Twelve Million Hostages

Is that so?

Fujino rested his head on his hands, looking at the road surface dimly illuminated by the streetlights. "So, Officer Sato was at the hospital earlier... probably because he saw the shadow of someone he used to like in me?"

"Maybe so..."

Sato Miwako lowered her eyes. "Sometimes he seems like a little hooligan, not serious at all, but other times he's too serious, reckless and fearless, just like a fool."

"I'm not a hooligan."

Fujino was speechless for a moment, then said indignantly, "I'm a proper High School Detective with excellent grades. Believe me or not, I'll apply for the Teitan High School Star of Study award tomorrow and show you!"

"..."

Sato Miwako couldn't help but roll her eyes.

So who was the person who beat up the suspect at the crime scene?

Do you really believe you're not a scoundrel?

The methods of seduction and beating were so sophisticated that even she, known as a shrew, was ashamed of herself!

"However, I don't think we're alike at all."

Fujino raised his head slightly. "I think it's not that he's not afraid of death, but that there are things more important to him than death... Sherlock Holmes once said: 'I am happy to die for the public good.'"

He paused, then continued, "Perhaps for him, the public interest is more important than his own life, even if it means sacrificing his own to save the lives of the majority... Although I don't know what he was thinking, I think that a person like him would be respected anywhere. As a policeman, he is a truly qualified officer."

"Yes... a truly qualified police officer."

Sato Miwako nodded in agreement, glancing at Fujino: "So, I feel so much for what you're saying, you wouldn't happen to be like this too, would you?"

"I'm not, so we're nothing alike."

Fujino shook his head slightly. "Compared to becoming such a great person, I would rather be an unknown nobody, and be able to hear 'Welcome home' every day when I come home and 'Have a safe trip' when I leave. I would be very satisfied. I'm afraid I can't die."

"I actually wish he had the same thoughts as you..."

Sato Miwako murmured, "But if that's the case, he might not be himself anymore."

"Fujino, are you there?"

At that moment, a calm, cool, and slightly gentle voice suddenly rang out in the silent car.

"Yes, Ai, have you found any clues?"

Fujino took out his Detective Badge from his pocket, pressed the call button, and answered.

"We have a lead; it's at South Haido Station."

Ai Haibara calmly stated, "The case from three years ago involved the Ferris wheel in Haido Town and Beika Central Hospital. The intersection of the extended lines of these two locations is South Haido Station, which likely refers to the extra game. A station along the road must have brakes, and the steel batter's box is most likely the train. Finally, the red-bodied train on the Toto Line should be the one that landed on the bloodied pitcher's mound..."

As soon as Ai Haibara finished speaking, a commotion erupted from the other end of the Detective Badge:

"Ai-chan guessed all of this!"

"He guessed the bomb's location just by glancing at the map..."

"Haibara is amazing! Conan has absolutely no clue this time!"

"Hey, you guys, don't get any closer!"

Takagi's voice came through at the same time. "I'm driving right now!"

Fujino chuckled softly as he listened to the chaotic sounds coming from the other end of the Detective Badge.

So, Conan hasn't figured anything out yet this time...

Come to think of it, Ai, the cipher assistant, seems to be more adept at handling ciphers than Conan.

However, this time, the code assistant guessed wrong again.

In Fujino's memory, the two bombs were buried near Teitan High School and Tokyo Tower.

There's nothing we can do about it.

After all, codes are usually very abstract, and only the person who gives the code can understand them.

Fujino really couldn't connect things like extra time or baseball home runs to the Tokyo Tower.

They couldn't even find an excuse to force it together.

"Takagi?"

Sato Miwako asked the Detective Badge, "Are those children with you now?"

"No, that's right!"

Takagi's voice came through the Detective Badge: "These kids insisted on coming to my car to find out about the case, I couldn't stop them..."

"Never mind that for now. You must have heard their reasoning just now, right?"

Sato Miwako said sternly to the Detective Badge, "The first bomb is very likely hidden in the train car bound for East Tokyo Station South Haido Station- Beito Station. I'll contact headquarters to conduct a search. You contact the Explosives Disposal Team. Hurry up!"

"Yes... yes!"

Sato Miwako acted swiftly, making two phone calls to complete the reporting and coordination.

Over the past few hours, news has come from the search team.

Sato Miwako parked her car in front of the Convenience Store, holding the phone in one hand and her Detective Badge in the other, and said in a deep voice to the other end of the line, "The investigators have sent word that although something strange was indeed placed on that line, it's just a small prank device."

Conan's voice came through the Detective Badge: "If that's the case, doesn't that mean he already anticipated the police would search there?"

"Yes, that seems to be the case."

Sato Miwako nodded in agreement, "And inside that explosive device were party confetti."

"His purpose in doing this was probably to provoke the police. He's quite the prankster and rather cunning guy..."

Ai Haibara continued, "But what's most terrifying is that his goal isn't money at all, but simply revenge against the Metropolitan Police Department."

Conan chimed in, "And they're using twelve million Tokyo residents as hostages to seek revenge against the police."

"Using twelve million people as hostages..."

Sato Miwako clenched her fist, turned to the passenger seat next to her, and asked the Great Detective with his eyes closed, "Fujino, do you have any other thoughts on those codes?"

"No, I'm worst at using codes."

At this moment, Fujino was resting with his eyes closed. "As for codes and such, Ai is more skilled than me. If Ai can't crack them, then I can't either."

"Is that so..."

Sato Miwako nodded, then glanced at the other person's sleepy state and asked curiously, "By the way, didn't you sleep well last night? Why have you looked so sleepy since just now?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking about some things."

Fujino rubbed his eyes and said calmly, "Besides, if that's the case, we might have to stay up all night tonight. Let's replenish our energy first..."

"Yes, it's already past ten o'clock."

Sato Miwako watch, opened the car door, and said, "I'll go to the Convenience Store to buy a coffee first. What do you want?"

"Green Tea."

"OK".

Fujino gave a casual reply, his mind completely elsewhere.

At this moment, he was controlling the Black Ghost, also known as Xiao Hei, and was rushing towards Teitan High School.

The perpetrators used two bombs: the first was placed at Tokyo Tower, and the second at Teitan High School.

He felt that the bomb at Teitan High School was a higher priority, since Teitan High School was starting its school year and cleaning was tomorrow, Ran, Sonoko, and the Saintess were all there.

Although he was confident he could defuse the bomb, it would be better to go when it was dark and no one was around.

Even if it explodes, there won't be any damage.