A moment later, Yuu Hoshimiya landed silently on the ground, holding Curacao in his arms.
The power was out, leaving the surroundings in pitch blackness, with only the fire near the Ferris wheel providing light. He landed in the outer perimeter to ensure no one would see them.
The moment he touched down, he saw the Ferris wheel in the distance explode yet again.
The flames were towering, turning the structure into a giant, blazing wheel of fire.
Then, the massive circular steel frame hit the ground and began to roll, clearly heading straight for the aquarium.
Yuu didn't have time to change his clothes. He contacted Noah to arrange for someone to take the unconscious Curacao away.
He immediately sprinted toward the Ferris wheel, intending to stop the multi-story giant from crashing into the aquarium.
Ran and the others were still dining on the second floor of that building!
By the time Yuu reached the vicinity of the wheel, the structure had rolled a significant distance, coming close to the parking lot.
Just then, he saw a forklift speeding past.
The forklift seemed to be trying to position itself in the wheel's path to stop its forward momentum.
Yuu looked closer and saw Vermouth in the driver's seat, her face covered in tears.
He froze for a second, then roared, "What the fuck are you doing?!"
The despondent Vermouth, hearing that familiar voice, saw her eyes light up as she slammed on the brakes.
The forklift's tires screeched against the pavement, leaving two dark streaks of rubber behind.
Vermouth turned her head cautiously, and her vision was filled with Yuu Hoshimiya charging toward her.
His speed was clearly at its limit, but in Vermouth's eyes, he seemed to move in slow motion.
Seeing that familiar figure, she broke into a tearful smile, her vision blurring with moisture.
Yuu climbed onto the forklift in an instant.
His face was full of urgency. His left arm pulsed with muscle as he gripped the door gap and ripped the entire door off the vehicle.
"Tsk. You woman, can't you just stay out of trouble for once?"
He barked a curse, reached out to grab Vermouth's slender waist, and violently hauled her out, jumping from the vehicle and dragging her back to a safe zone.
Yuu felt a surge of lingering fear. If he had been a few seconds later, Vermouth would have ended up like Curacao in the original movie—crushed into charcoal by the giant wheel.
He truly hadn't expected this cunning "Viper" to be so emotional.
Even if he had used some aggressive "conquest" tactics, it had only been half a day.
How did a mature, glamorous, ageless witch like her end up with her favorability maxed out, just like the blank-slate Curacao?!
She had clearly assumed Yuu was dead and intended to follow him in death!
While angry, Yuu was also somewhat moved.
He held Vermouth, his large hand delivering heavy slaps to her voluptuous, perky buttocks, creating waves of vibrating flesh.
"What are you doing?! Don't you know you could die? Is it your turn to play the hero? Dammit, I should have just fucked you into the ground earlier!"
Vermouth's body wouldn't stop trembling. Tears flowed uncontrollably. She pointed toward the theme restaurant, trying to explain.
"I... you died... and them..." She wanted to save Ran and the others.
Vermouth's feelings for her "Angel," Ran, were beyond doubt. Whether from Yuu's past life memories or his own observations in this life, she was truly willing to die for Ran.
Ran hadn't just saved Vermouth's life; she had pulled her out of the dark abyss.
She had given Vermouth's life meaning and a reason to keep living.
But at this moment, Vermouth was too incoherent to speak. Finally, she let out a wail, looking utterly aggrieved.
"You're not dead, you bastard! I told you not to go, I told you..."
Her small hands hammered against Yuu's back with all the strength she could muster.
Yuu understood her. It was exactly as he suspected.
Vermouth thought he had died in the Ferris wheel explosion. She wanted to save Ran and the others, and she wanted to commit suicide along with him, so she had charged in with the forklift.
He cupped Vermouth's small face and kissed her hard.
Vermouth responded frantically. The strength in her pounding fists faded until she was simply clinging to his lower back.
