The Mermaid Lord

"Brother Fujino..."

Juzo Megure understood Sato's current feelings.

Then, he looked at his reliable younger brother and asked with a hint of expectation in his voice, "Have you seen this guy who's all black?"

"Well..."

Fujino was taken aback by what he heard, not expecting that Juzo Megure would ask him about Xiao Hei.

enmm.

How did he answer?

Xiao Hei is something he created using his shadow.

He also kidnapped Kadowaki Saori, and she's still hanging inside the unfinished building.

Can he still claim that Xiao Hei is himself?

After thinking for a moment, Fujino guessed with some regret, "I've never seen this person who's all black before. He must be a newly appeared weirdo... It seems this case is a bit troublesome."

"Yes..."

Juzo Megure sighed and nodded in agreement.

He felt that the kidnapping in broad daylight was somewhat outrageous.

Furthermore, if even Fujino- kun hasn't seen him, there are no clues.

That would be really difficult...

"Dili li!"

Ai Haibara suddenly sent a message: [Dinner is ready. Is the case resolved?]

Fujino glanced at the message and replied, "Someone has been kidnapped in broad daylight. They're currently investigating, so they might not be back for a while. Don't wait for me for dinner."

Has someone been kidnapped again?

Ai Haibara looked at the information on the screen and murmured something.

She glanced at the time on her phone screen: 7:05 PM

After thinking for a moment, I replied, "Will you be back tonight? I'll save you some dinner."

Fujino: [Don't bother asking me to stay for dinner... I'll just grab something to eat outside. I should be back around 10 PM tonight.]

"Well..."

Ai Haibara looked up at the table full of food she had prepared, and sighed softly, "I know, be careful, thank you for your hard work."

"Brother Fujino?"

At this Juzo Megure noticed Fujino, who was sending a text message.

"It seems to be seven o'clock now."

Fujino chuckled awkwardly and explained, "Well, my family is calling me home for dinner."

"Then you should go back and have dinner quickly. It's too much trouble for you to come and help so late."

Juzo Megure nodded, understanding Fujino: "Leave the rest to us."

He often experiences being called home for dinner...

However, in the Conan World, he works as a criminal police officer...

Well, it's already pretty good that we have time to eat.

After leaving the Metropolitan Police Department, Fujino did not go home immediately, but instead went to the abandoned building where the unfortunate man whom Xiao Hei had kidnapped was being housed.

Tokyo lights up with Japan as night falls.

Severe light pollution means that even without a flashlight, you can still see a sliver of light.

After parking his car in a nearby parking lot, Fujino looked around and, seeing that no one was there, slowly walked up the stairs to the roof of a dilapidated, unfinished building.

The unfinished building was in a terrible state of disarray, with construction debris everywhere.

Such places are not uncommon in Beika or even Tokyo.

Japan is a small country where land is extremely valuable, and cities tend to be densely populated.

Just a few years ago, the area experienced an economic shock, and before the building was even completed, the developers had already gone to the rooftop or absconded.

Therefore, there are an unusually large number of buildings that are not completed or even topped out.

These unfinished buildings are uninhabitable; even homeless people find them too windy, so they end up being left vacant and becoming a prime location for criminals to conduct their transactions.

Soon, Fujino walked up the dilapidated stairs to the top floor of the unfinished building.

Aside from the dilapidated rooftop terraces, the view of Tokyo at night is quite beautiful.

In front of the beautiful scenery was a woman who was hanging up and tied up.

The woman was bound in a strange way with a red hemp rope, making it difficult for her to break free, and was hanging from the unfinished steel frame on the edge of the rooftop.

With the stress, the rope would occasionally spin around twice, swaying precariously in the night's high-altitude winds.

There's always a melancholic atmosphere to the night scene.

This woman was none other than Kadowaki Saori, who was carried away in broad daylight.

As for this strange and indescribable binding method... it was created by Fujino.

Strictly speaking, it should be called Xiao Hei.

Fujino had mastered the skills and knowledge of rope bondage long ago.

He has always used this method to tie them up.

