Ke Xue exorcists demons and starts with immobilization

Conan replied matter-of-factly, "Because Masahiko Dokichi's death was very strange... and he was very likely a serial killer, what a pity..."

Upon learning that Masahiko Kyo was dead, both Ran and Sonoko were stunned.

Then, without prior arrangement, they all looked towards Chu Zhong.

Rejected advances, conflict ensues, a car accident occurs, revenge ensues, and a counterattack is launched...

The two best friends had previously deduced that the fake driver who caused the car accident was likely the same person as the serial killer.

Now, Dokyo Masahiko, a prime suspect, happens to have had a conflict with them, so...

"How did he die?" Chu Zhong asked with a hint of curiosity, completely unperturbed.

“Yesterday afternoon, on the beach…” Conan then repeated what he had heard.

Sonoko asked incredulously, "You strangled yourself to death? Are you sure?"

“The local police have verified it,” Kogoro continued, “The handprint left on Dokyo Masahiko’s neck is his own.”

"Perhaps he knew I, the famous detective Kogoro, was coming, and was so afraid that he committed suicide out of fear of punishment!"

Kogoro laughed triumphantly.

This caused Conan to roll his eyes in exasperation once again.

Completely unaware, Ran and Sonoko had just breathed a sigh of relief.

Since it was suicide, there can't be any other possibility...

Although that guy, Masahiko Dokyo, really deserved to die...

"By the way, sir, how did the TV interview go?"

Chu Zhong asked.

Kogoro chuckled and said, "The interview was a great success! A murder happened in the middle, so I immediately transformed into Sleeping Kogoro..."

Chu Zhong couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Sure enough, with Conan by his side, wherever Kogoro went, there was a murder.

However, the fact that a murder occurred during the interview but was successfully solved certainly made for a very entertaining program.

But what Chu Zhong really wanted to say was: "Since it's an interview with a detective, didn't Shinichi Kudo go? He showed up a few days ago..."

Kogoro scoffed, "That kid's a washed-up detective. Who would interview him?"

The speaker is unintentional and the listener is interested.

"Shinichi made an appearance? A few days ago?! Where was he?"

Mori asked in surprise.

Chu Zhong then recounted the previous incident of the antique collector's death.

"So Shinichi's back..."

Ran Mouri's surprise gradually faded.

"Why bother caring about that egomaniac?" Sonoko held her best friend's hand. "He only cares about the case anyway."

It seemed to be reminding someone of something.

"It's not out of concern..."

Ran Mouri quickly glanced at Chu Zhong and explained, "I just felt that Shinichi hadn't shown his face for too long, and I thought something had happened to him. As a friend..."

Upon hearing the word 'friend', a bitter look flashed across Conan's face.

Chu Zhong then gave Xiao Lan a gentle smile.

He certainly understood Xiaolan's feelings.

The purpose of deliberately bringing up Shinichi Kudo was simply to clear Conan of suspicion.

Chu Zhong vaguely sensed that Ran had begun to doubt Conan's identity.

Regardless, clearing Conan of suspicion from Shinichi Kudo will better help Conan conceal his identity and allow Ran to see Conan more clearly.

A mischievous elementary school student who loves deduction but has a bad reputation and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals...

Chapter 156 Hot Spring Multiplayer Dungeon

Jingle Bell--

As they were talking, Kogoro's phone suddenly rang.

"..." Kogoro took out his phone and looked at the number displayed. His expression was complicated. After hesitating for a few seconds, he pressed the answer button.

"Lan, she's looking for you."

Soon, Kogoro rolled his eyes and tossed the phone to his daughter.

"Hello...Mom?"

Ran Mouri recognized the caller immediately upon hearing the voice on the other end of the phone.

It was later learned that Eri Kisaki had been unable to contact the three people since the night before last; her phone calls went unanswered and her text messages went unrepaired.

Eri thought the three of them were having a good time and hadn't noticed for a while, so she waited a little longer.

More than 30 hours have passed without a response, and Eri Kisaki is worried, so she called Kogoro to ask if there was any news, otherwise she planned to contact the police to find him.

"Mom, we didn't mean to not answer the phone, we just encountered a little accident..."

Ran Mouri quickly recounted the incident over the phone, briefly explaining how she fell off the cliff and her phone sank into the sea.

Upon hearing this, both Kogoro and Conan involuntarily locked their gazes on Chu Zhong... but quickly shook their heads.

There was indeed a motive... but Dosho Masahiko died by suicide, and it is impossible to determine whether the taxi driver was actually Dosho Masahiko in disguise.

"It's good that you're not hurt..."

Eri Kisaki breathed a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone and then asked the three of them when they would be returning to Mika.

According to the original plan, the three intended to take the train back at noon.

Ran Mouri thought for a moment and replied, "...I'll go back tomorrow. Dad has a college reunion today, and I'd like to go with him."

Upon hearing this, Kogoro's expression turned somewhat impatient, and he gave Chu Zhongshi a meaningful look.

