Chapter 106: I Want to Play a Game with You
If it were anyone else who had stepped into this "Xiao Hei" (The Silhouette) body, infected by its suffocating killing intent, they would likely have charged headlong down the path of becoming the ultimate mass murderer.
As God, Mo Yu was naturally not puppeted by the body's impulses. However, he was a bit eager to try things out, which was why he decided to have a little fun with Shinichi Kudo. But that was a minor diversion; the so-called "game" was just something he said on a whim.
Mo Yu came to the Conan world-bubble for business. He didn't actually have time to play games with Shinichi!
His real goal was to make contact with the protagonist as a catalyst to accelerate his analysis of the world. Experience from the Bleach bubbles taught him that the fundamental problems of a world always leave traces on the protagonist.
Through this brief encounter, Mo Yu gained many insights—or rather, the Omniscience Authority was exceptionally efficient, deciphering the core mysteries of the Conan bubble in record time.
The vast crimson light invisible to mortals, permeating heaven and earth, was a high-purity, hyper-violent killing intent!
This killing intent originated from the world itself.
"Heaven sends a killing intent," yet it didn't manifest as natural disasters like shifting mountains or rising seas. Instead, it manifested as a bizarre law of the universe. This intent seeped into the mortal realm bit by bit, permeating the hearts of living beings, constantly infecting them until it combined with their inner darkness. Finally, using sentient beings as vessels, it evolved into various man-made tragedies.
In a detective anime, is the detective the most important thing? The answer is no. In this genre, the detective is actually the least important element. Rather, the diverse array of criminals and the elaborate, flashy cases are the foundation.
This crimson light filling the world was a legal mechanism that continuously produced criminals and cases, ensuring the world kept spinning according to the trajectory and tone of the original work!
The birth of this mechanism was perhaps like the Eternal Progenitor Hollow in Bleach—a unique phenomenon evolved by the world-bubble to complete its own internal logic under the pressure of macro-collective subconscious trends. It provided a "rational" explanation for the endless stream of criminals and cases. Or, just as the Bleach world birthed Reishi as its supernatural foundation, this omnipresent "Heavenly Killing Intent" was the unique supernatural phenomenon of the Conan world-bubble!
It made sense, yet Mo Yu felt it wasn't that simple. A world is not a living creature; even with a collective spiritual consciousness, it is fundamentally difficult to maintain such a persistent "emotion."
In World 0 Bleach, the world became a "spiritual lunatic" with matchless battle intent because Mo Yu used the Soul King's body to "upload" the Purity system, changing the foundation of reality. So, in the Conan world, what "event" caused the world to erupt with such savage and pure killing intent?
Lacking necessary clues, the Omniscience Authority in Mo Yu's mind simply shrugged, indicating it didn't know yet.
Mo Yu set that mystery aside and reflected on his conversation with Shinichi.
During their stare-down in the study, Shinichi felt a chill from the darkness—the innate killing intent of the Xiao Hei body. But Mo Yu also sensed an unspeakable "horror" from Shinichi!
He might be able to kill Shinichi, but Shinichi also had the potential to kill him!
This intuition didn't need the Authority to analyze; Mo Yu knew the reason. In the original series, there was never a lack of "Xiao Hei" figures symbolizing crime, but ultimately, every one of them vanished under the detective's meticulous reasoning, revealing their true faces and kneeling in repentance.
In a sense, this was the Conan world's unique form of "supernatural combat" that didn't look supernatural. It was the eternal struggle between Evil and Justice.
However, the horror Mo Yu felt wasn't just about the possibility of being "killed." It was that deep within Shinichi Kudo, certain profound essences were hidden.
The Shinichi who hadn't yet become Conan wasn't exactly a "good person." Obsessed with deduction, he solved cases just to enjoy the thrill of unraveling mysteries and dragging out the truth bit by bit. Even forcing a culprit to kneel in confession was just a side effect; without that step, Shinichi simply felt his deduction was slightly "flawed."
In the original work, Kogoro Mouri once complained that Shinichi was a "mystery punk"—recklessly acting out because of a bit of talent, with zero regard for the safety of those around him. In a way, the initial Shinichi wasn't a true detective; he was a "Deduction Pleasure Seeker," a cold-blooded hunter chasing an endless stream of puzzles.
Shinichi only grew after becoming Conan, reaching a true metamorphosis after the Moonlight Sonata case—becoming more mature, learning to revere life and death, and realizing that deduction wasn't everything. He eventually admitted that while he could see the truth, he didn't understand the human heart.
