Sharing the Heavens from Douluo Continent

"Hey, this isn't a joke!"

Kogoro Mouri first glanced at Ran Mouri, who was scanning their surroundings with a wary expression, before shifting his gaze to Conan, who was clearly enjoying their misfortune. Unable to resist, he flicked the boy on the head. "It's all because you little brat insisted on coming along. You scared off the goddess of luck!"

"Ow, ow, ow..."

Conan rubbed his head and grumbled inwardly, That damn old man. All he knows is how to push responsibility onto others!

"Forget it. Let's go home and watch TV!"

Having lost all his money, Kogoro Mouri no longer had any desire to wander around outside. He immediately prepared to take Conan and the others back to the detective agency.

Tap, tap, tap...

When the three arrived at the overpass near the horse-racing track, a crisp set of footsteps suddenly rang out from above. Right afterward, a short-haired beauty wearing a purple women's suit and a purple skirt came swaying down from the bridge.

???

Under Kogoro Mouri and the others' stunned gazes, the short-haired beauty suddenly closed her eyes and toppled stiffly toward them.

"Maya, watch out!"

Before Kogoro Mouri and the others could react, an angry shout suddenly came from behind them. A figure leaped past them and caught the short-haired beauty first.

"Maya, are you okay? Maya?"

Dai Changsheng, dressed in a gray suit and disguised as a middle-aged man, first pretended to anxiously shake the unconscious Maya Tachibana. Then he turned to Kogoro Mouri and the others. "Please move aside. My friend may be having a heart attack. I need to take her to the hospital."

Hearing that, Kogoro Mouri and the others had no time to question Dai Changsheng's identity. They instinctively cleared the way.

Having learned acting from Vermouth, Dai Changsheng now looked like an award-winning actor possessed him. Carrying Maya Tachibana, he vanished from Kogoro Mouri and the others' sight at the speed of a hundred-meter sprint.

"..."

Watching Dai Changsheng carry Maya Tachibana away, Conan could not help frowning. Something felt off, but he could not remember what exactly was wrong.

"Alright, little brat, stop standing around. Let's go!"

Before Conan could sort through his doubts, Kogoro Mouri impatiently dragged him away.

It was not until Conan returned to the detective agency that he finally realized what had felt wrong.

Dai Changsheng had not taken a taxi!

Although taxis were expensive in Japan, if his friend's life was truly in danger, Dai Changsheng should have hailed a cab and taken Maya Tachibana to the hospital. He should not have carried her there like something out of a movie.

Unfortunately, by the time Conan realized it, Dai Changsheng had long since vanished without a trace along with Maya Tachibana.

As nightfall slowly descended, Maya Tachibana awoke from her unconsciousness and looked around with bewildered eyes.

She found herself in a cozy bedroom, with all kinds of cartoon posters pasted across the walls.

"You're awake."

A magnetic voice suddenly rang out, drawing Maya Tachibana's attention.

Looking at Dai Changsheng, who was wearing a black trench coat and had revealed his true face, Maya Tachibana asked in confusion, "Who are you? Where is this?"

"My name is Dai Changsheng. I'll be your boss from now on."

Crossing one leg over the other, Dai Changsheng got straight to the point. "Your name is Maya Tachibana, and you're a professional assassin. Not long ago, you got into a car accident while on your way to assassinate a target, and I saved you.

To repay me for saving your life, you'll work for me from now on!"

"Maya Tachibana? I... I'm an assassin?"

Upon hearing Dai Changsheng's words, countless fragmented memories surged into Maya Tachibana's mind. She instinctively clenched the necklace around her neck.

The moment Maya Tachibana touched that specially made necklace, the confusion in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by cold, sharp clarity.

Having recovered her memories, Maya Tachibana immediately threw off the blanket, got out of bed, and gave Dai Changsheng a cold glance. "Thank you for helping me recover my memories, but I have no intention of working for you. Goodbye!"

A professional assassin like Maya Tachibana had never possessed much of a moral bottom line. Naturally, she would not devote herself to Dai Changsheng merely because he had helped her.

"Don't move! You seem to have misunderstood something. I'm not negotiating with you. I'm informing you."

A cold glint flashed through Dai Changsheng's eyes. He immediately pulled a black pistol from his coat and pointed it at Maya Tachibana. "If you refuse to pledge loyalty to me, then give me back the life I saved!"

The Heiress Kidnapping Case

Faced with the threat of the pitch-black muzzle, Maya Tachibana's expression changed slightly. She immediately dropped to one knee. "Boss!"

"That's more like it. At least you know what's good for you."

