Conan: I'm Really Not Tokyo Ghost Story

"...Could you answer one question for me first?"

Yusaku Kudo calmed down considerably and tentatively asked, "You just said that we shouldn't assume you can't find the meeting place just because all the network has been cut off, but actually their network isn't down, and they're even holding the meeting online. It's our network that's been completely cut off..."

"You want to ask why I didn't follow the bait over there and get tricked by you, but instead followed the bait over here and ended up in front of you?"

Sano tilted his head and explained the real meaning of the problem for Kudo Yusaku.

Kudo Yusaku remained silent for a few more seconds, which could be considered as tacit agreement.

“…Sano told me.”

Sano paused, then asked, "You want me to give that kind of answer?"

Kudo Yusaku's eye twitched slightly... He had indeed been completely seen through.

Since this fake location, which is disconnected from the network, was only transmitted to Sano through Ai Haibara, it is very problematic that rye appeared here.

Although the safe house there uses the internet, it also has the country's top hackers on its side for defense, and will quickly retaliate if attacked.

Of course, it's also possible that the hacker's technical skills on the other side are already powerful enough to overwhelm them, but they still didn't go there and came here instead.

He directly pointed out Sano as the core character.

It's like they're just laying their cards on the table, but it also seems like they're trying to sow discord and create mystery.

Yusaku Kudo could no longer grasp the precision involved.

Of course, even more crucially, a hidden possibility has emerged, namely, the possibility that Ai Haibara revealed to Sano.

The rye may have arrived here through other means.

For example, there might be an undercover agent in this team...

The possibility is very small, or rather, Yusaku Kudo dares not even think about it. It's fine when he doesn't think about it, but once he pays attention to it, he's doomed, and everything goes back to square one, all for nothing... To put it bluntly, it's impossible to prove it using logic alone.

We still need decisive evidence... but that's not quite right either.

At least, the goal is right in front of us.

Kudo Yusaku quickly calmed himself down; the plan had to continue!

"...Speaking of which, is it really okay for you to waste your time here?"

Just a second before Kudo Yusaku was about to take a gamble, Sano suddenly asked, successfully catching the top detective off guard: "What do you mean?"

Sano took out his phone again and started operating it.

"It seems you don't know yet, but while you were on your mission, those guys also made their move. Several thousand assassins have already entered the country today."

Sano then turned the phone screen toward Yusaku Kudo.

The above is the bounty offered by the professional assassin platform, targeting Sano's various aliases. The bounty is 1 billion for capturing a single person alive, but only 200 million for killing them.

Oh, the unit is US dollars.

"That's quite a big deal, almost half of the professional assassin world has come."

Sano clicked his tongue in amazement: "Watching this makes me want to offer myself up to them for the money."

Yusaku Kudo: "...So, what are you trying to say?"

Seeing that Kudo Yusaku didn't seem to understand what he meant, Sano couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle: "Hey, you don't think these things will only cause us trouble, do you? Don't forget that we've always been bad at finding people. If we don't want to look for a needle in a haystack, we have to start with the relevant personnel."

"Going head-on with troublemakers like the Black Reaper and the Blacksmith is clearly not a wise choice. Instead, we should pick out the weaker targets we've had the most contact with from all the official files..."

Sano put his phone away, then deliberately paused for a few seconds with his hands in his pockets.

Who do you think it will be?

Kudo Yusaku frowned and pondered for a while, his eyes gradually turning to horror.

"Looks like they've finally realized it."

Sano snapped his fingers: "The Mouri Detective Agency, those police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department, those kids, and that so-and-so doctor... if I'm not mistaken, the assassin should already be outside the door."

Damn it!

Kudo Yusaku was both shocked and furious. He never expected that he would be stabbed in the back by his own "teammate".

...Just as Sano said.

Of all the big and small things the members of the Black Organization have done, very few people have had multiple contacts, especially excluding those in the outer departments of the Black Organization. Ironically, the most prominent of these contacts happens to be the circle centered around Conan. This was fine when the problem wasn't very serious.

But once that time comes...

Given the cold-blooded and ruthless nature of professional assassins, kidnapping for interrogation or even killing the target to test their behavior are all very possible.

Anyone with a discerning eye should be able to see this step at a glance.

Although Sano didn't say it explicitly, it's clear who took this step. And it's not just from abroad. With so many professional assassins being able to enter the country in such a short time, did the Japanese authorities tacitly approve of it?

Good heavens, while I'm working so hard to figure out how to solve the problem, those bastards are thinking about getting rid of me, huh?

Kudo Yusaku's molars are almost completely dry and crumbled.

"Hey, hey, don't rush off, I was just kidding."

