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Chapter 453 Conan: Give Up Struggle
In the dim Forest, wild rabbits and squirrels darted quickly, wild birds took flight, and various animals, large and small, scurried about, rustling incessantly.
Two black shadows, one large and one small, walked slowly, undisturbed.
"The nine-tailed fox on the slanting street..."
"Grab a handful of the nine-lived cat..."
"Ignis Fatuus burns on the Sea Surface..."
"Playing a flute made of living human bones..."
A cold male voice and a girl's ethereal voice alternated, echoing slightly.
In the Forest, a terrified scream occasionally echoed.
As the first person who ran out of the Forest reported to Police, Shancun Cao at Sunflower Inn also received a Phone Call from the Gunma Prefectural Police, "Hello... Yes! This is Shancun!"
Conan also solved the cause and effect of this Case, and was just about to see if Chi Feichei understood, when he turned his head to look around.
Huh? Where is he?
And Haibara is also gone?
"Wh-What?" Shancun Cao listened to his Colleague on the Phone Call saying 'someone saw the Head God in the Forest', his face turned pale, and he stood trembling in place.
Conan found the Shop Owner Outside the Door, "Uncle, did you see that young Man and Little Girl who were with us?"
"Ah?" The Shop Owner turned his head to look at the Corridor Outside, "They left long ago."
Conan with Half-Moon Eyes, could it be that Chi Feichei had already solved the Cipher and taken Haibara there?
Employee Urakawa Eiji muttered in a low voice, "That Little Girl wouldn't really be a Sacrifice, would she?"
"It's good to have a Sacrifice," Shancun Cao, not knowing when he hung up the Phone Call, leaned closer, his Expression gloomy, his voice faint, "The Head God has appeared in the Forest, we should still offer that Little Girl as a Sacrifice, if we offer her as a Sacrifice, everything will be peaceful, otherwise tonight we might... might..."
"Ah!" Mouri Ran was startled by Shancun Cao, "He-Head God?"
"Yes, yes..." Shancun Cao leaned closer to Mouri Ran to complain, he felt that Mouri Ran could understand the Fear in his heart.
Conan felt a wave of exhaustion, this rookie Police Officer was just unbelievable, he turned around, tricked Mori Kogoro into going Outside to the Car, knocked him out with an Anesthetic Needle, and then used Mori Kogoro's Mobile Phone to Call Shancun Cao.
More than ten minutes later, Shancun Cao led the Police to pretend to leave, and told the group at the Hotel that Mori Kogoro had gone to the Vicinity to inquire about News, and had been taken to the Gunma Prefectural Police as a suspicious person, and they were going to pick up Mori Kogoro.
Two Cars left the Hotel, arrived at the Vicinity of the Pre-Fallen Jizo, drove into the trees to hide, parked, and turned off the engine.
Shancun Cao looked furtively out of the Car Window, and said to 'Sleeping Kogoro' in the Back Seat, "Um... Mr. Mouri, are we really going to dig for Treasure in the middle of the Night? Something feels very wrong tonight..."
"Mmm-hmm!" Mouri Ran nodded emphatically, hugged Conan tightly while sitting in the Passenger Seat, and also felt that there were demons and monsters Outside.
Conan, being hugged, couldn't use the Voice Changer to pretend to be Mori Kogoro, and could only act cute with a child's voice, "Uncle said the Things are buried there, let's dig out the Things first, and wait a little longer, the Criminal will come to our Door!"
"Compared to catching the Criminal, I think living is better," Shancun Cao said, on the verge of tears, noticing that the Police in the Cars behind were also dawdling and unwilling to get out of the Car, shrinking his Neck, "I... I heard from my Colleague at the Gunma Prefectural Police that tonight more than one person has reported to Police, saying that two Black Shadows are wandering in the Head God Forest, saying terrifying Words, like the whispers of the Head God, and the Animals have all been alarmed..."
In the Forest beside them, Animals darted, and several Wild Rabbits jumped across the front Car Window and ran past.
Mouri Ran tightened her embrace, looking in terror at the Place where the Animals had darted out from earlier.
Conan: "..."
A bit suffocating, I'm going to be strangled to death.