Rip—

The instant Dai Changsheng put away his pistol, Maya Tachibana suddenly triggered the mechanism on her special necklace, pulling out a steel wire gleaming with cold light as she pounced at him.

Clearly, Maya Tachibana had never truly intended to serve Dai Changsheng. Her kneeling had merely been a ruse to lower his guard.

Bang!!!

Just as the steel wire was about to touch Dai Changsheng's neck, Maya Tachibana suddenly felt an immense force strike her abdomen, sending her flying backward.

Before Maya Tachibana could catch her breath, Dai Changsheng lunged after her, seized her by the throat, and pinned her to the floor.

"Idiot! Did you really think I wasn't on guard against you?"

While restraining Maya Tachibana, Dai Changsheng snatched away her special necklace and used the steel wire hidden inside it to bind her tightly.

Influenced by his other self in Hong Kong Film World, Dai Changsheng tied Maya Tachibana into a standard tortoise-shell bondage, making her figure appear even more curvaceous.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. But mistakes deserve punishment, don't you agree?"

With that, Dai Changsheng threw Maya Tachibana onto the nearby bed and began to punish her viciously.

Although a professional assassin like Maya Tachibana was fairly tough, after enduring Dai Changsheng's harsh interrogation all night, she ultimately surrendered with foam at the mouth.

Of course, Dai Changsheng also understood the importance of balancing kindness and severity!

Therefore, after Maya Tachibana sincerely surrendered, Dai Changsheng promised her a series of benefits.

In addition to a fixed annual salary of twenty million yen, Maya Tachibana would receive a corresponding mission bonus every time she completed a task assigned by Dai Changsheng.

Moreover, Dai Changsheng would teach Maya Tachibana marksmanship and combat techniques, allowing her strength to improve even further.

After subduing Maya Tachibana, the first order Dai Changsheng gave her was to eliminate Yuda, the escaped convict.

After all, Yuda's existence not only posed a serious threat to Ran Mouri and the others' safety, but he might also implicate Maya Tachibana. It was better to erase him from the world humanely.

A few days later

Teitan High School, Class 2-B

"What? You said Naoko was kidnapped?"

"Shh—"

Ran Mouri quickly covered Sonoko's mouth and made a silencing gesture. In a very quiet voice, she said, "Sonoko, don't shout so loudly. We can't let anyone else know about this yet."

Sonoko hurriedly nodded. She looked around, and only after confirming that she had not drawn anyone's attention did she lower her voice and ask, "Ran, what happened? How do you know Naoko was kidnapped? Didn't the teacher say she took leave because she was sick?"

The "Naoko" Sonoko referred to was Naoko Takei, the heiress of Takei Group and also Ran Mouri's classmate.

Under Sonoko's curious gaze, Ran Mouri lowered her voice and roughly explained the whole story.

Naoko Takei had been kidnapped on her way home after school yesterday. Last night, her father, Katsuhiko Takei, received a call from the kidnappers.

The kidnappers demanded that Katsuhiko Takei gather five hundred million yen in ransom within three days. If they did not see the money by then, they would kill her.

Although Katsuhiko Takei had secretly called the police, the incompetence of the Japanese police was widely known. Thus, he had also spent a large sum to hire the famous detective Kogoro Mouri.

If the police failed to rescue Naoko Takei, Katsuhiko Takei could only place his hopes on Kogoro Mouri.

After learning the entire story, Sonoko nodded in sudden realization. She forcibly suppressed her urge to gossip and buried the secret in her heart.

Naoko Takei was still in danger. If the kidnappers learned that Katsuhiko Takei had secretly contacted the police and hired the famous detective Kogoro Mouri, they might kill her immediately.

What Ran Mouri and Sonoko did not know was that Dai Changsheng had heard every word of their conversation.

After sharing the physiques of his other two selves, Dai Changsheng's strength and speed had increased severalfold, while his hearing had also improved greatly.

The straight-line distance between Ran Mouri's seat and Dai Changsheng's was only around six meters. Even though they had deliberately lowered their voices, they could not hide their conversation from his ears.

Naoko Takei was kidnapped?

Dai Changsheng narrowed his eyes and carefully recalled the original plot. Soon, he remembered the relevant events.

If he remembered correctly, Naoko Takei's kidnapper should be Akiko Hanai, Katsuhiko Takei's secretary.

Four years ago, while Akiko Hanai was still attending university, her father's company had gone bankrupt after being acquired by Katsuhiko Takei's company. Unable to bear the devastating blow, her father had taken her mother and younger brother with him in suicide.

To avenge her dead family, Akiko Hanai had found a way to enter Takei Group after graduating from university. Relying on her outstanding business skills, she became Katsuhiko Takei's secretary.

