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Chapter 759: A Trap Laid with a Turn of the Hand
"Because I’ve never tried it before!" Conan braced himself and stared at Chi Feichei.
While trying to give Uncle a hint, it wouldn’t hurt to also expose Chi Feichei a little, right?
This guy always acted so serious and straight-laced, but deep down he was definitely a seasoned pro! Absolutely not innocent!
Behind the door, Kogoro Mouri caught onto the hint hidden in "never tried it before" and exposed the fact that Ruri Amemura didn't smoke and didn’t even know how to dismantle a fuel-cotton lighter.
Outside the door, Chi Feichei patted Conan’s head, stood up with his usual calm expression, and said, "You’re not old enough for that kind of thing. And don’t bully the girls at school."
He was an adult. Even if he had kissed a girl before, so what?
But Conan, as a first-grade elementary school student, asking such a question—even if masked by curiosity—was something that needed some proper guidance.
"Y-Yeah, Conan," Ran Mouri quickly pulled Conan to her side and spoke seriously, "You know, it’s a little too soon for you to be curious about this stuff. Especially at school—you can't go around bullying girls just because you're curious, understand?"
Conan: "..."
I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I...
Ai Haibara immediately put on her best performance, placing one hand over her chest and pointing at Conan with the other, adopting the serious, righteous tone of a little girl.
"Edogawa is a total pervert at school!"
Ran’s gaze sharpened. "Conan, you’ve been doing what at school...?"
Conan broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly protested, "I didn’t!"
%@#＝&@…!
Chi Feichei and Haibara actually ganged up on him to set him up. Despicable. Absolutely despicable.
If Ran ever found out he was actually Shinichi Kudo, and that after shrinking he was suspected of flirting with girls in elementary school... No, he absolutely couldn’t let Ran find out!
Haibara stood leisurely to the side, quietly enjoying the show, while Chi Feichei also appreciated the sight of the flustered little detective.
Satisfying.
...
Kogoro Mouri had also seen through the fact that Ruri Amemura was actually the daughter of Akira Nagumo, and he refused to help her hide the truth.
Thirty minutes later, after being persuaded by Ruri, Akira Nagumo chose to turn himself in, bringing the case to a close.
Chi Feichei, Haibara Ai, Conan, Ran, and Kogoro Mouri planned to stay the night and visit Akira Nagumo the next day, and then do a bit of sightseeing around Shizuoka.
Inspector Yokomizo considerately arranged for a police car to take the five of them down the mountain.
Once at the foot of the mountain, the five of them strolled leisurely through the snow toward their inn.
"So, Mr. Nagumo decided to kill Mr. Kazami because he was afraid he'd expose the fact that Miss Amemura is his illegitimate daughter?" Ran asked.
"That’s what it seems like," Kogoro Mouri replied. "His preparations were sloppy—it was probably a crime of passion."
Chi Feichei remained silent.
If the police couldn’t find the murder weapon, they wouldn’t be able to convict him. They might even suspect it was someone else who had sneaked into the villa.
Nagumo had probably thought the same. That’s why, after committing the crime, he hid the weapon and calmly stayed behind to cooperate with the police investigation. Unfortunately for him, he ran into a detective.
"But Dad, you were really amazing," Ran said with a smile, looking up at the snowflakes falling from the sky. "You not only figured out how Mr. Nagumo hid the weapon, but also saw through the true relationship between him and Miss Amemura."
Kogoro Mouri felt a little awkward admitting that he’d once been stared at with the same sharp gaze and treated the same way by Eri Kisaki's father, but he still grinned proudly.
"Hahaha... Of course! Your old man is the famous detective Kogoro Mouri!"
"Geez..." Ran gave him a half-moon stare. "Don’t let it go to your head."
"Impossible!" Kogoro Mouri straightened up with mock seriousness, then quickly burst into hearty laughter. "When you’ve got real skills, it’s not arrogance—it’s confidence!"
Ran: "..."
Haibara: "..."
Conan: "..."
Chi Feichei silently lit a cigarette and watched Kogoro Mouri laugh in his usual over-the-top fashion.
It seemed his teacher’s unreliable image had made a grand return.
...
The five of them found a hot spring inn, and after checking in, Kogoro Mouri headed to his room.
"I’ll be going to see Mr. Nagumo with Ruri tomorrow, so I’m calling it a night."
"Will this detective drama still air?" Ran asked.
"Who knows." Kogoro Mouri waved a hand dismissively and walked away without looking back.
"I never expected something like this to happen," Ran sighed, then smiled softly. "But since everyone’s willing to keep Mr. Nagumo and Miss Amemura’s relationship a secret, it probably won’t affect her too badly."
