The Twisting of Human Nature or the Collapse of Morality

The next day, Fujino took the Shinkansen to Kyoto.

In the first-class carriage, Fujino gazed at the scenery outside the window, looking absentminded.

Fujino had some recollection of Numabuchi Kiichiro.

He remembered that he was a ruthless man who had escaped the Alcohol Company's pursuit for an entire year without being executed...

He was a very difficult opponent.

Even with Fujino's current strength, subduing him would be somewhat difficult.

The reason he had accepted this commission, aside from the generous reward of 2 million yen,

was that he wanted to investigate clues about his parents' murder through that man.

Numabuchi Kiichiro had escaped the Alcohol Company's control a year ago, killing quite a few people dressed in black while fleeing...

Coincidentally, the previous owner's parents had been wearing black on the night they were murdered.

The two incidents matched up.

Thus, Fujino had reason to suspect that Numabuchi Kiichiro had killed them.

Coupled with the setting that every case in Conan World was inextricably connected to the Alcohol Company,

he planned to capture Numabuchi Kiichiro and interrogate him thoroughly.

If that man had not killed them, he would send him to the police station.

But if he really had...

Fujino silently took out a photo of the couple from his Pocket Dimension, a trace of coldness flickering in his dark eyes.

"Are you Detective Fujino, the one who single-handedly took down a drug trafficking ring some time ago?"

Just then, a young girl's voice suddenly rang out beside Fujino's ear.

Coming back to his senses, he turned toward the girl standing beside his seat.

She looked quite young, only in her early twenties. At that moment, she was looking at him shyly.

Fujino studied the innocent-looking girl before him in confusion. "Excuse me, miss, do you know me?"

"How could I not?"

The shyness on her face turned into excitement. "That incident from a while back has been the talk of the detective community!"

"Was it really that outrageous?"

Fujino did not know how much of a stir the case he had solved on Moonlight Island had caused in the detective world, so he was somewhat puzzled by the girl's words.

"Could you give me your autograph?"

As she spoke, she took a Sherlock Holmes detective novel from the backpack behind her and held it out to Fujino.

"I can..."

Fujino took a fountain pen from his pocket. "Where should I sign?"

"Right here!"

She pointed at the title page.

Fujino nodded and signed his name, "Fujino Doji."

"Thank you very much!"

The girl bowed, then hurried away.

"Am I that famous now?"

Watching the girl's departing figure, Fujino could not help but chuckle.

Mm, a typical innocent girl from Conan World.

Having a detective fan... felt nice.

"A detective?!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the carriage, a woman stared intently at Fujino, her heart in turmoil.

The woman had shoulder-length hair, vivid lipstick, and a pink professional blazer with a fitted skirt, looking like an office lady.

"Strange... why do I keep feeling like someone is watching me?"

Sensing something amiss, Fujino muttered in confusion before turning around to look behind him.

Seeing nothing unusual, he scratched his head. "Was it just my imagination?"

Only after Fujino turned back did the woman who had been watching him let out a long breath.

Gritting her teeth as she looked at Fujino's back, she secretly thought, How annoying, how do I run into detectives everywhere... I just hope this guy doesn't discover the transaction later...

"Nagoya is arriving! Nagoya is arriving! Passengers getting off, please prepare..."

"Have we reached Nagoya already?"

"Looks like we'll be in Kyoto soon."

Listening to the announcement, Fujino, seated in his chair, stretched lazily.

In a daze, he recalled the Four Heavenly Kings of Nagoya from his previous life...

"Fujino? Why are you here?"

Fujino turned his head but saw no one. Looking down, he spotted a little runt staring at him in surprise.

"Conan?"

Fujino froze for a moment.

"How many times have I told you? Call me Big Brother Fujino!"

A meaningful smile curled across his lips as he rubbed Conan's head. "Got it, little Conan?"

"Listen to me, Fujino!"

Conan wore a seriousness unfitting for his age. "I just overheard two people dressed in black saying that someone on this train has a bomb in their suitcase, and it's going to explode in less than ten minutes!"

Conan had no time to refute that teasing remark, nor did he notice the strange expression on Fujino's face.

He merely prayed that Fujino would believe what he, a child, was saying.

The smile on Fujino's face gradually stiffened.

Wait, why was this Shinigami Elementary School Student on this Shinkansen too?!

Thinking of Nagoya, which they had just reached, an ominous feeling spread through Fujino's heart.

The Shinkansen bombing case!

If he remembered correctly, the Alcohol Company's workhorse had just planted a bomb on this train...

And it was in his very carriage!

Damn it!

Fujino cursed inwardly.

Taking a deep breath, he asked Conan, "Where's the bomb?!"

"I only know that person is in this carriage."

All right!

In an instant, Conan felt his dislike for Fujino lessen a little.

He quickly added, "That person went to the dining car earlier and was carrying a black suitcase when they came back."

"A black suitcase?"

As he spoke, Fujino turned his gaze toward the woman sitting in the corner of the carriage.

"It should be her."

Fujino slowly rose from his seat, approached the woman, and said in a low voice, "Miss, could you please open your suitcase?"

"Why should I?"

The woman stared at Fujino's serious expression, unable to stop herself from panicking.

"What's inside your suitcase?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ignoring Fujino's questioning, the woman picked up her suitcase, rose to her feet, and tried to leave.

"Wait!"

Fujino grabbed her arm.

"I already told you, I won't agree to it! Let go of me!"

The woman struggled after her arm was seized. When she could not break free, she cried out loudly.

Just like a young girl rejecting a suitor.

Just as she had expected, her shout drew the attention of everyone around them.

After a brief pause, an idea suddenly came to her. She shouted at the surrounding crowd, "Help! This man is trying to molest me!"

"What?!"

"Someone would do something like that in broad daylight?"

"I heard this kid is a detective. Who would've thought he was this kind of person? What a scumbag!"

The surrounding passengers all chimed in to condemn Fujino.

One female reporter riding this train had even come up with tomorrow's headline: Shocking! Young detective publicly molests a woman. Is this the twisting of human nature or the collapse of morality? Women's rights should...