The Captured Detective

The Famous Detective Who Got Caught

Watching the little brat vanish into the traffic, Fumiyo Edogawa unwillingly picked up her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, how are things going?" a deep voice sounded from the other end of the line.

Fumiyo Edogawa was a little nervous, and even her words came out less than smoothly. "Th-There's been a problem. That little brat got away. What should I do next?"

"He got away? How are you doing your job? Still, that little brat's current identity has already been exposed. Aside from that place, he has nowhere else to go now. Go wait for him there." The person on the other end was clearly unhappy to hear that the target had escaped, but he still made the arrangements methodically.

"Yes, I understand." After hanging up, Fumiyo Edogawa let out a breath. Looking in the direction Conan had disappeared, she revealed a faint cold smile, then drove off and vanished into the vast road.

Conan used every ounce of strength in his body and ran forward with all his might. His destination was the professor's house. He wanted to seek Professor Agasa's help. At a time like this, the only person he could think of was the professor. Only the professor knew his true identity and could help him. But when he reached the vicinity of the professor's house and saw the tightly shut front gate, Conan could not help feeling deeply frustrated. Professor Agasa had actually gone out at a time like this.

While waiting for the professor to come back, Conan thought, Why do they know my identity? Was it because I used Kudo Shinichi's identity during the Karaoke Murder Case? After that incident, they might have found out from somewhere that I, who was supposed to have been killed by the drug, was still alive. Damn it, I clearly told the police not to leak my identity. I'm such an idiot. I brought this on myself. What should I do now, Kudo Shinichi? Should I go back to Ran and tell her everything? No, if I go back there now, Ran and the others will be in danger too. Damn it, what do I do? What am I supposed to do?

Lost in thought, Conan did not notice a dark figure slowly approaching him from behind.

Suddenly, the figure behind him held a piece of cloth in hand and covered his mouth and nose.

"Mm!" Conan had no time to react at all before he lost consciousness. Clearly, the dark figure had smeared something like anesthetic on the cloth.

Looking at Conan collapsed on the ground, the dark figure revealed her true face amid a strange laugh. It turned out she was Fumiyo Edogawa. Evidently, she had already been waiting here for Conan for a long time. Following her partner's arrangements, she had come to the area. While Conan was lost in thought, she took the chance to knock him out.

Fumiyo Edogawa picked Conan up with one arm and walked toward the car. At the same time, she sent a text message on her phone: I've caught him.

Looking at the text displayed on his phone, a strange smile appeared on Lin Maoxian's face. He greeted Kisaki Eri, who was sitting opposite him, and said that he had something to handle at the Mouri Detective Agency, asking whether she wanted to go with him.

Kisaki Eri clearly had no intention of going and refused outright, but she still drove him there.

Riding in Kisaki Eri's car, it did not take long before they arrived at the agency.

After arriving, Lin Maoxian first said goodbye to Kisaki Eri. Only after watching her car drive away did he go up to the agency on the second floor.

The door to the room on the second floor was open. Lin Maoxian did not think too much of it and walked straight in. "Is Mr. Mouri here?"

"Y-Yes, I'm here." After seeing that the visitor was Lin Maoxian, Mouri Kogoro could not even speak smoothly. After all, he had not found even the slightest bit of information about that little brat, and completing the commission was still a distant prospect. If Lin Maoxian asked for news now, he would have nothing to show him.

"Miss Ran is here too." Seeing that Ran was also in the room, Lin Maoxian greeted her.

Ran Mouri did not pay much attention to Lin Maoxian's greeting. The young girl still did not really want to deal with him. Clearly, she was still angry.

Seeing his daughter's attitude, Kogoro could not help snapping angrily, "You child, Mr. Lin greeted you, and you don't even respond? How rude. Hurry up and go make tea for me and Mr. Lin."

Ran Mouri did not say anything more. She gave a cold snort, turned around, and went to the kitchen to make tea. In front of outsiders, she still gave her father plenty of face.

Seeing his daughter's reaction, Kogoro said awkwardly, "Mr. Lin, I'm really sorry. I spoiled her, so she ended up like this. I'll definitely discipline her properly."

Lin Maoxian did not really mind Ran Mouri's behavior. In his view, Ran Mouri was a kind little girl. As long as he made a slight show of goodwill, he could make her forget the earlier unpleasantness. He waved his hand and said to Kogoro, "It's nothing. Miss Ran is a good girl. Maybe I did something to make her angry. I came here today to ask about the commission. I wonder how your investigation is going, Mr. Mouri?"

When asked about the commission, Kogoro could only hem and haw. "Th-That... there still isn't much news for now, but give me a few more days, and I'll find that little brat. Please be sure to believe me. I'm a famous detective." Toward the end, especially when he said "famous detective," his tone grew high and confident.