After all, if you want to impose maximum restrictions on the other party and prevent them from untying, and make it secure, then this strange method of binding is more suitable. The only drawback is that it wastes some rope...

"Still not awake?"

Fujino glanced at Kadowaki Saori, which was exactly what he expected.

He used a sufficient amount of Tranquilizer Darts and hasn't slept for two hours yet. Without any external stimulation, he naturally won't wake up.

After a pause, Fujino took out Assassin's Robe from his Pocket Dimension.

After changing into his robe, he also turned on the video recording function of his Vision Enhancement Glasses.

Having made preparations, he stepped forward, put down the Kadowaki Saori, used a dagger to cut the red rope binding her, and then took out a long, hard, black Electric Baton from his pocket.

"I wonder how effective it will be..."

Fujino examined the dark Electric Baton in his hand for a moment, then swung it out like a baton, its length reaching about 75 centimeters.

He had already tested the Electric Baton before, and it was absolutely effective against people. However, due to individual differences in physical condition, it seemed that everyone's tolerance for electric shocks was different.

This was the first time he had done this since acquiring the baton, and it was aimed at younger girls.

He did not intend to kill him.

Indeed, killing is the simplest solution.

But killing this little beast directly seems a bit too lenient on it.

Besides, unless there's a specific reason, he doesn't really want to kill anyone...

Of course, he would kill drug dealers and those big beasts without hesitation.

"Crack!"

A crackling sound of electricity rang out.

A silvery-white arc of light struck her directly, spreading throughout her body.

Under the stimulation of the electric current, her eyes suddenly widened, and she sat up straight from the ground.

At this moment, her gaze kept sweeping around her.

Looking at the surrounding night scene, and at the strange man in front of him who was wearing a white robe and carrying a black stick, whose face was not clearly visible, he seemed a little dazed and confused.

She remembered that she and Shimabukuro had just been planning to go into the train station together...

How did we get here?

After a moment of bewilderment, a wave of sensation spread throughout my body.

Fortunately, the pain only lasted for a short while, and it only made her feel a little uncomfortable...

As the pain spread, it also cleared her mind considerably.

She came to her senses and looked at the strange man in the white robe in front of her, momentarily stunned.

"Crackling and popping."

Fujino glanced at the somewhat bewildered Kadowaki Saori, pressed the button on the Electric Baton in his hand, and did not reply.

He felt that the person's mental state was quite normal.

If it were a normal criminal, they would probably be so scared by this that they would wet their pants.

Staring at the electric rod, Kadowaki Saori swallowed hard, realizing that this was the very thing that had just made her uncomfortable.

"Kadowaki Saori?"

Fujino used a voice changer, making his voice lower and deeper.

"Who exactly are you?!"

Kadowaki Saori was slightly taken aback, "How could this be..."

Before she could finish speaking, Fujino grabbed Electric Baton and shoved it into her stomach.

"Crack!"

"Ah--"

A loud crackling sound of electricity rang out.

Accompanied by a mournful cry.

Kadowaki Saori immediately curled up, desperately clutching her stomach.

It felt like I was being stabbed with a knife.

"I ask, you answer."

Fujino simply said, "You don't need to tell me what I didn't ask."

As he spoke, he stepped forward, brought the black hood close to her face, and his voice became even colder. "Did you understand?"

Kadowaki Saori shed two tears and nodded.

She felt somewhat wronged.

It mainly hurts.

Where do you see people coming up and randomly poking people with Electric Baton?

Upon hearing this, Kadowaki Saori was slightly taken aback, her eyes widening as she stared into the dark hood.

Fujino didn't give her a chance to react, and swung the Electric Baton hard, hitting her left shoulder.

The immense force struck, dragging it several tens of centimeters in the opposite direction before stopping.

Fujino turned around and rhythmically tapped the Electric Baton on his palm.

At this moment, Kadowaki Saori had not yet recovered from the pain. She was lying on the ground like a flying bird, constantly groping her whole body, feeling as if her whole body was electrified.

The Electric Baton is quite effective; it hurts a lot, but it won't kill you.

Seeing no response, Fujino grabbed her by the collar and asked in a gloomy tone, "You were the one who started the fire at the Mermaid Festival warehouse three years ago, weren't you?"

