"You're really giving it to me?" Sonoko leaned against Ran, asking uncertainly.
"Of course. It was custom-made for you. No one else could wear it," Liu A'dou said.
Ran smiled. "Amazing, Sonoko looks just like Cinderella." The glass slipper belonged only to Cinderella. No matter how other women cut their feet, they couldn't force them in. Cutting feet to fit shoes might work in reality, but it ruined fairy tales.
Sonoko's face turned red. She hadn't expected Liu A'dou to really have such heaven-defying skills and actually make a glass slipper.
"Your wish has already come true. Now it's your turn. My happy life with Ada-sensei depends on how active you two are," Liu A'dou said. "Go, Ran, Sonoko, my knights."
Ran laughed awkwardly, but Sonoko didn't hear a thing. She was still lost in her glass slipper dream.
Vermouth understood though. Liu A'dou had prepared such a precious gift just so two high school girls would help him pursue Ada Wong.
The new chemistry teacher was a real beauty. Vermouth didn't even want to comment anymore. She thought it was something big, but it turned out to be the classic rich second-generation chasing after a beautiful teacher cliché.
Ran and Sonoko were already bought over. After the class bell rang, only Liu A'dou and Vermouth, disguised as Dr. Araide, remained.
"Sorry you had to see that, Dr. Araide."
"I didn't expect you to be so devoted. But why not just give the glass slipper directly to Ada-sensei?"
"How could great love be corrupted by money?" Truth was, if Liu A'dou gave Ada a gift, she'd never appreciate it. That's why he went through the trouble of getting little girls to help hint and pass messages.
That was also the hard part of this game. Since Liu A'dou had already succeeded in pursuing Ada once, and the two knew each other well, the second attempt had to be fresh and creative. Liu A'dou had really racked his brain.
"Pfft!" Vermouth was amused. She thought Liu A'dou really knew how to talk. But there weren't many people this naïve left in the world. She thought of Kudou Shinichi, that young detective who stubbornly clung to his own sense of justice.
"Dr. Araide, were you just thinking of your lover?"
Vermouth lost composure for a moment and quickly forced herself to focus. "No, just thought of an interesting person."
"Oh?" Liu A'dou had already seen through her.
His gaze made Vermouth uncomfortable, so she excused herself to leave. This was the first time she'd felt that way. Thinking back, she realized she wasn't like before anymore. She couldn't just mock Gin all the time either.
Last time Gin got sniped, Vermouth teased him endlessly, saying he was like a hunter who always shot at geese but finally got his eyes pecked out, and it was Sherry who tricked him.
You really couldn't underestimate the younger generation nowadays. They were frighteningly capable.
To be fair, what made the Black Organization scary wasn't strength but their information network. They could find you, but you could never find them. But at the end of the day, everyone was still flesh and blood. When things got ruthless, it wasn't like anyone was invincible.
If Haibara Ai truly hardened her heart and fought against the Black Organization, the Twin Towers would have been the perfect trap. Using herself as bait, she could absolutely lure Gin and Vodka into it.
But unfortunately, Haibara Ai was a good kid.
Koumi Island—Liu A'dou still didn't get what Teitan High School was thinking, choosing such a remote subtropical island as the destination for their school trip. Weren't these trips supposed to be to famous cities like Osaka or Kyoto to learn about history and culture?
He was speechless. Who knew what the school leaders were thinking.
Still, going to the seaside definitely set male students' blood boiling. Blue skies, white clouds, sandy beaches, crystal seas, and bikini girls—was there any better place to learn about women? Of course not. Long live the beach!
Once the girls heard they were going to the beach, they immediately began worrying about what swimsuits to wear. Revealing or conservative? Two-piece or one-piece? Lying on the sand enjoying a massage from the sunlight, showing off youthful curves—it was all part of the fun.
But speaking of Koumi Island, beneath the sea lay the ruins of an ancient sunken site. Over 300 years ago, it was said to be where the famous female pirates 'Anne Bonny and Mary Read' had hidden their treasure. Since pistols and curved sabers from those pirates had already been unearthed, word spread quickly that Koumi Island held hidden treasure.
Now the island was crawling with treasure hunters.
Liu A'dou already knew the secret hidden inside. He thought to himself this was a perfect chance for a phantom thief to make a move, so he sent a notice to the local tourism bureau.
"The souls of the pirates will never die. When two girls gather together, the Azure Coffin will open once again." Kaitou Kid's notice was as blunt as ever, but no one could figure out what he was planning to steal this time.
The tourism bureau immediately contacted the police after receiving the notice. They didn't want the entire island to get stolen. Of course, everyone knew the police were unreliable, so they also reached out to a detective. Naturally, they sought out the most famous one—the "Sleeping Mouri Kogoro."
News never stays hidden. Treasure hunters also found out that the phantom thief was coming, so they doubled their efforts, determined to discover the treasure before he made his move.
"Kaitou Kid, looks like we've got competition too, Daisuke."
"..."
On the edge of a cliff where the wind howled, two men stood facing the roaring sea and surging currents. One looked like a monkey, while the other was a silent man whose hat brim covered half his face.
Who else could they be if not Lupin the Third and his partner Jigen Daisuke?
Clearly, Lupin, who stole for the thrill, was also interested in the treasure hidden on Koumi Island. He hadn't found it yet, but hearing that Kaitou Kid was coming made him even more excited.
Both were thieves, but Kaitou Kid had stolen Mount Fuji in one spectacular move and become a world-famous phantom thief. His name had appeared on the front pages of newspapers across many countries.
He even pushed aside reports about Lupin the Third. Rivals in the same trade are always enemies, so naturally Lupin wanted to meet this Kaitou Kid face to face. "Daisuke, we can't waste time. We need to find the treasure's location fast. This time, we must steal the pirate treasure before Kaitou Kid does. Let's go, Daisuke!"
Saying that, Lupin pinched his nose and leapt straight off the cliff. Daisuke followed without hesitation, and the two vanished into the crashing waves below.
One notice stirred up waves across the whole island. Police, detectives, hunters, and phantom thieves all gathered on the small Koumi Island, each aiming for the treasure left behind by the two pirate sisters 300 years ago.
Finally, the school trip began. The students first had to take the Shinkansen to Okinawa, then board a cruise ship to reach Koumi Island. The island was a popular tourist spot, with plenty of hotels, so it wasn't considered dangerous.
Along the way, the students laughed and chatted, curious about everything during the journey. Many were especially excited about boarding a cruise ship, since most had never been on one before.
None of them knew what kind of incredible adventure awaited on the island—an experience they would never forget for the rest of their lives.