Just as Kudo Yusaku, horrified and furious, was about to abandon his current plan and rush back to save people, Sano suddenly interrupted him, saying, "After all, they're coming for us, so I already revealed my location beforehand, letting all those guys come here to find me, so I won't attack anyone else."

Yusaku Kudo was stunned for a moment.

"...Are you...helping us?"

"Otherwise what? Why don't you kneel down and kowtow to me twice?"

Sano didn't deny it, but instead looked towards the door: "Or are those guys outside still planning to oppose me or even join forces with the assassins?"

Outside the door, a group of people who had rushed over after being called by Yusaku Kudo, but had waited for the best opportunity without acting rashly after discovering that the two inside were talking, all tensed up upon hearing this.

"Alright, alright, I'm not going to waste my breath on you. My guests have arrived."

After saying that, Sano turned around and jumped straight out of the window.

Seeing this, Amuro Tooru, Akai Shuichi, and the others outside the door didn't care about anything else and rushed in quickly, peeking in with Kudo Yusaku.

as predicted.

Downstairs, people were already appearing everywhere.

They cautiously surrounded the figure who had landed safely, exchanging glances with a hint of hostility, yet tacitly refrained from any rash actions and instead decided to cooperate.

...This is somewhat similar to the earlier wave where Sano was put on a bounty because of his Stand user status.

Of course, the two are not on the same level at all.

Whether in terms of quantity or average level, such a price is almost unprecedented. When the bounty was first offered, some people even questioned whether it was some idiot with a powerful background playing a joke. It wasn't until the platform stepped in to guarantee it that it caused a sensation.

"Most of the professional assassin world" is not something Sano made up.

Although many of them were simply there to join in the fun.

Even after Sano deliberately seduced her, the scene still seemed too crowded.

Kudo Yusaku glanced around and saw that there were at least several hundred people.

This is hardly an assassination attempt; it's more like an army launching a war.

Even so, considering that some people were unable to catch up immediately, or even if they did catch up, they might be worried that it was a trap and choose to wait and see.

These are just the first birds to stick their necks out.

"...Is Rye planning to take care of these assassins all by himself?"

Hearing Judy's question, Amuro Tooru unconsciously snorted and said, "Black Mask can take down an army of nearly 10,000 men by himself. There are only a few hundred of them among the Black Organization members. Do you think he would be afraid?"

Judy: "..."

If you're going to explain, then explain. Why make it sound like you're an idiot?

After awkwardly touching her nose, Judy didn't dare to say anything.

Although it was supposedly a cooperative operation, with the FBI even helping Amuro Tooru, the Japanese public security officer, ultimately this was indeed a foreign problem. As for which country... well, the fact that the professional assassin platform belongs to the West is a separate issue.

That already speaks volumes.

As for the earlier clash between the black-clad individuals and the Japanese authorities, since it was considered a domestic matter for Japan, Judy and her FBI team had no way to intervene.

It could easily become the spark that ignites war, making things worse than helping.

Unexpectedly, before the application to higher authorities had even received a result, the Japanese authorities had already lost... Therefore, the FBI was actually in a somewhat awkward position.

I couldn't do anything, yet it felt like I owed Amuro Tooru something.

I was thinking of making amends for my mistake, but who knew this would happen?

In the end, they even had to rely on the enemy to "save the day"... even though the root cause was the black-clad man.

Come back to your senses.

The fighting has already begun below.

Perhaps out of curiosity and greed for the almost supernatural abilities displayed by Sano, the bounty on his head was several times higher for capturing him alive than for killing him. Although these assassins were aware of this difference in reward, it was mostly accompanied by a huge difference in risk, and there were many deeds and achievements that could be investigated on the surface.

But the lure of profit is irresistible; faced with so much money, one is ultimately willing to give it a try.

Therefore, no one drew their guns immediately. Instead, they tacitly drew their melee weapons or rubbed their hands together, ready for a close-quarters battle.

Chapter 699 The Duel in Tokyo

Sano didn't care about this. He snapped his fingers, and a dark figure rushed out from the building behind him, almost becoming a shadow as he pressed against the assassin in front. With a punch, a big, fat man who looked to weigh at least 200 pounds was sent flying more than ten meters backward.

It knocked down several people.

After a brief commotion, all the assassins focused their attention on the figure that had suddenly appeared. The outstretched fist, wrapped in white bandages, slowly lowered, the special attack uniform trench coat swayed in the wind, and a pair of cold black eyes gradually turned red, just like the word "kill" on the mask.

"...Black Death?"

Amuro Tooru, who was watching from upstairs, frowned in surprise.

"Was this a trip for two people...? But why are there two of them in a team?"

Yusaku Kudo also frowned.

Indeed, judging from Blackie's past deeds, even if the two of them were working together...

The one on Rye's team should be Black Cat.