But that was later. In the Shinichi of now, Mo Yu felt an essence that was far too pure and extreme: a desire to devour all mysteries through reasoning! This obsession was innate, nearly demonic, rooted in his bones since birth!
Mo Yu remembered the sister-series, Magic Kaito, where a witch named Akako Koizumi predicted Conan's existence and called him the "Demon of Light."
Recalling it now, Mo Yu felt the title was incredibly fitting.
However, as God, Mo Yu viewed it differently. "Demon of Light" wasn't just a title; it was a status. But the specific function and concept of that status were still unclear.
Mo Yu observed Professor Agasa and found him unremarkable—just an "ordinary" inventor. Mo Yu felt that if he just raised a hand, the Professor would likely exit the stage with a "death lunchbox" immediately.
But Mo Yu didn't do it. He merely marked him and left. Next, he visited the Mouri Detective Agency. The muddled detective was still drinking and betting on horses, while Ran was preparing dinner.
In the 3D world, many fans thought Kogoro was a hidden master and Ran was the Goddess of Luck incarnate—the author's favorite daughter. But in Mo Yu's "Xiao Hei-God" observation, that was an exaggeration. Both were quite ordinary. To be blunt: if a "Mouri Agency Mass Murder Case" were to happen, Mo Yu felt it would be effortless.
Mo Yu frowned slightly. Facing Shinichi Kudo, his intuition of a potential "counter-kill" was glaringly obvious, yet for other canon characters, he felt they were dead the moment he willed it. Where was the "Protagonist Group Halo"? Why was it invisible on everyone except Conan himself?
Mo Yu left and looked for Ai Haibara—or rather, the woman currently known as Shiho Miyano. She was easy to find; heavily guarded pharmaceutical research facilities aren't exactly common in Beika Town.
Shiho was somewhat special—she was entwined with the "Heavenly Killing Intent," though the degree wasn't heavy. However, the guards at the facility—the lackeys of the Black Organization, the "Gin Distillery"—made Mo Yu look thoughtful.
Layers of crimson killing intent were stacked upon these goons, infecting their minds and bodies. Vaguely, their pupils glinted with a creepy red-black light that made one shiver. If given the chance, they would turn into a "Xiao Hei" as naturally as breathing.
Coincidentally, a codenamed member of the organization was stationed there: a burly man named Vodka. He wasn't just "infected"; he was thoroughly mutated by the Heavenly Killing Intent. A thick darkness of sin erupted from his body, swirling around him. He looked like a massive, pitch-black bull covered in bone-spikes and fangs!
The so-called "Black Side," in Mo Yu's eyes, was truly black. Put it this way: if this codenamed member went to Hueco Mundo and let the Progenitor open a hole in his chest, he'd be top-three Espada material at the start!
But this anomaly was only visible to Mo Yu. To anyone else, Vodka just looked like an imposing, evil man who had clearly committed countless crimes.
And in truth, that was all it was. The mutation from the Heavenly Killing Intent only manifested as a twisted personality and a specialization in criminal talent.
This was quite strange. In Mo Yu's perception, that killing intent wasn't such a simple thing; the Xiao Hei body he was currently wearing was proof. Coming and going like a ghost, knowing ten thousand ways to kill, turning a trash can into a crossbow—these were divine powers evolved from that intent. When Mo Yu first tested his Xiao Hei body, he thought the criminals of the Conan world would possess supernatural abilities far beyond the original work.
But it seemed that when this killing intent—clearly capable of affecting the material plane—acted to "enlighten" various Xiao Heis, it insisted on appearing "harmless." Mo Yu, a "Super Xiao Hei" who could normally wield its grand power and manifest divine strength, was the exception.
However, it wasn't completely devoid of mystery. When Mo Yu instinctively felt a surge of killing intent and wanted to try a "Distillery Base Massacre Case," he had a faint feeling that an "accident" would definitely happen, making them hard to kill. Vodka even seemed to keenly sense something, shouting toward Mo Yu's location:
"Who's there!?"
Vodka didn't just shout; he pulled his gun. Being aimed at by Vodka, Mo Yu had a premonition that if he were hit, his Xiao Hei body would "definitely" be wounded or even die.
"The Red Side where the protagonists are has no halo except for Shinichi. But the Black Side of the Distillery is protected by the Heavenly Killing Intent... their fortune is flourishing. Interesting!"
