Chapter Eighteen: The Strategy of Driving Out the Tiger to Devour the Wolf

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Although Hikaru Nara had always looked down on the Japanese Public Security, which was formerly the Special Higher Police, he personally avoided contact with its members, including Rei Furuya, who had inexplicably returned to Japan earlier than expected. However, that did not mean he would refuse to use their power when it was advantageous. An enemy’s enemy might not be a friend, but they could certainly cause trouble for the enemy.

Gin’s car was a classic antique, highly conspicuous. Since its license plate was already known, it was only a matter of time before the Japanese Public Security located Gin’s whereabouts.

Hikaru Nara somewhat acknowledged Rei Furuya’s abilities. At least, among the elite agents within the Conan universe, Rei and Shuichi Akai were top-tier operatives. Catching Gin on home turf shouldn’t be difficult for one of them alone.

If Rei couldn’t manage it, it wouldn’t matter; it would merely lower his already dismal opinion of the Japanese Public Security.

“Oh, got it. Just wait a moment,” said a ‘boy’ wearing sunglasses and headphones, dressed in plain clothes, and carrying a radio, speaking conspicuously on the phone.

After hanging up, he pocketed the phone and put his headphones back on. The busy subway passengers paid no attention to what the ‘boy’ had said, too preoccupied with their own concerns during the hectic Heisei era.

When the subway arrived at the station, the ‘boy’ stepped out, circled around a few times, and approached an unmanned phone booth. He then dialed the Miha Town Metropolitan Police Department.

“I have insider information on the ‘Car Company Serial Murder Case’... Would you like to hear it?”

As the words increased, the ‘boy’s’ voice finally revealed its true tone. Not he, but she. She stood there, speaking casually to the nervous operator on the other end.

When she realized the call had been taken over by an officer from the Metropolitan Police Public Security Division, she ignored their delaying tactics, abruptly hung up, circled a few times, and disappeared.

Soon, Senior Inspector Yu Kazami of the Public Security Division arrived near the public phone booth with his officers. Although surveillance methods in this era were subtle, as members of Japanese Public Security, they naturally possessed their own telecommunication tracking capabilities.

Yu Kazami was not surprised to find the phone booth empty.

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From the way the neutral-toned girl hung up immediately, it was clear she was wary of them.

*Click* — The police car was pushed aside, and Rei Furuya stepped out. He stared thoughtfully at the phone booth and then gave orders.

“Dismantle the phone booth, check the topmost one-yen coin inside, and use fingerprint collection tools to extract any prints. After that, we’ll wrap up.”

His command was promptly followed by the officers nearby.

Yu Kazami cautiously asked, “Amuro-san, the information from this girl is so detailed—do you think it might be...”

“It’s genuine,” Rei answered decisively.

He might not know Gin’s license plate number, but could he not recognize Gin’s favorite car in Japan? It was a Porsche 356A.

Gin had probably already arrived at the car company, where they found bullet holes from a large-caliber sniper rifle—likely traces left from Gin’s failed attempt to assassinate the urban legend.

Although acting against Gin now might interfere with his undercover work, this information had been directly relayed to the Metropolitan Police operator and likely reached Inspector Sato. If Rei didn’t make a move, Sato might begin to question his loyalty.

“In any case, let’s investigate first. I’ll also take action this time.”

Despite knowing this was a “baiting the tiger to kill the wolf” strategy, there was no choice but to proceed.

Rei pondered the connection between the informant and the urban legend but was soon interrupted.

The officer who had collected the coin from inside the phone booth returned with a troubled expression.

“Amuro-san, there are no fingerprints we can extract from the coin.”

“The person probably wore gloves when depositing the coin. Maybe we should try the phone booth door handle for prints...”

That wasn’t a good way to report progress to their superiors. The door handle must have fingerprints from countless individuals, which would only burden the forensic team without any useful leads.

Rei felt concerned about his teammates’ capabilities.

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He shook his head and decided to focus on the task at hand.

Not far away, at the entrance of an alley, a young detective watched the Japanese Public Security officers busily working, flicked a coin from her hand, caught it, and slipped it back into her pocket before humming a tune and walking away.

Her name was Nanatsuki Koshimizu.

She happened to be in Miha Town for a study trip, which would probably last until Hikaru Nara retired from his urban legend persona.

“All right, let me think... Next is to find a little girl named Ai Haibara, right?”

(Nanatsuki Koshimizu, detective, from TV episodes 519–522, “Three Days with Heiji Hattori”)

———

Whether it was that detective or the urban legend, they were both fools.

They had no idea how strong and terrifying the organization truly was!

Ai Haibara sat behind her desk at Teitan Elementary School, gazing out the window with a bitter thought.

Last night, after Hikaru Nara left Professor Agasa’s lab, she had a fierce argument with Shinichi Kudo. Due to her cruel prank and past grievances, Shinichi loudly accused her of being a murderer and vowed to investigate the case of Renya Karasuma to the end.

In the end, Ai Haibara, who had planned to leave Professor Agasa’s lab, stayed.

If that foolish detective was determined to investigate Renya Karasuma, he was doomed. It was no matter if Shinichi died, but Professor Agasa was kind to her, and she couldn’t allow him to be implicated. So, she stayed to act as a limiter.

A limiter on the curiosity of Shinichi Kudo, a high school detective with an extraordinary mind despite appearing as an elementary school student.

“…By the way, when did a new forest ranger arrive?”

Ai Haibara’s gaze fell on a figure by the school’s protective forest.

She muttered in confusion.

For some unknown reason, whenever she saw that ranger, her heart skipped a beat.

As if the Black Organization’s radar had been triggered... Could that person be a member of the Black Organization in disguise?

To locate her in just one day? That was too fast...