Tooru Amuro, watching the entangled pair, was completely dumbstruck, his jaw hanging so low it looked dislocated.
WTF!!!
What kind of insane plot twist is this?
What's happening? Why are Vermouth and Yuu Hoshimiya acting like star-crossed lovers reunited?
What kind of development is this? Are they together?
Wait, no! That Ferris wheel is about to crush us! Why are you kissing now? This isn't the time for romance!
Amuro couldn't help but shout, "Hey! Stop it! People are about to die!"
Hearing this, Yuu finally released Vermouth's mouth, gave her perky butt one more slap, and let her go.
"I'll finish educating you after this is over."
Amuro asked urgently, "Consultant Hoshimiya, is there any way you can stop this giant thing?"
"The aquarium behind us is packed with tourists, and there are only two exits. It's too hard to evacuate. If the large tanks inside break, the water flooding the glass walkways will drown countless people!"
Hearing Amuro's dire warnings, Yuu shook his head casually. "Relax. Leave it to me. Just watch."
He glanced left and right. The parking lot was right there, filled with rows of Public Security police cars marked with "Beika."
Yuu ripped his tattered shirt completely off, revealing his powerful, sculpted upper body.
Then, he ran straight behind a police car and exerted a sudden, massive force...
The muscles of his torso bulged and knotted like a descended god.
Under the incredulous gazes of Vermouth, Amuro, and the surrounding crowd, the police car began to move.
And it wasn't just one.
One slammed into the next. Yuu pushed a total of three police cars into the path of the Ferris wheel's rotation.
The people around were mesmerized. Even in a world of "Conan-logic," doing this with raw human strength was beyond impossible.
Amuro's jaw truly felt dislocated this time.
Yuu ignored everyone's gaze. Standing before the Ferris wheel—which looked like a giant wheel of fire—he hoisted the rear of a police car with both hands and flipped it toward the wheel.
An even more terrifying scene unfolded. The police car acted as if it had been struck by a truck going 200 mph, tumbling frantically toward the Ferris wheel.
Finally, the entire car was jammed precisely and vertically into the gaps of the Ferris wheel's iron frame.
A single small police car naturally couldn't stop the momentum of the giant wheel, but the two cars behind it were flipped forward as well.
The three vehicles stacked themselves perfectly into a stable triangular structure.
All three police cars were flattened by the giant Ferris wheel. Explosions rang out as tongues of fire erupted.
Finally, atop the blackened wreckage of the police cars, the giant Ferris wheel ground to a halt. The area instantly erupted into continuous cheers and applause.
Amuro couldn't even close his mouth, his eyes wide with shock.
What kind of monster is this? Sedans are like toys in his hands.
At the thought of being this man's enemy, Amuro felt an instinctive shiver run down his spine.
Just then, Vermouth trotted up, looking concerned. "Yuu-kun, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Seeing Vermouth acting like a delicate, caring woman, Amuro's head spun.
What is wrong with this world? How did everything become so incomprehensible all of a sudden!
Soon, Ran and Yukiko came rushing out of the restaurant with the kids, swarming around Yuu Hoshimiya.
With the blackout and the Ferris wheel crash, Ran's group couldn't sit still any longer and had come out to find them.
The moment they left the restaurant, they saw Yuu flipping cars in the parking lot.
Everyone was stunned and ran over immediately.
Ran and Yukiko, just like Vermouth, surrounded Yuu, asking anxiously if he was injured.
Multiple pairs of soft hands roamed over Yuu's blackened skin. Once they confirmed there were no wounds, the women finally let out a sigh of relief.
Little Ayumi looked around and, seeing no sign of Curacao, asked, "Onii-chan, where is Big Sister Shiro?"
At this question, both Amuro and Vermouth looked over.
After a second of hesitation between telling the truth and putting on an act, Yuu decisively chose the truth.
While it might be better to let Vermouth and Amuro believe Curacao was dead to reduce future trouble...
He was too lazy to act.
So what if these two knew?