"Phew." Picking up the tea Ran had brought over, Lin Maoxian gently blew on it. Only then did he say, "Mr. Mouri, my time is limited, and I also believe in the abilities of a famous detective like you. How about this? I'll give you another three days. If you really can't find Kudo Shinichi, then I can only cancel the commission. As for the commission fee, I can only ask you to return it, Mr. Mouri."

Hearing that he still had three days to complete the commission, Kogoro very obviously breathed a sigh of relief. But when he heard that if he could not find Kudo Shinichi within three days, he would have to return the commission fee, Kogoro grew nervous again. After all, he had already spent more than half of the commission fee. If he had to refund the money when the time came, where would he get the money to pay it back?

However, if the matter was not completed, returning the money was a very normal thing. Mouri Kogoro could only say helplessly, "All right, three days it is. Please believe in my abilities, Mr. Lin. I'll definitely have good news for you."

Lin Maoxian thought, If you can find him, that would really be a miracle. Kudo Shinichi has turned into Conan now. If you search according to Kudo Shinichi's original appearance and actually manage to find him, then you really would be a famous detective. So he deliberately said to Kogoro, "Mr. Mouri, because I truly don't have much time, I'm planning to find some other detectives to help search as well. I have to say this here: it's not that I don't believe in the famous detective's abilities. It's just that there really isn't much time. I hope you can understand."

Mouri Kogoro was immediately shocked when he heard that Lin Maoxian wanted to hire other detectives to help look for him. "How can that be? What if someone else accidentally finds him first? How would that count?"

Lin Maoxian knew what he meant without him finishing. Wasn't it just about how the commission fee would be handled when the time came? He could only say helplessly, "Detective Mouri, please rest assured. No matter who finds him first, I'll still pay the commission fee as promised. It's just that when the time comes, the person who finds him first will be the one who receives the latter portion of the reward."

"Then I'm relieved. Please rest assured as well, Mr. Lin. I'll definitely find that little brat." Hearing that the commission fee would not be reduced, Mouri Kogoro relaxed. As long as the money did not decrease, he did not care how many people Lin Maoxian hired to search.

"Mm. Then if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving first. I'll wait for your good news when the time comes, Mr. Mouri." As Lin Maoxian spoke, he put down the teacup in his hand, stood up, and prepared to leave.

"Mr. Lin, if someone else finds Shinichi, could I ask you to tell me? I haven't seen Shinichi in a long time, and I don't know how he is now." Ran Mouri, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between Lin Maoxian and her father from the side, could not help speaking up when she heard that he was leaving.

Hearing her request, Lin Maoxian thought that Ran really did like Kudo Shinichi a lot. He wondered whether, if ten or twenty years passed, she would still like Kudo Shinichi this much. But who could say clearly what would happen in the future? Just from how anxious she looked now, he had to help her. He immediately said solemnly, "Don't worry, Ran. You'll definitely be able to see him again. I promise you."

Ran Mouri looked at Lin Maoxian's departing back. At that moment, her heart was filled with hope. From this man's tone, she saw hope. She believed that the man before her could let her see Shinichi again.

After an unknown amount of time, Conan regained consciousness. He struggled to open his eyes, then stood up. Thinking of his situation, he carefully observed his surroundings. This was a kitchen. Looking out the window, it was already night, which meant he had probably been unconscious for around half a day. There were only some simple kitchen utensils in the kitchen. A large hole had been broken in the kitchen door. Through the hole, Conan saw what seemed to be figures moving, so he leaned closer.

Through the opening, Conan saw that the woman named Fumiyo Edogawa, who had tried to kidnap him in the afternoon, was facing the hole. Opposite her was another person, but his back was to the hole, so Conan could not see what he looked like at all. However, based on his build, Conan could determine that it was a man.

He heard the man say to Fumiyo Edogawa, "Kill him and that professor too."

Fumiyo Edogawa immediately retorted fiercely, "Don't make things difficult for me, all right? The higher-ups said his drug reaction is a special case and told me to bring him into the organization. They want to see exactly what's going on with him. He has very important research value."

After hearing this, the man said nothing more. He only sneered, then turned and walked in Conan's direction.

Hearing their conversation, Conan thought, So that's why I wasn't killed right away. Who could that man be?

Looking at the man who had turned around, Conan was greatly shocked. What? It's him, that Mr. Lin from a few days ago. I knew there was something wrong with him. So he really is with those people too. This is bad! He's coming this way. As these thoughts ran through his mind, his movements were not slow. He immediately lay back down, pretending he had not woken up yet, and continued eavesdropping on their conversation.