Your Detective Agency Looks Pretty Good

On the way to get his motorcycle repaired, Jiang Xia thought back over everything that had happened recently.

So far, he had encountered one Ghost Fetus and one burst of Killing Intent that he could collect completely.

Both had appeared recently, and both were connected to cases Jiang Xia had seen in the manga.

In other words...

To collect ghosts, did he need to get involved in more cases like these?

Jiang Xia: "..." Speaking of murder cases, the best case magnet was probably Conan himself.

But Conan was currently living at the Mouri Detective Agency, so he would not be easy to lure away.

And Jiang Xia did not want to become Mouri Kogoro's apprentice.

After all, he was a Worker for the organization.

If he somehow became a Great Detective, then one day, the Detective Agency he worked at might also be viewed by the organization as a useful tool. The people in the agency would definitely be watched as well... In short, it would be a terrible deal for his master.

Besides, judging from the Kinoshita Yoko incident, Jiang Xia could still collect ghosts even when Conan was not around. The Grim Reaper Elementary Student was not a necessary condition for collecting ghosts.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Xia suddenly had an idea.

—Why not open a Detective Agency himself?

If he remembered correctly, every "cool High School Detective" in this world was exceptionally good at attracting murder cases.

He happened to be a high school student too.

Maybe if he stacked on a detective buff, ghosts and Killing Intent would come pouring in?

He acted as soon as he thought of it.

The day after getting his motorcycle fixed and returning home, Jiang Xia went to Beika Library.

There, he successfully found a detective-related guidebook on the shelves in the careers section.

As he recalled, the Island Nation currently set adulthood at twenty, but in reality, people could do many things starting at eighteen.

For example, taking all kinds of legally recognized licenses, independently signing certain purchase contracts, and of course, viewing certain films and games...

Jiang Xia flipped through the detective guidebook and found that it was just as he had expected: at eighteen, one could already work as a detective.

However, as he read further, Jiang Xia saw another rule.

—To open a Detective Agency, one had to submit a business application to the Public Safety Commission.

Anyone under twenty also had to submit a letter of consent from their legal guardian.

Legal guardian?

Jiang Xia: "..."

Thinking of the two gravestones belonging to Jiang Xia Tongzhi's Parents, as well as a certain elusive nominal guardian who was little more than a tool, he gradually lost all hope. His grip on the page loosened slightly, and the detective guidebook snapped shut with a rustle.

Its stern, old-fashioned cover appeared before him again, as though mocking his naivety.

...An eighteen-year-old minor was still a minor after all.

Did he have no choice but to find an adult and plague them as an apprentice?

Speaking of adults...

Jiang Xia suddenly remembered something.

Thoughtfully, he picked up the Detective Handbook and flipped back to the color pages at the front.

—When the book had closed earlier, he had glimpsed a name that seemed familiar.

Every profession had to make a living.

For example, the color pages in this Detective Handbook carried advertisements for several local Detective Agencies.

Jiang Xia flipped through them, and his gaze soon stopped on one page.

The photograph showed a small but tastefully decorated shop.

The sign above its entrance clearly read, "Amuro Detective Agency."

Jiang Xia stared at the two characters for "Amuro" in the advertisement, deep in thought.

Amuro was not a common surname.

And when it was paired with "detective," it was easy to think of one person.

—Amuro Tooru.

Amuro Tooru was also a member of the Black Organization, and a high-ranking executive with a Codename.

His Codename was Bourbon, and he was skilled at gathering intelligence.

But in truth, Amuro Tooru was an Undercover Agent planted in the organization by the National Police Agency. His real name was Furuya Rei, and he was devoted to his country.

Jiang Xia: "..."

If he could find a way to join Amuro Tooru's Detective Agency, then he would not have to worry that the organization would covet him and the agency after he became a "Great Detective," dragging an innocent boss into it—because Bourbon himself was already one of the organization's people.

And thinking about it carefully, if he really could get in with Amuro Tooru, there would be other benefits too.

—A Peripheral Member's identity had little confidentiality to speak of, and it would be easy to face legal consequences in the future.

But if he became Amuro Tooru's teammate... perhaps he could pass himself off as a member of the Red Side one day.

The odds of success were not very high.

But people had to be brave enough to try. There was no harm in giving it a shot.

Besides, the risk of this attempt was actually very low.

