Chapter 188: The Miracle of Reversing Life Forms
The quiet room was filled only with Sherry's sobs and ragged breathing.
Two meal trays lay untouched on the floor—it seemed she hadn't eaten since last night.
She must be incredibly weak from hunger.
How could she escape without any strength?
Even desperate people would eat tree bark to survive. Life was more precious than anything. What a foolish girl who didn't know how to cherish it.
"Miyano Shiho, seeking death is always the most foolish decision a human can make. It not only harms yourself but also your loved ones.
Did you think of your parents when you decided this? Did you think of your sister?"
This time, Natsukawa didn't address her by her code name. After his harsh words, Miyano Shiho finally raised her head.
Her eyes were filled with fury, as if having her real name spoken by someone from the Organization was utterly revolting.
"My family—my only sister is already dead. What's the point of living? It's better to just die!"
Sherry glared coldly at Natsukawa.
Although Gin claimed he'd killed her sister, Tequila was definitely involved somehow.
After all, Tequila had been the contact between the sisters recently. She understood that perfectly well.
"Who told you Miyano Akemi is dead?"
The chains rattled as they were dragged. Sherry, with a sudden burst of desperate strength, lunged at Natsukawa, knocking over the food on the floor.
"What did you say? What do you mean?!"
She grabbed Natsukawa's collar, a feverish flush on her pale face, her wide eyes filled with a desperate glimmer of hope.
"Let go. Your outburst might attract Gin's attention."
This was just an excuse from Natsukawa to keep Sherry calm. In reality, Gin had left early that morning.
As the person in charge of Japan, he had numerous responsibilities, requiring him to travel throughout the country.
This was why he needed a dedicated driver—otherwise, just the driving alone would be exhausting.
Tequila's behavior surprised Sherry. This guy seemed like a completely different person today.
"Impossible. Gin showed me the video yesterday. My sister is already..."
Sherry seriously suspected Tequila was lying to her. The video couldn't be faked—if she was dead, she was really dead.
"Not only is my sister dead, but she was also sealed in a concrete barrel and dumped into Tokyo Bay! That despicable Gin—how could he do such a thing?!"
Natsukawa was stunned. He hadn't expected Gin to show Sherry the video.
Wasn't this just twisting the knife? He didn't understand what was wrong with Gin. Knowing that Sherry couldn't accept this news, he'd still used a video to torment her.
He seriously suspected that Gin couldn't stand Sherry either and wanted to drive her to death this way.
No wonder Gin hadn't arranged for anyone to guard Sherry—he was planning to make her unable to bear her sister's death and commit suicide.
That way, he could explain everything to the boss.
Gin's logic: Research can stop, but Sherry must die!!!
"Gin told you he killed Miyano Akemi with his own hands, right? But did you really look closely? In that video, the hand that appeared—was that actually Gin's hand?"
"If it wasn't Gin, then it was you?"
Sherry was confused, but she still kicked at him. Was this guy insane?
He came to see her at a time like this just to tell her that he'd actually killed her sister?
He's sick!
"Actually, your sister isn't dead. I filmed the video. I found a female corpse with a similar build to your sister and disguised her as Akemi. So your sister is alive and well.
If you want to see her..."
"What do you want!"
Only then did she realize the other person's behavior was completely different from the previous Tequila. This Tequila was suspicious!
His words were nothing like those of an Organization member.
"Are you FBI? Did Akai Shuichi send you?" Sherry grabbed Natsukawa's arm forcefully, as if grasping at a lifeline.
Natsukawa remained silent and shook off Sherry's grip.
She was too agitated and needed to calm down.
"Please, I just felt sorry for you and wanted to save your life. I'll have someone bring you another meal later. After all, you need to eat to have the strength to escape."
"Impossible. The research facility has maximum security. There's no way out." Sherry's spirits lifted for a few seconds before slumping again.
Having been in the underground research facility of Shirakage Pharmaceuticals for so long, she knew the security measures like the back of her hand. There was no chance of escaping.
Gin was often away. If there'd been a chance, she would have escaped long ago.
"There's always a way. You can even create a miracle like APTX 4869 that reverses life forms—you must be able to think of a solution."
"Impossible, I..."
Sherry stopped mid-sentence, as if she'd thought of something.
It seemed... it wasn't entirely hopeless after all.
Tequila's sudden mention of the APTX drug reminded her of the shrunken Shinichi Kudo.
