The Suzuki Conglomerate villa massacre case, like a violent hurricane, instantly swept across the entire island nation, dominating the front pages of all news media. The bloodshed among the wealthy, the tragic death of the patriarch, the demise of the Tomizawa Group heir, along with dozens of elite bodyguards, all perished. The brutality of the methods and the strangeness of the scene were astonishing, triggering immense panic and speculation across all sectors of society.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was under immense pressure. Officer Megure personally led the team, accompanied by Kogoro Mouri as a special consultant and Conan Edogawa, who 'just happened' to be with him, to the now-sealed Suzuki Mansion.
Even after preliminary cleanup, the strong smell of blood and the residual traces of destruction at the scene were still shocking. Conan's small figure moved through the cluttered living room, his brows tightly furrowed, his gaze behind his glasses as sharp as an eagle's.
No shell casings! No traces of hacking from conventional sharp weapons! The fatal wounds of Shiro Suzuki and Tomizawa Yuzo were necks snapped instantly by immense force, so clean and precise as to be unbelievable, as if done by some non-human power. And the bodyguards' causes of death were even more bizarre; most were killed by bullets that ricocheted from their own or their companions' shots. There was no evidence of any external attacker using weapons found at the scene.
This completely surpassed any criminal method Conan had ever known! How could human power accomplish such a feat?
(This power... this crushing killing method that completely disregards physical rules...)
(Could it be him?)
A name, a figure, uncontrollably surfaced in Conan's mind—Kanjuro!
That mysterious, unearthly handsome young man who always emerged unscathed from bizarre incidents, even possessing a disturbing allure! Especially the previous strange incident of the collective death at the elementary school camp, where only Kanjuro and an unidentified little girl survived... (It's too similar... this style that defies common sense and leaves no traces...)
Conan's heart sank. He suppressed the turbulent waves within him and walked over to Officer Megure, whose expression was grim. In a childish voice, he asked the most crucial question:
"Officer Megure, the Suzuki Family... what about Sonoko's family? How are they?" He deliberately mentioned Sonoko, trying to elicit information.
Officer Megure let out a heavy sigh, glancing at Kogoro Mouri, who also had a serious expression, and replied, "According to the current investigation, among the direct relatives of the Suzuki Conglomerate, only Mrs. Tomoko Suzuki and her two daughters, Miss Ayako Suzuki and Miss Sonoko Suzuki, survived."
Kogoro Mouri also interjected, with a hint of relief, "Yes, it's truly a blessing in disguise! I heard that on the day of the incident, the three of them happened to be traveling together and were not in Tokyo."
"Traveling?" Conan's detective intuition was immediately triggered. He pressed on, his tone revealing an urgency unbefitting his age, "Is there concrete evidence? Can anyone corroborate their itinerary and alibi for that time?"
Officer Megure wasn't surprised by Conan's persistent questions; after all, the child's deductive abilities had long surpassed those of ordinary people. He flipped through the notes in his hand and confirmed:
"Yes. We've verified that they provided round-trip tickets and hotel reservation records. Furthermore, the person who provided their alibi is Miss Yukinoshita Yukino of the Yukinoshita family. The Yukinoshita family is also a prestigious clan, so her testimony is highly credible. She confirmed that on the day of the incident and the days surrounding it, Mrs. Suzuki and the two young ladies were indeed with her in Kyoto for a private Tea Ceremony Exchange Trip."
Yukinoshita Yukino?
Conan's brows furrowed even more. Another name closely associated with Kanjuro! He remembered clearly that Kanjuro seemed to be currently residing at the Yukinoshita family's Mansion!
(Too much of a coincidence...)
(The survivors just happen to be three women, a perfect alibi, attested to by someone close to Kanjuro...)
(All of this, it's almost as if it was meticulously planned!)
Conan was almost certain that behind this horrific tragedy, Kanjuro's shadow was definitely present! That man not only possessed inconceivable power but also the ability to manipulate hearts and weave lies.
He looked at the bloody ruins before him, as if he could see Kanjuro's handsome yet cold face, scoffing at worldly laws and detective's deductions from a distant place.
(Kanjuro... who exactly are you?)
(What is your purpose in committing such cruel acts?)