Chi Feichei nodded silently.
He wasn’t the type to step forward, smooth things over, or offer a helping hand just to play the role of a nice guy.
When he was young, Chi Shinnosuke had once explained the idea of "helping others" to him. He’d been told very clearly: never think of yourself as a savior. Before choosing to offer help, carefully think through all the possible consequences. Only when you’re sure you genuinely want to help should you speak up.
Selfish? No. For example, someone once used all their wealth to help those in need, giving until they had nothing left. But when they fell ill and could no longer help, the people who once accepted their generosity turned around and called them "selfish" for no longer giving. People get used to being helped, and once you stop, you become the villain.
The human heart is complex; sometimes great kindness can turn into deep resentment.
Some people, once they succeed, will deliberately forget the people who helped them in their lowest moments—perhaps even kicking them when they're down, trying to erase the shameful parts of their past.
If he helped Kogoro Mouri’s old classmate today, then what about tomorrow, if Eri Kisaki’s old classmate ran into trouble? Or Professor Agasa’s? Or even the classmates of people like Tominaga Odagiri? If he helped one and refused another, wouldn’t that suggest he didn’t value the friendship equally?
Sonoko Suzuki had probably been taught a similar lesson as a child: whom to help, and how to help, was not something to decide on impulse. Offering help could bring endless trouble and pain, not just for yourself but for your family as well. You had to think carefully.
Of course, if things got really serious, and Kogoro Mouri asked him directly, he wouldn’t mind helping out. But even then, the way help was offered mattered—handouts weren’t the way to go.
Fortunately, both Mouri father and daughter were smart and sensible people. They’d never force him or Sonoko to get involved just to satisfy their own wishes or misguided ideas of "kindness."
And just as expected, Ran didn’t bring up the idea of helping.
When they stepped into the inn’s entrance, she bent down with a bright smile and looked at Conan. "Let’s go try out the hot springs, Conan."
Silence.
Ran suddenly stopped.
Conan had just smiled back, ready to agree, when Ran scooped him up.
Handing Conan over to Chi Feichei, Ran smiled sweetly. "Hassashi, I’ll leave Conan to you."
Chi Feichei nodded and accepted Conan.
Ran let out a small breath of relief, then reached out to hold Haibara’s hand. "Come on, Ai, let’s go enjoy the hot spring~"
Since the little guy had started getting curious about relationships, she couldn’t bathe with him anymore. Thankfully, Hassashi was around to make things easier. They could take turns looking after the kids. Otherwise, she really wouldn’t know what to do.
Haibara obediently let Ran lead her away, glancing back at Conan, who was now cradled in Chi Feichei’s arms, his face frozen in disbelief, as if wanting to say, "How could this happen?" She barely suppressed her schadenfreude.
That little detective had outdone himself today—laid a trap with a turn of the hand and ended up burying himself in it.
Conan: "..."
He was pretty sure Haibara was provoking him!
But still, how could Ran do this to him...
...
Ten minutes later.
Indoor hot spring, men's side.
Conan floated lazily in the warm water, drifting back and forth while occasionally glancing at Chi Feichei.
Today, Chi Feichei wasn’t looking down at his phone for once, but he still lounged silently in the corner, eyes closed, clearly not planning to help wash his back or anything...
On the other side of the wooden partition, in the women’s bath, Ran and Haibara were chatting softly. Ran had even offered to help Haibara wash her back with great gentleness. But this guy here—still as indifferent as ever.
Bathing with Chi Feichei was the most boring thing ever!
Hassashi lay sprawled on the edge of the hot spring, basking in the warm steam and stretching lazily.
"Master, Conan has secretly looked at you thirty-four times already."
Chi Feichei opened his eyes and glanced at Conan, who still looked like a playful kid, floating and swimming around. After estimating the time, he reached back for his bathrobe, stood up, stepped out of the water, put on the robe in one smooth motion, and reminded Conan, "That’s enough. Staying too long isn’t good for your health."
"Yeah, yeah..." Conan muttered as he swam to the edge.
As expected, it was pointless to hope Chi Feichei would help him wash his back.
Later, in the room, Conan watched as Hassashi swiftly climbed onto Chi Feichei’s bed, and let out a silent, bitter chuckle.
As expected, it was another night with Hassashi sharing the bed.
Fortunately, the room had two beds, so he wouldn’t have to worry about waking up with Hassashi wrapped around his neck—or opening his eyes to see a snake head staring back at him.
...
The five of them spent a day exploring Shizuoka, and by the time they returned to Tokyo, news of Ryo Kazami’s murder had already made the headlines. Kogoro Mouri was immediately swarmed by reporters the moment he got back.