Over there in the Forest, shadows flickered, and two figures, one large and one small, appeared, slowly walking towards them.
"Shhh... Don't talk," a cold and calm male voice said, "That person just now had no Shadow, it's a Ghost."
"No Shadow?" A girl's voice was ethereal, her tone also indifferent, "Who are you talking about?"
"That person just now..."
"Really? I... I don't seem to have a Shadow either."
"Are you a Ghost? Oh, I don't seem to have one either..."
Vaguely hearing that dialogue, Shancun Cao shrank into the Driver Seat, his Teeth chattering, and Tears almost bursting out.
Mouri Ran also hugged Conan and shrank down, lowering her Head and daring not to move.
Conan, however, found that voice familiar, and instantly remembered the two people who had been missing earlier, wanting to speak, but being held tightly by Mouri Ran, he could hardly breathe.
Mouri Ran closed her Eyes tightly, feeling Conan moving in her arms, and stammered softly, "Co-Conan... bear with it a little longer... d-don't move..."
Conan struggled, struggled, struggled...
Help, I'm going to be strangled to death!
In the Car behind, several Police Officers also silently hugged each other for warmth.
So scary.
Are they waiting for the Criminal to come to their Door, or are they going to deliver themselves to the Door first?
Mouri Ran still lowered her Head, feeling that those two Shadows had stopped Outside her Car Window, and hugged Conan tighter.
Conan: "..."
He-Help...
Haibara Ai stood Outside the Car Window and looked, "Hmm... Edogawa..."
Mouri Ran: "..."
Is Conan going to be taken away? Scared, hug tighter.
Conan: "..."
He, gave up struggling.
A Beam of Light from a Flashlight shone into the Car Window, saving the Famous Detective who was almost strangled to death.
"Ran, you guys came too?" Chi Feichei, holding the Flashlight with the Light turned on, shone it on the two Cars, and saw a group of people in the Cars with pale faces, looking more like Ghosts than Ghosts.
Mouri Ran noticed the Light, felt a little relieved in her heart, and upon hearing Chi Feichei's Sound again, the arm that was tightened relaxed a little, and she raised her Head blankly, "Fei... Brother Hichiji?"
Conan quickly took two breaths, feeling like he had walked around the edge of Death.
"Mr. Chi?" Shancun Cao also raised his Head to look at Chi Feichei, paused for a moment, and looked around, "Did you see any suspicious two human Shadows just now?"
Conan with black lines all over his Head, ignored Shancun Cao, and looked at Chi Feichei Outside the Car Window, "Brother Chi, what are you and Haibara doing?"
"I brought Ai out to look for Treasure, and just took a walk over there." Chi Feichei said without changing his Expression.
Actually, he had been wandering around for a while, and remembered that they had come to dig for Treasure, so he turned back.
"Then... then you guys just now..." Mouri Ran remembered the dialogue between the two just now, and still felt a chill down her Back, looking at Chi Feichei with some Suspicion.
Could this Brother Hichiji in front of her be transformed from a Ghost?
Just trying to confuse them and trick them into getting out of the Car?
"I told Ai a Play Story," Chi Feichei said without changing his Expression, "and imitated the Dialogue with her."
"I-Is that so..." Mouri Ran still suspected that this was a Means for Ghosts to deceive them.
Taking a Little Girl to the Forest in the middle of the Night to tell that kind of Horror Story, no matter how she thought about it, it felt impossible...
"What Play Story?" Shancun Cao couldn't help but ask.
Chi Feichei: "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons."
In the Light of the Flashlight, that calm Face looked a little gloomy, coupled with that calm Sound...
Shancun Cao silently swallowed his saliva, "Uh..."
Conan didn't want to drag it out any longer, if they dragged it out any longer, the Criminal would come, he opened the Car Door of the Passenger Seat and jumped out of the Car.
"Hey, Conan!" Mouri Ran was startled, she had made up her mind that she couldn't get out of the Car no matter what!
Conan got out of the Car and asked directly, "Brother Chi, you said you came to dig for Treasure, you also know where that Thing is, right?"
"Pre-Fallen Jizo, five steps to the east, eight steps to the right." Chi Feichei said.
