How Could a Detective's Work Be Called a Con?

"Are all these detectives idiots?!"

Chizen Kōdai's face darkened, and he cursed aloud.

Originally, she intended to use the detectives to decipher the code.

But what's the point of trying to cure it now? It's all too cold.

She also left herself no way to escape.

This means that the entire plan has failed, and he has lost his life here.

Thinking of this, an inexplicable fire suddenly rose in her heart.

However, before she could get angry, the screen of the surveillance camera in front of her was turned off.

"Um?"

Chizen Kōdai was stunned. "This is... the camera was cut off?!"

All the detectives have been killed. Logically, no one should be able to cut off the camera signal. Could it be haunted?

"Beep beep beep!"

Just then, the computer behind me suddenly emitted a notification sound.

Chizen Kōdai turned her head and saw a string of text displayed on the computer screen: [I have solved the mystery of the treasure. If you want to know, please go to the restaurant— Phantom Detective]

"???" Chizen Kōdai was completely dumbfounded.

Phantom Detective? What phantom? It sounds so similar to the pseudonym on that invitation...

She didn't have time to think about it and immediately ran out of the secret room.

She wanted to see who was still alive.

Moreover, the code was actually cracked by some Phantom Detective.

No matter who it is, she has to rush over to see.

Inside the room where the surveillance was extinguished.

"It's finally over..."

Fujino stretched and stood up from the ground, glancing down at his suit. "Sigh, it's a pity my suit is all stained with ketchup. I'll have to wash it properly when I get back. I wonder if that old lady could pay for dry cleaning or something."

Mori Kogoro and Tsukida Ikumi also slowly stood up, looking at Fujino with some speechlessness.

This guy actually wanted to pay for dry cleaning, even though their suits and evening gowns were stained with ketchup and he didn't say anything...

Yeah, you can ask that guy for dry cleaning fees.

However, after thinking about it, neither of them decided to put the matter into practice.

After all, a phantom thief and a Great Detective, the dry cleaning fee wouldn't be that much...

"I didn't expect you to have such a talent for acting."

Tsukida Ikumi snapped out of her reverie and looked at Fujino, teasingly saying, "I thought you were really going to kill me just now."

"Ms. Gunda's acting is also quite good."

Fujino nodded modestly and said, "I was just taking advantage of the situation. If you want to see acting skills, you should watch Uncle Mori!"

"Hahaha!"

Kuroba Kaito smiled at Mori Kogoro's smug expression, but a thought began to creep into his mind.

He had a feeling that Fujino really wanted to steal some treasure...

Although she's not quite as good as a professional, her acting is undeniably incredibly realistic.

Without giving it much thought, Kuroba Kaito glanced at the disconnected security camera footage and couldn't help but sigh, "Grandma Chizen really got fooled pretty badly this time..."

"Alas! That is incorrect!"

Fujino stepped forward and patted Kuroba Kaito on the shoulder, saying righteously, "How can you call it fooling around when it comes to detective work?"

"Hehe..."

Kuroba Kaito couldn't help but chuckle inwardly as he looked at Fujino's self-righteous expression.

It's unethical for a phantom thief to deceive people.

So, the detective has a legitimate reason to deceive people, right?

Ah, detective.

That's so hypocritical!

"..."

Tsukida Ikumi was speechless at Fujino's righteous and righteous way of conning the old lady.

Taking a deep breath, she reminded him, "In that case, shouldn't we wake up the others too?"

"Oh right, I almost forgot about those people."

Fujino nodded, suddenly remembering that there were several other people lying outside in the ketchup.

"Speaking of which, you were just saying you had money and beautiful women, right?"

"Those are all lines..."

"But we were just improvising, weren't we?"

"Ahem, let's go check on Ran and the maid first. Miss Gunda, you're really ruthless, managing to drug two young girls in the toilet."

"Isn't that your script?"

"Let's go quickly, it won't be good if we catch a cold."

They rescued Ran from the toilet and also woke up the other detectives.

The group happily headed to the restaurant, intending to see how the old lady, who had been fooled, would react when she saw them, these dead people, suddenly come to life.

While it may be a bit unethical to try to fool an old lady, the detective work is definitely not a scam!

"What you're doing now is exactly the same as what that tycoon Karasuma Renya forty years ago!"

Conan's voice faintly came from inside the door. Clearly, he was already showing off. With his hands in his pockets, he looked directly at Chizen Kōdai: "At the end of the blood oath on that piano, there's a name called Chizen Kyosuke. If I'm not mistaken, then it must be..."

Before Conan could continue, his boastful words were interrupted by Chizen Kōdai: "That's right, that's my father."

Chizen Kōdai lowered her head, lost in thought, a hint of reminiscence in her eyes. "My father was an archaeologist. Forty years ago, he was invited to this villa. It is said that he was a wealthy man who wanted to find the inheritance left by my mother. He wanted to see the inheritance before he died, which is why he invited my father to come."

"The job paid very well. My father would send a letter and a large sum of money every day. My mother and I were very happy that he got such a job. But six months after he was hired, my father disappeared without a trace, and no letters or money were sent back."

"It wasn't until I put the letter my father gave us in the sunlight that I suddenly realized what it meant. It was covered with densely packed writing, mentioning that many scholars had gathered together besides him. The letter also mentioned that Karasuma Renya was nearing the end of his life and, in his desperation, had begun to slaughter the scholars who had been invited, including my father..."

"You knew about this but didn't report it to the police?"

Conan frowned, looked up at Chizen Kōdai, his aura filled with the skepticism of a righteous man towards a villain.

"I only discovered this twenty years ago, by which time Karasuma had already died."

Chizen Kōdai shook her head. "Two years ago, I let it slip and Ōgami found out. After he bought this villa, he started a crazy treasure hunt. He already owes a huge debt because of this."

Chizen Kōdai paused for a moment, then continued, "One day, he suddenly suggested that other Great Detective come and solve the mystery. He would first use the name of Kaito Kid to lure people in, and after finding the treasure, he would kill everyone. The idea of poisoning the handle of the teacup was also something he came up with after seeing the maid, because the maid was the first person we originally wanted to get rid of."

"You and he had a falling out?"

Conan frowned. "Or do you want to keep all the treasure for yourself?"

"I discovered that after he found the treasure, he planned to kill us all. He had prepared all those pistols, and I was on the kill list."

Chizen Kōdai with some helplessness, "In order to stop that guy who seems to be possessed by Karasuma Renya, and to let the detectives continue to solve the mystery, I had no choice but to use this method. But who would have thought that they would start to suspect it themselves, and even start killing each other in order to seize the treasure. In the end, the mystery was still not solved."

"That's not necessarily true."

Conan smirked and climbed onto the fireplace, starting to operate the large clock on the dining room fireplace.

Chizen Kōdai was also slightly taken aback.