Perhaps she could do it too!
"You know about the miracle of reversing life forms..."
When she came to her senses and wanted to ask if he knew more, she found he'd already left, and even the door was locked.
Sherry placed her right hand into the pocket of her white lab coat. Inside was a red and white capsule—this would be her chance to escape!
That person—he really did know that the APTX drug could shrink people.
"A miracle of reversing life forms... how ironic!"
Sherry stared intently at the APTX capsule in her hand.
Clang!
Two screws from the ventilation duct on the wall had fallen off at some point, and the two remaining screws were loose and wobbly.
Sherry was startled by the sound and looked up.
She remembered the ventilation duct had seemed perfectly secure before.
"Tequila... who are you? Why are you helping me?"
Early Evening, Abandoned Suburbs
"In position!" ×2
"Await further instructions."
With that, Natsukawa faced the high-rise building where the exchange was arranged.
After a few seconds, a faint light appeared in the distance, slowly growing closer as time passed.
"Suzuki Jirokichi really is using a helicopter." Vodka beside Natsukawa was dumbfounded. To predict that so accurately? Tequila was simply amazing!
Compared to him, Vodka felt incredibly inadequate.
At this rate, his aniki's future driver might end up being Tequila.
Natsukawa didn't know what Vodka was thinking—otherwise he would have waved his hands in denial repeatedly.
A Porsche 356A could only have one dedicated driver, and that was Vodka!
He didn't have time to chauffeur Gin around every day. Not only was maintaining this persona uncomfortable enough, but he also had other priorities—
Like taking care of Anya, relaxing in the sun, dating Yor, etc. Every matter was important.
These covered education, health, and family planning.
"Isn't this perfect?"
Natsukawa walked to the doorway, looking at the water reservoir in front of him, then up at the fishing line connecting it to the rooftop of the building.
"Has the police arrived yet?"
Vodka shook his head, puzzled. "Kid sent a notice in Beika at noon, and with Suzuki Jirokichi's strong opposition to police involvement, the Metropolitan Police Department didn't show up today."
Looking at the shimmering, moonlit reservoir before him, Vodka asked, confused, "Eight billion yen—that's about seventy million in US dollars, right? Even if they drop the money down the line, how can we take it all?"
He glanced back at the van he'd driven.
The van was spacious, but it wouldn't be able to fit so much money easily. It would be time-consuming and laborious, and there was risk of problems along the way.
It would be better to transfer the money through overseas accounts.
Natsukawa had also considered wire transfers, but the internet infrastructure wasn't as developed as in his previous world, and money laundering would be difficult. Account information and fund transfers were easily traceable.
Cash transactions were the safest method.
Especially in the Detective Conan world, leaving digital traces was far too risky. Cash was much more straightforward.
Besides, the van behind them had been equipped with signal jammers, so even if Suzuki Jirokichi tried something clever, it wouldn't be a problem.
"Don't worry, I already told him to use US dollar bills."
Eight billion yen was substantial, but converting it to US dollars wouldn't be an issue. If gold weren't so heavy, it would be even easier to handle as bullion.
Waiting for the helicopter to land on the rooftop, Natsukawa pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Hey! You bastards, where's my Lupin? Give him back to me!"
As soon as the call connected, Suzuki Jirokichi grabbed the phone and shouted, his eyes scanning the rooftop, but he couldn't see a single person—not even a dog.
"Advisor Suzuki, Lupin is just an ordinary dog to us. We only want the money—we won't harm him. You can rest assured."
"Hmph!!" Suzuki Jirokichi snorted, a smug look on his face as if he'd figured it out: "You really aren't Kaitou Kid! Release Lupin now—I've brought the money!"
Beside him, his two bodyguards, each carrying two black briefcases, looked around warily.
This employer was really something else. Absolutely no security precautions, not even basic reconnaissance. He'd actually ordered a helicopter to come directly to the rooftop without checking the situation first. What if there was an ambush?
He was practically ignoring his own safety.
These criminals dared to demand eight billion just for Lupin. If the employer were kidnapped, wouldn't they demand half the Suzuki Group?
"See that fishing rod in front of you?"
Suzuki Jirokichi looked around and, guided by his bodyguard, found the fishing rod at the edge of the rooftop.
A transparent fishing line extended downward from the end of the rod.
Looking down, it reached a water reservoir below the building.