Shancun Cao followed and got out of the Car, looking around, "Why?"
In the Car behind, a group of Police Officers also got out of the Car with Spades and other Tools.
"Because of that Sports Newspaper," Conan explained, "It's the Front Page of Akagimaru's victory, and in Akagimaru's detailed Combat Record, there's 'Top Five' at the very beginning, right? Akagimaru was originally Tokyo's Top Five Maemoku, and that dead long-haired Man was one of the Thugs who Extortioned 100 million Cash from the Candy Factory five years ago. He sensed that his Companion was going to kill him, so he buried the Cash in the Head God Forest, using 'Top' to hint at the Pre-Fallen Jizo of the Head God Forest. On the Newspaper, Akagimaru's Record is located below. If you place the Pre-Fallen Jizo on the Newspaper and the Stone Statue's Head is pointing north, then 'Top Five' is five steps to the east. Akagimaru lost a Competition on the eighth day, which means take eight more steps to the right. The black dot representing the loss is the Location of the Treasure."
Silence.
Mouri Ran was stunned, "Conan, you know so much."
Conan quickly scratched his Head with a smile, "This is all Uncle Mori told me!"
"Then did Mr. Mouri tell you who the Culprit is?" Shancun Cao leaned forward and asked eagerly.
Conan looked at Chi Feichei, he wanted to confirm whether Chi Feichei knew the Criminal before running out, and also, to confirm whether it was the same as his Deduction.
"Jinbo Masao." Chi Feichei said.
"Why?" Haibara Ai asked in Doubt.
They haven't been at the Crime Scene for long, have they?
When did Chi Feichei notice it, how come she didn't know?
"Earlier, he recognized Ran's Mobile Phone," Chi Feichei said, "He should have seen the Sticker on Ran's Mobile Phone, but Teacher Mouri reported the Name Echigo Mitsuemon to the people at the Hotel. When he saw the Name 'Mouri Ran', he knew that she was Teacher Mouri's Daughter, indicating that he knew Teacher Mouri was the real Mori Kogoro, which means..."
"That Imposter was hired by him," Conan took over, his Tone certain, "The Purpose should be to get that Briefcase in advance. He originally thought that there was Cash in the Briefcase, so he killed the Imposter to Silencing him, but he didn't expect that there was only a Newspaper inside..."
Haibara Ai glanced at Conan, some people forget to Cover-up when they start Deduction.
Mouri Ran and others thought that Mori Kogoro had told Conan, so they didn't think too much about it.
After a Group of Police dug out the Cash, they waited for the rabbit by the tree stump in the Forest.
After waiting for about ten minutes, in the dead of Night, Jinbo Masao, holding a Flashlight, quietly sneaked up to the Pre-Fallen Jizo, looked around, and prepared to find the Location where the Cash was buried according to the Cipher Hint.
Haibara Ai squatted in the Bush and watched, looking at this dark and quiet scenery, a phrase floated into her mind again, and she said faintly, "In the Fog, Red-Clothed Skeleton Woman..."
Chi Feichei continued, "Shed its skin."
Beside them, the Police who were squatting together turned pale again.
Conan was Speechless and glanced sideways at the two of them.
Are they addicted to playing?
They didn't even include him, and he didn't know the Words, so he couldn't join in, and suddenly felt a little Grievance...
In front of the Pre-Fallen Jizo, Jinbo Masao was startled by the sudden cold and faint Sound, and immediately turned around and shone the Flashlight towards the Forest from which the Sound came, "Who? Who is it?"
Under the Beam of Light, the Heads of a Group of ambushing Police, revealed from the Shrub, were illuminated, reflecting pale faces that had been frightened before, just like Heads growing out of the Shrub.
Haibara Ai: "The beautiful woman in the Wind..."
Chi Feichei: "Stopped her Sound."
Jinbo Masao was stunned for a moment, rolled his Eyes, and fell backwards.
Haibara Ai: "Phoenix Fire goes alone."
Chi Feichei: "Into Hell."
"Thump!" Jinbo Masao fell to the Ground, the Flashlight in his Hand slipped and fell, rolling out with a gurgling sound.