A chill crept up Conan's spine. He knew that he might be facing an unprecedented, devil-like powerful and dangerous opponent. And the fact that Sonoko Suzuki's family was involved made him feel a deep sense of unease and urgency. The truth was shrouded in an impenetrable fog and darkness. The Suzuki Conglomerate's tragic case hung like a heavy cloud over Conan's heart, especially his almost certain suspicion of Kanjuro, which made him restless. His mind constantly replayed the extraordinary killing methods at the scene, and all clues subtly pointing to that mysterious young man. What frightened him most was that Ran seemed completely unguarded around Kanjuro, even quite close to him.
"Ran!" The next morning, seeing Ran meticulously dressed as if to go out, Conan immediately clung to her like a little shadow, his face beaming with an innocent smile, "Where are you going today? Take me with you!"
Ran was tidying her hair in front of the mirror. Hearing him, she turned around, somewhat helplessly, "Conan, I have something to do today, I can't take you."
"What is it? I can help you carry things!" Conan persisted.
Ran squatted down, ruffled his hair, her tone gentle yet firm, "Really, no. Be a good boy, Conan. Play with Dad at home today, or go find Ayumi and the others, okay?"
Conan's heart sank. He probed, "Ran... are you going to see Mr. Kanjuro?"
A barely perceptible blush flashed across Ran's face. She didn't directly deny it, only saying, "It's... something. Anyway, I can't bring a child."
(As expected!) An alarm blared in Conan's heart. He absolutely couldn't let Ran be alone with that dangerous man!
"Then... then Ran, could I borrow your phone for a moment?" Conan had a sudden idea and changed his strategy. "I want to call Heiji to ask him about a deduction!" He brought up Heiji Hattori, knowing that Ran had a good impression of the high school detective from Kansai.
Although Ran was a little puzzled why Conan suddenly wanted to call Heiji Hattori, seeing his pleading face, she still took out her phone from her bag and handed it to him: "Alright, but be quick, I'm in a hurry."
"Thank you, Ran!" Conan took the phone and immediately Ran to a corner, quickly dialing Heiji Hattori's number.
After the call connected, Conan lowered his voice, speaking rapidly: "Heiji! It's me, Kudo!"
"Kudo? What's wrong? You sound urgent!" Heiji Hattori on the other end sounded surprised.
"Long story short! Have you heard about the Suzuki Conglomerate case in Tokyo?"
"Yeah, it's all over the news, the method is too bizarre."
"I suspect one person did it... a man named Kanjuro! He's approaching Ran, and I'm very worried! I need your help investigating this person, as thoroughly as possible! Especially his connection to previous unsolved cases, like the Elementary School Camp Incident! I'll keep an eye on things here, contact me anytime if there's anything!"
After quickly relaying the key points, Conan hung up the phone without waiting for Heiji Hattori to ask more questions, and returned the phone to Ran, who was already waiting at the door.
"Done? What did you talk about with Heiji?" Ran asked casually.
"Nothing, just some detective riddles," Conan feigned nonchalance to cover it up, but his heart was filled with anxiety. He watched Ran's departing back, only able to secretly pray that Heiji would find useful clues as soon as possible... On the other side, after Ran met up with Kanjuro, Kanjuro naturally took her small bag, his expression conveying an appropriate amount of solemnity and care.
"Ran, thank you for coming." Kanjuro's voice was as gentle as ever. "Sonoko and the others have gone through so much... although they appear calm on the surface, they must be terrified inside. Let's go see them together, talk to them, it might make them feel better."
Ran looked at the "sincere" worry in Kanjuro's eyes and was even more touched, feeling that Mr. Kanjuro was truly kind and considerate. (Mr. Kanjuro must be very sad himself, yet he's still so concerned about his friends...)
"Okay! Let's go quickly, Mr. Kanjuro." Ran nodded vigorously.
The two arrived at the Yukinoshita Mansion—the temporary refuge for the three members of the Suzuki Family. When Ran saw Sonoko, who looked "pale" and had "unsettled fear in her eyes," she immediately rushed forward and hugged her, her heart aching.
"Sonoko! It's so good that you're okay! I was so worried when I heard!" Ran's voice was full of concern.
Sonoko leaned into her friend's arms, her body trembling slightly (of course, it was feigned), her voice with a "choke": "Ran... I... I'm so scared... If we hadn't happened to be away that night... I don't even dare to imagine..."
