"Counterfeit money?"
The three Detective Boys, along with their client Shunya, all looked shocked when they heard Xu Yue's words.
Something on this scale seemed far too distant from them.
"Hmm. Since it involves some mysterious Black Organization, they probably aren't planning anything small. They may be trying to produce super-counterfeit bills that are nearly identical to real money, perhaps even capable of fooling currency detectors."
Xu Yue rubbed his chin and gave his assessment.
"Yes, I think so too. Otherwise, they wouldn't go this far just for a skilled artist."
Conan nodded solemnly. If that mysterious organization was involved, no ambition would be too outrageous!
"One of the three most crucial elements needed for banknotes is the printing plate. To make something truly similar, exceptional artistic skill is essential, and judging from his drawings, he is indeed qualified to handle that step."
Xu Yue picked up Natsume Soseki's portrait again and evaluated it. After a brief pause, he continued.
"So it actually won't be difficult to find them. Since they've already prepared to make the printing plates, we can start with the other two key elements: acid-free paper and color-shifting ink. Most major countries' banknotes currently rely on this technology."
At Xu Yue's reminder, Conan immediately sorted out his thoughts. Acid-free paper and color-shifting ink were both government-controlled materials in every country. If they appeared on the market, they would indeed leave easily traceable clues—especially for someone at Sato's level!
"Acid-free paper is controlled by every country, and developing and manufacturing it themselves would probably cost more than they could make selling counterfeit bills. So they'll most likely have to buy it. The easiest place to obtain it on the market is the printing plant that produces the FBI directory. They use the same type of acid-free paper as