The next day, the interviews were already being broadcast on TV.
"Mr. Mouri, according to Mr. Nagumo, the reason he committed the murder was because Mr. Kazami had physically assaulted his son during filming. Is that true?"
"If that’s what he said, then I suppose that’s the reason. I was only responsible for exposing the trick behind the disappearance of the murder weapon—and I advised him to turn himself in before the police uncovered the truth. That’s the smarter choice."
Outside a shopping mall, a giant screen was broadcasting the interview.
When Kogoro Mouri finished speaking and coolly waved before turning away, a group of girls standing in front of the mall let out admiring gasps.
"Mr. Mouri is so cool!"
"Another case solved. As expected of the famous detective, Kogoro Mouri. He’s every bit as impressive as that high school detective from before."
"You mean Shinichi Kudo..."
"I think Mr. Mouri is even better. After all, he’s the senior figure in the detective world, isn’t he?"
Among the crowd, a middle-aged man with a ponytail, dressed in a black jacket and exuding an odd, artsy vibe, looked up at the screen. Carrying a guitar case on his back, he turned and headed toward a nearby building.
He took the elevator to the rooftop, locked the access door, and began assembling a sniper rifle.
Once everything was ready, the man grabbed the skin of his own face and ripped it off in one swift motion. The sunken, gaunt face and black hair peeled away, revealing a cold, sharp-featured young man with blond hair and blue eyes. He took out his phone and made a call.
"Vodka, I’m in position... Got it. I’ll keep watch."
Over ten minutes later, two streets away, three police cars with flashing lights were speeding after an armored cash transport vehicle. Other cars quickly swerved aside to avoid them.
As the police cars drifted sharply around a corner, a sniper bullet whistled through the gap between two buildings, punctured the rear right tire of one of the police cars, and embedded itself in the pavement.
The combination of speed and momentum sent the police car spinning, skidding sideways until it crashed into a parked vehicle and came to a stop, blocking the road and trapping the two cars behind it.
The officers quickly got out, peered anxiously toward the fleeing armored truck, and reported into their radios.
"An accident! Our tire’s been blown. We’ve lost pursuit for now. The target vehicle turned left onto Route 661—it looks like they’re trying to get out of Tokyo. Request roadblocks. I repeat..."
End of Chapter
"Because I’ve never tried it before!" Conan braced himself and stared at Chi Feichei.
While trying to give Uncle a hint, it wouldn’t hurt to also expose Chi Feichei a little, right?
This guy always acted so serious and straight-laced, but deep down he was definitely a seasoned pro! Absolutely not innocent!
Behind the door, Kogoro Mouri caught onto the hint hidden in "never tried it before" and exposed the fact that Ruri Amemura didn't smoke and didn’t even know how to dismantle a fuel-cotton lighter.
Outside the door, Chi Feichei patted Conan’s head, stood up with his usual calm expression, and said, "You’re not old enough for that kind of thing. And don’t bully the girls at school."
He was an adult. Even if he had kissed a girl before, so what?
But Conan, as a first-grade elementary school student, asking such a question—even if masked by curiosity—was something that needed some proper guidance.
"Y-Yeah, Conan," Ran Mouri quickly pulled Conan to her side and spoke seriously, "You know, it’s a little too soon for you to be curious about this stuff. Especially at school—you can't go around bullying girls just because you're curious, understand?"
Conan: "..."
I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I...
Ai Haibara immediately put on her best performance, placing one hand over her chest and pointing at Conan with the other, adopting the serious, righteous tone of a little girl.
"Edogawa is a total pervert at school!"
Ran’s gaze sharpened. "Conan, you’ve been doing what at school...?"
Conan broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly protested, "I didn’t!"
%@#＝&@…!
Chi Feichei and Haibara actually ganged up on him to set him up. Despicable. Absolutely despicable.
If Ran ever found out he was actually Shinichi Kudo, and that after shrinking he was suspected of flirting with girls in elementary school... No, he absolutely couldn’t let Ran find out!
Haibara stood leisurely to the side, quietly enjoying the show, while Chi Feichei also appreciated the sight of the flustered little detective.
Satisfying.
...
Kogoro Mouri had also seen through the fact that Ruri Amemura was actually the daughter of Akira Nagumo, and he refused to help her hide the truth.
Thirty minutes later, after being persuaded by Ruri, Akira Nagumo chose to turn himself in, bringing the case to a close.
Chi Feichei, Haibara Ai, Conan, Ran, and Kogoro Mouri planned to stay the night and visit Akira Nagumo the next day, and then do a bit of sightseeing around Shizuoka.
