The Substitute Doll was very light.
Taking the wind direction into account, as long as he kept the doll balanced when he threw it, it should be able to draw the police's attention.
Kid thought that if the police went after the doll, he would have a better chance of escaping... Hopefully, the officers would not be clever enough to split into two groups.
Thinking this, he prepared to smash the Substitute Ball.
But the moment he picked it up, his vision suddenly dimmed slightly—a shadow fell behind him.
Kid was sitting on the ground with his back to the light. At that moment, it was as though someone had silently risen behind him, staring at him with deep, eerie eyes.
Amid the howling wind, a corner of white fabric was lifted by the snowstorm and flickered through the edge of Kid's vision.
Kid froze, instantly on guard, and sharply turned around.
But before he could see the person behind him clearly, a hand chopped down from behind, landing precisely on the back of his neck.
That blow was like pressing some hidden switch.
Kid's vigilance and resistance stiffened at once. Carried by the force of the strike, he flopped onto the ice.
—Even a versatile Phantom Thief could not escape the law that "getting hit on the back of the neck makes you pass out." A haze rapidly clouded Kid's vision. He struggled to turn his head for one last look, and the final thing he saw was a blurry figure dressed in a kimono.
The sight of that outfit made Kid's heart skip a beat—police officers would not dress like that on duty, much less start by knocking someone out from behind... Was someone else lying in wait to ambush him? C-could this be some passing pervert murderer?!