance issues.

Of course, the most crucial thing is still...

Chapter 686 Who's in favor, and who's opposed?

Amuro Tooru glanced discreetly at the hoodie figure standing in the center, then casually glanced down at the watch on his wrist.

The footage is from the camera inside the car.

Sano was lying listlessly in the passenger seat, smoking.

No, we can't confirm that yet.

Amuro Tooru withdrew his gaze and looked directly at Gin: "Did you call me here because of Rum's murder? I heard it was Rye who did it?"

"...What? Rum was killed?"

Amuro Tooru's proactive move immediately caused an uproar at the scene.

Based on the content of the text message that Amuro Tooru received.

Gin simply asked the executives to assemble quickly, without specifying the reason for the assembly. While Amuro Tooru couldn't definitively say it was about Rum, regardless of the reason, he needed them.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Is what he said true, Gin?"

"So who's in charge of the intelligence team now?"

"..."

The chattering noise made Gin frown.

...Judging from this, even Black Fox hasn't completely taken control of the distillery's intelligence team yet. I just don't know if it's because he can't or disdains to take control.

In any case, it can be considered good news.

Amuro Tooru's gaze fell on Black Fox and Rye. He didn't know if the latter wanted to become the head of the intelligence group because he wanted to use it to control the brewery.

But Amuro Tooru knew that stopping the rye was definitely the right thing to do!

"Alright, what's all the noise about!"

Gin finally spoke, and his cold shout immediately stabilized the situation.

“Rye killed Rum, that’s a fact, but it was fair competition. That lord has already spoken, so there’s no problem. I called you here to elect a new intelligence team leader… to be precise, to vote on whether Rye is qualified to be the intelligence team leader.”

Upon hearing this, the intelligence team members were all taken aback.

...fair competition, killing Rum, and the person above actually said it was no big deal?

Could you be any more outrageous?

Furthermore, when did it become our place to interfere in the selection of the intelligence group leader? Even though it was just a vote to decide whether or not Heimai could be the leader, it was still absurd, or even more absurd.

Is the so-called competition simply about seizing this opportunity?

The members of the intelligence team looked at each other in surprise, while Amuro Tooru was equally surprised by Gin's statement... He hadn't expected that what he said back then was actually true.

What exactly is this guy at the distillery thinking?

They actually let rye through... Is this guy the heir to a brewery?

Amuro Tooru couldn't help but have this thought.

After shaking his head, Amuro Tooru, though surprised, had long been prepared for this. He then threw out a second blow: "To be honest, I don't care who will be the head of this intelligence team, but at least they should show some sincerity. It's no fun when even colleagues are hiding things from each other."

"Ok?"

Amuro Tooru immediately became the center of attention.

"What are you trying to say, Bourbon?"

Gin asked coldly, while Amuro Tooru smiled and said, "You don't seem to know, Gin. I did some in-depth research on the confrontation between the Japanese government and the Black Organization, and then I discovered some very interesting things."

"Isn't it just that rye is involved too?"

Gin interrupted impatiently: "If you can't produce direct evidence of Rye's betrayal, I suggest you save your breath and energy."

...It's true that they trust each other a lot.

Amuro Tooru's eye twitched slightly, but he maintained his smile and said, "No, that's not what I wanted to say. Actually, I think it's perfectly justified for Rum to die at Rye's hands, because the authorities seem to have received a file from him. The famous detective, Shinichiro Sano, is Rye Whiskey."

The air fell silent for a moment after he said that.

...It certainly won't cause a huge uproar. At most, it will cause some people who don't know the inside story to think deeply and be surprised, and make those who do know the inside story feel a "slip" in their hearts. For example, Gin and Vodka subconsciously turned their heads to look at Rye... This reaction is a bit hard to tell.

Amuro Tooru waited a few seconds, but didn't get what he wanted. However, he wasn't too disappointed. He then said, "But it's still hard to say whether it's true or not. At least for now, Shinichiro Sano is under the control of the police, but Rye is here... That's why I'm curious about who you are and why Rum was able to be fooled by you into using a fake file?"

...Instead of immediately identifying Rye as Sano, he stated that the latter has an alibi and that the former could not possibly be the latter.

This was partly due to Amuro Tooru's personal motives, because he didn't want to believe that Rye really was Sano, and also because he didn't want to say it now.

This might cause some trouble for Sano later...

Of course, there's another reason, not too big, not too small: they're giving each other a way out.

Earlier in the safe house, "Sano" had told Amuro that even if he had been involved in that incident, he could still try to continue his undercover work. The most crucial part was becoming the head of the intelligence team. He had been a little speechless about this part at first, but now...

all in all.

If that "Sano" is really the black rye in front of us, then preventing him from becoming the head of the intelligence group would undoubtedly be detrimental to Amuro Tooru's continued undercover work.

It may be unfavorable, but it is still unfavorable.

If things get too ugly now, it might not just be a disadvantageous situation... but there's a high probability that the undercover agent's identity will be exposed.

At that point, let alone stopping the rye, even leaving alive will be a problem.

This is undoubtedly an unfair game.

To win, Amuro Tooru would have to shamelessly take advantage of the rye bread, and he would also have to pray that his opponent was willing to let him take advantage of him.

...I felt a little embarrassed for no reason.

Amuro Tooru forced himself to remain calm and wait for the situation to develop further.

All eyes were on the rye.

Gin's gaze was the deepest... He had only recently received the news of Rum's murder. At first, he was naturally shocked and annoyed, but fortunately, after communicating with the person above him, he found that the problem was not serious. Then Sano mentioned to him what he had done as Rye today.

Yes, they stormed through Japan's most secure safe house.

This part had already been prepared for, so there was no problem. But Rum handing over the Sano file to the authorities was another issue.

Gin really didn't know.

According to this account, Rum must have done it before Sano took action.

It wasn't that Sano made the move that exposed Rum's backup plan.

...Looking at it this way, all Gin can say is, good riddance, damn good riddance.

But a good death is a good death.

Rum's death doesn't mean the problem is solved.

Gin was unaware that Sano was being detained by the police, as Amuro had mentioned, and who this rye next to him was, but given the situation...

That's most likely Sano's backup plan.

Sano didn't want to be exposed, so Gin naturally had to lend a hand.

"It doesn't matter what Rye's true identity is. What matters is that the person is willing to believe him, and that's enough. He has no obligation or need to reveal his privacy to you, as that's not in accordance with normal rules."

Gin stood firm in blocking the attack for Rye.

Amuro Tooru narrowed his eyes: "You might be right, but don't forget Gin. What I'm saying is that it's not fair for colleagues to be so secretive. And you still want us to support him as team leader? Do you think that's feasible?"

Amuro Tooru's sophistry elicited approving glances from the other intelligence team members, and Gin, despite his dissatisfaction, couldn't immediately refute him.

And until this point.

Rye, who had remained silent the entire time, hiding in the back like a weak, helpless, and pitiful child while Gin, the adult, dealt with everything in front of him, finally spoke up: "When Rum was the team leader, he didn't even bother to show his face in front of you, let alone his status. Back then, none of you dared to have any objections. Why are you all gossiping now that it's me? Do you think I'm easy to bully?"

The question, laced with murderous intent, was uttered.

Everyone present felt a chill run down their spines... They were all executives of the distillery. Outsiders might not have heard of it, but how could their own people not know about their own affairs?

Did the distillery get its reputation as a mad dog for nothing?