Inspector Yokomizo considerately arranged for a police car to take the five of them down the mountain.
Once at the foot of the mountain, the five of them strolled leisurely through the snow toward their inn.
"So, Mr. Nagumo decided to kill Mr. Kazami because he was afraid he'd expose the fact that Miss Amemura is his illegitimate daughter?" Ran asked.
"That’s what it seems like," Kogoro Mouri replied. "His preparations were sloppy—it was probably a crime of passion."
Chi Feichei remained silent.
If the police couldn’t find the murder weapon, they wouldn’t be able to convict him. They might even suspect it was someone else who had sneaked into the villa.
Nagumo had probably thought the same. That’s why, after committing the crime, he hid the weapon and calmly stayed behind to cooperate with the police investigation. Unfortunately for him, he ran into a detective.
"But Dad, you were really amazing," Ran said with a smile, looking up at the snowflakes falling from the sky. "You not only figured out how Mr. Nagumo hid the weapon, but also saw through the true relationship between him and Miss Amemura."
Kogoro Mouri felt a little awkward admitting that he’d once been stared at with the same sharp gaze and treated the same way by Eri Kisaki's father, but he still grinned proudly.
"Hahaha... Of course! Your old man is the famous detective Kogoro Mouri!"
"Geez..." Ran gave him a half-moon stare. "Don’t let it go to your head."
"Impossible!" Kogoro Mouri straightened up with mock seriousness, then quickly burst into hearty laughter. "When you’ve got real skills, it’s not arrogance—it’s confidence!"
Ran: "..."
Haibara: "..."
Conan: "..."
Chi Feichei silently lit a cigarette and watched Kogoro Mouri laugh in his usual over-the-top fashion.
It seemed his teacher’s unreliable image had made a grand return.
...
The five of them found a hot spring inn, and after checking in, Kogoro Mouri headed to his room.
"I’ll be going to see Mr. Nagumo with Ruri tomorrow, so I’m calling it a night."
"Will this detective drama still air?" Ran asked.
"Who knows." Kogoro Mouri waved a hand dismissively and walked away without looking back.
"I never expected something like this to happen," Ran sighed, then smiled softly. "But since everyone’s willing to keep Mr. Nagumo and Miss Amemura’s relationship a secret, it probably won’t affect her too badly."
Chi Feichei nodded silently.
He wasn’t the type to step forward, smooth things over, or offer a helping hand just to play the role of a nice guy.
When he was young, Chi Shinnosuke had once explained the idea of "helping others" to him. He’d been told very clearly: never think of yourself as a savior. Before choosing to offer help, carefully think through all the possible consequences. Only when you’re sure you genuinely want to help should you speak up.
Selfish? No. For example, someone once used all their wealth to help those in need, giving until they had nothing left. But when they fell ill and could no longer help, the people who once accepted their generosity turned around and called them "selfish" for no longer giving. People get used to being helped, and once you stop, you become the villain.
The human heart is complex; sometimes great kindness can turn into deep resentment.
Some people, once they succeed, will deliberately forget the people who helped them in their lowest moments—perhaps even kicking them when they're down, trying to erase the shameful parts of their past.
If he helped Kogoro Mouri’s old classmate today, then what about tomorrow, if Eri Kisaki’s old classmate ran into trouble? Or Professor Agasa’s? Or even the classmates of people like Tominaga Odagiri? If he helped one and refused another, wouldn’t that suggest he didn’t value the friendship equally?
Sonoko Suzuki had probably been taught a similar lesson as a child: whom to help, and how to help, was not something to decide on impulse. Offering help could bring endless trouble and pain, not just for yourself but for your family as well. You had to think carefully.
Of course, if things got really serious, and Kogoro Mouri asked him directly, he wouldn’t mind helping out. But even then, the way help was offered mattered—handouts weren’t the way to go.
Fortunately, both Mouri father and daughter were smart and sensible people. They’d never force him or Sonoko to get involved just to satisfy their own wishes or misguided ideas of "kindness."
And just as expected, Ran didn’t bring up the idea of helping.
When they stepped into the inn’s entrance, she bent down with a bright smile and looked at Conan. "Let’s go try out the hot springs, Conan."
Silence.
Ran suddenly stopped.
Conan had just smiled back, ready to agree, when Ran scooped him up.
Handing Conan over to Chi Feichei, Ran smiled sweetly. "Hassashi, I’ll leave Conan to you."
Chi Feichei nodded and accepted Conan.
