Chapter 334: All Sides Gather Together
Diluc remained blissfully unaware that the copious amounts of alcohol Venti had just consumed were not paid for with the generous allowance he had provided. The bard had essentially drank for free.
"Ehe." Venti lifted his head at the sound of the familiar voice. A bright, unbothered smile stretched across his flushed face. "If it isn't Master Diluc."
Kir observed the interaction from the corner of her eye. Her brow twitched slightly. Did Venti just use an honorific to address Diluc? According to their intelligence, Venti was nominally a Department Head within the Teyvat Organization. Weren't subordinates usually reprimanded for being this casual, let alone impolite, to their superiors?
"I was under the impression this Venti was the Department Head of the Teyvat Organization's Mondstadt branch." Gin's cold, measured voice cut through the ambient noise of the bar, voicing the exact confusion shared by Kir and Vodka. "You do not seem to respect him much, do you?"
Diluc had already placed a firm hand on Venti's shoulder, ready to steer the intoxicated bard toward the exit. At Gin's question, his movements halted. He slowly turned his head. His sharp eyebrows drew together, masking a flicker of genuine confusion beneath a layer of clear dissatisfaction. He met Gin's icy stare with an equally chilling glare.
"I do not know where you acquired your information regarding this bard's identity," Diluc said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "But you are entirely mistaken on one front. I have always respected him."
Without offering another word, Diluc pivoted on his heel and guided Venti out the door, leaving the Black Organization operatives behind.
Gin watched them leave, his expression unreadable, though a dangerous glint lingered in his eyes.
Standing a few paces away, Kir had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. She mentally scoffed at the red-haired man's claim. Diluc had not used a single honorific when addressing Venti, nor did his rough handling convey any sort of deference. How on earth could that be considered respect? The internal dynamics of the Teyvat Organization were a chaotic puzzle she was no closer to solving.
Across town, Amuro and Kogoro were deep into their investigation of the suspect's apartment. After a thorough sweep of the premises, a clear pattern emerged. The deceased homeowner had been obsessively tracking the details of a bank robbery that occurred five days prior. Newspaper clippings and printed articles littered the desk. At the same time, Ran finally connected the dots regarding Kei Kenzuka. The older brother Kei had mentioned—who was, in reality, her lover, a fact she had carefully hidden from Ran—was the bank employee killed during that very heist.
The pieces of the puzzle rapidly fell into place. Kogoro and Amuro grew increasingly certain that the murdered homeowner and the armed intruder currently occupying the Mouri Detective Agency were two of the three bank robbers. A quick search of the computer's hard drive yielded a group photograph, confirming their suspicions. The third and final robber was a woman. Even better, a careless email exchange left her current address sitting right there on the screen.
"We need to secure this third suspect immediately," Amuro suggested, his tone sharp and professional. "If we find her, there is a high probability we will find Miss Kenzuka and Conan as well."
Elsewhere, the rescue operation was already in motion. Haibara adjusted the backup Tracking Glasses on her nose, the lenses flashing with a faint digital map. Dr. Agasa gripped the steering wheel of his yellow Beetle with nervous energy, while Subaru sat calmly in the passenger seat, his eyes narrowed in quiet calculation. Not far away, Masumi swung a leg over her motorcycle. She snapped her helmet visor down and revved the engine, tearing down the street toward the address Ran had just forwarded to her phone.
Inside a parked car at a local gas station, Conan, who was supposed to be deeply unconscious from a drugged juice box, cracked one eye open. The moment Kei stepped out to operate the fuel pump, the young detective sprang into action. He swiftly and silently rifled through her personal belongings left on the seat. A few crucial items confirmed his darkest theory. Kei Kenzuka was not a victim. She was the culprit who had systematically murdered the two bank robbers.
The driver's side door opened, and Kei slid back into her seat. She shifted the gear and focused her attention on the road ahead.
"You know, you left a few loose ends."
Conan's clear, childish voice suddenly broke the silence of the cabin. Kei jumped, her hands gripping the steering wheel in sheer shock. She whipped her head around, staring at the boy in absolute disbelief.
Conan offered a small, knowing smile, holding up the intact juice box. "I didn't actually drink it. A detective always checks his beverages."
Dropping the innocent act entirely, Conan's gaze sharpened. "I bet you really want to kill that last woman to avenge your lover, don't you?"
Kei stammered, attempting a weak denial, but her trembling hands betrayed her guilt. Ignoring her protests, Conan methodically broke down the entire case. He detailed the exact mechanism she used to lure Kogoro away with a fabricated text message, and precisely how she managed to shoot the robber while completely avoiding any Gunpowder Residue Reaction on her own hands.
Cornered by the flawless logic, the fight drained out of Kei. A helpless, bitter smile touched her lips as she finally confessed to the murders.
"I can help you find the last robber," Conan offered, his tone leaving no room for argument. "But from this moment on, you do exactly as I say."
Kei gave a slow, defeated nod. Following Conan's directions, the duo visited the apartments of three potential suspects. using his harmless appearance and a series of mischievous, childish antics, Conan easily talked his way past the front doors. A quick visual sweep of each residence was all he needed. By the third apartment, he had his answer. The final suspect, Miss Tegawa, was undeniably the third bank robber.
Back in the car, Kei gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white as she anxiously demanded to know which of the women was her target. At that exact moment, multiple factions were converging on their location. Guided by the blinking dot on the Tracking Glasses, Dr. Agasa's Beetle was just blocks away. Amuro was speeding toward Tegawa's residence from the opposite direction, closely trailed by a deeply concerned Masumi on her motorcycle.
Far removed from the immediate tension of the murder case, Diluc and Venti had left the noisy, suffocating atmosphere of the bar behind. Diluc's sleek car cruised smoothly through the city streets, coincidentally heading in the exact same direction as the converging detectives.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Venti reached out and gently rolled down the window. The cool night wind eagerly rushed into the cabin, swirling around him and playfully tugging at his dark braids. He leaned his head back against the leather seat and closed his eyes. A soft, contented smile curved his lips as he fully embraced the familiar comfort of the breeze.
In the quiet privacy of the car, Venti shed his drunken facade entirely. There was no trace of the hazy, incoherent bard who had been slurring his words just minutes prior. His posture relaxed, but his mind was razor-sharp. With his eyes still closed, he wholeheartedly tuned into the subtle, invisible currents of the wind, reading the myriad pieces of information carried on the airwaves.
Suddenly, his smile widened into one of genuine amusement. His teal eyes snapped open, sparkling with mischief. "Wow! What a delightful coincidence!" Venti exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "So many interesting characters have suddenly gathered just up ahead. Even our little main character is there. Come on, Master Diluc, let us go join the fun!"
Diluc kept his eyes on the road, though he subtly shifted his gaze to observe the bard through the rearview mirror. His stoic face betrayed absolutely no sign of agreement or enthusiasm for such a chaotic detour. Yet, without a single word of complaint, his foot pressed down a fraction harder on the accelerator. The engine purred as the car picked up speed, smoothly altering its course toward the exact location Venti had indicated.
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