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Chapter 209: The Secret Treatment
"To make the medicinal power truly transform the body, rather than just staying on the surface of the skin and flesh, one must first open up the body's meridians. Only in this way can the 'Qi' be guided to circulate within the body, achieving the state of both internal and external cultivation."
Blake used a semi-true, semi-false theory to bluff Kisaki Eri and Mori Kogoro into stunned silence.
Even Conan, although he felt this rhetoric was very mysterious, couldn't refute it for a moment when he thought of Blake's inhuman strength.
Could it be that in this world, there really exists this kind of 'martial arts' that transcends science?
"However..."
Blake changed the subject again, throwing out a heavy bomb.
"This process of opening the meridians is very special. It must be done when the medicinal power is at its peak, which is... during the medicinal bath, guided by my own hands, to succeed in one go."
During... the medicinal bath?
This sentence exploded like thunder in Ran's mind. Her face went whoosh and turned red from her cheeks to the roots of her ears, even her neck turning pink.
During the medicinal bath... guided by his own hands...
Th-then doesn't that mean... I have to... in front of him...
The girl's mind was in chaos, various shameful images popping up uncontrollably, making her wish she could find a crack in the ground to hide in.
"D-Don't misunderstand."
Looking at Ran, who was about to boil over, Blake explained verbally, but the smile in his eyes deepened. "The process of opening the meridians is like soaking in a hot spring; you don't need to be completely naked. Wearing a swimsuit is fine."
Swimsuit?
What's the difference between that and being naked?!
This bastard! This bastard is definitely doing it on purpose!
The soul of Kudo Shinichi inside Conan was roaring madly!
That's Ran! Wearing a swimsuit! Soaking in a tub in front of a man she just met, and letting him 'open her meridians' with his hands?
Just imagining this scene made Conan's eyes turn red, and the string of his rationality snapped instantly!
"No!"
A shrill, anger-filled childish voice suddenly exploded in the restaurant.
"Absolutely not! Ran-neechan!"
Conan could no longer disguise himself. He rushed forward, spreading his arms to block Ran, glaring at Blake like an angry kitten guarding its food.
"He's a liar! Don't be fooled by him!"
However, his anger and obstruction appeared so pale and powerless in the eyes of the adults.
"You brat!"
A large hand descended from the sky, grabbed Conan by the back of his collar, and lifted him up easily.
Mori Kogoro stared at him with impatience. "Yelling and screaming again! Didn't you see Mr. Blake talking about serious business? Children aren't allowed to interrupt adult conversations randomly, do you understand the rules!"
Saying this, he didn't give Conan any chance to struggle. He carried him to a seat nearby, muttering non-stop. "No sense of propriety at all, almost delayed my big event..."
Conan struggled with his hands and feet but couldn't shake Mori Kogoro in the slightest. He could only watch helplessly as he got further and further away from Ran, watching the silver-haired man continue to speak to the blushing Ran about his damned "meridian opening" plan with a victor's smile.
Despair and powerlessness instantly drowned the Sherlock Holmes of the Heisei Era.
Conan hung in mid-air like a chick in Mori Kogoro's grip, limbs flailing futilely, his throat making incoherent sounds of angry whimpering. He watched helplessly as the silver-haired man, the one he had identified as a liar, used the gentlest tone to say the most shameless things.
"Ran-neechan, don't believe him! He is definitely..."
"Shut up!"
Mori Kogoro slapped the back of Conan's head mercilessly, cutting off his unfinished accusation. "What does a child know! Mr. Blake has the heart to teach Ran. If you dare cause trouble again, don't think about eating dinner tonight!"
After finishing, he slammed Conan onto a chair far away from Blake and gave him a warning glare.
Despair.
Utter despair.
Conan looked at Ran, whose face was flushed and head lowered, afraid to look at Blake. Then he looked at Kisaki Eri, who looked moved and was even calculating the feasibility. And finally, the idiot old man next to him who had already started fantasizing.
Hopeless. This family is hopeless.
Blake's gaze moved away from the shy Ran, as if he hadn't noticed the little farce just now. He turned to Kisaki Eri; the Queen of the Legal World was obviously more concerned with practical issues.
"Mr. Blake, this... opening meridians, are there any risks? And, must it be done by your own hands?"
Eri's question hit the nail on the head. She tried to maintain calm and rationality, but the light flickering in those beautiful eyes had long betrayed her inner desire.
"Attorney Kisaki, please rest assured." Blake's voice carried a soothing power. "The so-called opening of meridians is not a surgical operation involving knives, but using my unique 'Qi' to guide the medicinal power to circulate through the meridians for a full cycle, clearing them completely."
"This process requires extremely precise control. A bit too much Qi and the meridians are damaged; a bit too little and the effort falls short. In today's world, apart from me, I'm afraid no one else can do it."
Blake's voice was full of irrefutable confidence. After all, the steak knife that penetrated the reinforced concrete wall was the best proof.
"As for risks..." Blake chuckled lightly. "The only risk might be that after opening the meridians, the body will develop a dependency on the medicinal bath. To maintain the rejuvenation effect long-term, regular sessions are needed. Of course, for those who are single-mindedly pursuing beauty, this might not count as a risk."
Conan, listening from the side, nearly ground his teeth to dust.
"Then... what about the cost?" Eri asked the most critical question.
Mori Kogoro immediately pricked up his ears.
"Talking about money treats me like a stranger." Blake waved his hand, his posture set very high. "It is fate that allowed me to meet you all today. Moreover, I owe Attorney Kisaki and Detective Mori a favor."
He glanced at Ran and said gently, "The first medicinal bath and meridian opening will be my meeting gift to Miss Mori. If the results are satisfactory, we can talk about follow-up matters."
Free?!
Mori Kogoro's eyes straightened instantly.
"Mr. Blake is too polite! Hahaha, I said it before, heroes cherish heroes! If you have any trouble in Beika Town in the future, just use my name, Mori Kogoro!"
As he spoke, he patted his chest vigorously, completely unaware that his dignity lay shattered on the floor.
"Then... then thank you very much." Ran whispered her thanks, blushing.
Although she felt incredibly shy about the "medicinal bath" process, her longing for "beauty" and "kung fu" ultimately gained the upper hand. Moreover, the other party was the benefactor who saved her mother.
"You're welcome." Blake nodded slightly, then took out his phone from his pocket. "To make contact easier, why don't we exchange numbers? When I have the herbs ready, I will notify you in advance."
This proposal was reasonable and impossible to refuse.
Kisaki Eri immediately took out her phone. And Ran, after hesitating for a moment, blushed and recited a string of numbers.
Conan sat not far away, watching this scene unfold helplessly.
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