Ran let out a small breath of relief, then reached out to hold Haibara’s hand. "Come on, Ai, let’s go enjoy the hot spring~"
Since the little guy had started getting curious about relationships, she couldn’t bathe with him anymore. Thankfully, Hassashi was around to make things easier. They could take turns looking after the kids. Otherwise, she really wouldn’t know what to do.
Haibara obediently let Ran lead her away, glancing back at Conan, who was now cradled in Chi Feichei’s arms, his face frozen in disbelief, as if wanting to say, "How could this happen?" She barely suppressed her schadenfreude.
That little detective had outdone himself today—laid a trap with a turn of the hand and ended up burying himself in it.
Conan: "..."
He was pretty sure Haibara was provoking him!
But still, how could Ran do this to him...
...
Ten minutes later.
Indoor hot spring, men's side.
Conan floated lazily in the warm water, drifting back and forth while occasionally glancing at Chi Feichei.
Today, Chi Feichei wasn’t looking down at his phone for once, but he still lounged silently in the corner, eyes closed, clearly not planning to help wash his back or anything...
On the other side of the wooden partition, in the women’s bath, Ran and Haibara were chatting softly. Ran had even offered to help Haibara wash her back with great gentleness. But this guy here—still as indifferent as ever.
Bathing with Chi Feichei was the most boring thing ever!
Hassashi lay sprawled on the edge of the hot spring, basking in the warm steam and stretching lazily.
"Master, Conan has secretly looked at you thirty-four times already."
Chi Feichei opened his eyes and glanced at Conan, who still looked like a playful kid, floating and swimming around. After estimating the time, he reached back for his bathrobe, stood up, stepped out of the water, put on the robe in one smooth motion, and reminded Conan, "That’s enough. Staying too long isn’t good for your health."
"Yeah, yeah..." Conan muttered as he swam to the edge.
As expected, it was pointless to hope Chi Feichei would help him wash his back.
Later, in the room, Conan watched as Hassashi swiftly climbed onto Chi Feichei’s bed, and let out a silent, bitter chuckle.
As expected, it was another night with Hassashi sharing the bed.
Fortunately, the room had two beds, so he wouldn’t have to worry about waking up with Hassashi wrapped around his neck—or opening his eyes to see a snake head staring back at him.
...
The five of them spent a day exploring Shizuoka, and by the time they returned to Tokyo, news of Ryo Kazami’s murder had already made the headlines. Kogoro Mouri was immediately swarmed by reporters the moment he got back.
The next day, the interviews were already being broadcast on TV.
"Mr. Mouri, according to Mr. Nagumo, the reason he committed the murder was because Mr. Kazami had physically assaulted his son during filming. Is that true?"
"If that’s what he said, then I suppose that’s the reason. I was only responsible for exposing the trick behind the disappearance of the murder weapon—and I advised him to turn himself in before the police uncovered the truth. That’s the smarter choice."
Outside a shopping mall, a giant screen was broadcasting the interview.
When Kogoro Mouri finished speaking and coolly waved before turning away, a group of girls standing in front of the mall let out admiring gasps.
"Mr. Mouri is so cool!"
"Another case solved. As expected of the famous detective, Kogoro Mouri. He’s every bit as impressive as that high school detective from before."
"You mean Shinichi Kudo..."
"I think Mr. Mouri is even better. After all, he’s the senior figure in the detective world, isn’t he?"
Among the crowd, a middle-aged man with a ponytail, dressed in a black jacket and exuding an odd, artsy vibe, looked up at the screen. Carrying a guitar case on his back, he turned and headed toward a nearby building.
He took the elevator to the rooftop, locked the access door, and began assembling a sniper rifle.
Once everything was ready, the man grabbed the skin of his own face and ripped it off in one swift motion. The sunken, gaunt face and black hair peeled away, revealing a cold, sharp-featured young man with blond hair and blue eyes. He took out his phone and made a call.
"Vodka, I’m in position... Got it. I’ll keep watch."
Over ten minutes later, two streets away, three police cars with flashing lights were speeding after an armored cash transport vehicle. Other cars quickly swerved aside to avoid them.
As the police cars drifted sharply around a corner, a sniper bullet whistled through the gap between two buildings, punctured the rear right tire of one of the police cars, and embedded itself in the pavement.
The combination of speed and momentum sent the police car spinning, skidding sideways until it crashed into a parked vehicle and came to a stop, blocking the road and trapping the two cars behind it.
The officers quickly got out, peered anxiously toward the fleeing armored truck, and reported into their radios.
"An accident! Our tire’s been blown. We’ve lost pursuit for now. The target vehicle turned left onto Route 661—it looks like they’re trying to get out of Tokyo. Request roadblocks. I repeat..."
End of Chapter
