Chapter 45

Yin Kong nodded lightly and explained, "Then I'll be honest. This case runs very deep, and it's extremely dangerous. Lives could be at risk at any moment. It's no longer something these kids can treat like a game of cops and robbers. Professor Agasa, since you're Conan's guardian, please fulfill your responsibilities as one. It's fine for him to be interested in cases, but don't let him get dragged into this kind of danger."

Runs deep? Extremely dangerous?

Only now did Conan finally realize that Yin Kong had probably just happened to say the same thing Gin had.

Having caught the keywords again, he instinctively raised his head to say something, only for Professor Agasa beside him to press a hand onto his head and lower his own as he said, "I'm very sorry. I've been lax in supervising him. From now on, I'll keep a close eye on Conan and make sure he doesn't run around recklessly."

Yin Kong took out his phone and began contacting Inspector Megure, saying casually, "Let's hope so."

"Huh, Professor? Are we going to follow them by car next?"

Professor Agasa shook his head. "No, Shinichi. We're going back."

"Going back? Why?" Conan froze, then said excitedly, "Professor, didn't you hear him? There's more to this case!"

Professor Agasa pressed Conan back into his seat and explained, "Of course I heard. I also heard that this case is extremely dangerous, and that getting involved could cost you your life at any moment."

Conan was even more confused. "So what? Professor, have you forgotten? I'm the famous detective Kudo Shinichi."

Professor Agasa sighed and reminded him, "Of course I haven't. But even Shinichi is still an underage high school student. Shinichi, I won't stop you from fighting that mysterious Black Organization, because you were already caught up in that vortex to begin with, but—"

Conan paused, understanding the unspoken meaning behind Professor Agasa's words.

Though he was still somewhat unwilling to accept it, he could take Professor Agasa's earnest advice to heart.

"Still, I'm only handing the case over to that man for now. If he fails, I can't just leave the case alone."

Seeing this, Professor Agasa smiled helplessly. "If that happens, I suppose I wouldn't be able to stop you even if I tried?"

Unless he asked Ran to give Conan a personality-correcting punch in the most literal sense.

"But I do think Mr. Yin Kong is a very reliable detective. I doubt he'll give you that chance, Shinichi."

His deductive ability went without saying—Professor Agasa had personally witnessed Conan's crushing defeat.

More importantly, Professor Agasa could tell that Yin Kong was not as impulsive as Kudo Shinichi. He would not let his head get hot and charge forward without regard for anything else.

Besides, he had dependable friends and allies.

Conan instinctively sensed what Professor Agasa was thinking and immediately gave him a pair of dead-fish eyes. "Professor, you aren't secretly badmouthing me, are you?"

Professor Agasa gave an awkward laugh. "How could I? I've always believed in you, Shinichi, haven't I?"

Conan curled his lips. "A loss is a loss. Like Paimon said, I'm not so pathetic that I can't even admit defeat. But one day, I'll win it back! When that day comes, all of Tokyo will know that I, the famous detective Kudo Shinichi, have returned! Hahaha..."

Seeing Conan filled with fighting spirit once more, Professor Agasa finally let out a sigh of relief.

Was it just his imagination, or had Shinichi become much more childish after shrinking?

Fortunately, he had already told the Kudo couple about it. Once they settled the matters at hand, they would probably fly back to Japan soon.

Chapter 71: Civilian Staff

Yin Kong, who was currently on the phone with Inspector Megure, asking the inspector to bring people to search the Mantendo game company, had no idea that Professor Agasa in the distance was busy raising death flags for him.

After hanging up, he asked curiously, "So why did Paimon suddenly want to become the boss lady?"

Paimon froze, confused. "Traveler, didn't I answer that just now?"

It was so she could compete with Itto.

Seeing Paimon's innocent expression, Yin Kong could only shake his head helplessly.

Kuki Shinobu, seeing this, spoke up to explain:

"Haven't you realized it yet, Paimon?

That little brat Conan only wanted to pry more information about the Traveler out of you. He never sincerely wanted to be your underling."

"What? So when he said I was smart and reliable, that was all fake too?!"

Yin Kong and Kuki Shinobu exchanged a glance, then both spread their hands, letting their actions answer for them.

Clearly, Conan had merely found Paimon naive and guileless, so he had tried to get information out of her that way.

And poor Paimon had completely lost herself amid his endless stream of praise.

Finally coming to her senses, Paimon angrily stomped her foot.

"Darn it! If I'd known, I wouldn't have given him so much good food."

Yin Kong could not help but laugh at the sight.

"So, Paimon, did you accidentally let something slip?"

Yin Kong remembered that at the entrance to the abandoned building, the high school detective had supposedly already temporarily "made up" with him.

Even if he was going to "sprout in solid state," he should at least have waited a few days.

Something Yin Kong did not know about had most likely happened in between.

Paimon froze, then said somewhat guiltily, "Probably not? I always remembered what you told me, Traveler—not to mention Elemental Power here, or anything related to demons and monsters."