Vermouth was basically claimed, and Amuro—the ultimate double agent—would never tell the Organization that Curacao was still alive.
If his brain malfunctioned and he tried, Yuu would simply expose his Public Security cover to the Organization.
An undercover agent's word carries zero weight.
Besides, telling the truth would put the kids' minds at ease.
Especially the innocent and kind-hearted Ayumi.
"Your Big Sister Shiro got her memory back. But she was knocked unconscious by the blast earlier. I've already sent someone to take her home to rest."
Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko were instantly overjoyed.
However, the reactions of the others were different.
Conan, who was suspicious of Curacao's identity, fell into deep thought. Amuro and Vermouth wore looks of intense gravity.
But since both were master actors, no one but Yuu could see what they were really thinking.
Once safety was assured, some people in the crowd tried to approach, wanting to get a better look at this legendary strongman.
At that moment, plainclothes Public Security officers appeared, dispersing the crowd.
The officers surrounded Yuu Hoshimiya, led by Amuro's subordinate, Yuya Kazami.
Kazami had enough sense to know he couldn't acknowledge Amuro in public.
He said coldly, "Consultant Hoshimiya, we've finally found you. Public Security requests your assistance with an investigation!"
At those words, the expressions of Yukiko, Ran, and Vermouth turned dangerous instantly.
Yukiko spoke up directly: "On what grounds? He was saving people! Is having a bit of strength a crime now?"
"If you can't give a reason, give me your badge number. I'm definitely filing a formal complaint."
Beside them, sweat dripped from Amuro's brow.
That strength is a lot more than 'a bit'!
But Kazami put on an uncompromising facade and said coldly, "This involves Public Security secrets; I cannot disclose them. Consultant Hoshimiya, please cooperate."
Yukiko was about to explode, but Yuu reached out to stop her.
The Japanese Public Security was a dominant department. Unlike the regular police who needed warrants and evidence, they were directly responsible to the Cabinet and had the power to act first and report later.
By analogy, they were like the secret police or the "Eastern Depot" of old.
If Public Security thought you were a problem, they could take you away first.
Yuu naturally wasn't afraid; with the Suzuki Group and Ooka family backing him, he'd be escorted out with the highest honors the moment he stepped inside.
But again, he didn't want to.
He had developed in silence for so long precisely so he could do as he pleased and not be forced into things he didn't want to do.
Yuu stepped forward.
This time, he didn't hide his aura at all.
Facing a dominant pressure that felt like a biological suppression, Kazami instinctively backed up several steps.
Yuu let out a soft chuckle. "Public Security."
His eyes caught Amuro's for a split second, and Amuro's shirt was instantly soaked with sweat.
His heart was in his throat.
If Yuu spoke his name, with Vermouth right there, his undercover status would be finished.
And that exposure would be completely worthless—a total waste!
Amuro prayed that Yuu wouldn't say anything.
Yuu was only scaring him.
Just as Vermouth and Amuro didn't want their identities exposed, he had no intention of bringing everything into the light just yet.
Before everything was finalized, every day the gears of fate turned was another day for him to absorb more power of destiny.
His gaze swept past Amuro and settled on Yuya Kazami. "The mere Public Security can't intimidate me. I'm in a bad mood and I'm not in the mood for games. You're not even qualified to talk to me!"
"I'm leaving now. Do you dare to stop me?"
An arrogant and睥睨 (peerless) aura surged from the shirtless Yuu Hoshimiya.
He walked straight up to Kazami. Seeing that he was about to break the perimeter, Ran and the others followed behind him.
Kazami felt as if he were being stared down by a prehistoric beast. Sweat matted his forehead.
He clenched his fists, wanting to reach for his handgun, but his hand felt as if it were weighed down by a heavy stone, unable to move.
They had all seen Yuu's inhuman feat just now and were filled with dread.
Beyond that, the fact that Yuu was backed by the Suzuki and Ooka families—who held nearly half the speaking power in the Diet—was the key.