End of Chapter
In the dim Forest, wild rabbits and squirrels darted quickly, wild birds took flight, and various animals, large and small, scurried about, rustling incessantly.
Two black shadows, one large and one small, walked slowly, undisturbed.
"The nine-tailed fox on the slanting street..."
"Grab a handful of the nine-lived cat..."
"Ignis Fatuus burns on the Sea Surface..."
"Playing a flute made of living human bones..."
A cold male voice and a girl's ethereal voice alternated, echoing slightly.
In the Forest, a terrified scream occasionally echoed.
As the first person who ran out of the Forest reported to Police, Shancun Cao at Sunflower Inn also received a Phone Call from the Gunma Prefectural Police, "Hello... Yes! This is Shancun!"
Conan also solved the cause and effect of this Case, and was just about to see if Chi Feichei understood, when he turned his head to look around.
Huh? Where is he?
And Haibara is also gone?
"Wh-What?" Shancun Cao listened to his Colleague on the Phone Call saying 'someone saw the Head God in the Forest', his face turned pale, and he stood trembling in place.
Conan found the Shop Owner Outside the Door, "Uncle, did you see that young Man and Little Girl who were with us?"
"Ah?" The Shop Owner turned his head to look at the Corridor Outside, "They left long ago."
Conan with Half-Moon Eyes, could it be that Chi Feichei had already solved the Cipher and taken Haibara there?
Employee Urakawa Eiji muttered in a low voice, "That Little Girl wouldn't really be a Sacrifice, would she?"
"It's good to have a Sacrifice," Shancun Cao, not knowing when he hung up the Phone Call, leaned closer, his Expression gloomy, his voice faint, "The Head God has appeared in the Forest, we should still offer that Little Girl as a Sacrifice, if we offer her as a Sacrifice, everything will be peaceful, otherwise tonight we might... might..."
"Ah!" Mouri Ran was startled by Shancun Cao, "He-Head God?"
"Yes, yes..." Shancun Cao leaned closer to Mouri Ran to complain, he felt that Mouri Ran could understand the Fear in his heart.
Conan felt a wave of exhaustion, this rookie Police Officer was just unbelievable, he turned around, tricked Mori Kogoro into going Outside to the Car, knocked him out with an Anesthetic Needle, and then used Mori Kogoro's Mobile Phone to Call Shancun Cao.
More than ten minutes later, Shancun Cao led the Police to pretend to leave, and told the group at the Hotel that Mori Kogoro had gone to the Vicinity to inquire about News, and had been taken to the Gunma Prefectural Police as a suspicious person, and they were going to pick up Mori Kogoro.
Two Cars left the Hotel, arrived at the Vicinity of the Pre-Fallen Jizo, drove into the trees to hide, parked, and turned off the engine.
Shancun Cao looked furtively out of the Car Window, and said to 'Sleeping Kogoro' in the Back Seat, "Um... Mr. Mouri, are we really going to dig for Treasure in the middle of the Night? Something feels very wrong tonight..."
"Mmm-hmm!" Mouri Ran nodded emphatically, hugged Conan tightly while sitting in the Passenger Seat, and also felt that there were demons and monsters Outside.
Conan, being hugged, couldn't use the Voice Changer to pretend to be Mori Kogoro, and could only act cute with a child's voice, "Uncle said the Things are buried there, let's dig out the Things first, and wait a little longer, the Criminal will come to our Door!"
"Compared to catching the Criminal, I think living is better," Shancun Cao said, on the verge of tears, noticing that the Police in the Cars behind were also dawdling and unwilling to get out of the Car, shrinking his Neck, "I... I heard from my Colleague at the Gunma Prefectural Police that tonight more than one person has reported to Police, saying that two Black Shadows are wandering in the Head God Forest, saying terrifying Words, like the whispers of the Head God, and the Animals have all been alarmed..."
In the Forest beside them, Animals darted, and several Wild Rabbits jumped across the front Car Window and ran past.
Mouri Ran tightened her embrace, looking in terror at the Place where the Animals had darted out from earlier.
Conan: "..."
A bit suffocating, I'm going to be strangled to death.