She performed flawlessly, portraying a deeply traumatized and terrified young lady with striking accuracy. Only when she occasionally glanced at Kanjuro did a fleeting glint of infatuation and submission deep in her eyes betray the truth that she had long been "tamed." She enjoyed this play directed by Kanjuro and was happy to play the weakling in front of Ran, which gave her a twisted pleasure of sharing a secret with Kanjuro.
Kanjuro stood aside, watching Ran gently comfort the "frightened" Sonoko, watching Tomoko Suzuki and Ayako also cooperatively display expressions of sorrow and lingering fear, a cold, imperceptible smile curling at the corner of his lips.
(See? What a perfect script.)
(Kindness is always so easily deceived.)
(And you, my dear 'collections,' you're performing wonderfully.)
He stepped forward, gently placing his hands on Sonoko and Ran's shoulders, his voice filled with soothing power: "It's all over, Sonoko, don't be scared. Things will get better, we're here for you."
His touch made Sonoko's body tremble slightly, as if she had truly received immense comfort, and she buried her face deeper. Ran, meanwhile, looked up, giving Kanjuro a grateful glance.
Beneath this seemingly warm and friendly atmosphere lay a dark truth inaccessible to Conan, and Kanjuro's cold hand, weaving everything. Ran's kindness and concern, at this moment, made her the most unwitting actress in this dark drama. During the warm (but secretly turbulent) comforting moment, Kanjuro casually brought up, with just the right amount of concern in his voice: "Ran, when you came out today, did Conan not fuss about wanting to come along? He seems quite attached to you lately."
Ran was gently patting Sonoko's back. Hearing this, she looked up. Although she was somewhat puzzled why Kanjuro suddenly cared about Conan, she still honestly replied: "Yes, he really wanted to come along this morning, and he even borrowed my phone to call Heiji Hattori. I don't know what mysterious deduction riddles that little rascal was discussing with Heiji." Her tone carried a hint of helplessness and indulgence towards Conan's childish behavior.
"Oh? Specifically borrowed your phone... to call Heiji Hattori?" Kanjuro repeated the sentence, a fleeting look of understanding and amusement flashing in his deep eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched imperceptibly upwards.
(Calling the high school detective Heiji Hattori from Kansai?)
(Shinichi Kudo, no, now it should be Conan Edogawa...)
(Are you, sensing something, starting to look for outside help to deal with me?)
This discovery, far from making Kanjuro feel any tension or threat, was like an adrenaline shot, making this chess game even more interesting to him. The struggle of ants, sometimes, was more pleasing to the controller than their submission.
A thought instantly formed in his mind.
His face quickly switched back to that gentle and considerate expression. He suggested to Ran and Sonoko, who was still leaning in Ran's arms "seeking comfort," with a reassuring and guiding tone:
"Speaking of which, after experiencing so many terrible things, everyone must still need some comfort and peace." His gaze softly swept over Sonoko and Ran. "I remember Kiyomizu Temple in Osaka is a very effective place for blessings, and the environment is also serene. How about we go there together for a walk? To pray for the deceased, and also to pray for peace and prosperity for the living. A change of scenery might lift your spirits."
His proposal sounded reasonable and full of care. For Sonoko's family, who had just experienced a "tragedy," going to a famous temple to pray seemed like the perfect way to find comfort and solace.
Ran immediately agreed, feeling that Brother Kanjuro was very thoughtful: "Okay! Kiyomizu Temple is indeed a great place to calm one's mind. Sonoko, let's go clear our heads and pray for protection, shall we?"
Sonoko readily lifted her "tear-filled" face and nodded, her voice still carrying a hint of a "sob": "Mm... thank you, Brother Kanjuro, thank you, Ran... I also want to go get a Peace Amulet..." Inside, however, she was secretly laughing, looking forward to another "trip" with Papa Kanjuro.
As Kanjuro watched them agree so readily, his smile remained gentle, but a cold calculation flickered in the depths of his eyes.
(Kiyomizu Temple... Osaka...)
(Heiji Hattori, aren't you investigating me?)
(Why not let you see for yourself, on your own turf, exactly what kind of existence you are facing.)
(Shinichi Kudo, I hope you and your friend like this "surprise.")
A trip that seemed intended to heal wounds and pray for peace was settled with Kanjuro's casual suggestion. Behind it, however, was his initiative to lead his chess pieces to a new stage, preparing to stage another dark drama of power and manipulation. Kind Ran and Sonoko, who was pretending to be a victim, knew nothing of this, and were about to become unwitting actors in his script.
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