Muttering this, Mo Yu retreated into the shadows.
Perhaps this was the unique charm of the Conan bubble. As Mo Yu walked, he encountered one mystery after another, making his scalp itch as if he were "growing a brain"—and it wasn't a hallucination. The Omniscience Authority in his head was swelling, wisps of smoke rising from it as it accelerated its thinking.
On the first day, Mo Yu did nothing but wander, find canon characters, observe them, and mark them.
On the second day, he discovered the greatest anomaly of this bubble.
Time was not distorted!
He didn't need the Authority for this one. He knew the answer. Shinichi Kudo had not yet met the man who would give him "three dots"—no, a blow to the head with a pipe. He had not yet reclaimed his true form as Conan Edogawa.
That was the only possibility. The timeline was very early. Shinichi was busy with other things; who knew when he'd enter the first act of the main story—going to the tropical land with Ran to receive that fated blow and reclaim his "God of Death Elementary Student" body!
Mo Yu rubbed his chin, wondering what he should do. Whether the Conan bubble was fit to be "External Armor" for the Ark required a deep scan of its structure and a test of its laws. But that required the bubble to show its full nature.
While he could wait for Shinichi to enter the main plot, Mo Yu felt he should intervene to push things along. Regardless of whether it was a fit for "Armor," he didn't plan to return empty-handed. God isn't a fisherman, but the title of "Air Force" (returning with nothing) doesn't sound good.
So, he had to lay the groundwork for capturing the bubble! Having tempered himself in the Bleach worlds, he had summarized some experience. Now was the time to verify it.
He remembered the "game" he had casually mentioned to Shinichi. He felt he should get a bit more serious.
After searching his house all night without finding footprints or suspicious traps, Shinichi Kudo—who had spent the night examining the crossbow mechanism over and over—was still excited but couldn't hide his exhaustion.
He checked the time and realized it was time for school. He thought about skipping, but remembering Ran's iron fist, he decided to go. He headed to the bathroom to wash up and use the toilet.
Just as he closed the door and turned around, the low, gloomy voice drifted from outside:
"Shinichi Kudo... after a night of thinking, did you deduce any interesting conclusions?"
Shinichi instinctively turned and grabbed the door handle. He twisted and pulled, but it wouldn't budge. The door felt as if it had been welded shut.
"Shinichi... it seems your excessive curiosity wasn't extinguished by last night's greeting. That's a good sign. Keep it up. Because, Shinichi Kudo, I want to play a game with you. A game about deduction..."
Listening to the voice, a powerful sense of crisis attacked Shinichi! But he felt no fear; instead, his excitement washed away his fatigue.
"Bastard! Bring it on! When it comes to deduction, I've never feared anyone!"
"Excellent. I've installed an interesting timed mechanism in the bathroom. Once it activates, it will bloom into a magnificent firework display. You are the first spectator of this show. Your task is to use your deduction to solve the Riemann Hypothesis, the Goldbach Conjecture, or the Hodge Conjecture. Tell me the answer and the proof process, and I will give you the password to stop the timer."
"Are you sure you're talking about a deduction game?"
Shinichi couldn't help but tilt his head, his face a living "Confused Nick Young" meme! As much of a mystery geek as he was, he really wanted to say to the person outside...
Brother, do you have some bizarre misunderstanding about the act of deduction!? If reasoning were that omnipotent, why would he still be a high schooler?
"Excellent. It seems you have gained something from the game: the knowledge that deduction is not all-powerful. Therefore, let us skip the boring gameplay and enjoy the fireworks..."
Shinichi wanted to shout: You're a 'story-skipper,' but I'm a 'story-liver'! I read every word, I even pause to savor it! Give me the gameplay back! I haven't had a chance to use my intellect for a desperate comeback yet!
But his internal thoughts were useless. As the toilet exploded and a "firework" of murky yellow water shot toward the ceiling, Shinichi only had time to scream:
"YOU ANIMAL...!!!"
The "Yellow Springs Firework Show" didn't last long, but it was brilliant enough to leave an indelible scar on Shinichi's heart. When he found the door could open again, a drenched, utterly miserable, and manically enraged Shinichi charged out!
Since becoming a high school detective—no, since his earliest memories—Shinichi Kudo had never felt this level of fury. How angry was he?
Roughly at the level where he began subconsciously wondering how to set up the "Mysterious Black Silhouette Dismemberment Case" as a flawless, perfect crime.
End of Chapter
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