Haunted house chaos spilled over; Ferris staff herded gondolas down.
Shuichi's group circled once before disembarking.
"What's the deal at the haunted house?" Kogoro grabbed a worker.
"Gunshots inside—someone hurt. Kids, clear out," the staff urged.
"Gunshots?"
Shuichi flashed to the purple-haired Phantom Lady—chasing impostor idiots, now escalating?
"I'll check the house—you stay..."
Eri yanked his arm before he finished. "No! Too dangerous!"
"Bookworm's right," Yukiko agreed rare. "Shuichi, guns mean cops—not us."
"Onii-chan!" Reiko hugged him tight.
"Didn't say I'd meddle," Shuichi explained. "Just scoping if the soda girl's there. If she's fine, I bolt—meet you."
"And if she's tangled?" Eri, knowing him best, said gravely. "You'd dive in."
"If it's flower shop fallout, it's on me," Shuichi admitted plainly. "Can't ditch her."
"Timing for heroics?!" Yukiko fumed. "We're protecting you!"
"With you three beauties, why chase others?" Shuichi smiled at them. "I get the worry—but skipping this? Lifetime regret."
"Shuichi, you..." Yukiko pressed.
Eri bit her lip, conflicted, then released him. "Go—but stay safe. We're waiting."
"Eri-neechan?" Reiko's eyes widened.
"Let him," Eri stroked her head. "Can't stop him."
"...Okay." Reiko, usually Eri's foe, obeyed now—unwilling but loosening her grip.
"Bookworm, Reiko!" Yukiko panicked. "You nuts? What if Shuichi hits armed thugs..."
"Hey, just recon," Shuichi joked. "Stop jinxing—your maid month's unfinished. Can't bail."
"You..." Yukiko glared at his grin, huffing away.
"Promise—I'll be fine." Shuichi hugged Eri and Reiko, then eyed silent Kogoro. "Kogoro, they're yours."
"Got it—I'll guard 'em," Kogoro nodded firm.
"Oh—your fireworks," Shuichi added. "Lighter, smokes too. Don't think I don't know—high school smoking?"
"Knew you'd sniff it," Kogoro chuckled dryly, handing over.
"Park entrance—wait. If purple girl's good, I'm there." Shuichi turned to leave.
Yukiko blocked, arms out. "Hugged them—not me."
Sighing, he obliged.
"Shuichi—careful!" she whispered close.
He nodded—then felt a wet brush on his cheek.
Stunned, he looked; she blushed shyly. "Waiting for you."
...
Gunshots buzzed park-wide.
Shuichi bucked fleeing crowds to the haunted house soda shop.
Empty—staff and patrons gone, purple girl vanished. Floor: dark red drips.
He smeared a drop—sticky, blood.
Phantom Lady versus fakes, then. Who bled?
He trailed stains out, to the house—vanishing at the door.
Back inside, he taped a cigarette to firecrackers—timed fuse gadget.
Light cig; burn to junction ignites popper. Placement tweaks delay.
Conan trick—paying off.
Rigged cig back in pack, Shuichi crouched wall-hugging into the gloom.
Dim red lamps flickered sparse.
He crept to a fork—two paths.
Risked lighter for blood—gone.
Wounded one bandaged, dodging trackers.
Seconds ticking, Shuichi opted noise—lure her or thugs.
Backtracked, hugging wall, lit a cracker, lobbed to fork center.
Bang!
Echo boomed narrow.
From right fork: "Boss?"
No reply. Shuichi waited—footsteps neared.
Out stepped a lanky twenty-something, dagger drawn, scanning: "Boss? You get the woman?"
Shouts unanswered, impatience won—he turned back to search.
Shuichi pounced—shadow-silent, red-lit, arms snaked, choking the neck hard!
(End of Chapter)
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/TripleCrown07
If you guys wanna check it out.