No one in the system, let alone Public Security, would dare offend such a person.
Kazami didn't know what to do, but he finally saw Amuro's subtle hand signal.
He stepped aside eagerly. "Let them through!"
Yuu glanced at Amuro, smiled, and led his group away.
Vermouth followed him out of the police cordon, feeling exceptionally refreshed.
She absolutely loved this arrogant, dominant feeling.
Amuro didn't dare let Vermouth be alone with Yuu, so he thick-facedly followed behind them.
Yuu didn't say much.
Only the brat Conan couldn't help but speak up: "Teacher Hoshimiya, you shouldn't have done that."
"The Public Security officers might have needed your help! How could we just walk away like that?"
The over-righteous Conan always believed the police were in the right, spouting these death-seeking words.
Yuu didn't indulge the brat; he reached out and hammered three massive bumps onto Conan's forehead, leaving him jumping in pain before finally letting him be.
The group soon boarded the Lexus, while Vermouth got into Amuro's white Mazda.
Yuu, of course, was going home.
The white Mazda drove off in a different direction.
Watching the Mazda disappear from view, Yuu shook his head with a faint smile.
Vermouth's disguise this time was truly riddled with holes.
Azusa Enomoto was currently living next door to him; for her not to head in the same direction was a dead giveaway.
As expected, intelligence is everything!
Not only was Yuu thinking this, but the two people in the white Mazda were thinking the same.
Amuro and Vermouth—Bourbon and Vermouth—the two intelligence specialists of the Organization, decided it was time to exchange their information.
However, the atmosphere in the Mazda was currently quite awkward.
The finally rational Vermouth realized what she had just done and felt a massive headache coming on.
"Hehe, that was close. We almost got caught by Public Security."
"My acting was pretty good just now, wasn't it? I probably even fooled you. Playing Azusa Enomoto was a mistake; I didn't realize she and Yuu Hoshimiya were a couple. The difficulty was too high."
Acting?
Amuro couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Are you shitting me? That's called 'acting'? You thought Yuu Hoshimiya was dead and almost went to commit suicide for him—who were you acting for?
Working at the Poirot Cafe, Amuro obviously knew that Azusa and Yuu were a confirmed couple and were already living together.
Come to think of it, he had taken Vermouth with him, yet that guy hadn't even asked a single question.
Could it be that Vermouth's identity was exposed and Yuu was just toyed with her?
Mmm! Highly likely. He even saw through my identity!
While Amuro was brainstorming, Vermouth was still trying to justify her behavior.
"Bourbon, you know my other profession is acting. An occupational hazard is getting too immersed in the role."
"I was just too deep in character and couldn't snap out of it for a moment. I really thought my lover was dead, which is why I acted so strangely. Don't take it to heart."
Amuro didn't believe a word of it. Instead, he was pleased he had found Vermouth's weakness.
Vermouth had fallen for Yuu Hoshimiya.
Too bad that weakness was useless!
It was Vermouth's weakness, not Yuu Hoshimiya's.
Besides, Amuro already knew the secret between Vermouth and the Boss; he already had leverage over her. One more piece of leverage wouldn't change much.
He shifted the topic. "Vermouth, let's talk business. Where do you think Curacao went?"
At this, Vermouth's voice turned serious.
"Marsala appeared in the restaurant earlier!"
"Marsala? The one from the UK?"
Amuro frowned at this; he was only hearing this intel now.
Vermouth continued, "Rum likely commissioned Marsala to act. But I don't understand why the Organization would purge Curacao."
"I heard the helicopter. If it were just a retrieval, there wouldn't have been a bomb afterward. That was almost certainly a purge. Did Marsala misunderstand something after contacting the amnesiac Curacao and make the wrong call?"
"Unfortunately, my phone and other comms are ruined. I can't contact the Organization. I won't know the specifics until I get back."