—As a police officer in Conan World, even if Amuro Tooru found him suspicious, he probably would not shoot him dead on the spot.

And to avoid exposing his Public Security identity, Amuro Tooru would not have the police arrest an ordinary Peripheral Member who had come knocking at his door.

On top of that, Spirit Mediums were naturally more approachable than ordinary people, and Jiang Xia had always been lucky...

The more Jiang Xia thought about it, the brighter his future seemed.

He borrowed the Detective Handbook.

That afternoon, Jiang Xia followed the address in the advertisement and found the Amuro Detective Agency.

But when he got closer, he saw a "Closed" sign hanging on the door.

...Well, understandable.

Most shops had regular closing days and took one or two days off every week. Perhaps the Amuro Detective Agency's regular day off just happened to be today.

It did not matter that he had not seen anyone. It gave him a chance to go back and polish his wording.

Jiang Xia returned home calmly.

The next day, he went again.

The "Closed" sign was still hanging there, completely unchanged.

...Closed for two days in a row?

Jiang Xia stood silently in the biting cold wind for a moment, inwardly condemning such an unprofessional work ethic.

After condemning it, he waited nearby for a while longer, but no one came to work.

Jiang Xia could only return home first.

A week passed like that. Every time, it was "Closed."

Looking at the location, Jiang Xia felt a little sorry for the rent.

But on second thought, there was nothing strange about it—Amuro Tooru collected N paychecks by himself, and he also had two reliable employers who could reimburse him. The rent for this Detective Agency was probably charged to the organization's account...

One week later.

Jiang Xia habitually drove up to the Amuro Detective Agency, habitually glanced at it, and habitually turned his motorcycle around to leave.

After turning around, he suddenly felt that something was off.

"?"

Jiang Xia abruptly turned back.

The lock on the front door was gone, and so was that heartbreaking "Closed" sign.

"..."

Looking at the open Detective Agency, Jiang Xia actually felt a little moved.

It felt like making Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage, only to finally catch Zhuge Liang at home.

Ten minutes later.

Jiang Xia sat on the fabric sofa in the Detective Agency.

Amuro Tooru brought over a cup of tea like a proper detective, placed a Registration Form in front of him, then sat opposite him and smiled politely.

"Our agency is fairly busy, so we may not necessarily be able to take your commission. However, based on your needs, I can recommend other suitable agencies—the detectives there are all experts at resolving related issues."

Jiang Xia: "..." Busy? Your Detective Agency was clearly closed and slacking off ninety-nine percent of the time.

He silently picked up a pen and filled in his name, phone number, and mailbox on the form.

He left the commission details blank.

Then he pushed the form back.

Amuro Tooru looked at the large blank section and tapped it with a finger.

Before he could speak, the person across from him said, "I'm not here to commission you—I want to work part-time here."

Amuro Tooru froze.

A moment later, he picked up the Registration Form and tossed it into the Paper Shredder beside him.

Then he turned to see his guest out. "Sorry, we're not hiring."

As he spoke, Amuro Tooru gestured toward the door in a motion that appeared to say "This way, please," but actually meant "Get out already."

Jiang Xia remained seated on the sofa.

"But I feel like your shop is seriously short-staffed—you're closed every time I pass by. Yet you still insist on advertising everywhere. Don't you think that's wasteful?"

As Jiang Xia spoke, he placed the borrowed Detective Handbook on the Coffee Table and began selling himself.

"My deductive skills are strong, and I do not have any particular salary requirements. You can pay me minimum wage."

Amuro Tooru silently examined him for a while, then suddenly walked to the door and clicked it shut with the lock.

When he turned back around, there was a Gun in his hand.

His expression had become dangerous as well, like Gin catching the scent of a traitor.

Jiang Xia instinctively sat up a little straighter, his gaze sweeping over Amuro Tooru.

Then he discovered with disappointment that although their expressions were similar, no Killing Intent had appeared around Amuro Tooru.

"..." Heh, Fake Alcohol.

The Ghost Infant on his shoulder sighed as well.

Amuro Tooru had no mind-reading ability and did not know that Jiang Xia was secretly looking down on him.

Seeing Jiang Xia react, he only assumed that his intimidation had worked.

So he continued, "As for the wastefulness you mentioned..." Amuro Tooru said in an icy, imposing voice, "If it can lure in a petty thief with ulterior motives like you, then it's well worth it."