Chapter 50: An Urban Legend Right Next to Me?

Regarding the existence of Rye, Hikaru Nara, who had been lingering around Beika Town, was actually somewhat aware of it. However, since Rye did not frequently haunt Beika Town, Hikaru Nara had never truly crossed paths with him.

And since Hikaru Nara had never crossed paths with Rye, it was obvious.

The Reaper elementary school student—who maintained a strict routine of school, the detective agency, and crime scenes every single day—was naturally even less likely to know of Rye's existence. Moreover, he knew nothing about Furuya Rei heading to Teitan Elementary School for an investigation.

To be precise, Conan still had no idea that a person named Furuya Rei even existed.

Right now, he had just stepped off the Shinkansen train that ran from Shizuoka Prefecture to Beika Town. Standing inside the station, he flipped through the messages on his smartphone.

Then, the Reaper elementary school student sighed from the bottom of his heart.

"I have a feeling Uncle is going to bonk me on the head when I get back."

Even the Sherlock Holmes of the Heisei era was completely powerless in the face of Kogoro Mouri's ultimate fist.

Hearing Conan's sentiment, Ai Haibara merely glanced at him without a word.

She could not quite comprehend why Conan insisted on living at the Mouri Detective Agency.

Given the personalities of the father-daughter duo at the Mouri Detective Agency, if Vermouth were to disguise herself as some middle-aged woman one day and forcibly abduct Conan, they probably wouldn't even realize anything was wrong—

Oh, it seemed someone had already done something like that, never mind then.

(TV Episode 44, "The Edogawa Conan Kidnapping Case": Yukiko Kudo disguises herself as a stranger and takes Conan away from the Mouri Detective Agency, while Ran Mouri and Kogoro Mouri fail to notice anything amiss with Conan's attitude.)

"Well, Shinichi, how about you come live with me at the laboratory starting today?"

Professor Agasa finally responded to Conan.

The plump inventor said as a matter of course.

"Besides, you've already asked for leave from Teitan Elementary School today anyway. Didn't you say you're going with us to the lab this afternoon to hand over the floppy disk to Yan Shuangying? You might as well just move in there directly!"

...That sounds reasonable, but honestly... better forget it.

Conan shook his head, still intending to return to the Mouri Detective Agency after delivering the floppy disk to Professor Agasa's laboratory.

Beep—

Professor Agasa's yellow compact car, which had been parked in the Shinkansen station parking lot since yesterday afternoon, emitted a sound.

Sure enough, a parking ticket from the Traffic Division of the Metropolitan Police Department had already been tucked under the wiper.

At this, Professor Agasa could only sigh over his dwindling savings before starting the car and driving Haibara and Conan toward his laboratory.

Along the way, Conan habitually looked out at the street scenery passing by the window, resting his chin on his elbow as he pondered.

He felt that the gap between the current Beika Town and the Beika Town he was familiar with was growing wider by the day.

Ever since the appearance of the half-man, half-ghost urban legend, this city had suddenly become extraordinarily chaotic.

All sorts of monsters, freaks, ghosts, and goblins had been flushed out into the open by the mysterious individual within an extremely short period, and then neatly and decisively wiped out overnight through illegal debt collections.

Facing vicious enemies like the Black Organization, such half-man, half-ghost methods were beyond reproach.

Yet Conan did not believe this approach was right.

Such behavior would inevitably undermine the prestige of the Metropolitan Police Department within the Beika Town area. Before long, a swarm of copycats or fanatical followers claiming to be half-man, half-ghost would likely emerge, initiating an endless slippery slope of murder—

Starting with killing murderers, then robbers, followed by thieves, sliding downwards endlessly...

Just like the urban legend of the masked assassin [Twenty Faces] that once appeared in that legendary city: as long as one wore a black trench coat and sunglasses, anyone could become a half-man, half-ghost urban legend.

"...Where on earth did you come from, and with what justification are you wandering through this city?"

Conan murmured under his breath.

His gaze, however, suddenly locked onto a familiar figure appearing not far ahead.

That was—Ran Mouri's silhouette!

At this hour, school should indeed be over for Ran, but why was she lingering over there?

"Oh, oh, Shinichi, isn't that Miss Mouri?"

"Should we stop the car now? Actually, I think just Xiao Ai alone is enough to handle something like delivering a floppy disk!"

Professor Agasa's voice came from the driver's seat.

The vehicle had already begun to slow down.

Meanwhile, Haibara stared at the plump professor in front of her and said in a low voice.

"Didn't I tell you not to use that nickname to address me?"

"Eh? But I think it's quite cute, you know. Don't the kids in the Junior Detective League call you that too?"

"…Forget it, do as you please."

Haibara returned to her usual silence.

Conan also bade farewell to Professor Agasa and got out of the car ahead of schedule.

Over by someone's front gate, Ran Mouri had also noticed Professor Agasa's conspicuous yellow car. She turned her head toward the vehicle, and then her gaze fell upon Conan as he stepped out.

The high school girl said with pleasant surprise.

"Conan, you're back?"

"Yup, I'm back, Ran-neesan!"

Haibara poked her head out slightly, watching the Reaper elementary school student put on a childish voice as he approached Ran Mouri.

Then, she pulled her head back in and simply remarked.

"I think I finally understand why Shinichi Kudo chose to stay at the Mouri Detective Agency."

"…Huh?"

Professor Agasa blinked.

"Professor Agasa, drive. We don't have much time left."

Haibara added.

Vroom—

The car drove past Ran Mouri and Conan.

Conan's attention, however, had shifted from Ran Mouri to the house right in front of them.

He felt this building looked remarkably familiar, as if he had been here before.

Noticing Conan's gaze directed at the house, Ran Mouri said with a hint of nostalgia.

"Shinichi and I used to pass by here all the time when we were kids."

"I remember Mr. Sakaguchi kept a very cute little dog named John, who used to be very affectionate toward Shinichi and me... But lately, neither Mr. Sakaguchi nor John has been seen anywhere."

"I wonder where Mr. Sakaguchi went."

...Mr. Sakaguchi? Masayoshi Sakaguchi?

The name of the owner surfaced in Conan's mind.

He also remembered that adorable puppy named John, though he recalled that the dog had apparently grown up—becoming huge and formidable, like a large guard dog capable of tearing someone apart.

Then, Conan suddenly froze.

They were always here before, but disappeared these past few days?

Could Masayoshi Sakaguchi, the renowned defense attorney for minors, have some connection to that half-man, half-ghost urban legend? Why did he vanish precisely at this time?

"I remember Mr. Sakaguchi used to have a child, but the child died because of school bullying."

"Later on, Mr. Sakaguchi forgave the bullying child, and then, about a month ago, that now-adult bully mysteriously vanished one day..."

Conan muttered to himself.

No way... Was that the work of the half-man, half-ghost urban legend?

Could it be... that the stronghold of that urban legend was actually located right near the Mouri Detective Agency?