Regarding the fact that Curacao was saved by Yuu and was currently in his hands, both men reached a silent agreement not to mention it.
Vermouth thought Yuu was a member of the Organization; Curacao being with him was as good as the mission succeeding.
Amuro, meanwhile, believed Yuu was a mole and would definitely not let Curacao return to the Organization.
Even if she did return, Yuu would ensure she didn't reveal the stolen spy data.
Both men were wrong. Yuu had no intention of giving Curacao to anyone; he planned to keep her for himself.
After a moment of silence, Vermouth rested her chin in her hand, her gaze lingering on the Lexus ahead.
A long time later, she spoke again. "Bourbon, my mission is considered a failure."
"I hope you'll help me hide your actions in helping me today, so Rum doesn't blame you. I'll report to him myself."
Vermouth knew that acting alone and cutting off contact with Rum today was highly suspicious.
If Bourbon were added to the mix—cooperating with him without telling Rum—Rum would definitely doubt her loyalty.
She planned to pin the blame on Public Security. She just needed to say she was spotted by them during the rendezvous last night and pursued until now, making it impossible to contact the Organization. That would clear her.
But only if she and Amuro had their stories straight.
Amuro thought for a moment and then nodded. Vermouth let out a sigh of relief.
Amuro also felt it was better to stay out of it. If Rum and the others connected him to Public Security, things would get ugly.
After dropping Vermouth off at a secret Organization base, Amuro pondered for a moment before turning his car and driving straight toward the center of Tokyo.
Twenty minutes later, in the underground parking of the tower apartment.
Amuro was about to press the elevator button when he saw Yuu Hoshimiya walk out from the other side.
Yuu looked at the dark-skinned man, feeling a bit annoyed.
He had just gotten home and taken a shower when he sensed Amuro tracking him down and using his Public Security status to investigate his floor and unit number.
With so many women at home, rather than letting this guy come knocking, he decided to come down himself.
"Tsk. What are you following me for?" Yuu asked with some irritation.
Recalling the scenes from the Touto Aquarium, Amuro swallowed hard, looked up, and asked.
"Consultant Hoshimiya... you aren't an enemy, are you?"
Hearing this, Yuu laughed. In the original series, this was the question Conan asked Amuro; today, it was reversed.
"Heh. Amuro-kun, you're at your age and you still have such a sense of humor!"
"But that's a complex question. Different situations lead to different answers. After all, you have three identities, don't you? Bourbon, Furuya, Amuro. That makes it hard to answer."
Come to think of it, he currently had three identities as well: Organization executive "Stinger," FBI, and officially recruited special police consultant.
Amuro seemed to hear a glimmer of hope and pressed further. "Consultant Hoshimiya, is our enemy the same?"
Yuu chuckled again and turned toward the elevator that had just arrived.
"If it weren't, you would have been polar bear food in the aquarium today."
Hearing this, Amuro was overjoyed.
Such a powerful, near-inhuman existence was actually on his side! This was a massive reinforcement.
This single gain was enough to offset all other losses today.
Amuro hurriedly followed him. "Yuu-kun, what's the situation with Curacao?"
"She has spy intelligence stolen from Public Security. Not just our Organization mole data, but undercover data from every other agency in the world. If that leaks, it will cause global instability."
"Yuu-kun, is Curacao actually dead?"
Yuu stopped his steps. "Amuro-kun, all you need to know is that the leak you're worried about will never happen. You don't need to worry about the rest. Understand?"
"Alright, that's enough probing. My home doesn't welcome men. I specifically came down to answer your questions; now it's time for you to leave."
At those words, Amuro's pupils contracted.
Had Yuu Hoshimiya planted a bug and tracker on his car? Otherwise, how did he know he was coming and wait for him in the parking lot?
But that's impossible!
Watching Yuu enter the elevator, Amuro began his umpteenth round of internal complaining and brainstorming for the day.
After some wild speculation, he decided to give his beloved car a thorough inspection first.