Although Akiko Hanai deeply hated Katsuhiko Takei, she had a good relationship with Naoko Takei. Naoko Takei also regarded her as both a mother and an older sister.

Originally, Akiko Hanai had planned to find an opportunity to kill Katsuhiko Takei outright. However, for Naoko Takei's sake, she decided to give him one chance.

Taking advantage of Takei Group's recent shortage of liquid funds, Akiko Hanai planned this kidnapping to force Katsuhiko Takei to choose between his daughter and his money.

If Katsuhiko Takei was truly willing to pay the five hundred million yen ransom, Takei Group's capital chain would break and the company would go bankrupt. Akiko Hanai would then have avenged her family.

If Katsuhiko Takei remained stubborn and abandoned his daughter for money, Akiko Hanai would personally send him to hell.

According to the original plot, Katsuhiko Takei ultimately made the disappointing choice. It enraged Akiko Hanai so much that she prepared to burn him alive on the spot.

Just as Katsuhiko Takei was about to be burned to death, Conan arrived in time, stopped Akiko Hanai from committing murder, persuaded her to let go of her hatred, and then sent her to prison on charges of kidnapping and extortion.

After recalling the original plot, Dai Changsheng had no intention of stopping Akiko Hanai's revenge. On the contrary, he planned to bring her under his command and use her to swallow up Takei Group.

Under normal circumstances, relying solely on the few hundred million yen in Dai Changsheng's hands to acquire a company like Takei Group, valued at tens of billions of yen, would have been nothing more than a fool's dream.

Akemi Miyano

However, Katsuhiko Takei was now facing a difficult choice: protect his company or protect his daughter?

If Dai Changsheng approached Katsuhiko Takei now and offered to lend him three or four hundred million yen for cash flow, using company shares as collateral, he would surely agree without hesitation.

With Akiko Hanai acting as an insider as well, achieving the feat of a snake swallowing an elephant was not entirely impossible.

Ring, ring, ring...

Soon, the pleasant school bell rang. After leaving school, Dai Changsheng first went to his secret base and used the Disguise Technique to change his appearance before driving to Takei Group's headquarters.

After meeting Akiko Hanai, who wore a black office-lady outfit and had short hair cut to her ears, Dai Changsheng got straight to the point and explained why he had come.

"Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. Goodbye!"

Akiko Hanai had never met Dai Changsheng before, so naturally she would not believe his one-sided claims. She even suspected that he had been sent by Katsuhiko Takei to test her.

"Miss Hanai, I don't think you have a choice."

Dai Changsheng gently swirled the wineglass in his hand and said unhurriedly, "If you refuse to cooperate with me, then I can only cooperate with Katsuhiko Takei.

I'll help him rescue his kidnapped daughter and solve his company's bankruptcy crisis. Asking for twenty percent of the company's shares in return wouldn't be excessive, would it?

At that point, not only will you be unable to avenge your dead family, but Katsuhiko Takei will also send you to prison for kidnapping and extortion. Can you accept that outcome?"

"..."

Hearing Dai Changsheng's words, Akiko Hanai, who had already reached the private room's door, turned deathly pale. She could no longer take another step forward.

Seeing this, a wicked smile curled Dai Changsheng's lips. He stood and walked behind Akiko Hanai, wrapping an arm around her slender waist as he leaned close to whisper in her ear, "Miss Hanai, let's cooperate for a win-win outcome."

"Mmph..."

Feeling his hot breath against her earlobe, Akiko Hanai's pretty face flushed slightly. She slowly closed her beautiful eyes, wearing an expression of surrender.

After an intense yet friendly in-depth exchange, Akiko Hanai's body and heart were thoroughly conquered by Dai Changsheng. She worked with him to set a trap for Katsuhiko Takei.

With Akiko Hanai acting as an intermediary, Dai Changsheng soon met Katsuhiko Takei. After some bargaining, the two finally signed a transfer agreement.

The agreement's general terms were that Dai Changsheng could lend Katsuhiko Takei four hundred million yen, but Katsuhiko Takei would have to repay five hundred million yen three months later.

If Katsuhiko Takei failed to repay the money by the deadline, he would have to transfer the fifty-seven percent of Takei Group shares he held to Dai Changsheng.

Based on Takei Group's market value, fifty-seven percent of its shares were worth at least twenty billion yen.

Under normal circumstances, Katsuhiko Takei would never have signed such an agreement.

However, Takei Group was currently short on working capital. If its capital chain broke, the entire company would go bankrupt, and those shares would become worthless.

Therefore, even though Dai Changsheng was demanding an outrageous price, Katsuhiko Takei could only grit his teeth and accept it.