Beika's Good Citizen Batman

"Excessive? How was I excessive! Dead people are just dead people!"

Ikeda Chikako became more and more outrageous, as if she was trying to cover up her guilt: "I think Takahashi has gone crazy to say I plagiarized Atsuko...

That's right, it must be like this. This guy is jealous of me, so he would say I plagiarized some dead person!"

Seeing that Ikeda Chikako had no intention of repenting, Takahashi's mouth twitched fiercely.

If this woman sincerely repented, he might let her off... but seeing her like this now, he had to kill this b*tch!

With that thought, he rushed forward at a speed no one could react to, grabbed Ikeda Chikako by the neck, choked her tightly, and roared, "Die!"

"Takahashi! Stop it!"

The crowd rushed forward after they reacted, freeing Ikeda Chikako's neck from Takahashi's tight grip.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Ikeda Chikako squatted on the ground in pain, coughing hard.

But even so, she still glared at Takahashi angrily, unwilling to let him off: "Murderer, this guy is a murderer!"

"How can anyone believe a madman who dares to kill in broad daylight!"

Fujino looked at Ikeda Chikako, his brow furrowing slightly.

This woman really deserved to die.

No, dying like this was too good for her.

He had to find a way to make her life worse than death...

The disturbance brought the relaxed atmosphere of the forest villa to a freezing point.

After dinner, Ota and Kyakotsu went upstairs to watch Takahashi Ryoichi. After what happened, they couldn't let Takahashi be alone in his room.

What if he wanted to kill again?

Meanwhile, Ran, Sonoko, and Conan went to Ikeda Chikako's room to guard her, preventing her from doing anything drastic.

In the kitchen, only Fujino and Ayako were left.

"I'm so sorry, Fujino-kun. After what you just went through, you still have to help clean up the dishes."

"It's nothing."

Fujino handed a plate to Ayako and chuckled, "Speaking of helping, I'm actually the most relaxed."

"Really, it's rare to invite old friends you haven't seen in a long time for a gathering... and then something like this happens."

Ayako, who was washing dishes by the sink, wore a dejected expression. "It's all my fault. I wish I hadn't hosted this party."

Fujino chuckled and comforted her, "It's not your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's only Ikeda Chikako."

As he spoke, his tone gradually deepened, "From the day she plagiarized Atsuko, leading to Atsuko's suicide, the flames of revenge have been passed down."

"Even if Takahashi didn't commit the murder here, he would have killed Ikeda Chikako sooner or later. Fortunately, that guy attacked me beforehand, so the tragedy didn't unfold."

"I really didn't expect Chikako to be that kind of person..."

Suzuki Ayako nodded upon hearing this. Although she still felt some self-blame, her mood had clearly improved.

"If it weren't for you, an irreversible tragedy might have occurred today."

She turned around and sincerely bowed to Fujino, "Thank you so much, Fujino-kun."

"Don't say that."

Fujino waved his hand sheepishly, "I just did what a detective should do."

"What a detective should do?"

Ayako looked up upon hearing this, staring at Fujino with a thoughtful expression.

The next morning, the group hastily left the villa.

After what had happened, no one wanted to stay any longer.

After sending Ran, Sonoko, and Conan back, Fujino had just returned home when the system's prompt echoed in his ears:

[Congratulations to the host for completing the Bandage Man mission, obtaining 50 Detective Reputation points and a bounty of 500,000 Yen.]

[Current system balance: 1,100,000 Yen.]

[Current required reputation for host's detective profession upgrade: 200 Reputation points.]

"That woman, Ikeda Chikako, really deserved to die..."

Fujino muttered, but he felt a little regretful.

If it weren't for his identity, he would have gone up and given that guy a couple of stabs.

He sighed, didn't think further, and directly performed a ten-pull.

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Sleepytime Tea x2, Blue Kingdom Manuscript x1, Portable Voice Changer (Blue), Temporary Ability Boost Card (Strength, Perception boost; limited to one minute) x2...]

"The Blue Kingdom manuscript?"

Staring intently at the item just drawn from the system screen, Fujino couldn't help but curve the corners of his mouth into a slight smile. "Looks like this damn system can't stand that woman either."

Originally, just as Ikeda Chikako had said.

Without any evidence that the original author had died, it was very difficult to prove she had plagiarized.

But now, with the Blue Kingdom manuscript, everything would be much easier.

The financial tycoons of Japan were not the kind to be polite and respectful to each other.

Business rivalries constantly played out among them.

Exposing scandals of rival companies had long been a common occurrence in business warfare.

"Perhaps I can extort a bit from this?"

Sizing up the Blue Kingdom manuscript before him, Fujino murmured to himself.

That evening, in the first block of Beika Town.

A man in his thirties, carrying a briefcase, entered a small alleyway as night fell.

The man was wearing a brown suit, a blue tie, and black-rimmed glasses. His name was Goto, and he was a reporter for a newspaper.

However, he wasn't a very good reporter. In over ten years of his career, he hadn't reported a single breaking news story.

Normally, he could only write eye-catching headlines to grab attention.

Reporters who started at the same time as him had already risen to the position of editor-in-chief, yet he was still just an ordinary reporter.

He had originally planned to continue in this position until retirement.

But just this noon, a phone call came directly to his desk.

The person on the other end claimed to be Beika's good citizen, Batman, and said he had dirt on the popular movie "Blue Kingdom."

He didn't believe it at first, but that was until he saw the document at the entrance of the newspaper office, used to prove that the other party indeed had damaging information...

Upon learning of this, the newspaper immediately gave him two million Yen for the transaction.

They also promised to promote Goto to editor-in-chief if he could get this story published.

It wasn't for any other reason than the fact that the newspaper's parent company was a bitter rival of the production company behind "Blue Kingdom."

Of course, the person who claimed to be Beika's good citizen, Batman, was none other than Fujino.

Last time, Goto's article, "Fujino Doji's Moon Shadow Island Trip, and the Secret the Island Doctor Couldn't Tell," had left a deep impression on Fujino.

So this time, he naturally sought him out.

"Did you bring the money?"

Fujino's voice, thanks to the voice changer, became very deep, like Batman's.

Goto looked at Fujino when he heard his voice. Upon seeing the Batman mask on Fujino's face, the corner of his mouth twitched.

He had thought the person on the other side was just using Batman as a pseudonym... he never expected them to go all out and actually wear a Batman mask for the transaction.

"Two million Yen in cash. I brought it all."

Goto didn't overthink it. He took out the briefcase, gave Fujino a brief look inside, and then asked, "Money first, then the goods."

Fujino, in turn, took out a copy of the Blue Kingdom manuscript from his system space and handed it to Goto.

Fujino took the two million Yen and put it into the system, nodding with satisfaction.

The system was arguably the best counterfeit money detector in the world. Useless fake bills were just paper to the system and wouldn't be converted into balance.

"Pleasant cooperation..."

Goto took the manuscript and glanced at it, confirming it was the Blue Kingdom original. He paused, then continued, "Beika's good citizen, Batman."