Kuki Shinobu said, "That's right. I can vouch for that—Paimon never let anything slip.

However, that little Conan's change in attitude really was because Paimon mentioned Jean."

Before Yin Kong could ask, Kuki Shinobu added, "I'd been watching their expressions the entire time. That little brat Conan acted fairly normally at first. Even though he was curious about my identity, he didn't probe too deeply.

But when Paimon mentioned Grand Master Jean from Mondstadt, his reaction became very strange. After that, he deliberately began getting close to her..."

"Eh? Was that how it was? As expected of Shinobu, I didn't notice any of that at all." Paimon first froze, then held her head in confusion. "But why? Could he actually know Grand Master Jean?"

Yin Kong shook his head.

"No, I think he just mistook her for someone else."

If Kuki Shinobu had not brought it up, he would not have realized it either. Gin was Gin, while Grand Master Jean was Jean. Though they were spelled completely differently, their pronunciations were still very similar.

Given Conan's sensitivity toward the Black Organization, it was no wonder he had thrown away all pride to become Paimon's underling just to gather information.

Under Paimon's curious gaze, Yin Kong briefly explained Conan's true identity, naturally provoking another bout of indignant anger from the little one.

Fortunately, Paimon's emotions came quickly and went just as quickly.

By the time Yin Kong and Kuki Shinobu had taken her past two oden stalls, she had already immersed herself in eating and drinking again, completely throwing the matter to the back of her mind.

Only after Yin Kong and Kuki Shinobu could no longer hold any more snacks did they return to the entrance of the [Mantendo] Game Company.

By then, Inspector Megure and his men had already searched the storage room and found the twelve gold coins the gang leader had hidden there.

"That was incredible, Brother Yin Kong!" Inspector Megure was both relieved and excited. "If you hadn't reminded us, who would have thought the culprit would prepare replacement coins in advance?"

If they had confidently returned the lost property to that wealthy man, only to discover that twelve counterfeits had been mixed in—

It would not have completely backfired, but the First Investigation Division's standing in their superiors' eyes would certainly have taken a severe hit.

Yet there was not much excitement on Yin Kong's face. Instead, he reminded him, "So, Inspector Megure, this case is far from over."

Inspector Megure nodded in understanding.

"I understand, I understand. Don't worry, Brother Yin Kong. We'll keep it secret and won't reveal any details."

However, Yin Kong shook his head.

"No, Inspector Megure. On the contrary, I hope you can mobilize all available resources and publicize the fact that the culprit swapped out the twelve gold coins..."

Inspector Megure looked surprised, but quickly understood what Yin Kong meant and asked gravely, "Brother Yin Kong, isn't that a little too risky?"

Even the men they used as a smokescreen were Italian desperadoes. The force behind those twelve gold coins was definitely no simple matter.

"Please rest assured, Inspector Megure. I have no intention of putting myself in danger." Yin Kong smiled faintly and explained, "When the police make the announcement, please do not mention me. Give all the credit to Shikanoin Heizou instead."

Shikanoin Heizou?

Inspector Megure froze and instinctively asked, "This Shikanoin Heizou is—"

Yin Kong explained, "Heizou is also one of Cunning Rabbit House's members. As Inspector Megure can see, I'm merely a frail scholar. I generally only handle clerical work, such as ordinary commissions and development planning.

When it comes to matching wits with criminal organizations, we mainly rely on everyone else at Cunning Rabbit House..."

Takagi and Sato exchanged glances, only to find that both wore expressions as though they had seen a ghost.

Clearly, they had both remembered the sight of Yin Kong pinning that professional sumo wrestler to the ground and grinding him into the dirt over and over.

You call yourself a desk worker? My ass.

And if even the desk staff at Cunning Rabbit House were this monstrous, just how outrageous were their combat personnel?

Though they had not yet met him, Takagi and the others had already become extremely curious about Shikanoin Heizou.

"Speaking of Heizou, he's far better than I am in a fight. He's always hated evil and never tolerated wrongdoing. This time, he volunteered himself, wanting to uproot the evil behind these twelve gold coins completely..."

At that point, Yin Kong felt a little regretful as well.

After all, he could not transform into Little Deer on the spot and discuss the follow-up arrangements directly with Inspector Megure, so he could only set the time for the next day.

But Shinobu was simply too useful, and Yin Kong was still somewhat reluctant to switch back to Little Deer.

Sure enough, an exploration dispatch with only one slot was still far too inconvenient.

Back at Cunning Rabbit House, Paimon instinctively asked:

"Miss Katherine, we're back. Are there any new commissions?"

Aoyama Nanami froze for a moment, then immediately turned a pleading look toward Yin Kong.

Obviously, she had no idea how she was supposed to answer that question.

Noticing the girl's troubled expression, Paimon sheepishly stuck out her tongue.

"I'm so sorry. I forgot that you're not the real Miss Katherine."

Hearing that, Aoyama Nanami could not help but feel a few doubts rise in her heart.