Over there in the Forest, shadows flickered, and two figures, one large and one small, appeared, slowly walking towards them.
"Shhh... Don't talk," a cold and calm male voice said, "That person just now had no Shadow, it's a Ghost."
"No Shadow?" A girl's voice was ethereal, her tone also indifferent, "Who are you talking about?"
"That person just now..."
"Really? I... I don't seem to have a Shadow either."
"Are you a Ghost? Oh, I don't seem to have one either..."
Vaguely hearing that dialogue, Shancun Cao shrank into the Driver Seat, his Teeth chattering, and Tears almost bursting out.
Mouri Ran also hugged Conan and shrank down, lowering her Head and daring not to move.
Conan, however, found that voice familiar, and instantly remembered the two people who had been missing earlier, wanting to speak, but being held tightly by Mouri Ran, he could hardly breathe.
Mouri Ran closed her Eyes tightly, feeling Conan moving in her arms, and stammered softly, "Co-Conan... bear with it a little longer... d-don't move..."
Conan struggled, struggled, struggled...
Help, I'm going to be strangled to death!
In the Car behind, several Police Officers also silently hugged each other for warmth.
So scary.
Are they waiting for the Criminal to come to their Door, or are they going to deliver themselves to the Door first?
Mouri Ran still lowered her Head, feeling that those two Shadows had stopped Outside her Car Window, and hugged Conan tighter.
Conan: "..."
He-Help...
Haibara Ai stood Outside the Car Window and looked, "Hmm... Edogawa..."
Mouri Ran: "..."
Is Conan going to be taken away? Scared, hug tighter.
Conan: "..."
He, gave up struggling.
A Beam of Light from a Flashlight shone into the Car Window, saving the Famous Detective who was almost strangled to death.
"Ran, you guys came too?" Chi Feichei, holding the Flashlight with the Light turned on, shone it on the two Cars, and saw a group of people in the Cars with pale faces, looking more like Ghosts than Ghosts.
Mouri Ran noticed the Light, felt a little relieved in her heart, and upon hearing Chi Feichei's Sound again, the arm that was tightened relaxed a little, and she raised her Head blankly, "Fei... Brother Hichiji?"
Conan quickly took two breaths, feeling like he had walked around the edge of Death.
"Mr. Chi?" Shancun Cao also raised his Head to look at Chi Feichei, paused for a moment, and looked around, "Did you see any suspicious two human Shadows just now?"
Conan with black lines all over his Head, ignored Shancun Cao, and looked at Chi Feichei Outside the Car Window, "Brother Chi, what are you and Haibara doing?"
"I brought Ai out to look for Treasure, and just took a walk over there." Chi Feichei said without changing his Expression.
Actually, he had been wandering around for a while, and remembered that they had come to dig for Treasure, so he turned back.
"Then... then you guys just now..." Mouri Ran remembered the dialogue between the two just now, and still felt a chill down her Back, looking at Chi Feichei with some Suspicion.
Could this Brother Hichiji in front of her be transformed from a Ghost?
Just trying to confuse them and trick them into getting out of the Car?
"I told Ai a Play Story," Chi Feichei said without changing his Expression, "and imitated the Dialogue with her."
"I-Is that so..." Mouri Ran still suspected that this was a Means for Ghosts to deceive them.
Taking a Little Girl to the Forest in the middle of the Night to tell that kind of Horror Story, no matter how she thought about it, it felt impossible...
"What Play Story?" Shancun Cao couldn't help but ask.
Chi Feichei: "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons."
In the Light of the Flashlight, that calm Face looked a little gloomy, coupled with that calm Sound...
Shancun Cao silently swallowed his saliva, "Uh..."
Conan didn't want to drag it out any longer, if they dragged it out any longer, the Criminal would come, he opened the Car Door of the Passenger Seat and jumped out of the Car.
"Hey, Conan!" Mouri Ran was startled, she had made up her mind that she couldn't get out of the Car no matter what!
Conan got out of the Car and asked directly, "Brother Chi, you said you came to dig for Treasure, you also know where that Thing is, right?"
"Pre-Fallen Jizo, five steps to the east, eight steps to the right." Chi Feichei said.