Understanding the kidnappers' intentions, Suzuki Jirokichi gestured for his bodyguard to thread the briefcases full of US dollars through the fishing line using sliding clips.
"Now, can you tell me where Lupin is?"
"Give me half first, and I'll let you see Lupin. Give me the other half, and I'll release him."
"Understood."
Suzuki Jirokichi nodded and waved.
The bodyguard pushed the first briefcase outward, hooking it onto the fishing line, and it swooshed downward.
Thirty-five stories high—the briefcase hit the water in mere seconds, seemingly defying physics.
Water splashed from the reservoir, mist filling the air as both briefcases safely submerged.
Vodka had now become Natsukawa's assistant. At the latter's urging, he reluctantly waded into the water to retrieve the briefcases and verify the money.
Being Gin's subordinate was bad enough, but now Tequila was ordering him around too.
However, there was nothing he could do—it was his aniki's orders, and Vodka had no choice but to comply.
Moreover, Tequila's plan was quite sound. He'd previously worried that a transaction on the top floor would complicate their evacuation, since they couldn't deploy helicopters.
Now that concern was gone.
"No problems!"
Natsukawa hummed in acknowledgment, then spoke into his phone again. "Suzuki-san, pick up the binoculars next to the fishing rod and look at the top floor of the building at your current two o'clock position. Your precious dog is there."
Suzuki Jirokichi quickly grabbed the binoculars and looked in the direction Natsukawa indicated.
On the rooftop of that building, several stories shorter than their current position, a dog was perched on the railing, looking in his direction.
The dog's mouth was taped shut to prevent barking.
Worried about being discovered, Natsukawa had just remotely opened Lupin's cage and released him.
Seeing Suzuki Jirokichi looking at him through the binoculars, Lupin jumped excitedly a few times, which terrified Suzuki Jirokichi.
"Lupin, don't move! It's so high—if you fall, you'll die!" Suzuki Jirokichi was sweating profusely, wanting only to complete the transaction quickly and get his dog back safely.
"Hehehe—" Natsukawa's laughter carried a sinister edge. "Look, Lupin is healthy. Advisor Suzuki, you can drop the other two cases now.
Don't try anything clever—we have a sniper targeting you. If you don't want anything to happen to Lupin, just do as I say."
As soon as he finished speaking, with a sharp crack, sparks flew from the railing near Lupin, scaring the dog into immediately cowering.
"I understand! Whatever you do, don't hurt Lupin!!"
Suzuki Jirokichi's expression fell. Lupin was his weakness. He might not compare to Suzuki Sonoko in family importance, but his status in the Suzuki household was definitely significant.
He quickly signaled the bodyguards to drop the other two cases down the fishing line.
Watching the remaining two briefcases slide into the reservoir one after another, Natsukawa nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you for your cooperation, Advisor Suzuki. Well then, until we meet again."
After hanging up the phone, Natsukawa began checking the situation.
"No police in the vicinity." Chianti, the sniper, wasn't responsible for actual sniping—she was the lookout Natsukawa had positioned on high ground.
Vodka placed the four briefcases in the van's trunk and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Speaking of which, Kaitou Kid was strange today. He rarely sends notices at noon and then acts in the evening. Is he targeting us? He probably found out about our extortion of the Suzuki Group.
So he acted independently, which means we can't use his name anymore. But it worked out this way—without interference from the Metropolitan Police, things were much easier."
Natsukawa glanced at Vodka. This guy was unusually sharp today, actually starting to think critically.
But he was a bit slow on the uptake, only realizing it after the extortion was complete.
Hindsight is 20/20—classic Vodka.
"Vodka, after following Tequila around all day, you've made some progress." The cold voice carried a hint of approval.
"Aniki!" Vodka's face lit up at first, then froze.
It sounded like a compliment, but it was actually praise directed at Tequila.
Damn it, Tequila had tricked him again.
"Where should this money be delivered?" Natsukawa asked.
The one billion yen hadn't been kept at Shirakage Pharmaceuticals—Gin seemed to have taken it elsewhere later. Natsukawa guessed Gin maintained a personal slush fund somewhere in Tokyo.
Or perhaps some hidden financial base.
Separating the money from research operations meant that even if Shirakage Pharmaceuticals was raided, the funds wouldn't be compromised. Natsukawa could only admire Gin's foresight—this was definitely much safer.
The old saying went, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." Gin was a perfect example of this principle.
[End of Chapter]
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