Ran Mouri watched this unfold, and after hanging up the phone and returning it to her father, she said with a grin, "Speaking of which, I was at Dad's college reunion last time too~ I think it was in Izu as well."

Hearing this, Kogoro, who had been somewhat impatient, also showed a nostalgic expression: "Yes, five years have passed in the blink of an eye..."

Ran Mouri continued, "Is it still that inn with the hot spring?"

Seeing her father nod, Ran Mouri turned to the two people beside her, "Chu-kun, Sonoko, let's go to the hot springs together!"

Chu Zhong readily accepted the suggestion.

I've been in Ke Xue World for quite a while, but I haven't yet soaked in a hot spring.

Sonoko was also quite looking forward to it.

Sonoko knew about that hot spring hotel when she was planning her trip, but unfortunately, it was so popular that there were no rooms available.

Kogoro's classmate reunion was specially chosen on this day, after the festival ended and tourists were checking out.

They could only check in after noon, which was why Kogoro led Conan to stroll around the streets where there weren't many people.

Having decided to go to the hot spring inn, Chu Zhong, Xiao Lan, and Yuan Zi went back to the hotel to pack their luggage and the souvenirs they had bought earlier.

Chu Zhong also bought a new mobile phone and SIM card so that he could contact Eri Kisaki and Kogoro.

As for the original phone number, I need to go back to MiHua to verify my personal information before it can be restored. I'll also have to ask for some contacts' numbers again...

As the festival ended, tourists who had come to enjoy the festivities checked out, leaving the hot spring inn somewhat deserted with plenty of vacant rooms available for guests to choose from.

Inside the hotel, faint sounds of laughter and conversation could be heard, which Chu Zhong guessed were from Kogoro and his classmates.

As usual, the three of them booked two rooms and put their luggage away.

They then went to the lounge outside the hot spring at the hotel and found Kogoro chatting with three other men and two women.

The appearance of the three also drew the attention of several people in the lounge.

"They're here," Kogoro teased his classmates. "Guess which one is Ran?"

This question was not difficult at all; the others quickly guessed the correct answer from the hair color.

Afterwards, everyone gave a brief self-introduction.

Among Kogoro's college classmates, the three men are:

The bald detective, Kazushi Nakamichi;

Jun Omura, the chubby owner of the model shop;

Yukio Ayashiro, a high school physical education teacher;

The other two women are:

Yumi Horikoshi, a cosmetics saleswoman, takes excellent care of her appearance;

And Noriko, who married Ayashiro Yukio and became a housewife.

The group and Kogoro were all key members of the judo club during their university years, but after graduation, they all went on to pursue their own careers.

"I can't believe it! In the blink of an eye, Xiaolan, who was just a child back then, now has a boyfriend!"

Noriko Ayashiro glanced back and forth between Ran Mouri and Chu Zhong, and teased.

"We..." Ran Mouri blushed slightly, "We're just classmates..."

If it were just the two of them, Ran wouldn't be ashamed to admit her relationship with Chu Zhong, but with three people...

How could I possibly say that in front of so many elders?

Sonoko jokingly added, "If they were dating, why would they bring me along as a third wheel?"

This explanation, which sounded somewhat reasonable, dispelled the speculations of the others about the lovers' relationship... except for Conan, who had overheard earlier.

However, Conan always looks bitter when he thinks about this, and he has no mood to think about it in detail.

"Look, this is a photo of us when we won the Tokyo Judo Championship..."

Noriko Ayashiro took out a photo album.

The photo drew a crowd of people who gathered around, looking at their younger selves in the picture and couldn't help but sigh.

The bald-headed Nakamichi said regretfully, "What a pity. Kogoro lost that match without any suspense. We only got the runner-up."

"You lost?" Ran Mouri looked at her father in confusion. "Dad, didn't you always say that you were invincible in college?"

Kogoro quickly explained, "Strictly speaking, I didn't lose..."

This caused the others to burst into laughter, saying that Kogoro was indeed the strongest in the judo club, but his mental fortitude was too poor. His legs would go weak in a normal match, and he couldn't perform at his best.

Afterwards, everyone flipped through the photo album, reminiscing about the old days.

[Activate the small multiplayer instance "Party Assault"?]

The system prompt sounded suddenly.

[Dungeon Difficulty: Boss Level, Activation Requirement: 3000 Spirit Essence]

[Note: In the current instance, the death of certain characters will be synchronized with real-world events.]

It's another multiplayer dungeon, and the difficulty level is only boss level.

Remembering the generous rewards from the previous Bandage Manor instance, Chu Zhong immediately activated it.

[3000 Spirit Essence deducted, dungeon scene construction in progress...]

Despite the description of it as a construction project, Chu Zhong didn't sense any change in the scene.

Mission Objective: Defeat the hidden perpetrator.

Chu Zhongqi wasn't entirely clear on the details of the plot, but he could roughly remember the murderer and the victim.

If I remember correctly, that bald detective was the murderer...