Shancun Cao followed and got out of the Car, looking around, "Why?"
In the Car behind, a group of Police Officers also got out of the Car with Spades and other Tools.
"Because of that Sports Newspaper," Conan explained, "It's the Front Page of Akagimaru's victory, and in Akagimaru's detailed Combat Record, there's 'Top Five' at the very beginning, right? Akagimaru was originally Tokyo's Top Five Maemoku, and that dead long-haired Man was one of the Thugs who Extortioned 100 million Cash from the Candy Factory five years ago. He sensed that his Companion was going to kill him, so he buried the Cash in the Head God Forest, using 'Top' to hint at the Pre-Fallen Jizo of the Head God Forest. On the Newspaper, Akagimaru's Record is located below. If you place the Pre-Fallen Jizo on the Newspaper and the Stone Statue's Head is pointing north, then 'Top Five' is five steps to the east. Akagimaru lost a Competition on the eighth day, which means take eight more steps to the right. The black dot representing the loss is the Location of the Treasure."
Silence.
Mouri Ran was stunned, "Conan, you know so much."
Conan quickly scratched his Head with a smile, "This is all Uncle Mori told me!"
"Then did Mr. Mouri tell you who the Culprit is?" Shancun Cao leaned forward and asked eagerly.
Conan looked at Chi Feichei, he wanted to confirm whether Chi Feichei knew the Criminal before running out, and also, to confirm whether it was the same as his Deduction.
"Jinbo Masao." Chi Feichei said.
"Why?" Haibara Ai asked in Doubt.
They haven't been at the Crime Scene for long, have they?
When did Chi Feichei notice it, how come she didn't know?
"Earlier, he recognized Ran's Mobile Phone," Chi Feichei said, "He should have seen the Sticker on Ran's Mobile Phone, but Teacher Mouri reported the Name Echigo Mitsuemon to the people at the Hotel. When he saw the Name 'Mouri Ran', he knew that she was Teacher Mouri's Daughter, indicating that he knew Teacher Mouri was the real Mori Kogoro, which means..."
"That Imposter was hired by him," Conan took over, his Tone certain, "The Purpose should be to get that Briefcase in advance. He originally thought that there was Cash in the Briefcase, so he killed the Imposter to Silencing him, but he didn't expect that there was only a Newspaper inside..."
Haibara Ai glanced at Conan, some people forget to Cover-up when they start Deduction.
Mouri Ran and others thought that Mori Kogoro had told Conan, so they didn't think too much about it.
After a Group of Police dug out the Cash, they waited for the rabbit by the tree stump in the Forest.
After waiting for about ten minutes, in the dead of Night, Jinbo Masao, holding a Flashlight, quietly sneaked up to the Pre-Fallen Jizo, looked around, and prepared to find the Location where the Cash was buried according to the Cipher Hint.
Haibara Ai squatted in the Bush and watched, looking at this dark and quiet scenery, a phrase floated into her mind again, and she said faintly, "In the Fog, Red-Clothed Skeleton Woman..."
Chi Feichei continued, "Shed its skin."
Beside them, the Police who were squatting together turned pale again.
Conan was Speechless and glanced sideways at the two of them.
Are they addicted to playing?
They didn't even include him, and he didn't know the Words, so he couldn't join in, and suddenly felt a little Grievance...
In front of the Pre-Fallen Jizo, Jinbo Masao was startled by the sudden cold and faint Sound, and immediately turned around and shone the Flashlight towards the Forest from which the Sound came, "Who? Who is it?"
Under the Beam of Light, the Heads of a Group of ambushing Police, revealed from the Shrub, were illuminated, reflecting pale faces that had been frightened before, just like Heads growing out of the Shrub.
Haibara Ai: "The beautiful woman in the Wind..."
Chi Feichei: "Stopped her Sound."
Jinbo Masao was stunned for a moment, rolled his Eyes, and fell backwards.
Haibara Ai: "Phoenix Fire goes alone."
Chi Feichei: "Into Hell."
"Thump!" Jinbo Masao fell to the Ground, the Flashlight in his Hand slipped and fell, rolling out with a gurgling sound.
End of Chapter