"Who exactly are you...?"

Kadowaki Saori then realized that the other person was referring to the fire three years ago, and her face immediately turned deathly pale.

Fujino stood up, grabbed Kadowaki Saori by the armpit, and then placed her next to the rooftop.

Looking down at the ground dozens of meters below, Fujino reached out and gently patted the back of her head.

It implied that if she didn't speak up, they would push her off the cliff.

Understanding the meaning of this action, she felt a prickling sensation on her back and stammered, "That's right, I put it there!"

Fujino didn't reply. After receiving a satisfactory answer, he pulled her back from the balcony and continued, "You weren't the only one who set the fire."

"Ah?"

Kadowaki Saori suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.

"Three people..."

Fujino thought for a moment, "If I remember correctly, there should have been three girls, right?"

Although it was just a very plain, slightly low voice.

But when it came to Kadowaki Saori, she suddenly felt as if something had pierced her brain, and her heart was pounding violently as if it were out of control.

From the very beginning, she sensed that something was wrong.

They started fighting right away; they must have a grudge...

To still say 'I remember' now...

"A mermaid?!"

Kadowaki Saori suddenly felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

She never mentioned this to anyone except her best friends.

The other three certainly won't say anything, after all, someone has died.

If word gets out, they'll all definitely end up in jail.

And now the other party actually knows about this... and even knows that it was the three girls who set fire to the warehouse.

Then there's only one possibility...

—The strange man in the white robe before me is the Mermaid.

'Um?'

Fujino was also slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and looked at Kadowaki Saori, whose face was already extremely miserable, feeling somewhat confused.

This woman has quite the imagination...

But then a sly smile crept across Fujino's lips.

He felt that using mermaids or something to deceive young girls was indeed quite interesting...

Last time it was the Mushroom Mountain God, this time it's chasing mushrooms in the grass, right?

So he adjusted his voice, making it sharper. "That's right... I am the mermaid who gave power to the fish-men who were burned to Life Lord by you three years ago!"

"Ah--!!!!"

Kadowaki Saori let out a pitiful scream.

Fujino narrowed his eyes, then extended the Electric Baton and increased its power, stabbing her hard in the stomach.

The effect is outstanding!

After being hit, she immediately stopped screaming.

He immediately lost consciousness, giving his body no chance to be saved. The efficiency was undeniably high.

"The power seems a bit too high..."

Fujino turned off the recording function on his glasses, looked at the warm liquid on the ground, raised an eyebrow, and murmured something.

After a brief rewrite of his lines, Fujino 'woke up' Kadowaki Saori again.

"My lord Mermaid... I'm so sorry!!"

Kadowaki Saori knelt on the ground, her words filled with piety. "We did not receive your blessing, which is why we felt resentful. When we got drunk, we wanted to set fire to see if the blessing you gave us for our Life Lord could really bring us back to life... We are truly your faithful believers!"

As a devout believer in the legend of mermaids, she no longer cared about her image at this moment.

She was only focused on trying to gain the 'merman's' forgiveness.

As for why a female mermaid was burned to death, the one who has emerged now is a 'mermaid' wearing a white robe.

She believed that this must be a disguise made by the mermaid to cover up the truth!

If Fujino could hear his thoughts, he'd probably say something like, "You really know how to imagine things."

However, Fujino didn't pay attention to any of that. Instead, he noticed the key point and asked in a sharp and strange tone, "You were drinking at the time?"

"Uh-huh!"

Kadowaki Saori nodded repeatedly. "It was precisely because of the alcohol and our unwillingness to accept defeat that we did that..."

"Crackling and popping!"

A hissing sound came from the air.

Kadowaki Saori immediately understood. "No, we absolutely did not drink alcohol, we did it on purpose!"

Fujino glanced at Kadowaki Saori.

I secretly felt a sense of dread about the legends and curses surrounding it, and realized how incredibly easy it was to exploit...

Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that people who believe in such things are just eccentric.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. It's really absurd that someone who was suddenly burned to death could survive a fire that burned for a whole day and night without any consequences.